JP3322523B2 - Vending machine product storage and ejection 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 storing and dispensing apparatus for a vending machine in which merchandise is stacked and stored in a storing section, and the merchandise is sequentially discharged from the lowest order.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vending machine in which rectangular products such as cigarettes are stacked and stored in two rows in front and rear in a storage unit, and products are sequentially discharged from the lowest order, the products in the front row are forward and the products in the rear row are forward. It is common to provide a product storage and ejection device of a front-to-back ejection method for ejecting products rearward. However, in this method, since the throw-out chutes are arranged before and after the storage unit, it is not possible to meet the recent demand for a thinner vending machine.

Therefore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-128359, there is an increasing number of before-and-after throwing systems in which a throwing chute is provided only on the front side and both front and rear products are thrown forward. .

[0004] In such a product storage and ejection apparatus of the front-to-front ejection system, the ejection member slidable in the front-rear direction at the bottom of the storage section moves from the rear standby position to the intermediate standby position, so that the rear row is lowermost. Is pushed to the front row to eject the product that was originally at the bottom of the front row, and then the ejection member moves from the intermediate standby position to the frontmost position to eject the product at the bottom of the front row.

[0005] In such a front-to-front product storage / discharge apparatus (see FIG. 8), in order to avoid engagement between the front row product and the rear row product, the product is disposed at the lowermost portion of the rear surface of the storage section. An evacuation space is formed so that the lowermost product in the back row can fall backward. Further, a step is formed at the center position of the bottom surface of the storage portion, and the front side is one step higher than the rear side.

[0006]

In recent years, with the diversification of consumer needs, products of various sizes have been circulating, and it has become necessary for vending machines to release products of various sizes. ing. However, setting a dedicated product storage and ejection device for each size of product is not only inefficient, but also inefficient because the entire device must be replaced when changing the settings of products for sale. is there.

[0007] Among products of various sizes, a long product (a product having a long length that does not differ greatly in cross-sectional shape, etc.).
This is a large product. ) May be stored in one row instead of two rows before and after, and the throwout member may be moved by two strokes to throw out the lowest order product.

However, when the conventional device is quoted as it is, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the point at which the lowest product is about to be thrown out, that is, the leading portion of the next product 1 is listed in the lowest product, but With nothing under the leaning part,
The next product 1 slips backward and the rear end enters the evacuation space 2, and the product 1 is obliquely supported by the step 4 on the bottom surface of the storage unit 3. At this time, the sold-out detection lever 5 is released because the front side of the product 1 rises, and “out of stock” is detected even though the product remains in the storage unit 3, and the product is prohibited from being thrown out. Become. Also, sold out detection lever 5
Even if is not released, if the ejection member 6 advances and pushes out the product 1 from the state where the product 1 is supported obliquely, the front end of the product 1 hits the thickness regulating member 7 and clogging occurs. I do.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a vending machine in which goods are stacked and stored in a storage section and are sequentially thrown out from the lowest order to the front is provided. It is another object of the present invention to provide a product storing and dispensing apparatus capable of storing and discharging not only large-size products but also normal products.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for storing and dispensing goods of a vending machine, wherein goods are stacked and stored in a storage section partitioned by a partition plate, and a discharge provided at a bottom of the storage section. A vending machine stores and dispenses products in order from the lowest order product by moving the member from the rear standby position behind the storage unit to the frontmost position of the storage unit through the intermediate standby position near the center of the storage unit. A first movement mode in which the ejection member moves from the rear standby position to the intermediate standby position based on the ejection command and moves from the intermediate standby position to the foremost position based on the next ejection command. A mode setting means for selectively setting a second movement mode for moving from the rear standby position to the foremost position by one ejection command; and a rear surface of the storage unit, Down below A rear member having a gap formed therein, and the rear member is supported so as to be changeable between a rear position in which the products are stored in the front and rear two rows and a front position in which the products are stored in the front and rear one column. At the position, the lower gap is set to be larger than the product thickness, and at the front position, the support means is set to be smaller than the product thickness.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine product storage and ejection apparatus, the support means is movable in the front-rear direction along the partition plate. A mounting plate having a side plate portion to be extended and a support portion extending from the vicinity of the rear end of the side plate portion toward the inside of the storage portion, and an engagement mechanism for vertically engaging the rear surface member with the support portion of the mounting plate. And an elongated hole formed in the partition plate so as to be inclined forward and downward, and an engaging portion formed on a side portion of the rear surface member and engaged with the elongated hole.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the vending machine product storage and ejection apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the support means is movable in the front-rear direction along the partition plate. A mounting plate having a side plate portion to be extended and a support portion extending from the vicinity of the rear end of the side plate portion toward the inside of the storage portion, and an engagement mechanism for vertically engaging the rear surface member with the support portion of the mounting plate. And a mounting table which is provided at a position corresponding to the rear surface member at the rear position and supports the rear member and supports the rear member above the height position at the front position.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a vending machine product storage and ejection apparatus, for example, when storing and ejecting products of a normal size in two front and rear rows, the rear member is supported at a rear position by support means. , Goods are stored in the front and rear two rows in the storage section, and the first movement mode is set. Then, in the first movement mode, the throw-out member is moved from the rear standby position to the central standby position, then moved from the central standby position to the foremost position, and the lowest order product is thrown forward, respectively. At this time, a lower gap larger than the product thickness is formed below the rear member between the bottom surface of the storage portion and the lowermost product in the rear row, thereby preventing the front row and rear row products from engaging with each other. Is done.

