JP3709589B2 - Vending machine product dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a product dispensing device that pushes out the lowest product among products stacked in a product storage unit in a vending machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The product dispensing device in the vending machine operates the drive means for driving the ejection piece for product extrusion in response to the product dispensing command. In this product dispensing device, the product ejection device A switch for stopping the driving means at the time of completion and a switch for detecting the presence / absence of a product in the product storage unit are essential.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For this reason, the above-mentioned two switches are conventionally provided, but in this case, the product dispensing apparatus becomes large in terms of the arrangement space of the switches, and the cost is increased because the two switches are provided.
The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a product dispensing apparatus for a vending machine that can be reduced in size and cost by reducing the number of switches. is there.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, the present invention is a product dispensing device for pushing out the lowest product among the products stacked in the product storage section in the vending machine, and receives a product dispensing command to remove a product ejection piece. A drive means for driving, a switch driven by being pushed by the lowermost product and driven by the passage of the ejection piece for pushing out the product, and a predetermined time after the drive of the switch by the passage of the ejection piece And a timer that stops the driving means when the throwing piece reaches a position that does not interfere with the driving of the switch by the product , the driving member is formed of an endless member that is rotationally driven, and there are a plurality of throwing pieces. It is characterized in that the switch driving unit is provided only on the rear side of the plurality of juxtaposed projecting pieces, and the switch driving unit is provided on the endless member . . The detection of the presence or absence of the product and the position detection of the projecting piece for stopping the drive member can be performed with a single switch , and the drive member is formed of an endless member that is rotationally driven, Since a plurality of throwing pieces are continuously connected on the endless member, the next product that falls as the product is pushed out can be supported by the throwing piece. There is no malfunction due to driving and driving of the switch by the projecting piece, and the switch driving unit is provided only on the rear projecting piece among the plurality of projecting pieces arranged side by side. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately detect the completion of product dispensing.
[0005]
In addition, when the product extrudes are in contact with each other at the time of product extrusion, the product can be prevented from tilting due to endless deflection when the product is extruded, and the force required to extrude the product is lost. Disappears.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The dispensing device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is for a vending machine for a box-type product such as a cigarette, and a sprocket is provided before and after the rectangular parallelepiped housing 1. 4 and 4 are arranged, and an endless member 3 which is a chain is bridged between the sprockets 4 and 4. The plurality of continuous chain links 30 in the endless member 3 are respectively attached with the projecting pieces 2a to 2d. When the endless member 3 is rotated by driving the sprockets 4 and 4 by a motor (not shown), these throwing pieces 2a to 2d pass through the upper surface side of the housing 1 in a state of protruding above the housing. Therefore, if the endless member 3 is rotated by being installed below the product storage portion 8 on which the products 9 are stacked, the lowest product 9 is pushed out by the ejection pieces 2a to 2d.
[0007]
The housing 1 is provided with only one switch 5 composed of a micro switch, and an actuator 50 of the switch 5 projects to the upper surface side of the housing 1. The switch 5 outputs a signal that the product 9 is still present when the product 9 is present in the product storage unit 8 and the actuator 50 is pushed by the product 9. As shown in FIG. 4, the actuator 50 is also pushed by the projection piece 2 d located at the rearmost of the plurality of projection pieces 2 a to 2 d to switch the state.
[0008]
That is, in this product dispensing apparatus, all of the dispensing pieces 2 a to 2 d shown in FIG. 1 do not protrude from the upper surface of the housing 1, and the product 9 in the product storage portion 8 is placed on the housing 1. When the actuator 50 is pushed by the product 9 and is not turned on at this time, the product is out of stock, so that the motor which is the rotational power of the endless member 3 even when receiving the delivery command Does not work. However, when the actuator 50 is pushed by the product 9 and the switch 5 is turned on, the product 9 is received because the product 9 is present, and if the product delivery command is received, the endless member 3 is moved. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the product 9 is ejected by pushing the product 9 by the ejection piece 2.
[0009]
Here, since the three throwing pieces 2a to 2c on the front side among the throwing pieces 2a to 2d arranged in a plurality do not have the drive portion of the actuator 50, the lowermost product 9 is pushed. At the same time, when the next product 9 is supported by the throwing pieces 2a to 2d, the actuator 50 rises once and the switch 5 is turned off. However, when the throwing piece 2d passes, the switch 5 is turned on by the throwing piece 2d. Therefore, after the switch 8 is turned on, a predetermined time t measured by a timer (not shown), that is, the throwing piece 2a. ˜2d stops the drive motor of the endless member 3 when it reaches a point where there is no problem in driving the switch 5 by the product 9 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 shows a time chart of this operation.
