JPH0610467Y2 - Vending machine guidance mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a vending machine for selling cylindrical products such as drink bottles, and more particularly, for storing and transporting cylindrical products to the product outlet. The present invention relates to a guide mechanism having a guide plate that is installed to face a product discharge mechanism provided at a lower portion of a road.

[Conventional technology]

In a vending machine that sells this type of cylindrical product,
When a product is stored in the product storage / conveyance path, the cylindrical product becomes tilted from the rolling state (horizontal state) while it is being conveyed in the product storage / conveyance path, and before it reaches the predetermined position. , Cylindrical products may get caught on the way.
Further, when the cylindrical product is a drink bottle, it may be broken during the transportation in the product storage / transportation path.
In order to solve these problems, various attitude control means have hitherto been taken.

As one of the attitude control means, there is known one that applies braking to a product when the product rolls and falls in the product storage / conveyance path (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 58-32580). Further, as other attitude control means, a regulation body is provided in the middle of the product storage / conveyance path (for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-175275) or a buffer body is provided (for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-175276). ) Is also known. Furthermore, in the middle of the product storage / conveyance path, posture control plates that rotate due to the weight of the product are provided in multiple stages, and the tip of each posture control is bent in the direction opposite to the direction in which the product falls (for example, -123079 bulletin)
It has been known.

In any case, these conventional attitude control means are provided in the middle of the product storage / conveyance path.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

By the way, in this type of vending machine, in order to carry out the products stored in the product storage / conveyance path one by one in response to the product sales signal to the product outlet, at the bottom of the product storage / conveyance path,
That is, a product unloading mechanism is provided between the product storage / conveyance path and the product outlet. In this merchandise carry-out mechanism, there is only a passage (interval) through which the merchandise can pass, for the purpose of carrying out the merchandise one by one.

As described above, conventionally, in order to prevent the product from being caught or broken in the middle, only various attitude control means are provided in the middle of the product storage / conveyance path.
Nothing is provided in the product unloading mechanism.

Further, since the product passage in the product carry-out mechanism is very narrow, it is not possible to prevent the product carry-out by providing the posture control means at the product carry-out mechanism as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-123079. There is a possibility that it is not preferable.

By the way, when the product is stored in the product storage / conveyance path, the most serious problem is that the product is tilted from the horizontal state at the product discharge mechanism. In particular, when the product is a drink bottle, since the diameter is different, when the drink bottle rolls and falls in the product storage / conveyance path, the portion with a large diameter becomes slower than the portion with a smaller diameter due to friction, The smaller diameter portion of the drink bottle tends to fall faster than the larger diameter portion. When the product is in a tilted state at the product unloading mechanism in this manner, various troubles such as the product not being discharged despite the product sale signal being generated occur.

In order to solve this, conventionally, a small diameter is provided on the inner surface of the product discharge guide member that guides the large-diameter body outer peripheral surface of the product whose head outer peripheral surface is smaller than the body outer peripheral surface. A narrow guide member for guiding the outer peripheral surface of the head is added to prevent an accident in which a horizontally placed product gets stuck in the product passage (for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-159475). reference).

However, in the method of adding the guide member, the direction of the product is determined to be either the right direction or the left direction depending on the position where the guide member is attached. Therefore, when the product is stored (filled) in the product storage conveyance path, It is necessary to pay attention to the orientation of the product when storing it. This is very annoying to the person who stores (fills) the product.

Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to store (fill) the product in either the right or left direction and to prevent the product from being tilted at the product unloading mechanism. is there.

Further, in the conventional vending machine, when the product is carried out by the product carry-out mechanism, when the product at the carry-out position is carried out and then the product to be carried out next comes down to the carry-out position, its own weight and The weight of the product on it adds to the product to be delivered next, causing it to fall or roll rapidly. This impact may cause inconvenience such as cracking or deformation of the product to be carried out next time.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to prevent cracking or deformation of a product to be carried out next.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The guide mechanism of the vending machine according to the present invention is installed opposite to the product unloading mechanism provided at the bottom of the product storage / conveyance path for accommodating the cylindrical products in a row in a rolling posture and conveying them to the lower product outlet. In a guide mechanism having a guide plate, the guide plate is arranged at a predetermined position separated from the product discharge mechanism by a distance slightly longer than the outer diameter of the cylindrical product, and the product discharge mechanism side from the guide plate. Attitude control means for projecting to the front and holding the cylindrical product in a normal posture and pressing the cylindrical product in a direction opposite to the descending direction to avoid a rapid drop or rolling of the product to be carried out next. The attitude control means includes a first attitude maintaining means for maintaining the lowest and second products in a normal attitude in a state where the lowest product is prevented from being carried out by the product carry-out mechanism. And the first A second attitude maintaining means which is located above the force maintaining means and maintains the (N-1) th and Nth (N is an integer of 3 or more) products from the lowest order in a normal attitude; Each of the first and second posture maintaining means includes
The product has a width corresponding to the length of the cylindrical product and is rotatably supported on the back side of the guide plate with the upper end as a fulcrum, and the product is carried out of the guide plate through an opening formed in the guide plate. It is characterized by having a horizontal maintaining lever biased to the mechanism side.

