JPH1131270A - Product storage device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To hold a square product which is difficult to be held by a separator and the like and to smoothly carry out it by permitting a separator to laterally move the product existing at the lowermost stage and providing an allowance space so as to absorb the lateral movement of the product in a carry-out standby part. SOLUTION: A carry-out control mechanism 4 is composed of an opening/ closing-type flapper. The separator 6 which can restrain the product 3 in the next stage and the products 3 above the next stage is provided in a position equivalent to that between the product 3 in the lowermost stage where the flapper 4 exists and the product of the next stage, which is just above the product, by extending the flapper in the product path 2. The separator 6 is extended into the product path 2 and can restrain/hold the product 3 of the next stage by the lower face-side. The separator 6 pushes the product 3 of the lowermost stage in the carry-out standby part 5 from the side with a turn operation and it can laterally move the product 3. The allowance space sufficient for absorbing lateral movement is formed in the carry-out standby part 5 in the width direction of the product path 2.

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 suitable for selling a product having a square cross section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a product storage device of a direct stacking type vending machine in which products such as cans, bottles, and paper packs are directly stacked and stored in a product passage. In such a direct-stacking type product storage device, when the stored product is of a square cross-sectional shape, the lowermost product to be carried out for sale and the next stage positioned thereon and locked at the time of sale are locked. Since a gap is not formed between the above-mentioned products and a very small gap is formed even if it is formed, it is often difficult to lock a product at the next stage or higher by a separator or the like.

[0003] Among the square products, in the case of a paper pack product, the next product is crushed by the separator, and the product is sandwiched between the separator and the product passage wall on the opposite side of the separator. It is possible to hold more than a row of products.

[0004]

However, when the rectangular product is a product such as a square plastic bottle, if the product is pressed from the side of the product as in the case of the paper pack, the product is deformed and slips off ( The product to be held slips through). In addition, when deformed, the deformation often does not return to its original state, which lowers the commercial value. Further, there is a possibility that a problem of damage to the product may occur.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to focus on such a problem in storage of a square product, and to hold a desired product even for a product such as a square PET bottle which is difficult to hold by a separator or the like in the conventional technology. It is an object of the present invention to provide a product storage device of a vending machine which can carry out a product smoothly.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a commodity storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention is provided by stacking commodities having a substantially square cross section directly in a commodity passage, and In a product storage device of a vending machine that is configured to sequentially carry out products from a product, a lowermost product in a carry-out standby unit formed on a carry-out control mechanism that controls product carry-out, and a next-stage product located immediately above the lowermost product. At a position corresponding to a position between the product and the product passage, there is provided a separator capable of appearing and retracting in the product passage and engaging the product at the next stage or more by projecting into the product passage. , So that the lowermost product can be moved laterally by the overhang operation, and the carry-out standby unit has a margin space for absorbing the lateral movement of the product.

The separator that can appear and disappear in the product passage is, for example, a rotary separator. The unloading control mechanism comprises, for example, a rotary flapper, and the opening operation of the flapper, the locking operation of the product at the next stage or higher by the separator, and the moving operation of the lowermost product are substantially linked. You.

The rectangular product in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it has a substantially square cross-sectional shape, but the present invention is particularly suitable for storage of a rectangular plastic bottle. .

In the merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention, when the merchandise is sold, the separator protrudes into the merchandise passage, and the protruding operation causes the merchandise located at the carry-out standby section to move laterally. . In the unloading standby section,
A lateral margin space required for the lateral movement is set in advance. Due to this lateral movement, a space (gap) is created on the lower surface side of the next product by shifting the lowermost product horizontally to a portion where the lowermost product was located, and the separator is It can protrude into the space without any obstacle. Due to the overhang of this separator,
The product at the next stage is held by locking from the lower surface side, and the product at the next stage or higher is held.

The unloading control mechanism (for example, a flapper) is opened in conjunction with the horizontal movement of the lowermost item, and the lowermost item is unloaded for sale. Therefore, in practice, the unloading and selling of the commodity at the lowest level and the holding of the commodity at the next level or more are performed as a continuous operation substantially interlocked.

[0011] The holding of the product at the next stage or higher by the separator is achieved by locking the product at the next stage from the lower surface side,
Since the product is not crushed from the side, the problem of deformation and slip-through of the product is solved while improving the reliability of holding, and the product is smoothly carried out at the same time.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3
1 shows a product storage device of a vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a product column 1 of the type to which the present invention is applied, in which products are directly stacked.
For example, two rows of product passages 2 are formed extending in the vertical direction. In each product passage 2, the products are directly stacked and stored.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a discharge control mechanism 4 for controlling the discharge of the product 3 is provided at the lower end of each product passage 2.
Comprises an openable flapper in the present embodiment.
When the flapper 4 is closed, the lowermost product 6 in the carry-out waiting section 5 defined on the flapper 4 is closed.
And is carried out downward by the opening operation of the flapper 4.

