JPS59186089A - Goods feeder for vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Industrial Application Field The present invention provides a plurality of product passages, and a delivery device for delivering one product to each product at the product delivery end of each product passage. The delivery device is sequentially driven for each sales operation by a common drive device that is driven by a sales signal to perform the delivery operation of the product, and detects the presence or absence of a product in each of the product aisles. The present invention relates to a product delivery device for a vending machine that is equipped with a sell-out switch.

(B) Prior Art Conventionally, for example, a drive shaft that is rotated in a predetermined manner by a drive device is installed vertically in a vertically installed product storage column, and product passages in which products can be stacked and stored are formed on both sides of this drive shaft. A delivery device is provided at the bottom of each product aisle, and the lowest products stacked and stored in the product aisles on both sides are respectively locked by the delivery device, and the drive shaft is rotated by the drive device. In a product delivery device that sequentially and alternately delivers products in product aisles on both sides by a dynamic operation, a detection member for detecting a product sold out is provided so as to straddle product aisles on both sides and protrude freely into the product aisle. Located at the bottom of the product aisle,
The presence or absence of products in the product aisle was detected by a common detection member on both sides of the product aisle. Therefore, even if the product in one product aisle is sold out, if there is a product in the other product aisle, the product will not be displayed as sold out and will be sent out. For this reason, it is necessary to always store the same number of products in the product aisles on both sides, and if there is less product in one product aisle, empty sales will occur if the products in the product aisle with fewer products are sold out. This had the disadvantage that the product was not delivered. In addition, there is a drawback that the product will not be delivered even if for some reason the product in one product aisle becomes clogged at the bottom of the product aisle and there is no product at the bottom of the product aisle. Ta.

(c) Purpose The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks,
With a simple configuration, it is possible to reliably detect the presence or absence of products, and even if there is a difference in the number of products stored in the product aisles on both sides, or a product is jammed at the top of one product aisle, the product can be sold reliably. We are a company that provides product dispensing devices for vending machines.

(D) Structure The present invention provides a plurality of product aisles, and each product aisle has a delivery device for delivering one product to each product at the product delivery end, and a common device that drives each delivery device by a sales signal. A vending machine that is configured to be driven sequentially by a drive device to perform a product delivery operation for each sales operation, and is provided with a sell-out switch in each product aisle for detecting the presence or absence of a product in the product aisle. In the product delivery device, the delivery device detects a predetermined drive of the drive device that performs the product delivery operation and stops the drive device; When all the switches are in a sold-out state, a sold-out signal is sent, and when the sold-out switch in the product aisle to be sold next detects that the product is sold out, the product aisle is driven by the drive device. and a sales control section that drives the drive device again after operating the delivery device in the product aisle, and then operates the delivery device in the product aisle.

(e) Examples Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(1) is a product storage column with an opening in the front for filling products (2) and a product discharge port (3) in the lower end, and is vertically installed inside the vending machine body. ing. A base material (4) is fixed to the lower end of the column (1) in the front-rear direction so as to divide the column (1) into left and right halves.
5) has an upper part connected to an electric motor (6) as a drive device provided on the upper wall (1A) of the column (1), and a lower part connected to the base material (1A).
4), and on both sides of the drive shaft (5) there are product aisles (7) for stacking and storing products in a row.
is formed. A cam (9) is provided at the lower part of the drive shaft (5), and is formed by forming a semicircular control portion (8) eccentrically with respect to the axis of the drive shaft (5). (10) (11
) has one end rotatably supported on both sides of the lower part of the base material (4), and the other end is freely retractable into the product passageway (7) to place and lock the lowest product. Main stopper as a member.

<12) (13) is a control member provided in the base material (4) to face each other, and the control member (8) of the cam (9) is located at the upper end.
) are respectively formed, and support portions (15) for locking the main stopper (io) (1i) are provided at the lower ends of the support portions (15), which are shifted back and forth. ) and the regulating portion (14) are rotatably supported on the base material (4). and the control member (12
) is pressed and locked outward by the control part (8) of the cam (9), this control member (12)
The supporting part (15) presses and locks the lower surface of the main stopper (11) to support the main stopper (11) to protrude substantially horizontally into the product passageway (7), and the regulating part (14) supports the cam (9). ) When the main stopper (11) is not press-locked by the control section (8) of the main stopper (11), the press-lock of the main stopper (11) by the support section (15) is released.

Similarly, when the restricting part (14) of the control member (13) is pressed and locked outward by the control part (8) of the cam (9), the support part (14) of the control member (13) 15), the main stopper (10) is supported so as to protrude into the product passageway (7).

