JPH07325965A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an automatic vending machine which can effectively display actual articles, which are stored inside, to the outside. CONSTITUTION:The articles A stored in a 1st storage passage 3a and a carry- out passage 3d are seen through respective see-through widows 15 and 18 from outside, so those actual articles A are effectively displayed to the outside. Further, the articles A in the respective storage passages 3a, 3b, and 3c are carried out in order from the outside passages and when the number of the articles in the outside passages becomes small, the articles A stored in the inside passages can be viewed from outside through the gap between wire guides 19 and 22, so the display effect is never lowered even if a space is formed in a passage.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine in which a product stored inside can be directly viewed from the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vending machine installed in a store or the like, a sample of sold products is displayed on the outer surface of the vending machine body, and the actual product stored in the vending machine body is external. Generally, the structure is such that it cannot be directly viewed from the outside (for example, the actual Kaihei 3-107).
786).

[0003]

However, when the actual product cannot be visually inspected from the outside like the conventional vending machine, the purchaser looks at the product sample and selects the desired product. Since the product sample is a simulated representation of the actual product and has a slightly different impression from the actual product, there is a problem that the purchaser's willingness to purchase is reduced particularly in the case of food and drink products. Also, as a vending machine that allows you to visually check the products inside,
It is known that each of a large number of product storage rooms is provided with a transparent door so that a desired product storage room can be opened to take out a product after money has been inserted. However, since this type has few types of products that can be stored, its installation location is limited to places such as hotel guest rooms where the purchaser is specified,
It is not used as a general vending machine. Furthermore,
The transparent door was merely for identifying the product from the outside, and was not a structure for effectively displaying the product to the outside.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic vending machine capable of effectively displaying an actual product stored inside to the outside. It is in.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, in claim 1, a product storage unit for storing products in a state of being aligned along a surface of a vending machine body, and a product storage unit. A product unloading mechanism that unloads the products stored in the storage unit in order from below, and a see-through window that allows at least some of the products stored in the product storage unit to be viewed from the outside of the vending machine body. It constitutes a vending machine.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the vending machine body has an upper surface inclined forward and downward, a product storage section for storing products aligned with the upper surface and the front surface of the vending machine body, and a product storage. The product carry-out mechanism that carries out the products stored in the product compartment from the bottom in order, and the perspective that makes at least some of the products stored in the product storage part visible from the outside through the top and front of the vending machine body. It constitutes a vending machine with windows.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine according to the first or second aspect, a plurality of storage passages for storing the articles in the article storage section by dividing the articles in the depth direction of the vending machine body, and the article storage. And a switching means for sequentially carrying out the products stored in the unit from a predetermined storage passage.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine according to the first or second aspect, among the articles in the article storage section, the articles stored in at least a portion corresponding to the see-through window are stored in the vending machine body. A plurality of storage passages that are divided and stored in the depth direction, partitioning means formed by a member having transparency between the storage passages, and the products stored in the product storage portion are sequentially carried out from the outer storage passage. And switching means.

[0009]

According to the automatic vending machine of claim 1, since the goods stored in the state of being aligned along the surface of the main body of the automatic vending machine can be seen from the outside through the see-through window, the actual goods stored inside Products are effectively displayed outside.

Further, according to the vending machine of claim 2, in addition to the operation of claim 1, since the upper surface of the main body of the vending machine is inclined forward and downward, the see-through window is in the viewing angle of the purchaser. It will be easier.

According to the automatic vending machine of claim 3, in addition to the function of claim 1 or 2, since the product storage section stores the products in a plurality of storage passages in a divided manner, The amount increases.

Further, according to the automatic vending machine of claim 4, in addition to the operation of claim 1, 2 or 3, since the product in the product storage section is carried out from the outer storage passage, the product in the outer storage passage. When the number of items is reduced, products stored in the inside storage passage are displayed in the space through the transparent partitioning means.

[0013]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an automatic vending machine, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view thereof.

This vending machine has a vending machine body 1 whose upper surface is inclined forward and downward, an upper door 2 for opening and closing the upper surface of the vending machine body 1, and a product storage section 3 for storing a large number of products A.
And a product unloading mechanism 4 for unloading the product A in the product storage unit 3, and sells bottles, canned beverages, and the like as the product A.

