JPH1131260A - Product storage device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a product from bridging inside or locking a product path by moving a part of products to be dropped to a carry-out standby position to a direction opposite to a spacer installation-side in the width direction of the product path. SOLUTION: A spacer regulating the position of the product in the width direction of the product path which is at a comparatively upper part and a spacer 5 which is below the spacer and is provided at a position just above the product carry-out standby position are fitted to the lower area 3 of one inner face of each product path 2. A control board 10 which extends obliquely downward and is rotatably supported and is energized in a rotary direction is provided so that it is engaged with the head part 6a (cover part) of the product 6 to be dropped to the carry-out standby position. The head part 6a is turned/energized so that it moves to the opposite direction of the spacer 5 installation-side, namely, in the direction of an arrow 13 in the width direction of the product path 2 (as the head part 6a is made swing).

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 storage device, and more particularly to a vending machine product storage device suitable for selling plastic bottles having a square or polygonal cross section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a direct-stacking type product storage device of a vending machine which can sell products such as paper packs, cans, bottles, and the like. In such a direct-stacking type product storage device, if it has a square or polygonal cross-sectional shape like a PET bottle, and it is intended to store a soft product,
The following measures are required.

[0003] That is, a plastic bottle having a rectangular or polygonal cross-sectional shape (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a rectangular plastic bottle) is a separator between stacked products like a round plastic bottle or a can. , And it is difficult to hold the products above. That is, there is no gap between the stacked products for inserting the separator. Further, a holding form in which the side of the product is crushed and held like a paper pack cannot be adopted. If such a holding mode is adopted, a product made of a plastic bottle may pass through a holder (for example, a separator), or the product may be damaged.

[0004] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, on the inner side of one side of a product passage 102 in which square products 101 are directly stacked and stored, immediately above a carry-out standby position 103. A small spacer 104 is provided for a certain product 101 so as to protrude in a direction to reduce a product passage width,
A structure has been proposed in which the product 101 is locked by the spacer 104 and the separator 105 on the opposite side. When the separator 105 is in the state shown in FIG.
The product 101, which has been released to the carry-out standby position 103 while being guided by the spacer 104, is carried out to a predetermined product take-out port (not shown) by the opening operation of the flapper 106. You.

[0005]

However, it has been found that simply adding the small spacer 104 as described above may cause the following problems.

[0006] A small spacer 1 that does not cause product dropout
In particular, when the number of remaining products 101 becomes one, depending on the posture of the product 101 when it is dropped, as shown in FIG. 12, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, the space between the spacer 104 and the inner wall of the product passage on the opposite side is attached. The diagonal dimension 107 of the product 101 may not escape. In such a state, a so-called bridge occurs, and the product 101 cannot be normally dropped to the carry-out standby position.

[0007] Even if the product successfully passes through the spacer 104, the last one of the commodities 101 remains in the flapper 106.
When the product 101 falls upward, the product 101 is distorted and the posture is disturbed. For example, the product 101 is inclined as shown in FIG. 13, and the product may be locked by the separator 105 at the time of subsequent carry-out.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to pay attention to the above-mentioned problems and to provide a small-sized spacer as described above for a product such as a square plastic bottle in a product storage device of a direct-stack vending machine. Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to carry out a product smoothly and stably so that the product is not bridged or locked in a product path.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a product storage device of a vending machine according to the present invention is provided for directly stacking products having a substantially square or polygonal cross section in a product passage. In a product storage device of a vending machine configured to sequentially carry out products from a bottom product, a spacer protruding in a direction to narrow a product passage width with respect to a product dropped to a carry-out standby position on one inner side surface of a product passage. And a product drop attitude control means for moving at least a part of the product dropped to the unloading standby position in the product path in the product path width direction in a direction opposite to the spacer installation side. It is characterized by the following.

As the spacer, for example, a spacer having a triangular longitudinal cross section that protrudes greatly into the product passage toward the carry-out standby position as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 can be used. In addition, a square plastic bottle can be applied as the product. However, the merchandise storage device of the vending machine according to the present invention solves the problem of directly stacking and storing merchandise having a substantially square or polygonal cross section, such as a square plastic bottle. However, this does not exclude the storage of other cans, bottles, paper packs, and other products such as round plastic bottles. Therefore, it is preferable that such other products can be stored so that they can be sold together, so that all products have versatility. If the product path is configured to be able to store even products that do not require the product drop attitude control means,
When storing the product, it is preferable that the product drop attitude control means is configured to be able to retract or store to a position where it does not interfere.

