JPH05258168A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To receive the load of a commodity with a steps even during commodity sales operation so as not to exert the whole load of the commodity on a commodity carrying-out device by respectively providing the difference of steps between an arraying member and an upper stage commodity receiving part. CONSTITUTION:The commodity 16 sorted by a guiding component 22 hits the commodity receiving face 62 of the upper step commodity receiving part 56, the commodity 16 which rolls/drops along the upper step commodity receiving part 56 makes a small drop once with the step difference 60 and changes its direction laterally with repulsion generated by that the bottom of the commodity 16 collides against the step difference 60. As the result, the load is distributed to reduce the load to a lower step. Then, the commodity 16 drops more, rolls along the upper part 50a of the arraying member 50, makes a small drop once with the step difference 51, changes its direction laterally with repulsion generated by that the bottom face of the commodity 16 collides against the step difference 51, the load is distributed as the result to reduce the load exerted on the lower step and reaches the lower part 50b of the arraying member 50. Then the commodity 16 collides against a lower step commodity receiving part 64.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention stores products such as cylindrical cans and bottles of juice, beer, etc. in a column in a laid-down state and stores them in a stacked state. The present invention relates to a vending machine that carries out products.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The applicant of the present invention can store a large number of products in a column at one time as a kind of the above-mentioned vending machine, and can easily carry out the work of supplying the products and shorten the supply time. The following vending machine capable of achieving the above has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-247794).

The structure of the vending machine 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a box-shaped main body of the vending machine 10. Reference numeral 12 indicates a front door that opens and closes the front surface of the main body 11. Reference numeral 13 is a product storage case that is stored in the main body 11 so as to be slidable in and out in the front-rear direction.

Reference numeral 14 indicates a column provided in a plurality of rows in the product storage case 13. The upper part of the column 14 is a product storage portion 14a in which the products 16 are laid sideways and can be stored at random in a stacked state. Further, the lower part of the column 14 is a product unloading section 14b provided with two product unloading paths for sequentially carrying out the products 16 stored in the product storage section 14a.
Then, on the left side when viewed from the front of the product storage unit 14a,
A product storage opening 15 is formed, and a plurality of products 16 can be inserted together with the box from the product storage opening 15. A column door 15a is rotatably provided in the product storage opening 15.

Reference numeral 17 indicates a product unloading device provided at the lowermost part of the column 14 in the center in the front-rear direction. The product discharge device 17 is provided with a support piece 18 in the lower part, a temporary fixing piece 19 in the center part, and a sold-out detection lever 20 in the upper part in the front-back direction. Two product outlets 23 and 24 are provided on the bottom surface of the column 14 in front of and behind the column 14, respectively, and the products 16 are pre-loaded by the operation of the support pieces 18 on both sides of the product unloading device 17. The paper is carried out from the exit 23 or the post-carrying exit 24.

Reference numerals 21 and 21 denote delivery plates provided on the side opposed to the product unloading device 17. The delivery plate 21 is movable in the front-rear direction, and when the product 16 stored in the column 14 is a thick can, it is moved away from the product carry-out device 17 to widen the product carry-out path. If the product 16 to be stored is a small can,
The product carry-out device 17 is moved toward the product carry-out device 17 to narrow the product carry-out path.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a triangular prism-shaped guide member provided above the product unloading device 17, that is, between the product storage section 14a and the product unloading section 14b. This guide member 2
The column 2 is located substantially in the center of the column 14 in the front-rear direction, and sorts the products 16 randomly stored in the column 14 into two product unloading paths.

Reference numeral 29 indicates an aligning member made of a pair of metal plates provided between the guide member 22 and the product unloading device 17. Reference numeral 30 indicates an upper product receiving portion provided on the side facing the alignment member 29. This upper product receiving section 30
Has a triangular shape, and one side thereof can lock the product 16. Reference numeral 31 denotes a lower product receiving portion provided below the upper product receiving portion 30. The lower product receiving section 31 is also a product 1.
6 can be locked.

