JP5487793B2 - Vending machine product storage device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a product storage device of a vending machine, and more particularly to a product storage device applied to a vending machine that sells a product such as a beverage containing a plastic bottle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a serpentine type product storage rack is known as a product storage device of a vending machine that sells products such as beverages in plastic bottles. Such a product storage device has a configuration in which a plurality of arc-shaped segments are installed between a pair of base side plates that are erected so as to be opposed to the left and right, and extend in a meandering manner in the vertical direction. The product storage passage is formed. In addition, the product storage device is provided with a payout mechanism for paying out the lowest product on the lower side of the product storage passage.

  In such a product storage device, products that are thrown in a lying position fall while rolling in a meandering product storage passage along the segments, and are stacked and stored in a row on the dispensing mechanism. When a product is sold, the payout mechanism is driven according to the payout command, and the lowest product is dropped and paid out (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-92767

  By the way, a container such as a plastic bottle that contains a beverage has a form having a constricted portion between a lid attaching portion to which a lid such as a cap is detachably attached and a trunk portion, and the trunk portion is a circle. It has a columnar shape. And in order to stimulate the demand for products placed in such containers and promote purchases, so-called campaign products in which prizes are put in bags or the like and attached to the constricted portion of the container with cords such as strings It has been known.

  However, when such a campaign product is to be stored in the serpentine-type product storage device as described above, it is difficult to roll the product storage passage due to the presence of prizes, and to maintain a sideways posture. However, there is a risk of product clogging and the like. Moreover, there is a possibility that the payout operation by the payout mechanism may be hindered by the presence of such prizes.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a product storage device for a vending machine capable of storing so-called campaign products satisfactorily and paying out one by one in accordance with a payout command. To do.

To achieve the above object, an automatic vending machine according to the present invention is defined in a manner extending along the vertical direction between a pair of side plates facing the right and left, the lid mounting the lid is detachably attached A product storage passage for sequentially storing products having a constricted portion between the body portion and the body portion in a lying position, and a pedal member disposed so as to be swingable in a manner of moving forward and backward with respect to the product storage passage. In the standby state, the pedal member is moved forward into the product storage passage and brought into contact with the lowest product, thereby restricting the downward movement of the product. On the other hand, when a dispensing command is given, the pedal A payout mechanism for retreating the member from the product storage passage and discharging the product downward; and an area for storing the lid mounting portion of the product by extending the product storage passage along the vertical direction; The product A product storage device for a vending machine comprising a partition member partitioning the frequency for accommodating the body portion, the product storage passage is disposed in pair back and forth so that the side plate in contact with the respective end portions The additional guide member, and a guide member disposed between the other end of each additional guide member and the other side plate, and the partition member bends the other end of the additional guide member. And the product storage passage is divided into left and right in a form of a pair of front and rear, and the mutual gap is larger than the width of the constricted portion of the product and smaller than the maximum width of the body portion of the product. The pedal member of the payout mechanism is disposed so as to be swingable in such a manner that the pedal member moves forward and backward with respect to a product storage passage constituted only by the guide member .

Further, the present invention provides the product storage device of the vending machine, wherein the product storage passage includes a hook that can be engaged with an adjustment groove formed in the additional guide member, and the product storage passage is configured by only the additional guide member. It is characterized by comprising a regulating member that regulates the above.

  According to the present invention, the partition member extends the product storage passage along the vertical direction, thereby partitioning the region for storing the product lid mounting portion and the region for storing the product body portion. Even if the product thrown in a lying position is a so-called campaign product in which a prize is put in a bag or the like and attached to a constricted portion of a container by a string (cord-like body) or the like, the prize in a bag Can be stored together with the lid mounting portion, and can be separated from the body portion. This makes it easy to roll the product storage passage due to the presence of prizes, and can also store the product in a state of being held on its side, thereby suppressing the occurrence of product clogging and the like. In addition, it is possible to prevent the payout operation by the payout mechanism from being hindered by the presence of such prizes. Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily store so-called campaign merchandise and pay out one by one in accordance with the payout command.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view schematically showing the internal structure of a vending machine to which a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the foremost product storage rack (front rack) in the product storage device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an essential part of the front rack shown in FIG. 2 in an exploded manner. FIG. 4 is a front view schematically showing a case where the product storage device shown in FIG. 1 is viewed from the front, and partially shows the internal structure.

