JPH0390992A - Lifting type commodity carrying device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately stop the 1st commodity receiving board on the 1st waiting position by restoring the 2nd commodity receiving board to the 2nd waiting position at the time of discharging the 2nd commodity and then correcting the stop position of the 1st commodity receiving board. CONSTITUTION:In the case of discharging the 2nd commodity B, a clatch CL is turned on, the 1st and 2nd lifting mechanism 3b, 3a are simultaneously driven and the 2nd commodity receiving board 5b is moved from the 2nd waiting position to the commodity discharge position. After discharging the commodity, an actuator M is driven again and the 2nd commodity receiving board 5b is restored to the 2nd waiting position indicated by the information of the 2nd detection means SW5. Then the clatch CL is turned off, the actuator M is driven to drive only the 1st lifting means 3b and the 1st commodity receiving board 5a is restored to the 1st waiting position indicated by the information of the 1st detecting means SW3. Thereby when the 2nd commodity receiving board 5b is restored to the 2nd waiting position, the 1st commodity receiving board 5a can be accurately restored to the 1st waiting position.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a first lifting mechanism that reciprocates up and down a first product holder along a lifting path, and a second lifting mechanism that moves a second product holder along a lifting path. A second elevating mechanism for reciprocating elevating and lowering is provided, and an actuator serving as a driving source is interlocked and connected to the first elevating mechanism,
A second elevating mechanism is interlocked with the first elevating mechanism via a clutch, and a control means for controlling the operation of the actuator and the clutch moves the first product pedestal to the first elevating mechanism.
When discharging the product by moving the product from the standby position to the product discharge position, the clutch is disengaged to operate the actuator, and the second product holder is moved from the second standby position to the product discharge position. The present invention relates to an elevating type product conveyance device for a vending machine, which is configured to put the clutch in an engaged state and operate the actuator when the product is moved to a product discharge position and discharged.

[Conventional technology]

As the elevating type product conveyance device for the above-mentioned vending machine, one constructed as shown in FIG. 5 and which performs the following control has been proposed (Japanese Patent Application No. 1-80447). That is, in the control means (30), when discharging the first product (A) (the product to be received from the product storage section on the first product holder), the dog clutch (CL) is disengaged. By operating the electric motor (M) which is an actuator, the first elevating mechanism (3a) is operated and only the first product holder (5a) is ejected from the first standby position to the product outlet (9). The electric motor (M) moves the product up and down, and after ejecting the product.
is operated in reverse to move the first product holder (5a) back to the first standby position. The second product holder (5b) waits at the second standby position until the first product is completely discharged. In addition, the second product (B) (the second product from the product storage section)
When discharging products (products that are removed from the product tray),
With the clutch (CL) in the engaged state, the electric motor (M
), the first lifting mechanism (3a) and the second lifting mechanism (3b) are operated simultaneously, and the second product holder (5
b> only is moved from the second standby position to the product discharge position,
After the product is discharged, the electric motor (M) is operated in reverse to move the second product holder (5b) back to the second standby position. While the second product holder (5b) is going up and down, the first product holder (5a) is also going up and down at the same time.
5b) returns to the second standby position, the first product holder (5a) also returns to the first standby position.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above method, the phase may shift when the clutch is engaged in order to discharge the second product. If such a misalignment occurs, the second product holder will
When returning to the standby position, the first product holder may not be able to accurately return to the first standby position, and the stopping position of the first product holder may be deviated from the second standby position.

The present invention was devised in view of this situation, and its purpose is to eliminate the deviation between the stop position of the first product holder and the first standby position that occurs after the second product is discharged.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes the first
A first detection means for detecting whether the product holder is in a first standby position, and a second detection means for detecting whether the second product holder is in a second standby position, The control means, when discharging the product at the first product pedestal,
When returning the first product holder to the first standby position, the actuator is actuated based on the information of the first detection means, and the second product holder is configured to operate the actuator, and when the first product holder is moved back to the first standby position, In the case where the second product holder is moved back to the second standby position and the first product holder is moved back to the first standby position, the actuator is activated based on the information of the second detection means. The actuator is actuated to return the second product holder to the second standby position, and then, with the clutch disengaged, the actuator is actuated based on information from the first detection means to return the first product to the second standby position. The first characteristic configuration is that the pedestal is configured to return to the first standby position.

