JP7790141B2 - Anti-theft shutter mechanism for vending machines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine.

Conventionally, vending machines that sell products are known to transport products stored in product racks in a product storage area inside the vending machine body to a designated product removal area. The product removal area is a space that is connected to the outside of the vending machine body via a product removal opening formed in the vending machine body, and users can remove products that have been transported to the product removal area by inserting their hand through the product removal opening.

Typically, in this type of vending machine, part of the front door that makes up the front of the vending machine body is made of a transparent panel such as glass, allowing users to see and select products stored in the product racks in the product storage area from the outside. Vending machines that allow users to see the inside of the product storage area in this way have the advantage of increasing users' desire to purchase.

Among such vending machines, there is one known that is equipped with an anti-theft plate inside the vending machine body. The anti-theft plate is slidable in the front-to-rear direction, with a rack formed on the plate meshing with a pinion connected to the motor's output shaft. This anti-theft plate slides forward when the motor rotates forward, and slides backward when the motor rotates reverse.

In such vending machines, when a product is transported to the product removal area, the motor is driven in the forward direction to slide the anti-theft plate forward, separating the product storage area from the product removal area, preventing malicious individuals from reaching their hands through the product removal opening and removing products from the product rack (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. 59-108967

However, in the vending machine proposed in Patent Document 1, the motor that serves as the drive source for sliding the anti-theft plate is a forward/reverse motor, and because the anti-theft plate is slid by meshing between the rack and pinion, torque also acts on the motor, requiring an expensive motor and ultimately resulting in increased manufacturing costs.

In light of the above situation, the present invention aims to provide an anti-theft shutter mechanism for vending machines that can reduce manufacturing costs while ensuring product theft prevention.

To achieve the above objective, the anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to the present invention comprises a shutter base provided inside the vending machine body, and a movable shutter part that engages with the shutter base via an engagement means and can move toward and away from the shutter base. When the movable shutter part moves forward and away from the shutter base and is positioned at the advanced position, it allows access to a product storage area provided with multiple product racks, and allows products dispensed from the product racks to be removed through a product removal opening formed in the vending machine body. This is an anti-theft shutter mechanism that separates a product removal area from a product removal area, and the engagement means comprises a first link member whose base end is connected to a rotating shaft linked to the output shaft of a shutter motor provided on the shutter base, and which rotates integrally with the rotating shaft around its central axis in a predetermined direction as the shutter motor rotates, and a second link member whose one end is rotatably connected to the tip end of the first link member and whose other end is rotatably connected to the shutter movable part, and which moves the shutter movable part forward and backward as the shutter motor rotates in one direction.

The present invention also features an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine, wherein the movable shutter part is normally positioned in a retracted position in close proximity to the shutter base, and is movable back and forth between the retracted position and the advanced position, and the engagement means moves the movable shutter part back and forth between the retracted position, the advanced position, and the retracted position in that order by driving the shutter motor to rotate once.

The present invention also features an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine, wherein, when the shutter movable part is positioned in the extended position, the first link member is in an extended position in which the tip end is closer to the extended position than the base end and extends at an angle from the base end to the tip end in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first link member; the shutter base is located in the rotation range of the first link member when the shutter movable part moves forward from the retracted position to the extended position, and includes a stopper portion that allows the first link member to rotate in a predetermined direction as the shutter motor is rotated, but prevents the first link member from rotating in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

The present invention also features an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine, in which the shutter motor is housed in a drive housing attached to the shutter base in a manner that allows it to rotate around the central axis of a transmission gear that meshes with the rotation shaft while linking with the output shaft, and the drive housing is normally biased by a housing biasing means to maintain a reference position, but when the first link member rotates from the advanced position in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, it rotates around the central axis of the transmission gear against the biasing force of the housing biasing means.

The present invention also features an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine, which includes a slider rotatably connected to the other end of the second link member and connected to the shutter movable portion via a slider biasing means, thereby allowing the shutter movable portion, which is located between the second link member and the shutter movable portion and positioned in the advanced position, to be displaced in a direction away from the shutter base against the biasing force of the slider biasing means.