  Exemplary embodiments of a product storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view schematically showing the internal structure of a vending machine to which a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The vending machine exemplified here is, for example, a product such as a beverage in a plastic bottle, that is, a cap attaching portion (lid attaching portion) S1 (see FIG. 4) to which a cap as a lid is detachably attached, and a trunk portion S3 (see FIG. 4). 4), the beverage product in a container having a constricted portion S2 (see FIG. 4) is sold in a cooled or heated state. A door 3 is provided.

  The main body cabinet 1 is configured in a box shape having an open front surface by appropriately combining a plurality of steel plates, and has a commodity storage 4 with a heat insulating structure inside thereof. The outer door 2 is for covering the front opening of the main body cabinet 1 and is disposed at one side edge of the main body cabinet 1 so as to be opened and closed. Although not clearly shown in the figure, on the front surface of the outer door 2, there are a display window, a product selection button, a bill insertion slot, a coin insertion slot, a return lever, an amount indicator, a coin return slot, a merchandise outlet 2a, etc. What is needed when selling products is provided. The inner door 3 is a heat insulating door for covering the front opening of the commodity storage 4 and is disposed so as to be openable and closable at a position on the inner side of the outer door 2. The lower part of the inner door 3 is provided with a product outlet 3a for carrying out the product to the outside of the product storage 4.

  Further, the vending machine has a product shooter 5 provided inside the product storage 4 and a temperature control unit 6 in a region below the product shooter 5 (hereinafter also referred to as “heat exchange region”). The product storage device 10 is provided in a region above the product shooter 5 (hereinafter also referred to as “product storage region”).

  The product shooter 5 is a plate-like member for guiding a product delivered from a product storage passage 13 (to be described later) of the product storage device 10 to the product exit 3a of the inner door 3, and gradually inclines downward toward the front. It arrange | positions in the aspect which does. Although not clearly shown in the figure, the product shooter 5 has a large number of ventilation holes communicating between the heat exchange region and the product storage region.

  The temperature adjustment unit 6 is for maintaining the internal atmosphere of the commodity storage 4 in a desired temperature state, and includes an evaporator 6a, an electric heater 6b, and an internal fan 6c. Although not shown in the figure, the evaporator 6a constitutes a refrigeration cycle through a refrigerant pipe and a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and the like disposed in the machine room 7 of the main body cabinet 1.

  In this temperature control unit 6, for example, when the internal fan 6c is driven in a state where the refrigeration cycle is operated, the air cooled in the evaporator 6a is sent upward through the vent hole of the product shooter 5, and the product storage area is It can be maintained at a low temperature.

  On the other hand, when the internal fan 6c is driven while the electric heater 6b is energized, the air heated by the electric heater 6b is sent upward through the vent hole of the product shooter 5 to maintain the product storage area at a high temperature. Can do.

  The product storage device 10 is configured by connecting three product storage racks 11a, 11b, and 11c in the front-rear direction. Among the plurality of product storage racks, the product storage rack 11b that is the second from the front and the product storage rack 11c that is the rearmost include a curved guide member 12 called a segment between the pair of side plates in the front-rear direction. A product storage passage 13 configured in a meandering manner is provided by being opposed to each other at an interval, and a plurality of products are stored in a lying position along the vertical direction inside the product storage passage 13. In the commodity storage passage 13, a top tray 14 is provided at the upper end portion as required, while a dispensing mechanism 15 is provided at the lower end portion.

  The top tray 14 is a plate-like member for guiding the product introduced from the front opening of the product storage 4 to the upper end opening of the product storage passage 13, and gradually upwards from the upper end of the product storage passage 13 toward the front side. It is arranged in an inclined manner.

