JPH06333141A - Sold-out detector for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a sold-out detector for an automatic vending machine with an excellent sales efficiency and sensing sold-out of a commodity of each column without increasing the manufacture cost. CONSTITUTION:A sold-out detection lever 51 to detect sold-out of a front side commodity (a) and a sold-out detection lever 52 to detect sold-out of a rear side commodity (a) are turnably arranged to a side of an arranged part of a slide pusher or the like in a mount unit 30 and the levers are turnable from a position where one end of the sold-out detection levers 51, 52 is projected to a commodity accommodation space of each column upper than the mount unit 30 to a position where they are contained in the mount unit 30. One sold-out sensing switch 53 is arranged to a lower part of the other end of the levers 51, 52 and when all commodities (a) are sold out, the sold-out of the commodity (a) is detected and component cost is reduced more than that of a conventional detector.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sold-out detection device for detecting sold-out of products in an automatic vending machine in which products stacked in a plurality of rows are sequentially dispensed from the lower side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Direct-loading type vending machines for vertically stacking and storing products such as cigarettes are shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, for example.

In this type of vending machine, a storage frame 3 is provided in, for example, three stages vertically in a vending machine body 2 which rotatably supports a front door 1. Then, the products a are stored in the front and rear two rows in a direct stacking state on the mounting table 4 arranged at the lower end of each storage frame 3, and the products a are paid out to the front surface and the rear surface at the lower end portion of each storage frame 3. Openings 5A-5C, 6A
6C are provided respectively.

Further, common dispensing passages 7 and 8 extending in the vertical direction are provided at front and rear positions over the storage frame 3, and the openings 5A, 5B, 6A to 6C are provided.
And a guide communication passage 9 for communicating with the common dispensing passages 7 and 8
A, 9B, 10A to 10C are provided.

On each of the mounting tables 4, the product a is reciprocated in the front-rear direction to move the product a from the openings 5A to 5C, 6A to 6C to the common dispensing passages 7 and 8 through the guide communication passages 9A, 9B, 10A to 10C. The extruding member 12 of the same width as the product a to be dispensed
Is provided. The product a dispensed to the common dispensing passages 7 and 8 by the movement of the pushing member 12 drops through the common dispensing passages 7 and 8 as shown in FIG. It is placed on the belt conveyor device 13 arranged in. Thereafter, the product a is laterally moved by the belt conveyor device 13 to move up and down the basket 14.
The product a is put out to the product take-out port 15 from the lift basket 14 which is placed on and lifted up.

Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 16, the lower portion of the common dispensing passage 8 arranged at the rear position of the storage frame 3 is inclined obliquely downward and the lower end portion is opened above the belt conveyor device 13. There is.

In this type of direct loading vending machine,
A mechanism 20 for detecting the sold-out of the product is provided for each row. That is, as shown in FIG. 18 and FIG.
A sold-out detection lever 22 that rotates around A and 21B and contacts the second product a from the bottom of the product storage space in the storage frame 3
A and 22B are rotatably installed and 2 from the bottom of the product storage space
When the second commodity a disappeared and the sold-out detection levers 22A and 22B were rotated to the positions indicated by the phantom lines by the urging forces of the tension springs 23A and 23B, they were attached to the inner ends of the shaft portions 21A and 21B. The detection levers 24A and 24B come into contact with the detection portions of the sold-out detection switches 25A and 25B to detect the sold-out of the product a. Here, the sold-out detection levers 22A and 22B are 2 from the bottom of the product storage space.
It is configured so as not to interfere with the pushing member 12 by coming into contact with the second product a.

[0008]

However, according to the sold-out detection mechanism 20 of the above-described conventional vending machine, even if the product a at the lowermost end of the product storage space is present, the product is displayed from below the product storage space. When the second product a is exhausted, it is considered to be sold out, and the sale of the product a is stopped, so that the sales efficiency is deteriorated. Further, in order to detect the sold-out of the product a in each row, the sold-out detection switches 25 of the same number as the number of rows are sold.
Since A, 25B, etc. are required, there is a problem that the cost of parts becomes high, the number of assembling steps increases, and the manufacturing cost increases.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, has a good sales efficiency, and can detect the sold-out of the product in each row without increasing the manufacturing cost, and the sold-out detection device of the vending machine. It is intended to provide.

[0010]

In order to solve the above problems, the first means of the present invention is to provide a storage frame for placing products in a plurality of rows, and dispense the products to the lower end of the storage frame. In an automatic vending machine that is provided with an opening and dispenses products from this opening, a plurality of sold-out detection levers whose ends can be retracted and retracted from the lower side of the above-mentioned placing part to a product storage location where the pusher does not pass, A rotation prohibition lever that engages with the sold-out detection lever to prohibit the operation of the sold-out detection lever, and that the sold-out detection lever is in a state of protruding to the product storage location when there are no products in the product product storage location. And a sold-out detection switch for detecting.

