JP2569719Y2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a lateral transport path for transporting goods dispensed from a commodity outlet of a plurality of merchandise storage units disposed in a lateral direction along a lateral direction, and a lateral transport path. Forming a vertical transport path for vertically transporting the product from the transport end to a product take-out position higher than the product payout port,
The horizontal transport path is provided with a receiving surface for receiving the product discharged from each of the product discharge ports, and after transporting the product received on the receiving surface along the horizontal transport path, a transport end portion thereof. The present invention relates to a vending machine provided with a product transport device provided with a transport body for scooping up products and placing and transporting the products along a vertical transport path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vending machine is used to transport goods delivered from each of the above-described commodity outlets to a commodity take-out position higher than the commodity exits, and are individually driven. Is not provided in correspondence with each of the commodity outlets, and the commodity paid out from each commodity exit is once received by the receiving surface, and it is determined which commodity exit is the commodity paid out. Instead, it is configured such that after being laterally transported along the horizontal transport path by the transport body, it can be scooped up at the transport end portion and placed and transported along the vertical transport path toward the product take-out position. Is simplified. Conventionally, by moving the transport body of the product transport apparatus in each of the horizontal transport path and the vertical transport path so as to protrude in a posture orthogonal to each transport direction, the horizontal direction received by the receiving surface is achieved. The product in the posture is scooped up at the transport end of the horizontal transport path, and the product is placed and transported along the vertical transport path in the upright attitude.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional vending machine, the products are placed and transported in a standing posture on the transport surface of a transporting member protruding and moving along the vertical transport route. The longer the product, the higher the center of gravity of the product itself, and the easier it is for the balance to collapse, and as a result,
There is a problem that the goods placed and conveyed along the vertical conveyance path easily fall down due to the vibration of the goods conveying device or the like. The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and by performing a rational remodeling focusing on the point that the center of gravity of the product itself can be lowered by vertically transporting the product in a horizontal posture, during vertical transportation, That can suppress falling and falling of the product, and can perform the scooping-up operation of the product at the transport end of the horizontal transport path reliably and smoothly while simplifying the structure and reducing the manufacturing cost. The purpose is to provide vending machines.

[0004]

The features of the present invention for achieving the above object are as follows. A lateral transport path for transporting the products dispensed from the product dispensing ports of the plurality of product storage units disposed in the horizontal direction along the horizontal direction, and a transport end portion of the horizontal transport path from the product dispensing port. A vertical transport path for vertically transporting the product to a high-position product removal position, and the horizontal transport path is provided with a receiving surface for receiving the product discharged from each of the product discharge ports, and the receiving surface includes After transporting the received product along the horizontal transport path, a product transport device including a transport body that scoops up the product at the transport end portion and places and transports the product in a horizontal orientation along the vertical transport path is provided. A vending machine; B. the receiving surface is formed in a gutter shape which is wider than the outer diameter of the product and becomes lower toward the center in the width direction; The carrier is transported by contact with the receiving surface.
Position the transport surface of the body closer to the upper end in the lateral transport direction.
The vending machine has the configuration of the above-described vending machines A to C provided with a posture regulating body for guiding the movement of the transporting body in a state where the conveyance body is restricted to the rearward inclined posture.

[0005]

[Function] a. According to the configuration A, the center of gravity of the product itself can be lowered by setting the conveyance posture of the product placed and conveyed along the vertical conveyance path to the horizontal posture, and as a result, the product in the middle of the vertical conveyance Of the balance can be suppressed. b. According to the configuration B, the product can be received at the widthwise central portion of the gutter-shaped receiving surface in a posture in which the longitudinal direction thereof is along the transport direction. Therefore, the product received on the receiving surface and the product are transported. The relative positional relationship with the carrier can be maintained substantially constant. c. With the configuration of C, the transport body is moved relative to the receiving surface, and the transport surface thereof is positioned such that the upper end thereof is located on the upper side in the horizontal transport direction.
Since the movement guide is performed in a state of being restricted to the inclined posture, it is easy to enter the transport surface of the transport body between the receiving surface and the product received by the receiving surface, and at the transport end portion of the horizontal transport path,
The product on the receiving surface can be smoothly transferred onto the transport surface of the transport body in the horizontal orientation. Moreover, the posture regulating body, the Setto of the receiving surface, the carrier, it transportable
Slant rearward with the upper side of the feeding surface closer to the horizontal transport direction
Since the movement is guided while being regulated by the force, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated guide member with which the posture regulating body contacts.

