JPH0681079U - Goods delivery device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To provide an article dispensing device that prevents a large number of articles from being stacked and delivered in an article storage box and does not cause article clogging. [Structure] An article transport mechanism (2, 6, 5, 7, etc.) for sending the article 3 into the article storage box 10, and an article take-out opening 33 for taking out the article 3 stored in the storage box 10 to the outside. And a splash plate 34 arranged between the storage box 10 and the opening 33 to open and close the opening 33, and a splash plate open / close detection sensor 37 that detects the open / close of the splash plate 34 and outputs a signal.
A control device 12 for controlling the article delivery operation by the article transport mechanism based on the output signal of the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor 37.
An article dispensing device having: The control device 12 permits the delivery of the article 3 into the storage box 10 on condition that the opening operation of the splash plate 34 is detected by the sensor 37.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an item payout device for paying out various items such as a prize in a game machine and a product in a vending machine.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 For example, in a gaming device, a player is given a prize when he or she plays a predetermined game and obtains predetermined points. Further, in the vending machine, the purchaser is given a product by inserting money into an insertion slot arranged at a predetermined position. Such gaming machines, vending machines and the like require so-called article dispensers for dispensing articles such as prizes to the outside when necessary.

As the above-described article dispensing device, conventionally, an article transporting device such as an endless transport belt that rotates around a circumference has been used to deliver an article into an article storage box, and a hand is inserted through an article delivery opening to deliver the article. There is known a device for taking out an article to the outside.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the above-described conventional article dispensing device, if the player or the like does not take out the articles in the article storage box, the articles sequentially delivered from the article transporting apparatus will remain in the article storage box, and eventually the article will be clogged. There was a risk of damage to the article carrier.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an article dispensing device that does not cause an article jam even when forgetting to take out an article. To do.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object, an article dispensing device according to the present invention comprises an article storage box, an article transporting means for delivering an article into the article storage box, and an article storage box inside the article storage box. An article delivery device having an article delivery opening for taking out an article stored in the outside is characterized by adopting the following configuration. That is, this article dispensing device is provided between the article storage box and the article unloading opening and opens and closes the article unloading opening, and outputs a signal by detecting the opening and closing of the wing. It has a splash plate open / close detection sensor and a control device that controls the article transport operation by the article transport means based on the output signal of the splash plate open / close detection sensor.

[0007]

[Action]

 For example, in a gaming device, a player is given a prize when he or she plays a predetermined game and obtains predetermined points. Specifically, a command to operate the article transporting means (article transporting instruction) is output from the host computer or the like, the output is input to the control device, and the article transporting means determines a predetermined value in response to a command from the control device. Operates on time to deliver an item, usually a single item, into an item storage box. The player inserts his or her hand through the article ejection opening to take out the article. When a player inserts his or her hand into the opening for picking up an article, a splash plate is opened, which is detected by a splash plate opening / closing detection sensor and a signal is output from the sensor. The control device inputs the output signal of the splash plate open / close detection sensor, and when receiving an article conveyance command thereafter, sends the next article into the article storage box.

When the article is not taken out from the article storage box, no output signal is generated in the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor. Unless there is an output signal from the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor, the control device does not send out the next article even if it receives the article transportation command. This prevents a large number of articles from staying in the article storage box.

[0009]

【Example】

 FIG. 6 shows the overall appearance of a game machine using the article dispensing device according to the present invention. The article payout device 30 is fixedly installed on the right side surface of the game machine body 31. The game machine main body 31 is covered by a housing 1, and an arbitrary game machine is installed inside the housing 1. The game machine to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to a specific game machine, and thus detailed description of the game machine is omitted.

The article dispensing device 30 includes a cover 32, an article storage box 10 arranged at the bottom of the cover 32, and an article takeout provided on a front plate of the cover 32 slightly above the article storage box 10. It has an opening 33 and a splash plate 34 arranged on the back side of the opening 33. Normally, the opening 33 is closed by a splash plate 34. When a game is played on the game machine in the casing 1 and a prize is given to the player as a result of the game, the article storage mechanism 10 installed in the article payout device 30 is used to convey the article storage box 10 One article is discharged inside. The player inserts his / her hand through the opening 33 while lifting the splashing plate 34 upward, and takes out the article stored in the article storage box 10 to the outside.

