JPH01250192A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To always surely crossfeed commodities to simplify the driving system and the control system of the whole of a carrying device by rationally remodeling the crossfeed driving system in a commodity storage part. CONSTITUTION:When a commodity placing base 5 is stopped in the position of a commodity storage part C, where commodities corresponding to a commodity select signal are stored, based on the commodity select signal, a single driving mechanism 20 provided in the commodity placing base 5 is operated. A pressing member 19 is moved to project toward the commodity storage part C by this driving mechanism, and a mobile member 11 of a crossfeeding means B is pressed and moved, and further, this moving force is converted to a commodity crossfeeding force by a converting mechanism 12 and a commodity A placed in the front end in the crossfeed direction of plural commodities placed in parallel is sent onto the commodity placing base 5. Thus, the whole of the driving structure which selectively operates crossfeeding means of respective commodity storage parts is easily and economically constituted.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides i! A plurality of product storage sections each having a cross-feeding means for transversely transporting a plurality of placed products to one side in the parallel direction are arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction, and the product storage sections are selectively This vending machine is equipped with a product lifting device including a product mounting table for placing and supporting delivered products and a lifting drive mechanism for forcibly moving the product mounting table in the vertical direction to a product take-out port.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of vending machine, as shown in Fig. 5,
A rotating shaft (52) of a belt conveyor (51) that constitutes a traversing means for each product storage section (5o).

(53), the rotating shaft (5) located on the upper side in the conveyance direction
3) is interlocked with an electric motor (54) equipped with a speed reduction mechanism.

Then, based on the product selection signal, when the product placement table (55) is stopped at a position corresponding to the product storage section (50) in which the product corresponding to the product selection signal is stored, this product placement table ( The electric motor (54) is driven based on the stop detection signal of the heald conveyor (51).
) Among the products (A) placed on the product (A), the product (A) located at the forefront is delivered onto the product placement table (55).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the case of this conventional vending machine, since an electric motor (54) for driving the belt converter (51) is provided for each product storage section (50), the entire drive mechanism is costly. Not only is it expensive, but it also requires a control circuit to control the drive of each of these electric motors (54) individually based on the stop signal of the product placement table (55), etc., which makes it difficult to control the entire conveyance device. The problem was that the system became extremely complicated.

An object of the present invention is to simplify the drive system and control system of the entire conveying device while always ensuring the cross-feeding of products by rationally modifying the cross-feeding drive system in the product storage section. It is in.

[Means to solve the problem]

In the vending machine according to the present invention, the cross-feeding means of each product storage section is provided with a movable member that is freely movable, and a conversion mechanism that converts the moving force of the movable member into a force for transversely feeding the product. A feature of the present invention is that the mounting table is provided with a pressing member having a pressing surface capable of pressing the movable member of each of the traversing means, and a drive mechanism for forcibly reciprocating the pressing member.

[For production]

Based on the product selection signal, the product is placed in the product storage section that stores the product corresponding to the product selection signal! When one loading table is stopped, a single drive mechanism provided on the product mounting table is activated, and the pressing member is moved to protrude toward the product storage section by this drive mechanism. This protruding movement of the pressing member presses and moves the movable member of the cross-feeding means, and further, this moving force is converted into a product cross-feeding force by the conversion mechanism, and among the plurality of products placed in parallel, The product located at the forefront in the traverse direction is delivered onto the product placement table.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As a result, even if the product storage sections are provided in multiple stages above and below, a single drive mechanism provided on the product placement table can serve as the drive source for the traversing means of each product storage section. Since it is only necessary to control the operation of this single drive mechanism based on various information, the entire drive structure for selectively operating the cross-feeding means of each product storage section is simpler and more economical than before. It is possible to configure the system according to the present invention, and at the same time, it is possible to simplify the control system.

Moreover, since the pressing member of the product placement table is configured to press the movable member of the traversing means with its surface, for example, the product placement table may be equipped with a drive gear linked to an electric motor and a drive gear interlocked with an electric motor. A drive mechanism for reciprocating the drive gear is provided, and a passive gear capable of meshing with the drive gear is provided in the traversing means of each product storage section. There is no possibility of misalignment due to differences in the engagement phase of the products, and even though the stopping position of the product placement table is roughly adjusted, products stored in parallel in the product storage section can always be reliably transported horizontally. It became so.

〔Example〕

Next, an embodiment of a vending machine according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 3.