Furthermore, the control means is configured to disengage the clutch to operate the actuator by a set amount overrun when the second product holder is moved to the product ejection position, and then to engage the clutch. The points configured in the following are set as the second characteristic configuration.

[For production]

According to the first characteristic configuration, when discharging the first product, the control means disengages the clutch and operates the actuator to operate only the first lifting mechanism to receive the first product. Move the table up and down from the standby position to the product discharge position. After the product is discharged, the actuator is operated again to move the first product holder back to the first standby position indicated by the information of the first detection means.

In addition, when discharging the second product, the control means engages the clutch and operates the actuator to discharge the first product.
The second product holder is moved from the second standby position to the product discharge position while the elevating mechanism and the second elevating mechanism operate simultaneously. After the product is discharged, the actuator is operated again to operate only the first elevating means, and the second product holder is moved back to the second standby position indicated by the information from the second detection means. Thereafter, by disengaging the clutch and operating the actuator, only the first elevating means is operated, and the first elevating means is operated.
The first product holder is moved back to the first standby position indicated by the information of the detection means.

According to the second characteristic configuration, the following effects are added to the first characteristic configuration. In other words, when discharging the second product, the control device engages the clutch and operates the actuator, so that the first elevating mechanism and the second elevating mechanism are operated simultaneously, and the second product is received. The table is moved from the second standby position to the product discharge position. When the second product holder reaches the product ejection position, the clutch is disengaged to stop the second product holder, and at the same time, the actuator is overrun by a set amount to operate only the first lifting mechanism redundantly, The first product holder is moved by a set amount and stopped at a position. After the product is discharged, the clutch is engaged and the actuator is activated to return the second product holder to the second standby position indicated by the information from the second detection means.

When the second product holder reaches the second standby position, the first product holder is located a predetermined amount in front of the first standby position.

Therefore, after that, with the clutch in the disengaged state, the actuator is operated to overrun by almost the set amount, and only the first lifting mechanism is operated redundantly to move the first product holder to the first standby position indicated by the information of the first detection means. Move back to .

〔Effect of the invention〕

In the first characteristic configuration, when the second product holder is moved back to the second standby position when discharging the second product, the stop position of the first product holder is corrected to correct the deviation from the first standby position. This makes it possible to stop the first product holder at the first standby position with high precision.

The second feature configuration is a more specific version of the first feature configuration. When the second product holder is stopped at the second standby position, the first product holder will always be in front of the second stop position, so if the first product holder is in front of the first standby position. There is no need to judge whether the product is on the other side, and the first product holder is placed on the other side.
It can be easily stopped at the standby position.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be briefly described with reference to the drawings.

Figures 2 and 3 are large-capacity heavy bottled beverages (A)
(corresponding to the first product)
a) is a bottle product storage section (1
) and a canned product storage section (2) in which a plurality of serpentines (2a) for storing canned beverages (B) (corresponding to the second product) are provided on the front, back, left and right sides. A bottle product pedestal (5a) and a can product pedestal as first and second product pedestals that are reciprocally raised and lowered along a common vertical lifting path (4) by the operation of mechanisms (3a) and (3b). (5b) shows a vending machine where is placed.

Each of the product storage shelves (1a) is constituted by a lateral conveyor, and the product storage racks (1a) are connected to the bin product holders (5).
a) The bottled beverage (A) is delivered to the bottled product delivery port (
The transport end portions 6a) are arranged one above the other in a posture facing the elevation path (4). On the other hand, the serpentine (
A lateral conveyor (2b) is provided below 2a),
Canned beverages (B) dispensed from the serpentine (2a)
) is picked up by this horizontal conveyor (2b) and transferred to the can product receiving stand (5b). It faces the lifting route (4).

