JP7718189B2 - Product take-out structure of vending machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a product dispenser structure for a vending machine that sells products.

Conventionally, vending machines that sell products dispense products selected from product racks inside the vending machine body into a designated product removal area, provided that proper financial transactions have been carried out.

As a result, the purchaser of a product would swing the product removal door, which opens and closes the product removal outlet formed on the front of the vending machine body, in the opening direction, and then insert their hand through the product removal outlet to remove the product dispensed into the product removal area (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

However, the vending machine proposed in Patent Document 1 allows an unspecified number of people to purchase products, and each purchaser typically manually swings the product removal door in the opening direction. As a result, an unspecified number of people come into contact with the product removal door, which is not considered hygienic.

There is a known vending machine that is equipped with a first opening/closing unit that includes a first biasing means that biases the product removal door so that it always swings in the closing direction when the product removal door is to be automatically swung in the opening direction, and a drive mechanism that, when driven, swings the product removal door in the opening direction against the biasing force of the first biasing means; and a second opening/closing unit that includes a second biasing means that biases the product removal door so that it always swings in the closing direction when the product removal door is to be manually swung in the opening direction. In such a vending machine, either the first opening/closing unit or the second opening/closing unit is installed alternatively (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2010-238077 A Patent No. 4702240

In the vending machine proposed in Patent Document 2, a first opening/closing unit is installed when the product removal door is to be swung in a direction to open automatically, and a second opening/closing unit is installed when the product is to be swung in a direction to open manually. Since either the first opening/closing unit or the second opening/closing unit is installed selectively, the product removal door cannot be swung manually when the first opening/closing unit is installed, and the product removal door cannot be swung automatically when the second opening/closing unit is installed, resulting in the product removal door being unable to be opened or closed either manually or automatically, and not being very convenient.

In consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a product removal opening structure for a vending machine that can improve convenience by allowing the product removal door to swing either automatically or manually.

To achieve the above objective, the product outlet structure for a vending machine according to the present invention is a product outlet structure for a vending machine that includes a product outlet formed on the service surface of the vending machine main body and a product outlet door that is swingable to open and close the product outlet. The product outlet door is normally manually swung to allow the product outlet to be opened and closed, but is also characterized by an opening/closing mechanism that swings the product outlet door to open and close the product outlet when an internal drive source is activated.

The present invention also features a product outlet structure for a vending machine, in which the product outlet door swings forward to open the product outlet, and swings backward to close the product outlet.

The present invention also features a product take-out port structure for a vending machine, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises a connecting shaft connected to the swing shaft of the product take-out door so that their central axes coincide and rotate integrally with the swing shaft about the central axis; a cam attached to the connecting shaft; a transmission shaft rotatable about its central axis in response to drive from the drive source and connected to the connecting shaft so that the connecting shaft can rotate about its central axis while their central axes coincide; and an action pin attached to the transmission shaft that abuts against and presses against the cam when the transmission shaft rotates.

The present invention also features a product dispensing opening structure for a vending machine, wherein the cam extends parallel to the central axes of the connecting shaft and the transmission shaft and includes a cam action portion having a V-shaped action recess formed therein, and the action pin abuts against the action recess to press the cam when the transmission shaft rotates.

The present invention also features a product take-out opening structure for a vending machine, in which the opening/closing mechanism is disposed in a state where it advances into the swing range of the action pin, and is equipped with a restricting member that restricts the swing angle of the product take-out door by abutting against the action pin that presses the cam.

The present invention also features a product take-out opening structure for a vending machine, in which the opening/closing mechanism adjusts the swing angle of the product take-out door by changing the protruding length of the action pin from the transmission shaft to change the point of contact with the restricting member.

The present invention also relates to the product outlet structure for the vending machine described above, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises a transmission shaft that is rotatable about its central axis in response to drive from the drive source and is connected to the swing shaft of the product outlet door so that their central axes coincide, and a cam that is attached to the transmission shaft and rotates integrally with the transmission shaft when inserted into a notch formed in the product outlet door. In a normal state, the product outlet door is manually swung to open and close the product outlet, but when the drive source is driven, the cam rotates together with the transmission shaft, causing a cam protrusion that constitutes the cam to abut and press against a portion of the product outlet door, thereby swinging the product outlet door and opening and closing the product outlet.

The present invention also provides a product outlet structure for a vending machine, which includes an open/close detection mechanism that detects whether the product outlet is open or closed. The open/close detection mechanism includes a detector that sends an ON signal indicating that the product outlet is open when a detection switch, which is retractable from a detection body, is protruding from the detection body, and sends an OFF signal indicating that the product outlet is closed when the detection switch is retracted into the detection body. The open/close detection mechanism also includes a first lever that is connected to the swing shaft of the product outlet door via a lever shaft that is inserted into the swing shaft so that their central axes coincide, and that rotates integrally with the swing shaft about the central axis of the lever shaft, and a second lever that is swingable about the central axis of the lever shaft and has a longer extension length than the first lever. When pressed by the first lever, the second lever causes the detection switch to the retracted state, but when the pressing force from the first lever is released, the second lever is free to allow the detection switch to the extended state.

The present invention also features a product outlet structure for a vending machine, in which the opening and closing mechanism includes a connecting shaft that is connected to the swing shaft of the product outlet door so that their central axes coincide and that rotates integrally with the swing shaft about its central axis, and a damper that is connected to the connecting shaft and that slows down the speed at which the product outlet door swings in the direction of closing the product outlet.

The present invention also features a product outlet structure for a vending machine, in which the opening and closing mechanism comprises a cam attached to the connecting shaft; a transmission shaft that is rotatable about its central axis in response to drive from the drive source and is spaced apart from the connecting shaft while their central axes are aligned; and an action pin that is attached to the transmission shaft and that contacts and presses against the cam when the transmission shaft rotates.

