JP5487878B2 - Vending machine product storage shelf - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a product storage shelf of a vending machine that sells products of a plurality of sizes such as cans, bottles, beverages of plastic bottles, and the like.

  Generally, a vending machine of this type uses a so-called serpentine type product storage shelf having a meandering product passage extending in the vertical direction. This product storage shelf is provided with a large number of arc plates facing in the front-rear direction between a pair of side plates facing in the width direction of the product storage shelf body, and the product passage is formed between the arc plates. In addition, the product storage shelf is provided with a product insertion port leading to the upper end side of the product passage so that the product can be stored in the product passage by inserting the product into the product insertion port from the front of the apparatus main body. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  And there are several types of beverage cans and other items sold in vending machines, each of which has multiple outer diameter dimensions and lengths, and the width of the product inlet needs to be adjusted accordingly. A product guide plate that guides the product to be inserted and a product guide plate that can be moved in the width direction on the product guide plate as the product entry port of the storage shelf. The product guide plate is partitioned on both sides to form a plurality of product passages. A width restricting plate that engages the engaging claws of the width restricting plate corresponding to the passage width to be set in a part of the engagement holes formed in the product guide plate. Are known.

  Specifically, a plurality of rectangular slits (engagement holes) are arranged on the guide surface of the product guide plate in the width direction and the depth direction in the direction of the long side in the depth direction, and further fitted in each square hole. A mating engagement claw is provided on the holding surface of the width regulating plate in a shape protruding downward. When the engaging claw is fitted in the slit, the lateral width set value is fixed in the width direction. The engaging claw has a substantially chevron shape with a width slightly smaller than the slit from the front to the back.

  In the above configuration, after rotating the rear of the width regulating plate configured in advance on the product guide plate according to the total length of the product to be stored and removing the engaging claw from the slit, the width regulating plate is moved in the width direction, The width regulating plate is rotated downward in order to fit the engaging claw into the slit provided on the guide surface in the vicinity of the position where the lateral width setting value is slightly larger than the total length of the product to be stored. Thereby, goods are rolled stably on the back side on a guide surface.

JP 2001-31768 A

  However, if the slits of the product guide plate are formed larger than the engagement claws for easy insertion of the engagement claws, the rattling of the width restricting plate becomes large, and the product becomes difficult to put in when the parallelism deteriorates. Or troubles such as the product being introduced rotating on the guide surface and clogging. In addition, when an external force such as impact or vibration is applied to the product guide plate or the width regulating plate when the product is introduced, the width regulating plate may rise from the product guide plate, and the engaging claw may come off from the slit. Is pushed by the product and deviates from an appropriate width setting value, and there is a problem that even if the product is normally put in, it does not roll straight but is jammed on the product guide plate.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine that can easily and reliably adjust the product input width while reducing the backlash of the width regulating plate. It is to provide a product storage shelf.

In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the product storage shelf of the vending machine according to the present invention includes a product guide plate that guides a product input from a product input port to a product storage unit, and a width direction of the product guide plate. A width restricting plate provided movably, a fitting portion formed on the width restricting plate, and a plurality of slits formed at predetermined intervals in the width direction of the product guide plate, corresponding to the product dimensions. In a product storage shelf of a vending machine that adjusts the width of a product insertion slot by fitting a fitting portion of a width regulating plate into a slit in a position, the fitting portion has a protruding portion that protrudes downward in a side view. And at least a part of the protruding portion is in a position where it is wrapped in a plan view with respect to a side portion of the slit in a fitted state, and the protruding portion of the fitting portion is formed in a V shape downward in a side view. Or, it is a substantially letter-shaped or substantially convex shape in plan view .

  As a result, the protrusion tip of the fitting portion of the width regulating plate can be easily and surely fitted into the slit provided on the product guide plate. Even if an external force such as shock or vibration is applied to the regulating plate, the width regulating plate will rise from the product guide plate, and the product will be guided by the width regulating plate without the fitting part coming off from the slit, so that the product is stable in a horizontal posture. To the product passage.

  The product storage shelf of the vending machine according to the present invention can easily and reliably fit the protruding end of the fitting portion of the width regulating plate into the slit provided on the product guide plate, so that the product is loaded. When an external force such as shock or vibration is applied to the product guide plate or width regulating plate, the width regulating plate will be lifted from the product guide plate and the fitting part will not come out of the slit, so that the product is securely attached to the width regulating plate. As a result, the product can be stably guided to the product passage in a horizontal posture, and a highly reliable product storage shelf of the vending machine can be provided.