FIG. 1 shows the internal structure of the article dispensing device stored inside the cover 32. This article dispensing device has a plurality of article storage frames 2 fixed to a housing 1 and extending in the vertical direction. The cross-sectional shape of each individual article storage frame 2 is formed into a substantially square shape, and cubic articles 3 can be stacked and stored inside. Both the upper end and the lower end of each article storage frame 2 are open ends, and the articles 3 are replenished from the upper end opening, and the articles 3 are taken out one by one from the lower end opening. The article storage frames 2 are arranged in rows in the front-rear direction. Reference numeral 4 is a protrusion for preventing the article 3 from jumping out to the side of the article storage frame 2.

Below the lower end opening of the article storage frame 2, two linear rails 6 that are arranged to face each other and extend in the direction in which the article storage frames 2 are arranged, that is, the front-rear direction, are provided. ing. Further, an endless annular carrier chain 5 that is hung between the two sprockets 8a and 8b is disposed in parallel to the rails 6 below the rails 6. Two rectangular article conveying members 7 are fixedly mounted on the chain 5 at positions that divide the entire circumference of the chain into two equal parts. A motor 9 is connected to the sprocket 8b on the rear side, and the chain 5 is driven by this motor 9 so that the upper traveling portion thereof moves from the rear side to the front side as indicated by an arrow A, and the lower traveling portion thereof. Circulates so as to move from the front side to the back side as indicated by arrow B. The operation of the motor 9 is controlled by the controller 12. The conveying member 7 attached to the chain 5 projects above the rails 6 through the space between the two rails 6 and 6 when the chain in that portion becomes the upper traveling portion.

The article storage box 10 is fixedly arranged in front of the rail 6. Further, an optical sensor including a light emitting element 11a and a light receiving element 11b is disposed as an article storage detection sensor between the article storage box 10 and the rail 6. The output signal of the light receiving element 11b is sent to the control device 12. A micro switch 13 is fixedly arranged in the vicinity of the back sprocket 8b, and an article conveying member 7 that moves integrally with the chain 5 contacts an actuator of the micro switch 13. The output signal of the micro switch 13 is also sent to the control device 12.

The articles 3 are loaded inside each article storage frame 2, and the lower rotation shaft 14 rotates about the axis L1 at a lateral position facing the lowest one 3a of the loaded articles. It is provided so that it can move, but cannot move in parallel or tilt. In addition, an upper stage rotation shaft 15 is provided at a lateral position facing the second lowest item among the loaded items, that is, the next stage item 3b so as to be rotatable about the axis L2 but not in parallel movement and tilt movement. There is. One claw member 16 is fixed to the lower rotation shaft 14 in correspondence with each article storage frame 2. Similarly, one pressing member 17 is fixed to the upper rotary shaft 15 so as to correspond to each article storage frame 2.

A rotary drive device 18 for rotationally driving the lower rotary shaft 14 and the upper rotary shaft 15 is provided below the side wall 2a of the frontmost article storage frame 2. As shown in FIG. 2, this drive device has, as shown in FIG. 2, a lower lever 19 integrated with the lower rotary shaft 14, an upper lever 20 integral with the upper rotary shaft 15, and a lower cam 21 abutting the lower lever 19. An upper cam 22 that contacts the upper lever 20, a timing belt 23 that drives and connects both cams 21 and 22, and a motor 24 that drives both cams 21 and 22. The operation of the motor 24 is controlled by the controller 12 as shown in FIG. The claw member 16 fixed to the lower rotation shaft 14 is elastically biased in the direction toward the article 3 by the compression spring 25. The pressing member 17 fixed to the upper rotation shaft 15 is elastically biased toward the article 3 by a tension spring 26 connected to the upper lever 20. Reference numeral 27 indicates a rubber member attached to the tip of the pressing member 17.

In FIG. 1, a splash plate 34 that closes the article take-out opening 33 is rotatable about a shaft 35 that extends in the horizontal direction, and a detection piece 36 is integrally formed on the upper end of the splash plate 34. It is provided. The splash plate opening / closing detection sensor 37 arranged in the vicinity of the detection piece 36 is composed of, for example, a reflection type optical sensor, and when the splash plate 34 is lifted upward, that is, the opening 33 is opened. Sometimes, the detection piece 36 is detected and a detection signal is output. The detection signal is sent to the controller 12.

The operation of the article dispensing device having the above configuration will be described below.