According to the present invention, the opening/closing mechanism normally allows the product removal door to be manually swung to open and close the product removal outlet, but when the built-in drive source is activated, the product removal door is swung to open and close the product removal outlet. This provides the advantage of improving convenience by allowing the product removal door to be swung both automatically and manually.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vending machine to which a product dispensing opening structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the product outlet structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the product outlet structure shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting shaft that constitutes the product outlet structure shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the transmission shaft and its surrounding structure that constitute the product take-out opening structure shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the connection between the connecting shaft and the transmission shaft, which are essential parts of the product outlet structure shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the product take-out door shown in FIG. 1 has been manually swung forward. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the action pin constituting the commodity take-out opening structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention is in contact with the action recess of the cam. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the product take-out door shown in FIG. 1 has automatically swung forward. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the product take-out opening structure of the vending machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a modified example of the product take-out opening structure of the vending machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a side view of the main part showing the state of contact between the action pin and the regulating member when the protruding length of the action pin shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is changed. FIG. 13 is a front view schematically showing a product take-out opening structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a modified example of the product take-out opening structure shown in FIG. FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the connection between the transmission shaft and the product take-out door, which are essential parts of the modified product take-out opening structure shown in FIG. FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the connection between the transmission shaft and the product take-out door, which are essential parts of the modified product take-out opening structure shown in FIG. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a state in which the product take-out door shown in FIG. 13 has been manually swung forward. FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cam action portion of a cam attached to a rotating transmission shaft abuts against a part of the product take-out door. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cam action portion of a cam attached to a rotating transmission shaft abuts against a part of the product take-out door. FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a state in which the product take-out door shown in FIG. 13 has automatically swung forward. 21 is a perspective view showing a state in which an open/close detection mechanism is attached to the product take-out door shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of a lever portion that constitutes the open/close detection mechanism shown in FIG. 21. FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view of a lever portion that constitutes the open/close detection mechanism shown in FIG. 21. FIG. 24 is a side view showing the open/close detection mechanism in a state where the product take-out door shown in FIG. 21 closes the product take-out opening. 25 is a side view showing the open/close detection mechanism in a state where the product take-out door shown in FIG. 21 is swung forward. 26 is a side view showing the open/close detection mechanism in a state where the product take-out door shown in FIG. 21 is swung forward. FIG. 27 is a front view schematically showing a product dispensing opening structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 28 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the product take-out opening structure shown in FIG. 27. FIG. FIG. 29 is an exploded perspective view of the components in the main part of the product take-out opening structure shown in FIGS. 27 and 28. FIG. FIG. 30 is an exploded perspective view of the components in the main part of the product take-out opening structure shown in FIGS. 27 and 28. FIG. FIG. 31 is an exploded perspective view showing the transmission shaft shown in FIG. 28 and its surrounding structure. FIG. 32 is a perspective view showing a state in which the product take-out door shown in FIG. 27 has been manually swung forward. FIG. 33 is a perspective view showing a state in which the product take-out door shown in FIG. 27 has automatically swung forward.

The following describes in detail a preferred embodiment of the product dispensing opening structure for a vending machine according to the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment
1 is a perspective view showing a vending machine to which a product dispensing opening structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. The vending machine 1 shown here is configured to include a main body cabinet 10.

The main cabinet 10 is a rectangular, insulated housing with an opening on the front. Within the main cabinet 10, several insulated product storage compartments (not shown) are defined, each equipped with a product rack. The product racks have product storage passages extending vertically, and products are stored vertically in the product storage passages. An evaporator is also installed in the product storage compartment. The evaporator, together with a compressor and condenser, forms a refrigeration cycle that circulates a refrigerant, and the refrigerant passing through it evaporates, cooling the surrounding air. The air cooled by the evaporator in this way is circulated within the product storage compartment by the operation of an internal ventilation fan installed in the product storage compartment, cooling the products stored in the product racks.

The main cabinet 10 has a front door 11 that swings open and closes the front opening and is attached to the left edge of the front side of the main cabinet 10. This front door 11, together with the main cabinet 10, constitutes the vending machine body, and its front surface constitutes the customer service surface.

In front of the front door 11, there is an exhibition room 12. The exhibition room 12 is designed to display multiple product samples 13 inside, and is rectangular with an open front. This exhibition room 12 has multiple stages 14 arranged vertically (three stages in the example in Figure 1), and multiple product samples 13 are arranged side by side on each stage 14.

The front opening of the exhibition room 12 is covered with a transparent plastic panel 15, which prevents foreign objects from entering from the outside while allowing the interior to be seen through the plastic panel 15. The plastic panel 15 also has product selection buttons 16 corresponding to each product sample 13. In other words, a group of product selection buttons 17 is installed in a vertical row of three, corresponding to the stage 14.

In front of the front door 11, below the exhibition room 12, there are a coin slot 21, a bill slot 22, a card reader/writer 23, a display 24, a coin return slot 25, a short-range wireless communication unit 26, an advertising placement unit 27, and a product removal slot 28.

The coin slot 21 is an opening through which the purchaser (user) inserts coins. Coins inserted through this coin slot 21 have their denomination identified by a coin mechanism (not shown) installed on the rear surface of the front door 11, and are then collected in the coin collection box.

The bill insertion slot 22 is an opening through which the purchaser inserts bills. The denomination of bills inserted through this bill insertion slot 22 is identified by a bill validator (not shown) installed on the rear surface of the front door 11, for example. The bill insertion slot 22 also has the function of returning bills that cannot be identified by the bill validator.

The card reading and writing unit 23 is used to read or write card information. The display unit 24 displays information such as the amount of inserted currency (coins or paper money) and whether or not it is on sale.

The coin return slot 25 is an opening for returning coins that could not be identified by the coin mechanism or coins that are to be used as change. The short-range wireless communication unit 26 uses short-range wireless communication means to communicate with mobile terminal devices and electronic money cards held within a specified communication area. The advertising placement unit 27 is for installing advertising panels.

The product outlet 28 is a rectangular opening through which the purchaser can remove purchased products. As shown in Figure 2, a product outlet door 29 is provided at the upper end of each of the left and right edges of the product outlet 28, and is pivotally supported so as to be able to swing in the front-to-rear direction. The product outlet door 29 is used to open and close the product outlet 28; when it swings forward, it opens the product outlet 28, and when it swings backward, it closes the product outlet 28. The product outlet door 29 closes the product outlet 28 when only its own weight acts on it.

As shown in Figure 3, an opening/closing mechanism 30 is provided at the left end of the product outlet 28. The opening/closing mechanism 30, together with the product outlet 28 and product outlet door 29, constitutes the product outlet structure of the vending machine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is configured with a connecting shaft 31 and a transmission shaft 32.

The connecting shaft 31 is a long, generally cylindrical member made of, for example, a metal or resin material, extending in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 4, the right end of this connecting shaft 31 extends into the hollow portion 291a of the swing shaft portion 291 of the product removal door 29.

The swing shaft 291 is a shaft formed by curving the upper end of the product removal door 29, and both left and right ends are supported on the upper ends of the left and right edges of the product removal opening 28. The central axis of the swing shaft 291 serves as the swing axis of the product removal door 29. A notch 291b is formed in part of the swing shaft 291, and the portion of the connecting shaft 31 inserted into the swing shaft 291 that is exposed from the notch 291b is connected to the product removal door 29 by a connecting member 33.

