JPH06348941A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To freely vary the number of articles stored in a column by providing with a shelf plate which can be mounted on optional height of the column and a carrying-out means which is provided to the shelf plate so as to carry out the article on the lowest stage from among stacked articles. CONSTITUTION:The column 14 has the inside of a main body sectioned by plural partition walls and the left-right size of the column 14 is large enough to store one box of cigarettes T. Engagement members 22 are provided on both side parts of the shelf plate 20 and are made to engage mounting holes 18 provided to the partition walls 16, and consequently the shelf plate 20 can be mounted horizontally between the partition walls 16 and 16 at optional height of the column 14. When a customer buys a box of cigarettes T, the motor of the carrying-out device 24 of the shelf plate 20 where the box of cigarettes T corresponding to a pushed selection button is stored is driven and a pusher 32 moves from a rear part to a front part along a long hole 36. At the time of the movement, the box of cigarettes T on the lowest stage which is pushed by the pusher 32 falls to the front and then falls in an article takeout port.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in vending machines such as cigarettes,
The structure for storing cigarettes in the column is to divide the inside of the main body of the vending machine into a plurality of vertical partition walls to form a column,
At the bottom of each column, a device for carrying out products is provided, on which cigarettes are stacked.

In order to carry out the tobacco in the column, the carrying-out device is operated to push only the lowermost tobacco out of the stacked tobacco to the front part.

By the way, the size and the number of columns are determined by the number of partition walls and the installation position of the carry-out device. The state of this column is fixed from the beginning and can be freely changed by the manager of the vending machine. I can't. Therefore, the manager stores the best-selling products with a large sales quantity in a column with a large storage quantity, and stores the unsold goods with a column with a small storage quantity, thereby providing a difference in the storage quantity.

[0005]

However, at the location where the vending machine is installed, the selling items are different and the number of items that can be sold is different. Cannot adapt to the sales situation of the product.

Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention provides an automatic vending machine capable of freely changing the number of articles stored in a column.

[0007]

The vending machine according to the present invention comprises:
A column that stores a plurality of products in a stack, a shelf plate that can be mounted at an arbitrary height of the column to support the stacked products, and a product at the bottom of the stacked products is carried out. In order to do so, the carrying means is provided on the shelf board.

[0008]

[Operation] When storing merchandise inside the column in the vending machine with the above configuration, first attach the shelf plate to an arbitrary height of the column. The size of the column changes depending on the position where this shelf is installed. Therefore, set the size of the column large when storing hot-selling products, and reduce the size of the column when storing products that are not sold well. To set the shelves.

A plurality of products are stacked on the shelves attached to the column at any height as described above. Since the shelf board is provided with the carry-out means, the goods at the bottom of the stacked products are carried out.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A cigarette vending machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a main body 12 of a vending machine 10.

Reference numeral 14 is a column which is divided in the left-right direction inside the main body 12 by a plurality of partition walls 16. The size of the column 14 in the left-right direction is such that one cigarette T can be stored. Further, the partition wall 16 is provided with a pair of left and right mounting holes 18 at required intervals.

Reference numeral 20 is a shelf plate mounted between the pair of left and right partition walls 16. Engaging members 22 are provided on both sides of the shelf board 20, and the shelf board 20 is separated from the partition board 1 by engaging the engaging members 22 with the mounting holes 18 provided in the partition board 16.
It can be mounted horizontally between 6 and 16.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 3, reference numeral 24 is
It is a carry-out device provided at the bottom of the shelf board 20. The carry-out device 24 includes a chain 30 between the pair of rollers 26 and 28.
The chain 30 is provided with two pushers 32 and 34 at positions opposite to each other by 180 °.
The pushers 32 and 34 project above the shelf board 20 from elongated holes 36 provided in the front-rear direction of the shelf board 20. A motor 38 is provided on the roller 26. Also, inside the chain 30, the two pushers 32, 34
Protrusions 40 and 42 are provided on the inner side of each. The protrusions 40 and 42 are the limit switches 4
Press 4. When the limit switch 44 is turned on, the driving motor 38 stops.