The present invention also features an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine, which includes a first detection unit that detects when the movable shutter part is in the retracted position, a second detection unit that detects when the movable shutter part is in the advanced position, and a control unit that forcibly rotates the shutter motor when power is turned on, and stops rotating the shutter motor when the first detection unit detects that the movable shutter part is in the retracted position after the second detection unit detects that the movable shutter part is in the advanced position.

According to this invention, the engagement means comprises a first link member whose base end is connected to a rotating shaft linked to the output shaft of a shutter motor mounted on the shutter base, and which rotates integrally with the rotating shaft around its central axis in a predetermined direction as the shutter motor rotates; and a second link member whose one end is rotatably connected to the tip end of the first link member and whose other end is rotatably connected to the shutter movable part. Since the shutter movable part is moved forward and backward by the shutter motor's unidirectional rotation, it is sufficient for the shutter motor to rotate in one direction; there is no need for forward and reverse rotation as in conventional systems. This allows the use of an inexpensive shutter motor, achieving the effect of reducing manufacturing costs while ensuring the product's anti-theft capabilities.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the external configuration of a vending machine to which an anti-theft shutter mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view showing a schematic internal structure of a vending machine to which the anti-theft shutter mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a typical control system of a vending machine to which the anti-theft shutter mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the operation of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with some components not shown. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the shutter movable portion positioned at the retracted position. FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the operation of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with some components not shown. FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the state in which the shutter movable portion advances and moves forward in the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 17 is a plan view showing the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the shutter movable portion in the advanced position. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional side view showing a schematic internal structure of a vending machine to which an anti-theft shutter mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 19 is a plan view of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIG. 17, with some of the components omitted. FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the operation of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with some components not shown. FIG. 21 is a plan view showing the state in which the shutter movable portion moves backward in the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the initial operation control performed by the shutter control unit shown in FIG. FIG. 23 is a plan view showing the anti-theft shutter unit in which the shutter movable part is in the advanced position and is pushed rearward, with some components not shown. FIG. 24 is a plan view showing the anti-theft shutter unit with the shutter movable part in the advanced position when the shutter movable part is pulled out forward, with some components not shown.

The following describes in detail a preferred embodiment of the anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1 to 3 each show a vending machine incorporating an anti-theft shutter mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a front view showing the exterior configuration, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view showing the internal structure, and Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the characteristic control system.

The vending machine 1 illustrated here is installed in, for example, a store to sell products stored inside, and includes a vending machine main body 1a. The vending machine main body 1a includes a main cabinet 10 and a front door 20.

The main body cabinet 10 is a rectangular housing with an opening 10a on the front (hereinafter also referred to as the front opening). The front door 20 is flat and is held swingably on one side of the main body cabinet 10 in a manner that opens and closes the front opening 10a of the main body cabinet 10. This front door 20 forms the front of the vending machine main body 1a.

Although not shown in the figure, the main cabinet 10 and front door 20 each have a thermal insulation function, and when the front opening 10a of the main cabinet 10 is closed by the front door 20, a product storage cabinet 11 is formed inside the main cabinet 10, creating an insulated space.

The product storage cabinet 11 of the main cabinet 10 has a product storage area 11A, which is a space for storing products, and this product storage area 11A has multiple product racks 12 arranged vertically.

The product rack 12 is composed of product columns 12a arranged side by side on the left and right, each of which stores multiple products along the front-to-rear direction. The product columns 12a are conventionally known and store products by restraining them between each pitch of a spiral 12b extending along the front-to-rear direction.

Note that while the above-mentioned product column 12a is equipped with a spiral 12b, in the present invention, the product column 12a may also store products by placing them on the upper horizontally extending portion of a conveyor belt that is stretched endlessly between a pair of front and rear pulleys.

The product storage cabinet 11 is equipped with an evaporator 13a. The evaporator 13a, along with a compressor 13b, condenser 13c, and expansion mechanism 13d, are located in a machine room 14 defined below the product storage cabinet 11, and constitute a cooling unit 13 that circulates refrigerant. The evaporator 13a exchanges heat between the refrigerant passing through its own refrigerant passage (not shown) and the air inside the product storage cabinet 11 that passes around it, thereby cooling the air.