(Operation for Sending Out Articles into Article Storage Box 10) First, as shown in FIG. 1, description will be started assuming that some articles 3 are mounted on two rails 6, 6. When a command to dispense one article 3 is input to the control device 12 from a host computer (not shown), the chain drive motor 9 operates according to the command from the control device 12 to drive the chain 5, and thus the conveying member on the upper traveling portion side. 7a moves in the direction of arrow A. The plurality of articles 3 placed on the rails 6 are pushed by the conveying member 7a and conveyed in the direction of arrow A, that is, in the direction toward the article storage box 10. Then, the frontmost one of the conveyed plurality of articles 3 is detached from the front end of the rail 6 and sent out into the article storage box 10. The delivered article is given to the player as a prize in the game device.

While one article 3 is moving from the rail 6 to the article storage box 10, the article storage detection sensors 11 a and 11 b detect the article 3 and the detection signal is sent to the control device 12. Upon receiving the detection signal, the control device 12 stops the operation of the belt drive motor 9 and stops the delivery of the article 3.

When the delivery of the articles 3 is repeated and the conveying member 7 a on the upper traveling portion side of the chain 5 moves to the vicinity of the front end of the rails 6, the articles 3 disappear on the rails 6. At this time, the transport member 7b on the lower traveling portion side of the chain 5 bypasses the inner sprocket 8b and moves to the upper traveling portion. During this transition, the conveyance member 7b is detected by the micro switch 13, and the detection signal output from the micro switch 13 at that time is sent to the control device 12. Upon receiving the detection signal from the micro switch 13, the control device 12 operates the motor 24 in the rotation drive device 18 to replenish the rails 6 with the articles 3 in the article storage frames 2 as follows. .

First, when the article 3 is left on the rail 6 and the article 3 is conveyed by the conveying member 7a, as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the pawl member 16 is placed in the closed position by the spring force of the spring 25. In this state, the lowermost article 3a in each article storage frame 2 is received by the claw member 16 and stored in the article storage frame 2.

When the motor 24 operates according to a command from the control device 12, the upper cam 22 and the lower cam 21 rotate 90 degrees in the counterclockwise direction, and the state shown in FIG. 3 is obtained. In this state, the pressing member 17 moves to the closed position and presses the next-stage article 3b from the right side surface direction. This pressing prevents the next stage article 3b from dropping toward the lower end opening E of the article storage frame 2.

After that, the upper cam 22 and the lower cam 21 rotate further 90 degrees in the clockwise direction to the state shown in FIG. In this state, the pawl member 16 moves to the open position while the pressing member 17 maintains the closed position. By moving the claw member 16 to the open position, the lowest article 3a in the article storage frame 2 is dropped from the article storage frame 2 through the lower end opening E and placed on the rails 6, 6. At this time, the next-stage article 3b is held stationary by the pressing member 17.

After that, the cams 21 and 22 further rotate 90 degrees in the clockwise direction to the state shown in FIG. 5, and the pawl member 16 returns to the closed position. Then, when the cams 21 and 22 further rotate 90 degrees and return to the state of FIG. 2, the pressing member 17 returns to the open position, and the article 3b, which was the next stage article until then, falls onto the claws of the claw member 16. Becomes the lowest item 3a.

Hereinafter, the operations shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 are repeatedly executed based on a command from the control device 12, and the lowest article 3a in each article storage frame 2 is timely row by row and rails 6a. , 6 is replenished.

(Operation of Taking Out Articles by Player ) As shown in FIG. 7, when one of the articles 3 falls into the article storage box 10 as the carrier chain 5 rotates, the article storage detection sensors 11a and 11b. Detects the article 3 and the chain 5 stops accordingly. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, the player inserts his hand into the opening 33 while lifting the splash plate 34 upward as shown by the arrow C, and takes out the article 3 from the article storage box 10 to the outside. . When the splash plate 34 is lifted upward, the detection piece 36 is detected by blocking the optical path of the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor 37. At this time, a detection signal is output from the sensor 37 and the detection signal is output from the control device 12 (see FIG. 1). ) Is entered.

The control device 12 detects that the article storage detection sensors 11 a and 11 b detect the article 3 and further, when the two conditions that the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor 37 detects the detection piece 36 are satisfied, The article 3 is allowed to be continuously discharged from the transport chain 5 into the article storage box 10. Therefore, when the control device 12 is instructed to eject the article 3, the transport chain 5 operates and the next article 3 is delivered into the article storage box 10. On the other hand, even when the article 3 is discharged into the article storage box 10, unless the splashing plate open / close detection sensor 37 detects that the splashing plate 34 has been opened, the control device 12 operates the next article 3 Do not allow the discharge operation of. By this process, the articles 3 are prevented from being discharged into the article storage box 10 one after another, and the articles 3 can be prevented from being clogged and eventually damage to the transporting equipment such as the transport chain 5 or the like. .