Further, in the case of storing and projecting products of a size larger than the normal size in one row in front and rear, the rear member is supported at a front position by a support means, and the products are stored in one row in front and rear in the storage portion. , And a second movement mode is set. Then, in the second movement mode, the ejection member is moved from the rear standby position to the foremost position, and is ejected forward in order from the lowest order product. At this time, the lower gap of the rear member is set to be smaller than the thickness of the product, the lowest product does not enter, and the product does not tilt.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the function of the first aspect of the present invention, the mounting plate is supported by the support means at the rear position. Then, the engaging portion of the rear member is engaged at a high position behind the long hole, the rear member is supported at the upper position, and the lower gap of the rear member is set to be larger than the product thickness. Also,
When the mounting plate is supported at the front position by the support means, the engaging portion of the rear member is engaged at a lower position in front of the long hole, the rear member is supported at the lower position, and the lower gap of the rear member is reduced. It is set smaller than the product thickness.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the function of the first aspect of the present invention, the mounting plate is supported at the rear position by the support means. Then, the rear member is placed on the mounting table and supported at an upper position, and the lower gap of the rear member is set to be larger than the product thickness. Further, when the mounting plate is supported at the front position by the support means, the rear member is detached from the mounting table and supported at the lower position, and the lower gap of the rear member is set smaller than the product thickness.

[0017]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

In this embodiment, in a vending machine that sells rectangular products such as tobacco, a plurality of product storage and dispensing devices are provided vertically inside the vending machine, and a horizontal direction is provided for each stage. A number of products are stored in each product storage and dispensing device, and the corresponding product storage and dispensing device is activated based on a dispensing command from the control unit of the vending machine, and the products are stored. It is assumed to be thrown.

FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 show a first embodiment of a product storage and ejection device according to the present invention.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the merchandise storing and dispensing apparatus has a plurality of dispensing units 11 arranged in a row in the left-right width direction, and stores and stacks the commodities above each of the dispensing units 11. A storage section 12 is formed.

The projecting unit 11 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped case body 13 which is long in the front-rear direction. The case body 13 has a step 15 formed near the center of an upper surface 14 serving as a bottom plate of a storage portion.
The front upper surface 14a is formed slightly higher than the rear upper surface 14b.

