JPH07262441A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the storing capacity of commodities and to make it possible to store commodities in respective columns arranged on the front and rear parts of a body without sequentially fully drawing out them. CONSTITUTION:Commodities 22 are stored in a front column 18 directly from a 1st commodity loading port 20 arranged on the front face part of the column 18. On the other hand, commodities 22 are stored in a rear column 19 from a 2nd commodity loading part 24 arranged on the upper part of the front face part of the column 18 through a 2nd commodity loading route 25 arranged on the upper part of the whole front column 18, especially along a bottom 26 formed so as to be descendingly inclined to the back of the route 25. The column 19 is constituted so that commodities 22 are stored in the lateral direction and provided with an attitude control part for controlling the attitudes of the commodities 22 to the correct direction and a shock absorbing part for absorbing the dropping shock of the commodities 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine having a main body on which columns for storing products are arranged side by side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an automatic vending machine for selling products such as canned drinks and bottled drinks, in recent years, the columns for storing the products have been arranged front and back in order to increase the storage amount of the products. The one provided is provided.

FIG. 6 specifically shows the structure of this, in which a main body 1 is provided with columns 2 and 3 arranged side by side in the front and rear direction, and a plurality of columns are arranged side by side in the lateral direction. In addition, the columns 2 and 3 are provided so as to be able to be pulled out forward through the rail mechanism 4, respectively, and in order to store the products inside each in the pulled out state,
Product input ports 5 and 6 are provided on the side surfaces of the columns 2 and 3, and column doors 7 and 8 that open and close the product input ports 5 and 6 are provided.

[0004]

According to the above configuration, in order to store the products in the column 2 and the column 3, it is necessary to pull out the column 2 and the column 3 from the main body 1 one by one. The rail mechanism 4 is indispensable, and the structure is complicated and the cost is high. In addition, since the column 2 and the column 3 are pulled out from the inside of the main body 1 one by one, the operator needs a force, which causes a problem that the labor is increased.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and therefore an object thereof is to automatically store a product in a column provided in front and rear of a main body without pulling out the columns one by one. To provide a vending machine.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in the vending machine of the present invention, a main body is provided with columns for storing products arranged side by side, and the front face of the front column is provided. Part is provided with a first product insertion opening leading to the inside of the front column, a second product insertion opening is provided above the front surface of the front column, and product insertion is introduced from the second product insertion opening to the inside of the rear column. It is characterized in that a passage is provided, and the bottom of the product introduction passage is formed in an inclined shape that gradually descends toward the inside of the rear column.

[0007] In this case, the rear column is preferably adapted to store the products in a lateral direction. Further, it is preferable that the rear column has a posture control unit that controls the posture of the product in the correct direction. Further, it is preferable that the rear column has a shock absorbing portion that absorbs a drop shock of the product. In addition, it is advisable to have a hopper at the second product slot.

[0008]

According to the above means, the products can be stored in the front column directly from the first product insertion port and in the rear column from the second product insertion port through the product insertion path. No need to pull out both columns.

In this case, particularly in the case where the rear column is designed to store the product sideways, the product can be smoothly stored in the rear column by rolling the inclined bottom surface of the product input path. Further, in the case where the rear column has a posture control unit for controlling the posture of the product in the correct direction, the product can be reliably stored in the rear column in the correct direction.

Further, in the case where the rear column has a shock absorbing portion for absorbing a drop impact of the product, the product can be stored without being deformed in the rear column. In addition, with the second product inlet having the hopper, it is possible to easily store the product in the rear column.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 2 shows a main body 11 of a vending machine, and a main door having a display section 13 displaying a large number of product samples 12, a product selection button 14, a coin insertion slot 15, and a product outlet 16 on the front surface. 17 is pivotably installed so that it can be opened and closed.

On the other hand, inside the main body 11, columns 18 and 19 shown in FIG. 1 are arranged in front and rear in a fixed state, and a plurality of columns are also arranged in the lateral direction (only one column is provided). (Shown). Then, in the front column 18 of each row
Has a first product insertion port 20 that directly communicates with the inside of the front column 18 on the front surface thereof, and also has the first product insertion port 20.
It has a column door 21 that opens and closes, and the stored products 22 (in this case, showing canned beverages) are vertically distributed in two rows, and coins can be inserted and products can be selected. It has a bend mechanism 23 that stores it until a certain amount.

A second member is provided above the front surface of the front column 18.
The product input port 24 is provided, and a product input path 25 that leads from the second product input port 24 to the inside of the rear column 19 is provided above the entire front column 18. Then, the upper surface 26 of the front column 18 that constitutes the bottom surface of the product input path 25 is
It is formed in an inclined shape that gradually descends toward the inside of the rear column 19.

Further, in this case, the rear column 19 has a product 22.
Are stored in a horizontal direction, and the inside of the lower part thereof has a bend mechanism 27 that stores the stored products 22 in two rows in the horizontal direction and stores them until coins are inserted and products are selected. . Below the front column 18 and the rear column 19, there is provided a chute 28 having a downward slope that guides the selected product 22 to the product outlet 16.