A second means of the present invention is the same as the first means, wherein each row is provided with a sold-out detection lever, one end of which can be retracted from the placing portion to a product storage location of each row. The other end of each sold-out detection lever is arranged so that it can approach or come into contact with the detection portion of one sold-out detection switch.

[0012]

With the first means, the sold-out detection lever that comes into contact with the lowermost product in the product storage area is provided. Therefore, when all the products are exhausted, it can be detected that the products have been sold out, resulting in good sales efficiency. Become.

Further, since the second means can detect the sold-out state of the products in each row through each sold-out detection lever by one sold-out detection switch, the cost of parts is reduced as compared with the conventional one. In addition, the number of assembling steps can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to those having the same functions as the conventional ones, and the description thereof will be omitted. This structure will be described below.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each storage frame 3
The products a are stored in two rows in the front and rear direction (in the left-right direction in FIGS. 2 and 3) in a direct stacking state on a mounting unit 30 serving as a mounting unit disposed at the lower end of each storage frame 3. An opening 5 for paying out the product a is provided only on the front surface of the. Then, the common dispensing passage 7 that extends vertically only at the front position across these storage frames 3 and the openings 5 (5
Guide communication passage 9 for communicating A, 5B) to the common dispensing passage
(9A, 9B) are provided.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the mounting unit 30 is a combination of the upper and lower parts and forms a substantially box shape, and the upper and lower unit cases 31, whose upper surfaces are formed in a planar shape,
32, a slide pusher 33 slidable in the front-rear direction at a position near the center in the width direction of the mounting unit 30 along a first slide surface 32a provided on the upper part of the lower unit case 32, and is arranged substantially horizontally. A drive chain 35 that is looped between a pair of sprockets 34A and 34B, and a drive motor 37 that rotates the drive chain 35 in one direction via a gear box (not shown) and the sprocket 34A are provided. Slide pusher 33
3, a protrusion pin 35a protruding upward from a part of the drive chain 35 is fitted into a long groove 38 extending left and right on the lower surface of the slide chain, and the drive motor 37 is driven to cause the slide pusher 33 to move toward the rear side product in FIG. It is configured to reciprocate back and forth from a rear end position A rearward of the storage location of a to a front end position C near the opening 5.

The slide pusher 33 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 11, a slide base body 40 that slides back and forth along the first slide surface 32a and on which a pair of arm portions 40a are erected, and a horizontal shaft portion 42 by the arm portions 40a.
A pusher body 41 rotatably supported via a pair of substantially triangular pressing portions 43 integrally formed with the horizontal shaft portion 42 by a connecting portion 44, and a pusher body externally fitted to the horizontal shaft portion 42. It is composed of a torsion coil spring 45 for biasing 41 to rotate in the b direction (see FIG. 10).

The pressing portion 43 of the slide pusher 33 has
The pressing surface 43a for pressing the product a and the torsion coil spring 4
The stopper surface 43b contacts the upper surface of the slide base 40 by the urging force of No. 5 and regulates the position so that the pressing surface 43a maintains the vertical posture, and the rear surface side when the pressing surface 43a is in the vertical posture. The inclined surface 43c is formed.
Then, when the slide pusher 33 moves forward, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the product a is sent out to the front side by largely projecting from a pair of long holes 31a formed on the upper surface of the upper unit case 31. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when the signal of product sale is input in the state where the slide pusher 33 is at the rear end position A, first, the drive motor 3
7 is driven to feed the slide pusher 33 to the front side. As a result, the pressing portion 43 of the slide pusher 33 protruding above the mounting unit 30 presses the rear surface of the rear-side product a at the lowest position of the product storage location, and the product a and the front-side product a. Sent forward,
The slide pusher 33 is sent out to the intermediate position B shown in FIG. In this way, the product a stored on the front side is first dispensed from the opening 5. After that, when a signal for selling the product is further input, the drive motor 37 is driven again, and the slide pusher 33 is fed to the front end position C shown in FIG. As a result, the mounting unit 30
By the pressing portion 43 of the slide pusher 33 protruding upward, the product a sent to the front side of the product storage location is also sent out forward, and this product a is also dispensed from the opening 5. Reference numeral 46 is a slide body with which the plate-shaped portion 40b of the slide base body 40 of the slide pusher 33 is engaged.
The slide pusher 33 is configured to detect an intermediate position B and a rear end position A when the slide pusher 33 moves forward.