  The payout mechanism 15 controls the behavior of the product with the passage width defining plate 16 so as to store the product in the product storage passage 13 in the standby state, while responding to a case where a payout command is given. It functions so as to pay out the products one by one to the product shooter 5, and includes a pedal member 15a and a flapper member (not shown). The pedal member 15a and the flapper member are arranged so as to be swingable in such a manner as to move forward and backward in the product storage passage 13 respectively. When the pedal member 15 a moves forward into the product storage passage 13, the pedal member 15 a abuts on the lowest product in the product storage passage 13 and restricts the downward movement of the product. When the flapper member advances and moves into the product storage passage 13, the flapper member comes into contact with the second product from the lowest position in the product storage passage 13 and restricts the downward movement of the product.

  2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a foremost product storage rack (hereinafter also referred to as a front rack) in the product storage device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of the front rack shown in FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows the principal part.

  The front rack 11a illustrated here is formed by bending a curved guide member 21 called a segment opposed to the front and rear of the pair of side plates, and a steel plate or the like into a U-shaped cross section. Commodity storage passage formed by adjoining a long additional guide member 22 that extends along the vertical direction in a form that forms a pair of front and rear by arranging the formed members facing each other. 23 are provided in two rows.

  A plurality of (three in this embodiment) adjustment grooves 24 are formed in the width direction on the upper edge of the pair of front and rear additional guide members 22 and the lower edge of the opening 221, and the restriction members 25 are formed in these adjustment grooves 24. The hooks 251 are engaged with each other. The guide member 21 is constructed between the right side plate in FIG. 2 and the right end side (U-shaped leg piece) of the additional guide member 22.

  In this way, a plurality of products are stored in a lying position along the vertical direction inside the product storage passage 23 constituted by the guide member 21 and the additional guide member 22 that are disposed opposite to each other in the front-rear direction. A dispensing mechanism 26 is provided at the lower end of the product storage passage 23.

  Reference numeral 27 in FIG. 2 denotes a top tray. The top tray 27 is a plate-like member for guiding the product introduced from the front opening of the product storage 4 to the upper end opening of the rear row product storage passage 23, from the upper end of the product storage passage 23 toward the front side. It is arranged in such a manner that it gradually tilts upward.

  The payout mechanism 26 controls the behavior of the product with the passage width defining plate 28 to store the product in the product storage passage 23 in the sales standby state, and copes with a case where a payout command is given. It functions to pay out products one by one to the product shooter 5, and is configured to include a pedal member 26a and a flapper member (not shown). The pedal member 26a and the flapper member move forward and backward in the product storage passage 23 constituted only by the guide member 21 out of the product storage passage 23 constituted by the guide member 21 and the additional guide member 22 that are disposed opposite to each other in the front-rear direction. It is arranged so as to be able to swing in a manner. When the pedal member 26 a moves forward into the product storage passage 23, the pedal member 26 a comes into contact with the lowest product in the product storage passage 23 to restrict the downward movement of the product. When the flapper member advances into the product storage passage 23, the flapper member comes into contact with the second product from the lowest position in the product storage passage 23 and restricts the downward movement of the product.

  In such a front rack 11a, a partition plate 31 is provided. The partition plate 31 is formed by bending an end portion adjacent to the guide member (segment) 21 among the additional guide members 22 (that is, adjacent to the guide member 21 of the U-shaped leg pieces). The product storage passage 23 is divided into left and right.

  Here, in this specification, the left side indicates the left when the vending machine (product storage device 10) is viewed from the front, and the right side indicates the vending machine (product storage device 10) viewed from the front. The right side of the case shall be indicated.

  The partition plate 31 is composed of a bent end portion of the additional guide member 22 on the front side and a bent end portion of the additional guide member 22 on the rear side. The gap 31S is adjusted to a size larger than the width of the constricted portion S2 of the target product (plastic bottled beverage) and smaller than the maximum width of the body portion S3 of the product. It is.