Figure 3 shows a vending machine that stores products (A) such as bottled beer, and there are double doors (1), (2) on the front side of the casing (3), which can swing open and close, opening and closing the vending machine. ) is attached, and a partition plate (4) is provided in the casing (3) to partition the internal space of the casing into a product storage chamber (Sυ) and a power chamber (S2).

The product storage chamber (S+) of the casing (3) includes a cross-feeding means (8) for cross-feeding a plurality of products (A) placed in parallel in a horizontal direction to one side in the parallel direction. A plurality of belt conveyor-type product storage sections (C) are arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction, and products (A) selectively sent out from the product storage sections (C) are placed thereon. Product mounting table to support (5) and this product mounting table (5)
A product lifting device (D) is provided, which includes a lifting drive mechanism (7) for forcibly moving the product vertically to the product take-out ports (6) formed at the bottom of both doors (1) and (2). be.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each product storage section (C) is a storage frame (not shown) installed in the gauging (3) that is spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the left and right direction. A pair of rollers (9a) and (9b) are rotatably attached to the part, and both rollers (9a) and (
9b) is constructed by winding the traversing bell 1-(10).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cross-feeding means (8) includes a movable member (11) that is movable in the cross-feed direction of the product (A), and a moving force of the movable member (11). and a conversion mechanism (12) that converts force into product traversal force.

The movable member (11) is held so as to be able to reciprocate along a guide member (13) provided on the storage frame, and the movable member (11) and the guide member (13)
) is biased back toward the lower side in the product traverse direction by a spring (14) provided between the product and the product.

The conversion mechanism (12) forms a rack-shaped gear part (12a) on the upper surface of the movable member (11), and is located on the lower side in the traverse direction of the rollers (9a) and (9b). A passive gear (12b) that meshes with the gear portion (12a) of the movable member (11) is provided at the negative end of the rotating shaft (15) of the roller (9a), and a passive gear (12b) that engages with the gear portion (12a) of the movable member (11), and a passive gear (12b) that engages with the gear portion (12a) of the movable member (11). A one-way rotation clutch (12c) that transmits only rotational force to the rotating shaft (15) is provided.

The movable member (11) then moves the spring (14) to the movable member (11).
), the gear portion (12a) of this movable member (11) moves upward in the cross-feeding direction of the product.
The passive gear (12b) meshing with the rotating shaft (12b) rotates forward, and this rotational force is transmitted via the one-way rotation clutch (12c)
15) as the rotational force for horizontally feeding the product.

Further, when the movable member (11) is moved backward in the product traverse direction downward direction by the elastic restoring force of the spring (14), a passive gear (12b) meshing with the gear portion (12a) of the movable member (11) is engaged. ) rotates in the opposite direction, but the one-way rotation clutch (12c) cuts off the power transmission from the passive gear (12b) to the rotating shaft (15), and the rotating shaft (■5)
is maintained in a stopped state.

The elevating drive mechanism (7) of the product elevating device (b) is a second
As shown in Figures 3 and 3, sprockets (7a) and (7b) rotatable around the front and rear axes are provided at the upper and lower parts of the casing (3), and these sprockets (7a) and (7b) are rotatable around the front and rear axes. ) and the lifting chain (7
c) while winding the lower sprocket (7).
b) is connected to an electric motor (7d) which can be switched between forward and reverse directions.

The product mounting table (5) is connected to the lifting chain (7c).
The electric motor (7) is mounted in a horizontal position on the
It is configured to be raised and lowered by rotation of the lifting chain (7c) upon activation of step d).

In addition, when installing the product mounting table (5), the cylindrical member (16) fixed to the base end is attached to the top plate (3) of the casing (3).
a) and the bottom plate (3b) and is slidably fitted onto a guide member (17) in an up-and-down position to guide the rise and fall of the product mounting table (5).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the product mounting table (5) is placed on the same front and rear sides of the product mounting table (5) facing the movable member (11) of the cross-feeding means (8) in a horizontal direction. Attach the guide rail (18) to
Then, a T-shaped pressing member (19) having a wide pressing surface (19a) capable of pressing the movable member (11) of each of the cross-feeding means (8) in the cross-feeding direction of the product is reciprocatably removed. A drive mechanism (20) that is fitted and held and forcibly moves this pressing member (19) back and forth is attached to the product mounting table (5).
It is provided in

The drive mechanism (20) includes a rack-shaped gear portion (
20a), a drive gear (20b) that meshes with this gear part (20a), and an electric motor (20c) that is interlocked with this drive gear (20b) and can freely rotate in forward and reverse directions.

