JP3362975B2 - Vending machine product storage column - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called spiral type product storage column for storing and selling frozen foods packed in boxes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a commodity storage column of this type of vending machine, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-144178 is known. This product storage column is composed of a box body having a dispensing opening formed at the bottom, a spiral member housed in the box body and rotating around a vertical axis, and a motor provided at the upper end of the box body. The spiral member is composed of a vertical rotation shaft having an upper end connected to a motor, and a spiral spiral provided coaxially with the vertical rotation shaft.
The product is 2 on the left and right in the spiral gap with the vertical axis of rotation.
Each of them is inserted in a row, and while the movement (rotation) of the box body is regulated in the front, rear, left, and right (rotation), the spiral member slowly descends as the spiral member rotates, and the lowest products are sequentially paid out. . In this case, the box body is formed to have a cross-sectional size capable of accommodating the largest product to be handled, while the spiral has the product inside (axial side) when it is inserted or when it descends. It is formed to have a diameter that matches the smallest of the products handled so that it will not fall.

[0003]

Therefore, in the smallest product, the center of gravity of the product is located directly above the spiral plate surface or slightly offset to the axial side, and the lower end of the spiral is pulled out in the front-rear direction with respect to the product. The product falls while tilting in the front-back direction (with the loading door side as "front").
On the other hand, in the largest products, the center of gravity is located outside the spiral plate surface, so the product falls while tilting to the left and right.
For this reason, there is a problem that the drop pattern differs depending on the size of the product, and the attitude of the product varies in the transport system after being dropped from the column. Therefore, in order to convey the product in a desired proper posture, a mechanism for correcting the posture of the product is required, which causes a problem that the conveying system becomes complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a product storage column of a vending machine which can dispense a product in a fixed posture regardless of the size of the product. Is the purpose.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 comprises a box body having a bottom portion provided with a dispensing port for goods, and a spiral member housed in the box body and rotating around a vertical axis. A product storage column for a vending machine in which the product inserted into the gap of the spiral member is dispensed from the lowest product by rotating the spiral member while the rotation is restricted by the inner surface of the box. In the above, the lower end piece of the spiral member is extended outward in the radial direction.

Further, the invention of claim 2 is provided with a box body having a bottom portion provided with a dispensing port for the product, and a spiral member housed in the box body and rotating around a vertical axis, and the space is inserted into the gap of the spiral member. In the product storage column of the vending machine, in which the spiral member is rotated while the rotation of the spiral member is restricted by the inner surface of the box, the spiral member is coaxial with each other. And a small-diameter inner spiral and a large-diameter outer spiral located on the same spiral surface.

[0007]

According to the article storage column of claim 1, by extending the lower end piece of the spiral member outward in the radial direction, the rotational locus of the tip of the lower end piece of the spiral member is minimized. Even the largest product, of course, is outside the center of gravity. Therefore, the center of gravity of the product deviates in the front-rear direction with respect to the tip of the lower end piece of the spiral member. Therefore, the product falls while tilting in the front-back direction.

According to the commodity storage column of the second aspect, the spiral member has the small-diameter inner spiral and the large-diameter outer spiral that are coaxial with each other and located on the same spiral surface. Similarly, the outer spiral is located outside the center of gravity of the largest product as well as the smallest product. Therefore, the center of gravity of the product deviates in the front-rear direction with respect to the lower ends of the inner and outer spirals.
Therefore, the product falls while tilting in the front-back direction.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A case in which a product storage column according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a vending machine for selling boxed frozen foods will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a cut side view of the product storage column, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof. As shown in both figures, the product storage column 1 is composed of a box body 2, a spiral member 3 housed in the box body 2, and a drive device 4 provided at an upper end portion of the box body 2. The box body 2 is provided with a loading door (not shown) on the front surface and a payout opening 5 on the lower end. As shown in FIG. 3, the box body 2 is formed to have a cross-sectional size capable of accommodating the largest product A among the products A to be handled.
As shown in FIG. 2, it can be adjusted by an attachment 6 detachably attached to the inside of the box body 2. This prevents the product A from rotating together with the spiral member 3 as the spiral member 3 rotates.

The upper end portion of the spiral member 3 is a drive unit 4
A vertical rotary shaft 7 connected to the vertical rotary shaft 7, a spiral spiral 8 provided coaxially with the vertical rotary shaft 7, and three upper, middle, and lower support rods 9, 9, 9 for fixing the spiral 8 to the vertical rotary shaft 7. It is composed of. The drive device 4 is composed of a drive motor 10 and a speed reducer 11, and the spiral member 3 is rotated by the drive motor 10 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGS.

On the other hand, the product A is inserted into the gap between the spirals 8 from the front with the loading door opened and the vertical rotary shaft 7 sandwiched in two rows on the left and right respectively. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the product A in the right column is inserted in an obliquely rearward and downward posture, and the product A in the left column is inserted in an obliquely forward and downward posture, which is not shown. .