When the internal ventilation fan 15 is driven, the air cooled around the evaporator 13a is drawn into the ventilation duct 16b through the intake port 16a on the rear panel 16 installed on the back of the product storage cabinet 11. After passing through this ventilation duct 16b, the air is blown out from each outlet 16c formed on the rear panel 16, thereby cooling the products stored on each product rack 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front door 20 is provided with a window 21 and a product removal opening 22. The window 21 is constructed by disposing a transparent, insulating panel 21a, such as double-glazed glass. This window 21 allows products stored in the front rows of the product columns 12a of all product racks 12 to be viewed from the outside when the front opening 10a of the main cabinet 10 is blocked by the front door 20.

The product removal opening 22 is an opening through which customers can receive purchased products, and is located below the window 21 on the front door 20. As is clear from Figure 2, the upper edge 22a of the opening of the product removal opening 22 is positioned further below the product rack 12 arranged on the lowest level.

This product removal opening 22 is always closed by a product removal door 23 attached to the front door 20, and can be opened by pushing the product removal door 23 inward. The product removal door 23 is supported on the front door 20 via its upper end by an opening/closing shaft 23a that runs in the left-right direction.

Although not shown in the figure, a gasket is arranged around the entire periphery of the front door 20, facing the product removal door 23, around the product removal opening 22, to prevent the internal atmosphere of the product storage cabinet 11 from circulating with the outside air through the product removal opening 22.

The front door 20 is also provided with a product selection section 24, a coin slot 25, a bill slot 26, a card reader 27, and a coin return slot 28 on the sides of the window 21.

The product selection section 24 has a push-button numeric keypad, a display, etc., and is used by the user to select products. The coin insertion slot 25 is an opening for inserting coins. The bill insertion slot 26 is an opening for inserting bills.

The card reader 27 transmits and receives monetary data to and from a recording medium storing monetary information, commonly known as electronic money, when the recording medium is held in a designated communication area. The coin return slot 28 is an opening for returning inserted coins or change, etc.

As shown in Figure 2, the front end of the product storage cabinet 11 is provided with a product removal area 11B and a transport area 11C. The product removal area 11B is the space where products purchased by users are ultimately transported, and is located below the upper edge 22a of the product removal opening 22 when the front door 20 is in a state where it closes the front opening 10a.

The transport area 11C is a space for transporting products dispensed from each product column 12a of the product rack 12 to the product removal area 11B. This transport area 11C is located in front of the product storage area 11A and is continuous with and above the product removal area 11B. The front-to-back and left-to-right dimensions of the transport area 11C are configured to be approximately the same as those of the product removal area 11B.

A pair of transport rails 17 are arranged on both sides of the product removal area 11B and transport area 11C, which are secured at the front end of the product storage cabinet 11, and a transport tray 18 is arranged to be movable vertically between these transport rails 17. In the standby state, the transport tray 18 is positioned in the product removal area 11B.

The transport tray 18 is constructed by disposing a central plate 18b between a pair of side plates 18a, and the dimension of the central plate 18b in the left-right direction is set to be approximately the same as the overall width of the product rack 12. This transport tray 18 is an elongated member whose extension length in the left-right direction is significantly greater than its extension length in the front-to-rear direction, with the left-to-right direction being its longitudinal direction.

In the product storage cabinet 11, an anti-theft shutter unit 30 is provided below the product storage area 11A, i.e., behind the boundary between the product removal area 11B and the transport area 11C.

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the configuration of the anti-theft shutter unit 30 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the anti-theft shutter unit 30 is configured to include a shutter base 31 and a shutter movable portion 32.

The shutter base 31 is constructed by appropriately combining multiple metal plates and has a box-like shape with an opening on the top surface. The left-right and front-rear dimensions of this shutter base 31 are approximately equal to the left-right and front-rear dimensions of the product rack 12, respectively, and as shown in Figure 6, it has a base bottom 311, base side walls 312, base front wall 313, and base rear wall 314.

