JPH03168895A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a foreign matter projected into a commodity take-out port from being dropped into a carrier path by opening/closing a shutter arranged on the commodity feeding port of the commodity take-out port interlocking with the UP/DOWN operation of a commodity receiver. CONSTITUTION:The shutter 14 for opening/closing the commodity feeding port 13 is arranged on the bottom of the commodity take-out port and a shutter opening/closing mechanism 15 for opening/closing the shutter 13 interlocking with the UP/DOWN operation of the receiver 9 is arranged. Since the feeding port 13 on the bottom of the take-out port 12 is opened/closed by the opening/ closing operation of the shutter 14 interlocking with the UP/DOWN operation of the receiver 9, the feeding port 13 can be closed by the shutter 114 until a commodity is carried up to the take-out port 12 even during the period of vending operation. Thereby even if a foreign matter is projected into the take- out port 12, the foreign matter is stopped on the take-out port 12 and can not be dropped into the carrier.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a vending machine, and particularly to an automatic vending machine equipped with a means for conveying a product to a product outlet provided at a relatively high position. Regarding vending machines.

(Prior art) In general, in conventional vending machines, the product storage chamber is located at a higher position than the product takeout port, and due to the difference in height between the product storage chamber and the product takeout port, the products taken out naturally fall or slide down. , and is configured to be guided to the product outlet. Also,
In order to store as many products as possible, the vertical dimension of the product storage chamber is made large, but if the product storage chamber with a large vertical dimension is set at a high position, the vertical dimension of the vending machine will increase. , product replenishment becomes difficult. For these reasons, the product outlet has to be set at a relatively low position, making it extremely difficult for adults to remove products from the product outlet as they must bend over. There is.

Therefore, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 83-201893, an automated system is proposed in which the product taken out from the product storage chamber is slid down by a chute and then transported to the product take-out port using a conveyance device. A vending machine is proposed. According to this configuration, the product storage capacity can be increased without increasing the height dimension of the vending machine more than necessary, and the product outlet can be set at a high position, making it possible for purchasers to This makes it possible to take out products without bending over, and in such vending machines, the product takeout port is located at the top, the product tray rises along the conveyance path, and the product is conveyed to the product takeout port. Because of the structure, if a foreign object intentionally or accidentally enters the product outlet, there is a possibility that the foreign object will fall into the conveyance path. If a foreign object stays on the conveyance path, subsequent sales operations will not be possible.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in conventional vending machines that use a conveyance device to transport products to a product takeout port set at a relatively high position, foreign objects may come out from the product takeout port. If the foreign matter enters the conveyance path, there is a problem that the sales operation becomes impossible.

The present invention was made in order to solve such problems, and is a vending machine that transports products to a product takeout port set at a relatively high position. To provide a vending machine which can normally perform a vending operation by preventing foreign matter from entering a conveyance path.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a product receptacle that is provided to be able to lift and lower products carried out from the lower part of a product storage chamber that stores a plurality of products. In a vending machine, the product tray is received at approximately the bottom dead center position by the machine, and the product tray is raised along a predetermined conveyance path to almost the top dead center position by the product conveyance means to convey the product in the product tray to the product takeout port. The present invention is characterized in that a shutter for opening and closing the product supply port is provided at the bottom of the product takeout port, and a shutter drive mechanism is provided for opening and closing the shutter in conjunction with the lifting and lowering movement of the product tray by the product transport means.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the surface of the product receiver opposite to the surface on which the product is placed is a spherical or conical surface, and the product receiver is rotatable about a horizontal axis as a fulcrum, and the product receiver is arranged so that the product is placed almost upward. When the product reaches the dead center position and no product is placed on it, an elastic member applies rotational force to the product tray so that the surface opposite to the surface on which the product is placed faces upward, and the product tray is almost at the bottom dead center position. The product is characterized by comprising a product holder rotation mechanism that rotates the product holder against an elastic member so that the surface on which the product is placed faces upward when the product is reached.

(Function) In the present invention, the shutter opens and closes in conjunction with the daytime operation of the product receiver, thereby opening and closing the product supply port at the bottom of the product takeout port. Therefore, the product supply port can be kept closed by the shutter until the product is transported to the product takeout port when no selling operation is being performed, or even during the sales operation, so that no foreign matter is thrown into the product takeout port. However, the foreign matter remains at the product outlet and does not fall into the conveyance path.

