JP5953838B2 - Vending machine product storage device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a product storage device of a vending machine, and more particularly to a product storage device applied to a vending machine that sells products such as canned beverages and beverages in plastic bottles.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a serpentine type product rack is known as a product storage device of a vending machine that sells products such as canned drinks and plastic bottled drinks. Such a commodity storage device is defined in such a manner that a passage component extends between a pair of base side plates erected on the left and right sides so as to extend in a meandering manner in the vertical direction. It has a commodity storage passage. In addition, in this product storage device, in the lower side of the product storage passage, in the standby state, the product stays in the product storage passage in a sideways posture. A payout mechanism for paying down is provided. Further, the product storage device is provided with a top tray on the upper side of the product storage passage. The top tray is for product introduction provided in such a manner that the top tray is gradually inclined downwardly from the front to the rear along the front-rear direction between the pair of base side plates (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 381056

  By the way, the above-described product storage devices are arranged side by side in general, and the rear product storage device generally has a lower position. In addition, since a dispensing mechanism is disposed at the lower part of the product storage device, the lower parts of the product storage devices have a common form. The extension lengths, i.e. the extension lengths of the passage components, will be different. As described above, since the product storage passage extends in a meandering manner in the vertical direction, the shape of the upper end portion of the passage component that defines the product storage passage is different for each extension length. It becomes a thing.

  Therefore, between the top tray and the passage component, the upper end portion of the passage component is covered by installing various shapes of passage forming members between the base side plates according to the shape of the upper end portion of the passage component. However, it was necessary to configure the inlet of the product storage passage.

  As described above, various shapes of the passage forming members have to be arranged in accordance with the shape of the upper end portion of the passage constituent elements, which makes the assembling operation of the product storage device complicated. In addition, since various shapes of passage forming members are required, the manufacturing cost is increased due to an increase in the number of parts.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a product storage device for a vending machine capable of improving the efficiency of the assembly work by simplifying the assembly work and reducing the manufacturing cost. With the goal.

To achieve the above object, product storage device for the automatic vending machine according to the present onset Ming, image in a manner extending in a vertical direction by passage component between the left and right pair of base plates are arranged The product storage passage formed, and disposed in a lower area of the product storage passage. In the standby state, the product stays in the product storage passage in a sideways posture. In the product storage device of the vending machine provided with a payout mechanism for paying out the product downward, a guide mechanism provided at an upper area of a passage component between at least the product storage passages adjacent to each other , The guide mechanism has a common shape that has been standardized in advance , and is disposed on the lower surface of the top tray that constitutes the product guide passage communicating with the rear product storage passage, and the front product. A plan in the storage passage Is a supporting portion of the inlet guide to correct the posture of the commodity supporting swingably be extend with bent in a meandering shape downward from the rear end portion of the support portion, and the front side of the product storage passage A base member having a mounting portion that covers the front surface of the upper end portion of the passage component constituting the rear surface, and a plurality of types selected in advance according to the pattern of the application location. And an attachment member that covers the upper end portion of the passage component constituting the front surface of the rear product storage passage by being attached to the rear surface of the attachment portion .

  According to the present invention, the base member disposed in such a manner as to cover the front surface of the upper end portion of the passage component constituting the rear surface of the front product storage passage among the front and rear adjacent product storage passages has been standardized in advance. The upper end portion of the passage component constituting the front surface of the rear product storage passage among the product storage passages adjacent to each other front and rear by being attached to the back surface of the base member as necessary. Since the attachment member to be covered is selectively selected from among a plurality of types formed in advance according to the pattern of the application location, in the assembly work of the product storage device, the attachment member selected in advance is used as the base member. Attach the base member to which the attachment member is attached on the assembly line of the vending machine including the product storage device. It is not necessary to attach the passage forming member of various shapes in an assembly line on as, it is possible to assembly work be simplified, it is possible to reduce the number of parts. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the assembling work by simplifying the assembling work and to reduce the manufacturing cost.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view showing an internal structure of a vending machine to which a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view schematically showing a main part of the product storage device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a base member and an attachment member constituting the guide mechanism shown in FIG. 2, and a state in which the attachment member is attached to the base member. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a base member and an attachment member constituting the guide mechanism shown in FIG. 2, and a state in which the attachment member is detached from the base member. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state in which an attachment member having another shape is attached to the base member. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a state in which an attachment member having another shape is attached to the base member.