The base bottom 311 forms the bottom portion of the shutter base 31 and has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. This base bottom 311 is configured by appropriately bending the central region 311C so that it is convex upward, and the drive unit 33 and stopper portion 43 are provided in the right region 311R to the right of the central region 311C.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the drive unit 33 is installed so that it passes through a rectangular mounting opening 311a formed in the right region 311R of the base bottom 311. This drive unit 33 is configured by disposing a drive mechanism 34, transmission gear 35, and rotation shaft 36 between a pair of upper and lower unit covers 33a, 33b.

The pair of upper and lower unit covers 33a, 33b are each constructed by bending sheet metal or the like. The upper unit cover 33a, located above the mounting opening 311a, is attached to the lower unit cover 33b, located below the mounting opening 311a, via mounting screws or the like, and the upper unit cover 33a is also attached to the base bottom 311 via mounting screws or the like.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the drive mechanism 34 is configured with an output gear 342 inside a drive housing 341, which is made up of two drive cases 341a and 341b combined in an upper and lower pair.

The output gear 342 has a roughly circular ring shape and is housed inside the drive housing 341 with the inner peripheral output teeth 342a formed on its inner periphery exposed from the inner surface of an insertion hole 341c formed in the drive housing 341. Here, the insertion hole 341c extends vertically in roughly the center of the drive housing 341. The output gear 342 is housed in the drive housing 341 so that its central axis coincides with the central axis of the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341.

The output gear 342 has outer peripheral output teeth 342b formed on its outer periphery, which connect to the output shaft 343a of the shutter motor 343 housed inside the drive housing 341 via connecting gears 344a and 344b. The shutter motor 343 is the drive source for the anti-theft shutter unit 30, which is driven in response to commands from the control unit 70 (described below). In this embodiment, the shutter motor 343 is driven to rotate in one direction in response to commands from the control unit 70; more specifically, it is driven to rotate the output gear 342 counterclockwise when viewed from above. The rotation of the output gear 342 is detected by a rotation detection switch 345 located inside the drive housing 341.

The transmission gear 35 is made of, for example, a resin material. This transmission gear 35 is composed of a transmission base portion 351, a first transmission gear portion 352, and a second transmission gear portion 353, which are integrally molded, and has a through-hole portion 354 formed inside that extends in the vertical direction.

The transmission base 351 is generally disk-shaped. The first transmission gear portion 352 is a cylindrical portion formed to protrude downward from the underside of the transmission base 351. This first transmission gear portion 352 has an outer diameter that allows it to be inserted into the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341. Furthermore, meshing pieces 352a are formed on opposing portions of the lower end of the first transmission gear portion 352. Meshing protrusions 352b are formed on each end of these meshing pieces 352a, which mesh with a portion of the inner peripheral output tooth portion 342a of the output gear 342. This allows the transmission gear 35 to rotate around its own central axis together with the output gear 342, i.e., counterclockwise when viewed from above. The central axis of the transmission gear 35 coincides with the central axis of the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341 and the central axis of the output gear 342.

The second transmission gear portion 353 is formed so as to protrude upward from the upper surface of the transmission base portion 351, and its central axis coincides with the central axis of the first transmission gear portion 352. A transmission tooth portion 353a is formed on the outer periphery of this second transmission gear portion 353.

The transmission gear 35 has its first transmission gear portion 352 inserted into the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341 and meshing with the output gear 342, and its transmission shaft 37 relatively passing through the through-hole portion 354 is supported by the pair of upper and lower unit covers 33a, 33b, so that it is disposed between the unit covers 33a, 33b. Here, the central axis of the transmission shaft 37 coincides with the central axis of the transmission gear 35, and therefore also coincides with the central axis of the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341 and the central axis of the output gear 342.

