JPH09198567A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic vending machine capable of promptly selling hot merchandise even in a place where many selling requests are concentrated in a limited time band. SOLUTION: A merchandise housing storage 2 for housing merchandise A and a merchandise heat insulating storage 3 for heating and heat-insulating the merchandise A are provided holding a partition wall 1a inclined in the width direction of an automatic vending machine main body 1 there between and the merchandise A of the merchandise housing storage 2 are moved into the product heat insulating storage 3. Thus, by moving the optional products A of the merchandise housing storage 2 into the merchandise heat insulating storage 3 prior to a sale and heating them to a prescribed temperature inside the merchandise heat insulating storage 3 beforehand, the hot merchandise A are promptly sold at the time the sale.

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 for selling warm products such as foods at various business establishments, schools, etc. at a predetermined time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a place where a relatively large number of employees stay for a long time, a dining room equipped with a kitchen and a kitchen is provided, for example, for employees of various business establishments and students of schools. We provide meals such as lunch. However,
In order to operate a cafeteria, not only material costs but also personnel expenses and equipment costs are large, so it is extremely difficult to set up a dedicated cafeteria in a small business establishment. In addition, even if the restaurant is provided, it is not always satisfying to the user, such as having to wait for a long time for cooking or getting tired of eating because there are few items. Therefore, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-135270, for example, a frozen food automatic equipped with a heating device such as a microwave oven can be provided to provide meals without requiring labor costs and large-scale equipment. A vending machine is known, and this vending machine heats frozen foods such as cooked foods and cooked rice with a heating device and sells them.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned vending machine, since frozen products are heated at the same time as they are sold, it takes a long time to dispense the products, and a large number of sales requests are made in a limited time zone. I couldn't handle it in the place where was concentrated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to quickly sell hot food even in a place where a large number of sales requests are concentrated during a limited time period. It is to provide a vending machine that can

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention according to claim 1 divides the inside obliquely by a partition wall inclined in the width direction, and stores a product obliquely above the partition wall. The product storage is located on the diagonally lower side of the partition wall, and the vending machine main body is equipped with a product heat storage compartment that heats the product to a predetermined temperature or higher and keeps it warm. It is placed facing the product storage,
By holding the product between the winding parts of the rotatable spiral product holding member and rotating the product holding member, the product is moved in the width direction of the vending machine body and the product warming compartment is opened from the communication opening of the partition wall. The first product storage column to be dropped inside, and the upper end facing the communication opening of the partition wall is placed in the product heat storage box, and the product that has dropped from the first product storage column can be rotated to hold a spiral product. The product is held between the winding portions of the product holding member by receiving the member and rotating the product holding member, and the product is moved downward by rotating the product holding member to a predetermined position from the lower end of the product holding member. And a second product storage column for carrying out the product to the carrying-out position. As a result, any product in the product storage can be moved to the product warming store prior to the sale, and the product can be heated up to a predetermined temperature in advance so that warm products can be sold quickly at the time of sale. It

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine according to the first aspect, a plurality of the first and second product storage columns are provided, and the product holding members of the respective product storage columns are inclined to the partition wall. The lengths are different according to each other. As a result, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, the number of stored products is large in the product storage column having a long product holding member, and the number of products stored is small in the product storage column having a short product holding member.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the automatic vending machine according to the second aspect, the heat source of the product storage is housed below the first product storage column having the shortest product holding member. As a result, in addition to the function of claim 2, the heat source of the product storage is stored in the empty space formed below the first product storage column.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine according to the second or third aspect, the heat source of the commodity heat storage box is accommodated on one side of the second commodity storage column having the shortest commodity holding member. There is. As a result, in addition to the effect of the second or third aspect, the heat source of the product heat storage box is housed in the empty space formed on the side of the second product storage column.

According to a fifth aspect, in the vending machine according to the first, second, third or fourth aspect, the rotation stop position of the commodity holding member in the second commodity storage column is set to the rotation stop position from the first commodity storage column. It is set so that the dropped product always falls directly on the winding part where the product should be held. As a result, in addition to the effect of the first, second, third, or fourth aspect, the product carried out from the first product storage column is always held in the product holding member of the second product storage column in an appropriate posture.

According to claim 6, claims 1, 2, 3 and
In the vending machine according to 4 or 5, between the communication opening of the partition wall and the second product storage column, there is a downward slope for sliding down the product carried out from the communication opening toward the second product storage column. Equipped with guidance means. As a result, in addition to the effect of the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth aspect, the product carried out from the first product storage column slides down the guide means and is reliably received in the second product storage column.