In addition, the surface of the product receiver opposite to the surface on which the product is placed is a spherical or conical surface, so that when the product receiver reaches almost the top dead center position and there is no product on it, the surface opposite to the surface on which the product is placed is a spherical or conical surface. If a rotational force is applied to the product tray so that it faces upward, and if the product tray is rotated at the same time so that the surface on which the product is placed faces upward when the product tray reaches almost the bottom dead center position, it is possible to pick up the product. When the product transported to the exit is removed from above the product receiver, the product receiver immediately rotates so that the spherical or conical surface faces upward. In such a state, even if a perforated item is thrown in from the product outlet, it is difficult for the perforated item to rest on the product receiver, and there is a low possibility that the perforated object will land on the product receiver and fall into the conveyance path.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the structure of main parts.

As shown in the figure, a product storage chamber 2 in which multiple products (for example, canned drinks) are stacked and stored in an overturned state is arranged inside the main body 1 of the vending machine. A product unloading device 3 is disposed for dropping and transporting selected products one by one from the bottom when the user presses the product selection switch 25. Below the product unloading device 3,
A chute 5 is arranged to receive the carried out product 4 and guide it by sliding it down toward the lower front of the main body 1. A door 7 for heat insulation is provided at a carry-out port 6, which is an outlet of the chute 5, so as to be openable and closable. This door 7 is normally closed and is pushed open by the product 4 when the product 4 passes through.

On the front part of the main body 1, there is a product carrying out device W from the product storage chamber 2.
3. A transfer belt 8 that receives the products 4 guided by pushing open the door 7 through the chute 5 and the exit 6 and transfers them laterally;
A motor (not shown) that drives the transfer belt 8, a product receiver 9 for receiving the product 4 discharged from the end of the transfer belt 8, and a conveyor for raising the product receiver 9 and transporting the product 4. A belt 10 and a motor (not shown) for driving the belt 10 are provided. Endless belts are used for the transport belt 8 and the transport belt 10. Conveyor belt 10
is driven by a motor, the product 4 received by the product receiver 9 at approximately the bottom dead center position is raised along the conveyance path 11 together with the product receiver 9 to be transported to the product outlet 12 located approximately at the top dead center, and then the product is removed. This is to lower the receiver 9 to the bottom dead center position.

A product supply port 13 is formed at the bottom of the product receptacle 12 for supplying the product 4 on the product receptacle into the product takeout port 12, and a shutter 14 for opening and closing the product supply port 13 is provided. There is.

Furthermore, a shutter opening/closing mechanism 15 is provided below the product outlet 12 to open and close the shutter 14 in conjunction with the lifting and lowering movement of the product receiver 9 by the conveyor belt 10. As shown in FIG. 3, this shutter opening/closing mechanism 15 includes a shaft 16 and three arm portions 17a rotatably supported by the shaft 16.
, 17b, 17c, a spring 18 that applies rotational force to this composite arm 17, and a composite arm 1
7, and stop flange 19a, 19b.

The arm portion 17a is for sliding the shutter 14, and has a notch 2o H at its tip, and a pin 22 provided on a support member 21 at the bottom of the shutter 14 is engaged with this notch 20. The arm portion 17b is the product receiver 9
The other arm part 17c is for transmitting a rotational force that applies a rotational force in a counterclockwise direction as shown to the sliding arm part 17a when the product receiver 9 is lowered. It is for rotational force doctors who provide rotational force. In addition, the product receiver 9 has an arm portion 1 7.
b , 1 7 c l: 4A Matching knock pin 23
is provided.

Next, the operation of the vending machine of this embodiment will be explained.

First, the customer inserts a predetermined amount of coins into a coin slot (not shown), looks at the product display can 24, and presses the product selection switch 25 to select the desired product. The product is carried out from the lowest part of the storage chamber 2 by the product carrying-out device 3. The transported product 4 passes through the chute 5 to the transport port 6.
After the robot slides down towards the target, the door 7 is pushed open and the robot drops onto the transfer belt 8. The product 4 on the transfer belt 8 is on the transfer belt 8
The product receiver 9 is transferred by and is waiting at the bottom dead center position.
will be put into the

