JP4195412B2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vending machine that sells products and the like in which character products are stored in plastic capsules.

  Some vending machines sell products in which small character products are stored in a substantially spherical plastic capsule. In this vending machine, for example, when one or two regular coins are inserted, the handle constituting the operation unit makes one rotation, and one product is discharged from the storage unit in which a plurality of products are stored (patent) Reference 1).

  The product discharge mechanism used in the vending machine of Patent Document 1 is provided with a drum provided with a product discharge opening that is rotated by a handle as an operation unit at the bottom of a storage unit in which a plurality of products are stored. It has been. The drum rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the handle, and when the product in the storage unit enters the product discharge opening, the product is discharged to the product discharge path that communicates with the outlet from which the user takes out the product. ing. Further, in the vending machine of Patent Document 1, a plurality of rod-shaped springs for stirring the products in the storage unit are provided so that the products in the storage unit can be surely dropped into the product discharge opening of the drum.

  The vending machine shown in Patent Document 1 has a complicated mechanism for reliably extracting the product in the storage unit and discharging it from the outlet, and has a large number of parts and complicated assembly. Also, miniaturization is difficult.

JP-A-8-212430

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a vending machine capable of simplifying the configuration and reducing the overall size.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine capable of reliably discharging the product in the storage section with a simple configuration.

  The vending machine according to the present invention is provided with a housing portion in which a plurality of products are stored in an upper portion, a housing in which a product discharge passage is provided in a lower portion and a product discharge path, and a rotatable operation. And a rotating body connected to the operation unit, and a coin mech mechanism that allows the rotating body connected to the operation unit to rotate approximately once when a coin is inserted, and a product in the storage unit A holding part that holds the product that has entered from the opening is provided continuously to the opening into which the product enters, a holding body that is connected to the rotating body and rotates, and is provided on the lower side of the storage part. And a movable plate supported by the holding body.

  In the standby state, the holding body holds the product with the opening facing the storage portion, and supports the tip of the movable plate at the opening end of the opening so that the tip is on the lower side. To do. When the operation part of the coin mech mechanism is rotated, the holding body rotates together with the rotating body, the opening part faces the discharge path, the product is discharged to the discharge path, and the movable plate is moved at the opening end of the opening part. The plurality of products in the storage unit are rocked by moving.

  According to the present invention, the product in the storage unit is held by the holding body connected to the rotating body of the coin mech mechanism, and the product in the storage unit is sent to the discharge path by the rotation of the holding body. Can be simplified, and the overall size can be reduced. In addition, since the movable plate is moved by utilizing the rotation of the holding body, the product in the storage unit is swung by the movement of the movable plate, and the next product is reliably transferred from the opening of the holding body to the holding portion. Can enter and hold. That is, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for stirring the product in the storage unit as in the conventional case, and the configuration can be simplified.

  Hereinafter, a vending machine to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a vending machine 10 to which the present invention is applied sells a product 1 in which a small character product is stored in a substantially spherical plastic capsule. The vending machine 10 includes a housing 11, and a storage unit 12 that stores a plurality of products 1 that are products is provided on the top of the housing 11. The portion provided by the storage portion 12 is formed to be transparent or translucent so that the product 1 in the storage portion 12 can be visually observed. The casing 11 is provided with a capsule discharging mechanism for discharging one product 1 extracted from the storage unit 12 below the storage unit 12. The lower part of the housing 11 where the capsule discharging mechanism is provided is opaque so as to hide the commodity discharging mechanism.

  The upper part of the front surface of the housing 11 provided with the storage unit 12 is a lid 13 for placing the product 1 in the storage unit 12. The lid 13 is connected to the housing 11 via a hinge 14. It is pivotally attached. Although not shown, the lid 13 is provided with a lock mechanism so that the administrator can open the storage unit 12 only when the product 1 is replenished.

