JPH11328522A - Article supply mechanism for vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article supply mechanism for vending machine capable of being surely operated with a simple configuration and supplying articles with low expenses, and easy in maintenance. SOLUTION: This mechanism is provided with an article carrier case 1 whose bottom surface is a shooter 3 on which the article slides by being inclined and a lower end part of the shooter 3 is provided with an opening part 6. The opening port 6 is constituted by disposing a kicking up plate 7 which rotates for 180 degrees in an article sliding direction and is in a state parallel to a shooter surface at a static time and a stopper mechanism 5 for stopping the merchandise from sliding near the opening part 6. The stopper mechanism 5, for example, is provided on the shooter surface or is provided to the jump board 7. In this case, the stopper mechanism 5 is made movable back and forth in relation to the shooter 3 and a slope angle of the shooter 3 is made changeable.

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 a vending machine, and more particularly, to a vending machine for relatively light boxed products such as music CDs, music cassettes, confectioneries, toys, stationery and miscellaneous goods. The present invention relates to a merchandise delivery mechanism for a vending machine for delivering one product to a destination product outlet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, various miscellaneous goods have been sold by vending machines. That is, by inserting an appropriate amount of coins or bills and pressing a desired product corresponding button, desired products are delivered to a product outlet. Naturally, each vending machine has a built-in mechanism for delivering one product, but the product delivery mechanism employed in the conventional vending machine is relatively complicated. Also, maintenance is not easy.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and is intended for a vending machine which operates reliably with a simple structure, can be supplied at low cost, and is easy to maintain. It is an object to provide a product delivery mechanism.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a merchandise transport case in which the bottom surface is inclined and the merchandise slides.
The starter is provided with an opening at the lower end of the shooter, and a jumping plate which is rotated 180 degrees in the product sliding direction and is in a state parallel to the starter surface when stationary is installed therein. In addition, the above problem is solved by a product delivery mechanism for a vending machine, wherein a stopper mechanism for stopping the sliding of the product near the opening is provided.

The stopper mechanism may be installed on the starter surface or on the jumping plate.
In the former case, the stopper mechanism may be movable back and forth with respect to the shooter, and the inclination angle of the shooter may be changed.

According to the present invention, there is further provided a product transport case as a starter on which the product slides with the bottom surface in an inclined state, and an opening is formed at a lower end portion of the shooter. A plurality of stoppers attached to a rotating shaft that rotates at a fixed angle in the sliding direction are provided, and when the rotating shaft stops, only the first stopper of the stoppers is the shroud.
The second stopper of the stoppers is positioned above the shutter before the first stopper is submerged in the opening with the rotation of the rotating shaft. The above object has been solved by a product delivery mechanism for a vending machine, which protrudes from the first stopper and acts to slightly push up the rear part of the product stopped by the first stopper.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus, in which 1 indicates a transport case. The illustrated transport case 1 includes a back plate 2 and a shutter 3 extending downward from the back plate 2 in an inclined state. Usually, a side wall 4 is provided on both sides of the back plate 2 and the shutter 3 for stopping the product from moving in the lateral direction.

[0008] At the lower end of the starter 3, the starter 3
A stopper 5 is provided so as to protrude in a direction crossing. Stopper
5 may be a series or may be a discontinuous part with some parts missing. The height of the stopper 5 is
The height is set so as to prevent further sliding of the goods sliding on the table 3, but it is preferable that the height be as low as possible. Its height is typically one-third to one-half the thickness of the product. If the height of the stopper-5 is too high,
The inconvenience that the product cannot get over the stopper 5 due to the operation described later occurs.

Shut the stopper from the center of the stopper 5 to the upstream side or across the stopper 5.
An opening 6 is formed in the table-3, and a jumping plate 7 which rotates by 180 degrees in the same direction as the sliding direction of the boxed product which is placed on the table-3 and slides down is set therein. Is done. The jumping plate 7 is intermittently driven to rotate by a motor 8 disposed on the back side of the shutter 3, and when the plate is stopped (standby).
In FIG. 2, the jump plate 7 is in a state parallel to the shutter 3 (FIG. 2).
(See (A) and (E)), part of the starter during the rotation operation
Come up on 3.

The lower end of the shutter 3 extends below the stopper 5 and may be further inclined downward. In some cases, the back plate 2 and the starter 3 are separated from each other, and the support arm 9 is passed between the side walls 4 to connect the two. In that case, by changing the mounting position 10 of the support arm 9 on the side wall 4 of the shutter 3,
The degree of inclination of the shutter 3 can be changed. This configuration takes into consideration that some products are easy to slide on the shutter 3 and others are difficult to slide.