In other words, the right end portion of the connecting shaft 31 is inserted into the hollow portion 291a of the swing shaft 291 so that its central axis coincides with the central axis of the swing shaft 291, and a portion of the right end portion is connected to the product removal door 29 via the connecting member 33, so that it rotates around the central axis integrally with the swing shaft 291 (product removal door 29).

A portion of the left end of this connecting shaft 31 is cut away to form a D-cut portion 311 with a D-shaped cross section. The maximum width of this D-cut portion 311 is smaller than the outer diameter of the rest of the connecting shaft 31. A cam 34 is attached to this D-cut portion 311.

The cam 34 is made of, for example, a resin material or a metal material, and is configured by integrally molding the cam base 341 and cam action portion 342. The components of this cam 34 will be described according to the orientation shown in Figure 4.

The cam base 341 is a flat plate-shaped portion extending in the front-to-rear direction. A mounting hole 341a is formed in this cam base 341. The mounting hole 341a has a shape that matches the outer shape of the D-cut portion 311, allowing the D-cut portion 311 to pass through.

The cam action portion 342 is a flat plate-shaped portion extending leftward from the rear end of the cam base 341. A V-shaped action recess 342a is formed at the upper end portion, which is the side end in the extension direction (leftward) of this cam action portion 342. This action recess 342a is formed by the upper end portion of the cam action portion 342 gradually extending downward as it extends from the extending end (left end) of the cam action portion 342 to the right, and then gradually extending upward as it extends rightward.

The cam 34 is attached to the D-cut portion 311 of the connecting shaft 31 by passing the mounting hole 341a through the D-cut portion 311 from the right side. The cam 34 oscillates integrally with the connecting shaft 31 around the central axis of the connecting shaft 31, i.e., the central axis of the oscillating shaft portion 291.

When the product removal door 29 closes the product removal opening 28, the cam 34 is positioned such that the cam action portion 342 extends leftward from the rear end of the cam base 341, and the action recess 342a is positioned at the upper end of the cam action portion 342, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the transmission shaft 32 and its surrounding structure shown in Figure 3. The transmission shaft 32 shown here is a cylindrical member made of, for example, a metal or resin material, and extends in the left-right direction. This transmission shaft 32 is rotatable about its central axis, passing through a through-hole 351 in a mechanism main body 35 made of, for example, sheet metal.

A transmission gear 321 is attached to the left end of the transmission shaft 32. This transmission gear 321 has transmission teeth formed on its outer periphery, which mesh with linking teeth on the outer periphery of a linking gear 352 rotatably mounted on the mechanism body 35. This linking gear 352 is linked to the motor 36, which serves as the drive source, via a torque limiter 353. This motor 36 is installed in the mechanism body 35 and is driven to rotate forward and backward in response to commands given by the electrically connected control unit 40.

Such linking gear 352 rotates counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 36 is driven in forward rotation, but rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 36 is driven in reverse rotation. As a result, the transmission shaft 32 rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 36 is driven in forward rotation, but rotates counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 36 is driven in reverse rotation.

The transmission shaft 32 is formed so that its inner diameter is larger than the maximum width of the D-cut portion 311 of the connecting shaft 31 and smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting shaft 31 other than the D-cut portion 311. A pin mounting hole 322 is formed on the side of the transmission shaft 32, perpendicular to the direction of the central axis (left-right direction), and an action pin 37 is attached so that it passes through this pin mounting hole 322.

When the motor 36 is in a standby state where it is stopped, the transmission shaft 32 is in a position where the action pin 37 extends vertically, and the action pin 37 abuts against a stopper piece 354 formed in a manner that protrudes to the right from the mechanism body 35.

As shown in Figure 6, the D-cut portion 311 of the connecting shaft 31, to which the cam 34 is attached, relatively enters the right end portion, thereby connecting the transmission shaft 32 in such a manner that the central axis of the transmission shaft 32 coincides with the central axis of the connecting shaft 31. As mentioned above, because the inner diameter of the transmission shaft 32 is larger than the maximum width of the D-cut portion 311, the transmission shaft 32 is connected to the connecting shaft 31 in a manner that allows the connecting shaft 31 to rotate around its central axis. In this case, as shown in Figure 3, the action recess 342a of the cam 34 is located behind the action pin 37.

In the product outlet structure configured as described above, the connecting shaft 31 and the transmission shaft 32 are connected, but the transmission shaft 32 is connected to the connecting shaft 31 in a manner that allows the connecting shaft 31 to rotate around its central axis. Furthermore, when the product outlet door 29 is in a state where it closes the product outlet 28, the action recess 342a of the cam 34 is positioned behind the action pin 37. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the opening/closing mechanism 30 allows the product outlet 28 to be opened when the user manually swings the product outlet door 29 forward. Furthermore, when the user releases their grip on the product outlet door 29, the opening/closing mechanism 30 allows the product outlet 28 to be closed when the product outlet door 29 swings backward due to its own weight.

In other words, the opening/closing mechanism 30 allows the product removal door 29 to be manually swung to open and close the product removal opening 28 when the motor 36 is normally stopped.

In the above-described product outlet structure, when a command is given from the control unit 40 to drive the motor 36 in the forward direction for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 3 to 5 seconds), the transmission shaft 32 rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the action pin 37 abuts and presses against the action recess 342a, causing the opening/closing mechanism 30 to swing the product outlet door 29 forward by a predetermined angle (e.g., approximately 150°), as shown in FIG. 9, thereby opening the product outlet 28. The control unit 40 then stops driving the motor 36 for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 5 seconds), causing the opening/closing mechanism 30 to maintain the product outlet 28 open.

When the control unit 40 issues a command to drive the motor 36 in reverse for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 3 to 5 seconds), the opening/closing mechanism 30 rotates the transmission shaft 32 counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right. This releases the pressing force from the action pin 37 to the action recess 342a, causing the product removal door 29 to swing rearward. When the action pin 37 then abuts the stopper piece 354, the control unit 40 issues a command to stop the motor 36, causing the opening/closing mechanism 30 to close the product removal opening 28.

In other words, when the motor 36 is driven (forward rotation drive and reverse rotation drive), the opening/closing mechanism 30 swings the product removal door 29 to open and close the product removal opening 28.