  The lower portion of the front surface of the housing 11 is provided with an outlet 15 for taking out the product 1 stored in the storage portion 12 on one side in the width direction, and a user is provided on the other side in the width direction. An operation unit 16 is provided for operation. In the lower part of the front surface of the housing 11, a coin insertion slot 16 a for inserting a coin or the like and a handle 16 b for a user to rotate are provided as the operation unit 16. The coin insertion slot 16 a and the handle 16 b constitute a part of the coin mech mechanism 17 disposed inside the lower portion of the housing 11.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coin mech mechanism 17 is limited to a case where a predetermined coin is inserted from a shaft 17a serving as a rotating body that rotates integrally with the rotating shaft of the handle 16b and the coin insertion slot 16a. And a locking mechanism for permitting rotation of the shaft 17a. When a predetermined coin is inserted from the coin insertion slot 16a, the coin mech mechanism 17 unlocks the lock mechanism, enables the shaft 17a, which is a rotating body, to rotate, and the handle 16b is rotated by the user. The shaft 17a rotates.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a product discharge mechanism 20 for discharging the product 1 stored in the storage unit 12 is provided in the lower part of the housing 11. The product discharge mechanism 20 is provided so as to be positioned on the back side of the coin mech mechanism 17, and includes a holding body 21 that holds the product 1 and a movable plate 22 that constitutes the bottom surface of the storage unit 12.

  The holding body 21 holds one product 1 among the plurality of products 1 in the storage unit 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the holding body 21 has a shape in which a side surface constituted by a substantially cylindrical circular arc surface is cut out, and the one product 1 in the storage portion 12 can enter the cutout portion. It is the opening part 23 formed in this. In addition, the holding body 21 is formed with a holding portion 24 that holds one product 1 continuously with the opening 23. A shaft 17 a of the coin mech mechanism 17 is connected to one main surface of the holder 21. Therefore, the holding body 21 rotates in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2 as the handle 16b rotates.

  The shaft 17a connected to the holding body 21 may be rotated as a drive source such as a motor in addition to being rotated by the handle 16b that is manually operated.

  The movable plate 22 constitutes the bottom surface of the storage portion 12, and is rotated in one direction 11 a of the housing 11 by a hinge 25 in the up and down directions of the storage portion 12 in the arrow B direction and the counter arrow B direction in FIG. 2. It is attached as possible. Here, the movable plate 22 has, for example, a substantially rectangular shape, and is formed to have a length such that the distal end portion 22 a faces the opening 23 of the holding body 21. Specifically, the distal end portion 22 a of the movable plate 22 is supported by the opening end constituting the opening portion 23 in a standby state where the holding body 21 faces the storage portion 12 side. The movable plate 22 is provided at a position where the hinge 25 serving as a pivot is higher than the opening end of the opening 23 of the holding body 21. Therefore, the movable plate 22 is supported by the opening end of the opening 23 of the holding body 21 in a state in which the tip 22a is inclined toward the opening 23 in the standby state, and is stored in the storage unit 12. 1 sequentially enters the opening 23 of the holding body 21.

  Further, the movable plate 22 is urged to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 2 to be pressed against the opening end of the opening 23 of the holding body 22 by an urging member 26 such as a coil spring. Specifically, one end of the biasing member 26 is locked to a locking protrusion 26 a provided in the middle of the side edge of one long side of the movable plate 22, and the other end is fixed to the housing 11. By being locked by a locking protrusion 26b provided on the back surface 11c, the movable plate 22 is urged to rotate in a direction opposite to the arrow B in FIG. The movable plate 22 is pushed up at the opening end of the opening 23 against the urging force of the urging member 26 as the holding body 21 rotates, and rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. When this occurs, the urging force of the urging member 26 rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow B in FIG. The movable plate 22 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the holding body 21 to swing a plurality of products stored in the storage unit 12, and the next product 1 is surely held by the holding unit 24 in the holding body 21. To be retained.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a swing plate 32 that swings a plurality of products 1 in the storage unit 1 is connected to the movable plate 22. The swing plate 32 is attached to the back surface 11c of the housing 11 so as to be movable in the vertical direction of the storage unit 12, that is, in the direction of arrow C and the direction of counter arrow C in FIG. Specifically, the swing plate 32 is formed with a guide hole 32a for restricting the movable range in the vertical direction and restricting the tilt, and the guide hole 32a is provided with a guide provided on the back surface 11c of the housing 11. The protrusion 32b is engaged, and the retaining ring 32c prevents the dropout. The swing plate 32 is attached to a locking projection 26a provided on the movable plate 22 so as to be rotatable about a support shaft 32d.

  The oscillating plate 32 attached to the movable plate 22 is always urged in the direction opposite to the arrow C in FIG. 2 by the urging member 26, and is movable when the movable plate 22 rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. FIG. 2 shows the downward direction of the storage unit 12 when the movable plate 22 is moved in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 2 Moves in the direction of the reverse arrow C. The swing plate 32 moves up and down with the rotation of the movable plate 22, thereby swinging the plurality of products 1 in the storage unit 12, and the product 1 is discharged from the holding unit 24 of the holding body 21. After that, the next product 1 can surely enter the holding portion 24 through the opening 23.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 3, even in the case where the width of the storage portion 12 and the width of the substantially spherical products 1 arranged in a line coincide with each other in the storage portion 12, the state is maintained. This state can be destroyed by moving the moving plate 32 up and down.

