JPH10261150A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily hold a bottled beverage or the like dropped from a product housing container to a product receiving box by disposing a product guide provided with a groove part whose horizontal width is narrowed extended from the back of an automatic vending machine to a product take-out port and inclined to a lower part at the bottom part of the product receiving box. SOLUTION: The bottled beverage or the like made to jump out from the lower end of a product guiding chute and dropped to the product receiving box 21 is dropped on the groove part 25b of the product guide 25 mounted and fixed on a bottom wall inside the product receiving box 21, slid on the groove part 25b of the product guide 25, made to reach the lowest part of the product receiving box 21 and stopped. As the bottled beverage or the like is slid downwards by being guided by the groove part 25b whose width is narrowed toward a front part inclined to the lower part toward the front part, a longitudinal axis is gradually turned to a front-to-back direction. Thus, at the point of time of being made to reach the lowest part of the product receiving box 21 and stopped, the bottled beverage or the like is drawn closer to the groove part 25b inclined to the lower part toward the front part in the state of turning the longitudinal axis to the front-to-back direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to bottled beverages, canned beverages,
The present invention relates to a vending machine for beverages such as PET bottles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vending machine for bottled beverages, canned beverages, PET bottled beverages, etc., a product receiving box is generally provided at the back of a product outlet, and bottled beverages, canned beverages discharged from a product storage, and so on. The PET bottle beverage falls on the bottom wall of the product receiving box and is taken out through the product outlet.

[0003]

A conventional vending machine for bottled beverages, canned beverages, PET bottled beverages, etc., has a bottled beverage, canned beverage, and PET bottled beverage taken out through a product outlet. , Canned beverages, plastic bottled beverages lying horizontally on the bottom wall of the product receiving box with the longitudinal axis extending laterally as seen from the product outlet, bottle beverages if the wrist is not bent or twisted, There is a problem in that canned beverages and PET bottled beverages cannot be picked up, and bottled beverages, canned beverages, and PET bottled drinks are often difficult to pick up. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
Provided is a vending machine capable of easily picking up bottled beverages, canned beverages, and PET bottled beverages that have been discharged from a product storage and dropped into a product receiving box disposed behind a product outlet. The purpose is to:

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a product receiving box is provided at the back of a product outlet, and a product is provided at the bottom of the product receiving box from the back of a vending machine. A vending machine provided with a product guide having a groove extending toward an outlet, inclined downward toward a product outlet, and having a reduced width.

