JPH06282735A - Push button system for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the push button system for automatic vending machine which prevents push buttons from being laterally moved along a long hole while laterally arranging a lot of these push buttons. CONSTITUTION:A laterally extended long hole 11 is formed on a front panel 4, plural push buttons 12 is continuously and laterally parallelly provided in the adjacent state inside this long hole 11, the push buttons 12 are held so as to be freely oscillated while supporting a shaft part 16a for oscillation and a bent lower face 16b of the push buttons with a supporting member 15 fixed to a longitudinal member for fixing, a rivet member 17 is provided so as to be freely attached/detached to the front edge part of this supporting member 15, and the lateral movement of push buttons 12 is regulated by inserting this rivet member 17 to a recessed part 16c formed at the shaft part 16a for oscillation of the push buttons 12. Thus, the lateral backlash of push buttons 12 is eliminated, and the reliability of the push button system is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a push button device for a vending machine, and more particularly to a push button device having a large number of push buttons arranged side by side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a conventional vending machine, as shown in FIG. 8, a hole such as a square is formed laterally at a plurality of predetermined intervals in a front panel 41 serving as a customer service surface. A frame 42 having a rectangular shape or the like is attached to the hole, and a push button 43 for product selection or the like is fitted in the frame 42 and arranged side by side. Then, the push button 43 related to a desired product or the like is selected and pushed from among the plurality of push buttons 43.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional vending machine, the frame 42 is attached to the peripheral wall of the hole in the front panel 41, and a predetermined space is provided between the adjacent push buttons 43. Therefore, too many pushbuttons 43 cannot be arranged in the horizontal direction, and if a large number of pushbuttons 43 are forcibly arranged in the horizontal direction, the width of each pushbutton 43 becomes small and the operability is deteriorated. was there.

As a means for coping with this, as shown in FIG. 9, a hole into which the push button 45 is fitted is formed in an elongated hole shape extending in the lateral direction, and a plurality of rectangular push buttons 45 are adjacent to the elongated hole 46. It is conceivable that the pushbuttons 45 are continuously arranged side by side in this state. According to this configuration, the space between the pushbuttons 45 can be almost eliminated. be able to.

By the way, in this case, when the adjacent push buttons 45 strongly contact each other, the pushed push buttons 4 are pushed.
5, the push operation of the adjacent push button 45 is also performed, and when the pushed push button 45 tries to return, the frictional force at the contact point becomes larger than the return force and the return operation is performed. There is a risk that you will not be lost.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide some clearance between adjacent push buttons 45. But,
In this case, there is a problem in that the push button 45 moves along the long hole 46 and rattles to the left and right due to clearance or the like. In addition, the push button 45 may rattle to the left and right due to a manufacturing allowable dimension error of the long hole 46.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and it is possible to arrange a large number of pushbuttons in the elongated hole in the lateral direction, but the pushbutton does not move laterally along the elongated hole. It is intended to provide a push button device for a vending machine.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention forms a laterally extending slot in a panel member, and a plurality of pushbuttons are continuously laterally arranged in the slot in the adjacent state. The push button is swingably and movably in the lateral direction by a support member fixed to the fixed side member, and the support member is provided with a concave portion or a convex portion formed on the push button. It is provided with a convex portion or a concave portion which is engaged to regulate the lateral movement of the push button.

Further, a long hole extending in the lateral direction is formed in the panel member, and a plurality of pushbuttons are continuously arranged side by side in the long hole in the adjacent state, and are supported by a fixed member. A push-button is supported by a member so as to be swingable and movable in the lateral direction, and a supporting frame member fixed to a fixed side is engaged with a concave portion or a convex portion formed on the push button to laterally move the push button. Is provided with a convex portion or a concave portion for restricting the movement of the.

[0010]

With the above structure, the convex portion or the concave portion of the supporting member or the supporting frame engages with the concave portion or the convex portion of the push button to restrict the lateral movement along the elongated hole of the push button. Is prevented from moving laterally along the slot.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an automatic vending machine including, for example, a meal ticket vending machine, and a front door 2 of the automatic vending machine 1 has a resin panel in an opening 3a provided in an upper front portion of a front door main body 3 made of metal. A front panel 4 as a member is arranged. A plurality of rows (five rows in this embodiment) of push button devices 10 for selecting food ticket items are arranged on the front panel 4 together with a bill insertion slot 5, a coin slot 6, a coin return lever 7, and the like. There is. That is, five long holes 11 extending in the horizontal direction are formed vertically in the front panel 4, and a plurality of (eight in FIG. 2) push buttons 12 are continuously arranged in the horizontal direction in each long hole 11. It is installed side by side.

