JPH067437Y2 - Vending machine product delivery device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial field of application] The present invention is particularly suitable for front and back of boxed products such as cigarettes, beverages, confectionery, cassette tapes and square products such as books on a product table extending in the front and rear direction. The present invention relates to an improvement of a device (mechanism) for sending a product on a product stand to a product sending section facing a front end of the product stand in a vending machine of a type in which the products are placed side by side in a line and stored.

[Conventional technology]

In a conventional vending machine of this type, a product delivery device has an electric motor-driven feed screw shaft extending forward and backward along a product stand and a product push-out plate movable forward and backward on the product stand. With the above structure, the front of the product is moved forward by moving the product delivery plate forward by a predetermined amount through the rotation of the feed screw by a predetermined amount by an electric motor that operates based on the product delivery signal (product sales signal). Is pushed out from the front end of the product stand to the product delivery section.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

However, in such a conventional product dispenser for a vending machine, since the output shaft of the electric motor is inertially rotated, one dispense operation is performed especially for a product having a relatively small thickness (small depth). There is a problem of sending out two or more products.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to reliably deliver the products one by one even when the products are thin.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

According to the present invention, the above object is to provide a product table that extends horizontally in a radial direction of a vertical shaft that is rotationally driven by an electric motor, and has an end portion (front end portion) opposite to the vertical shaft side of the vertical shaft. It is attached so as to rotate through the product delivery part provided in the side part, and the vertical shaft side end (rear end) is attached to the product stand.
A timing belt that extends along the product table is stretched through a timing belt pulley that is installed at the end on the side opposite to the vertical axis, and a movable product pushing plate that is movable on the product table is fixed to the spring belt, and The position where the pinion is concentrically fixed to the timing belt pulley at the end on the vertical axis side or the end on the vertical axis side of the table, and the pinion occupies when the end on the vertical axis side of the product table is located in the product delivery section. This is accomplished by a product delivery device of a vending machine in which a short rack that is movable to a position where it meshes with a pinion is installed by a solenoid operating device that operates in accordance with a product delivery signal.

[Action]

In general, the product delivery device of the present invention is constructed by energizing or de-energizing the solenoid of the solenoid actuator based on the product delivery signal immediately before the end of the product table on the side of the anti-vertical axis passes through the product delivery section. , Move the rack to the position where the pinion meshes.

As a result, when the end of the product stand on the side opposite the vertical axis passes through the product delivery part, the pinion provided on the end on the side opposite to the vertical axis or the end on the vertical axis rolls on the rack to a predetermined angle. As a result, the timing belt moves by the amount corresponding to the thickness of the product through the rotation of the timing belt pulley, and the product pushing plate moves by the same amount toward the end of the product table on the side opposite the vertical axis, Push the foremost product on the product stand from the front end on the side opposite the vertical axis and send it to the product delivery section.

As soon as the pinion leaves the rack, the solenoid of the solenoid actuator returns to its original de-energized or energized state, which causes the rack to return to its original position.

〔Example〕

The product delivery apparatus of the present invention is generally a single-stage type in which a plurality of product stands equipped with timing belts, pinions, and product push plates are installed at intervals around the vertical axis on one plane orthogonal to the vertical axis. As a vending machine with multiple product stands, a set of racks, solenoid actuators, on the other hand, timing belts, pinions, spaced around the vertical axis in multiple planes orthogonal to the vertical axis.
It is a multi-stage type in which multiple product stands with product push plates are installed and one set of racks and solenoid actuators are installed corresponding to each flat surface. However, the drawing shows an example of the latter case.First, the vertical shaft 11 is rotated through bearings in the upper and lower machine casings of the vertical shaft 11. It is supported freely, from the electric motor 12 installed on the lower machine frame to the gear box 13
It is adapted to be rotationally driven via a transmission gear device that includes a plurality of transmission gears housed in and a driven gear 14 fixed to the vertical shaft 11.

A plurality of tables 15 are fixed to the vertical axis 11 at intervals in the vertical direction, and a hollow rectangular product table 165 is provided on all the tables 15 in the same phase with 45 ° equally spaced around the axis. Eight pieces (only three pieces are shown in the drawing) are attached to each position.