As the commodity falling attitude control means, various modes can be adopted as will be described in detail in each embodiment described later.

[0012] For example, the article falling attitude control means is
A structure in which the control plate extends obliquely downward and is urged to rotate, the control plate is engaged with, for example, the head of a product (pet bottle), and the head is moved in a direction opposite to the spacer installation side. It can be. At this time, a similar control plate may be provided on the bottom side of the product.

Further, the article falling attitude control means is constituted by an elastic member which is elastically deformed by engagement with the article, and at least a part of the article, for example, the head is brought into contact with the spacer installation side by a repulsive force of the elastic deformation. Can be moved in the opposite direction.

Further, the product falling posture control means may have a structure comprising a fixed type guide member for guiding one part of the product dropped to the carry-out standby position in a direction opposite to the spacer installation side.

Further, the article falling attitude control means is a member forming an engagement surface of the spacer to the article,
When there is only one remaining product to be engaged with the engagement surface, the structure may be made of a member which is urged to move the product in the direction opposite to the spacer installation side.

In the merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention as described above, the posture of the merchandise when the merchandise passes through the spacer installation portion is controlled by the merchandise falling posture control means, and at least a part of the merchandise falling Is moved in a direction not to be caught by the spacer. By this movement, a gap is formed between at least a part of the dropped product and the spacer, so that the bridge as shown in FIG. 12 does not occur. In addition, the product that falls onto the flapper can drop one part of the product first, instead of dropping the whole at once. Alternatively, it is possible to drop the product while maintaining the desired posture.
As a result, the movement of the product on the flapper is prevented or suppressed to a very small extent, and the product is prevented from being caught in an inclined state as shown in FIG. Is done.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 and FIG.
1 shows a product column of a type for directly loading products, as a product storage device of a vending machine to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes the entire column, and in this embodiment, two rows of product passages 2 extending in the vertical direction are formed. In each product passage 2, the products are directly stacked and stored.

In the product passage 2, a spacer 4 for regulating the position of a relatively high-order product in the product passage width direction is provided in a lower region 3 on one inner side surface of each product passage 2, and a product 4 described below below the spacer 4. The spacer 5 provided at a position immediately above the carry-out standby position is attached.

FIG. 3 mainly shows the commodity falling posture control means.
Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 6, a product storage device of a vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 3, each product passage 2 has a square plastic bottle 6 as a directly stacked product.
Are stacked and stored directly. At the time of sale, the flapper 7 is opened, so that the product
The (square PET bottle 6) is carried out to a product outlet (not shown). The product 6 located immediately above the carry-out standby position 8 is
The spacer is locked by a spacer 5 having a triangular longitudinal section and a separator 9 provided on the opposite inner surface of the product passage so as to be able to protrude and retract into the product passage, and is held together with the products 6 stacked thereon. By closing the flapper 7 and opening the separator 9, the lowermost product 6 locked
Is dropped onto the flapper 7, is stored in the carry-out standby position 8, and waits for the next sale.

In this embodiment, a control plate 10 extending obliquely downward, rotatably supported, and urged in the rotation direction is provided as a commodity falling posture control means.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, in this embodiment, the control plate 10 urges a back spacer 11 provided at a deep portion in the depth direction of the product passage 2 upward by a spring (not shown). Made of a plate-shaped member. The back spacer 11 is a rear plate 1 whose position can be adjusted in the depth direction of the product passage 2.
2 attached.

In the present embodiment, the control plate 10 is provided so as to engage with the head 6a (cover) of the commodity 6 which is dropped to the carry-out standby position. Passage 2
In the width direction opposite to the spacer 5 installation side, that is,
4 (head 6
a). The spring force for urging is set relatively weak, and the head 6a of the product 6
With the fall of the control plate 10, the control plate 10 is rotated in the counter-biasing direction,
This allows the product 6 to pass through.