A traverse camshaft 17 having a spiral groove 16 on its peripheral surface is rotatably disposed in the case body 13 along the front-rear direction, and is engaged with the spiral groove 16 of the traverse camshaft 17. The moving body 18 is attached in combination. The traverse cam shaft 17 is rotated in one direction by receiving the driving force from the drive motor 19, and the moving body 18 is moved in parallel in the front-rear direction with the rotation of the traverse cam shaft 17.

On the upper part of the moving body 18, a projecting member 20 is supported by a support shaft 21.
Is rotatably supported. This ejection member 20
Is a direction in which the stopper 22 is rotatable between a standing position in which the stopper 22 comes into contact with the rear surface of the moving body 18 and stands substantially vertically, and a turning position in which the stopper 22 is tilted forward. Has been energized. A case along the moving area of the moving body 18
13, a slit 23 is provided on the upper surface, and when the projecting member 20 takes an upright posture, the projecting member 20
Protruded into.

The moving body 18 having the projecting member 20 can be moved over substantially the entire area in the front-rear direction of the projecting unit 11 by the rotation of the traverse cam shaft 17, and the moving body 18 and the projecting member 20 are stored in the storage section. It is moved to the rear standby position located at the rear of 12, the intermediate standby position located near the center of the storage unit 12 slightly behind the stepped portion 15, the foremost position located in front of the storage unit 12, and moved to the foremost position After that, it returns to the rear standby position.

A rear position detecting switch 24 and an intermediate position detecting switch 25 for detecting respective positions of the moving body 18 at a rear standby position and an intermediate standby position are arranged in the case body 13. Further, a sold-out detection switch 28 in which a sold-out detection lever 27 protrudes into the storage section 12 through a window hole 26 formed in the front upper surface 14a is arranged in the case body 13.

On the upper surface of the ejection unit 11, a partition plate 31 is provided.
The storage unit 12 is formed between the partition unit 31 of the adjacent ejection unit 11 and a space slightly wider than the width of the product to be sold. The partition plate 31 is formed with two front and rear insertion projections 32 (shown in FIG. 3) at the lower edge thereof, and the front upper surface 14a and the rear upper surface 14b of the ejection unit 11 have three partitions arranged in the front-rear direction. Board insertion hole 33 is formed,
Insert hole for partition plate that matches the size of the product to be sold
The insertion projection 32 of the partition plate 31 is inserted into 33. A guide groove 34 as a long hole inclined forward and downward is formed at an upper position near the rear of the partition plate 31, and a guide groove 34 is formed at a front end of the guide groove 34.
An insertion opening 35 that is wider than the vertical width is formed.

On the front upper surface 14a and the rear upper surface 14b of the ejection unit 11, a single mounting plate insertion hole 36a, 36b is formed at a position slightly shifted laterally behind the partition plate insertion hole 33. Have been. However, the rearmost partition plate insertion hole 33 and the mounting plate insertion hole 36b on the rear upper surface 14b are formed in an integrally connected state.

On the upper surface of the ejection unit 11, a partition plate is provided.
A mounting plate 37 is erected along the inner side surface facing the storage section 12 of the 31. The mounting plate 37 includes a side plate portion 38 along the partition plate 31 and a support portion 39 that is vertically bent from the rear end of the side plate portion 38 to the inside of the storage unit 12. One insertion projection 40 is formed on the lower edge of the side plate portion 38, and the projection unit 11
Hole for mounting plate on front upper surface 14a or rear upper surface 14b
Insert into either 36a or 36b.

The guide groove 34 of the partition plate 31 above the rear end of the side plate portion 38
A passage hole 41 is formed at a position facing the hole. Support
When viewed from the rear of 39, an engagement hole 44 formed of a rectangular insertion opening 42 and an elongated hole 43 extending downward is formed at two places, upper right and lower left, as viewed from behind.