  Further, the gap between the front and rear regulating members 25 arranged by engaging the hooks 251 with the adjustment grooves 24 of the front and rear additional guide members 22 is also set to be substantially the same as the gap 31S. In the following description, the case where the restriction member 25 is attached will be described after the case where the restriction member 25 is not attached.

  When the product is put on its side in such a manner that the constricted portion S2 of the product is inserted into the gap 31S from the front, the product cap mounting portion S1 is formed on the left side of the partition plate 31 as shown in FIG. The product is housed in a state in which the body portion S3 of the product is located on the right side of the partition plate 31. That is, the partition plate 31 extends along the product storage passage 23 in the vertical direction, thereby partitioning a region for storing the product cap attachment portion S1 and a region for storing the product body portion S3. Is configured.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, a product that is put in a lying position is a so-called gift that is attached to the constricted portion S <b> 2 of the container by a string (cord: not shown) or the like in a bag F or the like. Even in the case of a campaign product, the prizes put in the bag F can be stored on the left side of the partition plate 31 together with the cap mounting portion S1, and the product storage passage 23 defined by the guide member 21 can be stored. It can be separated from the trunk portion S3 to be stored.

  The product storage device 10 having the above-described configuration can store and pay out products as follows. As a premise, it is assumed that the pedal member 26 a constituting the payout mechanism 26 has moved forward into the product storage passage 23 and the flapper member has moved backward from the product storage passage 23.

  In a state where the outer door 2 and the inner door 3 of the vending machine are opened, the constricted portion S2 of the product (a beverage containing a plastic bottle) is inserted into the gap 31S between the pair of front and rear partition plates 31 so that the product lies sideways. When the product is inserted from the front, the product rolls through the product storage passage 23 with the cap mounting portion S1 positioned on the left side of the partition plate 31 and the body portion S3 positioned on the right side of the partition plate 31. Then, the downward movement is restricted by the pedal member 26a moving forward into the product storage passage 23 and sequentially stored in the product storage passage 23 (see FIG. 4).

  After that, when the outer door 2 and the inner door 3 are closed, a sales standby state is established. When a payout command is given in this sales standby state, the flapper member moves into the product storage passage 23 by driving an actuator (not shown), and comes into contact with the second product from the lowest position so that the product and this product are in contact with each other. The downward movement of the upper product is restricted. Then, the pedal member 26a swings downward and moves backward from the product storage passage 23, and pays out the lowest product. The dispensed product rolls on the product shooter 5, passes through the product delivery port 3a, reaches the product take-out port 2a, and is ready to be taken out.

  After the product is paid out, the pedal member 26a moves forward into the product storage passage 23, while the flapper member moves backward from the product storage passage 23 to return to the above-described sales standby state.

  As described above, according to the product storage device 10 according to the present embodiment, the partition plate 31 that divides the product storage passage 23 into the left and right in a pair of front and rear aspects stores the product cap attachment portion S1. And the area for storing the body S3 of the product, the product to be put in a lying position is put into the constricted portion S2 of the container by a string (cord-like body) or the like with premiums put in a bag F or the like. Even in the case of a so-called campaign product attached, the prizes put in the bag F can be stored on the left side of the partition plate 31 together with the cap attaching portion S1, and is defined only by the guide member 21. It can be separated from the body portion S3 stored in the product storage passage 23. This makes it easy to roll the product storage passage 23 due to the presence of prizes, and can also store the product in a state of lying down, thereby suppressing the occurrence of product clogging and the like. In addition, it is possible to prevent the payout operation by the payout mechanism 26 from being hindered by the presence of such prizes. Therefore, so-called campaign products can be stored well and paid out one by one in accordance with the payout command.