As shown in FIG. 9, when the splash plate 34 is lifted and the detection sensor 37 detects the detection piece 36, the article 3 may not be taken out of the article storage box 10 for some reason. To be In this case, the two conditions of the article storage detection sensors 11a and 11b detecting the article 3 and the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor 37 detecting the detection piece 36 are formally satisfied. As shown in 10, a situation occurs in which the second article 3b is stacked and discharged on the first article 3a. In this case, since the splash plate 34 cannot be lifted upward due to the presence of the upper article 3b, the situation that the splash plate open / close detection sensor 37 detects the detection piece 36 does not occur. The discharge of the article 3 will not be continued thereafter. Thereby, clogging of the article 3 is prevented.

When the state shown in FIG. 10 is reached, a staff member is usually called to take appropriate measures. However, some people may try to push back the upper article 3b and take out the lower article 3a, as shown in FIG. If this attempt is successful, the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor 37 will detect the detection piece 36, as shown in FIG. 12, so if no measures are taken, the third article is conveyed. It is discharged from the chain 5 and supplied into the article storage box 10. In order to prevent this, as shown in FIG. 12, even when the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor 37 detects the detection piece 36, at the same time, when the article storage detection sensors 11a and 11b are detecting the article 3, the control is performed. The device 12 prohibits the delivery of the article 3 by the transport chain 5. This prevents the article 3 from clogging.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, but can be variously modified within the technical scope described in the claims.

For example, the present invention is not limited to the payout of prizes in a game machine, but can be applied to the payout of products in vending machines and the like.

The configuration of the article transporting means for transporting the articles 3 into the article storage box 10 one by one is as shown in FIG. 1, the article storage frame 2, the pressing member 17, the claw member 16, and the transport rail. 6, and not only the article conveying apparatus configured by the conveying chain 5 having the article conveying claws 7 and the like, but also any other conveying apparatus having an arbitrary configuration can be applied.

[0033]

[Effect of device]

 According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the articles from being discharged into the article storage box randomly and continuously, so that the articles can be prevented from being jammed and the article conveying system can be prevented from being damaged.

[0034]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the internal structure of an article dispensing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing one state of an article replenishing operation in the article dispensing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing one state of the article replenishing operation subsequent to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing one state of an article replenishing operation subsequent to FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a state of an article replenishing operation following that of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an embodiment in which the article dispensing device according to the present invention is attached to a gaming machine.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view showing one state of an operation of taking out an article from the article dispensing device, particularly a state when the article is fed into the article storage box.

FIG. 8 is a state of the article take-out operation subsequent to FIG.
In particular, it is a front sectional view showing a state when an article is taken out from the article storage box.

FIG. 9 is a state of the article take-out operation subsequent to FIG. 7;
In particular, it is a front sectional view showing a state where the splash plate is lifted up, but the article is not taken out.

FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view showing one state of the article take-out operation subsequent to FIG. 9, particularly a state in which the articles are stacked and discharged.

FIG. 11 is a front cross-sectional view showing one state of the article take-out operation subsequent to FIG. 10, particularly a state in which the article is forcibly taken out.

FIG. 12 is a front cross-sectional view showing one state of the article taking-out operation subsequent to FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Transport Chain 6 Linear Rail 7 Article Transport Member 10 Article Storage Boxes 11a, 11b Article Storage Detection Sensor 12 Control Device 33 Article Extraction Opening 34 Splash Plate 37 Splash Plate Opening Detection Sensor

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An article delivery device having an article storage box, an article transporting means for delivering an article into the article storage box, and an article delivery opening for taking out an article stored in the article storage box to the outside. In the article, a splash plate that is arranged between the article storage box and the article take-out opening and opens and closes the article take-out opening, and a splash-plate open / close detection sensor that detects the opening / closing of the splash board and outputs a signal And a controller for controlling the article delivery operation by the article transporting means based on the output signal of the splash plate opening / closing detection sensor. 2. An article storage detection sensor which is arranged between the article transport means and the article storage box and which detects an article moving from the article transport means toward the article storage box and outputs a signal. The article delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls the article delivery operation by the article transporting means based on the output signal. 3. The article dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device moves the article into the article storage box by means of the article transporting means unless the spring board open / close detection sensor detects that the spring board has been opened. The article delivery device is characterized in that the article is not delivered.