In addition, a product outlet (8) provided in the front door (7)
A product discharge port (9) connected to the container faces the lifting path (4) at a height between the upper three bottle product delivery ports (6a) and the lower two bottle product delivery ports (6b). There is.

During non-selling operations, the bin product holder (5a) located on the upper side waits at a first standby position (corresponding to the product discharge position) facing the product discharge port (9) and moves along the lifting path (4). An inner door (10) is provided to prevent tampering from entering the bottle product storage section (1) from the product outlet (8) side.

During the sales operation, one of the bottle product delivery ports (6a
) is driven to pick up the bottled beverage (A) and discharge it to the product discharge port (9).

On the other hand, the can product holder (5b) located on the lower side stands by at a second standby position (product receiving position) facing the can product delivery port (6b) during non-selling operations, and stands by at the can product delivery port during product sales operations. The receiver is driven to pick up the canned beverage (B) only from (6b) and discharge it to the product outlet (9).

The bin product elevating mechanism (3a) includes a drive small-diameter sprocket (
Sl), (Sl) and idling small diameter sprocket (S2), (
32), and a bottle product holder (5a) is connected to these chains (lla) and (llb). The can product elevating mechanism (3b) includes the drive small diameter sprocket (3
1), (31) are fixed to the first driven shaft (12) for driving.
〉 large-diameter free-rotating sprocket (
S3) and a driven large-diameter sprocket (S4) fixed to the second driven shaft (13) that supports the free-rotating small-diameter sprocket (S2). ) is connected to a can product holder (5b). A meshing type clutch (CL) that is electrically turned on and off is interposed between the second driven shaft (12) and the idling small diameter sprocket (S2).

The bottle product lifting mechanism (3a) and the can product lifting mechanism (3b)
) means that the bottle product holder (
Only 5a) can be driven up and down, and by engaging the clutch (CL), the bottle product holder (5a) and the can product holder (5b) can be moved up and down.
Both can be driven up and down, and the can product holder (5b
) is driven up and down at a higher speed than the bottle product holder (5a) by the ratio of the sprocket diameter, and when the can product holder (5b) moves from the second standby position (product receiving position) to the product discharge position, It is linked so that it moves close to the bottle product holder (5a). The clutch (CL) is engaged only when the canned beverage (B) is sold, and is normally kept in the disengaged state.

Each of the bottle product holder (5a) and the can product holder (5b) is provided with an elevator stand (14a), respectively, so that they can be switched between a horizontal position for receiving products and an inclined position for dispensing products. (14b) so as to be vertically swingable around the horizontal axis, and both the elevator stands (14a) and (14b) are connected to the corresponding lifting mechanisms (3a) and (3b). chain (lla), (
llb).

Each of the elevator stands (], 4a), (L4b) has a common linear guide rail (15) provided in the vertical direction.
The product is raised and lowered while being held and guided by the product pedestal (
5a), (5b) are each fixedly guided by a common bending guide rail (16) having a bending portion (16a) that bends near the product discharge port (9), and the product holder (5a),
At the product discharge position where (5b) faces the product discharge port (8), it is switched to a forward tilted position by the guiding action of the bent portion (16a), and the bottled beverage (A) or canned beverage (B) is discharged by its own weight. Slide down to the exit (9) and push open the inner door (10) so that the tip of the bottled beverage (A) or canned beverage (B)
10) and then stop in a slightly forward position. Then, the purchaser opens the inner door (10) provided at the product outlet (8), grabs the bottled beverage (A) or canned beverage (B), and takes it out of the machine.