According to a seventh aspect, in the vending machine according to the sixth aspect, the guide means is formed by a door that opens and closes a communication opening of the partition wall. As a result, in addition to the effect of the sixth aspect, since the product carried out from the first product storage column slides down the door and is reliably received in the second product storage column, it is necessary to provide a separate guide means. Absent.

Further, according to claim 8, in the vending machine according to claim 6 or 7, the one end side of the first product storage column is brought into contact with the lower end side of the product released from the product holding member. The contact means is provided for inverting the sheet in the carry-out direction. As a result, in addition to the effect of claim 6 or 7, since the product carried out from the first product storage column falls in the carrying-out direction by the contact member, the product always falls on the guiding means in a constant posture and , Acceleration at the time of fall causes the product to be promptly received by the second product storage column.

[0013]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a vending machine, and FIG.
Is a side sectional view of a main part thereof, FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view of a product storage column, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system.

This vending machine includes an automatic vending machine body 1 whose interior is divided obliquely, and a product storage 2 for storing a product A.
And a product heat storage box 3 for heating and keeping the product A warm, and a plurality of first product storage columns 4 provided in the product storage box 2.
A second plurality of product storage columns 5 provided in the product heat storage 3; and a sales reservation unit 6 that reserves the sales of the product A.
It is composed of a control unit 7 for controlling the selling operation, and the product storage 2 stores various products A such as various cooked products that need to be frozen.
Is stored.

The vending machine body 1 has a partition wall 1a having a heat insulating structure which is inclined from one end side in the width direction to the other end side,
The partition wall 1a is provided with a plurality of communication ports 1b that penetrate vertically. The communication port 1b is adapted to be opened and closed by a door 1c having a heat insulating structure which is rotatably attached to the partition wall 1a. The door 1c is operated by a driving means (not shown), and as shown in FIG. It is designed to open downwardly toward the upper end of the storage column 5.

The product storage 2 is surrounded by a heat insulating wall and is formed obliquely above the partition wall 1a in the vending machine body 1. A cooler 2a connected to a refrigerating device (not shown) is provided in the product storage 2, and a blower 2 provided near the cooler 2a.
The inside of the refrigerator is cooled by circulating the air inside the refrigerator to the cooler 2a by c. Also, the cooler 2a
The blower 2c is housed in an empty space formed below the lowermost first product storage column 4.

The product heat storage box 3 is surrounded by a heat insulating wall and is formed obliquely below the partition wall 1a. A heater 3a is provided in the product warming storage 3, and the air inside the storage is circulated to the heater 3a by a blower 3c provided in the vicinity thereof to heat the inside of the storage to a predetermined temperature.
In addition, the heater 3a and the blower 3c are housed in an empty space formed on the side of the second product storage column 4 that is closest to the one end.

The first product storage column 4 includes a column main body 4a extending in the width direction of the vending machine main body 1 and a column main body 4a.
A product holding member 4b for holding the product A stored in a
And a motor 4c for rotating the product holding member 4b. The product holding member 4b of each product storage column 4 is long in the upper product storage column 4 and short in the lower product storage column 4, respectively. Different lengths are formed according to the inclination of the partition wall 1a. Both ends of the column body 4a are open, and one end of the column body 4a faces the communication port 1b of the partition wall 1a. In addition, the product A is provided on the side surface of the column body 4a.
An opening / closing door 4d for accommodating the is provided. The merchandise holding member 4b is formed in a spiral shape, and the merchandise A is inserted and held in the gaps between the respective winding portions. The motor 4c is connected to the upper end of the product holding member 4b so as to rotate the product holding member 4b in one direction. Also,
A guide pin 4e for preventing the product holding member 4b from swinging is provided in the column body 4a, and the guide pin 4e is inserted in the lower inside of the product holding member 4b. Furthermore,
A protrusion 4f is provided at the tip of the guide pin 4e to come into contact with the lower end side of the product A released from the product holding member 4b. That is, in the first product storage column 4, when the product holding member 4b is rotated, the product A held by the product holding member 4b is restricted from rotating on the inner surface of the column body 4a, so that the product A is held. It is guided by the spiral of the member 4b and moves to one side. As a result, every time the product holding member 4b makes one rotation, the products A are released from one end of the product holding member 4b and drop one by one into the product warming compartment 3 through the communication port 1b.