Whether or not the control unit 40 issues a drive command to the motor 36 is determined by a prior setting input using an input means such as a remote control. More specifically, if you want to manually swing the product removal door 29, you can use a remote control or similar device to set it in advance so that the control unit 40 does not issue a drive command or drive stop command to the motor 36. If you want to swing the product removal door 29 automatically, you can use a remote control or similar device to set it in advance so that the control unit 40 issues a drive command or drive stop command to the motor 36 at a predetermined timing.

As described above, according to the product removal opening structure of embodiment 1 of the present invention, the opening/closing mechanism 30 normally allows the product removal door 29 to be manually swung to open and close the product removal opening 28, but when the built-in motor 36 is driven, it swings the product removal door 29 to open and close the product removal opening 28. Therefore, convenience can be improved by swinging the product removal door 29 automatically or manually.

In addition, according to the above-mentioned product removal opening structure, the opening/closing mechanism 30 comprises a connecting shaft 31 that is connected to the swinging shaft 291 of the product removal door 29 so that their central axes coincide and that rotates integrally with the swinging shaft 291 about the central axis; a cam 34 that is attached to the connecting shaft 31 and has a cam action portion 342 that extends in the left-right direction and has a V-shaped action recess 342a; a transmission shaft 32 that is rotatable about its central axis in response to drive of the motor 36 and is connected to the connecting shaft 31 so that the connecting shaft 31 can rotate about its central axis with their central axes coincident; and an action pin 37 that is provided on the transmission shaft 32. When the transmission shaft 32 rotates, the action pin 37 abuts against the action recess 342a of the cam action portion 342 and presses the cam 34. This prevents the action pin 37 from displacing in the left-right direction when the action pin 37 presses the cam 34, and also absorbs dimensional errors.

Furthermore, the action pin 37 is designed to abut against the cam 34 (action recess 342a) only after the transmission shaft 32 has rotated a certain amount. This prevents the action pin 37 from abutting against the cam 34 when the product removal door 29 is closing the product removal opening 28. This prevents the action pin 37 from pressing against the cam 34 due to dimensional errors or the like, causing the product removal opening 28 to remain constantly open.

<Modification of First Embodiment>
Next, a modified example of the product take-out opening structure of the vending machine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Figures 10 and 11 show modified examples of the product dispensing opening structure of the vending machine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 10 being a perspective view and Figure 11 being a side view. Note that components that are the same as those in the product dispensing opening structure according to the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations will be omitted where appropriate.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the opening/closing mechanism 30' is configured with a restricting member 38 in addition to the connecting shaft 31 and transmission shaft 32.

The restricting member 38 is a block-shaped triangular prism that is disposed on the mechanism body 35. Explaining in more detail, the restricting member 38 is disposed on the mechanism body 35 in a state where it extends into the swing range of the action pin 37. The restricting member 38 has an inclined surface 38a that slopes gradually downward as it extends forward, and is disposed so that the tip of the action pin 37 abuts against this inclined surface 38a.

In this type of opening/closing mechanism 30', the tip of the swinging action pin 37 abuts against the inclined surface 38a of the restricting member 38, thereby restricting the swing angle of the product removal door 29.

This means that when it is not appropriate to fully open the product removal door 29 due to the location where the vending machine 1 is installed, the swing angle of the product removal door 29 can be restricted, preventing the product removal door 29 from being fully opened.

In addition, in the opening/closing mechanism 30', the tip of the action pin 37 abuts against the inclined surface 38a. Therefore, by changing the length of protrusion of the action pin 37 from the transmission shaft 32 without changing the position of the restriction member 38, the point of contact between the action pin 37 and the inclined surface 38a (restriction member 38) can be changed, as shown in FIG. 12, to adjust the swing angle of the product removal door 29. This allows the swing angle of the product removal door 29 to be adjusted by changing the length of protrusion of the action pin 37 from the transmission shaft 32, depending on the location where the vending machine 1 is installed.

<Second Embodiment>
13 is a front view showing a product outlet structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the product outlet structure according to the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

As shown in Figure 13, a product removal door 29' is provided at the upper end of each of the left and right edges of the product removal opening 28', and is pivotally supported in the front-to-rear direction. This product removal door 29' is used to open and close the product removal opening 28'; when it swings forward, it opens the product removal opening 28', and when it swings backward, it closes the product removal opening 28'. The product removal door 29' closes the product removal opening 28' when only its own weight acts on it.

As shown in Figure 14, an opening/closing mechanism 50 is provided at the left end of the product outlet 28'. The opening/closing mechanism 50, together with the product outlet 28' and product outlet door 29', constitutes the product outlet structure, and is equipped with a transmission shaft 51.

The transmission shaft 51 is a generally cylindrical member made of, for example, a metal or resin material, and extends in the left-right direction. This transmission shaft 51 is rotatable about its central axis and passes through a through-hole 521 in the mechanism main body 52, which is made of, for example, sheet metal.

A transmission gear 511 is attached to the left end of the transmission shaft 51. This transmission gear 511 has transmission teeth formed on its outer periphery, which mesh with linking teeth on the outer periphery of a linking gear 522 rotatably mounted on the mechanism body 52. This linking gear 522 is connected to the motor 53, which serves as the drive source, via a torque limiter 523. This motor 53 is installed in the mechanism body 52 and is driven to rotate forward and backward in response to commands given by the electrically connected control unit 41.

Such linking gear 522 rotates counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 53 is driven in forward rotation, but rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 53 is driven in reverse rotation. As a result, the transmission shaft 51 rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 53 is driven in forward rotation, but rotates counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 53 is driven in reverse rotation.

As shown in Figures 15 and 16, a portion of the right end of such a transmission shaft 51 is cut away to form a D-cut portion 512 with a D-shaped cross section. The maximum width of this D-cut portion 512 is smaller than the outer diameter of the rest of the transmission shaft 51. A cam 54 is attached to this D-cut portion 512, which fits into the hollow portion 291c of the swing shaft portion 291' of the product removal door 29'.

The swing shaft 291' is a shaft formed by curving the upper end of the product removal door 29', and both left and right ends are supported on the upper ends of the left and right edges of the product removal opening 28'. The central axis of the swing shaft 291' serves as the swing shaft of the product removal door 29'. The swing shaft 291' is formed so that its inner diameter is larger than the maximum diameter of the D-cut portion 512, and a notch 291d is formed in part of it.

In other words, the D-cut portion 512 of the transmission shaft 51 is inserted into the hollow portion 291c of the oscillating shaft portion 291' so that its central axis coincides with the central axis of the oscillating shaft portion 291'.

