JPH10154267A - Commodity storage device of automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a commodity storage device for automatic vending machine capable of effectively utilizing a space inside the automatic vending machine and drawing out only a commodity storage case when commodities are filled even when the commodity storage device is layered in the commodity storage device to store the commodities by stacking them in back and forth direction. SOLUTION: A track for falling commodities is constituted in front of a commodity restraining plate 16 by providing a pusher device 10 at the upper part of the commodity storage device 7, forming a guide groove to be connected with the restraining plate guide groove 19 in the up-and-down direction installed on the commodity restraining plate 16 fixed at the head of a sliding guide groove 20 in the back-and-forth direction at the upper part and the commodity storage case 12 at the lower part with a circular-arc and sending out a commodity 3 at the head by sliding a mufti-joint connecting chip 21. Furthermore, the pusher device 10 and a pressure energizing device 11 are concentrated on the upper part of the commodity storage device 7 and only the merchandise storage case 12 is drawn out when commodities are filled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine product such as a cigarette, which has a pusher device for storing box-shaped products arranged in the front-rear direction and sequentially sending them downward from the frontmost product for sale. The present invention relates to a storage device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a product storage device provided with a pusher device for separating a box-shaped product in which products are stacked in the front-rear direction and sequentially sending the separated products from the frontmost one is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-301855. What is described in a gazette is known.

FIG. 8 shows a conventional product storage device of a vending machine having a pusher device 24 for separating a box-shaped product in which products are stacked one on another in the front-rear direction and sequentially sending the separated products from the frontmost one. An elastic pressing device 25 that presses forward from behind is provided between the rear surface of the product storage case 26 and the product, and the frontmost portion reciprocates up and down on the surface of the base 27 that receives the product, The product is cut out from the outlet of the product storage case 26 into a product drop passage 28 and carried out.

[0004]

However, in the configuration of the conventional product storage device in which the base of the pusher device is provided at the forefront, a plurality of product storage shelves are formed vertically and the same product storage device is arranged. In this case, since the products are sent downward from the upper product storage device, it is necessary to provide an upper product drop passage in front of the base of the lower pusher device. It is necessary to arrange the base of the product and the thickness dimension of the product at the rear, and furthermore, above the product storage device, a space for the base and the push piece to be extended is necessary so that the push piece of the pusher device can stand above In this case, there is a problem that space efficiency is deteriorated.

In addition, when the product storage case is pulled out when filling the product, the pusher device is built in the front part of the product storage case, so that the drawer portion of the product storage case becomes heavy and the drawability of the product storage device deteriorates. In addition, there is a problem that the reliability of the pusher device decreases because the wiring of the drive unit of the pusher device needs to be movable.

Furthermore, when filling the product, it is necessary to push down the pressing and urging device behind the product storage case with one hand, and it is necessary to perform the product filling operation with both hands, which is inefficient.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can effectively utilize the space in a vending machine even when a product rack is composed of a plurality of product storage shelves vertically and a product storage case at the time of product filling. It is an object of the present invention to provide a product storage device capable of extracting only a product.

[0008]

In order to achieve this object, the invention according to a first aspect of the present invention relates to a product storage device for a vending machine, comprising: a product storage case on a gutter for storing products stacked in the front-rear direction; In a product rack of a vending machine provided with a pressing urging device for urging the inside of the product storage case from the rear to the front, a product locking plate fixed to a frontmost portion of the product storage case and a gap through which the product can pass. A pusher device having a drive unit that is disposed below, and that slides freely with a vertical guide unit provided on the product locking plate that is continuous from an anterior-posterior guide unit provided at an upper portion through an arc-shaped guide unit. This is a configuration provided on the upper part.

Thus, even when the same product storage device is arranged by forming a plurality of product storage shelves vertically, the lower product storage device can move the upper product locking plate and the product product by the thickness of the product rearward. The vending machine can be thinned in depth.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pusher device in which a guide portion connected via a circular arc in an upper front-rear direction of an article storage device and a vertical direction of an article retaining plate is formed by a groove-shaped guide groove on left and right inner surfaces. The push piece is driven by a drive unit and a connecting rod provided at the upper rear as a multi-joint connecting push piece flexibly connected,
Cylindrical projections are formed on the left and right ends of the pushing piece, and the pushing pieces are reciprocally slidably inserted into the guide grooves.