In FIG. 2, reference numerals 8 and 9 denote a food ticket and a return coin take-out port and a coin return button provided at the center of the front surface of the front door body 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, vertical frame members 13 as vertically extending fixed-side members are arranged on both inner side portions of the front door body 3, and a bracket 14 is provided between these vertical frame members 13. A support member 15 made of an extruded aluminum material for supporting a push button is fixedly provided therebetween. The support member 15 extends laterally (in the width direction of the front door 2) above each elongated hole 11 on the back side of the front panel 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, each support member 15 has a shaft support portion 15a which is open downward and has a concave cross section and extends laterally.
Are formed. Further, the button transparent body 16 serving as the main body of the push button 12 has an upper end portion extending upward to form a swing shaft portion 16a having a circular cross section. The swing shaft portion 16a of the button transparent body 16 is fitted into the shaft support portion 15a of the support member 15, and the push button 12 is forward and backward on the lower side with the swing shaft portion 16a as the center (direction a in FIG. 1). It is supported so that it can swing. Further, a supporting projection 15b projecting upward is formed on the upper surface of the shaft supporting portion 15a of the supporting member 15, and the supporting projection 15b is formed.
Supports the push button 12 from below while sliding on the curved lower surface 16b of the button transparent body 16.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the button transparent body 16 is formed with a recess 16c that is opened upward at a substantially central position on the swinging shaft 16a. Also,
As shown in FIG. 3, a rivet member 17 made of resin or the like serving as a convex portion is detachably inserted into holes 15c provided at predetermined intervals on the back surface side of the shaft support portion 15a of the support member 15. The tip of the inserted rivet member 17 is adapted to be fitted into the concave portion 16c of the button transparent body 16, and the rivet member 17 causes the push button 12, particularly the upper side thereof, to move laterally along the long hole 11. The position is regulated so as not to move.

Further, supporting members 15B arranged on the lower rear side of the elongated holes 11 in the front panel 4 respectively.
Behind (15), the switch body 2 which is turned on and off via the spring material 22 by the pushing operation of the push button 12.
1 and an LED lamp (not shown) that lights up when sold out, a circuit board 23, and the like are provided. These switch bodies 21 and the like are assembled to the support frame member 24, and the support frame member 24 to which these switch bodies 21 and the like are assembled is rotated from the position of the virtual line portion to the position of the solid line portion shown in FIG. It is designed to be moved and placed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, a pair of front cut-and-raised protrusions 24a are formed in the lower front portion of the support frame member 24, and the support frame member 24 and the like are mounted on the rear portion of the support member 15B. When placed, the front cut-and-raised convex portion 24a of the support frame member 24 has a stopper body 16d for regulating the lower rotation position of the button transparent body 16.
The push button 12, especially the lower side thereof, is fitted in the notched recessed portion 16e formed in the above so as not to move laterally along the long hole 11 even by the front cut-out raised portion 24a and the notched recessed portion 16e. It is regulated.

The support frame member 24 is mounted on the rear portion of the support member 15B and then fixed by being screwed to the vertical frame members 13 on both inner sides of the front door body 3 as shown in FIG. Has been done. Moreover, 15e in FIG. 1 is each support member 1
An engaging portion 25 formed by bending in a hook shape at the front end portion of 5 and supporting the peripheral portion of the elongated hole 11 in the front panel 4, is attached to the button transparent body 16 so as to be openable and closable, and a meal ticket menu 26, etc. The back cover 27 is designed to be able to take in and out, and 27 is a leaf spring that biases the lower portion of the push button 12 to the front side.

With the above structure, the hole 15 of the support member 15 is formed.
The tip of the rivet member 17 inserted in c is fitted into the recess 16c of the button transparent body 16, and the recess 16c of the button transparent body 16 and the rivet member 17 cause the upper side of the push button 12 to extend along the long hole 11. The position is regulated so as not to move in the lateral direction, and the front cut-and-raised convex portion 24a of the support frame portion 24 is fitted into the cut-and-raised concave portion 16e of the button transparent body 16, and the front cut-and-raised convex portion 24a and the cut-and-shaped concave portion are formed. 1
Even with 6e, the position of the lower side of the push button 12 is regulated so as not to move laterally along the elongated hole 11, so that the push button 12 is reliably positioned and moved laterally along the elongated hole 11. Rattling is prevented.

Therefore, the push buttons 12 are surely positioned in the lateral direction, the clearance between the adjacent push buttons 12 and the like can be satisfactorily obtained, and the pushing and returning operations of the push buttons 12 can be satisfactorily performed.

