JPH0737169Y2 - Sold-out detection device for vending machines - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application] This invention has a spiral wire in a rack case,
In a vending machine equipped with a so-called spiral wire type product rack, in which products are stored while being supported by this spiral wire and products are carried out by the rotation of the spiral wire, for detecting the final product carried out from the product rack. Regarding a sold-out detection device.

[Conventional technology]

BACKGROUND ART A spiral wire type product rack is known in which a rotary shaft driven by a drive motor extends vertically in the center of a rack case and is provided with a spiral wire which is fixed to the rotary shaft and runs vertically around the rotary shaft in a spiral shape. In this product rack, products are vertically arranged one by one while being supported by a spiral wire, and each spiral space formed by the spiral wire is stored in two rows to the left and right of the spiral space.
However, due to the sales signal rotating the rotating shafts by 180 °, the products descend all at once, and the left and right products are alternately placed one by one at the bottom, losing the support of the spiral wire and dropping on the product chute below. Dropped out. This product is delivered to the product outlet via the product chute.

A sold-out detection device shown in FIG. 4 is provided in the product rack to carry out the final product in the rack case and display the sold-out condition. In the figure, first, a product rack 1 has a rotating shaft 3 in the center of a rack case 2 and a spiral wire 4 around the rotating shaft 3. 7 is a product stored in the rack case 2 in two rows on the left and right. The sold-out detection device 10 includes a substantially rectangular plate-shaped actuator 11
The upper end of this actuator 11 having a rotator is rotatably supported, and is urged in the direction of arrow A by a spring 12 so that the lower end is pressed against the product 7. Further, the actuator 11 in this state is provided with a microswitch 13 in which the pin is pushed in. Then, for example, when the bottom row product is in the left row, it is as product 7A, and when it is in the right row, the rotating shaft 3 is rotated by 180 ° so that it is carried out like product 7B and stands by and the actuator 11 is pushed back. I'm sick. The bottom product 7A or
When 7B is carried out, the actuator 11 rotates in the direction of arrow A, the pin returns, and the micro switch 13 sends a sold-out signal.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

By the way, the product rack 1 is the product 7 at the bottom as shown in FIG.
There is no problem if A and 7B come into contact with the actuator 11 at substantially the same height, but the lead angle of the spiral wire 4 and the product 7
As shown in FIG. 5, the products 7A and 7B at the lowermost stage, that is, the carry-out standby position may contact the actuator 11 at different heights depending on the size of the product. In this case, the product 7A that comes into contact with the actuator 11 considerably above the lower end, as shown in FIG.
The rotating shaft 3 is rotated by the sales signal and the spiral wire 4 is rotated.
Even if the support of the above is lost, the actuator 11 urged by the spring 12 and the door 21 on the front surface of the rack case 2 are caught in a bridge shape and may not be carried out.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sold-out detection device for an automatic vending machine, which can prevent the lowermost product from being unable to be carried out.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the rack case is provided with a spiral wire which is fixed to a vertically extending rotary shaft and runs vertically around the rotary shaft, and is supported by the spiral wire. Vending machine that stores products one by one in each spiral space and in two rows on both sides of the rotating shaft, and rotates the rotating shaft by 180 ° and carries out the products at the bottom one by one. Provided with an actuator that is pressed against the lowermost product,
In a sold-out detection device in which the actuator is rotated to transmit a sold-out signal when the final product is unloaded, the lower part of the actuator is divided into two parts, and the lower ends of the left and right parts are respectively divided into the left and right parts. The height shall be set to match the carry-out standby position for two rows of products.

[Action]

The products on the bottom row in both the left and right rows start falling without losing the support of the spiral wire due to the sales signal and separate from the actuator. Therefore, it does not get caught in a bridge shape while falling.

〔Example〕

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention,
Portions common to or the same as those in FIGS. 4 to 6 are designated by the same reference numerals.

1 to 3, in the product rack 1, the products at the lowermost carry-out standby position come into contact with the actuators 11 at different heights as the products 7A and 7B in the left and right rows. Therefore, the lower part of the actuator 11 is divided into a left part 11A and a right part 11B by a slit, and the heights of the lower ends are made different according to the contact height of the products 7A and 7B that come into contact at the carry-out standby position, That is, the length C from each contact position 11a, 11b to the lower end is formed so that the left portion 11A and the right portion 11B have substantially the same dimension.

In the above configuration, the product 7 at the lowermost stage, that is, the standby position, contacts the contact position 11a of the left portion 11A of the actuator for the product 7A in the left row, and the right portion 11B of the actuator 11 for the product 7B in the right row. Abutting position 11b. However, the above products 7A and 7B have the rotating shaft 3 depending on the sales signal.
Rotates and loses support of the spiral wire 4 and begins to fall, and in any of the left and right rows, it separates from the actuator 11 at the same timing. Therefore, the product 7
Even if it is caught on the way, it is carried onto the product chute without being caught and is reliably sent to the product outlet.

[Effect of device]

According to the present invention, the rack case is equipped with a spiral wire which is fixed to a vertically extending rotary shaft and runs vertically around the rotary shaft. One spiral wire is supported by the spiral wire and one spiral wire is provided in each spiral space. Moreover, the products are stored in two rows on the left and right with the rotating shaft interposed, and the rotating shaft is 180 °.
It is provided in an automatic vending machine that sequentially rotates the lowermost products one by one, and is equipped with an actuator that is pressed against the lowermost products. When the final product is unloaded, the actuator rotates. In a sold-out detection device that sends out a sold-out signal, the lower part of the actuator is divided into left and right parts, and the lower ends of the left and right parts are respectively set to heights suitable for the carry-out standby positions of the left and right two-row products. As a result, the product in the lowermost row is separated from the actuator at the same timing when it is carried out regardless of whether the product is in the left or right row. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the one column from being undeliverable, and the product is reliably delivered to the product outlet by the sales signal.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a front view of an actuator of a sold-out detection device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a product rack equipped with the sold-out detection device, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged internal side view of the product rack. FIG. 4 is a partial side view of a product rack equipped with a conventional sold-out detection device, FIG. 5 is a partial side view of a product rack showing another conventional example, and FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a defective state in the conventional example. It is a side view. 2 ... Rack case, 3 ... Rotation axis, 4 ... Spiral wire, 7,7A, 7B ... Merchandise, 10 ... Sold-out detection device, 11
...... Actuator, 11A ... left part, 11B ... right part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A rack wire is provided with a spiral wire which is fixed to a rotary shaft extending vertically in the center of the rack case and runs vertically around the rotary shaft, and one wire is supported by the spiral wire, one in each spiral space, Further, products are stored in two rows on both sides of the rotary shaft, the rotary shaft is rotated by 180 °, and the lowermost product is sequentially delivered one by one. In a sold-out detection device that includes an actuator that is pressed against, and when the final product is carried out, the actuator rotates to send a sold-out signal, and the lower part of the actuator is divided into two parts, the left and right parts. A sold-out detection device for a vending machine, characterized in that each lower end is set to a height suitable for the carry-out standby positions of the left and right two-row products.