The vending machine main body 1 is surrounded by a heat insulating wall 5, and a product storage unit 3, a product unloading mechanism 4 and a cooler 6 are housed inside the heat insulation wall 5. A machine room 7 is provided in the lower part of the vending machine body 1, and a compressor 8 and a condenser 9 that together with the cooler 6 constitute a refrigeration circuit are housed inside the machine room 7. In addition, a coin slot 1 is provided on the upper surface of the vending machine body 1.
0, an amount display section 11, and a total of three product selection buttons 12 are provided, and a coin return port 13 and a product outlet 14 are provided at the lower front portion of the vending machine body 1. Further, a transparent window 15 formed of transparent glass is provided on the front upper portion of the vending machine body 1, and the inside of the vending machine body 1 can be viewed from the outside through the transparent window 15. A product outlet 16 is provided on the bottom surface of the heat insulating wall 5, and a chute plate 17 that is inclined toward the product outlet 14 is provided below the product outlet 16.

One end of the upper door 2 is rotatably supported by the rear portion of the vending machine body 1, and is opened and closed vertically with this as a fulcrum. Further, the upper door 2 is provided with a see-through window 18 made of transparent glass, and the inside of the vending machine body 1 can be seen from the outside through the see-through window 18.

The product storage unit 3 has a first storage passage 3a formed in a total of three stages in the vertical direction along the upper surface of the vending machine body 1.
The second storage passage 3b and the third storage passage 3c, and the carry-out passage 3 vertically formed along the front surface of the vending machine body 1.
and one end of each of the storage passages 3a, 3b, 3c communicates with the unloading passage 3d. A member having transparency is provided between the first and second storage passages 3a and 3b, for example, a wire guide 1 made of rods provided with a gap therebetween.
It is partitioned by 9, and the product A in the first storage passage 3a rolls on the wire guide 19. The second and third storage passages 3b and 3c are separated from each other by the wire guide 20 similar to that described above, and the product A in the second storage passage 3b rolls on the wire guide 19. The product A in the third storage passage 3c rolls on the bottom plate 21. On the other hand, the front wall of the carry-out passage 3d is formed by the wire guide 22 similar to that described above. In addition, each storage passage 3a, 3b,
A flapper 23 serving as a passage switching unit is provided at one end of 3c, that is, at the boundary with the discharge passage 3d. Each flapper 23 is rotatably mounted above the passage, closes the passage at one end, and presses the microswitch 24 provided at the upper end of the passage at the other end. In this case, when the product A is in the passage, the flapper 23 is pushed open by the weight of the product A, and the other end of the flapper 23 is separated from the micro switch 24. Also,
One ends of the flappers 23 of the second and third storage passages 3b and 3c are held closed by stoppers 25, respectively. Each stopper 25 is attached to a drive source such as a solenoid and can be arbitrarily separated from the flapper 23. Each micro switch 24 is electrically connected to the drive source of each stopper 25, and when the micro switch 24 in the first storage passage 3a is pressed by the flapper 23, the stopper 25 in the second storage passage 3b is released, and the second storage passage 3b is released. When the micro switch 24 in the passage 3b is pressed again by the flapper 23, the stopper 25 in the third storage passage 3c is released. A plurality of such product storage units 3 are provided in the width direction of the vending machine body 1, and different kinds of products can be stored in each of them.

The product unloading mechanism 4 is disposed below the unloading passage 3d, the lowest product A in the unloading passage 3d is locked by a pair of unloaders 4a, and the product A is released by unlocking the unloaders 4a.
Are designed to be dropped one by one. Since a conventional product discharge mechanism such as a serpentine column can be applied as the product discharge mechanism 4, a detailed description of the structure will be omitted.

In the vending machine configured as described above, when an arbitrary product selection button 12 is pressed, the product unloading mechanism 4 of the product storage unit 3 corresponding to the button is operated, and the product A is carried. The product is unloaded to the product outlet 14 via the outlet 16. At that time, as shown in FIG.
When stored in each of the storage passages 3a, 3b, 3c, the product A in the upper first storage passage 3a is carried out to the carry-out passage 3d, and the product A in the second and third storage passages 3b, 3c is The flapper 23, which is held closed by the stopper 25, blocks entry into the carry-out passage 3d.
In this case, since the product A stored in the first storage passage 3a and the carry-out passage 3d is viewed from the outside through each of the see-through windows 15 and 18, these actual products A are effectively displayed outside. At this time, when the amount of the product A in the first storage passage 3a becomes small, the product A stored in the second storage passage 3b is displayed in the space portion thereof through the gap of the wire guide 19. Next, when all the products A in the first storage passage 3a are carried out, the flapper 23 in the first storage passage 3a is closed, the micro switch 24 is pressed, and the stopper 25 in the second storage passage 3b is released. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3A, the product A in the second storage passage 3b pushes open the flapper 23 and enters the discharge passage 3d. At that time, when the amount of the product A in the second storage passage 2a becomes small, the product A stored in the third storage passage 3c is displayed in the space portion through the gap of the wire guide 20. Further, the second storage passage 3b
When all the products A are unloaded, the flapper 23 of the second storage passage 3b is closed, the micro switch 24 is pressed, and the stopper 25 of the third storage passage 3c is released. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, the product A in the third storage passage 3c pushes open the flapper 23 and enters the discharge passage 3d.

