JP3169259B2 - Product passage control device for vending machines - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vending machine for storing and selling goods such as canned beverages, which is provided in a goods storage in a vending machine, and which is opposed to a carry-out mechanism near a carry-out exit of a goods passage. The present invention relates to a product passage restricting device for a vending machine that is disposed and regulates the size of a product passage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of vending machines have been developed. For example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 55-159777,
Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 55-159475 discloses a vending machine having a product storage generally called a serpentine column. FIG. 5 shows an example of a product storage component provided in such a vending machine. This product storage component shows a product passage regulating device 1 that is disposed near a carry-out exit of a product passage and faces a carry-out device and regulates the size of the product passage.

[0003] This product passage restricting device 1 is disclosed in
No. 8296, which discloses a substrate 2 having a pair of side plates 2b bent in the same direction from one opposing side of a plane portion 2a, and a pair of side plates 2b of the substrate 2 And shafts 3 respectively penetrated by insertion holes 7 provided in upper and lower stages.

[0004] Specifically, this product passage regulating device 1
In the case of (1), a pin hole is provided in the center of the upper shaft 3, and a snap pin 6 can be inserted into the pin hole. In the upper part of the center of the flat portion 2a of the substrate 2, locking pieces 5 for regulating the movement of the shaft 3 in a vertical direction on a plane parallel to the flat portion 2a are provided vertically so as to form steps. Have been. Further, an opening larger than the diameter of the shaft 3 is provided at an upper central portion of each of the pair of side plates 2b, and insertion holes 7 for inserting ends of the shaft 3 are provided.

Therefore, the mounting of the upper shaft 3 will be described. First, one end of the shaft 3 is inserted from one of the insertion holes 7 so that the shaft 3 is mounted between the vertical steps of the locking pieces 5, and both ends of the shaft 3 are inserted into both the insertion holes 7 of the side plate 2 b. By obtaining the inserted state, the vertical movement of the shaft 3 on a plane parallel to the plane portion 2a is regulated. Next, the pin holes of the shaft 3 are arranged within the left and right intervals of the respective locking pieces 5 and the snap pins 6 are inserted into the pin holes. The shaft 3 is locked to the piece 5, thereby restricting the left-right movement of the shaft 3 on a plane parallel to the plane portion 2a.

The upper shaft 3 makes the substrate 2 slightly movable in the vertical and horizontal directions parallel to the plane portion 2a and in the direction perpendicular to the plane portion 2a with both ends of the shaft 3 fixed. Therefore, in such a regulating device composed of only the upper shaft 3, since the substrate 2 and the shaft 3 are loosely assembled, the impact caused by the collision of the product is reduced by the flat portion 2a. Products can be transported without damage.

On the other hand, the lower shaft 3 is provided at its center with a substantially disk-shaped projection 3a projecting radially from the outer peripheral surface. In order to fix the projection 3a, a notch 40a, which has a step in the vertical direction, and has a connecting portion,
40b is provided. The protruding end of the protruding portion 3a is attached to this connecting portion. Further, the notch holes 40a, 40
A cut-and-raised piece (pressed piece) 2c is provided on each side near the center of b. In addition, an insertion hole for inserting an end portion of the shaft 3 is provided in a lower portion of the center of each of the pair of side plates 2b, which is approximately the same as the diameter of the shaft 3.

The lower shaft 3 is attached. First, one end of the shaft 3 is inserted from the flat portion 2a into an insertion hole provided in one of the side plates 2b, and is pushed in the insertion direction. And the other end is inserted into an insertion hole provided in the other side plate 2b. At this time, the protruding end of the projection 3a is attached to the connection between the cutout holes 40a and 40b. Thereby, the vertical movement of the shaft 3 on a plane parallel to the plane portion 2a is restricted.
Next, the cut-and-raised piece 2c is cut and raised to regulate the side edge of the protrusion 3a. As a result, the left-right movement of the shaft 3 on a plane parallel to the plane portion 2a is restricted.

The lower shaft 3 makes the substrate 2 immovable in the vertical and horizontal directions parallel to the plane portion 2a as well as in the vertical direction while the both ends of the shaft 3 are fixed. The substrate 2 is also immovable in the direction of. Therefore, the restricting device constituted only by the lower shaft 3 cannot sufficiently reduce the impact from the product on the flat portion 2a, and often damages the product and carries it out.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, a product passage restricting device having a lower shaft 3 is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-8296 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-53782 and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Sho 62-53783, a pair of side plates having engagement grooves (holes) for making both ends of the shaft 3 to be inserted movable around the pair of side plates. In this case, a regulating device is attached to the pair of side plates.

