JP2834944B2 - Vending machine product storage shelf 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 merchandise storage shelf for a vending machine for storing cylindrical products.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a current vending machine, along with the diversification of products to be sold, one product storage shelf has to store a variety of products, and therefore, an exit size in a product unloading unit is determined according to the product size. Can be changed and set to be sold.

An example of such a vending machine is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 64-27768. Here, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of serpentine-structured product passages 4 formed by vertically disposing a plurality of arc-shaped curved guide members 3 between opposed side plates 2 (the other side plate is not shown) are arranged in a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction. It is provided.

[0004] In these product passages 4, a cylindrical product inserted from the product insertion port 6 is transferred between the entrance 5 and a product insertion port 6 provided on the front of the product storage shelf 1. A product guide plate 7 is provided for moving and guiding the product to the product path 4.

[0005] When a product is loaded sideways so as to roll in the product loading direction above the entrance portion 5, the product comes into contact with the product and swings, thereby causing the product to pass through.
If the product is loaded in a direction that does not roll in the product loading direction while being stored in the product, it will not be able to swing because it is caught on this product, and the storage regulation will prevent this product from entering further. The member 8 is provided swingably.

[0006] At the lower end of the product passage 4, fixed wall portions 9a provided with product discharge devices 9 for sequentially discharging stored products one by one are provided.

The product guide plate 7 has, for example, a front shaft 10 projecting laterally from the lower surface of the front end of the side plate 2 like the upper two product guide plates 7a shown in FIG. A guide shaft 13 protruding from the side plate 2 is inserted into the front guide groove 11 and retained in a rear guide groove 12 projecting rearward from the lower surface of the rear end so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. Have been.

According to the diameter of the product to be put in, for example, when putting in a normal product 14a, the product guide plate 7,
7a is retracted to reduce the distance between the rear ends of the product guide plates 7, 7a and the front end of the storage restricting member 8.
As a result, even when the thick product 14b is mistakenly input, the product 14b is caught by the storage regulating member 8,
It did not fall into the product passage 4.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the commodity discharging device 9 at the lower end of the commodity passage 4 has two locking arms 15 provided vertically and an outlet disposed opposite to the fixed wall 9a. Commodity 1 that holds commodities 14a and 14b by regulating plate 16 and locks by rotating locking arm 15 downward according to a sales command
4a and 14b are carried out one by one.

The outlet restricting plate 16 has an upper end shaft 17 protruding at the upper end thereof and a lower end shaft 18 protruding at the lower end thereof. The upper end shaft 17 and the lower end shaft 18 are formed on the side wall 2. By being inserted into the upper guide groove 19 and the lower guide groove 20, it is supported so as to be movable in the front-rear direction,
The width of the product outlet 21 formed together with the width a is regulated.

[0011] When a normal product 14a is to be stored in the product passage 4, the user puts his hand into the product passage 4 from the product carry-out port 21 and once pushes the outlet regulating plate 16 upward. The width of the product outlet 21 is restricted so as to be narrowed by moving in the direction of approaching, so that the product 14a can be securely locked to the locking arm 15.

When storing the thick product 14b,
After the outlet regulating plate 16 is once pushed upward, the fixed wall 9
the product exit 2 by moving in the direction away from
The width of the product 14a is restricted so that the width of the product 1a becomes wider, so that the product 14a can be securely locked to the locking arm 15.

The outlet regulating plate 16 has an upper end shaft 17
And the lower guide groove 20 is supported by the upper guide groove 19 and the lower guide groove 20 by its own weight via the lower shaft 18.
It is formed in an inverted U shape having two locking portions.

[0014] However, the above-mentioned product storage shelf device is inconvenient to handle because the product guide plate and the exit regulating plate are operated separately.

Therefore, the product guide plate and the outlet regulating plate are connected by a link so that the setting of the input section and the product discharge section can be changed at the same time, and the improved automatic adjustment setting can be easily performed. A product storage device of a vending machine has been proposed as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-80884.

[0016]

However, although the mechanism is linked as described above, the product loading plate and the outlet regulating plate are not fixed and held at the adjustment positions, so that the product loading plate and the outlet regulating plate are not fixed during the loading operation. However, there still remains a problem that the work is difficult due to the shift.