In such an apparatus, when the product 6 falls and passes through the spacer 5 installation section, the head 6a is moved by the control plate 10 to the side opposite to the spacer 5. As a result, a gap is formed between a portion of the product 6, that is, a portion near the head 6a and the spacer 5, so that engagement between this portion and the spacer 5 does not occur, and the occurrence of a bridge is prevented. You. That is, since a part of the product 6 passes through the spacer 5 installation portion without contacting the spacer 5 and the occurrence of the bridge is prevented, the remaining portion of the product whose position is restricted by engaging with the spacer 5 is prevented. Spacer 5 smoothly
It will be able to pass through the installation section.

Further, by controlling the commodity falling posture by the control plate 10, the commodity 6 falls a little earlier, or falls while maintaining a desirable posture without inclination. . As a result, the falling commodity 6 is prevented from flapping largely on the flapper 7, and the flapping commodity 6 is not caught by the spacer 5 and held in the inclined posture. Therefore, even at the time of subsequent carry-out, the separator 9 does not lock the product 6 unnecessarily.

FIG. 7 shows a product storage device of a vending machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a control plate 21 is further provided on the bottom 6b side of the product 6 as compared with the first embodiment. The control plate 21, like the control plate 10 provided on the head 6a side, moves the bottom 6b of the product 6 dropped to the carry-out standby position to the side opposite to the spacer 5 installation side. Therefore, since almost all of the dropped product 6 is dropped while being moved to the side opposite to the spacer 5 installation side, the occurrence of a bridge caused by the diagonal dimension of the product 6 due to engagement with the spacer 5 is more reliable. Is prevented.

Further, since the posture of the falling commodity 6 is more reliably maintained in the desired posture, the bounce on the flapper can be suppressed to be smaller.

FIG. 8 shows a product storage device of a vending machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the elastic member 3 capable of elastically deforming and exhibiting a repulsive force due to the elastic deformation is used as a product drop posture control means.
1 is provided. The elastic member 31 is attached to the back spacer 11 in the present embodiment, and extends in the vertical direction, that is, the direction along the product passage 2. The elastic member 31 has a substantially L-shaped cross section, and its L-shaped tip engages with the head 6a of the product 6 made of a square plastic bottle and is elastically deformed by the engagement. It has become. The repulsive force of the elastic deformation moves the head 6a of the product 6 dropped to the carry-out standby position to the side opposite to the spacer 5 installation side, thereby preventing the occurrence of a bridge or the like. Other operations and effects are the same as in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows a product storage device of a vending machine according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, as a product drop attitude control means, for a product 6 made of a square plastic bottle, one part of the product 6 dropped to the carry-out standby position 8, particularly the head 6 a, Guides you to fall while moving in the opposite direction,
A fixed guide member 41 is provided. Guide member 41
The width of the guide path 42 of the head 6a formed by the above is once narrowed, the narrowed portion is offset to the side opposite to the spacer 5 installation side, and then the width of the path is expanded and opened. Therefore, the head 6a of the product 6 falling to the carry-out standby position 8 is naturally guided in the guide path 42 formed by the guide member 41 as the product 6 falls, and the head 6a side It is naturally swung to the side opposite to the spacer 5 installation side to prevent the occurrence of a bridge. In addition, since the product is guided by both the spacer 5 and the guide member 41, the product falling posture is stabilized, and the bounce on the flapper 7 is suppressed to a small value.

FIG. 10 shows a product storage device of a vending machine according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the product 6 of the spacer 5 is used as the product drop attitude control means.
A plate-like member (control plate) 51 that forms an engagement surface with the control member is provided. The control plate 51 is urged in the rotation direction by a relatively weak spring (not shown).
When there is only one product 6 remaining on the engaging surface,
The product 6 is moved to the side opposite to the spacer 5 by the urging force. Therefore, when there are a plurality of stacked products 6, the control plate 51 performs the same function as the conventional spacer 5, and when the number of the products 6 becomes one, the function of the product drop attitude control means according to the present invention is used. Fulfill. Even in such a configuration, since the remaining one product 6 is moved to the side opposite to the spacer 5 installation side, the occurrence of a bridge is prevented, and the posture of the falling product 6 is guided by the biased control plate 51. Is held in a desired posture, so that the bounce on the flapper 7 can be suppressed to be small.

