JP3028013B2 - Vending machine sold-out detector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine for selling goods such as ice cream in a container, and more particularly to a sold-out detecting device for detecting the delivery of the final goods and displaying the sold-out state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vending machine of this type, commodities are stored side by side in a commodity rack housed in a freezer. The products are simultaneously conveyed downward by the sales signal, and the products at the lowermost stage are sequentially carried out one by one, and the sold-out is displayed together with the product at the lowermost stage. FIG. And what is shown in FIG. 4 is publicly known. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a fixed plate of a product detection device which is fixedly supported on a side plate of a product rack. This fixing plate 1
Has a U-shaped cross section, and has a pair of bearing holes 12 at the upper part of the right and left rises 11, and the reed switch 2 and the magnet 3 are disposed at the lower part with an appropriate gap. Reference numeral 4 denotes an actuator, a support shaft 42 welded to the upper end of a U-shaped rotating plate 41.
The support shaft 42 is rotatably supported by the fixed plate 1 by fitting the support shaft 42 into the bearing hole 12. The lower portion of the rotating plate 41 is bent at a right angle to form a detecting portion 41a. Reference numeral 5 denotes a torsion coil spring for urging the actuator 4 in the direction of arrow A by locking one end of the coil to the fixed plate 1 and the other end to the rotating plate 41.

In the above-mentioned commodity sold-out detecting device, the rotating plate 41 is attached to the commodity carrying path of the commodity rack so as to be seen therethrough, and is normally pushed in the direction opposite to the arrow A by the contained commodity,
The detection unit 41a interrupts between the reed switch 2 and the magnet 3 and shuts off both. When the final product has passed, the rotating plate 41 released from the pushing of the product is urged by the torsion coil spring 5 to rotate in the direction of arrow A, and the reed switch 2 receives the magnetic force of the magnet 3 and transmits an electric signal. To detect the sold out of the product.

[0004]

By the way, the conventional sold-out detecting device is arranged such that, when water drops adhering to the bearing portion of the support shaft 42 become ice C and cover the bearing portion in the freezer as shown in FIG. Did not work, and there was a fear that the sold-out product could not be detected. An object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine sold-out detection device for a vending machine, in which even if the bearing portion of the spindle 42 is hardened with ice, the sold-out detection cannot be performed.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a fixing plate having a pair of left and right bearing holes and fixed to an in-machine member, and a support shaft provided at one end are provided. An actuator which is rotatably supported by the fixing plate and is biased by a spring, and which is normally pushed in a direction opposite to the biasing of the spring, is released when the final product is carried out, and the product is sold out. In the device for detecting sold out of a vending machine for detecting an out-of-stock, a rotary plate which is biased by a spring of the actuator and the support shaft are formed separately, and one end of the rotary plate is rotatable. It shall be supported by the support shaft.

[0006]

The actuator is rotatably supported between the fixed plate and the support shaft and between the support shaft and the rotation plate. Therefore, even if the space between the fixed plate and the support shaft is hardened with ice, the rotating plate does not malfunction, and the probability that both the support portions are hardened with ice is extremely small, so that the possibility of undetectability is almost eliminated. You.

[0007]

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which the same or similar parts as those in FIGS. 3 and 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the actuator 4 has a rotating plate 41 and a support shaft 42 formed separately, and the rotating plate 41 has an upper end portion formed in a U-shaped cross section, and a pair of bearing holes 41c is provided in the right and left rising portions 41b. Can be Reference numeral 7 denotes a rotating plate 4 through which a support shaft 42 passes.
1 is a cylindrical spacer interposed between the rise 41b of the fixed plate 1 and the rise 11 of the fixed plate 1.

In the above configuration, the actuator 4
The support plate 42 that rotatably supports the rotating plate 41 via the bearing hole 41c is rotatably fitted in the bearing hole 12 and the fixed plate 1
And the spacer 7 restricts the rotation plate 41 from moving in the lateral direction. Further, the torsion coil spring 5 is fitted between the support shaft 42 and attached between the right and left rising portions 41b of the rotating plate 41, and both ends of the coil are pushed open to the fixed plate 1 and the rotating plate 41 as in the conventional case. The locking plate 41 is urged in the direction of arrow A by being locked.

The actuator 4 is slidably supported by the fixed plate 1 between the bearing hole 41c and the support shaft 42 and between the support shaft 42 and the bearing hole 12 so that the actuator 4 is slidable. For example, even if the bearing portion between the support shaft 42 and the bearing hole 12 is covered with ice and the support shaft 42 stops rotating, the bearing hole 41c
The rotating plate 41 is rotated via the shaft 42 and the shaft 42, and the sold out of the product is detected without any trouble. Further, in the conventional sold-out detecting device, as shown in FIG. 6, when the rotating plate 41 comes into contact with the product 10 and the torsion coil spring 5 is compressed while applying a torsional force, the end surface of the rotating plate 41 and the fixed plate are fixed. A gap is created between the end face of the rising edge 11 of the first spring 1 and the rotating plate 41 is displaced in the horizontal direction, or the rotating plate 41 is inclined by receiving the lateral force of the torsion coil spring 5 unevenly on the end face. The portion 41a may not be properly inserted into the gap between the reed switch 2 and the magnet 3, and sometimes the rotating plate 41 may be shifted laterally and come off the product 10. In the above embodiment, the torsion coil spring 5 is mounted between the left and right rising portions 41b of the rotating plate 41, and the spacer 7 is provided.
Does not shift or tilt, and always operates in a normal posture. Therefore, the actuator 4 reliably detects the sold out of the product.

[0010]

According to the present invention, a fixed plate having a pair of left and right bearing holes and fixed to an in-machine member, and a rotatably supported by the fixed plate via a support shaft provided at one end. And a spring-biased actuator, wherein the actuator which is normally pushed in the opposite direction to the spring-biased state is opened along with the final product carry-out and detects the sold-out of the product. Since the rotating plate and the support shaft of the actuator that are biased by spring are formed separately and one end of the rotating plate is rotatably supported by the support shaft, In this case, even if the shaft of the actuator is covered with ice and the bearing portion is covered with ice, the rotation plate can be rotated without any trouble even if the operation is defective, and a product sold-out detection device that reliably detects product sold-out can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an out-of-sale product detection apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sold-out detecting device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a conventional product sold-out detection device.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the sold-out detector of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a front view for explaining a defect of the conventional sold-out detecting device.

FIG. 6 is a front view for explaining another problem of the conventional product sold-out detection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fixed plate 4 Actuator 5 Torsion coil spring 7 Spacer 41 Rotating plate 42 Support shaft

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A fixed plate having a pair of left and right bearing holes and fixed to an in-machine member, and is rotatably supported by a fixed plate and spring-biased via a support shaft provided at one end. An actuator which is normally pushed in the direction opposite to the bias of the spring, and which is released with the final product being unloaded and detects the sold-out of the product. A sold-out detection of a vending machine, wherein a biased rotating plate and the support shaft are formed separately and one end of the rotation plate is rotatably supported by the support shaft. apparatus. 2. An automatic vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a spacer is inserted between the end face of the bearing hole of the fixed plate and one end face of the rotary plate. Equipment for detecting sold-out of machine.