With the vending machine 10 having the above-described structure, when replenishing products, it is possible to store a large number of products 16 in a box, through the product storage opening 15 of the column 14. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform the replenishment work of the product 16 and to shorten the replenishment time. Further, there is an effect that the structure of the column 14 can be simplified and the number of parts can be reduced.

[0011]

In the vending machine 10 having the above structure, the products sorted by the guide member 22 are, as shown in FIG. 8, an upper product receiving portion 30, an aligning member 29, and a lower product receiving portion 31. The product discharge paths formed in a meandering shape are sequentially dropped in a line.

In the meander-formed product unloading path, when the product is not for sale and the product is stationary in the column, the load of the product is higher than the upper product receiving portion 30, the aligning member 29, and the aligning member 29, respectively. Since it is received by the lower stage product receiving portion 31, the support piece 18 of the product unloading device 17
The load on the is reduced.

However, during the sales operation in which the product unloading device 17 is operating, the products are falling from the product unloading path from top to bottom. In this case, the upper product receiving section 3
0, the alignment member 29, and the lower stage product receiving portion 31 only change the direction in which the product falls in a meandering manner, and do not function to reduce the load on the product. Therefore, there is a problem that all the loads are applied to the product unloading device 17 during the selling operation.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an automatic vending machine having a structure in which the load of the product applied to the product discharge device is reduced even during the vending operation of the automatic vending machine.

[0015]

The vending machine according to the present invention comprises:
A column for storing products such as cylindrical cans and bottles is provided so that it can be freely pulled out from the front of the vending machine body, and the column is a product storage unit that can store a large number of products sideways and randomly in a stacked state, and a product storage unit. And a product unloading section provided with two product unloading paths branched by a guide member for sequentially carrying out the products stored in the product storing section.
A product outlet for discharging each of the products in the two product discharge paths is provided on the bottom surface of the product discharge section, and the product is discharged from the product discharge port by one.
In a vending machine in which a product unloading device for unloading products one by one is provided in a lower part of a product unloading path, two plate-like parts are provided below the guide member for dropping the products in two product unloading paths while aligning the products in a line. And aligning the above-mentioned two aligning members, projecting the upper-stage product receiving portions from the front and rear walls of the column facing the two aligning members, respectively, and lowering the lower-stage product receiving portions from the front and rear walls of the column below the upper-stage product receiving portion. A step is provided between the upper and lower parts of the aligning member, and a step is provided between the upper and lower parts of the upper product receiving portion so as to protrude downward.

[0016]

[Operation] In the vending machine with the above configuration, when the product unloading device is carrying out the product, the guide member is used to
First of all, the products sorted into one product delivery route are
Hit the upper product receiving section. In this case, the stepped portion of the upper product receiving portion disperses the falling load of the product and reduces the load downward. Next, the products reach the alignment member, but since the steps are provided here as well, the rolling drop of the products is shaken from the downward direction to the lateral direction by the stepped portions, and the downward product load is reduced. Further dropped products are received by the lower product receiving portion and finally reach the product unloading device.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used for the same structures as those described in the section of the prior art.

First, the structure will be described with reference to FIGS.

Reference numeral 50 indicates two aligning members provided below the guide member 22. The aligning member 50 is formed of a metal plate, the upper end of which is suspended by a shaft 52 in a hinge shape, and the lower surface of the aligning member 50 is supported by the shafts 54, 54 so as to open in a fan shape. A step 51 is provided at the center of the aligning member 50, so that the aligning member 50 has an upper portion 50a and a lower portion 50a.
It can be divided into b.

Reference numeral 56 is an upper product receiving portion projecting from a side wall 58 of the column 14 located on the side of the two aligning members 50, 50. The upper product receiving portion 56 is formed by bending a metal plate into a triangular cross section. The upper side of one hypotenuse of the triangle contacts the side wall 58, and the lower side thereof extends inward of the column. At the center of this hypotenuse, a side wall 58
Is provided on the side of. The lower surface of the concave portion extends more inwardly of the column than the upper surface thereof, thereby forming a step 60. A portion of the oblique side above the concave portion is the product receiving surface 62.