The perspective view of the vending machine in Embodiment 1 of this invention Sectional drawing which looked at the goods storage shelf of the vending machine in Embodiment 1 from the side The perspective view of the vicinity of the slot of the goods storage shelf of the vending machine in Embodiment 1 Three views of the product guide plate and the width regulating plate of the product storage shelf of the vending machine in the first embodiment The plane enlarged view which shows the fitting state of the product guide plate of the goods storage shelf of the vending machine in the same Embodiment 1, and a width control board Another enlarged plan view showing the fitting state of the product guide plate and the width regulating plate of the product storage shelf of the vending machine in the first embodiment

  The invention according to claim 1 is a product guide plate that guides a product input from a product input port to a product storage unit, a width regulating plate that is movable in the width direction of the product guide plate, and the width A fitting portion formed on the restriction plate and a plurality of slits formed at predetermined intervals in the width direction of the product guide plate, and the fitting portion of the width restriction plate is fitted into the slit at a position corresponding to the product size. In the product storage shelf of the vending machine that adjusts the width of the product insertion port by combining, the fitting portion has a protruding portion protruding downward in a side view, and at least a part of the protruding portion is fitted When the product is introduced, the width regulating plate guides the product even if an external force such as shock or vibration is applied to the product guiding plate or the width regulating plate when the product is introduced. It floats from the plate and the fitting piece does not come off the slit Goods can be guided to the article passage to stabilize the commodity in the horizontal position it is possible to be guided by the width regulating plate.

Furthermore, since the protrusion of the fitting portion is formed in a V shape downward in a side view, it can be easily and reliably inserted by inserting the tip of the protrusion of the fitting portion into a slit provided on the product guide plate. Therefore, it is possible to easily and surely set the lateral width of the inlet according to the total length of the product.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a product guide plate for guiding a product input from a product input port to a product storage unit, a width regulating plate provided to be movable in a width direction of the product guide plate, and the width. A fitting portion formed on the restriction plate and a plurality of slits formed at predetermined intervals in the width direction of the product guide plate, and the fitting portion of the width restriction plate is fitted into the slit at a position corresponding to the product size. In the product storage shelf of the vending machine that adjusts the width of the product insertion port by combining, the fitting portion has a protruding portion protruding downward in a side view, and at least a part of the protruding portion is fitted In the state, it is in a position where it is wrapped in a plan view with respect to the side of the slit, and the protrusion of the fitting portion is substantially U-shaped in a plan view, so that the protrusion of the fitting piece even enters the slit. Then, the fitting piece fits into the slit with the weight of the width regulating plate itself. When the fitting piece fits into the slit, the product guide plate and the substantially square-shaped part of the fitting piece automatically wrap in a plan view so that the upward movement of the width regulating plate is possible regardless of the external force due to the product being charged. It is possible to regulate and maintain the set position on the product guide plate.

Further, in the commodity storage shelf of the vending machine, the fitting portion has a protruding portion protruding downward in a side view, and at least a part of the protruding portion is in a fitted state with respect to the side portion of the slit. becomes the position that wraps in plan view Te, the projecting portion of the fitting portion by which a substantially convex shape in a plan view, after fitting the fitting piece into the slit, the plane by moving the width restricting plate to the left Since the fitting piece securely wraps with the product guide plate as viewed, it is possible to regulate the upward movement of the width regulating plate regardless of the external force due to product insertion, and to maintain the set position on the product guide plate it can.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
A vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention and a commodity storage shelf employed therein will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the positional relationship in the vertical direction, width direction, depth direction, and the like will be described based on the normal installation state of the vending machine and the product storage shelf incorporated therein.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a product storage shelf of the vending machine according to Embodiment 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the inlet of the product storage shelf of the vending machine in the first embodiment, FIG. 4 is a three-view diagram of the product guide plate and the width regulating plate of the product storage shelf of the first embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view showing the fitting state of the product guide plate and the width regulating plate of the product storage shelf of the vending machine according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 6 shows the product storage shelf of the vending machine according to the first embodiment. It is another plane enlarged view which shows the fitting state of a goods guide plate and a width control board.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vending machine 11 has a configuration in which a plurality of product storage shelves 12, a product dispensing device (not shown), a control device, and the like are built in a box-shaped main body 13 having heat insulation properties. .