  Here, since the prizes attached to the campaign product are various and have different sizes, the ratio of the attached prizes to the space for storing the cap mounting portion S1 of the product defined by the partition plate 31 is high. If it is small, the movable area of the attached prizes becomes large, which may cause an unexpected situation where the attached prizes get tangled with each other.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the regulating member 25 is attached to the front and rear additional guide members 22 so that the space for storing the cap mounting portion S1 of the product defined by the partition plate 31 can be narrowed. It is. That is, by adjusting the engagement position of the restricting member 25 mounted on the additional guide member 22, the space for storing the cap mounting portion S1 is adjusted according to the size of the attached prizes, and the attached prizes The behavior is regulated. Thereby, it is possible to prevent an unexpected situation of the attached prizes.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made.

  In the above-described embodiment, the product storage passage 23 is divided into the left and right by the partition plate 31 extending in the vertical direction, and the product cap mounting portion S1 is stored. In the present invention, the area for storing the lid mounting part of the product is bounded by the partition member in a mode adjacent to the area for storing only the body part of the product. You may make it add as. With such a configuration, so-called campaign products can be stored well, and can be paid out one by one in accordance with a payout command.

  In the above-described embodiment, the product storage passage 23 is divided into left and right in a pair of front and rear directions, the mutual gap 31S is larger than the width of the constricted portion S2 of the product, and the maximum width of the product body portion S3 In the present invention, the partition member has a slit larger than the width of the constricted portion of the product and smaller than the maximum width of the body portion of the product. You may comprise from the plate-shaped body formed over the whole area along the existing direction.

  In the above-described embodiment, the characteristic configuration of the present invention, that is, the partition plate 31 is provided in the front rack 11a to partition the product storage passage 23 in the left and right directions. A configuration similar to that of the front rack 11a may be adopted for the second product storage rack 11b or the product storage rack 11c at the rearmost side.

  As described above, the product storage device according to the present invention is suitable for a vending machine that sells products such as plastic bottled drinks.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body cabinet 2 Outer door 3 Inner door 4 Commodity storage 5 Commodity shooter 6 Temperature control unit 6a Evaporator 6b Electric heater 6c Blower fan 10 Commodity storage device 11a Commodity storage rack (front rack)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Guide member 13 Commodity storage path 14 Top tray 15 Discharge mechanism 15a Pedal member 21 Guide member 22 Additional guide member 221 Opening 23 Product storage path 24 Adjustment groove 25 Restriction member 251 Hook 26 Discharge mechanism 26a Pedal member 27 Top tray 31 Partition plate 31S Gap F Bag S1 Cap mounting part S3 Body part S2 Constricted part

Claims (2)

A product that is defined in a manner extending in the vertical direction between a pair of side plates opposed to the left and right and has a constricted portion between a lid mounting portion to which the lid is detachably attached and a trunk portion, Product storage passages to store sequentially,
The pedal member is provided so as to be swingable so as to move forward and backward with respect to the product storage passage, and in a standby state, the pedal member is moved forward into the product storage passage to contact the lowest product. A delivery mechanism that regulates the downward movement of the product by causing the pedal member to retreat from the product storage passage and dispense the product downward when a payout command is given,
A vending machine provided with a partition member that divides a region for storing the lid of the product and a region for storing the body part of the product by extending the product storage passage along the vertical direction. a of commodity storage devices,
The product storage passage includes a pair of front and rear additional guide members so that one end of each side plate is in contact with one side plate, and a guide disposed between the other end of each additional guide member and the other side plate. Composed of members,
The partition member is configured by bending the other end portion of the additional guide member, and partitions the product storage passage in the left-right direction in a form of a pair of front and rear, and the mutual gap is larger than the width of the constricted portion of the product Is larger and smaller than the maximum width of the body part of the product,
The product storage device of a vending machine , wherein the pedal member of the payout mechanism is disposed so as to be swingable in a manner of moving back and forth with respect to a product storage passage constituted only by the guide member . The hook includes a hook that can be engaged with an adjustment groove formed in the additional guide member, and a restricting member that restricts a left-right width of a product storage passage constituted only by the additional guide member. The product storage device of the vending machine according to 1.

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