[0006]

[Effects of the Invention] Accordingly, not only can the product be prevented from falling down during the vertical transport, but also, at the transport end portion of the horizontal transport route, the product received on the receiving surface is suitable for transport on the vertical transport route. The posture can be reliably and smoothly scooped up, and the receiving surface is used as a guide member of the posture regulating body, so the structure is simplified compared to the case where a dedicated guide member is provided along the horizontal transport path In addition, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0007]

FIG. 7 shows a vending machine in which a door B is pivotally supported on a main body A in which three commodity storage units 1 are arranged side by side in a swingable manner. Each of the commodity storage units 1
A plurality of serpentine-type merchandise storages 1a arranged in the front-rear direction, and a merchandise C in a rotating body shape such as a canned or bottled beverage discharged from one of the merchandise storage units 1 based on a sales order, and a merchandise payout position. And a chute 1c that guides downhill toward the commodity payout port 1b. The commodity payout ports 1b are separately provided for each commodity storage unit 1, and are arranged at different positions along the horizontal direction.
As shown in FIG. 4, a receiving surface 2 formed on the door body B along the direction in which the product payout ports 1b are disposed to receive the products C paid out from each of the product payout ports 1b, Regardless of the product C discharged from the opening 1b, the product C received on the receiving surface 2 is scooped up by the transport body 3 which is waiting at the standby position H on the upper side in the transport direction from each of the product discharge ports 1b. And a product transport device D that transports the product toward the product take-out box 4 as a product take-out position higher than the product pay-out port 1b. The product transport device D is configured to drive and move the transport body 3 in the lateral direction along the receiving surface 2, and to transport the product C received by the receiving surface 2 while extruding the product C by the transport body 3, After the conveyance body 3 is conveyed along the horizontal conveyance path E, the conveyance body 3 is driven to move upward, and the goods C conveyed along the horizontal conveyance path E are conveyed downwardly on the conveyance surface 3a. And an L-shaped transport path that is continuous with the vertical transport path F for lifting and transporting. That is, the product C received by the receiving surface 2 is conveyed along the horizontal conveyance path E by the conveyance body 3, and then scooped up by the conveyance body 3 at the conveyance end portion, and is conveyed to the vertical conveyance path in a horizontal posture. It is placed and transported along F. The L-shaped transport path is configured such that an endless chain 5 as an endless rotating body is wound in an L-shape over the upper and lower sprockets G ₁ and G ₂ and the five guide sprockets G _3, and two transport bodies 3. Are connected to the endless chain 5 at substantially equal intervals via a carrier attachment member 6. FIG. 1, FIG. 2,
As shown in FIG. 5, each of the transport bodies 3 has a transport surface 3
a is formed in a gutter shape curved downward, and is connected to the carrier mounting member 6 so as to be vertically swingable.
Rollers 6a pivotally supported on both left and right sides of the carrier mounting member 6
The guided in guide rails 7 provided along the winding path of the endless chain 5, by driving the chain linkage has been driven motor M to the sprocket G ₂ lower, two of the carrier 3 is a series of circular path Is configured to be driven and moved in one direction along. A swing arm 3c that can swing up and down and a rolling wheel 3b that rolls on the receiving surface 2 are continuously provided on the bottom surface of the carrier 3, and the swing arm 3c is The pin 3f connected to the swing arm 3c is engaged with the elongated hole 6c which is urged and is swingable up and down and connected to the carrier mounting member 6, and the swing arm 3c Swing range is regulated.

The receiving surface 2 is formed in a gutter shape which is wider than the outer diameter of the product C and is bent so as to become lower toward the center in the width direction, and the product C delivered from the product delivery port 1b has a longitudinal direction. Is configured to be received at the center in the width direction with the direction toward the transport direction, and a slit-shaped gap 10 is formed along the center in the width direction.
It is configured to pull the transport body 3 from 0 and drive and move it along the horizontal transport path E. Each of the transport bodies 3 is in a standby position H at which a standby is performed to transport the product C paid out from any one of the merchandise outlets 1b to the receiving surface 2 on the lateral conveyance path on the upper side of the merchandise outlet 1b in the conveying direction. And a discharge position J where the lifted and conveyed goods C are slid down and discharged to the chute 4a of the goods take-out box 4 while being sequentially driven in one direction along the L-shaped conveyance path. the conveying movement distance L ₁ moving from to a discharge position J,
Its carrier 3 and the other carrier 3 from arriving at the discharging position J are longer than the wait movement distance L ₂ to be moved to the standby position H. As shown in FIG.
Is a push-out posture in which the roller 3b pivotally supported by the carrier 3 is supported on the receiving surface 2 so that the moving posture along the lateral conveyance path E tilts the conveyance surface 3a backward with respect to the horizontal conveyance direction. Specifically, as the upper end of the transport surface 3a is more advanced in the lateral transport direction,
The guide roller 3d is guided along the vertical transport path F along the vertical transport path F. The guide roller 3d is supported along the vertical transport path F at the other end of the swing arm 3c. By contacting a certain cam surface 11, the transfer surface 3
The product C is guided to a lifting position in which the product C can be lifted and conveyed by a. In other words, the rolling wheel 3b rolls by contact with the receiving surface 2 so that the conveying surface 3a of the conveying body 3 moves sideways toward its upper end.
State restricted to the rearward inclined posture located on the upper side in the transport direction
And is configured as a posture regulating body for guiding the movement of the carrier 3
There Ru. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the carriers 3 has a claw 3e.
The claw 3e is pushed down along the horizontal transport path E and enters the lower side of the moving product C, and the
As the posture is changed from the pushing posture to the lifting posture, the product C that slides and moves along the center in the width direction of the receiving surface 2 is scooped up with the claw 3e and is placed on the conveying surface 3a of the conveying body 3. Make up.