The second product storage column 5 includes a column main body 5a extending vertically, a product holding member 5b for holding the product A stored in the column main body 5a, and a product holding member 5
The product holding member 5b of each product storage column 5 is configured to be long in the product storage column 5 on one end in the width direction and short in the product storage column 5 on the other end. The wall 1a has different lengths depending on the inclination of the wall 1a. The column main body 5a is open at the upper end and the lower end, and the upper end is made to face the communication opening 1b of the partition wall 1a from diagonally below. The merchandise holding member 5b is formed in a spiral shape, and the merchandise A is inserted and held in the gaps between the respective winding portions. The motor 5c is connected to the lower end of the product holding member 4b and rotates the product holding member 5b in one direction. A guide pin 5e for preventing the product holding member 5b from swinging is provided in the column body 5a, and the guide pin 5e is inserted inside the product holding member 5b. That is, the first product storage column 4
Then, the product A dropped from the first product unloading mechanism 3 of the product storage 2 is received from the upper end of the column body 5a and held between the uppermost winding portions of the product holding member 4b. When the product holding member 5b is rotated in this state, the rotation of the product A is restricted by the inner surface of the column body 5a, so that the product A is guided by the spiral of the product holding member 5b and moves downward. In this case, the rotation stop position of the product holding member 5b is set so that the product A dropped from the first product storage column 4 side always drops directly on the winding portion where the product A should be held.
The product A held by the product holding member 5b is released from the lowest winding portion of the product holding member 5b each time the product holding member 5b makes one revolution, and the products A one by one from an unillustrated carry-out port. Be delivered to.

The sales reservation section 6 makes a sales reservation for a desired product A using, for example, an identification card owned by the purchaser, and the purchaser selects the product A by a predetermined time before the purchase time. The reservation information of the product is stored.

The control unit 6 is constituted by a macro computer or the like, and controls the operation of the door 1c of the partition wall 1a, the first product storage column 4 and the second product storage column 5 based on the upper side of the sales reservation unit 6. It is like this.

In the vending machine configured as described above, the purchaser selects the desired product A by a predetermined time before the scheduled purchase time (for example, at lunch), and the reservation of the product A is made by the sales reservation section. When stored in 6, the product A is transferred from the product storage 2 to the product heat storage 3 and heated in the product storage 2 to a predetermined temperature to be kept warm. That is, when the reservation is completed, the door 1c of the communication port 1b corresponding to the first product storage column 4 in which the product A is stored is opened, and the product A is unloaded from the first product storage column 4. , Communication port 1b
The product A carried out from the vehicle slides on the slanted door 1c, falls into the product heat storage box 3, and is stored in the second product storage column 4. At that time, as shown in FIG. 5A, the product A released from the product holding member 4b of the first product storage column 4 contacts the protrusion 4f at the tip of the guide pin 4e on the lower end side in the carry-out direction. Since the product A falls, the product A always falls on the door 1c in a fixed posture as shown in FIG. 5 (b), and is quickly received by the second product storage column 5 due to the acceleration during the fall. Further, since the product A dropped on the second product storage column 5 always directly drops on the winding portion where the product A should be held, the product A is always held by the product holding member 5b in an appropriate posture. Next, when the scheduled purchase time is reached and the purchaser performs a sales operation, the product holding member 5b of the second product storage column 5 rotates, and the product A is transferred from the second product storage column 5 (not shown). It is carried to the exit.

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present embodiment, the width of the vending machine body 1 is defined by the product storage 2 for storing the product A and the product heat storage 3 for heating the product A to keep it warm. The storage compartment 2 is provided with a partition wall 1a inclined in the direction in between.
Since the product A is moved to the product heat storage box 3, the arbitrary product A in the product storage box 2 is moved to the product heat storage box 3 prior to the sale, and the product A is stored in the product heat storage box 3 in advance. By heating to a predetermined temperature, the warm product A can be quickly sold even in a place where a large number of sales requests are concentrated in a limited time period. Further, the product holding members 4 of the product storage columns 4 and 5 of the product storage 2 and the product heat storage 3, respectively.
Since the b and 5b are formed to have different lengths according to the inclination of the partition wall 1a, the first product storage column 4 having the long product holding member 4b stores the product A of the type with a large number of sales and holds the product. The first product storage column 4 having the short member 4b stores the products A of a small number to be sold, so that the products A can be efficiently stored according to sales.

In the above embodiment, the product A carried out from the first product storage column 4 is slid down on the open door 1c and guided to the second product storage column 5. Instead of using it, a dedicated inclined plate or the like that serves as a guide may be provided.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the same components as those in the above embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. That is, in the present embodiment, the uppermost first product storage column 4 is arranged outside the upper heat insulating wall 1d of the product storage 2, and the topmost first product storage column 4 has rice cooked in it. It is possible to store the product A that can be stored at room temperature such as.

