JP3039775B2 - Vending machine product storage device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product storage device for a vending machine, and more particularly to an improvement in a product storage device for a vending machine in which the width of a product path can be changed according to the length of a product to be loaded. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a product storage device of a vending machine in which the width of a product passage can be changed according to the length of the product, for example, a moving device extending along a product passage in a column forming the product passage. By providing a movable side plate, and moving the movable side plate in the width direction of the product passage according to the length of the product to be put in, a product passage having an optimum width for the length of the product can be formed. it can. In this case, a product passage portion is formed on one side of the movable side plate set at a certain position in the column, but the other side is a product non-passage portion.

[0003]

However, in a vending machine product storage device having the above configuration,
There is no particular problem if the product is properly loaded in the product passage in the column, but if the product is misloaded in the non-product aisle, the misloaded product is loaded deep into the device. If it does, it may not be easy to remove it due to the mechanism of the column.

An object of the present invention is to pay attention to such problems, and to prevent a product from being erroneously loaded in a vending machine product storage device having a movable side plate in a column. The purpose is to make it very easy to remove.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple misloading prevention mechanism which can be easily applied to a so-called serpentine type column using a large number of arc plates for forming a product passage. .

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a product storage device of a vending machine according to the present invention comprises a product passage extending in a vertical direction, a product insertion port leading to the product passage, and a product passage. And a movable side plate extending in the width direction of the product passage in accordance with the length of the product to be inserted from the product insertion port, the product passage partitioned by the movable side plate. The product non-passage portion is provided with a stopper for locking the incorrectly loaded product in the product non-passage portion.

The product storage device of the vending machine according to the present invention has a so-called serpentine column in which a product passage is formed using a plurality of arc plates arranged in a direction along the product passage. It is suitable.

[0008] In such a product storage device of a vending machine, the stopper is configured to be able to protrude and retract into a product non-passage portion in accordance with, for example, a set position of a movable side plate. Specifically, the stopper is formed of a plate-like member that is rotatable and can be locked at a predetermined rotation angle, and when the product non-passage portion is formed, the stopper is provided with the product non-passage. When the product non-passage portion is not formed, the product can be folded so as not to be obstructed.

Such a stopper may be attached to the movable side plate, or may be attached to the column body side plate facing the movable side plate. Further, when a product insertion port guide provided at the product insertion port is provided so as to be able to operate integrally with the movable side plate, the product insertion port guide may be attached to the product insertion port guide.

In the merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention, the merchandise is erroneously stored in the merchandise non-passage portion of the merchandise passage portion and the non-product passage portion defined by the movable side plate. Even if the product is inserted, the product can be stopped very close to the product insertion port by the stopper, preventing misloading of the product easily. It can be taken out as it is.

Further, since it is only necessary to attach a stopper member having a simple structure, the present invention can be easily applied to an existing vending machine, particularly to a vending machine having a serpentine column whose internal structure is relatively complicated. Can be.

Further, if the stopper is constituted by a plate-like member which is rotatable by utilizing its own weight, the stopper can automatically move in and out of the product non-passage portion in accordance with the movement of the movable side plate. Thus, an extremely convenient and useful device can be realized with a simple mechanism.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the product storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 show a product storage device of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a vending machine 1 includes a vending machine main body 2 and a vending machine main body 2.
And a door 3 for opening and closing the front surface of the vehicle. The vending machine main body 2 accommodates a total of four columns 5 in the machine width direction as columns 5 as a product storage device according to the present invention. Each column 5 includes a column body side plate 6
The upper part of each column 5 is provided with four rows of commodity inlets 7 in the vertical direction, and the lower part is provided with commodity outlets 8.

As shown in FIG. 2, in each column 5, four rows of product passages 9 are formed and arranged in the front-rear direction of the vending machine 1. Mouth 7
Communicates with each other. The goods 10 loaded and loaded from each of the goods insertion ports 7 are guided along each of the goods insertion ports 7, then enter the corresponding goods paths 9, and are stacked vertically in each of the goods paths 9. The stacked products 10
From the lowest product 10, it is sequentially carried out to the product outlet 8 through the feed mechanism 11 provided at the lower part of the column, and can be taken out from the product outlet 4.

In the present embodiment, each product passage 9 is
It is formed using a plurality of arc plates 12 arranged in the direction along the product passage 9, and the passage is formed as a so-called serpentine column (serpentine passage) meandering.

The meandering surface of each product passage 9 is formed by the arc plate 12 as described above, and the side surface in the width direction of the passage is formed by one side plate 13 of a pair of column body side plates 13 as shown in FIG.
It is formed by the movable side plate 14. Movable side plate 14
Is provided in the column 5 so as to be movable in the width direction of the product passage 9 (the width direction of the column 5) in accordance with the length of the product 10 to be inserted. When the position of the movable side plate 14 is set according to the length of the product 10, one side of the movable side plate 14 becomes the product passage 9a and the other side becomes the product non-passage 9b.