As shown in FIG. 6 for explaining the operation of the product transport device D, when the product transport device D is kicked by the dogs 9a and 9b connected to the endless chain 5 side of the vertical transport path F, the drive of the product transport device D is performed. one of the proximity switch 8 for outputting a signal is provided to the controller to the control device, the dog 9a, 9b is, and the gap portion separating the wait movement distance L ₂ equivalent to the interval portion separating the conveying movement distance L ₁ equivalent They are connected to the endless chain 5 side at predetermined intervals arranged alternately. And product C
Is delivered to the receiving surface 2, the drive motor M is driven and the carrier 3 stopped at the standby position H starts moving, and one of the first dogs 9 a (hereinafter, the first dog) is set to the proximity switch 8. When the control device determines that the carrier 3 has arrived at the discharge position J, the drive of the drive motor M is stopped, and after a predetermined product discharge time has elapsed, the drive motor M is driven again and the second motor is driven. When one of the dogs 9b (hereinafter referred to as a second dog) kicks the proximity switch 8, the control device causes the following other carrier 3 to move.
Is determined to have arrived at the standby position H, the drive of the drive motor M is stopped, and the other transport body 3 stands by at the standby position H. In the return path in which the transporting body 3 returns from the discharge position J to the standby position H, a guide mechanism for tilting the transporting body 3 toward the endless chain 5 is provided, and the transporting body 3 is guided so as to return in a compact posture. You.

[Another embodiment] a. The receiving surface may be formed as a smooth curved surface that becomes lower toward the center in the width direction. B. The transport body may be reciprocally driven and moved along the L-shaped transport path. C. The arrangement in which the product payout positions are different along the horizontal direction is not limited to a configuration in which a plurality of product payout ports are arranged in parallel as shown in the embodiment, and a series of horizontally long product payout ports are provided. The product may be paid out from a different position in the longitudinal direction of the product payout port.

[0011] In the claims of the utility model registration, reference numerals are written for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the attached drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an essential part taken along line II of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a main part.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a product transport device.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part of the product transport device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product transport device.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view of a vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Merchandise storage part 1b Merchandise outlet 2 Receiving surface 3 Carrier 3a Conveying surface 3b Attitude regulating body 4 Merchandise take-out position C Merchandise D Merchandise transport device E Horizontal transport route F Vertical transport route

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A horizontal transport path for transporting a product (C) delivered from a product delivery port (1b) of a plurality of product storage units (1) arranged in a horizontal direction along a horizontal direction. From the transport end of the horizontal transport path (E), the product payout port (1
b) forming a vertical transport path (F) for vertically transporting the product to a product take-out position (4) higher than that of the product delivery port (1b) in the horizontal transport path (E). A receiving surface (2) for receiving the product (C) is provided, and the product (C) received on the receiving surface (2) is conveyed along a horizontal conveying path (E), and then the conveyance end thereof A vending machine provided with a product transport device (D) including a transport body (3) for scooping up the product (C) in a horizontal direction and placing and transporting the product (C) in a horizontal position along a vertical transport path (F). The receiving surface (2) is formed in a gutter shape that is wider than the outer diameter of the product (C) and becomes lower toward the center in the width direction, and the receiving surface is provided on the transport body (3). By contact with (2), the transfer surface (3a) of the transfer body (3) is
The upper end is set to the rearward inclined position , which is located on the upper side in the horizontal transport direction.
A vending machine provided with a posture regulating body (3b) for guiding the movement of the carrier (3) in a controlled state .