Further, the connecting portion 44 of the slide pusher 33
A position restricting portion 44a is provided on the slide pusher 3a.
When the inclined surface 43c comes into contact with the lower surface of the product a when the pusher body 41 rotates in the c direction (see FIG. 11) during the backward movement of 3,
The position restricting portion 44a comes into contact with the upper surface of the slide base 40, and the slide pusher 33 retracts with the attitude slightly protruding from the long hole portion 31a of the upper unit case 31, as shown in FIG. Even when the product 31 is in a posture of being slightly lifted apart from the upper surface of the product 31, it is configured to come into contact with a corner or the like of the product a so as to prevent the product a from being lifted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, a sold-out detection mechanism 50 for detecting the sold-out of the products a in each row is provided at a side of the mounting unit 30 where the slide pushers 33 and the like are arranged. It is provided. That is, a sold-out detection lever 51 for detecting the sold-out of the product a on the front side and a sold-out detection lever 52 for detecting the sold-out of the product a on the rear side are laterally projected from the lower unit case 32. The two horizontal shaft portions 32c and 32d are rotatably arranged in the vertical plane, and one end of each sold-out detection lever 51 and 52 is located above the long hole portion 30a of the placement unit 30 in each row. It is possible to rotate from a position (virtual line portion) protruding into the product storage space to a position (solid line portion) stored in the placing unit 50. The other ends of the sold-out detection levers 51 and 52 are close to each other, and one sold-out detection switch 53 is arranged below them. Each sold-out detection lever 5
1, 52 are elongated holes 51a, 5 for restricting the rotational position.
2a is formed, and the lateral shaft portions 32e and 32f for position regulation protruding laterally from the lower unit case 32 are fitted in the elongated holes 51a and 52a. Further, one tension spring 54 is interposed across the sold-out detection levers 51 and 52, and the sold-out detection levers 5 are provided by the tension springs 54.
1, 52 are urged in such a direction that one end side thereof rotates upward.

Further, the sold-out detection mechanism 50 is provided with a rotation prohibiting lever 55 for prohibiting one end of each sold-out detection lever 51, 52 from rotating upward. The rotation prohibiting lever 55 is slidable in the front-rear direction by a guide portion 32g provided on the inner surface of the lower unit case 32, and has first and second protrusions 55a and 55b protruding inward. The cut detection levers 51 and 52 can be brought into contact with each other. Here, 55c is a rotation inhibiting lever 5
The protrusion 55c for aligning the position 5
Are engageable with the first to third recesses 36a to 36c of the plate-like portion 36 provided on the inner surface of the lower unit case 32.

In the above structure, when the products a are stored in the front and rear two rows, as shown in FIG. 1, the protrusion 55c of the rotation inhibiting lever 55 has the second concave portion 36 of the plate portion 36.
The position where it engages with b is set. In this state, when there is a product a in both the front and rear rows, one end of each sold-out detection lever 51, 52 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the product a as shown by a solid line in FIG. The sold-out detection levers 51 and 52 are rotated to a position along the upper surface of the mounting unit 30 against the biasing force of the tension spring 54, and the sold-out detection levers 51 and 52 are sold.
The other end of keeps the posture separated from the detection end of the sold-out detection switch 53. From this state, the product a in either row
When the item is sold out at the bottom end, the one end of the sold-out detection levers 51, 52 on the sold-out side is moved up to the product storage location by the urging force of the tension spring 54, as shown by a virtual line in FIG. Then, the other ends of the sold-out detection levers 51 and 52 contact the detection end of the sold-out detection switch 53, and the sold-out detection switch 53 detects the sold-out state of the product a. Since the sold-out detection levers 51 and 52 that come into contact with the product a at the lowermost end of the product storage area are provided in this way, when all the products a are exhausted, the sold-out of the product a can be detected, and the sales efficiency is good. Become. Further, since the sold-out detection levers 51 and 52 are arranged so that one ends thereof are projected to the product storage location where the slide pusher 33 does not pass, the sold-out detection levers 51 and 5 are arranged.
2 does not interfere with the slide pusher 33.

Here, when the long products b1 and b2 such as long-sized cigarettes are stored in one row by moving to the front side or the rear side, the sold-out detection lever 51 located near the center of the storage location. , 52 is used. That is, FIG.
As shown by the solid line in FIG. 5, when the product b1 is stored only at the front side, the rotation prohibiting lever 55 is located at a position where the protrusion 55c of the rotation prohibiting lever 55 engages with the first recess 36a of the plate-like portion 36. To As a result, the first protrusion 55a of the rotation prohibiting lever 55 comes into contact with the sold-out detection lever 52 to regulate its position, and the upward movement of this sold-out detection lever 52 on one end side is prohibited. Therefore, the product b is sold only by the sold-out detection lever 51.
The sold-out of 1 is surely detected, and as a result, it is prevented that the product is sold out by mistake. Further, as shown by a phantom line in FIG. 15, when the product b2 is stored only at a position near the rear side, the protrusion 55c of the rotation prohibiting lever 55 has the third concave portion 36c of the plate portion 36. Similarly, when the sold-out detection lever 52 alone is used, the product b
The sold-out item 2 is surely detected, and as a result, it is prevented that the item is sold-out by mistake.

