JP2735408B2 - Vending machine cup dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cup dispensing apparatus for a cup-type vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional cup dispensing apparatus is configured as shown in FIG. Cup 1 is cup turret 2
Are set in a stack, and the cup dispenser 3
Is operated, the dispensed cup 1 is sent to the cup station 5 via the chute 4. When the cup break sensor 6 stops detecting the cup 1, the motor 7 is operated to rotate the partition wall 8. The rotation of the partition wall 8 causes the row of cups stacked on the table 9 to slide on the table 9, and any one of the holes in the hole 10 formed in the table 9 corresponding to the cup dispenser 3. When the cup row arrives, the cup row is set to the cup dispenser 3 from the hole 10 and the motor 7 stops to operate the cup 1
Is completed.

FIG. 9 shows a cup dispensing apparatus of a vending machine which handles cups of two sizes. A cup 1a having a single cup size is set in the first cup turret 2a, and a cup 1b having a single cup size different from the first cup turret 2a is set in the second cup turret 2b. ing. When the cup dispenser 3a is operated, the dispensed cup 1a is supplied to the cup station 5 via the bifurcated cup chute 4 at the entrance.
Will be paid out. When the cup dispenser 3b is operated, the dispensed cup 1b is dispensed to the cup station 5 via the cup chute 4.

FIG. 10 shows another cup dispensing device. This is because, when the cup turrets 2a and 2b are provided for each cup size as shown in FIG. 9, the number of cup turrets increases, and in the example of FIG. 12 and the peripheral surface of this belt 12
13 shows cups 1a, 1b, 1c of each cup size
Are stacked and set, and the cup 1a is set in the cup dispenser 3a, the cup 1b is set in the cup dispenser 3b, and the cup 1c is set in the cup dispenser 3c, and sales are executed. When the cup 1c of the cup dispenser 3c runs out, the belt 12 is rotated until the cup row of the cup 1c comes to the position of the cup dispenser 3c, and when the cup row of the cup 1c arrives, the cup row is moved to the cup dispenser 3c. And is set on the cup dispenser 3c.

In addition to the cup dispensing device shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H2-150993 discloses that a robot hand moves to a position below a cup dispenser and receives a cup. A configuration for carrying a cup into a cup station is disclosed.

[0006]

The cup dispensing device shown in FIG. 10 can handle many cup sizes as compared with the cup dispensing device shown in FIGS. When the number of cup dispensers 3 is increased due to the restriction on the length of the conveyance path of the chute 4, the cup 1 is clogged in the chute 4.
Three cup sizes were the limit.

On the other hand, in the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-150993, the robot hand moves to the cup dispensing position and receives the cup, so that it is possible to handle three or more types of very large cup sizes.

[0008] Here, the size of the handling cup is described as an example, but the same applies to the case of handling cups having the same cup size but different cup designs and colors. However, in a configuration in which the robot hand receives a cup and carries it into the cup station via a predetermined route, it is necessary to configure the robot hand so that the robot hand can be moved in the X-Y direction in the vending machine warehouse. There is a problem that the device becomes large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cup dispensing apparatus which can handle a large number of cups having different cup sizes, designs and colors, and has a simpler construction than the conventional apparatus.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A cup dispensing apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a cup table on which a plurality of cup dispensers are arranged, a movable carriage movably supported below the cup table, and a movable carriage mounted on the movable carriage. , A cup chute through which a cup dispensed and dropped from the cup dispenser passes, holding means for restricting the cup from falling in the cup passage of the cup chute and stopping the cup on the cup chute, and moving in conjunction with the operation of the cup dispenser An operation control device is provided in which the truck is moved to a cup dispensing position, the movable cart is moved to a cup dispensing position to the cup station, the holding means is released, and the operation is performed from the cup chute.

[0011]

According to this structure, the movable carriage moves and the cup chute attached to the movable carriage receives the discharged cup. The cup received by the cup chute is held in the cup chute by the holding means. When the mobile trolley arrives at the cup payout position to the cup station, the holding state by the holding means is released, and the cup held in the cup chute is paid out to the cup station.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The cup dispensing device of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
It is configured as shown in FIG. Cup dispenser 3a
The cup table 13 to which 3h is attached is connected to the vending machine main body 14 by a hinge 15, and can rotate horizontally around an axis 16. As shown in FIG. 3, traveling rails 17, 17 are provided at the front end and the rear end of the cup table 13 in the longitudinal direction of the cup table 13. A movable carriage 19 is mounted on the traveling rails 17, 17 via traveling wheels 18, 18.

At the center of the front end and the rear end of the cup table 13, on the back side of the cup table 13, there is a cup table.
An endless body 20 that rotates along the longitudinal direction of 13 is hung, and the endless body 20 and a central portion of the movable carriage 19 are connected by a connection fitting 21.

At the bottom of the mobile trolley 19, two receiving ports 22,
Bifurcated cup chute 25 with 23 and one outlet 24
Is attached. Outlet of this cup chute 25
In the vicinity of the position 24, as a holding means for restricting the drop of the cup in the cup passage 26 of the cup chute 25, for example, a lever 27 is rotatably pivoted between a solid line position and an imaginary line position shown in FIG. Installed.

The driving device for the lever 27 and the motor 28 for driving the endless body 20 are operated by the operation control device 29 in the following manner in conjunction with the operation of the cup dispensers 3a to 3h.

The configuration of the operation control device 29 will be described based on an actual selling operation. The mobile trolley 19 at the initial position is waiting at the position shown in FIG. When the movable cart 19 arrives at this initial position, the movable cart 19 is located between the light emitter and the light receiver of the photocoupler (not shown) attached to the cup table 13.
It is determined that the vehicle has arrived at the initial position by detecting a state in which light is blocked by a part of 19.