In each of the above-described embodiments, for products that do not require the use of the respective product drop attitude control means, the product drop attitude control means may be moved to a position where they do not obstruct the product, for example, the rear plate 12 may be used. Can be moved to retract the control plate 10 to the back side, or can be stored at a position where it does not get in the way. Therefore, a product such as a square plastic bottle can be used in combination with a product such as a can, a bottle, or a paper-packed product, or can be configured as a product passage sold together.

[0031]

As described above, in the case of the vending machine product storage device of the present invention, small spacers are provided to prevent inconvenience such as missing products from products such as square PET bottles. On the other hand, it is possible to prevent a bridge due to the diagonal dimension from being generated in the falling product, and to suppress the bounce on the flapper to prevent occurrence of inconvenience such as locking by the separator. Therefore, it is possible to carry out the product smoothly and stably even with respect to a product such as a square plastic bottle, and it is possible to greatly enhance the versatility of the direct storage type product storage device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a product column to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the product column of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view of a product storage device of the vending machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial front view of the apparatus of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial front view of the apparatus of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a product storage device of a vending machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a product storage device of a vending machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a product storage device of a vending machine according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a partial vertical sectional view of a product storage device of a vending machine according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the merchandise storage device of the vending machine proposed above.

FIG. 12 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing a state when a problem occurs in the apparatus of FIG. 11;

13 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing a state when another inconvenience occurs in the apparatus of FIG. 11;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Column 2 Commodity passage 5 Spacer 6 Commodity 6a Commodity head 6b Commodity bottom 7 Flapper 8 Carry-out standby position 9 Separator 10, 21, 31, 41, 51 Commodity drop attitude control means 11 Back spacer 12 Rear plate 42 Guide path

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor: Kobe Kobe, 20 Kotobukicho, Isesaki-shi, Gunma Prefecture, Japan Inside (72) Inventor Ikiaki Kojima, 20 Kotobukicho, Isesaki-shi, Gunma, Japan Sanden Corporation

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A merchandise storage device for a vending machine in which commodities having a substantially square or polygonal cross section are directly stacked in a merchandise aisle, and are sequentially carried out from the bottommost merchandise. On one inner surface, a spacer is provided that protrudes in a direction to narrow the product passage width for the product dropped to the carry-out standby position, and at least a part of the product dropped to the carry-out standby position is provided in the product passage. A product drop posture control means for moving the product in the width direction of the product passage in a direction opposite to the spacer installation side; 2. The product storage device of a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said spacer is a spacer having a triangular longitudinal section that protrudes greatly into the product passage toward the unloading standby position. 3. The merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said merchandise is a plastic bottle. 4. The product falling posture control means comprises a control plate which extends obliquely downward and is urged in a rotating direction.
Item 4. The merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to any one of Items 3 to 3. 5. The commodity storage device for a vending machine according to claim 4, wherein said control plate is engaged with a head of the commodity, and moves said head in a direction opposite to a side where said spacer is provided. 6. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 4, wherein said control plate comprises a control plate engaged with a head of a product and a control plate engaged with a bottom of the product. 7. The product falling posture control means is configured to be elastically deformed by engagement with the product and to move at least a part of the product in a direction opposite to the spacer installation side by a repulsive force of the elastic deformation. A product storage device for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 8. The product falling posture control means comprises a fixed type guide member for guiding one part of the product dropped to the carry-out standby position in a direction opposite to the spacer installation side.
A vending machine product storage device according to claim 1. 9. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 8, wherein said guide member is a member for guiding a head of a product. 10. The commodity falling posture control means is a member forming an engagement surface of the spacer with the commodity, and when the number of commodities engaged with the engagement surface becomes one, the commodity The product storage device for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a member which is urged to move in a direction opposite to the spacer installation side. 11. The product passage is configured to be able to store a product that does not require the product drop attitude control means. When the product is stored, the product drop attitude control means can be retracted to a position where it does not interfere. The product storage device for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the device is configured to be capable of storing.