As shown in FIG. 1, the motor (M) and clutch (CL) apply braking force to a first brake (D3) directly connected to the output part of the motor (M) and a second driven shaft (13). One control device (30) together with a second brake (D2) that applies a
It is connected to the. Various switches (SWI) to (SW9) are connected to the control device (30), and control information is input from these.

(SWI) is a vertical position detection switch that is provided at each of the bottle product delivery ports (6a) and outputs a signal of contact with the bottle product holder (5a). (SW2) is a discharge detection switch that is provided on the terminal end side of the transverse conveyor (la) and outputs a contact signal with the conveyed bottled beverage (A). (SWj) is a first standby position detection switch that is provided at the first standby position, that is, the product discharge position, and outputs a signal of contact with the bin product holder (5a). (
SW4) is provided at the canned product delivery port (6b),
The insulated door (17), which can swing open and close, is connected to the horizontal conveyor (2b).
) This is an unloading detection switch that detects that the canned beverage (B) that has been conveyed thereon has been pushed open by contact with the canned beverage (B). (SW5) outputs a signal when the can product holder (5b) comes into contact with the can product holder (5b) when the can product holder (5b) reaches the first standby position, that is, the product receiving position facing the can product delivery opening (6b). This is a second standby position detection switch.

Further, (SW3) is an upper unlock switch that detects that the bin product holder (5a) has descended to the product discharge port (8) side and outputs a lock release signal to the locking device;
(SW7) is a bottle product holder (5a) or a can product holder (
The lower unlock switch (SW3) outputs the lock release signal upon detecting that the bottle product holder (5b) has risen toward the product ejection port (8) side, and the lower unlock switch (SW3) detects that the bottle product holder (5a) has risen toward the product ejection port (8) side and outputs the lock release signal. Then, when the bottle product holder (5a) reaches the upper limit position, the evacuation switch (SWe) outputs a contact signal with the bottle product holder (5a).
This is an upper limit switch that outputs a contact signal with a). All of these are provided in the lifting path (4).

The control device (30) includes various switches (SWI) to
Based on the information of (SW3), the product holder (5a), (5
b) Elevation control is performed. First, the specific operation when there is a sales instruction for the bottled beverage (A) will be explained.

If there is a sales command for the bottled beverage (A), the first brake (Dl) is released, the motor (M) is driven, the drive small sprocket (Sl) is rotated, and the bottled product lifting mechanism (3a) is activated. drive the bottle product holder (5a), which was waiting at the first standby position facing the product discharge port (9), toward the bottle product delivery port (6a) for the selected bottled beverage (A). Go up and down.

The bottle product holder (5a) is connected to a predetermined bottle product delivery opening (6).
When the product receiving position facing a) is reached and a signal from the lifting position detection switch (SWI) corresponding to the bin product delivery port (6a) is detected, the motor (M) is stopped and then the first brake is activated. (DI) is activated.

Then, the transverse conveyor (la) corresponding to the bottled product delivery port (6a) is driven to transport the bottled beverage (A) horizontally, and an unloading detection switch (SW2) causes the bottled beverage (A) to be transferred to the bottle. When it is detected that the product has been transferred to the product pedestal (5a), the drive of the transverse conveyor (1a) is stopped.

After releasing the first brake (Dl), the motor (M
) in the opposite direction to operate the bottle product elevating mechanism (3a) and raise and lower the bottle product holder (5a) toward the product discharge port (9). When the first standby position detection switch (SW3) detects that the bin product holder (5a) has reached the first standby position facing the product ejection port (9), the motor (
After stopping the drive of M), the first brake (Dl) is activated. Even after the bottled beverage (A) is discharged, it is kept on standby at that position.

Next, the specific operation when there is a sales instruction for canned beverage (B) will be explained. Incidentally, since operations related to the main points of the present invention are performed here, a detailed explanation will be given based on the flowchart of FIG. 4.

When there is an instruction to sell the canned beverage (B), the canned beverage (B) is dispensed from the selected predetermined serpentine (2a), stopped on the horizontal conveyor (2b), and transferred to the horizontal conveyor (2b). 2b) is driven (steps 1 and 2).