The cam 54 is made of, for example, a resin or metal material, and is configured by integrally molding the cam base 541 and cam protrusion 542. The cam base 541 is a disc-shaped portion thick enough to fit into the notch 291d of the product removal door 29'. The cam base 541 is formed with an attachment hole 541a. The attachment hole 541a has a shape that matches the outer shape of the D-cut portion 512, allowing the D-cut portion 512 to pass through. The cam protrusion 542 is a flat portion that extends leftward from part of the peripheral edge on the left surface of the cam base 541.

This cam 54 is attached to the D-cut portion 512 of the transmission shaft 51 by passing the mounting hole 541a through the D-cut portion 512 of the transmission shaft 51 relatively from the left, with the cam base 541 inserted into the notch 291d of the product removal door 29'. The cam 54 oscillates integrally with the transmission shaft 51 around the central axis of the transmission shaft 51, i.e., the central axis of the oscillating shaft portion 291'.

When the product removal door 29' closes the product removal opening 28', the cam 54 is positioned so that the cam protrusion 542 is positioned above the swing shaft 291', as shown in Figure 14.

A pin mounting hole 513 is formed in the transmission shaft 51 so as to be perpendicular to the direction of the central axis (left-right direction), and an action pin 55 is attached so as to pass through this pin mounting hole 513.

When the transmission shaft 51 is in a standby state where the motor 53 is stopped, the action pin 55 extends vertically and abuts against a stopper piece 524 formed to protrude to the right from the mechanism body 52.

In the product outlet structure configured as described above, although the D-cut portion 512 of the transmission shaft 51 enters the hollow portion 291c of the swing shaft portion 291', the maximum diameter of the D-cut portion 512 is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow portion 291c of the swing shaft portion 291', and the cam protrusion 542 of the cam 54 attached to the D-cut portion 512 is positioned above the swing shaft portion 291'. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 17, the opening/closing mechanism 50 allows the product outlet door 29' to be manually swung forward by the user to open the product outlet 28'. Furthermore, when the user releases their grip on the product outlet door 29', the opening/closing mechanism 50 allows the product outlet door 29' to be swung backward under its own weight to close the product outlet 28'.

In other words, when the motor 53 is normally stopped, the opening/closing mechanism 50 allows the product removal door 29' to be manually swung to open and close the product removal opening 28'.

In the above-described product outlet structure, when a command is given from the control unit 41 to drive the motor 53 in the forward direction for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 3 to 5 seconds), the transmission shaft 51 rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right. As a result, as shown in Figures 18 and 19, the cam protrusion 542 abuts and presses against a portion of the product outlet door 29', causing the opening/closing mechanism 50 to swing the product outlet door 29' forward by a predetermined angle (e.g., approximately 150°), as shown in Figure 20, thereby opening the product outlet 28'. The control unit 41 then stops driving the motor 53 for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 5 seconds), causing the opening/closing mechanism 50 to maintain the product outlet 28' open.

When the control unit 41 issues a command to drive the motor 53 in reverse for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 3 to 5 seconds), the opening/closing mechanism 50 rotates the transmission shaft 51 counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right. This releases the pressing force from the cam protrusion 542 on part of the product removal door 29', causing the product removal door 29' to swing rearward. When the action pin 55 then abuts the stopper piece 524, the control unit 41 issues a command to stop the motor 53, causing the opening/closing mechanism 50 to close the product removal opening 28'.

In other words, when the motor 53 is driven (forward rotation drive and reverse rotation drive), the opening/closing mechanism 50 swings the product removal door 29' to open and close the product removal opening 28'.

Whether or not the control unit 41 issues a drive command to the motor 53 is determined by a prior setting input using an input means such as a remote control. More specifically, if you want to manually swing the product removal door 29', you can use a remote control or similar device to set it in advance so that the control unit 41 does not issue a drive command or drive stop command to the motor 53. If you want to swing the product removal door 29' automatically, you can use a remote control or similar device to set it in advance so that the control unit 41 issues a drive command or drive stop command to the motor 53 at a predetermined timing.

As described above, according to the product removal opening structure of embodiment 2 of the present invention, the opening/closing mechanism 50 normally allows the product removal door 29' to be manually swung to open and close the product removal opening 28', but when the built-in motor 53 is driven, it swings the product removal door 29' to open and close the product removal opening 28'. Therefore, convenience can be improved by swinging the product removal door 29' automatically or manually.

<Other Modifications>
In the product outlet structures of the first and second embodiments described above, no means was provided for detecting the swinging of the product outlet doors 29, 29', i.e., the opening and closing of the product outlets 28, 28'. However, in the product outlet structure of the present invention, an opening and closing detection mechanism 60 may be provided, as shown in Figure 21. The configuration of the opening and closing detection mechanism 60 will be described below. Note that the same components as those in the product outlet structure of the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted where appropriate.

The open/close detection mechanism 60 illustrated here is located at the right end of the product outlet 28 and is composed of a detection unit 61 and a lever unit 62.

The detection unit 61 is provided with a detection switch 612 (see Figures 24 to 26) that is retractable from the detection body 611 and normally protrudes from the detection body 611, and an arm 613 (see Figures 24 to 26) that is supported at one end by the detection body 611 and is swingable toward and away from the detection body 611.

When the detection switch 612 emerges from the detection main body 611, the detection unit 61 turns on and sends an on signal to the electrically connected control unit 40. On the other hand, when the arm 613 swings close to the detection main body 611 and presses the detection switch 612, causing the detection switch 612 to recede into the detection main body 611, the detection unit 61 turns off and sends an off signal to the electrically connected control unit 40. The control unit 40, which will be described in detail later, determines that the product outlet 28 is closed when an off signal is sent from the detection unit 61, and determines that the product outlet 28 is open when an on signal is sent from the detection unit 61.

As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the lever unit 62 is configured to include a first lever 621 and a second lever 622. Note that each component of the lever unit 62 will be described according to the directions shown in Figures 22 and 23.

The first lever 621 is formed, for example, from a metal material, and is configured with a first lever base 6211 and a first lever action portion 6212.

The first lever base 6211 is a flat plate-shaped member extending in the front-to-rear direction. A lever through-hole 6211a is formed in this first lever base 6211. This lever through-hole 6211a is formed to have the same shape and size as the hollow portion 291a of the swing shaft portion 291 of the product removal door 29. In other words, the lever through-hole 6211a has a roughly circular shape formed in a straight line such that parts of the opposing portions are parallel to each other.

The first lever action portion 6212 is a tongue-shaped portion that extends leftward from a portion of the rear end of the first lever base portion 6211.

The second lever 622 is formed by bending a long plate made of, for example, a metal material, and is configured with a second lever base 6221 and a second lever action portion 6222.

