JP2725846B2 - Vending machine product selection button device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a product selection button device for a vending machine.

(B) Conventional technology A display room with a front panel covered with a transparent panel is formed on the front of the main body, and a product sample is displayed in the display room, and a product selection button is provided on the front corresponding to the product sample. In recent years, vending machines have been particularly focused on display displays and the like, and as shown in, for example, JP-A-63-229597, there is a tendency to take up a large area of the exhibition room in front of the vending machines. For this reason, the product selection button device in this type of vending machine is required to be miniaturized. For example, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 64-23826, a printed circuit board equipped with an open / close switch and A frame body containing a circuit board and including a mounting structure to a vending machine, and a push button member that is mounted on the frame body via a movable member and that operates an open / close switch by moving the movable member; A structure in which these are integrally housed is known.

Also, recently, there is an exhibition device in which a product sample is formed in a hollow shape with a light transmitting material, and the product sample itself is illuminated from the inside so that the product sample itself emits bright light. No. 6,086,045.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention Although the product selection button device according to the prior art can be reduced in size, the size of the push button portion is small, so that the push button is difficult to recognize, and especially in the nighttime or the like. In this case, the display of the product selection button becomes unclear, causing a problem of inconvenience such as confused customers.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a product selection button device of a vending machine which can constitute a small product selection button device and can clearly display the product.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems According to the present invention, a button mounting frame having push buttons arranged side by side is mounted on a transparent panel, and a printed circuit board having switches arranged in correspondence with each push button is attached to the rear of the push button. Provided in
In a vending machine in which the switch can be operated by pressing a push button, the push button is provided with a light transmitting portion capable of transmitting light at least in a portion exposed to the front, and corresponds to the rear of the light transmitting portion. Providing an opening in the portion of the printed circuit board, providing an illuminating device for illuminating the light transmitting portion of the push button through the opening, and arranging a switch contact on the printed circuit board near the opening, and A conductor is provided in front of the contact to close the switch contact by pressing a push button.

(E) Function In the present invention having such a configuration, when the push button is pressed, the conductor comes into contact with the switch contact provided on the printed circuit board, and the switch contact is made conductive and closed. In addition, the light transmitting portion of the push button is illuminated by a lighting device through an opening hole opened in the printed circuit board,
It is always brightly lit and displayed brightly on the front.

(F) Example Each figure shows an example of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a product selection button device portion, FIG. 2 is a similar cross-sectional plan view, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of a printed circuit board, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a vending machine.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a vending machine main body. An exhibition room 3 having a front surface covered with a transparent panel 2 is provided on a front surface, and an input port 4 for inputting money and the like, a product outlet 5 and the like are provided at a lower portion. doing.

At the upper and lower predetermined positions of the transparent panel 2, a large number of horizontally long through-holes 6 are arranged in a row in the left-right direction. The button mounting frame 7 is screwed and fixed with screws 8 from the back side of the transparent panel 2. A base 10 for displaying and supporting the product sample 9 is fixed in the exhibition room 3 on the back side of the transparent panel 2 corresponding to the button mounting frame 7.

The button mounting frame 7 is provided with a large number of horizontally elliptical openings 11 that are open on the front surface facing the respective through holes 6, and have a front portion protruding forward from the opening 11 and supported to be movable back and forth. With 12 inside, behind the push button 12,
In each of the portions corresponding to the respective through holes 6, a horizontally long opening hole 13 is provided to be opened, and near both sides of each of the opening holes 13,
The printed circuit board 15 includes switch contacts 14 that are each closed by a pressing operation of the push button 12.

Also, between the push button 12 and the printed circuit board 15,
A seal member 16 made of a transparent and waterproof elastic material is provided, and normally, the push button 12 is urged forward by its elasticity to be positioned, and when the push button 12 is pressed, the seal member 16 is positioned rearward. When the pressing operation is released, the push button 12 returns to the front position, and the opening 11
To prevent infiltration of rainwater or the like into the printed circuit board 15 from above. The seal member 16 is provided with the switch contact.
14 is provided with a conductor 17 formed of a conductive material protruding opposite to each other, and when the push button 12 is pressed, the conductor 17 contacts the switch contact 14 and conducts to form a closed state. It has become.

The push button 12 is formed in a horizontally long elliptical shape corresponding to the shape of the opening 11, and a transparent or colored acrylic resin material such as green or the like is provided at a substantially central portion of a portion exposed to the front from the button mounting frame 7. The light transmission part 18 that can transmit light
Is provided so that the front end face of the light transmitting portion 18 is displayed bright when the rear end face is irradiated with light.

The light transmitting portion 18 of the push button 12 may be provided on the entire portion exposed to the front surface, or the entire push button 12 may be formed of a member that transmits light, and at least the light transmitting portion 18 is exposed on the front surface. The light transmitting part 18 is arranged at the part to be formed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pudding circuit board 15 includes switch contacts 14 provided on both sides of each opening hole 13 and a connector.
The printed circuit that connects to 19 is provided.
Can be connected to a control circuit on the main body side via the.

On the other hand, the base 10 has an opening 10A for mounting the product sample 9 on the upper surface corresponding to each of the push buttons 12, and has an opening 10B communicating with each through hole 6 of the transparent panel 2 on the front surface.
A light-transmissive display section 20 on which a display such as `` warm '' or `` cold '' is provided on a surface that is inclined so as to descend forward continuously with the upper surface, and a member that does not transmit light is provided. It has a box shape extending in the left-right direction.

A fluorescent lamp 21 as a lighting device is provided in the base 10.
The fluorescent lamp 21 illuminates the product sample 9 from the inside through each opening 10A, and also illuminates the display unit 20, and the opening 10B of the base 10, the transparent 6 of the transparent panel 2, and the printing Through the opening 13 of the circuit board 15, the hole transmitting portion 18 of the push button 12 is illuminated through the sealing member 16.

Further, a harness 22 on the main body side detachably connected to the connector 19 is provided at a lower portion of a front portion inside the base 10 as shown in FIG. 1 so as not to hinder the illumination of the light transmitting portion 18 by the fluorescent lamp 21. It is arranged.

(G) Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is configured as described above, even when the product selection button device is thin and small, the push button can be displayed very clearly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

Each figure shows an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a product selection button device portion, FIG. 2 is a similar cross-sectional plan view, FIG. 3 is a similar front view, and FIG. Is a front view of a printed circuit board, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a vending machine. 2 Transparent panel, 7 Button mounting frame, 12 Push button, 13 Open hole, 14 Switch contact, 15 Printed circuit board, 17 Conductor, 18 Light transmission Department, 21 ……
Fluorescent lamp.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A button mounting frame body having a plurality of push buttons arranged on a transparent panel, and a printed circuit board having switches arranged in correspondence with the respective push buttons is provided at the rear of the push button, and a push operation of the push button is performed. In the vending machine in which the switch is made operable, the push button is provided with a light transmitting portion capable of transmitting light at least in a portion exposed to the front, and the printed circuit in a portion corresponding to the rear of the light transmitting portion. An opening is provided in the substrate, an illuminating device for illuminating the light transmitting portion of the push button is provided through the opening, and a switch contact is provided on the printed circuit board near the opening, and is opposed to the front of the contact. And a conductor for closing a switch contact by a pressing operation of a push button.