Reference numeral 64 is a lower product receiving portion that protrudes from the side wall 58 below the upper product receiving portion 56. The lower product receiving portion 64 is also formed in a triangular shape, and the product is received by the product receiving surface 66 which is one side of the triangular shape.

The product unloading path includes a guide member 22, an upper stage product receiving portion 56, an alignment member 50 and a lower stage product receiving portion 6.
0, and its cross-sectional shape is substantially meandering.

In the vending machine 10 having the above structure, the flow of goods in the goods carry-out section 14b during the goods selling operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Products 1 sorted by the guide member 22
6 hits the product receiving surface 62 of the upper product receiving portion 56, and the product 16 that has rolled and dropped along the upper product receiving portion 56 once drops slightly due to the step 60, and the lower surface of the product 16 collides with the step 60. The repulsive force changes the direction to the lateral direction, and as a result, the load is distributed and the load on the lower stage is reduced. Product 16
Continues to fall and hits the upper portion 50a of the alignment member 50 (see FIG. 3).

The product 16 rolls along the upper portion 50a of the aligning member 50, and the product 16 that has rolled and dropped along the upper portion 50a once drops slightly due to the step 51, and the lower surface of the product 16 collides with the step 51. With the repulsive force,
As a result, the load is dispersed to reduce the load on the lower stage and reach the lower portion 50b of the alignment member 50. Lower part 50b of the alignment member 50
The product 16 that has reached the position changes the falling direction to the rear of the column, and then hits the lower product receiving portion 64 (see FIG. 4).

The products that have reached the product receiving surface 66 of the lower product receiving portion 64 are dropped onto the product unloading device 17.

As described above, in the product carrying-out path having the above structure, the load of the product 16 is received by the step 51 of the aligning member 50 and the step 60 of the upper product receiving portion 56, respectively. Also, the load of all the products 16 is not applied to the product unloading device 17.

[0029]

In the vending machine of the present invention, the steps of the aligning member and the upper product receiving portion are provided to receive the load of the product even during the product selling operation. The product will not be loaded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a product unloading unit of a column according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the product unloading section with some parts omitted.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of an alignment member and an upper stage product receiving portion, showing a state where a product is dropped on the upper stage product receiving portion.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which products are dropped on the alignment member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which a front door of the vending machine is opened.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vending machine shown in the previous figure with the column pulled out to the front.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the column of the previous figure.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a product unloading unit of a conventional vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 …… Vending machine 11 …… Main body 13 …… Product storage case 14 …… Column 14 a …… Product storage section 14 b …… Product delivery section 15 …… Opening section 16 …… Product 17 …… Product delivery device 22 …… Guidance member 23 ...... Merchandise outlet 24 ...... Merchandise outlet 50 …… Alignment member 51 …… Step 52 …… Shaft 56 …… Upper stage product receiving part 58 …… Column side wall 60 …… Step 62 …… Product receiving surface 64: Lower product receiving section 66: Product receiving surface

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A column for storing products such as cylindrical cans and bottles is provided so as to be freely drawn out from the front surface of a vending machine body, and the column is a product storage unit capable of storing a large number of products in a stacked state at random. And a product unloading section located below the product storage section and provided with two product unloading paths branched by a guide member for sequentially carrying out the products stored in the product storage section. In the vending machine in which a product carry-out port for carrying out each product in the road is provided on the bottom surface of the product carry-out unit, and a product carry-out device for carrying out one product at a time from the product carry-out port is provided at the bottom of the product carry-out path Below the member, two plate-like aligning members for aligning and dropping the products in a row in the two product carry-out paths are arranged, respectively, from both front and rear walls of the column facing the two aligning members. Upper row The product receiving part is projected, and the lower product receiving part is projected from both front and rear walls of the column below the upper product receiving part, and a step is provided between the upper and lower parts of the aligning member. An automatic vending machine characterized in that a step is provided between the upper and lower parts so as to protrude downward.