Inside the product stand 16, a timing belt pulley 18 is rotatably supported at the vertical shaft side end, that is, the rear (middle) end and the anti-vertical shaft side end, that is, the front (outer) end. Timing belt between the timing belt pulley 18
19 extends. A pinion 20 is concentrically fixed and pivotally supported on the lower side of the timing belt pulley 18 on the front end side.

Further, a product pushing plate 21 that stands up on the product table 16 is attached to the timing belt 19 via a mounting plate 22 that extends vertically through a groove 17 provided on the upper surface of the product table 16.

On both sides of each product stand 16, side plates that can contact the side surface of the product 41
23 is installed so that the interval with respect to the product stand 16 can be adjusted, and a product stopper 24 made of a leaf spring is provided at the front end of the product stand 24.
It is attached in a state of being biased to the 16 side.

Furthermore, each table 15 is provided outside the rotation range of the product table 16.
A crank-shaped (right angle) lever 25, which is composed of a vertical arm 25a and a horizontal arm 25b, is provided at the lower part of the product delivery portion 39, which is exposed by the front end of the upper product stand 16, so that the central portion where both arms intersect horizontally. It is swingably supported via an extending support shaft 26, and a short length at which the pinion 20 at the front end of the product stand 16 is rotatably meshed with the tip (upper end) of the vertical arm 25a of the lever 25. The rack 27 of is fixed. On the other hand, a tip end of a vertical operation shaft 29 of a solenoid operator 28 installed therebelow is pivotally attached to the tip end of the horizontal arm 25b.

An operation control device 34 is provided to supply a solenoid excitation signal as a product delivery signal to each solenoid operating device 28. First, on the vertical shaft 11, between the table 15 with the lowermost product stand 16 and the driven gear 14, eight notches 32 are provided on the outer periphery at intervals of 45 ° corresponding to the product stand 16.
A timing pulse generating plate (encoding disc) 31 having a wide cutout 32a at the base point is fixed, and the timing pulse generating plate 31 can detect the cutout 32 at a part facing the outer peripheral portion. A photoelectric panel generator (encoder) 30 is formed together with a translucent photoelectric sensor 33 having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, which are installed in the opposite side and face each other with an outer peripheral portion sandwiched therebetween. From the photoelectric panel generator 30, eight timing pulse signals (product table detection signals) including one reset pulse signal for each rotation of the vertical axis 11 are detected at the detection time intervals of the adjacent notches 32. It will occur later.

The timing pulse signal generated from the photoelectric pulse generator 30 is input to the pulse counter 35, and from this pulse counter 35, the product stand 16 products passing through the product delivery section (product delivery port) 39 mounted on each table 15 ) Display pulse signal (product display pulse signal) indicating) is output at the same time interval. This pulse counter
The product stand display pulse signal output from the 35 is the comparison circuit 36.
In comparison with the selected product (product stand) signal of the first signal generated by the purchaser's operation of the product selection switch 37, if the two correspond, the selected product passage signal is output to the solenoid operation circuit 38. It

On the other hand, this solenoid operating circuit 38 has a product selection switch.
The second signal generated by the operation of 37, that is, the solenoid operating device corresponding to the table to which the product stand of the selected product belongs
When a solenoid actuator designating signal that designates 28 is input,
While the solenoid operating device 28 that should supply the solenoid excitation signal as the product delivery signal is specified, the timing pulse signal from the photoelectric pulse generator 30 is always sent via the product delivery operation pulse transmitter (not shown). The solenoids specified by the above are input from the solenoid operation circuit 38 only when the input of the selected product passing signal is input as the sending operation pulse signal at a predetermined time interval and the input of the product sending operation pulse signal overlaps. A solenoid excitation signal (a rack operation operation signal) is output to the operation unit 28.