In the above embodiment, each push button 12 has an engaging structure including the recess 16c of the button transparent body 16 and the rivet member 17, and an engaging structure including the front cut-and-raised protrusion 24a and the notched recess 16e. Although the case where the movement in the lateral direction is restricted at two locations above and below is shown, it is possible to prevent the movement of the push button 12 in the lateral direction even if only one engaging structure is provided. . Further, a rivet member 17 functioning as a convex portion is integrally provided on the support member 15, or, contrary to the above-described embodiment, a convex portion for position regulation is provided on the push button side so that the convex portion is provided on the supporting member side. A concave portion to be engaged may be formed, and the concave portion may have any shape such as a hole, a groove, or a depression, and the convex portion may be any as long as it can engage with these and regulate the position.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of types of push buttons 31, 32, 33 that are long in the lateral direction (having an integral multiple of the length of the push button 12) may be arranged in the elongated hole 11. Well, in this case, only the pushbuttons 12, 31, 32, 33 are replaced, and the other ones are also those of the above-mentioned embodiment, and any switch 21 pressed by the pushbuttons 12, 31, 32, 33. The desired number of push buttons can be set only by determining that the button is turned on when is pressed (the switch corresponding to each push button is connected by the OR circuit).

In this case, the push buttons 12, 3
Pushbuttons 12, 3 corresponding to 1, 32, 33
Only one switch 21 may be provided for each of 1, 32, 33, and further, a hole for lateral positioning may be provided at a position corresponding to the laterally arranged position of each push button 12, 31, 32, 33. The portion 15c is provided on the support member 15, and the rivet member 17 is inserted and removed as necessary to remove the push buttons 12, 31, 32,
33 may be positioned.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, a long hole extending in the lateral direction is formed in a panel member, and a plurality of push buttons are continuously arranged side by side in the long hole in the adjacent state. , A push member is swingably supported by a support member fixed to a fixed member so as to be movable in the lateral direction, and is engaged with a support member or a support frame with a concave portion or a convex portion formed on the push button. By providing the convex portion or the concave portion for restricting the lateral movement of the push button, the lateral movement of the push button along the long hole of the push button is regulated by the engagement between the support member or the support frame and the push button. Therefore, the push button is prevented from rattling along the long hole, and the push button can be satisfactorily pressed and returned.
The reliability as a push-button device and eventually as a vending machine is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a push button device of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall front view of the same vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a fixed side support structure of a support member of the push button device of the vending machine.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an essential part showing a fixed side support structure of a support member of the push button device of the same vending machine.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the push button device as viewed from the back side.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an essential part of the push button device.

FIG. 7 is an overall front view of an automatic vending machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an overall front view of a conventional vending machine.

FIG. 9 is an overall front view of a conventional vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vending Machine 2 Front Door 4 Front Panel (Panel Member) 10 Push Button Device 11 Long Hole 12 Push Button 13 Vertical Frame Material (Member on Fixed Side) 15, 15B Supporting Member 15a Shaft Supporting Part 15b Supporting Protrusion 15c Hole Part 16 Button transparent body 16a Swing shaft part 16c Recessed part 16e Notched recessed part 17 Rivet member (convex part) 24 Support frame part 24a Front cut-and-raised convex part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A support member fixed to a member on a fixed side by forming a laterally extending long hole in a panel member, and arranging a plurality of push buttons in the long hole continuously in a lateral direction in an adjacent state. A push button is swingably supported by a member so as to be movable in the lateral direction, and a convex portion that engages with a concave portion formed in the push button and restricts lateral movement of the push button is provided on the support member. Push button device for vending machines. 2. A support member fixed to a member on the fixed side by forming a long hole extending in the lateral direction in a panel member, and arranging a plurality of pushbuttons in the long hole continuously in the horizontal direction in an adjacent state. A push-button is supported by a member so as to be swingable and movable in the lateral direction, and the push-button is provided with a convex portion that engages with a concave portion formed in the supporting member and restricts the lateral movement of the push button. Push button device for vending machines. 3. A support fixed to a member on a fixed side by forming a laterally extending elongated hole in a panel member, and arranging a plurality of push buttons in the elongated hole continuously in a lateral direction in a row. A push-button is supported by a member so as to be swingable and movable in the lateral direction, and a supporting frame member fixed to the fixed side is engaged with a recess formed in the push-button to move the push-button in the lateral direction. Push-button device for vending machines, which is provided with a protruding convex part. 4. A support fixed to a member on a fixed side by forming a laterally extending long hole in a panel member, and arranging a plurality of pushbuttons in the long hole continuously in a lateral direction in an adjacent state. A push button is swingably supported by a member so as to be movable in the lateral direction, and a recess is formed in the support frame member fixed to the fixed side.
A push button device for a vending machine, wherein the push button is provided with a convex portion that engages with a concave portion of the support frame member and restricts lateral movement of the push button.