FIG. 2 shows the operation of the commodity delivery mechanism according to the present invention. The commodity 11 stored in a box or box-like case is shown.
Are placed on the multi-inclination Shuta-3,
The commodity 11a in the front row hits the stopper-5. Since the remaining products 11b and below slide on the shutter 3 by their own weight, all the products are in close contact with each other (FIG. 2).
(A)). At that time, the jumping plate 7 is in a state parallel to the shutter-3 surface, and does not interfere with the sliding of the product because it is below the shutter-3 surface.

In this state, when a proper coin or bill is inserted for purchase of a commodity, the motor 8 operates based on a signal from a coin sorting device (not shown), and the jumping plate 7 is moved.
Starts rotating in the sliding direction of the product. By this operation, the commodity 11a in the front row is lifted from the front (FIG. 2B). In order to ensure that the product is lifted in this way, the jumping plate 7 is made to be less than half the length of the product.

In this way, the product 11a is lifted from the front portion, and is eventually lifted to a height exceeding the stopper 5, so that the product 11a descends by its own weight and stops at the stopper.
5 (FIG. 2 (C)), falls toward the product outlet, and the jumping plate 7 continues rotating operation as it is, and stops when rotated 180 degrees (FIGS. 2 (D) and (E)). At the same time, the second product 11b slides down on the shutter 3 by its own weight, stops when it hits the stopper 5 through the opening 6, and stands by (FIG. 2E). Thereafter, the above operation is repeated.

The stopper 5 may be movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the shutter 3. This is in order to correspond to the size of the product. For this purpose, for example, a screw hole 1 is formed in a horizontal portion of a stopper 5 having an L-shaped cross section.
2, a plurality of screw holes 13 are provided in the shutter 3 at appropriate intervals in the product traveling direction, and a screw 14 is screwed into the screw hole 12 and a desired screw hole 13 (see FIG. 3). ).

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining that it is necessary to move the stopper 5 depending on the size of the product as described above. That is, as shown in FIG.
In the case where the size of 1 is short and the jumping plate 7 pushes up the rear half of the product 11, the product 11 cannot pass over the stopper 5. In such a case, the stopper 5 is shifted to the upstream side so that the jumping plate 7 acts on the front half of the product 11 (FIG. 4B). Thus, the product 11 is pushed up from the front part, and can pass over the stopper 5.

Further, in order to make the width versatile, the side wall 4 may be movable in the width direction with respect to the shutter 3. For this purpose, any method may be used. For example, a mounting arm 15 is provided on the side wall 4 to extend to the back surface of the shutter 3, a plurality of screw holes 16 or slits 17 are provided in the mounting arm 15, and a desired screw is provided. A method of fixing the mounting arm 15 to the rear surface of the shutter 3 by screwing a screw into a desired position of the hole 16 or the slit 17 is considered.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a stopper mechanism is provided on the jump-up plate 7. In this case, the stoppers 21 and 22 are vertically attached to both ends of the jumping plate 7, but the mounting positions of the stoppers 21 and 22 on the jumping plate 7 are shifted from the center in the vertical direction. That is, when the jumping plate 7 is located on the downstream side when stopped, a portion above the jumping plate 7 is made longer than a portion below the jumping plate 7 (see the stopper 21 in FIG. 7A). When it is located on the upstream side, the portion below the jump plate 7 is made longer than the upper portion (stopper-2 in FIG. 7A).
2). Thus, when it is on the downstream side,
It becomes possible to stop the sliding of the product 11 by protruding above the three surfaces. When the product 11 is on the upstream side, the product 11 is located below the surface of the shutter 3 and can pass through the product 11.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, the jumping plate 7 shown in FIG.
When the products are stopped, the products 11a, 11b,.
When placed on the shutter 3, each product slides on the shutter 3, and the product 11a in the front row hits the stopper 21 protruding above the shutter 3, and stops at that position. Then, when a proper coin or bill is inserted, a motor (not shown) operates to rotate the jumping plate 7.

As the jumping plate 7 rotates, first, the stopper
22 protrudes from the surface of the shutter 3, and then the other stopper 21 sinks into the opening 6. When the stopper -21 sinks into the opening 6, the product 11a in the front row, whose movement has been stopped by the stopper -21, is released, and the front part tries to exceed the stopper -21. Since the stopper 22 protrudes before the product 11a, the rear portion of the product 11a is lifted up a little during its progress.