[0005] In the vending machine according to the present invention, bottled beverages, canned beverages, and PET bottled beverages discharged from the product storage and dropped into the product receiving box are provided at the bottom of the product receiving box. It falls on the guide, extends from the back of the vending machine toward the product outlet, and slopes downward toward the product outlet and narrows in width, and slides on the groove of the product guide to form the product receiving box. Reach the bottom and stop. Bottled beverages, canned beverages, and PET bottled beverages guided in the groove of the product guide, which narrows toward the product outlet, when reaching the bottom of the product receiving box, the longitudinal axis is viewed from the product outlet before and after In the state where the product is extended in the direction, it is nestled in the groove portion of the product guide inclined downward toward the product outlet, and is in a substantially standing state, so that the user inserts his hand into the product outlet. The user can easily take a bottled beverage, canned beverage, or PET bottled beverage without bending or twisting the wrist.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description,
The directions of arrows I, II, III, IV, V, and VI in FIGS. 1 to 9 are referred to as front, rear, left, right, upper, and lower, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vending machine 1 includes a product storage 3 surrounded by a heat insulating wall 2. The product storage 3 is divided into an upper section 3a and a lower section 3b by a heat insulating wall 4. Upper compartment 3a is divided into the small sections 3a ₂ large compartments 3a ₁ and the left side of the right by the insulating wall 5. The large compartment 3a _1, gravity-article storage portion 6 having a serpentine column meandering, are four rows arranged at intervals from each other in the left-right. The small compartment 3a _2, gravity-article storage portion 6 having a serpentine column, are two rows disposed spaced apart from each other in the left-right. Large section 3a ₁
Respectively inner and on the cubicle 3a _2, a cooler 7, a heater 8 is disposed. Bottled beverages and canned beverages 100 are stored in the gravity-falling type product storage unit 6 with their longitudinal axes extending in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the large section 3a ₁ and below each gravity-falling type product storage section 6, a product discharging chute 9 inclined forward and downward is provided. to face the lower end i.e. the front end of 9, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, items outlet 10 to the heat insulating wall 2 forming the front wall of the large compartment 3a ₁ is formed. Below and two gravity-article storage portion 6 in the small compartment 3a _2, product discharge chute 11 which is inclined downwardly toward the front is disposed,
To face the lower end i.e. the front end of the product discharge chute 11, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, items outlet 12 to the heat insulating wall 2 forming the front wall of the small compartment 3a ₂ are formed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, two inclined product guide chutes 13 are provided outside the product storage 3 and below the product outlets 10 and 12 and face the plurality of product outlets. Are arranged facing each other. Product information chute 13 is attached to the insulating wall 2 to form a large segment 3a _1, the front wall of the small compartment 3a _2. The lower end of the product guide chute 13 is located immediately above a product outlet 18 to be described later.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower compartment 3 b of the commodity storage 3 is stacked vertically in the right and left halves of the merchandise compartment 3 at a distance from each other. A plurality of product shelves 14 inclined downward toward the center
Are arranged. At the center in the left-right direction of the lower section 3b,
An elevating transport device 15 is provided. Elevating transport device 15
Has a belt conveyor 16 that conveys the goods forward along the lower edge of the goods shelf 14. The lower edge of each of the product shelves 14 and the elevating / lowering transporting device 15 are provided, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No.
7, JP-A-4-282797, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-1474.
No. 83 or the like is provided with a product payout device. The product shelf 14, the elevating / lowering transport device 15, and the product delivery device constitute an inclined product storage unit 17. On each of the product shelves 14 of the inclined product storage unit 17, a plastic bottle beverage 200 has a longitudinal axis extending in the front-rear direction,
Four rows are mounted at an interval in the front-rear direction. Each of the above-described commodity payout apparatuses is attached to each of the four commodity rows.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a product discharge port 18 is formed in the upper part of the heat insulating wall 2 forming the front side wall of the lower section 3b in the center in the left-right direction so as to face the lifting / lowering transport device 15. I have. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper section 3a and the lower section 3
An outer door 19 is provided in front of the heat insulating wall 2 which forms the front side wall of b. A product outlet 20 is formed in the outer door 19 so as to face the product outlet 18. Product exit 20
A product receiving box 21 is attached to the rear of the device. An outlet shutter 22 is provided in the product receiving box 21.

The structures of the product receiving box 21 and the outlet shutter 22 will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS.
Is constituted by a ceiling wall 21a, left and right side walls 21b, and a bottom wall 21c, and a front end and a rear end are open. The bottom wall 21c the rear portion 21c ₂ that is inclined from the front portion 21c ₁ and a rear extending substantially vertically downward toward the front
It is composed of As shown in FIGS.
The outlet shutter 22 includes a ceiling / front end wall 22a and left and right side walls 22b, and the bottom and the rear end are open. A shaft member 22c fixed to the left and right side walls 22b and extending left and right penetrates the left and right side walls 21b of the product receiving box 21 rotatably. A substantially rectangular plate member 22d is fixed to the left end of the shaft member 22c fixed to the left side wall 22b of the outlet shutter 22. The upper end of the spring 23 is locked to the lower end of the plate member 22d. The lower end of the spring 23 is locked by a support fitting 21d fixed to the left side wall 21b of the product receiving box 21. A first swing prevention plate 21e disposed above and in front of the plate member 22d is fixed to the left side wall 21b of the product receiving box 21. A rod-shaped member 22e is fixed to the left side wall 22b of the outlet shutter 22 and in front of the shaft member 22c. Left side wall 21 of product receiving box 21
b, the second swing prevention plate 21f is fixed.