[0011] Thus, the push piece can be freely slid according to the shape of the guide portion and can be stored in the front-rear direction above the product storage device, and the pusher device is provided by providing the drive section behind the multi-joint push piece. Function can be distributed back and forth, and the height of the push piece overhang can be reduced, so that the space inside the vending machine can be effectively used, and more products can be stored.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a vertically extending projection is provided on a product locking surface of a product locking plate fixed to the foremost portion of the product storage case.

Thus, when the frontmost product is pushed downward by the pusher device, the product pressed against the front product locking plate by the pressing urging device is rubbed against the product locking plate and the front surface of the product is damaged. Can be protected from

Further, the resistance generated when the product is rubbed is reduced, and the driving force of the pusher device can be reduced.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the product locking plate fixed to the frontmost portion of the product storage case is made of a translucent material.

[0016] In this way, the stored products can be confirmed from the front without any hidden portions, so that the vending machine can exhibit and sell actual products.

Further, at the time of filling the product, the type and the remaining amount of the stored product can be confirmed from the front, so that the filling operation of the product becomes easy.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic storage apparatus provided with a gutter-shaped product storage case for storing products stacked in the front-rear direction and a pressing biasing device for biasing the inside of the product storage case from the rear to the front. In a merchandise storage device of a vending machine, a pusher device having a drive section for cutting out a foremost product downward, and a pressing biasing device holding a spiral elastic member for biasing the product forward are provided with a product above a product storage case. The product storage case, which is fixed to a storage shelf and has a product locking plate fixed at the forefront, is detachably engaged with a base of a pusher device by a hanging member.

Thus, the pusher device and the urging device at the upper part of the product storage device can be fixed to the product storage shelf, so that when the product case is pulled out when the product is filled, the engagement of the hanging member is released from the base of the pusher device. As a result, the pusher device and the pressing biasing device can be left in the product storage shelf, so that the product can be pulled out only with a light-weight product storage case having no actuating member, so that the filling operation can be lightened, and the wiring member can be fixed. Reliability can be improved.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS According to the first aspect of the present invention, a gutter-shaped product storage case for storing products stacked one on another in the front-rear direction, and the inside of the product storage case is urged forward from rear. In a product storage device of a vending machine provided with a pressing urging device, a product locking plate fixed to the foremost portion of the product storage case and a gap through which the product can pass are disposed below, and a front-rear direction guide portion provided at an upper portion A pusher device having a drive portion that slides freely on a vertical guide portion provided on the product locking plate through an arc-shaped guide portion is provided at an upper portion of the product locking plate. Even if the same product storage device is arranged by configuring the product storage shelf of the above, the lower product storage device can be arranged simply by arranging the upper product locking plate and the product's thickness dimension at the back, and automatic sales The depth dimension of the machine can be reduced in thickness.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a guide portion connected via an arc between the upper front-rear direction of the product storage device and the vertical direction of the product locking plate is formed by a groove-shaped guide groove on the left and right inner surfaces. Then, the pusher device is driven by a driving section and a connecting rod provided at the upper rear as a multi-node connection pressing piece in which the pressing piece is flexibly connected, and forms a cylindrical projection on the left and right ends of the pressing piece, The reciprocating slidable insertion into the guide groove allows the push piece to slide freely according to the shape of the guide part and can be stored in the front-rear direction above the product storage device. The function of the pusher device can be distributed back and forth by providing a drive unit in the front and back, and the height of the push piece overhang can be reduced, so that the space of the vending machine can be used effectively,
A large number of products can be accommodated.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the product locking plate fixed to the frontmost portion of the product storage case is provided with a vertically extending projection provided on the product locking plate. When a product in the front row is pushed downward by the pusher device, the product pressed against the front product locking plate by the pressing urging device can be protected from rubbing against the product locking plate and damaging the product front surface. The resistance generated when the plate and the product rub against each other is reduced, and the driving force of the pusher device can be reduced.