A rear member 45 constituting the rear surface of the storage section 12 is mounted inside the support section 39 of the mounting plate 37 facing the storage section 12. The rear surface member 45 includes a rear surface portion 46 and side portions 47 bent rearward from both sides of the rear surface portion 46.

An engaging portion 48 is formed in each side portion 47 of the rear member 45 at a position corresponding to each of the engaging holes 44 of the support portion 39. The plate material projecting inward is bent inward, is inserted into the insertion opening 42 of the engagement hole 44 of the support portion 39 of the mounting plate 37, and moves up and down along the long hole portion 43, so that the mounting plate 37 Is slidably supported up and down. Therefore, the engagement hole 44 and the engagement portion 48
Thereby, an engagement mechanism 49 for vertically engaging the rear member 45 with the support portion 39 of the mounting plate 37 is configured.

The side portion of the rear member 45 on the side close to the partition plate 31
The engagement portion 50 is formed on the 47 so as to extend laterally from the upper end of the side portion 47 and bend the tip thereof downward.
The engaging portion 50 is inserted into the passage hole 41 of the side plate portion 38 of the mounting plate 37 and the insertion opening 35 of the partition plate 31 and the partition plate 31
And is engaged with the lower side of the guide groove 34.

Then, the guide groove 34, the mounting plate 37, the engagement mechanism 4
9. With the engaging portion 50 and the like, the rear surface member 45 is supported so as to be changeable between a rear position in which the products are stored in the front and rear two rows in the storage portion 12 and a front position in which the products are stored in the front and rear one row. A support means 51 is provided which sets the lower gap larger than the product thickness at the rear position and smaller than the product thickness at the front position.

A thickness regulating member (not shown) is provided on the front surface of the storage section 12, and the thickness regulating member and the projection unit
An outlet 52 is formed between the front upper surface 11a and the outlet 11 to allow only the lowest product to pass therethrough.

The dispensing unit 11 is controlled by a control unit of the vending machine. The first unit is set by a mode setting means (not shown) provided in an operation unit for an administrator of the vending machine.
And the second two movement modes can be selectively set, and the ejection member 20 is moved according to each set mode.

In the first movement mode, one of the rear or intermediate position detection switches 24 and 25 is turned on based on the first ejection command (for example, the rear position detection switch 24 is turned on. The other is turned on from the rear standby position (for example, the intermediate position detection switch 25 is turned on).
The ejection member 20 moves to the intermediate standby position, and moves to a state where one of the members is turned on by the next ejection command (for example, the rear position detection switch 24 is in the on state; the rear standby position).

In the second movement mode, the function of the intermediate position detection switch 25 is stopped, and when the ejection command is issued, the ejection member 20 is moved from the state in which the rear position detection switch 24 is turned on (rear standby position). Backward position detection switch after one reciprocation
It returns to the state where 24 was turned on (rear standby position).

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

First, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 4 (a), a case will be described in which normal-sized products T such as tobacco are stacked and stored in the front and rear two rows in the storage section 12 and sold. .

The first movement mode is set by the mode setting means of the manager's operation unit of the vending machine, and the position of the rear member 45 is set corresponding to the two rows of stacked products T before and after.

The rear member 45 is set by engaging an engaging portion 48 on the rear side of the rear member 45 with an engaging hole 44 of the supporting portion 39 of the mounting plate 37 and engaging an engaging portion 50 on a side of the rear member 45. After passing through the passage hole 41 of the side plate portion 38 of the mounting plate 37 and engaging with the guide groove 34 of the partition plate 31, the mounting plate 37
Insert the projection 40 into the insertion hole for the mounting plate on the rear side of the ejection unit 11.
Insert into 36b. As a result, the rear member 45 is
12 is supported at a position slightly forward of the rear standby position of the ejection member 20, that is, the engagement portion 50 is provided with the guide groove 34.
Is supported at a relatively high position by engaging at a relatively high position. Between the lower edge of the rear surface member 45 and the rear upper surface 14b of the ejection unit 11, a retreat space 61 having a gap L1 larger than the thickness t of the commodity T to be stored and sold is formed.