Now, in the case of the above-mentioned structure,
To store the product 22 in the front column 18, use the main door 1
7 is opened, and in this state, the column door 21 is further opened, and the first
The product 22 may be directly inserted into the front column 18 from the product insertion port 20 of FIG. On the other hand, in order to store the product 22 in the rear column 19, the product 22 may be inserted into the product insertion path 25 from the second product insertion port 24 in the same state. The products 22 loaded in the product loading path 25 are stored in the rear column 19 along the inclination of the upper surface 26 of the front column 18 (bottom surface of the product loading path 25).

As described above, in this structure, the front column 1
Directly from the first product slot 20 in the rear column 1
The product 22 can be stored in the container 9 through the second product insertion port 24 and the product insertion path 25. Unlike the conventional product, it is not necessary to pull out both the columns 18 and 19. Therefore, the rail mechanism which is indispensable in the conventional structure is not necessary in this structure, and the structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. In addition, the worker is also column 1
Since it is not necessary to pull out 8 and 19 from the inside of the main body 11 one by one, the force is not required and the labor of the work can be saved.

Further, in particular, since the rear column 19 is configured to store the product 22 in a lateral direction, the product 22 is rolled on the inclined upper surface 26 of the front column 18 (bottom surface of the product loading path 25) and placed in the rear column 19. The product 22 can be stored smoothly, and the storage property of the product 22 can be further improved.

In contrast to the above, FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a rail plate 29 having a downward slope is supported on the front wall portion and the rear wall portion in the rear column 19. A so-called zigzag arrangement is shown in which the shaft 30 and the torsion coil spring 31 elastically support each other.

In this case, the product 22 passing through the product input path 25 passes through the rail plate 29, and in particular, the attitude is controlled in the correct direction (in this case, the sideways direction) at the beginning so that the upper rail can be controlled. The plate 29 functions as an attitude control unit, whereby the product 22 can be reliably stored in the rear column 19 in the correct direction, and the problem that the product 22 is stored obliquely or standing and is not taken out can be prevented. You can

The rail plates 29 other than the uppermost one are the products 22
Are elastically actuated each time they fall, and absorb the drop impact of the product 22, so that they function as a shock absorbing portion, whereby the product 22 is not deformed in the rear column 19 or the like. It can be stored and it is possible to prevent the product value from decreasing.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
A hopper 32 is provided in the second product insertion port 24, and by doing so, it is possible to further facilitate the storage of the product 22 in the rear column 19.

It should be noted that the rear column 19 may store the products 22 vertically, while the front column 1
The product 22 may be stored sideways in the box 8.
In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and may be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0023]

The vending machine of the present invention is as described above, and has the following effects. First, in the main body in which columns for storing products are arranged side by side, the front of the front column leads to the inside of the front column.
The product input port of the above is provided, and the second column is installed above the front part of the front column.
And a product insertion path leading from the second product insertion opening to the inside of the rear column, and the bottom of the product insertion path is formed in an inclined shape that gradually descends toward the inside of the rear column. As a result, the products can be stored in the columns without pulling out the columns one by one from the main body, so that the structure can be simplified and the product storing operation can be facilitated.

Second, since the rear column is configured to store the product in a lateral direction, the product can be smoothly stored in the rear column by rolling the inclined bottom surface of the product input path. The storability can be further improved.
Thirdly, by configuring the rear column to have a posture control unit that controls the posture of the product in the correct direction, the product can be reliably stored in the correct direction in the rear column,
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem in which the device is stored in an oblique or standing state and cannot be taken out.

Fourthly, the rear column has a shock absorbing portion which absorbs the shock of dropping the product.
The product can be stored in the rear column without being deformed and the like, and the decrease in product value can be prevented. Fifth,
By configuring the second product insertion port to have a hopper, it is possible to further improve the storability of the product in the rear column.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main portion showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Overall front view

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view of a main portion.

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an overall perspective view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 is a main body, 18 is a front column, 19 is a rear column, 20 is a first product insertion slot, 22 is a product, 24 is a second product insertion slot, 25 is a product insertion path, and 26 is an upper surface of the front column (product. The bottom surface of the loading path, 29 is a rail plate (posture control unit, shock absorbing unit), 30 is a support shaft, 31 is a torsion coil spring, 32
Indicates a hopper.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A main body in which columns for storing products are arranged side by side in a front-rear direction, wherein a front product of the front column is provided with a first product insertion port communicating with the inside of the front column, and the front part of the front column is provided. A second product slot is provided above,
An automatic vending machine, characterized in that a merchandise entry path communicating from the second merchandise entry opening to the inside of the rear column is provided, and the bottom of the merchandise entry path is formed into an inclined shape that gradually descends toward the inside of the rear column. . 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the rear column is adapted to store the products sideways. 3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the rear column has an attitude control unit that controls the attitude of the product in a correct direction. 4. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the rear column has a shock absorbing portion that absorbs a drop shock of a product. 5. The vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a hopper at the second product slot.