In the above-described conventional product storage shelf device of a vending machine shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, when a thick product is incorrectly stored instead of a normal product, a product guide plate and a storage control member are provided. Although it is possible to prevent the product from falling by sandwiching the product between them, the problem is that it takes time and effort to insert the hand into the back of the column in order to take out the wrongly put product, which is troublesome. was there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and after the adjustment, the product guide plate and the outlet regulating plate are fixed and held so that the product loading operation can be performed efficiently, and the product loading operation can be performed by mistake. An object of the present invention is to provide a product storage shelf device of a vending machine configured to facilitate removal of a clogged product.

[0019]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a front guide shaft and a rear guide shaft which are respectively inserted into front and rear guide grooves formed in a side wall of a product storage shelf, and a product provided on a front surface of the product storage shelf. A support shaft provided approximately in the middle of the inlet and an entrance of a serpentine-structured product passage formed inside the main body is supported so as to be able to move back and forth and swing up and down, and the width of the product inlet. A product guide plate for regulating and guiding the inserted cylindrical product to the entrance of the product passage, a regulation pin disposed above a front end of the product guide plate, and a lower end of the product passage. An outlet regulating plate arranged to be movable back and forth with respect to the fixed wall portion and changing the width of the commodity carrying-out opening; The exit regulating plate corresponding to the width of The product guide plate having a connecting member for interlocking operation and a lock groove engaging with a front guide shaft of the product guide plate, and adjusting the width of the product insertion port according to the diameter of the product to be loaded is fixed. A lock plate movably provided at a lock position for holding and a lock release position where the product guide plate is drawn forward and the product guide plate is movable.

[0020]

With this structure, a product guide plate which is supported so as to be able to move back and forth and swingably and whose front end moves up and down, and a regulating pin disposed above the guide plate, the width of the insertion slot at the product insertion slot. The regulation makes it easier to remove commodities that are clogged due to incorrect input.

Further, an exit regulating plate for regulating the width of the exit of the product and the product guide plate are interlocked with each other by a connecting member.
The upper and lower regulations ensure that the settings are correct.

By providing a lock plate for holding the product guide plate so as not to move after adjusting the product introduction port, even if the product introduction is a little messy, the work can be performed without trouble and the efficiency is improved. In addition, the exit regulating plate is made non-mischievous and has an anti-theft function. The lock relationship with the product guide plate can be easily released manually, and the input port and the carry-out port can be changed.

[0023]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a merchandise storage shelf apparatus of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention having a lock mechanism for a merchandise guide plate, FIG. 2 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of an upper portion thereof, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the upper part of the product storage shelf device in which the opening has been released and the slot width can be adjusted. FIG. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 denote the same or corresponding parts.

In FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, reference numeral 22 denotes a central guide groove projecting from the lower end surface slightly before the center of the product guide plates 7, 7A. And this central guide groove 2
2 is a side plate 2 substantially at the center between the product input port 6 and the entrance 5.
The product guide plates 7, 7A are fitted with the swing shafts 23 projecting from
Is held so as to be able to move in the front-rear direction and to be swingable about the swing shaft 23 as a fulcrum.

Reference numeral 24 denotes a front shaft 10 of the product guide plates 7, 7A.
The front guide groove 24 includes front and rear locking portions 24a and 24b and a guide portion 24.
c, and the rear locking portion 24b is formed in a U-shape higher than the front locking portion 24a.

A rear shaft 25 projects laterally from the lower surface of the rear end of the product guide plate 7, 7A. The rear shaft 25 is inserted into and supported by a rear guide groove 26 formed in the side wall 2. ing. Here, the rear guide groove 26 includes front and rear locking portions 26a and 26b and a guide portion 26c, and the rear locking portion 26b is lower in position than the front locking portion 26a. Is formed in an inverted U-shape.

The swing shaft 23 and the front guide groove 2
4 and the rear guide groove 26, the product guide plate 7 is moved to the first storage position shown by a solid line for storing the thick product 14b in FIG. 1 or the second storage position shown by a two-dot chain line for storing the normal product 14a. It is designed to be held at any of the storage positions.

Since the center of gravity of the product guide plates 7, 7A is located behind the swing shaft 23, the product guide plates 7, 7A are provided with a center of gravity.
7A, the rear portion is supported in a state of being inclined downward by its own weight, and a connecting member described later is connected to the rear portion. At 25, the force to descend is working.