(16) are springs provided on the shaft supports of the main stoppers (10) and (11), respectively.
) (13) and is located corresponding to the support part (15) of the support part (13).
5) presses the lower surface of the main stopper (10) Hl), and when this happens, the end of the spring (16) comes into contact with the support part (15) to generate elasticity. Also this spring (16)
has an elastic force that is strong enough to withstand the weight of a single product being sold. Therefore, the support part (15) of the control member (12) (13)
) is supported to protrude substantially horizontally into the product aisle (7),
Main stopper (10) when no product is placed
(11) is further rotated upward from the horizontal position by a predetermined amount due to the elastic force of the spring (16), and when a product is placed, the weight of the product overcomes the elasticity of the spring (16). ,
The support part (15) protrudes and supports substantially horizontally into the product passage (7). In addition, operating pieces (17) are provided at the ends of the main stoppers (10, 11) on the shaft support side, and corresponding to the operating pieces (11), sold-out switches (18) (19) are used to detect sold-out products. ), and the main stoppers (1o) (11), which are supported by control members (12) and (13) and protrude into the product passageway (7), are actuated by springs (
16), the sell-out switches (18) and (19) are actuated when the sold-out switch (18) and (19) are rotated upward from the horizontal position to a predetermined position due to the elasticity of the sold-out switch (16).

That is, the sold-out switch (18) is operated by the operating piece (17) of the main stopper (10), and the sold-out switch (19) is operated by the operating piece (17) of the main stopper (11).

(20) and (21) are auxiliary stoppers whose upper ends are rotatably supported and whose lower end locking portions (22) can be retracted into the product passage (7), and are mounted on the main stoppers (10) and (11). The auxiliary stoppers (20) are provided on both sides of the upper part of the base material (4) so as to be able to lock the next product after the product that has been placed and locked.
A cam (2) is provided on the drive shaft (5) corresponding to (21).
The control part (24) of 3) moves the locking part (22) to the product passage (
7) Appearance and appearance inside are controlled. The cam (23) is connected to an electric motor (
6) is rotated by the rotation of the drive shaft (5), and at the same time as the main stopper (10) (11) on the side that feeds out the product starts its feeding operation, the main stopper (10) (11) on the feeding side starts rotating.
Auxiliary stopper (20) located above (11) (2
1) to cause the locking portion (22) to protrude into the product passageway (7).

That is, exit device ff1 (25) consisting of main stopper <10) (11) and auxiliary stoppers (20) (21)
are installed in the product aisles (7) on both sides, and an electric motor (
As the drive shaft (5) is rotated by the drive of step 6), the cam (9) and the cam (23) alternately drive the feeding device f (25>) on both sides, and also the main stopper (10) (11) and the auxiliary stopper. (20> (21)) is configured to alternately appear and appear within the product aisle (7) to send out the products.

(26) is a cam provided at the top of the drive shaft (5);
Every time the drive shaft (5) rotates half a rotation, the carrier switch (as a drive detection means)
27) is working. Carrier switch (
27) is configured to stop the electric motor (6) when operated by the cam (26).

Next, the electric control circuit of the apparatus of the present invention will be explained using the circuit diagram shown in blocks in FIG. (28) is an input money signal generation circuit unit; (29) is a main control unit that deduces the input amount based on the input of the input money signal and compares the input amount with the product sales price to determine the possibility of selling the product; 30) is an electric motor (
6) is stopped by the output of the drive carrier switch (27), and the sell-off switch (18) (19)
The sales control section (31) sends the output state of the output state to the main control section (29), which turns on the sale ready lamp (32) in response to the input of the sale ready signal from the main control section (29), and switches the selection switch (33) The sell lamp (34) can be selected by inputting the sell signal from the main control unit (29).
) is a control panel control section that lights up, and (35) is a change payout control section.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained.

When an amount exceeding the selling price of the product is inserted into the vending machine, the main control section (29) outputs a sales enable signal to the control panel control section (31). Therefore, the control panel control section (31) lights up the sales ready lamp (32) and also lights up the selection switch (3
3), and when the selection switch (33) is operated, it sends a selection signal to the main control section (29>).When the main control section (29) receives the selection signal, it sends a selection signal to the sales control section (30>). At the same time, the output state of the sell-out switches (18) and (19) is sent to the sales control unit (3).
0) and store it. The sales control unit (30) into which the product delivery signal is input drives the electric motor (6). This drive causes the drive shaft (5) to rotate in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5. This rotation of the drive shaft (5) The cam (26) turns the carrier switch (27) ONL, and the cam (23)
)'s control unit (24) presses the auxiliary stopper (19) to project the first part (21) into the product passageway (7), causing the product (
A2) is locked and held between the side wall of the column (1). When the drive shaft (5) rotates to this state, the cam (9)
The control portion (8) is separated from the restriction portion (14) of the control member (13), and only the restriction portion (14) of the control member (12) is pressed outward and locked. Therefore, the control member (13
) releases the support of the main stopper (10) on the support part (15), and by releasing the support, the main stopper (10) rotates downward under its own weight and the load of the product (A1), and the product (A1)
) is sent falling downward. This state is shown in Figures 6 and 7.
As shown in the figure.

・And when the drive shaft (5) rotates further, the cam (9)
The control part (8) of the regulating member (13) again controls the regulating part (14) of the regulating member (13).
) to the outside. Therefore, the support part (15) of the regulating member (13) supports the lower surface of the main stopper (10) in the product passage (
7) Press inward to move the main stopper (10) to the product passageway (7)
Support protrudes inward. At this time, the end of the spring (16) comes into contact with the support part (15), so the spring (16) becomes elastic.
The main stopper (10) rotates above the horizontal position,
When the drive shaft (5) rotates to this state, the control section (23) of the cam (22) rotates to the rear of the drive shaft (5) and the cam (
In order to release the pressure on the auxiliary stopper (19) by the control part (23) of 22), the locking part (21) of the auxiliary stopper (19) rotates outward of the product path (7) to release the product (A2). )
Release the lock. Therefore, the unlocked product (A2
) falls onto the main stopper (10) under its own weight, and the spring (1
The main stopper (10) is moved against the elasticity of the control member (1).
It is rotated and locked to the horizontal position supported by the support part (15) of 3). When the drive shaft (5) reaches 180 degree rotation, the cam (26) turns off the carrier switch (27), and the output of the carrier switch (27) causes the sales control unit (30) to rotate the electric motor (6). At the same time, a sales end signal is sent to the main control section (29).When the sales end signal is input, the main control section (29)
is the sell-off switch (1) received from the sales control department (30).
8) Determine the output status of (19) and press the sell-off switch (18).
) (19), the sale ends immediately, and if there is a remaining amount, a payout signal for the remaining amount is output to the change payout control section (35). Also sold out switch (18)
When one of the items (19) is sold out, a product exit signal is sent from the main control section (29) to the sales control section (30) again. Therefore, the sales control unit (30) drives the electric motor (6) again, and the electric motor (6) drives the drive shaft (5).
) to turn the carrier switch (21) ON and OFF in the same manner as above. and carrier switch (2
The sales control unit (30) uses the output of the electric motor (6).
) and sends a sales end signal to the main control unit (29). This sales end signal is sent to the main control unit (29).
By inputting , the sale ends, and if there is any remaining amount, a payout signal for the remaining amount is output to the change payout control section (35).

(f) Effects Since the present invention is configured as described above, even if there is a difference in the number of products stored in each product aisle and there is a product aisle where the product is sold out, the product cannot be sent or delivered. This can be done reliably. Therefore, it is extremely effective when it is desired to form product aisles with different numbers of products stored due to space limitations within the vending machine. Furthermore, even if a product is jammed in one product aisle improvement section, it can be reliably delivered as long as the product is available in the other product aisle, thereby eliminating drawbacks such as inconveniencing customers.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional front view of a product delivery device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. Figures 4 and 5 are a schematic front view and a schematic plan view in a sales standby state, Figures 6 and 7 are a schematic front view and a schematic plan view in a sales state, and Figure 8 shows an electric control circuit. The block diagram and diagram M9 are flowcharts. (6)...Electric motor (drive device), (7)...Product aisle, (18) (19)...Sold out switch, (
25)...Delivery device, (27)...Key 17 rear switch (drive detection means). Figure 2 Figure 3 Diagram 4 Figure 4
Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) A plurality of product passages are provided, each of which is provided with a delivery device for delivering one product to a single product at the product delivery end of each product aisle, and each delivery device is driven by a sales signal. The driving device is configured to sequentially drive the product for each sales operation to send out the product, and a sell-out switch is installed in each product aisle to detect the presence or absence of the product in the product aisle. In the product dispensing device of a vending machine, the dispensing device detects a predetermined drive of the drive device that performs a product dispensing operation and stops the drive device, and detects the state of each of the sell-out switches; When each sell-out switch sends a sell-out signal when all the products are sold out, and the sell-out switch in the product aisle that is to be sold next detects that the product is sold out, the drive device drives the sold-out signal. A product dispensing device for a vending machine, comprising: a sales control section that operates the dispensing device of a product aisle and then drives the drive device again to operate the dispensing device of the next product aisle.