Incidentally, the product passage restricting device 1 constituted by the upper and lower shafts 3 shown in FIG. 5 is a prototype product shown for explaining different types of conventional product passage restricting devices.

[0012]

In the case of the above described apparatus for controlling the passage of goods, the number of parts is large or the processing of the material requires man-hours. As a result, there is a problem that the cost is increased.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and a technical problem of the present invention is to provide a vending machine having a small number of parts and capable of easily performing a material processing step and an assembly step. An object of the present invention is to provide a product passage regulating device.

[0014]

According to the present invention, there is provided a product passage restricting device which is disposed near a carry-out port of a product passage in a vending machine and faces a carry-out mechanism to regulate the size of the product passage. A substrate having a pair of side plates bent in the same direction from one opposing side of the plane portion, and a shaft penetrating the pair of side plates in the substrate, wherein the shaft extends in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface. The projection on the flat surface of the substrate has a larger opening than the protruding end of the protruding portion, and receives the protruding end to move on a plane parallel to the flat portion of the shaft. Notch holes for regulating the size of the shaft, and a pair of side plates of the substrate are opened larger than the diameter of the shaft, and are provided with insertion holes for inserting both ends of the shaft. In the device, the protrusion , Together with those of the symmetrical shape so as to form the one end and the other end is substantially conical of gradually thin toward the axial direction perpendicular outward in the axial direction of the shaft,
A notch hole is provided at a substantially central portion between the pair of side plates of the substrate on the shaft, and the cutout hole is provided at a product passage regulating device of a vending machine provided at a substantially central portion of the flat portion of the substrate between the pair of side plates. can get.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a commodity passage regulating device which is arranged near a carry-out port of a commodity passage in a vending machine and faces a carry-out mechanism to regulate the size of the commodity passage. A substrate having a pair of side plates bent in the same direction from one opposite side of the substrate, and a shaft penetrating the pair of side plates in the substrate, wherein the shaft protrudes radially from the outer peripheral surface. A protrusion having a projection, and a flat surface of the substrate is opened larger than the protruding end of the protruding portion, and a cut for receiving the protruding end and restricting movement on a plane parallel to the flat portion of the shaft. A notch hole is provided, and a pair of side plates of the substrate are opened larger than the diameter of the shaft, and the product passage regulating device of the vending machine is provided with insertion holes for inserting both ends of the shaft. The part is a shaft One end side in the axial direction has a substantially planar shape, and the other end side has an asymmetric shape so as to form a substantially convex curved surface, and any one of the pair of side plates between the pair of side plates of the substrate in the shaft. The notch hole is provided in a portion offset to one side, and a notch hole is provided between a pair of side plates in a plane portion of the substrate and a product passage regulation of a vending machine provided in a portion offset to one side of the pair of side plates. A device is obtained.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a basic configuration of a product passage regulating device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In the case of the commodity passage restricting device 1, the size of the commodity passage is also defined by placing the commodity passage in the vending machine in the vicinity of the exit of the commodity passage and facing a carry-out device (not shown). A substrate 2 having a pair of side plates 2b bent to the same side from one opposing side;
And a shaft 3 penetrating the pair of side plates 2b.

Among them, a disk-shaped projection 3a is provided at the center of the shaft 3 by a header process so as to project radially from the outer peripheral surface. A cutout hole 4 is provided in the upper portion of the center of the flat portion 2a of the substrate 2 to receive the protruding end of the protrusion 3a and regulate the movement of the shaft 3 on a plane parallel to the flat portion 2a. I have. The cutout hole 4 is larger than the protruding end (peripheral edge) of the projection 3a. Further, a shaft 3 is provided on the center upper portion of each of the pair of side plates 2b of the flat portion 2a on the substrate 2.
And an insertion hole 7 that is larger than the diameter of the shaft 3 and that can insert the ends of the shaft 3 respectively.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a main part of the regulating device shown in FIG. Here, the detailed configuration described above, that is, the notch hole 4 is opened larger than the periphery of the projection 3a, and the insertion hole 7 is also opened larger than the diameter of the shaft 3 is shown.

Next, the attachment of the shaft 3 to the substrate 2 in the commodity passage regulating device 1 will be described. First, one end of the shaft 3 is inserted through an insertion hole 7 provided in one of the side plates 2b from the open flat portion 2a between the side plates 2b of the substrate 2 and pushed in the insertion direction, and then the shaft 3 is bent. The other end is inserted into the insertion hole 7 provided in the other side plate 2b. At this time, the protruding end of the projection 3a is attached to the cutout hole 4. Thereby, the plane portion 2a
The movement in the vertical direction and the movement in the left-right direction of the shaft 3 on a plane parallel to the vertical axis are restricted.