In the present embodiment, the merchandise insertion port guide 15 is assembled to the movable side plate 14, so that both can be moved integrally. Therefore, the product passage 9
The width setting at a and the width setting at the product insertion port 7 can be performed simultaneously. In addition, 1 in FIG.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a support member for the movable side plate 14 that is freely foldable.

In the serpentine column 5 having such a configuration, the stopper 17 is provided in the non-product passage portion 9b. In the present embodiment, the stopper 17 is
Is supported by the movable side plate 14 at a predetermined rotation angle so as not to open further. In the case of a long product 10, the movable side plate 14 is moved toward one of the column body side plates 13 as shown in FIG. Is pivoted upward so that it can be naturally folded between the movable side plate 14 and the side plate 13. Conversely, in the case of a short product 10, as shown in FIG.
The stopper 17 is naturally opened to a certain angle by its own weight, and can naturally protrude into the product non-passage portion 9b. Alternatively, the stopper 17 may be extended using an elastic force of a spring or the like.

In the above embodiment, the stopper 17 is mounted on the upper part of the movable side plate 14. However, as shown in FIG. 6, a stopper 19 having a similar structure is mounted on the column body side plate 13 facing the movable side plate 14. Can also. In addition, although not shown, the stopper is connected to the product introduction port guide 1.
5 can also be attached.

In the merchandise storage device of the vending machine configured as described above, the movable side plate 1 according to the length of the merchandise 10.
4 is moved to form a product non-passage portion 9b on the side of the movable side plate 14 opposite to the product passage portion 9a.
(Or 19) naturally shuts off the product non-passage portion 9b by using its own weight. Therefore, even if the product 10 is put into the product non-passage portion 9b by mistake, the product 10 is put in by the stopper 17. The product 10 is securely stopped. Therefore, the misplaced product 10 does not reach the inner part of the serpentine column 5 having a complicated structure.

Since the stopper 17 (or 19) is attached very close to the product insertion port 7, the product non-passage portion 9 is provided.
Either the misloading of the product 10 into b is prevented, or even if the product 10 is misloaded, it can be very easily taken out from the product slot 7.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a vending machine 1 having a serpentine column 5, but the present invention is applicable to other types of columns having movable side plates having the same function. Is also applicable.

[0023]

As described above, according to the merchandise storage device of the vending machine of the present invention, the product non-passage portion formed by the movable side plate is provided with the stopper which can be protruded and retracted. The product can be prevented from being erroneously loaded, and even if erroneously loaded, the product can be stopped very close to the product insertion port and easily taken out.

Further, since the stopper itself may have a very simple structure, the present invention can be easily applied to existing vending machines, and a convenient product storage device capable of reliably preventing erroneous loading troubles during use. Can be easily realized.

Further, if the stopper is configured to be able to rotate naturally and automatically by utilizing the weight of the stopper as shown in the embodiment, the desired stopper function can be exerted without any touch. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine having a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one column of the vending machine of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view of FIG. 2 of one product passage forming portion of the column of FIG. 2;
Is a vertical cross-sectional view in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial longitudinal sectional view of the column of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view of a column showing an operation state different from that of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a column when a mounting position of a stopper is changed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vending machine 2 Vending machine main body 3 Door 4 Merchandise exit 5 (Serpentine) column 6, 13 Column main body side plate 7 Merchandise entrance 8 Merchandise exit 9 Merchandise passage 9a Merchandise passage 9b Merchandise non-passage 10 Merchandise 12 arc Plate 14 Movable side plate 15 Product introduction port guide 17, 19 Stopper 18 Pin

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A merchandise passage extending in the up-down direction, a merchandise insertion opening communicating with the merchandise passage, and extending along the merchandise passage in a width direction of the merchandise passage depending on a length of the merchandise introduced from the merchandise insertion opening. In a product storage device of a vending machine having a movable movable side plate, an erroneously loaded product is locked in the product non-passage portion of the product passage portion and the product non-passage portion defined by the movable side plate. A product storage device for a vending machine, comprising a stopper. 2. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said product path is formed using a plurality of arc plates arranged in a direction along said product path. 3. The merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said stopper is configured to be able to protrude and retract into said merchandise non-passage portion according to a set position of said movable side plate. 4. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is a plate-like member that is rotatable and can be locked at a predetermined rotation angle.
Item 4. The merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to any one of Items 3 to 3. 5. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said stopper is attached to said movable side plate. 6. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said stopper is attached to a column main body side plate facing said movable side plate. 7. The product of a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a product insertion port guide provided at the product insertion port is provided so as to be operable integrally with the movable side plate. Storage device. 8. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said merchandise passages are provided in the front-rear direction of the vending machine. 9. The product storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said product passages are arranged in a width direction of the vending machine.