  Exemplary embodiments of a product storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view showing an internal structure of a vending machine to which a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The vending machine illustrated here sells a product in a cooled or heated state, and includes a main body cabinet 1, an outer door 2, and an inner door 3.

  The main body cabinet 1 is configured in a rectangular shape with a front surface opened by appropriately combining a plurality of steel plates, and has a product housing 4 with a heat insulating structure inside. The outer door 2 is for covering the front opening of the main body cabinet 1 and is disposed at one side edge of the main body cabinet 1 so as to be opened and closed. On the front surface of the outer door 2, a display window, a product selection button, a bill insertion slot, a coin slot, a return lever, an integrated display, a coin return slot, a merchandise outlet 2a, etc. are required when selling merchandise. Things are provided. The inner door 3 is a heat insulating door for covering the front opening of the commodity storage 4, and is disposed at one side edge of the main body cabinet 1 so as to be openable and closable at a position inward of the outer door 2. In the lower part of the inner door 3, a merchandise carry-out port 3 a for carrying merchandise out of the merchandise container 4 is provided.

  Further, the vending machine is provided with a product shooter 5 inside the product storage 4, and a temperature control unit is provided in a region below the product shooter 5 (hereinafter also referred to as "heat exchange region"). On the other hand, the product storage device 10 is provided in a region above the product shooter 5 (hereinafter also referred to as “product storage region”).

  The product shooter 5 is a plate-like member for guiding the product delivered from the product storage device 10 to the product exit 3a of the inner door 3, and is arranged in a manner that gradually inclines downward toward the front side. ing. Although not clearly shown in the figure, the product shooter 5 is provided with a large number of ventilation holes (not shown) for communicating between the heat exchange region and the product storage region.

  The temperature adjustment unit 6 is for maintaining the internal atmosphere of the commodity storage 4 in a desired temperature state, and includes an evaporator 6a, an electric heater 6b, and a blower fan 6c of a refrigeration cycle. In this temperature control unit 6, for example, when the blower fan 6 c is driven in a state where the refrigeration cycle is operated, the air cooled in the evaporator 6 a is fed upward through the vent hole of the product shooter 5. Can be maintained at a low temperature. On the other hand, when the blower fan 6c is driven while the electric heater 6b is energized, the air heated by the electric heater 6b is fed upward through the vent hole of the product shooter 5, so that the product storage area is maintained at a high temperature. be able to. Note that the compressor, the condenser, and the expansion valve of the refrigeration cycle are all disposed in the machine room 7 that is outside the commodity storage 4 although not explicitly shown in the drawing.

  In the illustrated example, the product storage device 10 is arranged in three rows in the front-rear direction, and the passage component 12 is arranged between the pair of base side plates (rack side plates) 11 so that the product storage device 10 is arranged vertically. A product storage passage 13 configured in a meandering manner is provided, and a plurality of products are stored in a posture lying down in the vertical direction inside the product storage passage 13. More specifically, the passage component 12 is appropriately disposed so as to oppose the front side and the rear side of the product storage passage 13 and is fixed to the base side plate 11.

  The passage component 12 is provided with a flapper 12a (see FIG. 2). The flapper 12a is swingably disposed on the passage component 12 in such a manner that the flapper 12a moves forward and backward with respect to the commodity storage passage 13. The flapper 12a is biased by a coil spring (not shown), and is normally in a posture of moving forward into the product storage passage 13. Then, by coming into contact with the product passing through the product storage passage 13, the device itself moves backward along the meandering product storage passage 13 against the biasing force of the coil spring to correct the posture of the product. .

  In such a product storage device 10, a dispensing mechanism 14 is provided on the lower side of the product storage passage 13, while the upper side of the product storage passage 13 communicates with the top tray 16.

  The payout mechanism 14 controls the behavior of the product with the passage width defining plate 15 so as to store the product in the product storage passage 13 in the standby state. On the other hand, if a payout command is given, the corresponding product 1 to the product shooter 5 one by one. Such a payout mechanism 14 includes a first pedal member 14a and a second pedal member 14b. The first pedal member 14a is swingably disposed so as to move forward and backward with respect to the product storage passage 13. In the standby state, the first pedal member 14a abuts on the lowest product by moving forward into the product storage passage 13. In the case where a payout command is given, the product moves backward from the product storage passage 13 and allows the product to move downward. The second pedal member 14b is swingably disposed so as to move forward and backward with respect to the product storage passage 13, and retreats from the product storage passage 13 in the standby state. The advancing movement with respect to the storage passage 13 is brought into contact with the second product from the lowest position to restrict the downward movement of the product. Such a payout mechanism 14 is conventionally known and will not be described in detail.