[Action]

Since the attitude control means is provided on the guide plate installed opposite to the product unloading mechanism, the cylindrical product at the product unloading mechanism can always be kept in a normal posture (horizontal state).
Therefore, it is possible to prevent an abnormality such as the above-described conventional non-sale of the product at the time of sale. or,
Since the cylindrical product at the product unloading mechanism is pressed in the direction opposite to the descending direction by the attitude control means, it is possible to avoid a rapid drop or rolling of the product to be carried out next. Since the horizontal maintaining lever constituting the attitude control means has a width corresponding to the length of the cylindrical product, the cylindrical product can be stored (filled) in either the rightward or leftward direction. Furthermore, since the horizontal maintenance lever is rotatably supported on the rear side of the guide plate with the upper end as a fulcrum,
It does not hinder the delivery of cylindrical products.

〔Example〕

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

Referring to FIG. 1, an automatic vending machine to which a guide mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied stores cylindrical products 10 such as drink bottles in a row in a rolling posture, and a lower product outlet (Fig. It has a product storage / transportation path 11 for transporting to (not shown). The product storage / conveyance path 11 has an arc plate 12 as shown in the drawing.
Is formed by. Both ends of the arc plate 12 are fixed to side plates (not shown) by shafts 13. A product unloading mechanism 14 is provided below the product storage / transportation path 11, that is, between the product storage / transportation path 11 and the product outlet, and a guide mechanism 15 is installed to face the product unloading mechanism 14. The cylindrical product 10 stored in the product storage / transportation path 11 is unloaded to the product unloading port via a product passage formed between the product unloading mechanism 14 and the guide mechanism 15.

The guide mechanism 15 has a guide plate 16, and the shafts 17 at both ends of the guide plate 16 are movable along the elongated holes 18, whereby the distance between the product discharge mechanism 14 and the guide mechanism 15 is increased. It can be variable. Therefore, it can be applied to the cylindrical products 10 having various diameters. A position setting member 19 for locking the guide mechanism 15 at a predetermined position is provided at the lower end of the guide mechanism 15. That is, the product passage formed between the product discharge mechanism 14 and the guide mechanism 15 is provided to the extent that the cylindrical product 10 can pass through. In other words, the guide plate 16 is arranged at a predetermined position with a distance slightly longer than the outer diameter of the cylindrical product 10 from the product unloading mechanism 14.

With reference to FIG. 3, the position setting member 19 includes an operating rod 20,
It has an R-shaped pin 21 and a spring 22. Since the position setting member 19 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-59296, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the guide mechanism 15 projects from the guide plate 16 toward the product unloading mechanism 14 to form a cylindrical product 1.
It has a posture control member 23 for holding 0 in a normal posture and pressing the cylindrical product 10 in the direction opposite to its descending direction to avoid a rapid drop or rolling of the product to be carried out next. The attitude control member 23 of this embodiment is used for the product unloading mechanism 14
The first posture maintaining unit 26 for maintaining the lowest and second products in the normal postures in a state where the delivery of the lowest products is prevented by the above, and above the first posture maintaining unit 26. The second posture maintaining unit 27 is provided to maintain the second and third commodities at the lowest position in a normal posture. First
Each of the second posture maintaining sections 26 and 27 has a width corresponding to the length of the cylindrical product 10.