The product passage restricting device 1 having such a structure is as follows.
With the both ends of the shaft 3 fixed, the substrate 2 is slightly movable in the vertical and horizontal directions parallel to the plane 2a and in the direction perpendicular to the plane 2a. Therefore, such a product passage restricting device 1 is extremely easily assembled as described above, and the substrate 2 and the shaft 3 have a loose configuration.
The product can be carried out without damaging the product by damping the impact due to the collision of the product with the flat portion 2a.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a main part of a product passage regulating device as another embodiment. In the case of this product passage restricting device, the protrusion 3b has a substantially abacus that is symmetrical such that one end and the other end of the shaft 3 in the axial direction gradually become thinner toward the outside perpendicular to the axial direction. It has a bead shape and a pair of side plates 2 on the shaft 3.
It is provided at a substantially central portion between b. On the other hand, the cutout hole 4 is provided at a substantially central portion between the pair of side plates 2b in the plane portion 2a of the substrate 2. In the case of such a product passage restricting device, similarly to the product passage restricting device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the shaft 3 is easily bent and attached from the side of the open flat portion 2a between the side plates 2b of the substrate 2. In this case, the projection 3b of the shaft 3 has a substantially abacus shape, and the projection end of the projection 3b is tapered in a tapered shape. The width of the shaft 3 in the axial direction is reduced, and the mounting of the protruding end of the projection 3b into the cutout hole 4 is more accurate than in the case of the product passage restricting device 1 shown in FIG. And it can be easily performed.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a main part of a commodity passage regulating device as another embodiment. In the case of this product passage restricting device, the protrusion 3c has an asymmetrical substantially bell-shaped shape such that one end in the axial direction of the shaft 3 has a substantially planar shape and the other end has a substantially convex curved shape. In addition, it is provided in a portion of the shaft 3 between the pair of side plates 2 b of the substrate 2, which is offset to one side of the side plates 2 b (a portion separated from the center in one direction). On the other hand, the cutout hole 4 is formed between a pair of side plates 2b in the plane portion 2a of the substrate 2 and a portion which is deviated to one of the side plates 2b (the side plate 2b corresponding to the other end of the protrusion 3c). To the side). Also in the case of such a product passage regulating device, similarly to the product passage regulating device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the shaft 3 is bent from the side of the open plane portion 2a between the side plates 2b of the substrate 2 and attached. Although it is easy to assemble, here, the shaft 3
Is substantially bell-shaped, and the projection 3c
Since the protruding end portion of the shaft 3 is tapered, the width of the cutout hole 4 in the axial direction of the shaft 3 is reduced, and the protrusion for the cutout hole 4 is larger than that of the product passage restricting device 1 shown in FIG. The protruding end of the portion 3c can be mounted accurately and easily with more margin, and as described above, the protruding portion 3c
Since the shaft 3 is provided on one side (a portion offset to the side plate 2b corresponding to the other end of the projection 3c), the shaft 3 can be provided with directivity.

More specifically, in the case of the commodity passage restricting device shown in FIG. 4, the projection 3c is provided at a position closer to the right than the center of the shaft 3, and the left side of the projection 3c is flat. In this case, the right end of the shaft 3 is inserted into the insertion hole 7 provided in the right side plate 2b according to the insertion direction H from left to right, and then the shaft 3 is inserted. The left end may be bent and inserted into the insertion hole 7 provided in the left side plate 2b.

Also, contrary to the product passage restricting device shown in FIG. 4, a projection 3c is provided at a position deviated leftward from the center of the shaft 3, and the right side of the projection 3c is planar and the left side is If the shape is a convex curved surface, the left end of the shaft 3 is inserted into the insertion hole 7 provided in the left side plate 2b according to the insertion direction from the right side to the left side, and then the shaft 3 is bent and the right end is inserted into the right side plate 2b. May be inserted into the insertion hole 7 provided in the first hole.

In each of the above-described embodiments, several differently shaped protrusions provided on the shaft 3, that is, a disk-shaped protrusion 3a and a substantially abacus bead-shaped protrusion 3b as symmetric shapes. A substantially bell-shaped projection 3 as an asymmetric shape
However, it is sufficient that the protruding end of the protruding portion is smaller than the opening of the notch hole 4 and does not protrude through the notch hole 4 to the side opposite to the open side of the plane portion 2a of the substrate 2. Therefore, the shape of the protruding portion can be appropriately selected in consideration of workability, and is not limited to that described in each embodiment.