The second lever base 6221 is a horizontally extending portion that extends in the front-to-rear direction, and a cylindrical portion 6221a is formed at its front end portion, which is curved in a curled shape to form a cylinder. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 6221a of the second lever base 6221 is formed to be larger than the outer diameter of the swing shaft portion 291 of the product removal door 29, and smaller than the minimum width of the first lever base 6211.

The second lever action portion 6222 is a long portion that extends downward from the rear end of the second lever base 6221 and then gradually slopes forward as it extends downward. The extending end of this second lever action portion 6222 is bent downward at a right angle.

A lever shaft 63 penetrates the first lever 621 and second lever 622 from the right. The lever shaft 63 is a generally cylindrical member extending in the left-right direction. An insertion portion 631 is formed at the left end of the lever shaft 63. The insertion portion 631 has an outer shape and outer dimensions that fit the lever through-hole 6211a and the hollow portion 291a of the pivot shaft 291, and portions of the opposing portions are formed flat.

The insertion portion 631 of this lever shaft 63 passes from right to left through the lever through-hole 6211a of the first lever 621 and also passes from right to left through the cylindrical portion 6221a of the second lever base 6221 of the second lever 622, and is inserted into the hollow portion 291a of the pivot shaft 291 with its central axis coinciding with the central axis of the pivot shaft 291. As a result, the first lever 621 and second lever 622 are rotatable around the central axis of the lever shaft 63.

The lever through-hole 6211a of the first lever 621 has the same shape and size as the hollow portion 291a of the swing shaft 291, so the first lever 621 is provided integrally with the product removal door 29 via the lever shaft 63 so as to be swingable around the central axis of the lever shaft 63 (the central axis of the swing shaft 291). Meanwhile, the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 6221a of the second lever 622 is larger than the outer diameter of the swing shaft 291, so that the cylindrical portion 6221a surrounds the right end portion of the swing shaft 291 between the product removal door 29 and the first lever 621, so that the second lever 622 is swingable around the central axis of the lever shaft 63. Note that reference numeral 64 in Figures 22 and 23 denotes an annular cover member.

The open/close detection mechanism 60 configured as described above operates as follows. As shown in FIG. 24, when the product removal door 29 closes the product removal opening 28, the first lever 621, which swings integrally with the product removal door 29, presses the second lever base 6221 of the second lever 622 via the first lever action portion 6212, causing the second lever 622 to swing backward. When the second lever 622 swings backward in this manner, the second lever action portion 6222 abuts against the arm 613, swinging the arm 613 close to the detection main body 611, and the detection switch 612 is pressed by the arm 613 and enters a depressed state. When the detection switch 612 enters a depressed state in this manner, the detection unit 61 sends an OFF signal to the control unit 40, and the control unit 40 determines that the product removal opening 28 is closed.

On the other hand, when the product removal door 29 is manually or automatically swung forward, the first lever 621 swung together with the product removal door 29 around the central axis. As a result, the second lever 622, which had been pressed by the first lever action portion 6212 of the first lever 621, is released from the pressing force from the first lever 621 and is subjected to reaction forces from the detection switch 612 and arm 613, becoming free to swing forward around the central axis following the first lever 621. As shown in FIG. 25, the second lever action portion 6222 separates from the arm 613, causing the detection switch 612 to enter the ON state. When the detection switch 612 enters the ON state in this way, the detection unit 61 sends an ON signal to the control unit 40, and the control unit 40 determines that the product removal opening 28 has been opened.

After that, when the product removal door 29 swings forward as shown in Figure 26, the first lever 621 swings together with the product removal door 29, but the second lever 622 disengages from the first lever 621 and remains free.

Such an open/close detection mechanism 60 is equipped with a first lever 621 that swings integrally with the product removal door 29, and a second lever 622 that, when pressed by the first lever 621, causes the detection switch 612 to retract, but when the pressure from the first lever 621 is released, becomes free and causes the detection switch 612 to extend. This ensures a sufficient swing angle for the product removal door 29, while also providing room for adjustment for the detection unit 61, preventing the overall mechanism from becoming too large.

<Third Embodiment>
27 is a front view schematically showing a product dispensing opening structure according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. Note that the same components as those in the product dispensing opening structure according to embodiment 1 described above are given the same reference numerals, and their explanation will be omitted as appropriate.

As shown in Figure 27, a product removal door 29 is provided at the upper end of a swing shaft support member 281 that forms both the left and right edges of the product removal opening 28, and is pivotally supported in the front-to-rear direction. This product removal door 29 is used to open and close the product removal opening 28; when it swings forward, it opens the product removal opening 28, and when it swings backward, it closes the product removal opening 28. The product removal door 29 closes the product removal opening 28 when only its own weight acts on it.

As shown in Figure 28, an opening/closing mechanism 70 is provided at the left end of the product outlet 28. Together with the product outlet 28 and product outlet door 29, the opening/closing mechanism 70 constitutes the product outlet structure of the vending machine 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and as shown in Figures 29 and 30, is configured with a connecting shaft 71 and a transmission shaft 72.

The connecting shaft 71 is a generally cylindrical member formed from, for example, a metal or resin material, and extends in the left-right direction. The right end of this connecting shaft 71 extends into the hollow portion 291a of the swing shaft portion 291 of the product removal door 29.

The swing shaft 291 is a shaft formed by curving the upper end of the product removal door 29, and both left and right ends are supported by the upper end of the swing shaft support member 281 of the product removal opening 28. The central axis of this swing shaft 291 serves as the swing axis of the product removal door 29. A notch 291b is formed in part of this swing shaft 291, and the portion of the connecting shaft 71 inserted into the swing shaft 291 that is exposed from the notch 291b is connected to the product removal door 29 by a connecting member 73.

In other words, the right end portion of the connecting shaft 71 is inserted into the hollow portion 291a of the swing shaft 291 so that its central axis coincides with the central axis of the swing shaft 291, and a portion of the right end portion is connected to the product removal door 29 via the connecting member 73, so that it rotates around the central axis integrally with the swing shaft 291 (product removal door 29).

A portion of the left end of such a connecting shaft 71 is cut away to form a D-cut portion 711 with a D-shaped cross section. The maximum width of this D-cut portion 711 is larger than the outer diameter of the rest of the connecting shaft 71.

The D-cut portion 711 of the connecting shaft 71 passes through the left oscillating shaft support member 281, the damper mounting metal plate 74, and the damper fixing metal plate 75 to connect to the damper 76. A cam 77 is attached midway through the damper fixing metal plate 75.