The storage unit 12 formed by the adjacent partition plate 31 and rear member 45 above the ejection unit 11
Then, the goods T are stacked and stored in two rows before and after. When the product T in the front row presses the sold-out detection lever 27, the presence of the product is detected and the product can be sold.

When the rearward position detection switch 24 is on and the ejection member 20 is at the rear standby position, and when there is an ejection command, the ejection member 20 is moved to the rear standby position (the rear position detection switch 24 is turned on). State) to the intermediate standby position (the intermediate position detection switch 25 is in the ON state) to push the lowermost product T in the rear row to the front row, and eject the lowermost product T in the front row.
When the next throwing instruction is issued, the throwing member 20 moves from the intermediate standby position to the foremost position, and throws out the lowermost product T in the front row,
Thereafter, it moves rearward and stops at the rear standby position (the rear position detection switch 24 is in the ON state).

When the throw-out member 20 moves backward, it comes into contact with the bottom surface of the commodity T at the bottom of the rear row, and attempts to slide the commodity T backward. As a result, the products T are evacuated to the retreat space 61, a gap is provided between the products T in the front row and the products T in the rear row, and the engagement between the products T in the front row and the rear row is avoided.

When the products T stacked in the front row are exhausted, the sold-out detection lever 27 is released, so that the sold-out is detected and the throwing operation is prohibited.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (b) and FIG. 4 (b), a large-sized product T which is not greatly different in cross-sectional shape from a normal-sized product T such as tobacco but has a long length. Will be described in the storage section 12 in a row before and after being stacked in a row.

The second movement mode is set by the mode setting means of the administrator's operation unit of the vending machine, and the position of the rear member 45 is set in correspondence with one row of stacked products T before and after.

The rear member 45 is set by engaging an engaging portion 48 on the rear side of the rear member 45 with an engaging hole 44 of the supporting portion 39 of the mounting plate 37 and engaging an engaging portion 50 on the side of the rear member 45. After passing through the passage hole 41 of the side plate portion 38 of the mounting plate 37 and engaging with the guide groove 34 of the partition plate 31, the mounting plate 37
Insert the projection 40 into the insertion hole for the mounting plate on the front side of the ejection unit 11.
36a. As a result, the rear member 45 is
The front part of 12, that is, the step part of the upper surface 14 of the ejection unit 11
The guide groove 34 is supported at a relatively lower position by being engaged with the guide groove 34 at a relatively lower position while being supported at a position slightly behind the same. Lower edge of rear member 45 and ejection unit 11
A gap L2 smaller than the thickness t of the product T to be stored and sold is formed between the rear surface 14b and the rear upper surface 14b.

The storage unit 12 formed above the ejection unit 11 and formed by the adjacent partition plate 31 and rear member 45.
Then, the goods T are stacked and stored in one row before and after. When the product T presses the sold-out detection lever 27, the presence of the product is detected and the product can be sold.

When the rearward position detection switch 24 is on and the ejection member 20 is at the rear standby position, and when there is an ejection command, the ejection member 20 is moved to the rear standby position (the rear position detection switch 24 is turned on). From the state) to the foremost position, and throws out the lowest product T, and then moves backward and stops at the rear standby position (the rear position detection switch 24 is in the ON state).

In the process of dispensing the lowest product T, there is a state where the front side of the next product T is placed on the lowest product T, becomes oblique, and tends to slip backward. However, since the gap L2 between the lower edge of the rear member 45 and the rear upper surface 14b is smaller than the thickness t of the product T, the next product T cannot slip backward and the lowest product T is thrown out. At this point, it is placed horizontally on the front upper surface 14a of the ejection unit 11.