As described above, according to the vending machine of this embodiment, the commodities A aligned along the upper surface and the front surface of the vending machine body 1 can be viewed from the outside through the transparent windows 15 and 18. As a result, these actual products A can be effectively exhibited to the outside, and the purchaser's willingness to purchase can be increased. In this case, since the upper surface of the vending machine body 1 is inclined forward and downward, the transparent window 18 of the upper door 2 is likely to be in the purchaser's viewing angle, and the display effect can be further enhanced. In addition, the product A in the product storage unit 3 is stored in the storage passages 3a, 3b, 3
Since it is divided into c and stored, the number of stored products A is increased, and the number of replenishments of the products A can be reduced. Further, the product A in each of the storage passages 3a, 3b, 3c is carried out in order from the outer passage, and the product A in the outer passage.
Since the product A stored in the inner passage can be viewed from the outside through the gap between the wire guides 19 and 20 when the number of the passages is reduced, there is an advantage that the exhibition effect is not deteriorated even if a space is created in the passage. There is. In this case, a transparent plate can be used instead of the wire guides 19 and 22.

[0021]

As described above, according to the vending machine of claim 1, since the actual product stored inside can be effectively displayed outside, the purchaser's willingness to purchase can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to improve sales.

Further, according to the vending machine of claim 2, in addition to the effect of claim 1, the transparent window easily enters the viewing angle of the purchaser, so that the display effect can be further enhanced.

According to the vending machine of claim 3, in addition to the effect of claim 1 or 2, since the number of articles to be stored increases, the number of times of replenishment of articles can be reduced.

Further, according to the vending machine of claim 4, in addition to the effect of claim 1, 2 or 3, when the number of products in the outer storage passage decreases, the products stored in the inner passage are displayed outside. Therefore, there is an advantage that the exhibition effect is not deteriorated even if a space is created in the passage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a vending machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Side sectional view of a vending machine

[Figure 3] Operation explanatory diagram of the vending machine

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vending machine main body, 3 ... Product storage part, 3a ... 1st storage passage, 3b ... 2nd storage passage, 3c ... 3rd storage passage, 4 ...
Product carry-out mechanism, 15, 18 ... Each transparent window, 19, 20 ... Wire guide, 23 ... Flapper, A ... Product.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A product storage unit for storing products in a state in which they are aligned along the surface of a vending machine body, a product unloading mechanism for sequentially unloading the products stored in the product storage unit from below, and a product storage unit. An automatic vending machine, comprising: a transparent window through which at least a part of the commercial items stored in the vending machine can be viewed from the outside of the vending machine body. 2. A vending machine body having an upper surface inclined forward and downward, a product storage section for storing products in a state where the products are aligned along the upper surface and the front surface of the vending machine body, and the product storage section. A merchandise carrying-out mechanism for carrying out the merchandise in order from the bottom, and a see-through window for allowing at least a part of the merchandise stored in the merchandise storage section to be seen from the outside through the upper surface and the front surface of the vending machine body. A vending machine characterized by that. 3. A plurality of storage passages for storing the commodity in the commodity storage section by dividing the commodity in the depth direction of the vending machine body, and a switch for sequentially ejecting the commodity stored in the commodity storage section from a predetermined storage passage. The vending machine according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: means. 4. A plurality of storage passages for storing the products stored in at least the portion corresponding to the see-through window among the products in the product storage unit by dividing them in the depth direction of the vending machine body, and each storage passage. 3. A partitioning means formed between the members having a see-through property, and a switching means for sequentially carrying out the products stored in the product storage section from the outside storage passage, The switch according to claim 1 or 2, Vending machine.