The product 3 can be moved into and out of the product passage 2 at a position corresponding to the position between the lowermost product 3 on the flapper 4 and the next product 3 immediately above the flapper 4. A separator 6 capable of locking the next stage product 3 and the next stage or higher product 3 is provided. The separator 6 is of a rotary type, and is configured to be able to protrude into the product passage 2 to be locked and held by the next stage product 3 from below, by being rotated upward from below. Have been.

The separator 6 is configured so as to push the lowermost product 3 in the carry-out standby section 5 from the side and move the product 3 sideways in conjunction with the rotation operation. An extra space 7 sufficient to absorb the horizontal movement is formed in the carry-out standby section 5 in the width direction of the product passage 2 (the horizontal movement direction). In this embodiment,
A spacer 8 for regulating the position in the width direction of the directly stacked commodities 3 is provided on one inner side surface in the commodity passage 2, and the spacer 8 is located at a position corresponding to the commodities 3 in the next stage. The lower portion is formed as the extra space 7.

In the apparatus configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 2, when the product 3 is sold, first, the separator 6 is rotationally driven so as to protrude into the product path 2, and thereby the upper surface of the flapper 4 is moved. Is moved laterally. Since the extra space 7 is provided in this direction, the commodity 3 at the bottom can be moved laterally smoothly without any obstacle.
Along with this lateral movement, a gap is formed on the lower surface side of the next stage product 3 by an amount corresponding to the position of the bottommost product 3 being shifted.
Then, the separator 6 is successively rotated to protrude, and the next product 3 is locked from the lower surface side. By this locking, three or more products at the next stage (that is, directly stacked product rows) are locked and held. In other words, the separator 6 locks and holds the product 3 at the next or higher stage while kicking the lowermost product 3 sideways.

In tandem with the operation of the separator 6, the flapper 4 is opened as shown in FIG. 3, and the lowermost commodity 3 in the carry-out waiting section 5 is carried down for sale. You. At this time, the products 3 at the next stage or higher are locked and held by the separator 6. In the operation of the separator 6, the lowermost product 3 is properly escaped by the lateral movement, so that the locked state does not occur between the separator 6 and the lowermost product 3. Further, since the next-stage product 3 is locked from below by the separator 6, there is no inconvenience such as a locked state or a collapse of the product 3 between the next-stage product 3 and the separator 6.

After the lowermost product 3 is carried out, the flapper 4
Is closed, and the separator 6 is retracted from the product passage 2. That is, the state of the right product passage shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is obtained.

As described above, without causing any inconvenience, proper locking and holding of the commodity 3 at the next or higher stage and smooth carry-out of the commodity 3 at the lowermost stage are achieved.

The above-described structure is most suitable for storing a square PET bottle, but is not limited to this and can be applied to all square products.

[0021]

As described above, according to the merchandise storage device of the vending machine of the present invention, the following problems can be solved without causing any inconvenience to square products which were difficult to lock and hold properly in the prior art. This makes it possible to appropriately lock and hold the products at the upper level and at the same time, to smoothly carry out the lowermost products.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a product storage device of the vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing a subsequent operation state of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Commodity column 2 Commodity passage 3 Square product 4 Unloading control mechanism (flapper) 5 Unloading standby unit 6 Separator 7 Extra space 8 Spacer 9 Space formed by lateral movement

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A merchandise storage device for a vending machine in which commodities having a substantially rectangular cross section are directly stacked in a merchandise passage and are sequentially carried out from the bottommost merchandise. To be able to enter and exit the product passage at a position corresponding to the position between the lowermost product in the carry-out standby section formed on the carry-out control mechanism and the next product immediately above the product, and projecting into the product passage. Having a separator capable of locking the product at the next level or higher, the separator is configured to be able to laterally move the product at the lowest level by projecting into the product path, A product storage device for a vending machine, wherein the carry-out standby unit has a margin space for absorbing the lateral movement of the product. 2. The merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said separator comprises a rotary separator. 3. The unloading control mechanism comprises a rotary flapper, and the opening operation of the flapper, the operation of locking the next and higher items by the separator, and the operation of moving the lowest item are substantially performed. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1 or 2, which is linked. 4. The rectangular product is a plastic bottle,
A vending machine product storage device according to claim 1.