Further, when the throw-out member 20 moves rearward, it comes into contact with the bottom surface of the lowest commodity T, and tries to slide the commodity T rearward. Since the gap L2 with the upper surface 14b is smaller than the thickness t of the product T,
The lowest product T does not fall backward.

As described above, not only the normal-sized product T but also the large-sized product T can be normally stored and discharged.

Next, a description will be given of a second embodiment of the product storing and dispensing apparatus according to the present invention with reference to FIGS. The same structures as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ejection unit 11 is
The structure is almost the same as that of the embodiment. However, the positions of the insertion holes 36a and 36b for the mounting plate are slightly shifted rearward.

A partition plate erected on the upper surface of the ejection unit 11
The mounting table 31a is formed by bending the vicinity of the lower end of the rear part of the housing 31 at substantially right angles toward the inside of the storage part 12. The mounting table 31a has an interval L1 between the product T and the rear upper surface 14b slightly larger than the thickness t of the product T. Then, a retreat space 61 is formed below the mounting table 31a.

At four corners of the support portion 39 of the mounting plate 37, an engagement hole 44 having an insertion opening 42 and a long hole 43 is formed.

Inside the support portion 39 of the mounting plate 37, the storage portion 12
The rear surface member 45 constituting the rear surface is mounted. The rear member 45 includes a rear portion 46 and side portions 47 bent rearward from both sides of the rear plate 46. Each side portion 47 has four engaging portions 48 corresponding to the position of each engaging hole 44 of the support portion 39.
This engaging portion 48 is formed by bending inwardly a plate material projecting rearward from the side portion 47, and is inserted into the insertion opening 42 of the engaging hole 44 of the support portion 39 of the mounting plate 37. In addition, by moving up and down along the long hole portion 43, it is supported to be slidable up and down with respect to the mounting plate 37. Therefore, 4
An engagement mechanism for vertically engaging the rear member 45 with the support portion 39 of the mounting plate 37 by the engagement holes 44 and the engagement portions 48 at the locations.
Make up 49.

Further, a lower portion of the rear member 45 is bent substantially vertically rearward to form a mounting portion 45a.
On both sides of a, a handle 45b is formed by being bent upward.

The mounting table 31a, the mounting plate 37, the engagement mechanism
49 and the like, the rear member 45 is supported so as to be changeable between a rear position in which the products are stored in the front and rear two rows in the storage portion 12 and a front position in which the products are stored in the front and rear one row. Supporting means 51 for setting the gap to be larger than the product thickness and setting it smaller than the product thickness at the front position
Is configured.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described.

First, as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 7 (a), a description will be given of a case where commodities T of normal size such as tobacco are stacked and stored in the storage section 12 in two rows in front and rear. .

The first movement mode is set by the mode setting means of the manager's operation unit of the vending machine, and the position of the rear member 45 is set in accordance with the stacking of two rows of products T before and after.

The rear member 45 is set by engaging each engaging portion 48 of the rear member 45 with each engaging hole 44 of the supporting portion 39 of the mounting plate 37 and inserting the insertion projection 40 of the mounting plate 37 into the projecting unit. 11 Insert it into the rear mounting plate insertion hole 36b. As a result, the rear member 45 is supported at a position rearward of the storage portion 12, that is, at a position slightly forward of the rear standby position of the ejection member 20, and the mounting portion 45a is mounted on the mounting table 31a of the partition plate 31. By doing so, it is supported at a relatively high position. Between the lower edge of the rear member 45 and the rear upper surface 14b of the ejection unit 11, the thickness t
A larger gap L1 is formed.

The storage unit 12 formed by the adjacent partition plate 31 and the rear surface member 45 above the ejection unit 11
Then, the goods T are stacked and stored in two rows before and after. When the product T in the front row presses the sold-out detection lever 27, the presence of the product is detected and the product can be sold.