Further, as described above, each sold-out detection lever 5 is provided by one sold-out detection switch 53 and the tension spring 54.
Since the sold-out state of the products a in each row can be detected via the 1, 52, the cost of parts can be reduced, the number of assembly steps can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the products a, b
1, b2 are configured to be dispensed only from the front side, and the opening 5 for dispensing the product a, the common dispensing passage 7 and the guide communication passages 9A and 9B for guiding the product a to the product outlet 16 side are provided only to the front side. Since it is provided, the common dispensing passage and the guide communication passage at the rear as in the conventional case can be omitted, and the case where the vending machine main body 2 can be made thin has been shown. However, as in the conventional case, it is paid out forward and backward by a pusher. Also in the automatic vending machine of the system, by providing the pusher with a width narrower than that of the product and arranging the end of each sold-out detection lever to project at the product storage location where the pusher does not pass, the same as in the above embodiment. The configuration of can be adopted. Further, in the above embodiment, the contact detection type sold-out detection switch 53 which is turned on and off by being brought into contact with the detection end has been described, but when it is brought close to the detection end, it is turned on and off. A proximity detection type sold-out detection switch may be used.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of sold-out detection levers whose end portions can be retracted and retracted from the lower side of the placing portion to the product storage portion where the pusher does not pass, and this sold-out detection. A rotation prohibition lever that engages with the lever to prohibit the operation of the sold-out detection lever, and a sales detection that detects that the sold-out detection lever is in a protruding state to the product storage location when there are no products in the product storage location. By providing the cut-off detection switch, the sold-out of the product can be detected when all the products are exhausted, and the sales efficiency becomes good.

Also, by arranging the other end of each sold-out detection lever so as to be able to approach or contact the detection portion of one sold-out detection switch, each sold-out detection switch can detect each sold-out. Since the sold-out state of the products in each row can be detected via the lever, the cost of parts can be reduced, the number of assembly steps can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a sold-out detection mechanism portion in a mounting unit of a direct-loading vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the same direct loading type vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a portion near the slide pusher of the mounting unit.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the mounting unit.

FIG. 5 is a front cross-sectional view of the mounting unit.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the mounting unit.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway plan view of the mounting unit.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a slide pusher of the mounting unit.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a slide pusher of the mounting unit.

10 is a side sectional view of the slide pusher taken along line X-X in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of the slide pusher when it is tilted.

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view when the slide pusher of the mounting unit is in the forward intermediate position.

FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of the mounting unit when the slide pusher is at the front end position.

FIG. 14 is a side sectional view of the mounting unit when the slide pusher is retracted.

FIG. 15 is a side sectional view of a sold-out detection mechanism portion of the mounting unit.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a conventional direct-loading type vending machine.

FIG. 17 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a conventional direct-loading vending machine.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a product storage portion of a conventional direct-loading vending machine.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a sold-out detection switch disposed portion of a conventional direct-loading type vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Storage Frames 5, 5A to 5C Openings 30 Mounting Units (Mounting Sections) 32c, 32d Horizontal Shafts 33 Slide Pushers 36a to 36c Recesses 50 Out-of-stock Detection Mechanism 51, 52 Out-of-stock Detection Lever 53 Out-of-stock Detection Switch 54 Tension spring 55 Rotation prohibition lever 55a, 55b Projection 55c Projection a Product

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A storage frame for placing products in a plurality of rows,
An opening for paying out products is provided at the lower end of this storage frame,
In an automatic vending machine that dispenses products from this opening, a plurality of sold-out detection levers whose ends can be retracted from the lower side of the above-mentioned storage part to the product storage area where the pusher does not pass, and this sold-out detection lever Rotation prohibition lever that engages with and inhibits the operation of the sold-out detection lever, and sold-out detection that detects that the sold-out detection lever is protruding to the product storage location when there are no products in the product storage location Sold-out detection device for vending machines equipped with a detection switch. 2. A sold-out detection lever, one end of which is freely retractable, is provided for each row in the product storage area of each row from the loading section, and the other end of each sold-out detection lever is a sold-out detection switch. The detectors are arranged so that they can come close to or come into contact with the detectors.
Sold-out detection device for the vending machine described.