In this state, when the spiral 8 rotates,
The product A is controlled by the inner surface of the box 2 or the attachment 6 so that the movement (rotation) thereof in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is slowly lowered while slidingly contacting the spiral 8. Spiral 1 is 1
When rotated by 80 degrees, for example, the lowest product A in the right column is dispensed, and the spiral 8 is further rotated 180 by the subsequent sales instruction.
When the product is rotated once, the lowest order product A in the left column is paid out. In this way, the merchandise A is sequentially paid out one by one from the lowest order.

The characteristic part of this embodiment will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the lower end piece 8a of the spiral 8 of this embodiment is extended outward in the radial direction so as to open outward. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, in the other parts of the spiral 8 excluding the lower end piece 8a, the center of gravity W of the smallest product A is located just above the plate surface of the spiral 8 or slightly toward the vertical rotation shaft 7 side. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end piece 8a is formed so that the center of gravity W of the maximum product A is located inside the rotation locus drawn by the tip thereof.

As a result, in the smallest product A, when the spiral 8 starts to rotate from the state of FIG. 2 (a) and the lower end piece 8a thereof becomes in the state of X of FIG. 2 (b), the center of gravity of the product A is set. W moves away from the lower end piece 8a, and the product A slightly tilts inward. However, since the product A tilted inward hits the vertical rotation shaft 7 and is supported by this, the center of gravity W of the product A finally moves backward from the lower end piece 8a (FIG. 2B).
When it becomes the state of Y, it falls while tilting backward. Further, in the maximum product A, the spiral 8 is shown in FIG.
When the rotation starts from the state of (a) and the lower end piece 8a passes through X in FIG.
The center of gravity W of is separated from the lower end piece 8a. Therefore,
Also in this case, the product A falls while tilting backward.

As described above, in this embodiment, the product A to be handled is
Regardless of the size, the product A can be dropped by tilting it backward. Therefore, the falling posture of the product A can be made constant regardless of the size of the product A, and the posture of the product A can be easily held appropriately during the subsequent transportation of the product A.

The lower end piece 8a of the spiral 8 of this embodiment may be extended linearly in the tangential direction or may be extended in an arc shape. Further, in order to drop the product A stably, it may be formed wide.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the spiral is dually configured with a small-diameter inner spiral 12 and a large-diameter outer spiral 13 fixed to the vertical rotation shaft 7. Inner spiral 12
The outer spiral 13 and the outer spiral 13 are spirals having the same pitch, and their lower ends are arranged at the same position in the circumferential direction. That is, both the inside and outside spirals 12 and 13 have a shape in which the middle portion in the width direction of the spiral formed wide is cut off. Then, as in the first embodiment, the inner spiral 12 is formed so that the center of gravity W of the smallest product A is located directly above the plate surface or slightly closer to the vertical rotation shaft 7 side, and the outer spiral 13 is The center of gravity W of the maximum product A is formed inside the plate surface.

As a result, in the smallest product A, as in the case of the first embodiment, the product is dropped while tilting backward, and in the largest product A, when the rotations of both the inner and outer spirals 12, 13 advance 90 degrees, The center of gravity W of product A has both internal and external spirals 1
Since it comes off from Nos. 2 and 13, the product A falls while tilting backward. Therefore, also in the case of the second embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0019]

As described above, according to the product storage column of the present invention, the falling posture of the product can be made constant regardless of its size, and the subsequent product transportation system is not complicated. , It has an effect that the product can be transported and sold in a proper posture.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cut side view of a product storage column of an automatic vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the product storage column of the first embodiment in which a minimum product is stored.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view when the maximum product is stored in the product storage column of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of a product storage column of a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 product storage column 2 boxes 3 spiral members 5 outlets 7 Vertical rotation axis 8 spiral 8a Lower end piece 12 Inside spiral 13 Outer spiral A product W center of gravity

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A box body having a bottom portion provided with a product outlet, and a spiral member housed in the box body and rotating about a vertical axis, wherein the product inserted into the gap of the spiral member In the product storage column of the vending machine in which the spiral member is rotated in a state in which the rotation is restricted by the inner surface of the body, the lower end piece of the spiral member is arranged in the radial direction. A product storage column for a vending machine, which is characterized by being extended outside. 2. A box body having a bottom portion provided with a product dispensing port, and a spiral member that is housed in the box body and rotates around a vertical axis. In a product storage column of a vending machine, wherein the spiral member is rotated in a state in which the rotation is restricted by the inner surface of the body, and the spiral member is paid out from the lowest one, the spiral members are coaxial with each other. In addition, a product storage column for a vending machine, which has a small-diameter inner spiral and a large-diameter outer spiral located on the same spiral surface.