[0027]

As described above, according to the commodity passage restricting device for a vending machine of the present invention, the shape and arrangement of the projection provided on the shaft and the projection end of the projection are received. By devising the shape and arrangement of the cutout holes provided in the plane part of the board, the number of parts is small, the process of processing the material and the assembling process are simplified, and the impact due to the collision of the product is reduced. Thus, a highly useful structure that can be carried out without damaging the product can be obtained at low cost. In particular, the shape of the protrusion is symmetrical so that the one end and the other end in the axial direction of the shaft gradually become thinner toward the outside perpendicular to the axial direction, and then the protrusion is formed on the shaft. In the case of a configuration in which a notch hole is provided in a substantially central portion between the pair of side plates in the plane portion of the substrate, a cutout hole is provided in a substantially central portion between the pair of side plates of the substrate in the above. When assembling by bending the shaft from the side of the open flat portion between the side plates and assembling, the width of the cutout hole in the axial direction of the shaft is reduced because the protruding end of the protrusion is tapered. The mounting of the protruding end portion of the protruding portion to the notch hole can be performed properly and easily with more margin. Further, the shape of the protrusion is asymmetrical such that one end side in the axial direction of the shaft has a substantially planar shape, and the other end side has a substantially convex curved surface shape. A cutout hole is provided in a portion of the flat plate portion of the substrate that is offset to one of these side plates between the side plates. In the case of the above configuration, the mounting of the protruding end of the protruding portion can be performed accurately and easily with more margin as in the case described above. The user can more easily mount the projections in the cutout holes depending on whether the person is right-handed or left-handed, so that the number of assembling steps is significantly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a basic configuration of a product passage regulating device used for a product storage of a vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the commodity passage regulating device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of a product passage restricting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a product passage regulating device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a basic configuration of a conventional product passage regulating device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Commodity passage restricting device 2 Substrate 2a Flat surface part 2b Side plate 2c Cut-and-raised piece 3 Shaft 3a Projection part 4, 40a, 40b Cutout hole 5 Locking piece 6 Snap pin 7 Insertion hole

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An apparatus for regulating the size of a product passage, which is arranged near a carry-out exit of a product passage in a vending machine and opposed to a carry-out mechanism, wherein the size of the product passage is determined from one opposing side of a plane portion. A substrate having a pair of side plates bent in the same direction, and a shaft penetrating the pair of side plates in the substrate, wherein the shaft has a protrusion protruding radially from an outer peripheral surface. The flat portion of the substrate has an opening larger than the protruding end of the protruding portion, and receives the protruding end to restrict movement of the shaft on a plane parallel to the flat portion. A notch hole is provided, and the pair of side plates of the substrate are opened larger than the diameter of the shaft, and are provided with insertion holes for inserting both ends of the shaft. Regulatory equipment The protrusion has a symmetrical shape such that one end and the other end in the axial direction of the shaft gradually become thinner and substantially conical toward the outside perpendicular to the axial direction. The shaft is provided at a substantially central portion between the pair of side plates of the substrate, and the cutout hole is provided at a substantially central portion of the planar portion of the substrate between the pair of side plates. For controlling the passage of goods in vending machines. 2. A commodity passage regulating device which is disposed near a carry-out mechanism of a commodity passage in a vending machine and faces a carry-out mechanism and regulates the size of the commodity passage. A substrate having a pair of side plates bent in the same direction, and a shaft penetrating the pair of side plates in the substrate, wherein the shaft has a protrusion protruding radially from an outer peripheral surface. The flat portion of the substrate has an opening larger than the protruding end of the protruding portion, and receives the protruding end to restrict movement of the shaft on a plane parallel to the flat portion. A notch hole is provided, and the pair of side plates of the substrate are opened larger than the diameter of the shaft, and are provided with insertion holes for inserting both ends of the shaft. Regulatory equipment The protrusion has an asymmetric shape such that one end in the axial direction of the shaft has a substantially planar shape, and the other end has a substantially convex curved shape. The cutout hole is provided at a portion of the pair of side plates that is offset to one of the side plates of the pair, and the cutout hole is provided on one side of the pair of side plates between the pair of side plates in the plane portion of the substrate. A product passage regulating device for a vending machine, wherein the device is provided in a portion that is biased toward the product.