When the rearward position detection switch 24 is on and the ejection member 20 is at the rear standby position, and when there is an ejection command, the ejection member 20 is moved to the rear standby position (the rear position detection switch 24 is turned on). State) to the intermediate standby position (the intermediate position detection switch 25 is in the ON state) to push the lowermost product T in the rear row to the front row, and eject the lowermost product T in the front row.
When the next throwing instruction is issued, the throwing member 20 moves from the intermediate standby position to the foremost position, and throws out the lowermost product T in the front row,
Thereafter, it moves rearward and stops at the rear standby position (the rear position detection switch 24 is in the ON state).

When the ejecting member 20 moves rearward, it comes into contact with the bottom surface of the commodity T in the rearmost row and attempts to slide the commodity T backward. As a result, the products T are evacuated to the retreat space 61, a gap is provided between the products T in the front row and the products T in the rear row, and the engagement between the products T in the front row and the rear row is avoided.

When the products T stacked in the front row are exhausted, the sold-out detection lever 27 is released, so that the sold-out is detected and the throwing operation is prohibited.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (b) and FIG. 7 (b), a large-sized product T which is not greatly different in cross-sectional shape from a normal-sized product T such as tobacco but has a long length. Will be described in the storage section 12 in a row before and after being stacked in a row.

The second movement mode is set by the mode setting means of the administrator's operation section of the vending machine, and the position of the rear member 45 is set in correspondence with the stacking of one row of products T before and after.

The rear member 45 is set by engaging the respective engaging portions 48 of the rear member 45 with the respective engaging holes 44 of the supporting portion 39 of the mounting plate 37, and inserting the insertion projection 40 of the mounting plate 37 into the projecting unit. 11 into the front mounting plate insertion hole 36a. Thus, the rear member 45 is supported at the front position of the storage unit 12, that is, at a position slightly behind the step portion 15 of the upper surface 14 of the ejection unit 11, and
45a descends from the mounting table 31a of the partition plate 31, and descends.
It is supported at a relatively low position. Between the lower edge of the rear member 45 and the rear upper surface 14b of the ejection unit 11, a gap L2 smaller than the thickness t of the goods T to be stored and sold is formed.

The storage unit 12 formed by the adjacent partition plate 31 and the rear surface member 45 above the ejection unit 11
Then, the goods T are stacked and stored in one row before and after. When the product T presses the sold-out detection lever 27, the presence of the product is detected and the product can be sold.

When the rearward position detection switch 24 is turned on and the ejection member 20 is at the rear standby position, and when there is an ejection command, the ejection member 20 is moved to the rear standby position (the rear position detection switch 24 is turned on). From the state) to the foremost position, and throws out the lowest product T, and then moves backward and stops at the rear standby position (the rear position detection switch 24 is in the ON state).

In the process of dispensing the lowest order product T, there is a state where the front side of the next order product T is placed on the lowest order product T, becomes oblique, and tends to slip backward. However, since the gap L2 between the lower edge of the rear member 45 and the rear upper surface 14b is smaller than the thickness t of the product T, the next product T cannot slip backward and the lowest product T is thrown out. At this point, it is placed horizontally on the front upper surface 14a of the ejection unit 11.

Further, when the ejecting member 20 moves rearward, it contacts the bottom surface of the lowest commodity T and attempts to slide the commodity T rearward. Since the gap L2 with the upper surface 14b is smaller than the thickness t of the product T,
The lowest product T does not fall backward.

As described above, not only the normal-sized product T but also the large-sized product T can be normally stored and discharged.

Further, the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the guide groove 34 is provided in the partition plate 31 so that the rear member 45 is not engaged. Member 45
Can be changed, so that when the rear member 45 is moved forward, the adjacent column is not affected at all.

[0078]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the rear member of the storage section is provided at the rear position for storing the products in the front and rear two rows in the storage section, and the products are arranged in the front and rear one row. In addition to supporting the position changeable to the front position to store, the lower gap is set larger than the product thickness at the rear position, and smaller than the product thickness at the front position, so that not only products of normal size but also Large products can be stored and thrown out normally.

