JPH11154269A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve each commodity discharging gate mechanism integrated in each column so as to smoothly execute opening/closing operation in an automatic vending machine loaded with a commodity storing rack for storing commodities aligned in the back-and-forth direction of each column. SOLUTION: In the constitution of this vending machine, each column 6 of a commodity storing rack is provided with an oscillation arm type gate plate 12a arranged on the front end part of a column case to hold a commodity on a storing position and the gate plate 12a is opened/closed through a cam mechanism consisting of the combination of a cylinder cam 12b connected to the gate plate 12a, a slider 12c connected to the cam 12b and a restoring spring 12d. A two-step guide groove part 12c-3 combining a groove part 12c-4 to be engaged with a cam projection 12b-2 of the cam 12b and a groove part 12c-5 surrounding a cylindrical cam base part 12b-1 from the right and left sides is formed in a branched cam guide 12c-1 projected from the upper part of the slider 12c, while the slider 12c is moved in the back-and-forth direction while holding its stable erected posture by using the cylindrical cam base part 12b-1 of the cam 12b as a guide member.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine for beverage products in cans and paper packs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a vending machine described above, a drawer-type column for storing products in a row in front and rear of each column is stored in a cabinet of a main body case having an outer door with a product outlet on the front side. Equipped with a product storage rack constructed by arranging in the lower row, left and right rows, one product can be loaded from the column specified based on the sales order.
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a vending machine which pays out individual products and carries them out to a product outlet below.

[0003] In order to prevent the product dispensed from each column of the product storage rack from being damaged by a landing impact when dropped into the box of the product outlet, a column is provided in front of the rack in combination with the product storage rack. A bucket unit that receives the goods paid out from the company, and an XY transport mechanism that carries the bucket unit and moves up, down, left and right, and a column selected via the XY transport mechanism based on a sales command. The bucket unit is accessed in the forward direction, the goods paid out from the column are transferred to the bucket unit and sent out to the product outlet, and the bucket unit has a pusher mechanism and a gate mounted on each column of the product storage rack. Equipped with a drive unit that is the power source of the product dispensing mechanism consisting of a combination of mechanisms, and access the bucket unit to the designated column. In this position, a vending machine configured to transmit power from the bucket unit to the commodity dispensing mechanism of the column to pay out the commodities has already been proposed by the same applicant as Japanese Patent Application No. 9-43454. I have.

Next, an outline of the vending machine proposed above will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the overall structure of the vending machine is shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). In the figure, 1 is a main body case (insulated housing) of a vending machine, 2 is an outer door having a product outlet 2a at a lower part on the front surface, 3 is an insulated inner door, 4 is a product (paper package product) for each column. Etc.) A product storage rack constructed by arranging a plurality of columns 6 in which rows 5 are arranged in front and rear and arranged in upper and lower rows and right and left rows, and 7 receives products paid out from each column 6 of the product storage rack 4 at a front position thereof. The bucket unit 8 is equipped with the bucket unit,
A rectangular coordinate XY transport mechanism that moves left and right. The XY transport mechanism 8 is moved and operated in accordance with a sales command to access the bucket unit 7 at a position in front of the designated column 6 and pay out from the column. Product 5 with bucket unit 7
After the transfer, the XY transport mechanism 8 is again moved down and sent out from the bucket unit 7 to the commodity 5 commodity outlet 2a.

Here, the column 6 of the product storage rack 4 is
It is a gutter-shaped case which is mounted on a rack support frame 11 provided on the main body case 1 side so that it can be individually pulled out and replenished so that it can be pulled out forward. Each column 6 # is described later. Is provided with a commodity delivery mechanism without a power source (drive motor). On the other hand, the bucket unit 7 is equipped with an electric drive mechanism described later as a power source for driving the commodity dispensing mechanism of the column from the bucket unit side, and a position at which the bucket unit 7 accesses the designated column 6. The power is transmitted from the driving mechanism of the bucket unit to the product dispensing mechanism of the column 6 to pay out the product 5.