When the product guide plates 7, 7A are pulled forward (to the left in FIG. 1) by these forces, the front shaft 10 is moved to the front locking portion 24a of the front guide groove 24. ,
The rear shaft 25 is locked by the locking portions 26a at the front of the rear guide groove 26, and the first end of the product guide plate 7 is lowered.
It is designed to be held in the storage position.

When the product guide plate 7 held at the first storage position is pushed backward by these forces,
The front shaft 10 is locked to the rear locking portion 24b via the guide portion 24c of the front guide groove 24, and the rear shaft 25 is locked to the rear locking portion 26b via the guide portion 26c of the rear guide groove 26, respectively. The leading end of the guide plate 7 is held at the second storage position where it rises.

On the other hand, if the product guide plate 7, 7B is erroneously inserted from the product slot 6 when the product guide plate 7, 7B is in the second storage position, the product 14b is placed above the leading end of the product guide plate 7, 7B. An insertion-port regulating pin 27, which is a regulating pin for preventing the product 14b from entering into the back by contacting the product 14b, is provided.

Therefore, when storing the thick product 14b, the product guide plate 7 is set as the first storage position.
Is lowered to increase the distance between the tip and the insertion port regulating pin 27, and to restrict the width so that the diameter of the product insertion port 6 is increased.

When the product guide plate 7 is in the first storage position, the rear end of the product guide plate 7 moves obliquely upward and forward, so that the width of the entrance 5 is widened and the product 14b passes through the entrance 5. I can do it.

When a normal product 14a is to be stored, the product guide plate 7 in the first storage position is moved to the second storage position while swinging, and the distance between the tip end of the product guide plate 7 and the input port regulating pin 27 is changed. And the width is regulated so that the diameter of the product insertion port 6 is reduced.

As a result, the product 14 can be
a are supplied one by one, so that it is possible to prevent the product 14a from being clogged between the entrance 5 and the product input port 6.

When the product guide plate 7 is in the second storage position, the rear end of the product guide plate 7 moves obliquely downward and rearward, so that the width of the entrance 5 is reduced, and only the normal product 14a is placed at the entrance. 5 can be passed.

By the way, as for the uppermost product guide plate 7A, if a thick product 14b is erroneously inserted from the product slot 6, the product 14b is brought into contact with the tip of the top plate 1a. Therefore, the input port regulating pin 27 is not provided. In addition, since the lowest product guide plate 7B has a short length, the center guide groove 22 is not provided.

By the way, 30 regulates the width of the product insertion port 6 and then holds the product guide plates 7, 7A, 7B in the set state, and when changing and adjusting the product guide plates 7, 7A, 7B.
A lock plate that acts so that the movements of A and 7B are free. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, support long grooves 32, 32 provided above and below the lock plate 30 are loosely fitted to support shafts 31, 31 protruding from the front end of the front side plate 2 so as to be movable back and forth. Further, coil springs 33, 33 are stretched between the upper and lower rear portions of the lock plate 30 and the side plate 2 to lock the lock plate 3.
0 is always attached to the front end of the side plate 2 in a state of being urged rightward. And, in this lock plate 30,
A lock groove 34 that fits with the front shaft 10 of each product guide plate 7, 7A, 7B is formed.

Therefore, the lock plate 30 is connected to the coil spring 3
2, the lock between the front shaft 10 of the product guide plates 7, 7A, 7B and the lock groove 34 is released, and the product guide plate 7, 7A, 7B is drawn along the upper guide groove 24. The movement of the front shaft 10 becomes free, and the product guide plates 7, 7A,
The change setting operation of 7B can be performed.

As described later, the lock plate 30 has a mechanism in which the product guide plates 7, 7A and 7B are interlocked with the outlet control plate 16 provided at the lower end of the product passage 4, so that the outlet control is performed. Even if the plate 16 is mischievous, the operation of the upper product guide plates 7, 7A, 7B is locked to prevent the product from being stolen.

On the other hand, a connecting member 28, which is a connecting member whose lower end is connected to the upper end shaft 17 of the outlet regulating plate 16 as shown in FIG. It is connected to a shaft 25.

Here, when the product guide plates 7, 7A, 7B swing back and forth and move to the first or second storage position to regulate the width of the product insertion port 6, the connecting member 28 By moving the outlet regulating plate 16 forward and backward and vertically in conjunction with the product guide plates 7, 7A and 7B by moving the product guide plate 7, 7A and 7B, the width of the product outlet 21 is regulated. It is.