The outlet shutter 22 is normally provided with a spring 23
Is in the first position shown by the solid line and the broken line in FIGS. In the first position, the front end wall portion of the ceiling / front end wall 22a extends vertically, and the ceiling wall portion of the ceiling / front end wall 22a extends substantially horizontally. The product outlet 20 is closed by the ceiling / front end wall 22a. As can be seen from FIGS.
Is in contact with the second swing prevention plate 21f of the product receiving box 21 to prevent the take-out shutter 22 from swinging counterclockwise when viewed from the left. As a result, the outlet shutter 22 is held at the first position, and the closed state of the product outlet 20 is maintained.

When the lower edge of the outlet shutter 22 is pulled forward and a clockwise moment is applied to the outlet shutter 22 when viewed from the left, the outlet shutter 22 is opposed to the urging force of the spring 23. Then, it swings clockwise as viewed from the left to a second position shown by a dashed line in FIGS. In the second position, the front end wall portion of the ceiling / front end wall 22a extends substantially horizontally, and the ceiling wall portion of the ceiling / front end wall 22a extends substantially up and down. As a result, the product outlet 20 is opened. A ceiling wall portion extending substantially up and down of the ceiling / front end wall 22a stands between the product outlet 20 and the product outlet 18. As a result, the product receiving box 2 is opened via the opened product outlet 20.
1b, the hand inserted into the product outlet 18
It becomes difficult to insert into the lower section 3b of the product storage 3. At the second position, the plate member 22d of the outlet shutter 22 comes into contact with the first swing preventing plate 21e of the product receiving box 21, and the clockwise swing of the outlet shutter 22 as viewed from the left is prevented. . You. As a result, the outlet shutter 22
As long as a clockwise moment as viewed from the left is applied, the outlet shutter 22 is held at the second position, and the open state of the product outlet 20 is maintained.

As shown in FIGS.
A swing plate 24 is disposed between the product 8 and the product receiving box 21. The swing plate 24 is attached to the heat insulating wall 2 forming the front side wall of the lower section 3b via a member (not shown). The swing plate 24 is normally extended by a spring (not shown) and a swing preventing member to a substantially horizontal extending position shown by a solid line in FIGS. exist. When the outlet shutter 22 swings from the first position shown by the solid line in FIGS. 4 and 6 to the second position shown by the dashed line, the swing plate 24 engages with the outlet shutter 22 and rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the left. 4 and 6, and swings to an operating position where it is closed between the outlet shutter 22 and the product discharge port 18 as indicated by a dashed line in FIGS. As a result, the opened product outlet 2
It is more difficult for a hand inserted into the product receiving box 21b through the product outlet 0 to be inserted into the lower section 3b of the product storage 3 through the product discharge port 18.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 7 and 9, on the rear portion 21c ₂ of the bottom wall of the product receiving box 21 is fixed is placed the product guide 25. The product guide 25 is formed of a bent plate material, and has a bank portion 25a which extends in the front-rear direction and which is inclined downward and widens forward, and is formed on the left and right sides. A groove 25b that extends in the front-rear direction, is inclined downward and forward and has a narrow width is formed. The bank 25a and the groove 25b are connected by a slope. A not-shown plate-like cushioning material whose surface is covered with a plastic plate having a small coefficient of friction is attached to the groove 25b.

A cooler 26 is provided in the lower section 3b of the product storage 3. A mechanical unit 27 for supplying a refrigerant to the coolers 7 and 26 is provided below the product storage 3.