[0026]

As described above, according to the automatic vending machine of claim 1, it is possible to preheat any product in advance so that a warm product can be sold quickly. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently deal with a large number of sales requests concentrated in a limited time period, such as lunch at a business office or school.

According to the vending machine of claim 2, in addition to the effect of claim 1, the product storage column having a long product holding member stores a large number of products, and the product storage column having a short product holding member stores a product. Since it is possible to reduce the number of stored products, the first product storage column having a long product holding member stores products of a large number of sales and the first product storage member having a short product holding member.
By storing a small number of types of products in the product storage column, the products can be efficiently stored according to sales.

According to the vending machine of claim 3, in addition to the effect of claim 2, the heat source of the product storage is stored in the empty space formed below the first product storage column. The product storage space in the storage can be effectively used.

Further, according to the vending machine of claim 4, in addition to the effect of claim 2 or 3, the heat source of the commodity heat storage is second.
Since it is accommodated in the empty space formed on the side of the commodity storage column, the commodity storage space in the commodity heat storage box can be effectively used.

Further, according to the automatic vending machine of claim 5, in addition to the effect of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, the product carried out from the first product storage column is transferred to the product of the second product storage column. Since the holding member can always hold the product in an appropriate posture, it is possible to reliably achieve the transfer of the product from the product storage to the product heat storage.

Further, according to the vending machine of claim 6, in addition to the effect of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, the product delivered from the first product storage column can be reliably transferred to the second product. Since it can be received in the storage column, it is possible to reliably achieve the transfer of the product from the product storage to the product heat storage.

Further, according to the vending machine of claim 7, in addition to the effect of claim 6, the guide means of the product can be used also by the door of the communication port, so that it is not necessary to provide a separate guide means. It is advantageous for reducing the number of parts.

According to the automatic vending machine of claim 8, in addition to the effect of claim 6 or 7, the product can be always dropped in the guide means in a fixed posture, and moreover, it can be promptly accelerated by the acceleration at the time of falling. Since it can be received in the second product storage column, it is possible to move the product from the product storage to the product heat storage quickly and reliably.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a vending machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Side sectional view of the main part of the vending machine

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view of a product storage column.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of a product carried out from the first product storage column.

FIG. 6 is a front sectional view of a vending machine showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Vending machine body, 1a ... Partition wall, 1b ... Communication port, 1
c ... Door, 2 ... Product storage box, 3 ... Product heat storage box, 4 ... First product storage column, 4b ... Product holding member, 4f ... Projection, 5
... second product storage column, 5b ... product holding member, A ... product.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An interior is partitioned diagonally by a partition wall that is inclined in the width direction, a product storage for storing products is installed diagonally above the partition wall, and products are heated above a predetermined temperature obliquely below the partition wall. A product holder that keeps the product in a warm state, and a rotatable product holder that is placed in the product storage with one end facing the openable and closable communication opening in the partition wall. The first product storage in which the product is held between the winding parts and the product holding member is rotated to move the product in the width direction of the vending machine body and drop it from the communication opening of the partition wall into the product warming compartment. The column and the upper end of the product are placed in the product heat storage box with the upper end facing the communication opening of the partition wall, and the product that falls from the first product storage column is received by the rotatable spiral product holding member, and the product holding member is Hold the product by rotating it A second product storage column that holds the product between the winding parts and moves the product downward by rotating the product holding member to carry out the product from the lower end of the product holding member to a predetermined carry-out position. Vending machine characterized by. 2. The plurality of first and second product storage columns are respectively provided, and the product holding members of each product storage column are formed to have different lengths according to the inclination of the partition wall. The vending machine according to claim 1. 3. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the heat source of the product storage is housed below the first product storage column having the shortest product holding member. 4. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the heat source of the product heat storage box is housed on one side of the second product storage column having the shortest product holding member. 5. The rotation stop position of the product holding member in the second product storage column is set so that the product dropped from the first product storage column always falls directly on the winding portion where the product should be held. Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that
The vending machine according to 3 or 4. 6. A downwardly sloping guide means is provided between the communication opening of the partition wall and the second product storage column for sliding down the product carried out from the communication opening toward the second product storage column. 6. The method according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
The vending machine described. 7. The vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the guide means is formed by a door that opens and closes a communication opening of the partition wall. 8. The one end side of the first product storage column,
8. The vending machine according to claim 6, further comprising a contacting unit that contacts a lower end side of the product released from the product holding member and inclines the product in the carrying-out direction.