  The top tray 16 is formed by bending a flat sheet metal, and is disposed between the base side plates 11 so as to be gradually inclined downward from the front to the rear. The top surface of the top tray 16 constitutes a product guide passage 17 that guides the product put in through the insertion port to the product storage passage 13.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory view schematically showing a main part of the product storage device 10 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, a guide mechanism 20 is provided in a communication area with the product guide passage 17 constituted by the top tray 16 above the product storage passage 13. The guide mechanism 20 is provided in the upper region of the passage component 12 between the product storage passages 13 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, and includes a base member 30 and an attachment member 40.

  3 and 4 show a base member 30 and an attachment member 40 constituting the guide mechanism 20 shown in FIG. 2, respectively. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the attachment member 40 is attached to the base member 30. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where the attachment member 40 is detached from the base member 30. The guide mechanism 20 (base member 30 and attachment member 40) will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 as appropriate.

  The base member 30 has, for example, a standardized common shape formed by bending a steel plate, and includes a support portion 31 and an attachment portion 32.

  The support portion 31 is a lower surface of the top tray 16 constituting the product guide passage 17 communicating with the rear product storage passage 13 (hereinafter also referred to as the rear product storage passage 13) among the product storage passages 13 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction. Similar to the top tray 16, it is gradually inclined downward toward the rear. The support portion 31 supports the insertion port guide 22. The inlet guide 22 is located above the front product storage passage 13 (hereinafter, also referred to as the front product storage passage 13) among the product storage passages 13 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction. It is disposed so as to be swingable about the axis of the shaft portion 22a in such a manner that it moves forward and backward in the product passage area in the area communicating with the storage passage 13. The insertion port guide 22 is in contact with the product that has rolled in the product guide path 17 to correct the posture of the product.

  The attachment portion 32 extends while being bent in a meandering manner downward from the rear end extension portion of the support portion 31, and covers the front surface of the upper end portion of the passage component 12. This is a portion provided in a manner covering the front surface of the upper end portion of the passage component 12 constituting the rear surface of the front-side product storage passage 13. A guide flapper 32 a is provided on the front surface of the mounting portion 32. The guide flapper 32a is swingably disposed in such a manner that the guide flapper 32a moves forward and backward with respect to the front-side product storage passage 13 in the same manner as the flapper 12a described above. The guide flapper 32a is biased by a coil spring (not shown) and normally moves forward into the front product storage passage 13. Then, by contacting the product passing through the front product storage passage 13, the product itself moves backward along the attachment portion 32 against the urging force of the coil spring to correct the posture of the product.

  The attachment member 40 is disposed by being attached to the back surface (rear surface) of the attachment portion 32 of the base member 30. The attachment member 40 is attached to the attachment portion 32 by attaching the attachment pieces 40a and 40b formed therein to the square holes 32b and 32c formed in the attachment portion 32. In addition, the code | symbol 32d in FIG. This square hole 32d is to be inserted into an attachment piece of attachment members 41 and 42 as shown in FIGS.

  Such an attachment member 40 is alternatively selected from a plurality of types formed in advance according to the pattern of the application portion of the guide mechanism 20. And it attaches to the rear surface of the attachment part 32 in the base member 30, and covers the upper end part of the said channel | path component 12, ie, the upper end part of the channel | path component 12 which comprises the front surface of the back side product storage channel | path 13. Accordingly, the attachment member 40 includes, for example, the attachment members 41 and 42 in the form illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 in addition to those shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, and are selectively selected according to the application location. Things are used. 5 and 6 are merely examples, and it goes without saying that there is an attachment member 40 having other forms.

  In the product storage device 10 having the above-described configuration, the base member 30 of the guide mechanism 20 provided in the upper region of the passage component 12 between the product storage passages 13 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction is the passage configuration. Since the front surface of the upper end portion of the element 12 is covered and the attachment member 40 covers the upper end portion of the passage component 12, the product entering the front product storage passage 13 from the product guide passage 17 and the rear from the product guide passage 17 It is possible to prevent a product entering the side product storage passage 13 from coming into contact with the upper end portion of the passage component 12 and being damaged.