The lower guide groove 20 is composed of two upper and lower locking portions 20a and 20b and a guide portion 20c for guiding the front and rear and vertical movement of the outlet regulating plate 16.

When the thick product 14b is carried out, the outlet regulating plate 16 is connected to the first member by the connecting member 28.
In conjunction with the product guide plates 7, 7A, 7B that move to the storage position, the product moves obliquely upward away from the fixed wall portion 9a in a substantially parallel state with respect to the fixed wall portion 9a, and moves the upper end shaft 17 into the upper guide groove 19. It is located at a first discharge position where the upper locking portion 19a and the lower end shaft 18 are locked with the upper locking portion 20a of the lower guide groove 20.

As a result, the width of the commodity outlet 21 is widened so that the thick commodity 14b does not catch on the upper end of the exit regulating plate 16.

On the other hand, when the normal product 14a is carried out, the outlet regulating plate 16 is connected to the product guide plates 7, 7A, 7B which are moved to the second storage position by the connecting member 28, and the fixed wall portion 9a is moved. The upper end shaft 17 is moved obliquely downward so as to approach the fixed wall portion 9a in a substantially parallel state with the lower end groove 18 of the upper guide groove 19, and the lower end shaft 18 is moved to the lower guide groove 20.
Is located at a second discharge position where it is locked to the lower locking portion 20b.

Thus, the width of the product outlet 21 can be adjusted so that the normal product 14a does not fall unnecessarily.
It becomes narrow to the width that is locked to.

Next, a description will be given of a product storage operation of the product storage shelf device of the vending machine thus configured.

For example, FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG.
When the thick product 14b is stored in the product path 4a in a state where the product guide plate 7 is held at the second storage position as shown by a two-dot chain line so as to store the normal product 14a like the third product path 4a. Then, the lock plate 30 is pulled out from the solid line state to the two-dot chain line state against the coil springs 33, 33 by hand. Then, the front shaft 10 is released from the lock groove 34 of the lock plate 30. As a result, the product guide plate 7 can be operated movably back and forth and swingably. As a result, the product guide plate 7 is pulled out forward, and the product guide plate 7 located at the second storage position is moved to the first storage position.

As a result, the tip of the product guide plate 7 is lowered, and the tip of the product guide plate 7 is separated from the slot regulating pin 27, and the diameter of the product slot 6 is increased. The thick product 14b is fed from the product input port 6 that has been set.

When the product guide plate 7 is moved to the first storage position, the outlet regulating plate 16
The width of the product exit 21 widens to move to the discharge position,
The firstly placed product 14b falls at the upper end of the outlet regulating plate 16 without being caught and is locked by the lower locking arm 15.

Then, when a sales command is issued thereafter, the locking arm 15 rotates downward, and the product 14b is carried out.

On the other hand, the product passage 4a with the product guide plate 7 held at the first storage position so as to store the thick product 14b.
When the normal product 14a is stored in the first storage position, the product guide plate 7 is moved from the first storage position to the second storage position by pushing the product guide plate 7 backward.

Thereafter, when the lock plate 30 is released, the lock plate 30 returns to the solid line position by the elastic force of the coil springs 33, 33, the front shaft 10 is fitted into the lock groove 34, and the front shaft 10 is The product guide plate 7 adapted to the thick product 14b is held at that position while maintaining the state of being engaged with the rear locking portion 24b. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the product guide plate 7 from shifting when the product is put in or due to vibration. In this way, since the product guide plate is fixedly held at the adjustment position, it is not necessary to pay particular attention to the product loading operation, and the operation becomes efficient.

Then, the tip of the product guide plate 7 is raised, and the tip of the product guide plate 7 is brought closer to the slot regulating pin 27, and the diameter of the product slot 6 is narrowed. A normal commodity 14a is supplied from the input port 6.

When the product guide plate 7 is moved to the second storage position, the outlet regulating plate 16 is
To move to the discharge position, the width of the product outlet 21 is reduced,
The first inserted product 14a is a lower locking arm 15a that locks the next product for sale without falling from the product exit 21.
Is locked.

Thereafter, when a sales command is issued, the locking arm 15 rotates downward, and the product 14a is carried out.

While the lowest product 14a is being carried out, the next product 1
4b, as shown in FIG. 1, is locked and held between the outlet regulating plate 16 and the upper locking arm 15, and when the carry-out is completed, the upper locking arm 15 drops and drops the next lower product 14a. Waiting for sale in the state.