The first and second posture maintaining sections 26 and 27 are respectively
The guide plate 16 is rotatably supported on the back side of the guide plate 16 with its upper end as a fulcrum, and is guided through an opening formed in the guide plate 16.
Further, the horizontal holding levers 31 and 32 biased by springs 28 and 29 are provided on the side of the product discharge mechanism 14. In FIG. 1, 31a and 32a indicate the positions of the horizontal maintaining levers 31 and 32 when the product is not maintained, and 31b and 31b.
Reference numerals 32b and 32b indicate the positions in a state where the product passes and the horizontal maintaining levers 31 and 32 are pushed by the product. Three
The positions of 1a and 32a are defined by protrusion limiting portions 33 and 34 which protrude downward from the upper end of the opening, respectively. The positions of 31b and 32b are defined by stoppers 35 and 36 that project obliquely upward from the lower end of the opening to the back side of the guide plate 16. Horizontal maintenance lever 31
And 32 are rotatable about axes 37 and 38, respectively. In addition, 39 is a notch, and 40 is a retaining E-shaped retaining ring.

Since the attitude control member 23 having such a configuration is provided, when the cylindrical product 10 is stored (filled) in the product storage / conveyance path 10, the attitude control member 23 controls the position of the cylindrical product 10 at the position of the product discharge mechanism 14. Cylindrical product 1 with reduced descent speed
0 can be made to stand by in a normal posture (horizontal state). In this case, the orientation of the cylindrical product 10 (especially in the case of a drink bottle) to be stored may be rightward or leftward. Further, since the cylindrical article 10 at the article unloading mechanism 14 is pressed in the direction opposite to the descending direction by the attitude control member 23, avoid the rapid drop or rolling of the article to be carried out next. You can Therefore, it is possible to prevent the product to be carried out next from being cracked or deformed.

In the above embodiment, the second posture maintaining section 27 maintains the second and third products from the bottom, but the third and fourth products from the bottom may be maintained. Good. Further, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the claims.

As is well known, the product unloading mechanism 14 locks the gate lever 41 that locks the lowest product when projecting and the second product (the product that should be carried out next) from the lowest when projecting. And a lever 42. Reference numeral 43 is a detection lever for detecting sold-out.

[Effect of device]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the attitude control is performed by the guide plate that is installed opposite to the product discharge mechanism so that the cylindrical product stands by in a normal attitude by protruding toward the product discharge mechanism from the guide plate. Since the means is provided, it is possible to prevent the product from being inclined at the product discharge mechanism,
It is possible to prevent cracking or deformation of the product to be carried out next. Since the horizontal maintaining lever constituting the attitude control means has a width corresponding to the length of the cylindrical product, the cylindrical product can be stored (filled) in either the rightward or leftward direction. Furthermore, since the horizontal maintenance lever is rotatably supported on the rear side of the guide plate with the upper end as a fulcrum,
It does not hinder the delivery of cylindrical products.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the structure of a vending machine to which a guide mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the posture maintaining section of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a left side view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the guide mechanism shown in FIG. 10 ... Cylindrical product, 11 ... Product storage / conveyance path, 14 ...
… Merchandise delivery mechanism, 15 …… Guide mechanism, 16 …… Guide plate,
23 ... Attitude control member, 31, 32 ... Horizontal maintenance lever.

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A guide mechanism having a guide plate installed opposite to a product unloading mechanism provided at a lower part of a product storage / conveyance path for accommodating cylindrical products in a row in a rolling posture and conveying them to a lower product outlet. In the above, the guide plate is arranged at a predetermined position separated from the product unloading mechanism by a distance slightly longer than the outer diameter of the cylindrical product, and the guide plate protrudes toward the product unloading mechanism side from the guide plate to form the cylinder. While holding the shaped product in a normal posture, holding the cylindrical product in a direction opposite to its descending direction, the product has attitude control means for avoiding a rapid drop or rolling of the product to be carried out next, The control means includes a first attitude maintaining means for maintaining the lowest and second merchandise in a normal attitude in a state where the lowest merchandise is not conveyed by the merchandise carry-out mechanism.
Second attitude maintaining means positioned above the first attitude maintaining means and maintaining the (N-1) th and Nth (N is an integer of 3 or more) products from the lowest order in a normal attitude. Each of the first and second posture maintaining means has a width corresponding to the length of the cylindrical product, and is rotatably supported on the back side of the guide plate with the upper end as a fulcrum. A guide mechanism for a vending machine, comprising a horizontal maintaining lever urged toward the product discharge mechanism side from the guide plate through an opening formed in the guide plate. 2. A projection limiting portion that projects downward from an upper end of the opening to define a projecting position of the horizontal maintenance lever toward the product unloading mechanism side. A guide mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The first and second posture maintaining means each project obliquely upward from the lower end of the opening to the back side of the guide plate, and when the horizontal maintaining lever is pushed by passage of a product. The guide mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper that defines a position of the position.