In the vending machine, the product 5 stored in the product storage rack 4 in the warehouse and the product purchased by the customer at the time of sale are transferred from the column 6 to the bucket unit 7 and taken out to the product outlet 2a. The door surface areas of the outer door 2 of the main body case and the heat-insulating inner door 3 facing the product storage rack 4 are each constituted by a transparent door plate so that a series of sales operations until the product is sold can be visually observed from the outside. I have. In addition, 9 is a cooling unit for keeping the product 5 cool, and 10 is a condensing unit of a refrigerator.

Next, the columns 6 and 6 of the product storage rack 4
And the structure of the product dispensing mechanism 9 incorporated in the column 6,
The operation will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the column 6 has a section U
It is made of a gutter-shaped case made of a resin molded product that is shaped like a letter, and the products 5 are arranged in a line in front and rear in the column case and stored in an upright posture. The column case has a gate mechanism 12, which is disposed at the front end of the column case as a product delivery mechanism.
And a belt-driven pusher mechanism 13 for pushing the product 5 forward.

Here, the gate mechanism 12 has one end pivotally supported on the side wall of the column case and is disposed on the front end surface of the column 6 and a swing arm type gate plate 12a as shown in FIG. Cam 12b and slider 12 connected to
and a cam mechanism for linear / rotation conversion formed by a combination of a return spring 12e and a return spring 12e, and this cam mechanism is incorporated in a space defined inside the side wall of the column case. Also,
The cylindrical cam 12b has a structure in which a rib-like cam projection 12b-2 extending on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cam base 12b-1 is formed. On the other hand, the slider 12c is juxtaposed below the cylindrical cam 12b, and is guided and supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction with its front end facing a window hole opened on the front surface of the side wall of the column case. The bifurcated cam guide 12c-1 protruding from the cylindrical cam 12b is engaged with the cam projection 12b-2 of the cylindrical cam 12b. The return spring (coil spring) 12d is fitted on a support shaft 12c-2 protruding from the rear end of the slider 12c, and urges the slider 12c to be pushed forward at a position where the slider 12c is assembled into the column case.

With such a configuration, the slider 1 is set at the time of standby for sale.
2c is pushed forward by the return spring 12d, and the gate plate 12a is held at the closed position which traverses the front end face of the case of the column 6 and restrains the product 5 at the storage position. In this state, when the slider 12c is pushed backward from the bucket unit side by a driving pin, the slider 12c
Is guided by the bifurcated cam guide 12c-1 to rotate the cylindrical cam (follower) 12b, thereby the gate plate 12a.
Swings from the closed position shown by the solid gland to the open position shown by the chain line to open the front end face of the column 6.

On the other hand, the pusher mechanism 13 is pressed against the toothed belt 13a stretched between a pair of front and rear pulleys along the lower surface of the column case and behind the products 5 arranged in the last row stored in the column. It comprises a screen-like pusher 13b connected to the belt 13a, and a power transmission gear 13c connected to the pulley at the front end of the belt 13a and protruding forward from the column case, and the pusher 13b is provided on the back side of the belt. The ratchet claw 13d is engaged with a tooth row 13e formed on the bottom surface of the column case to prevent retraction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bucket unit 7 is provided with a conveyor 7a for sending the goods transferred from the column 6 to the goods outlet 2a, a drive motor 7b of the conveyor, and goods transferred from the column 6. In addition to the commodity detection switch mechanism 7c for detection, a drive gear 7d for transmitting power to the gear 13c of the pusher mechanism 13 of the column 6 using the drive motor 7b as a power source, a drive motor 7e, a reciprocating screw feed mechanism 7f, The drive unit of the gate mechanism 12 including a combination with the drive pin 7g is provided. The driving gear 7d is interlocked so as to protrude and retract from the rear of the bucket unit 7 toward the column 6 in conjunction with the forward and backward movements of the driving pin 7g.

With such a configuration, when the bucket unit 7 accesses the column 6 designated by the moving operation of the XY transport mechanism 8 at the time of selling the product, and the drive pin 7g protrudes at this position, the pin 7g is moved to the column case. The slider 12c of the gate mechanism 12, which is incorporated in the device, is pushed backward. As a result, the gate plate 12a rotates to the open position via the cylindrical cam 12b which rotates in accordance with the movement of the slider 12c to open the front end face of the column 6, and the drive gear 7d is connected to the column gear 13c. The power transmission path is established between the drive motor 7b and the pusher mechanism 13 by meshing. When the drive motor 7b is started in this state, the pusher 13b moves forward through the belt 13a of the pusher mechanism 13, pushes the products 5 stored in the column 6 from behind, and pays out the products 5 arranged in the front row to the front. Hand over to 7.