The operation of the vending machine according to this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described below. A cooler 7 which is disposed in the large partition 3a in _1, a heater 8 disposed in the small compartment 3a in ₂
And the cooler 26 arranged in the lower section 3b are operating. When the user presses a product selection button (not shown) and selects the cooled bottled beverage, canned beverage 100,
From either gravity-article storage portion 6 of the large compartment 3a _1, the desired chilled bottle beverage, canned beverage 100 is discharged, through a product discharge chute 9 and product outlet 10,
It falls on the product guide chute 13. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the bottled beverage and the canned beverage 100 slide on the product guide chute 13 and protrude from the lower end of the product guide chute 13 with the longitudinal axis extending in the left-right direction. Bottled beverages and canned beverages 100 protruding from the lower end of the product guide chute 13
Rotates clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed from the front, and falls into the product receiving box 21 while gradually turning the end face downward. The bottled beverage and canned beverage 100 drop onto the groove 25b of the product guide 25 mounted and fixed on the bottom wall 21 of the product receiving box 21, slide on the groove 25b of the product guide 25, and Reach the bottom and stop. Bottled beverage,
Even when the canned beverage 100 is slightly deviated leftward or rightward from the groove 25b and falls, it is guided by the slope connecting the bank 25a and the groove 25b, guided to the groove 25b, and is guided to the groove 25b.
(b), slides on the bottom of the product receiving box 21, and stops. The bottled beverage and canned beverage 100 have a groove 25b that is inclined downward and forward and narrows forward.
The longitudinal axis gradually turns in the front-rear direction while being guided and guided downward. Therefore, bottled beverages, canned beverages 100
Is reached when it reaches the bottom of the product receiving box 21 and stops,
With the longitudinal axis directed in the front-rear direction, it is located close to a groove 25b that is inclined downward and forward.

The bottled beverage and canned beverage 100 are stored in the product receiving box 21.
When falling into the inside, the swing plate 24 is swung from the retracted position to the operating position against the urging force of a spring (not shown). As a result, the falling speed of the canned beverage 100 is reduced, and the bottled beverage,
The impact when the canned beverage 100 collides with the product guide 25 is suppressed, and the occurrence of damage to the bottled beverage and the canned beverage 100 is suppressed. Damage to the canned beverage 100 is also suppressed by the cushioning material attached to the groove 25b of the product guide 25.
Since the surface of the cushioning material is covered with a plastic plate having a small coefficient of friction, the bottled beverage and canned beverage 100 can slide on the groove 25b of the product guide 25 without any trouble.

The user pulls the lower edge of the outlet shutter 22 at the first position shown by a solid line in FIGS.
The takeout shutter 22 is swung to the second position shown by the dashed line in FIGS. The user operates the product receiving box 21 through the opened product outlet 20.
The hand is inserted into the inside, and the bottled beverage and canned beverage 100 at the bottom of the product receiving box 21 are taken out. Bottled beverage, canned beverage 10
Reference numeral 0 denotes a state in which the longitudinal axis is extended in the front-rear direction, and is close to the groove 25b of the product guide 25 inclined forward and downward, so that the user can bend the wrist. Alternatively, the bottled beverage and canned beverage 100 can be easily picked up without twisting.

In the second position, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS.
Since the ceiling wall portion extending substantially vertically is blocked between the product outlet 20 and the product outlet 18, the ceiling wall portion was inserted into the product receiving box 21b through the opened product outlet 20. It becomes difficult for a hand to be inserted into the lower section 3b of the product storage 3 via the product outlet 18. As a result, the security of the vending machine is improved. Exit shutter 2
4 swings from the first position shown by the solid line to the second position shown by the dashed line in FIGS.
2 and swings from the retracted position shown by the solid line in FIGS. 4 and 6 to the operating position shown by the one-dot chain line in FIGS. In the operating position, the swinging plate 24 is blocked between the outlet shutter 22 and the product discharge port 18, so that the hand inserted into the product receiving box 21 b via the opened product outlet 20 can be used. It becomes more difficult to insert the product storage unit 3 into the lower compartment 3b via the product discharge port 18. As a result, the security of the vending machine is further improved.

[0021] A user enters a bottled beverage from the product outlet 20,
When the canned beverage 100 is taken out, the outlet shutter 22 located at the second position shown by the dashed line in FIGS. 4 and 6 swings under the urging force of the spring 23, and the second shutter shown by the solid line in FIGS. It returns to the first position, and closes the product outlet 20.