  The shape of the oscillating plate 32 is rectangular in FIG. 2, but is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a heart shape, a round shape, or a triangle shape. Further, the surface of the rocking plate 32 may be further provided with unevenness so that the product 1 in the storage portion 12 can be rocked efficiently.

  Further, on the other side surface 11 b of the housing 11 constituting the storage unit 12 and in the vicinity of the holding body 21, the product 1 in the storage unit 12 has a substantially arc shape in order to make it easy to enter the opening 23 of the holding body 21. A bulged guide protrusion 27 is provided.

  A discharge path 28 of the product 1 that connects the holding body 21 and the outlet 15 is provided below the storage unit 12, and the movable plate 22 also functions as a partition plate that partitions the storage unit 12 and the discharge path 28. . The discharge path 28 has a top surface constituted by the movable plate 22 and a bottom surface constituted by the first guide plate 29. The first guide plate 29 guides the product 1 up to the front of the holding body 21 and the outlet 15 and is inclined so as to descend from the holding body 21 side to the outlet 15 side. In addition, the first guide plate 29 is formed so as to form a substantially arc shape so that the end on the holding body 21 side covers the peripheral surface of the substantially cylindrical holding body 21, and holds the product 1. When the body 21 rotates in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2, it is a receiving portion 29a for preventing the held product 1 from dropping off.

  The discharge path 28 is provided with a second guide plate 31 so as to be continuous with the other end of the first guide plate 29 at the position where the outlet 15 is provided. The second guide plate 31 is provided so as to be inclined from the back surface 11 c to the front surface 11 d of the housing 11 so that the product 1 conveyed by the first guide plate 29 is discharged from the outlet 15. It has become. That is, the substantially spherical product 1 discharged from the holding body 21 rolls on the first guide plate 29, reaches the second guide plate 31, and is discharged from the outlet 15.

  In addition, you may make it provide the cover body in the outlet 15 so that the goods 1 discharged | emitted from the 1st and 2nd guide plates 29 and 31 may not fall. Moreover, you may make it provide the holding | maintenance part which hold | maintains the goods from the 2nd guide plate 31 inside this cover body.

  Next, the operation of the vending machine 10 configured as described above will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the standby state where the user does not operate, the holding body 21 has an opening 23 continuous with the holding section 24 facing the storage section 12, and the holding section 24 of the holding body 21 has a The product 1 is held. Further, the movable plate 22 urged by the urging member 26 in the direction opposite to the arrow C in FIG. 3 rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow B in FIG. 3 with the hinge 25 as a fulcrum. It is inclined to descend toward the opening 23 and is supported by the opening end of the opening 23.

  As shown in FIG. 1, when a predetermined number of coins are inserted into the coin insertion slot 16a by the user, the coin mech mechanism 17 releases the lock of the lock mechanism so that the handle 16b can rotate. When the handle 16b is rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 by the user, the shaft 17a also rotates in the same direction as the handle 16b rotates. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the holding body 21 holding the product 1 in the holding portion 24 starts to rotate in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4, and the distal end portion 22 a of the movable plate 22 is connected to the holding body 21. It is pushed up by the opening end of the opening 23 and then by a side surface constituted by an arcuate surface, and rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 4 about the hinge 25 against the urging force of the urging member 26. . Further, the swing plate 32 moves in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 4 in conjunction with the rotation of the movable plate 22. Further, the product 1 held in the holding portion 24 of the holding body 21 is prevented from dropping from the opening 23 during rotation by the receiving portion 29a of the first guide plate 29 and the other side surface 11b of the housing 11. The

  When the holding body 21 is further rotated from the state shown in FIG. 4, as shown in FIG. 5, the opening 23 of the holding body 21 faces the discharge path 28 and is held by the holding part 24 from the opening 23. 1 is discharged. Then, the product 1 discharged from the holding body 21 rolls in the direction of the arrow D in FIG. 5, which is the direction of the outlet 15, along the first guide plate 29, and along the second guide plate 31, the casing 11. It is discharged from an outlet 15 provided on the front surface 11d.