According to the invention described in claim 4 of the present invention, since the product locking plate fixed to the frontmost portion of the product storage case is made of a translucent material, the products stored from the front can be confirmed. Since the vending machine can display and sell actual goods, and the type and the remaining amount of the stored goods can be checked from the front even when the goods are filled, the work of filling the goods becomes easy.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gutter-shaped product storage case for storing products stacked in the front-rear direction, and a pressing biasing device for biasing the inside of the product storage case from the rear to the front. In a product storage device of a vending machine provided with a product, a pusher device having a driving portion for cutting out a foremost product downward and a pressing biasing device holding a spiral elastic member for biasing the product forward are stored in the product storage device. The product storage case, which is fixed to the product storage shelf above the case and the product locking plate is fixed to the foremost part, is detachably engaged with the base of the pusher device by a hanging member, so that the product storage case Since the pusher device and the pressure urging device can be fixed to the product storage shelf, when pulling out the product case at the time of filling the product, the engagement of the hanging member is released from the base of the pusher device so that the pressure urging device Since leave a location in the product storage rack, not lighter product no actuating member storage case only withdraw attained is light work of filling operations only, the wiring member can be improved in reliability can be immobilized.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a product rack of the vending machine, and FIG. 3 is a product rack of the vending machine. FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the product storage case, and FIG.
Is a detailed perspective view of the pusher device, FIG. 5 (b) is a detailed perspective view of the push piece, FIG. 6 is a diagram when the pusher device is operated to the product delivery position, and FIG. 7 is when the product storage case is pulled out when filling the product. FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body, and a door 2 is provided on the front of the main body 1 so as to be openable and closable, and a transparent glass 4 is fitted into the center of the door 2 so that a product 3 inside can be seen through. The product outlet 5 is provided at the lower part. A plurality of product storage shelves 6 are provided inside the main body 1 in a state inclined backward, and a product storage device 7 is attached below each of the product storage shelves 6.

In FIG. 2, a pusher device 10 having a fixing plate 8a for fixing the base 8 and the product storage shelf 6 and a drive unit 9 at the rear is mounted on the upper part of the product storage device 7. Further, a pressing urging device 11 is attached below the base. The product storage case 12 provided at the lower part of the product storage device 7 is detachably attached to the base 8 by the engagement of the hanging hooks 12a at the upper end and the hanging pins 8b protruding on both sides of the base 8. ing.

In FIG. 3, the pressing and urging device 11 provided below the base 8 includes a rail 13 fixed to the lower surface of the base 8.
The front and rear two rows of rollers 11a rotatably supported on the upper part of the product pressing plate 14 inside the product are slidably mounted. Inside the product pressing plate 14, a band-shaped spiral elastic member 15 that indexes forward is provided with one end of the base 8.
Is fixedly attached to the front end.

The product 3 stored in the product storage case 12 in the front and rear direction in front of the product pressing plate 14 by the pressure urging device 11 is acted by the indexing force of the spiral elastic member 15 to move forward. It is stored in an energized state.

In FIG. 4, the product storage case 12 has a gutter-like shape in which the products 3 are stored in a stacked manner in the front-rear direction.
A product locking plate 16 is fixed at the forefront, and below the forefront,
The product outlet 17 is provided with a door piece 18.
The door piece 18 is pivotally supported at the outlet end, and is urged in a closing direction by a torsion spring (not shown). The product locking plate 16 is made of a translucent material so that the stored product 3 can be seen through from the front side.
6a and the left and right side surfaces 16b of the product locking plate form a U-shaped cross section.

Further, a protrusion 16c extending in the vertical direction is provided on the inner surface of the product locking surface 16a, and a left and right inner surface 16 of the product locking plate.
A locking plate guide groove 19 extending in the vertical direction is formed in b. The product locking plate 16 is fixed to the product storage case 12 on the side surface behind the locking plate guide groove 19.

In FIG. 5 (a), a sliding guide groove 20 having an arcuate front and rear direction and a front end is formed in the front left and right inner side surfaces of the base 8 at the upper part of the product storage device 7. Groove 2
0, the pusher device 10 is assembled. The slide guide groove 20 of the base 8 is formed such that the lower part of the front end is continuous with the locking plate guide groove 19.

The pusher device 10 is provided with the sliding guide groove 20.
The multi-joint connecting push piece 21 is slidably attached to the drive section 9 and is connected to a reciprocating drive section 9 fixed to the rear by a connecting rod 22. The drive unit 9 converts the rotation of the lead screw 9b connected to the motor 9a into reciprocating motion by the action of the lead nut 9c and the guide rod 9d. On the other hand, the multi-joint connection pressing piece 21 is formed by connecting the pressing pieces 23 to bend freely.

In FIG. 5 (b), the push piece 23 has a cylindrical projection 23a guided at the left and right ends by a slide guide groove 20, and has a front part that can freely bend with the other push pieces 23. A push piece shaft 23b to be engaged and an engaging portion 23c at a rear portion are provided.