The damper 76 is connected to the connecting shaft 71 and serves to slow down the speed at which the product removal door 29 swings rearward. The damper 76 is attached to and supported by the left swing shaft support member 281 via the damper mounting pin 761, the damper mounting metal plate 74, and the damper fixing metal plate 75.

The cam 77 is made of, for example, a metal material, and is configured by integrally molding a cam base 771 and a cam action portion 772. The components of this cam 77 will be described according to the orientation shown in Figures 28 to 30.

The cam base 771 is a flat plate-shaped portion extending in the front-to-rear direction. An attachment hole 771a is formed in this cam base 771. The attachment hole 771a has a shape that matches the outer shape of the D-cut portion 711, allowing the D-cut portion 711 to pass through.

The cam action portion 772 is a flat plate-shaped portion extending leftward from the rear end of the cam base 771. A notch 772a is formed in the upper end portion of this cam action portion 772, which is the side end in the extension direction (leftward).

The cam 77 is attached to the D-cut portion 711 of the connecting shaft 71 by passing the mounting hole 771a through the D-cut portion 711 from the right. The cam 77 oscillates integrally with the connecting shaft 71 around the central axis of the connecting shaft 71, i.e., the central axis of the oscillating shaft portion 291.

When the product removal door 29 closes the product removal opening 28, the cam 77 is positioned so that the cam action portion 772 extends leftward from the rear end of the cam base 771, and the notch 772a is positioned at the upper end of the cam action portion 772.

Figure 31 is an exploded perspective view showing the transmission shaft 72 shown in Figure 28 and its surrounding structure. The transmission shaft 72 shown here is a cylindrical member made of, for example, a metal or resin material, and extends in the left-right direction. This transmission shaft 72 is rotatable about its central axis, passing through a through-hole 781 in a mechanism main body 78 made of, for example, sheet metal.

A transmission gear 721 is attached to the left end of the transmission shaft 72. This transmission gear 721 has transmission teeth formed on its outer periphery, which mesh with linking teeth on the outer periphery of a linking gear 782 rotatably mounted on the mechanism main body 78. This linking gear 782 is connected to the motor 79, which serves as the drive source, via a torque limiter 783. This motor 79 is installed in the mechanism main body 78 and is driven to rotate forward and backward in response to commands given by the electrically connected control unit 42.

Such linking gear 782 rotates counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 79 is driven in forward rotation, but rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 79 is driven in reverse rotation. As a result, the transmission shaft 72 rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 79 is driven in forward rotation, but rotates counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right when the motor 79 is driven in reverse rotation.

A pin mounting hole 722 is formed on the side of the transmission shaft 72, perpendicular to the direction of the central axis (left-right direction), and an action pin 80 is attached so that it passes through this pin mounting hole 722.

When the motor 79 is in a standby state where it is stopped, the transmission shaft 72 gradually extends and tilts upward as the action pin 80 moves rearward.

In the product outlet structure configured as described above, the connecting shaft 71 and the transmission shaft 72 are not connected to each other, and the notch 772a of the cam 77 is positioned below the action pin 80 when the product outlet door 29 closes the product outlet 28 (see FIG. 28). Therefore, the opening/closing mechanism 70 allows the product outlet door 29 to be manually swung forward by the user to open the product outlet 28, as shown in FIG. 32. Furthermore, when the user releases their grip on the product outlet door 29, the opening/closing mechanism 70 allows the product outlet door 29 to swing rearward under its own weight, closing the product outlet 28. At this time, the opening/closing mechanism 70 can slow down the rearward swing speed by using the damper 76 connected to the connecting shaft 71.

In other words, the opening/closing mechanism 70 allows the product removal door 29 to be manually swung to open and close the product removal opening 28 when the motor 79 is normally stopped.

In the above-described product outlet structure, when a command is given from the control unit 42 to drive the motor 79 in the forward direction for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 3 to 5 seconds), the transmission shaft 72 rotates clockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right. This causes the action pin 80 to abut and press against the notch 772a, causing the opening/closing mechanism 70 to swing the product outlet door 29 forward by a predetermined angle (e.g., approximately 150°), as shown in FIG. 33, and open the product outlet 28. The control unit 42 then stops driving the motor 79 for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 5 seconds), causing the opening/closing mechanism 70 to maintain the product outlet 28 open.

When the control unit 42 issues a command to drive the motor 79 in reverse for a predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 3 to 5 seconds), the opening/closing mechanism 70 rotates the transmission shaft 72 counterclockwise around its central axis when viewed from the right. This releases the pressing force from the action pin 80 to the notch 772a, causing the product removal door 29 to swing rearward. Even in this case, the opening/closing mechanism 70 can slow down the rearward swing speed due to the action of the damper 76 connected to the connecting shaft 71. The control unit 42 then issues a command to stop the motor 79, causing the opening/closing mechanism 70 to close the product removal opening 28.

In other words, when the motor 79 is driven (forward rotation drive and reverse rotation drive), the opening/closing mechanism 70 swings the product removal door 29 to open and close the product removal opening 28.

Whether or not the control unit 42 issues a drive command to the motor 79 is determined by a prior setting input using an input means such as a remote control. More specifically, if you want to manually swing the product removal door 29, you can use a remote control or similar device to set it in advance so that the control unit 42 does not issue a drive command or drive stop command to the motor 79. If you want to swing the product removal door 29 automatically, you can use a remote control or similar device to set it in advance so that the control unit 42 issues a drive command or drive stop command to the motor 79 at a predetermined timing.

As described above, according to the product removal opening structure of embodiment 3 of the present invention, the opening/closing mechanism 70 normally allows the product removal door 29 to be manually swung to open and close the product removal opening 28, but when the built-in motor 79 is driven, it swings the product removal door 29 to open and close the product removal opening 28. Therefore, convenience can be improved by swinging the product removal door 29 automatically or manually.

Furthermore, according to the above-described product outlet structure, the opening/closing mechanism 70 is connected to the swing shaft 291 of the product outlet door 29 so that their central axes coincide and includes a connecting shaft 71 that rotates integrally with the swing shaft 291 about its central axis, and a damper 76 connected to the connecting shaft 71. This damper 76 slows the speed at which the product outlet door 29 swings backward (in the direction of closing the product outlet 28), thereby reducing the impact noise when the product outlet door 29 closes the product outlet 28.