[0010]
Whether or not the product 9 is present is determined based on whether the switch 5 is turned on or off at the time when the motor is stopped, and the timing for stopping the motor from the turning on of the switch 5 during operation of the motor is a timer. It is to be measured in combination. As the timer, since it can be performed by counting the clock of a one-chip microcomputer for controlling the operation of the product dispensing device, a timer installation space is not required even though the timer is used together.
[0011]
Here, a plurality of throwing pieces 2a to 2d having a height lower than the back of the product 9 are arranged in the front-rear direction, and when the lowest product 9 is pushed out, the next product 9 is put on the rear throwing piece 2b. Since 2d supports as shown in FIG.2 and FIG.3, it falls with throwing out the goods 9 of the lowest step until the throwing pieces 2a-2d finish passing the downward position of the goods storage part 8. FIG. The next product 9 does not turn on the switch 5, and the switch 5 is turned on by the throwing piece 2d and the switch 5 is turned on when the next product 9 is dropped, resulting in a malfunction. There is nothing. Further, supporting the next product 9 by the plurality of throwing pieces 2 a to 2 d reduces the inclination of the product 9 in the product storage unit 8, and the product 9 is clogged due to the inclination of the product 9. It is also something that does not lead to the situation.
[0012]
Further, the throwing piece 2 has the same longitudinal length as the pitch of the chain link 30 so that the throwing pieces 2a to 2d are in contact with each other when the product 9 is pushed. Since the inclination of the pushing direction due to the deflection of the endless member 3 does not occur when the product 9 is pushed, the throwing pieces 2a to 2d reliably push the product 9 in the throwing direction. The product 9 can be reliably pushed out with small power.
[0013]
The reason why only the rear-side projecting piece 2d among the plurality of projecting pieces 2a to 2d can drive the switch 5 is that the lowermost product 9 is pushed and comes off from the actuator 50. This is to increase the certainty of the operation by ensuring that the switch 5 is once turned off from the point of time until the switch 5 is pushed by the ejecting piece.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, the driving means for driving the product extruding ejection piece in response to the product ejecting instruction, and the product extruding piece for product extruding while being driven and driven by the lowermost product. A switch driven by the passage, and a timer for stopping the driving means after a predetermined time after the driving of the switch by the passage of the throwing piece and when the throwing piece reaches a position that does not interfere with the switch drive by the product, Therefore, it is possible to detect the presence / absence of a product and to detect the position of a projecting piece for stopping a driving member with only one switch, and to reduce the installation space for the number of switches. Therefore, the apparatus can be made compact and the cost can be reduced . Moreover the driving member is formed by an endless member which is rotated, in order to plurality is dispensing pieces are as being provided continuously on an endless member, the following products falling with the extrusion of the product the can support in dispensing pieces, it can be switched by a collapse of the following items to exclude that malfunction in relation to the driving of the switch by throwing pieces are driven.
[0016]
In addition, since the switch drive unit is provided only on the rear side of the plurality of throwing pieces arranged side by side, it is possible to detect the completion of throwing out the product more accurately.
Furthermore , if the projecting pieces come into contact with each other during product extrusion, the product can be prevented from tilting due to deflection of the endless member during product extrusion, and the force required for product extrusion is lost. The product can be pushed out with less power.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an example of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the above.
FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the above.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show the same projecting piece and switch, and FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views.
FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the operation of the above.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Throwing piece 5 Switch 8 Product storage 9 Product

Claims (2)

A product dispensing device that pushes out the lowest product among the products stacked in the product storage unit in the vending machine, and a drive unit that drives a product ejection piece in response to a product dispensing command; A switch that is pushed and driven by the lowermost product and that is driven by the passage of the ejection piece for pushing out the product, and a predetermined time after the drive of the switch by the passage of the ejection piece, and the ejection piece is the product And a timer for stopping the driving means when reaching a position that does not interfere with the drive of the switch , and the drive member is formed of an endless member that is rotationally driven, and a plurality of ejecting pieces are disposed on the endless member. A product dispensing apparatus for a vending machine , wherein the switch driving unit is provided only on a rear-side projecting piece among a plurality of arranged projecting pieces . 2. The product dispensing apparatus for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the throwing pieces come into contact with each other at the time of product extrusion .

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