The push-piece shaft 23b of the push piece 23 is inserted and connected to the engaging portion 23c of the other push piece 23 to form the multi-joint connecting piece 21, and the push-piece shaft 23b and the engaging portion 2
By rotating and sliding 3c, flexibility is obtained.

The operation of the merchandise storage device of the vending machine configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 6.

First, at the time of selling standby shown in FIG. 3, the lead nut 9c of the drive section 9 is at the rearmost position, and the multi-node connecting push piece 21 connected thereto by the connecting rod 22 is located above the product storage device 7. Waiting in a horizontal state in the front-back direction. The plurality of stored products 3 are stored in the product storage case 12 in a state where the products 3 are urged by the front product locking plate 16 by the indexing force of the spiral elastic member 15 in front of the product pressing plate 14. I have.

Next, when a sales signal is input, the motor 9
a starts the forward rotation, and the lead screw 9b connected thereto
Rotates, and the lead nut 9c whose rotation is restricted by the action of the guide rod 9d is pushed forward. With this operation, the multi-joint connecting push piece 21 starts to move forward along the sliding guide groove 20 via the connecting rod 23. Since the direction of the sliding guide groove 20 is changed downward from the front-rear direction via a circular arc at the front end of the base 8, the multi-joint connection pressing piece 21 utilizes the flexibility of the individual pressing pieces 23. Then, it moves while sequentially changing its direction downward from the leading pressing piece 23.

Moving further forward, the pushing piece 2 at the tip
3 moves onto the locking plate guide groove 19 formed on the left and right side surfaces 16b of the product locking plate, and moves downward while pushing down the product 3 at the forefront of the product storage case 12. At this time, a frictional resistance is generated between the product 3 and the product locking plate 16, but the product 3 is moved by the function of the vertically extending protrusion 16c provided on the inner surface of the product locking surface 16a. 16 and the product 3 is damaged, and the product 3 is
And the frictional resistance generated by rubbing can be suppressed. Further, the product 3 pushed down by the pushing piece 23 at the tip pushes open the door piece 18 closing the product delivery port 17 and the product 3 is sent out downward.

When the multi-joint connecting push piece 21 of the pusher device 10 shown in FIG. 6 is operated to the product delivery position, the foremost product 3 is completely pushed out by the multi-joint connecting push piece 21, and It is released from the restraint of the locking plate 16 and falls downward. The dropped product 3 is placed on the lower product locking plate 16.
Of the product and a product drop passage formed by the transparent glass 4 at the center of the door body 2 toward the product outlet 5 below.

Thereafter, the pusher device 10 causes the motor 9a to stop once by the operation of a position detection switch (not shown), and then performs a reverse operation to return the multi-joint connection pressing piece 21 to the initial standby position. Stop. At this time, in the space where the products 3 in the front row have been sent out and vacated, the pressing urging device 11 causes the products 3 in the product storage case 12 to move to the product locking plate 16 by the indexing force of the spiral elastic member 15. Send to position and wait for next sale.

FIG. 7 shows a state where the product storage case 12 of the product storage device 7 is pulled out when the product is filled. The product storage case 12 has a hanging hook 12a other than the product 3 filling.
Hanging pins 8b protruding on both sides of base 8
, And attached to the base 8.
At the time of filling, the front end is lowered while the product storage case 12 is slightly pushed in to release the engagement, and the product storage case 12 is slid over the lower product storage shelf 6 to protrude forward.

At this time, the pusher device 10 moves the upper base 8
The product pressing plate 14 is the only member that is completely stored in the inside and further projects below the base 8 of the pressing urging device 11. Since the product pressing plate 14 is urged forward by the indexing force of the spiral elastic member 15, when the product 3 is sold out, it moves to the front end of the base 8 and stands by. However, even when the product 3 remains in the product storage case 12, the product 3 is pulled out by the withdrawal operation of the product storage case 12, and thus moves to the forefront end and stands by.

Since the product pressing plate 14 is waiting at the lower part of the base 8, only the product storage case 12 can be pulled out, and the product storage space can be opened in the product storage case 12 by the pulling-out operation. The product 3 can be easily filled.