As shown in FIG. 9, the drive housing 341 is fixed to and supported by a support metal plate 38, which has a downwardly protruding latched portion 38a formed thereon. As shown in FIG. 8, this latched portion 38a is latched to the other end of a housing spring 39, one end of which is attached to the underside of the base bottom 311 and passes through an elongated cover hole 331 formed in the lower unit cover 33b. The housing spring 39 constantly urges the drive housing 341 rearward about the central axis of the transmission gear 35, and the latched portion 38a abuts against the rear edge of the cover hole 331, thereby maintaining the drive housing 341 in the reference position shown in FIG. 7, etc.

The rotating shaft 36 is a long, vertically extending member that is rotatably supported by a pair of upper and lower unit covers 33a, 33b to the left of the transmission shaft 37 (transmission gear 35). The upper end portion 36a of this rotating shaft 36 protrudes above the upper unit cover 33a.

A disk-shaped rotary gear portion 361 that protrudes radially outward is integrally formed in the vertically middle portion of the rotary shaft 36. This rotary gear portion 361 has rotary teeth 361a formed on its outer periphery, which mesh with the transmission teeth portion 353a.

As a result, the rotating shaft 36 is connected to the output shaft 343a of the shutter motor 343, and when the transmission gear 35 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from above due to the rotational drive of the shutter motor 343, the rotating shaft 36 rotates clockwise as viewed from above.

As shown in Figure 6, the base end 40a of the first link member 40 is connected to the upper end portion 36a of the rotating shaft 36. The first link member 40 is a long, flat plate member whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction in Figure 6, and is bent midway so that the tip end 40b is above the base end 40a. The base end 40a of this first link member 40 is connected to the upper end portion 36a of the rotating shaft 36, and it rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 36.

One end 41a of the second link member 41 is connected to the tip 40b of the first link member 40 via a first connecting pin 42a. The second link member 41 is a long, flat plate member whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction in Figure 6, and is bent midway so that the other end 41b is positioned above the one end 41a.

The stopper portion 43 is disposed in front of the transmission shaft 37 and below the rotation range of the first link member 40. This stopper portion 43 has a stopper piece 432 that can protrude upward relative to the stopper main body 431. This stopper piece 432 is constantly biased upward by a stopper spring (not shown) and protrudes above the stopper main body 431.

When the first link member 40 rotates clockwise as viewed from above, the first link member 40 abuts against the inclined extension 432a formed on the stopper piece 432, causing the stopper piece 432 to displace downward against the biasing force of the stopper spring and be housed in the stopper body 431, allowing the first link member 40 to rotate. When the first link member 40 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from above, the first link member 40 abuts against the abutment portion 432b formed on the stopper piece 432, restricting the rotation of the first link member 40 in the same direction.

The base sidewalls 312 are a pair of left and right walls that extend upward from both the left and right ends of the base bottom 311. In the following description, the direction in which the base sidewalls 312 are closer to each other will be referred to as the inside, and the direction in which they are farther apart will be referred to as the outside.

The base side wall 312 is provided with a fixed guide roller 44 and a guide rail 45. The fixed guide roller 44 is provided on the inner surface of the front side of the base side wall 312 so as to be rotatable around a central axis extending in the left-right direction.

The guide rail 45 is provided at the top of the base side wall portion 312, extending in the front-to-rear direction. The outer portion of this guide rail 45 is formed with a rail upper extension portion 46 that extends upward and then bends inward. An auxiliary base roller 45a is provided at the front end of the guide rail 45. The auxiliary base roller 45a is provided so as to be rotatable around a central axis that extends in the up-down direction.

The base front wall 313 extends upward from the front end of the base bottom 311 and connects the front end portions of the base side walls 312. The base rear wall 314 extends upward from the rear end of the base bottom 311 and connects the rear end portions of the base side walls 312.

Figures 11 and 12 are exploded perspective views showing the shutter movable part 32 shown in Figures 4 and 5, respectively. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the shutter movable part 32 is configured by overlapping an upper movable component 321 and a lower movable component 322, both of which are formed by processing sheet metal or the like.

The shutter movable part 32 has left-right and front-rear dimensions that are approximately equal to the left-right and front-rear dimensions of the shutter base 31, respectively, and is provided with a slider 47, a movable guide roller 48, and a pressing member 49.