Reference numeral 46 is a front wall provided on the front portion of the shelf board 20. The front wall 46 is composed of a shield plate 46a and a pair of leg portions 46b suspended from both sides of the shield plate 46a, and an opening 48 is formed between the pair of leg portions 46b. The pair of legs 46b are attachable / detachable to / from the engagement holes 50 provided on both left and right sides of the shelf board 20, whereby the front wall 4 is provided.
6 is movable along a plurality of engagement holes 50 provided in the front-rear direction.

At the bottom of each column 14, a carry-out device 24 is provided as is conventional. The maximum amount of cigarettes T can be stored without attaching the shelf plate 20 to the column 14.

A case in which the cigarette T is stored in the vending machine 10 having the above structure will be described.

The front wall 46 is attached to the shelf plate 20. In this case, the distance between the front wall 46 and the pusher 32 protruding from the long hole 36 is set to a size that can accommodate one cigarette T.

The shelf plate 20 is attached to the column 14 at a required position. When attaching the shelf plate 20, considering the number of cigarettes T to be stored, if the number of stored cigarettes is to be increased, the shelf plate 20 is attached below the column 14, and if the number of stored cigarettes is to be reduced, the number of cigarettes of the column 14 is reduced. Install above. Also, 1
Two shelves 20 may be attached to one partition 16 to store two types of cigarettes T in one column.

A connector of a lead wire that sends a sales signal to the motor 38 is connected to a control device (not shown).

The plurality of shelf boards 20 are attached to each column 14 in the same procedure as described above.

After the shelves 20 are attached, the shelves 2
Tobacco T is stacked on 0.

When the customer purchases the cigarette T after the preparation for sale is completed as described above, the carry-out device 2 for the shelf board 20 storing the cigarette T corresponding to the pressed selection button 2
4 is driven by the motor 38, and the pusher 32 moves into the slot 36.
Move from rear to front along. At the time of this movement, the lowermost cigarette T pushed by the pusher 32 falls forward (see FIG. 4), and falls on a product outlet (not shown). The pusher 32 is stored in the carry-out device 24 after moving to the front part. Also, after the pusher 32 moves, the pusher 34 also moves to the rear inside the carry-out device 24, and then the shelf 2
0 projecting to the rear. In this case, the protrusion 42 provided below the pusher 34 presses the limit switch 44 to stop the motor 38. From the above, the cigarette T
One can be carried out.

A front wall 46 is provided so that the second-stage tobacco T from the lowest stage does not move at the same time when the lowermost tobacco T is being pushed out by the pusher 32. That is, the cigarette T in the lowermost stage moves forward from the opening 48, and the cigarette T in the second stage moves to the shield plate 46 of the front wall 46.
It is blocked by a and does not move to the front. Tobacco T at the bottom
After being completely extruded, the second-stage cigarette T blocked by the front wall 46 falls and is placed on the shelf board 20.

With the vending machine 10 having the above-described structure, the shelf plate 20 can be mounted on the column 14 at an arbitrary height position, and two shelf plates 20 can be mounted on one column 14. Therefore, the cigarette T can be stored freely.

The number of carry-out devices 24 and the number of selection buttons do not necessarily have to match. For example, the carry-out device 2
When the number of 4 is larger than the number of selection buttons, parallel sale may be performed.

[0027]

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present invention, since the shelf plate can be mounted at an arbitrary height of the column, the number of stored products can be changed as needed. You can store products according to hot selling.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a main body of a vending machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a shelf board.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged half sectional view of a main part of the shelf board from the front.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the main part of the shelf board from the side surface.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Automatic vending machine 12 Main body 14 Column 16 Partition wall 18 Mounting hole 20 Shelf plate 22 Engaging member 24 Unloading device 46 Front wall

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A column for accommodating a plurality of products in a stack, a shelf plate that can be mounted at an arbitrary height of the column for supporting the stacked products, and a bottom stage of the stacked products. Vending machine provided on the shelf board for carrying out the above item.