[0022] Press the product selection button the user (not shown), warmed bottle beverage, selecting the can beverage 100, from either gravity-article storage portion 6 of the cubicle 3a _2, the desired heating The bottled beverage and canned beverage 100 are discharged, and fall on the product guide chute 13 through the product discharge chute 11 and the product discharge port 12. The bottled beverage and canned beverage 100 that have fallen on the product guide chute 13 fall into the product receiving box 21 in the same manner as described above, and the product outlet 2
Retrieved via 0.

When the user presses a product selection button (not shown) to select the cooled plastic bottled beverage 200, the user can select a desired product from any of the product rows on any of the product shelves 14 in the inclined product storage section 17 in the lower section 3b. The cooled PET bottle beverage 200 is discharged, conveyed to the same height as the product discharge port 18 by the elevating / lowering conveying device 15, and conveyed forward by the belt conveyor 16 with the longitudinal axis extending in the front-back direction, It falls into the goods receiving box 21 through the goods discharge port 18. Since the rocking plate 24 is in the retracted position, the PET bottle beverage 200 can be placed in the product outlet 1 without any trouble.
8 and fall into the goods receiving box 21. The PET bottle beverage 200 falls onto the groove 25b of the product guide 25, slides on the groove 25b, reaches the bottom of the product receiving box 21, and stops. PET bottle beverage 20 guided to groove 25b of product guide 25 whose width narrows forward
0, when reaching the lowermost part of the product receiving box 21, with the longitudinal axis extended in the front-rear direction, is close to the groove 25b of the product guide 25 inclined forward and downward, and stands substantially upright. The shutter 2
The user who swings the product 2 to the second position and opens the product outlet 20 can easily take the PET bottled beverage 200 without bending or twisting the wrist.
The user takes out the desired cooled plastic bottled beverage 200 via the product outlet 20. In this embodiment,
Although the product guide 25 is separate from the product receiving box 21, the rear portion 21 c ₂ of the bottom wall of the product receiving box 21 is
5 may be configured.

[0024]

As described above, in the vending machine according to the present invention, bottled beverages, canned beverages, and PET bottled beverages discharged from the product storage box and dropped into the product receiving box are placed in the product receiving box. It falls on the product guide arranged at the bottom, extends from the back of the vending machine toward the product outlet,
Slanting downward and narrower in width towards the product exit,
It slides on the groove of the product guide, reaches the bottom of the product receiving box, and stops. Bottled beverages, canned beverages, and PET bottled beverages guided in the groove of the product guide, which narrows toward the product outlet, when reaching the bottom of the product receiving box, the longitudinal axis is viewed from the product outlet before and after In the state where the product is extended in the direction, it is nestled in the groove portion of the product guide inclined downward toward the product outlet, and is in a substantially standing state, so that the user inserts his hand into the product outlet. The user can easily take a bottled beverage, canned beverage, or PET bottled beverage without bending or twisting the wrist.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, from which an outer door and a front side wall of a product storage are removed.

FIG. 2 is a view as viewed in the direction of arrows aa in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrows bb in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a left side view of a product receiving box provided in the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a product receiving box provided in the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a right side view of a product receiving box provided in the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a product receiving box provided in the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an outlet shutter provided in the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a product guide provided in the vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vending machine 2, 4, 5 Insulation wall 3 Commodity storage 3a Upper section 3a ₁ Large section 3a ₂ Small section 3b Lower section 6 Gravity fall type commodity storage section 7, 26 Cooler 8 Heater 9, 11 Commodity discharge chute 10 , 12, 18 merchandise outlet 13 merchandise guide chute 14 merchandise shelf 15 elevating and conveying device 16 belt conveyor 17 inclined product storage section 19 outer door 20 merchandise outlet 21 merchandise receiving box 22 outlet shutter 24 rocking plate 25 merchandise guide 27 Mechanical part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A product receiving box is provided at the back of a product outlet, and extends from the back of the vending machine toward the product outlet at the bottom of the product receiving box, and downwards toward the product outlet. A vending machine having a product guide having a groove that is inclined and has a narrow width.