As shown in Figure 11, the slider 47 is a long, flat plate member whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction. The slider 47 has elongated mounting holes 471 formed at the front and rear ends, with the longitudinal direction being the front-to-rear direction.

The slider 47 is attached to the lower movable component 322 in such a manner that the slider mounting screw 472 penetrates the mounting hole 471 from above, thereby closing the connecting hole 322a formed in the lower movable component 322.

In other words, the slider 47 is attached between the upper movable component 321 and the lower movable component 322 so that the slider mounting screw 472 is slidable in the front-to-rear direction in a manner that allows relative displacement of the mounting hole 471.

This slider 47 has one end of a slider spring 50, the other end of which is engaged with the lower movable component 322, and is constantly biased forward by this slider spring 50. As a result, the slider 47 maintains its position with the slider mounting screw 472 abutting the rear edge of the mounting hole 471.

The movable guide roller 48 is mounted on the outer surface of the rear side of the lower movable component 322 so as to be rotatable around a central axis extending in the left-right direction.

A front right auxiliary movable roller 51a and a rear right auxiliary movable roller 51b are provided on the underside of the right end portion of this lower movable component 322 so as to protrude downward. These front right auxiliary movable roller 51a and rear right auxiliary movable roller 51b are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction and are each provided so as to be rotatable around a central axis extending in the vertical direction.

A front left auxiliary movable roller 51c is provided on the underside of the left end portion of the lower movable component 322 so as to protrude downward. This front left auxiliary movable roller 51c forms a left-right pair with the front right auxiliary movable roller 51a and is provided so as to be rotatable around a central axis extending in the vertical direction. Behind the front left auxiliary movable roller 51c, a rear left auxiliary movable roller 51d is provided on a roller support piece 321a attached to the upper movable component 321. This rear left auxiliary movable roller 51d forms a left-right pair with the rear right auxiliary movable roller 51b and is provided so as to be rotatable around a central axis extending in the vertical direction.

The pressing member 49 is made of, for example, a resin material and is an elongated member whose longitudinal direction is in the front-to-rear direction. This pressing member 49 is attached to the underside of the right end portion of the lower movable component 322, on the inner side (left side portion) of the front right auxiliary movable roller 51a. The pressing member 49 has a pressing portion 491 that is convex downward in the central portion in the front-to-rear direction. The front end portion 491a of this pressing portion 491 extends gradually upward at an incline toward the front, and the rear end portion 491b of the pressing portion 491 extends gradually upward at an incline toward the rear.

In such a shutter movable part 32, the slider 47 is connected via the second connecting pin 42b to the other end 41b of the second link member 41 through the connecting hole 322a. As a result, one end 41a of the second link member 41 is rotatably connected to the tip end 40b of the first link member 40 via the first connecting pin 42a, and the other end 41b is rotatably connected to the slider 47 (shutter movable part 32) via the second connecting pin 42b .

The shutter movable part 32 is arranged so that it can move forward and backward in the front-to-rear direction, approaching and moving away from the shutter base 31, with the movable guide rollers 48 rollably mounted on the corresponding guide rails 45 and the front ends of both left and right ends of the lower movable component 322 mounted on the corresponding fixed guide rollers 44. The rail extension 46 prevents the shutter movable part 32 from moving left and right relative to the shutter base 31. The first link member 40 and the second link member 41 thus constitute an engagement means for engaging the shutter base 31 and the shutter movable part 32.

The operation of such an anti-theft shutter unit 30 will now be described. When the anti-theft shutter unit 30 is in a standby state where the shutter motor 343 is not rotating, i.e., in its normal state, the first link member 40 is arranged in the front-to-rear direction with the tip end 40b positioned rearward relative to the base end 40a, and as shown in Figure 13, the second link member 41 is arranged in the front-to-rear direction so that it overlaps above the first link member 40 and the other end 41b is positioned forward relative to the one end 41a. As a result, the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the rearmost retracted position as shown in Figure 14.