  When the holding body 21 is further rotated from the mode shown in FIG. 5, the opening 23 of the holding body 21 starts to face the storage section 12 side as shown in FIG. 6. Then, the leading end 22a of the movable plate 22 urged by the urging member 26 in the direction opposite to the arrow C in FIG. 6 hits the opening end of the opening 23 of the holding body 21, and the movable plate 22 Is pushed up by the opening end of the opening 23 of the holding body 21, the hinge 25 is rotated in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. The oscillating plate 32 also moves in the direction of the opposite arrow C in FIG. 6 in conjunction with the rotation of the movable plate 22. When the holding body 21 is further rotated, the opening portion 23 of the holding body 21 returns to the initial state shown in FIG. 3 facing the storage portion 12, and the next product 1 is held from the opening portion 23 facing the storage portion 12. It will enter and be held in the storage part 24 of the body 21.

  In a series of operations in which the holding body 21 makes one rotation, the movable plate 22 rotates in the direction of arrow B and the direction of the opposite arrow B in FIG. 3 with the hinge 25 as a fulcrum, and the swing plate 32 also has a movable plate. By moving in the direction of arrow C and the direction of counter arrow C in FIG. 3 in conjunction with the rotation of 22, the plurality of products 1 in the storage unit 12 is swung. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, even in the case where the width of the storage portion 12 and the width of the substantially spherical products 1 arranged in a line coincide with each other in the storage portion 12, this state is maintained. The state can be broken, and the next product 1 can be reliably held by the holding portion 24 of the holding body 21.

  In the vending machine 10 configured as described above, the product 1 in the storage unit 12 is held by the holding body 21 connected to the shaft 17 a of the coin mech mechanism 17, and the storage unit 21 is rotated by the rotation of the holding body 21. Since the product 1 in 12 is sent to the discharge path 28, the product discharge mechanism 20 can be simplified, and the overall size can be reduced. Further, since the movable plate 22 constituting the bottom surface of the storage unit 12 is rotated by using the rotation of the holding body 21, the product 1 in the storage unit 12 is swung by the rotation of the movable plate 22. The next product 1 can surely enter and be held by the holding portion 24 through the opening 23 of the holding body 21. That is, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for stirring the product 1 in the storage unit 12 as in the conventional case, and the configuration can be simplified.

  Note that the product 1 is not limited to a character product stored in a substantially spherical capsule, but may be a single product, and the shape is not limited to a substantially spherical shape. The holding body 21 may be configured to hold a plurality of products 1 at a time.

It is a perspective view of a vending machine to which the present invention is applied. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of the vending machine to which this invention is applied. It is a front view which shows the standby state of the said vending machine. It is a front view which shows the time of a rotation start of the holding body holding the goods. It is a front view which shows the state which sent out the goods to the discharge path. It is a front view which shows the state after a holding body discharges goods until it returns to a standby state.

Explanation of symbols

1 commodity, 10 vending machine, 11 housing, 12 storage section, 15 take-out opening, 16 operation section, 16a coin insertion slot, 16b handle, 17 coin mech mechanism, 17a shaft, 20 commodity discharge mechanism, 21 holder, 22 Movable plate, 22a tip portion, 23 opening portion, 24 holding portion, 25 hinge, 26 biasing member, 26a, 26b locking projection, 27 guide projection, 28 discharge path, 29 first guide plate, 29a receiving portion, 31 Second guide plate, 32 Oscillating plate, 32a Guide hole, 32b Guide projection, 32c Stop ring, 32d Spindle

Claims (3)

A housing in which a storage unit for storing a plurality of products is provided in the upper part, and a product discharge path that is continuous with the product outlet is provided in the lower part,
A coin mech mechanism having a rotatable operation unit and a rotating body coupled to the operation unit, and permitting the rotating body connected to the operation unit to rotate approximately once when a coin is inserted; ,
A holding body for holding the product that has entered from the opening is provided continuously to the opening into which the product in the storage unit enters, and a holding body that is connected to the rotating body and rotates.
A movable plate provided on the lower side of the storage unit, the tip of which is supported by the holding body,
In the standby state, the holding body has the opening portion facing the storage portion, holds the product by the holding portion, and lowers the leading end portion of the movable plate at the opening end of the opening portion. Support to be side,
When the operation part of the coin mech mechanism is rotated, the holding body rotates together with the rotating body, the opening faces the discharge path, discharges the product to the discharge path, and A vending machine characterized in that the movable plate is moved at an open end to swing a plurality of products in the storage section.   2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is provided with a swing plate that swings a plurality of products in the storage unit in conjunction with the movable plate.   3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the movable plate is urged toward the lower side of the storage portion by an urging member.

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