Next, when the product 4 enters the product receptacle 9, it is detected by a product presence/absence detector in the product receptacle (not shown), and based on this, a motor (not shown) drives the conveyor belt 10 under control from a control circuit (not shown). ) is driven. This allows the product to be received by the conveyor belt 10 on the conveyor path 11.
However, when it rises to the vicinity of the product outlet 12, the knock bottle 23 fixed to the product receiver 9 moves into the compound arm 17 of the shirt shutter drive mechanism 15, as shown by the solid line in FIG.
It comes into contact with the arm portion 17b at. As a result, the composite arm 17 rotates counterclockwise using the shaft 16 as a fulcrum against the spring 18. Then, move counterclockwise until the line connecting both ends A and B of the spring 18 overlaps the line connecting the shaft 16 and one end A of the spring 18 (at this time, the spring 18 is stretched to the maximum). When the slide arm 1 is rotated, it is biased by the spring 18 and the slide arm 1 is further moved as shown by the broken line in FIG.
7a rotates until it hits the stopper 19a, and maintains this state thereafter. The counterclockwise rotation of the composite arm 17 causes the shirt stopper 14 to move in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3, thereby opening the product supply port 13.

Therefore, when the product receiver 9 is raised to almost the top dead center position by the conveyor belt 11, the product 4 on the product receiver 9 remains upright and passes through the product supply port 13 without being obstructed by the shutter 14. , exits from the product outlet 12. When the product 4 is taken out from the product takeout port 12 by the purchaser, the conveyor belt 11 The motor that drives the product is rotated in the opposite direction, and the product receiver is lowered.

Here, when the product receiver 9 starts to descend, the knock bottle 23 fixed to the product receiver is moved to the arm portion 1 of the composite arm 17.
I hit 7c. As a result, the composite arm 17 has a spring 1
8 and rotate clockwise. Then, when the spring 18 is rotated clockwise until the line connecting both ends A and B overlaps the line connecting the shaft 16 and one end A of the spring 18, the arm portion 17c is further biased by the spring 18. It rotates until it hits the stopper 19b and maintains this state thereafter.

In this state, the shirt flap 14 is in a state of closing the product supply port 13, as shown by the length line in FIG. Therefore, even if a foreign object enters the product outlet 12 from the outside in this state, the foreign object will be blocked by the shutter 14 and will not enter the conveyance path 11.

Next, the product receiver 9 continues to descend further, and when it descends almost to the bottom dead center position, it enters a standby state.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in the structure of the shutter opening/closing mechanism. The shutter drive mechanism 30 in this embodiment mainly includes a shutter drive motor 31, a pinion 32 and a rack 33 that transmit the rotation of the motor 31 to the shutter 14, and the motor 32 is controlled by a control circuit 34. Further, below the shutter 14, there is a lever 34, a spring 35, and a micro switch 36 that are operated in accordance with the daytime operation of the product receiver 9.
is installed.

The lever 34 is normally in the state shown by the broken line, but when the product receiver 9 rises to near the top dead center position, it is pushed by the bin 38 provided at the lower part 37 of the product receiver 9 and moves counterclockwise against the spring 35. rotate in the direction. As a result, the output of the microswitch 36 is reversed, and the output signal of the switch 36 at this time drives the motor 31 to rotate clockwise via the control circuits 3 and 4. The rotation of the motor 31 is transmitted to the shutter 14 via the pinion 32 and the rack 33, so that the shutter 14 slides to the left and opens the product supply port as shown.

When the product receiver 9 begins to descend, the lever 34 returns to the solid line state, and the switch 36 also returns to its original state. At this time, the output signal of the switch 36 causes the motor 31 to rotate counterclockwise via the control circuit 34, and the shutter 14 closes. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment,
When a foreign object enters the product outlet 12 from the outside, the foreign object is blocked by the shutter 14.

5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing a third embodiment of the present invention, in which a surface 41 on which a product 4 is placed is a flat surface, and a surface 42 on the opposite side is a spherical or solid conical surface. I am using it. The product receiver 40 is rotatably supported by a conveyor belt 101 via a horizontal shaft 43, and is given rotational force by a coil spring (elastic member) 44. coil spring 4
4, when the product receiver 40 has reached almost the top dead center position and the product 4 is placed on it, the surface 41 faces upward as shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, a four-way force is applied to the product receiver 40 so that the surface 42 faces upward.

On the other hand, the coil spring 44 holds the product receiver 40 so that the surface 41 faces upward when the product receiver 40 reaches almost the bottom dead center position.
The product holder rotation mechanism rotates against the product holder 40.
It consists of a product receiving rotating gear 45 provided on the side surface of the box, a one-way clutch 46 for allowing the gear 45 to rotate in only one direction, and a product receiving rotating rack 48 provided vertically within the product drop box 47. ing.