When the shutter motor 343 is driven to rotate while the shutter movable part 32 is in the retracted position, the transmission gear 35 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from above, causing the first link member 40 to rotate clockwise as viewed from above together with the rotation shaft 36, as shown in FIG. 15. This clockwise rotation of the first link member 40 causes the movable guide roller 48 to roll forward on the corresponding guide rail 45, while the second link member 41 also rotates around the central axis of the first connecting pin 42a, causing the shutter movable part 32 to move forward away from the shutter base 31, as shown in FIG. 16.

As the shutter movable part 32 moves forward in this manner, the first link member 40, rotating clockwise, may pass through the stopper part 43. However, as described above, the first link member 40 abuts against the inclined extension part 432a of the stopper piece 432, causing the stopper piece 432 to displace downward against the biasing force of the stopper spring and be housed in the stopper body 431, thereby allowing the first link member 40 to rotate clockwise. After the first link member 40 passes, the stopper piece 432 is displaced upward by the biasing force of the stopper spring and protrudes above the stopper body 431.

Then, as the shutter movable part 32 advances, its forward movement is restricted by the front right auxiliary movable roller 51a and the front left auxiliary movable roller 51c coming into contact with the corresponding fixed guide rollers 44, and it is positioned in the forwardmost advanced position as shown in Figure 17.

When the movable shutter part 32 is positioned in the advanced position in this manner, the front end portion of the movable shutter part 32 abuts against the front door 20 that closes the front opening 10a, as shown in Figure 18, thereby separating the product removal area 11B from the transport area 11C (product storage area 11A).

Furthermore, when the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position, as shown in Figure 19, the first link member 40 is in an advanced position in which the tip end 40b is closer to the advanced position than the base end 40a, and extends at an angle from the base end 40a to the tip end 40b in the opposite direction (counterclockwise) to the rotational direction of the first link member 40 (clockwise rotational direction).

When the shutter movable part 32 is in the advanced position, the shutter motor 343 is driven to rotate, causing the transmission gear 35 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed from above. As a result, as shown in FIG. 20, the first link member 40 in the advanced position rotates clockwise as viewed from above together with the rotation shaft 36. As the first link member 40 rotates clockwise in this manner, the movable guide roller 48 rolls rearward on the corresponding guide rail 45, and the second link member 41 also rotates around the central axis of the first connecting pin 42a, causing the shutter movable part 32 to move backward and approach the shutter base 31, as shown in FIG. 21.

Then, the shutter motor 343 makes one rotation from the standby state, and the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the retracted position, as shown in Figure 14. In other words, the shutter movable part 32 is normally positioned in the retracted position, where it has retracted close to the shutter base 31, and is capable of moving back and forth between the retracted position and the advanced position. The first link member 40 and the second link member 41 then move the shutter movable part 32 back and forth between the retracted position, advanced position, and retracted position in that order, as the shutter motor 343 rotates one rotation.

In addition to the above configuration, as shown in Figure 3, such a vending machine 1 also includes a dispensing mechanism 61, a transport mechanism 62, a door locking mechanism 63, a product detection sensor 64, a money handling unit 65, a first detection unit 66, a second detection unit 67, and a control unit 70.

The dispensing mechanism 61 is provided for each product column 12a that makes up the product rack 12, and is equipped with a dispensing motor 61a. The dispensing motor 61a is a drive source that is driven in response to commands given by the control unit 70. When the dispensing motor 61a is driven, the dispensing mechanism 61 rotates the spiral 12b of the corresponding product column 12a, dispensing the front product forward.

The transport mechanism 62 is equipped with a transport motor 62a and a tray detector 62b. The transport motor 62a is a drive source that is driven in response to commands given by the control unit 70. The tray detector 62b is composed of an encoder and other devices that detect the rotation of the transport motor 62a, and detects the position of the transport tray 18. This allows the transport mechanism 62 to move the transport tray 18 up and down between the transport rails 17. Furthermore, when in a standby state, the transport mechanism 62 positions the transport tray 18 in a predetermined standby position.

