JP3700353B2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vending machine that sells beverage products in a paper pack, and more particularly to a column structure of a product storage rack mounted in the machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a vending machine, the drawer-type columns that store the products arranged in front and back for each column are arranged in the upper and lower rows and left and right rows in the main body case with an outer door with a product outlet on the front. 2. Description of the Related Art A vending machine is known that is equipped with a product storage rack constructed side by side and that delivers a product forward from a column specified based on a sales order to a product outlet at a lower position.
[0003]
In addition, in order to prevent the goods delivered from each column of the product storage rack from being damaged by the landing impact when falling into the box of the product outlet, the product was delivered from the column in front of the rack in combination with the product storage rack. Equipped with a bucket unit for receiving goods, and an XY transport mechanism that moves up, down, left and right by mounting the bucket unit, and a bucket in front of a column selected via the XY transport mechanism based on a sales command The unit is accessed so that products delivered from the column are transferred to the bucket unit and delivered to the product outlet. The bucket unit is a combination of a pusher mechanism and a gate mechanism installed in each column of the product storage rack. Equipped with a drive device that serves as a power source for the product delivery mechanism consisting of Bucket unit from the column side product dispensing vending machines configured paid out goods transmits power to a mechanism has been proposed as Japanese Patent Application No. 9-43454 of the same applicant as the present invention.
[0004]
Next, an outline of the proposed vending machine will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, the overall configuration of the vending machine is shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b). In the figure, 1 is a vending machine body case (heat-insulated housing), 2 is an outer door with a product outlet 2a at the lower front, 3 is a heat-insulated inner door, 4 is a product for each column (a product in a paper pack) Etc.) A product storage rack constructed by arranging a plurality of columns 6 arranged side by side in the front and back rows and left and right columns, and 7 is a product storage rack 4 for receiving products delivered from each column 6 of the product storage rack 4 at its front position. The bucket unit 8 is a rectangular coordinate type XY transport mechanism that moves up and down and to the left and right by mounting the bucket unit. The designated column 6 is operated by moving the XY transport mechanism 8 based on a sales command. The bucket unit 7 is accessed to the front position of the product, the product 5 delivered from the column is transferred to the bucket unit 7, and then the XY transport mechanism 8 is moved down again to remove the product 5 product outlet 2a from the bucket unit 7. In It is configured to output.
[0005]
Here, the column 6 of the product storage rack 4 is mounted on a rack support frame 11 provided on the main body case 1 side so that it can be individually pulled out and replenished with the product, and is arranged in a bowl shape that can be pulled out forward. As will be described later, each column 6 is provided with a product delivery mechanism that does not have a power source (drive motor). On the other hand, the bucket unit 7 is equipped with an electric drive mechanism to be described later as a power source for driving the commodity delivery mechanism of the column from the bucket unit side, and the position where the bucket unit 7 is accessed to the designated column 6 Thus, the power is transmitted from the drive mechanism of the bucket unit to the product delivery mechanism of the column 6 so that the product 5 is delivered.
[0006]
In addition, the vending machine is configured to transfer the product 5 stored in the product storage rack 4 in the warehouse and the product purchased by the customer at the time of sale from the column 6 to the bucket unit 7 and take out to the product outlet 2a. The door surface areas facing the product storage rack 4 of the outer door 2 of the main body case and the heat insulating inner door 3 are each constituted by a transparent door plate so that a series of sales movements can be visually observed from the outside. In addition, 9 is a cooling unit that keeps the product 5 cold, and 10 is a condensing unit of the refrigerator.
[0007]
Next, the structure and operation of the product delivery mechanism 9 incorporated in the columns 6 and 6 of the product storage rack 4 will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, the column 6 is made of a bowl-shaped case of a resin molded product having a U-shaped cross section, and the products 5 are stored in a standing posture in a line in the front-rear direction. Further, the column case is equipped with a gate mechanism 12 disposed at the front end of the column case as a product dispensing mechanism, and a belt-driven pusher mechanism 13 for pushing the product 5 forward.
[0008]
Here, one end of the gate mechanism 12 is connected to a swing arm type gate plate 12a that is pivotally supported on the front end of the side wall of the column case and protrudes from the front end surface of the column 6, and a rear portion of the gate plate 12a as shown in FIG. Cylindrical cam (rib-shaped cam projection is formed on the peripheral surface) 12b and the gate plate 12a connected to the cylindrical cam 12b in the open / closed position (the closed position is indicated by a real line and the open position is indicated by a chain line). The slider 12c is assembled as a power transmission member at the front end of the column case so as to swing, and a return spring 12d that presses and urges the slider 12c from the back toward the standby position.
[0009]
With such a configuration, the slider 12c is pushed forward by the return spring 12d during sales standby, and the gate plate 12a is held in a closed position that crosses the front end surface of the column 6 and restrains the product 5 at the storage position. Yes. In this state, when the slider 12c is pushed backward from the bucket unit side with a drive pin, the cylindrical cam 12b rotates by being restricted by the bifurcated cam guide 12e provided on the slider 12c. The front end face of the column 6 is opened by swinging from the closed position indicated by the gland to the open position indicated by the chain line.
[0010]
On the other hand, the pusher mechanism 13 is pressed against the back of the toothed belt 13a stretched between a pair of front and rear pulleys along the lower surface side of the column case and the product 5 arranged in the last row stored in the column, and the belt 13a. It consists of a connected partition-like pusher 13b and a drive gear 13c for power transmission protruding forward from the column case connected to a pulley on the front end side of the belt 13a. The pusher 13b is provided on the back side of the belt. The ratchet pawl 13d is engaged with a tooth row 13e formed on the bottom surface of the column case so as not to retreat from that position.
[0011]
With this configuration, when the gate mechanism 12 is opened, power is transmitted from the bucket unit side to the drive gear 13c to rotate the belt 13a forward, and the pusher 13b moves forward in conjunction with this. The products 5 arranged inside are pushed from behind. Accordingly, the products 5 arranged in the front row in the column case are paid out toward the bucket unit 7 waiting in front of the column 6.
[0012]
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the bucket unit 7 has a transfer conveyor 7a for sending the product transferred from the column 6 to the product take-out port 2a at the lowered position, a drive motor 7b for the conveyor, and a transfer from the column 6. In addition to the product detection switch mechanism 7c for detecting products, the drive motor 7b serves as a drive mechanism for the gate mechanism 12 of the column 6 and the drive gear 7d for transmitting power to the pusher mechanism 13 of the column 6 using the drive motor 7b as a power source. Is equipped with a drive pin 7g connected via a reciprocating screw feed mechanism 7f. The drive gear 7d described above is projected and retracted from the bucket unit 7 following the forward and backward movement of the drive pin 7g.
[0013]
With this configuration, when the product is sold, the bucket unit 7 is accessed to the column 6 designated by the moving operation of the XY transport mechanism 8, and when the drive pin 7g is projected at this position, the pin 7g is incorporated into the column case. The slider 12c of the gate mechanism 12 is pushed backward. As a result, the gate plate 12a is rotated to the open position to open the front end surface of the column 6, and the drive gear 7d is engaged with the drive gear 13c on the column side to transmit power between the drive motor 7b and the pusher mechanism 13. A path is formed. When the drive motor 7b is started in this state, the pusher 13b moves forward via the belt 13a of the pusher mechanism 13 and pushes the products 5 stored in the column 6 from the back to pay out the products 5 arranged in the front row forward.
[0014]
When the product 5 is transferred to the bucket unit 7, the product detection switch 7c operates during the delivery process, and the drive motor 7b is stopped based on this operation signal, and the drive pin 7g is moved backward to move the gate. The gate plate 12a of the mechanism 12 is returned to the closed position. After that, the bucket unit 7 is moved downward to the position of the product outlet 2a by the XY transport mechanism 8, and then the carry-out conveyor 7a is operated to send the products stored in the bucket to the product outlet 2a. The sales operation ends.
[0015]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when selling products in paper packs (beverage products such as milk, coffee, and juice) with the vending machine having the above-described configuration, it is often experienced that sales troubles occur as described below.
That is, as for the product 5 in a paper pack currently on the market, as shown in FIG. 3, the right and left protruding portions (referred to as “ear portions 5b”) of the sealing allowance 5a folded on the upper surface side of the container are further It folds on the side of the container body and stops with an adhesive. However, among the many products 5, there are some products 5 in which the bonding of the ear portion 5 b is incomplete and is peeled off from the container main body and slightly lifted to the side. Reference numeral 5c denotes a straw insertion hole.
[0016]
Here, when the product 5 from which the ear part 5b is peeled off is pushed into the case of the column 6 from above and loaded, the tip of the ear part 5b is caught on the upper end corner of the side wall 6a of the column case, and the product is stored. At the position, as shown in the figure, the ear portion 5b is pushed sideways and rides on the upper end surface of the side wall 6a. In this case, as shown in the figure, when the spread of the ear portion 5b occurs in the portion of the case side wall 5b where the gate mechanism 12 is assembled, the gate mechanism swings from the closed position of the real gland to the open position indicated by the chain line during the sales operation. The 12 gate plates 12a and the ears 5b of the product 5 interfere with each other, and even if the product 5 is pushed from behind by the pusher operation, the product 5 is caught on the gate plate 12a in the open position and is not discharged from the column 6. .
[0017]
Therefore, conventionally, after loading the product 5 into the column 6, it is visually checked whether there is any abnormality in the storage state of the product. However, the column arranged in the upper part of the warehouse is higher than the eye level of the worker. Therefore, there is a problem that it cannot be visually confirmed.
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and by storing the above-described product storage rack as an object of implementation, a simple component is additionally provided in the column so that normal storage can be performed when loading a product in a paper pack. An object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine that can be loaded in a state.
[0018]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a column of a product storage rack that is mounted in a vending machine cabinet and stores products in paper packs arranged in a line in the front and rear comprises a bowl-shaped case, and each Each column case is pivotally supported by the pusher mechanism and the front end of the side wall of the column case, so that it protrudes from the closed position where the product is locked and held in the storage position across the front end of the column case, and from the upper side of the column case. A column case having a product delivery mechanism combined with a gate mechanism including a swing arm type gate plate that stands up and rotates between an open position that opens the front end surface of the column, and in which the gate mechanism is assembled of the side wall top, it is assumed that providing the guide member having an inclined surface for correcting the direction to fold the ear portion of the paper bag items during product loading onto the column (claim 1), specifically The guide member strips and without comprising the triangular cross-section, the 該条 piece along the side wall of the column casing mounted on its upper end face in (Claim 2).
[0019]
According to such a configuration, when loading a product in a paper pack into the column of the product storage rack from above, the product is pushed into the column and loaded even if the ear portion of the product container is peeled off and slightly floats to the side. In the process, the front end of the ear is slid on the inclined surface of the guide member so as to be folded inward. Therefore, it is housed in the column in a normal state without expanding the expansion of the ear as described in FIG. As a result, it is possible to prevent a sales trouble that the product is caught on the gate plate of the gate mechanism and cannot be paid out during the sales operation.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the examples shown in FIGS.
In the drawings of the embodiments, the same members corresponding to those in FIG.
In the illustrated embodiment, for each column 6 of the product storage rack lined up and down and left and right in the warehouse, the upper end surface of the side wall 6a of the column case with the gate mechanism 12 is installed along the longitudinal direction thereof. A product loading guide member 14 that is a strip having a triangular cross section is mounted. The guide member 14 may be formed as a separate part from the column case and attached to the side wall of the case, or may be formed integrally with the column case.
[0021]
With this configuration, when the product 5 in a paper pack is loaded into the column case from above when the product is loaded onto the column 6, the ear portion is lifted slightly to the side as shown by the chain line in FIG. The tip of 5b hits the inclined surface of the guide member 14, and when the product 5 is further pushed into the column from here, the ear portion 5b is folded inward along the inclined surface of the guide member 14 (arrow P). Thus, it is stored in the column 6 in a normal state as represented by the real gland.
[0022]
As a result, it is possible to prevent the sales trouble that the product cannot be paid out due to the interference between the laterally widened ear portion 5b and the gate plate 12a moved to the open position as described in FIG.
The guide member 14 is not limited to the shape shown in the drawing, and may be a strip having a tapered surface toward the inner side of the column case. By forming the triangular shape 14, the right tapered surface of the guide member 14 can be used to serve also as a guide member for the left side wall of the column arranged on the right side of the column 6.
[0023]
In the illustrated example, the product delivery mechanism mounted on the column 6 is driven by a power source mounted on the bucket unit 7 (see FIG. 6), but the drive source (motor) of the product delivery mechanism for each column. Of course, the present invention can be applied to a configuration having a solenoid).
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the guide member that corrects the ear portion of the paper pack product in the direction of folding the product when loading the product onto the column is provided on the upper side wall of the column case with the gate mechanism assembled. As a result, even if the ears of paper-packed products to be loaded into the column of the product storage rack are separated and slightly floating, the product can be loaded and stored in the column in a normal state. It is possible to improve the reliability of the vending machine by preventing the sales trouble that the ear portion of the product container is sometimes caught on the gate plate of the gate mechanism and cannot be dispensed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a product storage column according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state when a paper packed product is loaded on the column. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of a storage column, and shows a state of a loading trouble that occurs when a product packed in a paper pack is loaded into the column. FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of a vending machine that is an object of implementation of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a side view of the product storage column in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side view of the product storage column in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an internal structure of the bucket unit in Fig. 4. FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a column gate mechanism in FIG. 6, in which (a) is a perspective view and (b) is an arrow in FIG. XX sectional view [Explanation of symbols]
1 Main unit case of vending machine 2 Front door 2a Product outlet 4 Product storage rack 5 Product (product in paper pack)
5b Ear 6 Column 6a Column case side wall 7 Bucket unit 12 Gate mechanism 12a Gate plate 13 Pusher mechanism 14 Guide member

Claims (2)

A product storage rack is installed in the case of the main body case with an outer door with a product outlet, and stores columns of paper packs arranged in front and rear rows for each column. A vending machine configured to carry out a product dispensed forward from the column to a product outlet according to a command, wherein the column of the product storage rack comprises a bowl-shaped case, and a pusher mechanism for each column case; And a closed position that is pivotally supported by the front end of the side wall of the column case and that holds the product in the storage position across the front end face of the column, and a front end face of the column that stands up so as to protrude from the upper part of the side wall of the column case in those with a product dispensing mechanism which combines gate mechanism including a swing arm type gate plate to pivot between an open position to open a Koramuke assembled the gate mechanism Of the upper sidewall, a vending machine, characterized in that a guide member having an inclined surface to correct when making a product loading onto the column in a direction to fold the ear portion of the paper bag products. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is a strip having a triangular cross section, and the strip is mounted on the upper end surface along the side wall of the column case.

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