The structure of the vending machine shown in the figure is as described above. Generally, the product stand 16 on the same table 15 is used with the product 41 having the same thickness (depth) installed, and the vertical direction via the electric motor 12 is used. In the state of rotation around the axis of the vertical axis 11 of the eight commodity stands 16 on each axis 15 and hence each table 15, the purchaser operates the commodity selection switch 37 to select one of the tables.
When a product on the product table 16 on 15 is selected, a solenoid operating device designating signal that specifies the solenoid operating device 28 to be operated corresponding to the product table 16 of the selected product is input to the solenoid operating circuit 28 of the operation control device 34. Meanwhile, the product stand 16 of the selected product
Just before the product passes through the product delivery section 39, the solenoid operation circuit
A solenoid excitation signal as a product delivery signal is output from 38 to the operation-designated solenoid operator 28, which excites the solenoid of the operation-designated solenoid operator 28, which causes the operation shaft 29 to descend and interlock with this. The rack 27 moves to the pinion meshing position through the swing of the crank lever 25.

As a result, the product stand 16 of the selected product is delivered to the product delivery section 39.
When passing through, the pinion 20 provided at its outer end,
It rolls on the rack 27 as the product table 16 rotates and rotates together with the timing belt pulley 18 at a predetermined angle. As a result, the product push-out plate 21 advances toward the outer end side of the product stand 16 by the thickness of the product 41 via the timing belt 19,
The product 41 at the front of the product stand 16 is pushed out. This product passes through the product delivery unit 39 and drops to the product outlet 40.

When the pinion 20 finishes rolling on the rack 27, the solenoid of the solenoid operator 28 is de-energized, and the operating shaft 29 of the solenoid operator 28 rises with the built-in spring biased, The rack 27 immediately returns to a position where it does not engage with the pinion 20 and waits in this position until the time of the next sale.

In addition to the above, the product delivery device of the present invention has a) the pinion fixed to the timing belt pulley shaft at the end of the vertical axis of the product stand, while the rack can be meshed with and contacted with the pinion so that the end of the product stand on the vertical axis side. Installed in the vicinity, b) the movement of the rack by the solenoid operator is made into a form in which the rack meshes with the pinion when the solenoid is not excited, and c) means for generating the product delivery signal is also means other than the operation control device shown in the figure. (In the case of a single-stage vending machine with multiple product stands, the rack and solenoid actuators are in one set, so the signal generated by operating the product selection switch is input to the comparison circuit. It is also possible to implement in various forms such as a configuration in which only the signal is used and the solenoid operating device designation signal is not generated).

[Effect of device]

As is apparent from the above, according to the product delivery device of the present invention, the amount of movement of the product delivery plate corresponding to the thickness of the product is determined only by the number of teeth of the rack that meshes with the pinion having substantially no inertial motion. Even thin products can be delivered one by one with certainty.

In addition, the vending machine including this product delivery device can be driven at a low cost because it can be driven by one electric motor even in the case of a multi-stage type, and it can be provided at low cost. From this point, there is an advantage that the sales effect is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a vending machine including an embodiment of the product delivery device of the present invention, with a part of the main part cut away, and FIG. 2 is a part of the main part of the product delivery device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view in which a part of a main part of the product delivery device shown in FIG. 1 is cut out. 11 …… Vertical axis, 12 …… Electric motor, 16 …… Product stand, 18
...... Timing belt pulley, 19 …… Timing belt, 20 …… Pinion, 21 …… Product extrusion plate, 25 …… Lever, 27 …… Rack, 28 …… Solenoid operation unit, 30 ……
Photoelectric pulse generator, 34 …… Operation control device, 36 …… Comparison circuit, 37 …… Product selection switch, 38 …… Solenoid operation circuit, 39 …… Product delivery section, 41 …… Product.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Claims: 1. A vertical axis driven by an electric motor is provided with a commodity table extending horizontally in the radial direction of the vertical axis, and a commodity feeding section provided with an end portion on the side opposite to the vertical axis on a side portion of the vertical axis. It is attached so that it can rotate through, and on the product stand,
Through a timing belt pulley installed on the vertical shaft side end and the anti-vertical shaft side end, a timing belt extending along the product stand is stretched, and a product push plate that can move on the product stand is attached to the timing belt. When fixing the pinion concentrically to the timing belt pulley at the end of the product table on the side opposite the vertical axis or the end of the vertical axis, and when the end of the product table on the side opposite the vertical axis is located at the product delivery section. A product delivery device for a vending machine in which a short rack that can be moved to a position where it engages with a pinion by a solenoid operating device that operates based on a product delivery signal is installed close to the position where the pinion occupies.