When the product guide plate 7 is in the second storage position, even if the thick product 14b is erroneously inserted from the product insertion port 6, the insertion port regulating pin 27 is provided on the front upper surface of the product 14b. Because of the contact, the product 14b cannot be put into the product slot 6.

The operation of the link member 28 when the products 14a and 14b are put into the fourth product path 4b from the front is the reverse of the operation of the third product path 4a.

As described above, by holding the product guide plate 7 movably in the up and down direction and swingably, the product guide plate 7 and the input port regulating pin 27 are set according to the diameter of the products 14a and 14b to be put. And the diameter of the product input port 6 can be changed.

When the product guide plate 7 is moved to the second storage position by interlocking the product guide plate 7 and the exit regulating plate 16 via the connecting member 28, the exit regulation plate 16 is moved to the second storage position.
The outlet guide plate 16 can be moved to the first discharge position when the product guide plate 7 is moved to the first storage position.

By the way, even if the width of the product carry-out port 21 is widened by mischieving the exit regulating plate 16 to collect the goods, the other member linked with the link, that is, the product guide plates 7, 7
Since A and 7B are locked by the lock plate 30 so as not to move, the exit regulating plate 16 cannot be sufficiently moved, and theft of the product can be prevented.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment, in which a lock plate 30 is mounted without using a coil spring. Then, at the time of the change setting, the lock plate 30 that has been pulled out to the front and unlocked is forcibly changed by the closing operation of the heat insulating door 35 after the change adjustment is completed.
It is configured to be able to return to the locked state with 7B, thereby preventing forgetting of the lock operation.

[0066]

As described above, according to the present invention, the diameter of the product slot is changed according to the diameter of the product to be loaded by holding the product guide plate so as to be movable vertically and swingably. Erroneous insertion of the product can be prevented.

Further, by linking the product guide plate and the exit regulating plate, the width of the product outlet can be changed at one time according to the diameter of the product to be put in, so that the handling is simplified and the product outlet is provided. In this case, it is possible to prevent the input product from dropping due to the product clogging or inconsistent upper and lower regulations.

After a change according to the product diameter, a lock plate is provided to lock the product guide plate so as not to move, so that the product guide plate does not move during product introduction.
The filling work of the product can be performed smoothly, the mischief of the exit regulating plate is disabled, and theft is prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a product storage shelf device of a vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side sectional view of the upper part of the commodity storage shelf device.

FIG. 3 is an upper side cross-sectional view of the upper part of the commodity storage shelf device, showing an operation state of a loading regulation according to a commodity diameter when the lock is released.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side sectional view of the lower part of the commodity storage shelf device.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side sectional view of an upper part of a product storage shelf device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a conventional product storage shelf device of a vending machine.

FIG. 7 is an upper side sectional view of a conventional product storage shelf device.

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of a lower part of a conventional product storage shelf device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Commodity storage shelf 4 Commodity passage 5 Entrance part 6 Commodity entrance 7 Commodity guide plate 9 Commodity carrying-out device 14a, 14b Commodity 16 Outlet regulation plate 19 Swing shaft 27 Input regulation pin 28 Connecting member 30 Lock plate

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Hiroaki Muramoto 2-18 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-3-232089 (JP, A) JP-A-4 -7798 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G07F 11/34

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A front guide shaft and a rear guide shaft respectively inserted into front and rear guide grooves formed in a side wall of a product storage shelf,
The product can be moved back and forth by a support shaft provided approximately in the middle of the product insertion port provided on the front of the product storage shelf and the entrance of the product passage having a serpentine structure formed inside the main body,
And a product guide plate that is swingably supported up and down, regulates the width of the product input port, and guides the input cylindrical product to the entrance of the product path. An arranged regulating pin, an exit regulating plate arranged to be movable back and forth with respect to a fixed wall portion provided at a lower end of the product passage, and changing a width of a product carrying outlet; and the exit regulating plate and the product guide. A connecting member for connecting the outlet regulating plate corresponding to the width of the product insertion port set in the product guide plate, and a lock groove engaging with a front guide shaft of the product guide plate. A lock position for fixing and holding the product guide plate with the width of the product insertion port adjusted according to the diameter of the product to be put in, and a lock release position where the product guide plate is pulled out forward and the product guide plate is movable. And a lock plate movably provided Product storage shelving system of a vending machine, characterized in that it includes.