When the unloading detection switch (SW3) detects that the canned beverage (B) has been handed over to the canned product holder (5b) that was waiting at the second standby position (product receiving position), the canned beverage is transferred horizontally. Stop driving the conveyor (2b) (steps 3 and 4)
).

Then, the first brake (Dl) and the second brake (D2) are released, and when the set time has elapsed, the clutch (CL) is engaged and operated, and when the set time has elapsed, the motor (M) is driven in normal rotation to move to the second standby position. Canned product holder (5b) waiting for
towards the product discharge port (9) (step 5~
9).

At this time, the bottle product holder (5a) waiting at the first product discharge position facing the product discharge port (8) is also driven upward, allowing the can product holder (5b) to move to the product discharge position. It retreats to an upper position.

When the lower unlock switch (SW7) detects that the canned product holder (5b) has risen toward the product outlet (8), it outputs a lock release signal and closes the inner door (1).
0) to release the locking device (R) (steps 10 to 1).
1). When the first standby position detection switch (SW3) (denoted as home SW in the diagram) detects that the product has reached the product ejection position facing the product ejection port (8), after disengaging the clutch (CL), The second brake (D2) is operated to stop the can product holder (5b) (steps 12 to 14).

When the evacuation switch (SWs) detects that the bin product holder (5a) has reached the evacuation position, the drive of the motor (M) is stopped and the first brake (D3) is activated (steps 15- 17). In addition, the evacuation switch (
If the upper limit switch (SW9) detects that the upper limit position has been reached without being detected by the upper limit switch (SW9), the upper limit switch (SW9) assumes that there is a failure and displays an abnormality occurrence.
The drive of the motor (M) is stopped and the first brake (DI) is activated (step 18.19.16.17).

In short, here, even after the can product holder (5b) has stopped, the motor (M) continues to be driven in normal rotation and the bottle product holder (5b)
5a) continues to rise, and when the bottle product holder (5a) reaches the evacuation position where it has overrun the set amount, the motor (M)
The drive of the engine is stopped.

When the discharge of the canned beverage (B) from the canned product holder (5b) to the product discharge port (8) is completed, the first and second brakes <DI) and (D2) are released, and after the set time has elapsed. The clutch (CL) is engaged, and after a set time has elapsed, the motor (M) is driven in reverse to lower the can product holder (5b) together with the bottle product holder (5a) (steps 20 to 25).

When the second standby position detection switch (SWs) detects that the can product holder (5b) has reached the second standby position (product receiving position) facing the can product delivery port (6b), the clutch (CL) is activated. ) and operate the second brake (D2
) is activated (steps 26-28).

The first standby position detection switch (S) indicates that the bin product holder (5a) has reached the first standby position (product discharge position).
W3), the drive of the motor (M) is stopped and the first brake (Dl) is activated (step 2).
9-31).

In short, even after the can product holder (5b) stops, the motor (M) continues to be driven in reverse to lower the bottle product holder (5a), and the bottle product holder (5a) reaches the first standby position. When this is detected by the first standby position detection switch (SW3), the drive of the motor (M) is stopped for the first time and the first brake (Dl) is activated.

However, the second standby position detection switch (SW5) may be activated after the clutch (CL) is engaged and until the set time elapses.
If no detection is made, an abnormality occurrence is displayed, the drive of the motor (M) is stopped, and the first and second brakes (DI) and (D2) are operated (steps 28 and 29).
).

As explained above, in the elevating product conveyance device to which the present invention is applied, when there is a sales command for a canned beverage (B), the canned product holder (5b) is stopped at the product ejection position, and then Since the bottle product holder (5a) is raised extra, even if there is a misalignment of the clutch (CL), the relative positional relationship between the bottle product holder (5a) and the can product holder (5b) will be changed. Even if the position is shifted, it is corrected when the can product holder (5b) is moved back to the second standby position, and the bottle product holder (5a) can be accurately stopped at the second standby position.