When the product 5 is transferred to the bucket unit 7, the product detection switch 7c is transferred in the delivery process.
Operates to stop the drive motor 7b based on the operation signal to cut off the power transmission to the pusher mechanism 13 and further to move the drive pin 7g backward to move the gate plate 1 of the gate mechanism 12
2a is returned to the closed position, and the remaining products 5 are held at the storage position. Thereafter, the bucket unit 7 is moved down to the position of the product outlet 2a by the XY transport mechanism 8, and then the carry-out conveyor 7a is started to send out the products stored in the bucket to the product outlet 2a. As a result, a series of sales operations is completed, and the system returns to the sales standby state.

[0014]

By the way, a commodity delivery mechanism provided in each column 6 of the commodity storage rack described above,
In particular, in the structure of the conventional cylindrical cam mechanism (see FIGS. 5A and 5B) for opening and closing the gate plate 12a, the following problems remain in terms of operation. That is, the slider 12c has a bifurcated cam guide 12c-1 protruding toward the upper surface thereof.
The slider 12c itself is engaged with only the rib-shaped cam projection 12b-2 projecting from the peripheral surface of the column b, and the slider 12c itself is loosely fitted inside the side wall of the column case and is guided and supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction.

In this structure, when the slider 12c is pushed in from the front to rotate the cylindrical cam 12b as a follower, the reaction force (the gate plate 12a slides on the surface of the frontmost product 5 stored in the column 6). The slider 12c is tilted as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5 (b), and the edge of the slider 12c is tilted toward the column case. Strongly pressed against the wall. As a result, the sliding frictional resistance is increased and the movement of the slider 12c becomes less smooth, which may cause the drive motor 7e to lock the motor.
Cam guide 12e and cam projection 12b-2 of cylindrical cam 12b
If the meshing with the gate is shallow, the engagement between the two will be disengaged and the gate mechanism will not be able to operate.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is directed to the vending machine described above, in which a gate mechanism incorporated in a column of a product storage rack is improved so as to smoothly open and close. The purpose is to provide.

[0017]

According to the present invention, there is provided a pusher for pushing a stored product forward as a product payout mechanism for each column of a product storage rack mounted on a vending machine. A swing arm-type gate plate disposed at the front end of the column case for holding a product in a storage position; a cylindrical cam connected to the gate plate; a reciprocating slider connected to the cylindrical cam; A gate plate is opened and closed via a cam mechanism formed of a combination with a return spring, wherein the slider engages with a cam projection formed on a peripheral surface of a base portion of a cylindrical cam, and further has a cylindrical cam. It is assumed that a guide groove is formed to embrace the base from left and right.

When the slider is pushed in from the outside in such a configuration, the slider becomes a cam base (cylindrical) of a cylindrical cam.
Is used as a guide member, and is slid so as to embrace the guide member from the left and right, and at the same time, the cylindrical cam rotates via the rib-shaped cam protrusion engaged with the guide groove of the slider to open the gate plate. Therefore, the reaction force (acting as a moment load) applied to the slider via the cam projection of the cylindrical cam in the course of the opening operation of the gate plate is received by the cylindrical cam base, and the slider stands upright without tilting in the left-right direction. It slides back and forth while maintaining its posture.
As a result, the slider slides smoothly without being pressed against the side wall of the column case as in the conventional structure, and without applying a large frictional resistance.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b). In the drawings of the embodiment, the same members corresponding to FIGS. 5A and 5B are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the illustrated embodiment, the gate mechanism 12 is installed at the front end of the column case of the product storage column 6.
4 (see FIG. 4) has basically the same structure as that of FIG. 5, but in particular, a guide groove 12c-3 formed between a forked cam guide 12c-1 protruding upward from the slider 12c is provided with a cylindrical cam 12b. Groove 12c-4 which fits with the rib-shaped cam projection 12b-2 of the first embodiment, and a groove 12c-5 which fits in the right and left direction on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cam base 12b-1. It is formed as.