  As shown in FIG. 2, the product storage shelf 12 has a large number of product guide plates 1 and flappers 14 arranged between the two side plates 3 in the longitudinal direction of the side plates 3, 3, that is, in the installed state of the product storage shelf 12. By attaching in this manner, a so-called serpentine type merchandise passage 15 is formed inside. Above the product passage 15 are a product guide plate 1 that is gently inclined downward from the front to the back, and a width regulating plate 6 having a L-shaped cross section that can be rotated and moved in the width direction at the front end of the product guide plate 1. The insertion port 16 is arranged to guide the product to roll to the product passage 15 in a sideways posture.

3 and 4, the front end support part 2 is curled at the front end in a substantially circular shape, and the rear end is bent in a substantially triangular shape to be reinforced and both ends in the width direction are bent upward at a right angle. The product guide plate 1 formed from the left flange 1L and the right flange 1R has a function of rolling the product in a sideways posture and guiding the product to a product passage 15 disposed on the lower back side. The guide surface 1a that comes into contact with the product has a vertical section 4V that is bent in a substantially Z shape on the rear right side and extends vertically downward from the guide surface 1a of the product guide plate 1 to a predetermined distance, A rear holding part 4 having a horizontal part 4H that changes its direction substantially parallel and extends rearward is provided, and a rear holding pin through which the left and right side plates 3 are inserted is sandwiched between the guide surface 1a and the rear holding part 4. Thus, the rear part of the product guide plate 1 is attached. On the other hand, the front portion of the product guide plate 1 has a shape in which the left and right ends of the front end support portion 2 protrude to the extent that each side plate 3 can be inserted, and is inserted into the front holding holes 18 provided in the left and right side plates 3. Being held.

  Reference numeral 6 denotes a width regulating plate disposed on the guide surface 1 a of the product guide plate 1. The width regulating plate 6 is inserted in a substantially L-shaped cross section by two surfaces: a product guide surface 7 parallel to the left flange 1L and a holding surface 8 which is perpendicular to the guide surface and extends in the right flange 1R direction and is in contact with the guide surface 1a. The shape extends from the front to the back. The front end portion of the width restricting plate 6 has a front U bent portion 6A formed in a substantially concentric circle so as to wrap the front end supporting portion 2 of the product guide plate 1, and the width restricting plate 6 with the front end supporting portion 2 as a rotation axis. Is configured to be rotatable. Further, the greater the width of the width restricting plate 6, the greater the accuracy of the parallelism between the left flange 1L and the product guide surface 7. On the other hand, the right and left slide amount is reduced, and the right flange 1R By reducing the amount of movement for changing the lateral width setting value X, which is the distance from the product guide surface 7, it becomes impossible to provide an appropriate lateral width setting value X corresponding to the overall length of the product.

  In order to fix the width setting value X corresponding to the total length of each product that can be thrown in, the width regulating plate 6 is fixed at an appropriate position with respect to the width. To achieve this, each width setting value Regarding X, a plurality of rectangular slits 9 are arranged on the guide surface 1a of the product guide plate 1 in the width direction and the depth direction in the direction of the long side in the depth direction, and can be fitted into each square hole. The fitting piece 10 is provided on the holding surface 8 of the width regulating plate 6 so as to protrude downward. When the fitting piece 10 is fitted into the slit 9, the lateral width set value X is fixed in the width direction. The fitting piece 10 has a substantially chevron shape with a slightly smaller width than the slit 9 from the front to the back, and the tip of the fitting piece 10 has a slightly smaller straight line with respect to the width direction of the slit 9 as a substantially chevron apex. The protrusion 10A is configured, and is set to a height at which the protrusion 10A is completely removed from the slit 9 when the width regulating plate 6 rotates upward.

  In the above configuration, after the rear of the width regulating plate 6 previously configured on the product guide plate 1 is rotated upward according to the total length of the product to be stored and the fitting piece 10 is removed from the slit 9, the width regulating plate 6 is The width regulating plate 6 is moved downward to fit the fitting piece 10 into the slit 9 provided on the guide surface 1a in the vicinity of the position where the lateral width setting value X is slightly larger than the total length of the product to be stored. Rotate. The product introduced from time to time through the product introduction port set as described above is stably rolled to the back side on the guide surface 1a while being guided by the product guide surface 7 and the right flange 1R or the right side plate 3 in a horizontal posture. Will be.