[Another example]

The present invention can also be implemented as follows.

(a) When the can product holder (5b) stops at the product discharge position, the bottle product holder (5a) is not overrun;
The deviation between the position of the bottle product holder (5a) and the first standby position when the can product holder (5b) is stopped at the second standby position is
The correction may be made later by raising and lowering the bin product holder (5a).

(b) The first standby position may be located at a different position from the product discharge port (9).

(c) The first standby position and the second standby position may be arranged side by side.

(d) The product outlet (9) may be divided into one for discharging bottled beverages and one for discharging canned beverages.

(e) The first standby position detection switch (SW3)
A non-contact sensor may be used as the standby position detection switch (SWs).

(f) The present invention provides a reciprocating lift between two bin product storage units (1) along a common vertical lifting path (4) by the operation of a pair of lifting mechanisms (3a) and (3b). Ru2
A vending machine configured with two bottle product holders,
A pair of lifting/lowering mechanisms (3)
A common vertical lifting path (
4) Two can product holders (5b) that are reciprocated up and down along
It may also be applied to a vending machine configured by arranging.

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 drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the elevating product conveyance device for a vending machine according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the control configuration, FIG. 2 is a vertical front view of the vending machine, and FIG. 3 is a vertical side view of the vending machine. 4 are flowcharts when discharging the second product, and FIG. 5 is a front view schematically showing a conventional vending machine. (CL)・・・Clutch, (M)・・・・・・
Actuator, (SW3)...first detection means, (SW5)...second detection means, (3a)...
....First elevating mechanism, (3b)...Second elevating mechanism, (4)...Elevating route, (5a)...
...First product holder, (5b)...Second product holder, (30)...Control means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A first elevating mechanism (3a) that reciprocates up and down the first product holder (5a) along the elevating path (4), and a first elevating mechanism (3a) that moves the second product holder (5b) up and down the elevating path (4). 4) The second
A lifting mechanism (3b) is provided, an actuator (M) serving as a drive source is interlocked and connected to the first lifting mechanism (3a), and a second lifting mechanism (3b) is connected to the first lifting mechanism (3a) by a clutch ( A control means (30) that is interlocked and connected via a clutch (CL) and controls the operation of the actuator (M) and the clutch (CL) is configured to eject the first product holder (5a) from its first standby position. When discharging the product by moving it to the position, the clutch (CL) is disengaged and the actuator (M) is operated, and the second product holder (5b) is moved to its second position. 2. When discharging the product by moving it from the standby position to the product ejection position, the product in the vending machine is configured to engage the clutch (CL) and operate the actuator (M). The conveyance device includes a first product receiving stand (5a) that detects whether or not the first product holder (5a) is in a first standby position.
a detection means (SW_3) and a second detection means (S) for detecting whether or not the second product holder (5b) is in the second standby position
W_5), and the control means (30), when discharging the product at the first product holder (5a),
When returning the first product holder (5a) to the first standby position, the actuator (M) is actuated based on information from the first detection means (SW_3), and When discharging using the second product holder (5b), return the second product holder (5b) to the second standby position and return the first product holder (5a) to the first standby position. In this case, the second detection means (SW_
The actuator (M) is operated based on the information in step 5) to return the second product holder (5a) to the second standby position, and then, with the clutch (CL) disengaged, Lifting and lowering of a vending machine configured to operate the actuator (M) based on information from a first detection means (SW_3) to return the first product holder (5a) to the first standby position. type product conveyance device. 2. The control means (30) controls the second product holder (5b
) to the product discharge position, the clutch (CL) is disengaged to operate the actuator (M) by a set amount overrun, and then the clutch (CL) is moved to the product discharge position.
2. The elevating product conveyance device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the elevating product conveyance device for a vending machine is configured to bring the device L) into the closed state.