According to the commodity storage and ejection device of the vending machine according to the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the commodity storage and ejection device of the vending machine according to the first aspect, the length of the partition plate which is inclined forward and downward is reduced. By simply changing the engagement position where the engaging portion of the rear member engages with the hole, the height can be automatically set to correspond to the rear position and the front position of the rear member.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the present invention, the rear member is mounted on the mounting table at the rear position. In the front position, the height can be automatically set to the height corresponding to the rear position and the front position of the rear member only by removing the rear member from the mounting table.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a product storage and ejection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal mechanism of the product storage and ejection device of the embodiment as viewed from the side.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the merchandise storage and ejection apparatus of the embodiment, viewed from the side, and FIG. ) Shows a case where large-sized products are stored in one row before and after being thrown out.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the merchandise storing and dispensing apparatus according to the embodiment, wherein FIG. 4 (a) shows a case where normal-sized merchandise is stored in two rows and discharged two days before, and FIG. This shows a case where products are stored in one row before and after being thrown out.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a product storage and ejection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the product storage and ejection device of the embodiment as viewed from the side, where FIG. 6 (a) shows a case where products of a normal size are stored in two rows and are thrown out beforehand; ) Shows a case where large-sized products are stored in one row before and after being thrown out.

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the merchandise storing and dispensing apparatus according to the embodiment, where (a) shows a case where normal-sized commodities are stored in two rows and discharged two times before, and (b) is a large-sized product. This shows a case where products are stored in one row before and after being thrown out.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional product storage and ejection device viewed from the side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Storage section 20 Projection member 31 Partition plate 31a Mounting table 37 Mounting plate 38 Side plate section 39 Support section 45 Rear member 49 Engagement mechanism 50 Engagement section 51 Support means

Continued on the front page. (72) Inventor Takashi Tsumaka 1-3-1, Shimoteno, Himeji-shi, Hyogo Inside Glorry Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshihiro Tabuchi 1-360, Shimoteno, Himeji-shi, Hyogo (56) References JP-A-5-128359 (JP, A) JP-A-8-115463 (JP, A) JP-A-3-29078 (JP, A) JP-A-7-16279 ( JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G07F 5/00-11/72 B65G 59/06

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An article is stacked and stored in a storage section partitioned by a partition plate, and a projecting member provided at the bottom of the storage section is moved from a rear standby position behind the storage section to an intermediate standby position near the center of the storage section. In a vending machine product storage and ejection device that sequentially forwards products from the lowest order by moving to the foremost position of the storage unit through the storage unit, the ejection member is intermediate from a rear standby position based on an ejection command. A first movement mode for moving from the intermediate standby position to the foremost position based on the next ejection command while moving to the standby position, and a second movement mode for moving from the rear standby position to the foremost position by one ejection command. Mode setting means for selectively setting the movement mode of the storage unit, a rear member constituting a rear surface of the storage unit, and a lower gap formed between the bottom surface of the storage unit and the rear member. Quotient In a rear position where the articles are stored in the front and rear two rows and in a front position where the articles are stored in the front and rear one row, the position is changeably supported. And a support means for setting the thickness to be smaller than the thickness. 2. A mounting means comprising: a side plate portion movable in the front-rear direction along the partition plate; and a support portion extending from the vicinity of the rear end of the side plate portion toward the inside of the storage portion. An engagement mechanism for engaging a rear member with the support portion of the mounting plate such that the rear member can move up and down; an elongated hole formed in the partition plate so as to be inclined forward and downward; formed on a side portion of the rear member; 2. The merchandise storage and ejection device for a vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising an engagement portion that engages with the elongated hole. 3. A support plate comprising: a side plate portion movable in the front-rear direction along a partition plate; An engagement mechanism for vertically engaging the rear surface member with the support portion of the mounting plate; and a rear position member provided at a position corresponding to the rear surface member. 2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting table supported upward.