When setting cups in the cup dispensers 3a to 3h, the operation control device 29 is preset with a cup size, a design and a color for each cup dispenser.

When the size, design, and color of the cup to be dispensed are designated by the designation signal 30, the operation control device 29 determines which of the first to fourth rows the cup dispenser belongs to the cup dispenser belonging to. Is determined, for example, when the target cup is mounted on the cup dispenser 3a, the moving carriage 19 is moved to the first row as shown in FIGS.

The motor 28 is provided with an encoder 31 for outputting a pulse signal P each time the output shaft rotates by a certain angle. The operation control device 29 operates when the count value of the pulse signal P reaches a specified value. Then, it is determined that the mobile trolley 19 has arrived at the first row, and the mobile trolley 19 is stopped.

When the movable carriage 19 is stopped, the operation control device
Reference numeral 29 indicates a cup dispenser on which a target cup is mounted, in this case, instructs the cup dispenser 3a to dispense the cup.

The cup 1 a discharged from the cup dispenser 3 a falls from the receiving port 22 into the cup passage 26 of the cup chute 25. At this time, the lever 27 is
Since the cup 1a is located at the position where the fall of a is regulated, the cup 1a of the cup passage 26 is not paid out from the discharge port 24 and is held at the virtual line position shown in FIG.

The operation control unit 29 determines whether or not the cup 1a has entered the cup chute 25 by detecting the detection output 32 of an optoelectronic device (not shown) mounted across the cup passage 26.

When the movable cart 19 receives the cup 1a, the motor 28 is operated by the operation control device 29 so as to return to the initial position shown in FIG. 2, and the cup chute 25 when the movable cart 19 arrives at the initial position. The discharge port 24 faces the receiving port 33 of the cup station 5, and in this state, the hold release signal for rotating the lever 27 to the imaginary line position shown in FIG.
34 is generated from the operation control device 29.

When the holding state is released, the cup 1a retained in the cup passage 26 falls from the discharge port 24 to the receiving port 33 of the cup station 5, and the cup 1a is carried into the cup station 5.

As described above, the linear movement of the movable carriage 19 and the lever
With only 27 controls, the desired cup can be paid out of various cups. FIG. 6 shows a specific configuration of the holding means.

The lever 27 pivotally supported by the shaft 35 is
It is connected to an electromagnetic plunger 37 by a link 36, and is urged by a spring 38 so that the tip of the lever 27 is at the solid line position. The electromagnetic plunger 37 is energized by the hold release signal 34, and the lever 27 rotates to the imaginary line position in FIG. 6 where the hold state is released against the bias of the spring 38.

FIG. 7 shows another example of the structure of the holding means. FIG.
In the previous embodiment shown in FIG.
26, the lever 27 swings between the solid line position and the imaginary line position. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
When the electromagnetic plunger 37 is energized by the hold release signal 34, the lever 27
Rotates in a direction to open the discharge port 24 against the bias of the spring 38 to release the holding state.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, a cup table on which a plurality of cup dispensers are disposed, a movable carriage supported movably below the cup table, a cup mounted on the movable carriage, A cup chute through which a cup which is dispensed and dropped from the dispenser passes, holding means for restricting the cup from falling in the cup passage of the cup chute and stopping the cup with the cup chute, and a movable cart in conjunction with the operation of the cup dispenser. An operation control device is provided for running the movable cart to the cup dispensing position, traveling the movable cart to the cup dispensing position to the cup station, releasing the holding means and dispensing from the cup chute, so that the linear movement of the movable cart and the movable cart are performed. The cup chute attached to the box protects the received cup from falling. The combination of means makes it possible to dispense the desired cup cup station,
Various cups can be handled without using a robot hand that needs to move in the XY directions.

Further, a running rail is provided at a front end and a rear end of the cup table in a longitudinal direction of the cup table, and the running truck is provided at a front end and a rear end of the movable cart. A traveling wheel that rolls on the rail is provided, and an endless body that rotates along the longitudinal direction of the cup table is provided at the center of the front end and the rear end of the cup table, and an appropriate part of the endless body is connected to the movable carriage However, since the endless body is driven to move the mobile trolley to the target position, the mobile trolley can be driven very smoothly with only a single endless body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a cup dispensing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cup dispensing device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cup dispensing device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a cup dispensing process of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a cup dispensing process of the apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a specific example of a holding unit of the apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the holding means.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a conventional cup turret type cup dispensing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of a cup turret-type cup dispensing apparatus having two handling cup sizes.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of a conventional cup dispensing device other than the cup turret type.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a-1h Cup 3a-3h Cup dispenser 5 Cup station 13 Cup table 17,17 Running rail 18,18 Running wheel 19 Moving trolley 20 Belt [endless body] 21 Connection fitting 25 Cup chute 27 Lever [holding means] 29 Operation control apparatus

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cup table on which a plurality of cup dispensers are arranged, a movable carriage supported movably below the cup table, and mounted on the movable carriage;
A cup chute through which a cup dispensed and dropped from the cup dispenser passes, holding means for restricting the cup from dropping in the cup path of the cup chute to stop the cup on the cup chute, and a movable cart in conjunction with the operation of the cup dispenser To the dispensing position of the cup,
A cup dispensing device for a vending machine, comprising: an operation control device for displacing a holding means by displacing a movable cart to a cup dispensing position to a cup station and dispensing from a cup chute. 2. A traveling rail is provided at a front end and a rear end of the cup table in a longitudinal direction of the cup table, and traveling wheels which roll on the traveling rail are provided at a front end and a rear end of the movable cart. 2. A vending machine according to claim 1, wherein an endless body which rotates along the longitudinal direction of the cup table is provided at the center between the front end and the rear end of the cup table, and an appropriate portion of the endless body is connected to the movable carriage. Cup dispensing device.