  And according to the goods storage apparatus 10 which is this Embodiment, the base member 30 arrange | positioned in the aspect which covers the front surface of the upper end part of the channel | path component 12 which comprises the rear surface of the front goods storage path 13 is standardized beforehand. The attachment member 40 that has a common shape and is attached to the back surface of the base member 30 and covers the upper end portion of the passage component 12 that forms the front surface of the rear-side product storage passage 13 is applied to the pattern. Accordingly, in the assembling work of the product storage device 10, the attachment member 40 selected in advance is attached to the base member 30, and the product is selected. On the assembly line of the vending machine including the storage device 10, the base member 30 to which the attachment member 40 is attached may be attached. It is not necessary to attach the passage forming member of various shapes in an assembly line on, it is possible to assembly work be simplified, it is possible to reduce the number of parts.

  Therefore, according to the product storage device 10 of the present embodiment, the assembly work can be simplified, the efficiency of the assembly work can be improved, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made.

  In the above-described embodiment, when there is one passage component 12 between the product storage passages 13 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, that is, the passage component 12 forms the rear surface of the front product storage passage 13 and the rear Although the case where the front surface of the side product storage passage 13 is configured has been described, in the present invention, between the product storage passages adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, one passage component constituting the rear surface of the front product storage passage; In addition, other passage components constituting the front surface of the rear product storage passage may be provided. In such a case, the base member covers the front surface of the upper end portion of one passage component, and the attachment member covers the upper end portion of the other passage component. In this case, since the attachment member is attached to the back surface of the base member, as a result, the attachment member also covers the upper end portion of one passage component.

  In the above-described embodiment, the product storage passage is configured by the passage components extending in a meandering manner along the vertical direction. However, in the present invention, a curved member called a segment is a vertical direction. The product storage passage may be configured by arranging a plurality of the product storage passages. In such a case, the base member and the attachment member are provided in the upper region of the uppermost segment between the product storage passages adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, and the base member of the uppermost segment constituting the rear surface of the front product storage passage. The front surface is covered, and the attachment member covers the upper end portion of the uppermost segment constituting the front surface of the rear product storage passage.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the attachment member 40 is attached to the base member 30 has been described. However, in the present invention, the attachment member 40 is not an essential component, and the rear-side product storage passage 13 is formed by the base member 30. If it is possible to cover the upper end portion of the passage component 12 constituting the front surface of the base member 30, it is not necessary to attach to the base member 30.

  As described above, the product storage device of the vending machine according to the present invention is useful for a vending machine that sells products such as canned drinks and plastic bottled drinks.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Commodity storage apparatus 11 Base side plate 11a Opening 12 Passage component 13 Commodity storage path 16 Top tray 17 Commodity guide path 20 Guide mechanism 22 Input port guide 22a Shaft part 30 Base member 31 Support part 32 Attachment part 32a Guide flapper 32b Square hole 32c Square hole 32d Square hole 40 Attachment member 40a Mounting piece 40b Mounting piece 41 Attachment member 42 Attachment member

Claims (1)

A product storage passage defined in a manner extending along the vertical direction by disposing a passage component between the pair of left and right base side plates;
Distributing in the lower area of the product storage passage, and in a standby state, the product stays in the product storage passage in a sideways posture, and when a payout command is given, pays out the lowest product downward In a product storage device of a vending machine equipped with a mechanism,
A guide mechanism provided in an upper region of the passage component between at least the product storage passages adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction ;
The guide mechanism is
It has a common shape that has been standardized in advance , and is disposed on the lower surface of the top tray that constitutes the product guide passage communicating with the rear product storage passage, and guides to the front product storage passage. A support portion for swingably supporting a loading port guide for correcting the posture of the product to be moved, and a product storage passage on the front side that extends while bending in a meandering manner downward from the rear end portion of the support portion A base member having a mounting portion covering the front surface of the upper end portion of the passage component constituting the rear surface;
A passage that is selectively selected from a plurality of types formed in advance according to the pattern of the application location, and that constitutes the front surface of the rear product storage passage by being attached to the rear surface of the attachment portion. An article storage device for a vending machine, comprising: an attachment member that covers an upper end portion of the component.

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