Furthermore, according to the above-described product outlet structure, the opening/closing mechanism 70 comprises a cam 77 attached to the connecting shaft 71; a transmission shaft 72 that is rotatable about its central axis in response to drive by the motor 79 and is spaced apart from the connecting shaft 71 while their central axes are aligned; and an action pin 80 that is attached to the transmission shaft 72 and abuts against and presses the cam 77 when the transmission shaft 72 rotates. When the transmission shaft 72 rotates, the action pin 80 abuts against the notch 772a of the cam action portion 772 and presses the cam 77. Therefore, the action pin 80 abuts against the cam 77 (notch 772a) after the transmission shaft 72 has rotated to a certain extent, and the action pin 80 does not abut against the cam 77 when the product outlet door 29 is closing the product outlet 28. This prevents the action pin 80 from pressing the cam 77 due to dimensional errors or the like, resulting in the product outlet 28 being constantly open.

Preferred embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these and various modifications can be made.

In the modified example of the first embodiment described above, the restricting member 38 was disposed on the mechanism main body 35. However, in the present invention, the restricting member may be disposed outside the mechanism main body as long as it is within the swing range of the action pin. Furthermore, while the restricting member 38 was a block having a triangular prism shape, the shape of the restricting member is not particularly limited in the present invention, and various shapes can be adopted.

1...vending machine, 10...main cabinet, 11...front door, 28...product removal port, 29...product removal door, 291...swing shaft portion, 291a...hollow portion, 291b...notch, 30...opening/closing mechanism portion, 31...connecting shaft, 311...D-cut portion, 32...transmission shaft, 321...transmission gear, 322...pin mounting hole, 33...connecting member, 34...cam, 341...cam base portion, 341a...mounting hole, 342...cam action portion, 342a...action recess, 35...mechanism body, 351...through hole, 352...linking gear, 353...torque limiter, 36...motor, 37...action pin, 40...control portion.

Claims (8)

A product take-out port formed on the customer service surface of the vending machine body;
A product take-out door that is swingably provided in a manner that opens and closes the product take-out opening,
an opening/closing mechanism that, in a normal state, allows the product take-out door to be manually swung to open and close the product take-out outlet, and that, when driven by a built-in drive source, swings the product take-out door to open and close the product take-out outlet ,
The opening and closing mechanism includes:
a connecting shaft that is connected to the swing shaft portion of the product take-out door in such a manner that their central axes coincide with each other and that rotates integrally with the swing shaft portion about the central axis;
a cam attached to the connecting shaft;
a transmission shaft that is rotatable about a central axis in response to driving of the drive source and is connected to the connecting shaft in a manner that the connecting shaft is rotatable about the central axis with the central axes of the two shafts coinciding with each other;
an action pin that is provided on the transmission shaft and that abuts against and presses the cam when the transmission shaft rotates;
A product take-out opening structure for a vending machine, comprising : 2. The product take-out opening structure for a vending machine according to claim 1 , wherein the product take-out door swings forward to open the product take-out opening, and swings backward to close the product take-out opening. the cam includes a cam action portion that extends parallel to the central axes of the connecting shaft and the transmission shaft and has a V-shaped action recess formed therein;
2. The product take-out opening structure for a vending machine according to claim 1 , wherein the action pin abuts against the action recess to press the cam when the transmission shaft rotates. The opening and closing mechanism includes:
The product take-out opening structure for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a restricting member that is disposed in a state where it advances into the swing range of the action pin and that restricts the swing angle of the product take-out door by abutting against the action pin that presses the cam. The product take-out opening structure of a vending machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the opening/closing mechanism adjusts the swing angle of the product take-out door by changing the protruding length of the action pin from the transmission shaft to change the point of contact with the regulating member. A product take-out port formed on the customer service surface of the vending machine body;
A product take-out door that is swingably provided in a manner that opens and closes the product take-out opening,
an opening/closing mechanism that, in a normal state, allows the product take-out door to be manually swung to open and close the product take-out outlet, and that, when driven by a built-in drive source, swings the product take-out door to open and close the product take-out outlet ,
The opening and closing mechanism includes:
a transmission shaft that is rotatable about a central axis in response to driving of the drive source and is connected to a swing shaft portion of the product take-out door in such a manner that their central axes coincide with each other;
a cam attached to the transmission shaft in a manner that the cam rotates integrally with the transmission shaft while being inserted into a notch formed in the product take-out door;
wherein, in a normal state, the product removal door is manually swung to allow the product removal outlet to be opened and closed, and when the drive source is driven, the cam rotates together with the transmission shaft, causing a cam protrusion constituting the cam to come into contact with and press against a part of the product removal door, thereby swinging the product removal door to open and close the product removal outlet . A product take-out port formed on the customer service surface of the vending machine body;
A product take-out door that is swingably provided in a manner that opens and closes the product take-out opening,
an opening/closing mechanism that, in a normal state, allows the product take-out door to be manually swung to open and close the product take-out opening, and that, when driven by a built-in drive source, swings the product take-out door to open and close the product take-out opening ,
an open/close detection mechanism that detects whether the product outlet is open or closed,
The open/close detection mechanism is
a detection unit that sends an ON signal indicating that the product outlet is open when a detection switch that is provided so as to be retractable from the detection main body is in a protruding state from the detection main body, and sends an OFF signal indicating that the product outlet is closed when the detection switch is in a retracted state into the detection main body;
a first lever connected to a swing shaft of the product removal door via a lever shaft inserted in such a manner that their central axes coincide, and rotating integrally with the swing shaft around the central axis of the lever shaft;
a second lever that is swingably provided around the center axis of the lever shaft and has an extension length greater than that of the first lever;
Equipped with
A product dispensing opening structure for a vending machine, characterized in that when the second lever is pressed by the first lever, it causes the detection switch to the recessed state, and when the pressing force from the first lever is released, it becomes free and allows the detection switch to the extended state . A product take-out port formed on the customer service surface of the vending machine body;
A product take-out door that is swingably provided in a manner that opens and closes the product take-out opening,
an opening/closing mechanism that, in a normal state, allows the product take-out door to be manually swung to open and close the product take-out outlet, and that, when driven by a built-in drive source, swings the product take-out door to open and close the product take-out outlet ,
The opening and closing mechanism includes:
a connecting shaft that is connected to the swing shaft portion of the product take-out door in such a manner that their central axes coincide with each other and that rotates integrally with the swing shaft portion about the central axis;
a damper connected to the connecting shaft and configured to reduce the speed at which the product take-out door swings in a direction to close the product take-out opening;
a cam attached to the connecting shaft;
a transmission shaft that is rotatable about a central axis in response to driving of the drive source, and that is spaced apart from the connecting shaft while their central axes coincide with each other;
an action pin that is provided on the transmission shaft and that abuts against and presses the cam when the transmission shaft rotates;
A product take-out opening structure for a vending machine, comprising :