In this configuration, when the drive pin 7g incorporated into the bucket unit 7 (see FIG. 4) pushes the slider 12c from the front, the slider 12c is driven by the cam base 12b-1 of the cylindrical cam 12b as a guide member. , The cylindrical cam 12b rotates around its axis via the cam projection 12b-2 fitted in the groove 12c-4 during the sliding movement, and the gate plate connected to the cylindrical cam 12b. Opening operation is performed by moving 12a from the closed position to the open position. During the gate plate opening process, the slider 12 is moved through the cam projection 12b-2 of the cylindrical cam 12b.
c is applied to the cam base 12 of the cylindrical cam 12b via the bifurcated cam guide 12c-1.
It is received on the circumference of b-1. Therefore, slider 1
2c itself does not tilt in the left-right direction and is not rubbed against the wall surface of the column 6, and can smoothly slide in the front-rear direction while maintaining a stable upright posture.

As a result, the motor lock of the motor 7e, which is a driving source of the slider 12c, and the engagement between the cam guide 12c-1 of the slider 12c and the cam projection 12b-2 of the cylindrical cam 12b, which are problems in the conventional structure, are achieved. A situation in which the gate mechanism cannot operate due to detachment can be avoided. In the illustrated embodiment, the gate mechanism 12 of the commodity dispensing mechanism mounted on the column 6 is opened and closed by a driving unit having a driving motor 7e mounted on the bucket unit 7 (see FIG. 4) as a power source. However, it is needless to say that the present invention can be similarly applied to a configuration in which a driving source (motor, solenoid, etc.) of the product payout mechanism is mounted for each column to drive the slider 12c of the gate mechanism 12. .

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention,
For each column of the product storage rack mounted on the vending machine, a pusher that pushes the stored products forward as a product delivery mechanism, and a swing arm type gate that is arranged at the front end of the column case and holds the products in the storage position A gate plate connected to the gate plate, a reciprocating slider connected to the cylindrical cam, and a gate mechanism for opening and closing the gate plate via a cam mechanism including a return spring. The slider has a guide groove which engages with a cam projection formed on the peripheral surface of the base of the cylindrical cam and embraces the cylindrical cam base from the left and right. The rider does not tilt in the left-right direction due to the reaction force applied to the slider via the cam projection, and can slide smoothly while maintaining a stable upright posture. Improvement of reliability can be achieved at the operating surface of the bets mechanism.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a configuration of a gate mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a perspective view, and FIG.
Sectional view

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing a configuration of a vending machine to which the present invention is applied, wherein FIG. 2A is a front view, and FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the structure of the product storage column in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of an internal structure of the bucket unit in FIG. 2 and an operation of accessing the column of the product storage rack and transmitting power to the product payout mechanism of the bucket unit.

5 (a) is a perspective view, and FIG. 5 (b) is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body case of vending machine 2 Front door 2a Merchandise exit 4 Merchandise storage rack 5 Merchandise 6 Column 7 Bucket unit 8 XY conveyance mechanism 12 Gate mechanism 12a Gate plate 12b Cylindrical cam 12b-1 Cam base 12b-2 Cam projection 12c Slider 12c-1 Bifurcated cam guide 12c-3 Guide groove 12d Return spring 13 Pusher mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A product storage rack in which a plurality of columns for storing and arranging products in a row in front and rear for each column are arranged in a cabinet of a main body case, and a plurality of columns are arranged in upper and lower rows and left and right rows. A vending machine that sends out the products paid out forward to the product take-out slot.It is a pusher that pushes the stored products forward as a product payout mechanism for each column of the product storage rack, and is arranged at the front end of the column case. A cam mechanism comprising a swinging arm type gate plate for holding a product in a storage position, a combination of a cylindrical cam connected to the gate plate, a reciprocating slider connected to the cylindrical cam, and a return spring. The gate plate is opened / closed through the slider, and the slider engages with a cam projection formed on the peripheral surface of the base of the cylindrical cam, and simultaneously moves the cylindrical cam base to the left or right. Vending machine, characterized in that the formation of the guide groove embrace.