  Here, the relationship between the slit 9 of the product guide plate 1 and the fitting piece 10 of the width regulating plate 6 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

  The fitting piece 10 has a substantially convex shape in plan view, and is provided so that the convex portion 10B faces the left side, that is, on the outer side with respect to the product input portion of the width regulating plate 6. The maximum width of the fitting piece 10 is sufficient to fit into the slit 9, and the difference between the maximum width and the minimum width is the fitting allowance 19, and the fitting piece 10 is fitted in the slit 9. When the width restricting plate 6 is moved to the left and the left side of the slit 9 and the left end of the fitting piece 10 are in contact with each other, when viewed in plan, the fitting allowance 19 and the product guide plate 1 are in a state of being wrapped. 6 cannot be rotated upward. That is, the fitting piece 10 does not come off from the slit 9. And since the convex part 10B is provided in the side which becomes the outer side with respect to the product input part of the width control board 6, when the product is supplied, the force is applied to the outer side with respect to the product input part. The fitting piece 10 of the regulating plate 6 is maintained in a state where it is securely fitted into the slit 9 of the product guide plate 1, and the product is stably rolled on the guide surface 1a to the back side.

  When newly storing a product with a different total length, the width regulating plate 6 is temporarily moved to the right side so that the fitting allowance 19 and the product guide plate 1 do not wrap, and the width regulating plate 6 rotates upward. After removing the fitting piece 10 from the slit 9, the width regulating plate 6 is moved to an appropriate position. The width setting operation is completed by rotating the width restricting plate 6 downward at a position where the optimal horizontal width setting value X corresponding to the total length of the product to be stored is engaged and fitting the fitting piece 10 into the predetermined slit 9. .

  In the present embodiment, the fitting piece 10 has a substantially convex shape in plan view. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the same effect can be obtained with a dogleg shape 10 </ b> C, a pentagon, or the like. In this case, when the width restricting plate 6 is rotated upward, even if the fitting allowance 19 is wrapped with the product guide plate 1, it is a substantially angled taper formed by two sides of a square or pentagon in plan view. As a result, the width regulating plate 6 is rotated upward while moving to the right side, and the fitting piece 10 is smoothly removed from the slit 9. Therefore, there is an effect that the setting operation of the lateral width adjustment can be easily performed.

  Further, when the front holding holes are drilled in the side plates 3 in order to support the front end support portion 2 on the left and right side plates 3, the front end support portion 2 can be appropriately supported in the front and rear by using a deformed hole such as a U-shape or a U-shape. By doing so, it is possible to set the position of the product guide plate 1 relative to the product passage 15 forward and backward, and it is possible to deal with a wide range of diameters and thicknesses of products to be stored.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the front portion of the product guide plate 1 is held by the front end support portion 2, but the width of the front end holding portion 2 is set to be equal to or less than the width of the product storage shelf 12 or less than the width of the product guide plate 1. For this purpose, the left and right side plates 3 may be inserted by another member for holding and may be held on them. In this case, the product guide plate 1 can be easily attached and detached from the product storage shelf 1 and the maintainability is improved. There is an effect.

  As described above, the product storage shelf of the vending machine according to the present invention can easily and reliably fit the leading end of the fitting portion of the width regulating plate into the slit provided on the product guide plate. Therefore, the present invention can be applied to vending machines equipped with any product storage shelf having a function of changing the product passage width.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Commodity guide board 6 Width regulation board 9 Slit 10 Fitting piece 10A Protruding part 10B Convex part 10C U-shaped 11 Vending machine 12 Commodity storage shelf 19 Fitting allowance

Claims (2)

A product guide plate that guides the product introduced from the product input port to the product storage unit, a width restricting plate that is movable in the width direction of the product guide plate, and a fitting portion formed on the width restricting plate And a plurality of slits formed at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the product guide plate, and the width of the product inlet by fitting the fitting portion of the width regulating plate into the slit at a position corresponding to the product size In the product storage shelf of the vending machine that adjusts, the fitting portion has a protruding portion that protrudes downward in a side view, and at least a part of the protruding portion is in a fitted state with respect to the side portion of the slit. position wrapped in plan view Te and Do Ri, the projecting portion of the fitting portion commodity storage shelves of the vending machine, characterized in that formed in a V-shape downwardly when viewed from the side. A product guide plate that guides the product introduced from the product input port to the product storage unit, a width restricting plate that is movable in the width direction of the product guide plate, and a fitting portion formed on the width restricting plate And a plurality of slits formed at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the product guide plate, and the width of the product inlet by fitting the fitting portion of the width regulating plate into the slit at a position corresponding to the product size In the product storage shelf of the vending machine that adjusts, the fitting portion has a protruding portion that protrudes downward in a side view, and at least a part of the protruding portion is in a fitted state with respect to the side portion of the slit. position wrapped in plan view Te and Do Ri, product storage shelves of the vending machine, characterized in that the projecting portion of the fitting portion is a shaped or generally convex rather substantially in a plan view.