The product storage case 12 in which the product has been filled,
By being pushed in, the hanging hook 12a is again engaged with the hanging pin 8b, whereby the hanging hook 12a is hung on the base 8 and fixedly engaged therewith. At this time, the product pressing plate 14 is pushed rearward through the newly-filled rearmost product 3, and waits while urging the product 3 forward.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, even when a plurality of product storage shelves are vertically arranged and the same product storage device is arranged, the lower product storage device can retain the upper product lock. It can be arranged simply by disposing the thickness dimension of the board and the product at the rear. Especially when storing light and thin products such as cigarettes, simply tilting the product storage device a little backward can avoid the lower product storage device and secure the product drop passage, and arrange the same product storage device As a result, the depth of the vending machine can be reduced.

Further, since the pusher device can be stored in the front-rear direction above the product storage device, the height of the push piece projecting upward can be reduced. A multi-stage product storage shelf can be configured, and the space in the vending machine can be effectively used.

Also, by providing a vertically extending projection on the product locking surface of the product locking plate fixed to the foremost part of the product storage case, the products in the front row can be lowered by the pusher device. When the product is pushed out, the product pressed against the front product locking plate by the pressing urging device can be protected from rubbing against the product locking plate and damaging the product front and the product locking plate, and the product locking plate is transparent. Of the product locking plate when it is made of a conductive material can be improved, and the resistance generated when the product is rubbed with the product locking plate is reduced, so that the driving force of the pusher device can be reduced. .

Further, since the product locking plate fixed to the foremost portion of the product storage case is made of a translucent material, not only the sample display is unnecessary but also the product stored from the front is not hidden. Since it is possible to confirm the product name, it is possible to provide a vending machine for actual product display and sale in which the product name printed at an arbitrary position on the front of the product packaging can be surely confirmed and selected.

Further, at the time of filling the product, the type and the remaining amount of the stored product can be confirmed from the front, so that the filling operation of the product becomes easy.

Further, since the pusher device and the urging device at the upper part of the product storage device can be fixed to the product storage shelf, when the product is filled, the engagement of the hanging member is released from the base of the pusher device and the product case is pulled out. , Cut off the edge of the pusher device and the urging device fixed to the product storage shelf,
This is a draw-out operation only for the product storage case that is lightweight and has no operating member, so that not only the product filling operation can be lightened, but also the reliability can be improved because the wiring member can be fixed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a product rack of the vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a product rack of the vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a product storage case of the vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

5A is a detailed perspective view of a pusher device of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5B is a detailed perspective view of a push piece of the vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram when the pusher device of the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention has been operated to a product delivery position.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention when a product storage case is pulled out when the product is filled.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional product storage device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Product 6 Product storage shelf 7 Product storage device 8 Base 9 Drive unit 10 Pusher device 11 Press biasing device 12 Product storage case 15 Spiral elastic member 16 Product locking plate 16a Product locking surface 16c Extended in the vertical direction Projection 21 Multi-section connecting piece 23 Pressing piece 23a Cylindrical projection

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine product storage device comprising a gutter-shaped product storage case for storing products stacked in the front-rear direction and a pressing biasing device for biasing the inside of the product storage case from the rear to the front. In the product storage case, a product locking plate fixed to the frontmost portion of the product storage case and a product-passable gap are arranged below, and the product member is connected via a circular guide portion from a front-rear direction guide portion provided at an upper portion. A product storage device for a vending machine, comprising a pusher device having a drive section that slides freely by a vertically moving guide section provided on a stop plate. 2. A guide portion formed by a groove-shaped guide groove on the left and right inner surfaces, which is connected to the upper and lower direction of the product storage device and the upper and lower direction of the product locking plate through an arc, and the pusher device can bend freely. It is driven by a drive unit and a connecting rod provided at the upper rear as a multi-node connecting push piece connected to the, a cylindrical projection is formed at the left and right ends of the push piece, and inserted into the guide groove slidably. An article storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1. 3. A product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion extending in a vertical direction is provided on a product locking surface of a product locking plate fixed to a frontmost portion of the product storage case. 4. The product storage device of a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the product locking plate fixed to the frontmost portion of the product storage case is made of a translucent material. 5. A merchandise storage device for a vending machine provided with a gutter-shaped merchandise storage case for storing commodities stacked in the front-rear direction and a pressure urging device for urging the inside of the merchandise storage case from rear to front. In, a pusher device having a drive unit that cuts out the foremost product downward, and a pressing biasing device holding a spiral elastic member that biases the product forward, are fixed to the product storage shelf above the product storage case, A product storage device for a vending machine in which the product storage case having a product locking plate fixed to the foremost portion is detachably engaged with a base of a pusher device by a hanging member.