In this embodiment, the product receiver 40 is raised to almost the top dead center position by the conveyor belt 10 with the product 4 placed on the [fIi 41], and the product 4 passes through the product supply port 13 and exits the product take-out port 12. . In this case, although the product receiver 40 receives a rotational force from the coil spring 44, the restoring force of the coil spring 44 is suppressed by the weight of the product 4, so the product receiver 40 does not rotate. When the product 4 is taken out from the product takeout port 12 in this state, the product receiver 40 is reversed by the force of the coil spring 44, that is, rotated 180'', and the surface 42 consisting of a spherical or conical surface faces upward, and the product is taken out nl2. protrude inward.

With the surface 42 facing upward in this manner, if a foreign object is thrown into the product outlet 12 from the outside, the foreign object will fall off the product receiver 40 along the surface 42 and enter the product outlet 12. Since it stops, it will not fall to the west of the transport path 11.

Next, the inverted product receiver 40 is lowered by the conveyor belt 10, and when it descends to near the bottom dead center position, the product receiver rotation gear 45 engages with the product receiver rotating rack 48, and the product receiver 40 is inverted again. Surface 41 on which product 4 is placed
is in a state where the product 4 can be placed with it facing upward.

Next, when performing a sales operation, the product 4 is transferred to the transfer belt 8.
After the product is thrown onto the surface 41 of the product receiver 40 located at the bottom dead center position in the product drop box 47, the product receiver 40 is raised by the conveyor belt 11 to the top dead center position. At this time, since the bearing portion of the product receiving rotating gear 45 is constituted by a one-way clutch 46, even if the gear 45 engages with the product receiving rotating rack 48, the product receiving 40 does not rotate.
41 will rise while maintaining the state facing upward.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented with various modifications. For example, in the drawings of the embodiment, the front side of the product outlet 12 is shown as always open, but in reality, a door is provided on the front side, and the product 4 reaches the product outlet 12 or reaches the product outlet 12. It is desirable to open the door immediately before the product is removed so that the product can be removed, and then close the door again after the product is removed to prevent foreign objects from being thrown in before and after the product is removed.

It is also effective to implement the first or second embodiment in combination with the third embodiment.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the shutter provided at the product supply port of the product retrieval port is opened and closed in conjunction with the product receptacle raising and lowering operations, thereby opening and closing the product receptacle. Foreign objects thrown into the product can be stopped within the product outlet, and can be prevented from falling into the conveyance path.

In addition, by making the surface of the product tray opposite to the surface on which the product is placed a spherical or conical surface and inverting the product immediately after taking it out, foreign objects thrown into the product takeout port can also be placed on the product tray and enter the conveyance path. It is possible to prevent the object from falling.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vending machine of the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same embodiment. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the second embodiment of the present invention in detail, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are main parts of the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1...Vending machine body, 2...Product storage room, 3...
・Product unloading device, 9...Product receiver, 1o...Transport belt, 11...Transport path, 12...Product take-out port, 13
...Product supply port, 14...Shutter, 15.30.
...Shutter opening/closing mechanism, 40...Product receiver, 41.4
2... Surface on which the product is placed and the opposite surface, 44.
...Coil spring (elastic member), 45...Product receiving rotating gear, 48...Product receiving rotating rack.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A product carried out from the lower part of a product storage room that stores multiple products is received at almost the bottom dead center position by a product receiver that can be raised and lowered, and the product is transported along a predetermined transport path using this product receiver. A vending machine that transports a product in a product tray to a product takeout port by raising the product to almost a top dead center position by means of a means, comprising: a shutter for opening and closing a product supply port provided at the bottom of the product takeout port; A vending machine characterized by comprising a shutter drive mechanism that opens and closes the shutter in conjunction with the lifting and lowering movement of the product tray by the conveyance means. (2) The product carried out from the lower part of the product storage room that stores multiple products is received at almost the bottom dead center position by a product receiver that can be raised and lowered, and the product is transported along a predetermined transport path using this product receiver. In a vending machine in which the product in the product tray is lifted to almost the top dead center position by a means and transported to the product takeout port, the surface of the product tray opposite to the surface on which the product is placed is a spherical or conical surface. The product receiver is provided to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, and the surface opposite to the surface on which the product is placed faces upward when the product receiver reaches almost the top dead center position and the product is not placed thereon. an elastic member that applies rotational force to the product receiver; and a product receiver rotation mechanism that rotates the product receiver against the elastic member so that the surface on which the product is placed faces upward when the product receiver reaches approximately the bottom dead center position. A vending machine characterized by comprising: