JPS5938894A - Goods rack 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 The present invention relates to a chain drive type product shelf for a vending machine that is capable of handling a variety of products almost regardless of their shapes and sizes, and is capable of responding to the diversification of products.

Vending machine product shelves include serpentine-type product shelves that traditionally handle canned products, and Chenlebeta-type product shelves that handle box-shaped products. Eight different types of product shelves are known, but in all of them, the product shelves are configured according to the shape and size of the stored products, and the delivery method is such that the products are delivered in order according to the order in which the products are stored. Be sure to carry it out from the end! has been completed. Therefore, only the same type of product can be handled on one product shelf, and in order to sell multiple types of products on the same machine, multiple product shelves must be installed and each type must be matched to the shape and size of the product. It has to be configured as a so-called multi-column machine with shelves for various products installed inside the machine, and vending machines have become larger, which limits their versatility.

This invention was made in consideration of the above points, and its purpose is to enable the sale of various products regardless of the shape or size of the product, and, if necessary, to sell different types of products on one product shelf. To provide a highly versatile product shelf capable of accommodating the diversification of products by storing products and also making it possible to take out desired products according to a customer's product selection.

According to the present invention, an endless chain stretched between sprockets, a chain drive mechanism that drives the endless chain in a fixed direction, and a chain drive mechanism that is distributed over the circumference of the endless chain and suspended so as to be able to swing individually. A supported gondola-shaped product storage rack and a product delivery device that is installed in correspondence with a predetermined product delivery position and that operates to project a stopper pin from the retreat standby position toward the movement trajectory of the rack in response to a command. and a control mechanism, which tilts and controls the product storage rack moving along the endless chain based on a sales command from a horizontal position to a forward position by engagement with the stopper pin at the product delivery position. This is achieved by configuring the stored products to be carried out by dropping them.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. First, the main points of the structural analysis of the entire product shelf will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In the figure, 1 is the outer frame of the product shelf,
Inside the frame, upper and lower sprockets 2 are installed, and an upper and lower partition [11] is installed in the center, and two endless chains 3 are stretched between the sprockets 20 at both left and right ends. Further, a drive motor 4 as a chain drive mechanism is connected to one of the sprockets 2, and the chain 3 is driven in a fixed direction of arrow A by the drive of the motor 4.

On the other hand, a plurality of gondola-type product storage racks 5 are distributed around the circumference of the chain 3 and pivotally supported by connecting pins of the chain 3 so as to be swingably suspended.

Reference numeral 6 indicates a product, for example, a beer barrel, which is loaded and stored in the rack 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the product storage rack 5 includes a saucer-shaped rack plate 51 on which products are placed, hanging arms 52 connected to both left and right ends of the rack plate 51, and a hanging arm 52 extending from the side of the rack plate 51. Attached strip-shaped actuator 53
The top of the hanging arm 52 is pivotally supported by a connecting pin of the chain so as to be swingable in the direction of arrow B with respect to the chain 3. Therefore, when the rack 5 is in a free state, the rack plate 51 maintains a substantially horizontal position and moves around the chain 3 by the drive of the motor 4. Further, at a predetermined product delivery position, for example, the lowest position, there is provided a product delivery control mechanism 7 consisting of a solenoid 71 and a stopper pin 72 which is operated by the solenoid to move in and out in the direction of arrow 6. In this mechanism 7, the stopper pin 72 is normally on standby for retreating, and when a signal is given to the solenoid 71, the stopper pin 72 is projected forward toward the movement trajectory of the product storage rack 5, especially the movement path of the actuator 53 described above. It is positioned and placed.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a product delivery chute, which sends out products dropped from the product shelf toward a product takeout port (not shown) in the cabinet of the vending machine.

Next, the operation of the product shelf configured as described above will be explained.

First, when a product sales command is given, the drive motor 45- starts rotating and moves the rack 5 around the chain 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow. When the rack 5 comes close to the product delivery position, a signal is given to the solenoid 71, and the solenoid 71 pushes out the stopper pin 72 and operates it. As a result, the actuator 53 of the rack 5 hits the pin 72 and is restrained from moving forward, but on the other hand, the circular movement by the motor continues, and as a result, as clearly shown in FIG. 5 is tilted forward from its horizontal position using the stopper pin 72 as a fulcrum, and as a result, the stored product 7 falls from the top of the rack board 51 toward the chute 8 as shown by the arrow and is carried out under its own weight. . If the above-mentioned product carrying-out operation is shown in order, it will be as shown in the operation principle diagrams shown in FIGS. 4(A) to 4(E). In addition, ON and OFF in the diagram indicate solenoid 710 energization ON and OFF.
', P represent the hanging shaft fulcrum of the rack 5.

That is, when a sales command is given from the sales standby state shown in FIG.
6- Therefore, (b) stopper bin 7 as shown in the figure.
The front surface of the actuator 53 of the rack 5 abuts against the rack 5 and is restrained. Since the chain 3 continues to advance from this state, the rack 5 begins to tilt in the direction of arrow B in FIG. In the figure, the product 6 falls forward from the rack plate 51 and is carried out. At the same time, when a sensor (not shown) detects that the product is being carried out, the solenoid 71 and motor 4 are de-energized.
The chain 3 stops at that position, and the rack 5 is released from the restraint of the stopper bin 72 and returns to its free hanging position as shown in FIG. Thereafter, the above operation is repeated for each sale.

Note that the product delivery control mechanism 7 can also employ a mechanism other than the solenoid operated type. It can also be configured as a horizontal type with sprockets arranged on the left and right and an endless chain stretched between them.

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the gondola-type structure suspends and supports the product storage rack board, so that any product that can be stored in the rack can be stored in cans, bottles, containers, etc. , you can sell one or more products at a time, regardless of size or quantity. In addition to being able to sell the same type of products on one product shelf, the following sales are also possible. In other words, by configuring the product discharging control mechanism so that the operating point can be selected at any given moment, even if different types of products are stored in each rack on a single product shelf, the motor-driven chain can be controlled by the sales command. By activating the above-mentioned carry-out control mechanism when the desired product approaches the carry-out position after starting the drive, it is possible to select and carry out the desired product from among a wide variety of products. In addition to the visual manual operation method, this unloading control mechanism is equipped with a sensor mechanism that automatically identifies the products stored in each rack, allowing the customer to select the desired product by operating the product selection button. It can also be transported. This makes it possible to sell a wide variety of products in small quantities with one product shelf, making it possible to easily respond to product diversification and provide a highly versatile product shelf with high practical value.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the entire internal structure of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a first front view showing the front right half of the structure, FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the product storage rack, and FIG. Figures B) to (E) are operation principle diagrams showing the order of the product carrying-out operation. 2... Sprocket, 3... Endless chain,
4...Motor as a chain drive mechanism, 5...
-Product storage rack, 6...Product, 7...Product delivery control mechanism, 71...Solenoid, 72...Stopper bin, A...Chain driving direction. Satoshi Patent Attorney Ken Yamaguchi 9-

Claims (1)

[Claims] l) An endless chain stretched between sprockets, a chain drive mechanism that drives the endless chain in a fixed direction, and a gondola-type product that is distributed around the endless chain and suspended and supported so that it can swing individually. The storage rack includes a storage rack, and a product delivery control mechanism that is installed corresponding to a predetermined product delivery position and operates to project a stopper pin from a retreat standby position toward a movement trajectory of the rack in response to a command. Based on a sales command, a product storage rack moving along an endless chain is tilted from a horizontal position to a forward position by engagement with a stopper pin of the product delivery control mechanism at the product delivery position, thereby dropping the stored products. A vending machine product shelf characterized by being designed to be taken out.