The product 11a advances in the above-described state, and eventually separates from the shutter 3 and falls toward the product outlet (FIGS. 7B and 7C). And the second product 11b
Is temporarily stopped by the outer surface of the protruding stopper 22 (FIG. 7 (B)), and then moves away from the stopper 22 or stops as the flip-up plate 7 rotates.
The slide plate 22 slides following the movement of the stopper 22 while being in contact with the stopper 22 (FIGS. 7C and 7D). Stopped and waits. Thereafter, the above operation is repeated.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, except that the number of stoppers -31 to 34 is four, and one product can be delivered every quarter turn. It was made. In this case, a motor (not shown)
Four stoppers 31 to 34 are attached to the rotating shaft 35 that is driven to rotate by 90 degrees at intervals of 90 degrees. Stopper 31
For example, to 34, the middle part is bent at a right angle (first bent part A),
The tip is bent outward by 120 degrees (second bent portion B), and the tip is further bent inward (third bent portion C). A portion slightly before the portion B is projected from the opening 6 onto the surface of the shutter-3.

In the case of this embodiment, the rotation stopper 31
The rotation shaft 35 stops in a state where only one of -34 is exposed from the opening 6. At this time, the second bent portion B of the stopper 32
Is located slightly below the surface of the shoe 3. In this state, the products 11a and 11
When b,... are supplied, each commodity slides on the shutter 3 and the commodity 11a in the front row hits the rotation stopper 31 protruding above the shutter 3, and stops at that position.
Then, when a proper coin or bill is inserted, a motor (not shown) operates to rotate the rotating shaft 35.

As the rotating shaft 35 rotates, the product 11a
Because the next stopper 32 projects above the surface of the shoe 3 before the stopper 31 that stops
The rear part of the product 11a is slightly lifted. When the stopper 31 eventually sinks into the opening 6, the stopper 31
The product 11a in the front row, whose movement has been stopped, is released, and slides down to the product outlet.

Following the sliding of the product 11a, the second product 11b also slides down, but the product 11b hits the tip of the stopper 32 which has already protruded above the shoe 3, and
Thereafter, the slider 32 slides on the seat 3 following the movement of the stopper 32 while being in contact with the stopper 32. When the stopper 32 rotates 90 degrees and stops, the movement is stopped by the stopper 32, and the apparatus stands by. State. Thereafter, the above operation is repeated.

In the illustrated example, the number of stoppers is four.
However, this can be increased or decreased (usually in the range of about 3 to 6). In that case, the rotation angle of the rotation shaft 35 changes according to the number.

[0026]

The present invention is as described above. In any of the embodiments, the structure is simple, the operation is reliable, the supply can be performed at low cost, and the maintenance can be performed easily and at low cost. There is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an intermediate perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a modified example of the shutter according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the operation of still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveying case 2 Back plate 3 Shutter 4 Side wall 5 Stopper 6 Opening 7 Jumping plate 8 Motor 9 Support arm 10 Mounting position 11 Product 11a Product 11b Product 12 Screw hole 13 Screw hole 14 Screw hole 15 Mounting arm 16 Screw hole 17 Slit 31 Stopper 32 Stopper 33 Stopper 34 Stopper 35 Rotary shaft

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] July 8, 1998

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Brief description of drawings

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an intermediate perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a modified example of the shooter in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the operation of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view showing the configuration and operation of still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 1 Transport case 2 Back plate 3 Shooter 4 Side wall 5 Stopper 6 Opening 7 Jump plate 8 Motor 9 Support arm 10 Mounting position 11 Product 11a Product 11b Product 12 Screw hole 13 Screw hole 14 Screw hole 15 Mounting arm 16 Screw hole 17 Slit 31 Stopper 32 Stopper 33 Stopper 34 Stopper 35 Rotary shaft

Claims (6)

[Claims] An article conveying case is provided as a starter on which a product slides with a bottom surface inclined.
An opening is provided at the lower end of the device, and a jumping plate that rotates at a fixed angle in the product sliding direction and is in a state parallel to the starter surface when stationary is installed therein. A product dispensing mechanism for a vending machine having a stopper mechanism for stopping the sliding of the product. 2. The product dispensing mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the stopper mechanism is provided on the starter surface. 3. The product delivery mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the stopper mechanism is provided on the jumping plate. 4. The product delivery mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 2, wherein said stopper is movable back and forth with respect to said starter. 5. The merchandise delivery mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of said shooter can be changed. 6. A product transporting case provided as a starter on which a product slides with a bottom surface in an inclined state, wherein said starter is provided.
An opening is formed at the lower end of the shaft, and a plurality of stoppers attached to a rotating shaft that rotates at a fixed angle in the product sliding direction are provided therein, and the stopper is provided when the rotating shaft stops.
Only the first stopper is projected above the shooter, and the first stopper is moved into the opening before the first stopper is submerged in the opening with the rotation of the rotating shaft. The second stopper projects above the shooter,
A product dispensing mechanism for a vending machine configured to act to slightly push up a rear portion of a product stopped by the first stopper.