Then, based on the product selection signal, when the product mounting table (5) is stopped at a position corresponding to the product storage section (C) in which the product (^) corresponding to the product selection signal is stored, this product The electric motor (20c) is started based on the stop detection signal of the mounting table (5), and the drive gear (20b)
is driven forward.

The pressing member (19) moves toward the movable member (11) by the forward rotation of the drive gear (20b), and the pressing surface (19a) of the pressing member (19) causes the movable member (11) to move toward the movable member (11).
) is forcibly moved to the upper side in the cross-feeding direction of the product, and the passive gear (12b) and one-way rotation clutch (12c
), the rotational force is transmitted to the cross-feed belt (10) via the rotating shaft (15) and the roller (9a), and the product (A) placed on the cross-feed belt (lO) is Among them, only the product (^) located at the forefront is sent onto the product placement table (5).

When a limit switch, weight sensor, etc. detects that the product (A) has been delivered onto the product placement table (5), the electric motor (20c) is driven in reverse, and the pressing member (19) is moved onto the product placement table. (5) It is moved back to the storage position where it does not interfere with the lifting and lowering.

Along with this backward movement of the pressing member (19), the movable member (11) is also moved backward in the product traverse direction by the elastic restoring force of the spring (14).

After that, 5, the electric motor (7d) of the product lifting device (0)
) is driven, and the product placement table (5) is moved to the product take-out port (6).
) is lowered to a position corresponding to the product mounting table (5).
) The product (A) on top is dispensed to the product outlet (6) side.

The electric motor (20c) is driven in forward and reverse directions while the detection signal indicating that the product (A) has been delivered onto the product placement table (5) is not output. (10) Above ii! Even when the placed product (A) is missing, the designated product (A) can be reliably delivered onto the product placement table (5).

[Another example]

In the embodiment described above, the drive mechanism (20) is connected to a gear (20
a), (20b) and an electric motor (20c), but a solenoid (20c) as shown in Fig.
20d) or a fluid pressure cylinder.

In short, the drive mechanism (20) may have any structure as long as it can forcibly move the pressing member (19) back and forth.

In the above-described embodiment, the suppressing member (19) is configured in a T-shape, but the shape is not limited to this, and the suppressing member (19) is configured to be able to press the movable member (11) of each of the horizontal feeding means (8). It may be configured in any shape as long as it has a pressing surface (19a), and its moving direction can also be changed in various ways depending on various conditions.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the movable member (11) of each of the cross-feeding means (8) is configured to be movable in the cross-feeding direction of the product, but the movable member (11) is not limited to this direction. ) may be configured to be movable in the front and rear directions, and the structure of the conversion mechanism (12) can also be modified in various ways accordingly.

In the above-described embodiment, a belt conveyor type was used as the product storage section (C), but an alternative ETEHA conveyor type or chain conveyor type door may be used instead.

Further, the structure of the product lifting device (D) can also be modified in various ways.

In the above embodiment, the product outlet (6) is connected to both the doors (
1) and (2), but the product outlet (6) is formed in the upper and lower intermediate parts of both doors (1) and (2), so that the product (8) can be taken out from above. You may.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenient comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the vending machine according to the present invention, with Figure 1 being an enlarged front view of the main parts, Figure 2 being a front view of the product conveyance system, and Figure 3 being the vending machine. FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of main parts showing another embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a front view of a conveyance system showing a conventional vending machine. (A)...Product, (8)...Transverse feeding means, (C)...Product storage section, (D)...
・Product lifting device, (5)...Product placement table, (6
)... Product outlet, (7)... Lifting drive mechanism, (11)... Movable member, (12)...
... Conversion mechanism, (19) ... Pressing member, (
19a)... Pressing surface, (20)... Drive mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of product storage units (C) equipped with cross-feeding means (B) for transversely feeding a plurality of products (A) placed in a parallel state to one side in the parallel direction are spaced apart at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction. A product placement table (5) which is placed separately and supports the products (A) selectively sent out from the product storage section (C), and a product takeout port (6) which places this product placement table (5). ), the vending machine is equipped with a product elevating device (D) having an elevating drive mechanism (7) for forcibly moving vertically up to ) is equipped with a movable member (11) that is freely movable and a conversion mechanism (12) that converts the moving force of the movable member (11) into a force for transversely feeding the product, and the product mounting table (5) is provided with: A pressing surface (19a) capable of pressing the movable member (11) of each of the traversing means (8)
) and this pressing member (19).
A vending machine equipped with a drive mechanism (20) for forcibly reciprocating.