The door lock mechanism 63 is provided near the product outlet 22. This door lock mechanism 63 is switchable between a locked state, which keeps the product outlet door 23, which blocks the product outlet 22, closed and prevents the product outlet door 23 from swinging backward, and an unlocked state, which allows the product outlet door 23 to swing backward. The door lock mechanism 63 switches between the locked state and the unlocked state in response to commands given by the control unit 70.

The product detection sensor 64 is configured with a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, such as an optical sensor, and is provided on both the left and right sides of the product removal area 11B. This product detection sensor 64 detects whether a product is placed on the transport tray 18 by having light from the light-emitting element pass through a detection hole (not shown) in the transport tray 18 that has been moved to the product removal area 11B, and provides the detection result to the control unit 70.

The money handling unit 65 has a coin mechanism 65a and a bill validator 65b, and handles the monetary processing of coins inserted through the coin slot 25 and the monetary processing of banknotes inserted through the banknote slot 26. The money handling unit 65 also handles monetary processing such as subtraction of amount information read by the card reader 27.

The first detection unit 66 is part of the anti-theft shutter unit 30. As shown in Figure 6 and other figures, this first detection unit 66 is located in the right rear part of the drive unit 33 in the right region 311R of the base bottom 311.

When the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the retracted position, the first contact 66a of the first detection part 66 is pressed by the pressing member 49, turning the first detection part 66 into an ON state and sending an ON signal to the control unit 70. Furthermore, when the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in a position other than the retracted position, the first contact 66a of the first detection part 66 is free, turning the first detection part 66 into an OFF state. In other words, the first detection part 66 detects that the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the retracted position.

The second detection unit 67 is part of the anti-theft shutter unit 30. As shown in Figure 6 and other figures, the second detection unit 67 is located in front of the first detection unit 66 in the right region 311R of the base bottom 311.

When the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position, the second detection part 67 is turned on when the pressing member 49 presses the second contact 67a, and sends an on signal to the control unit 70. When the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in a position other than the advanced position, the second detection part 67 is turned off when the second contact 67a becomes free. In other words, the second detection part 67 detects that the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position.

The control unit 70 is electrically connected to each part of the vending machine 1 and controls the vending operations of the vending machine 1 in accordance with the programs and data stored in the memory unit 71, which is also electrically connected. This control unit 70 includes a vending machine control unit 70a and a shutter control unit 70b.

The vending machine control unit 70a provides overall control over the product vending operations of the vending machine 1, and the shutter control unit 70b provides overall control over the operation of the anti-theft shutter unit 30.

The control unit 70 may be realized, for example, by having a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) execute a program, i.e., by software, or by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or by a combination of software and hardware.

The vending operation of the vending machine 1 configured as described above will now be described. When a product is selected through the product selection unit 24 and the money is properly processed through the money handling unit 65, the vending machine control unit 70a issues a command to the transport motor 62a to drive the transport mechanism 62, and moves the transport tray 18 positioned in the product removal area 11B upward to the front area of the specified product rack 12.

When the tray detection unit 62b detects that the transport tray 18 has been transported to the front area of a specific product rack 12, the vending machine control unit 70a stops driving the transport motor 62a and drives the dispensing motor 61a of the corresponding product column 12a. This drives the dispensing mechanism 61 to rotate the corresponding spiral 12b, and the product held in the front pitch of the spiral 12b is dispensed forward and received by the transport tray 18. After the product held in the front pitch has been dispensed forward, the vending machine control unit 70a stops driving the dispensing motor 61a and drives the transport motor 62a. This causes the transport tray 18 to move downward by the transport mechanism 62 toward the product removal area 11B.

When the tray detection unit 62b detects that the transport tray 18 has been placed in the product removal area 11B, the vending machine control unit 70a stops driving the transport motor 62a. Then, when the product detection sensor 64 detects that a product has been placed on the transport tray 18, the shutter control unit 70b issues a drive command to the shutter motor 343, causing it to rotate.

By rotating the shutter motor 343 in this way, the shutter movable part 32, which is positioned in the retracted position, moves forward to the advanced position as described above. Then, when the advanced shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position and the second detection unit 67 is turned on, the shutter control unit 70b stops the rotation of the shutter motor 343.

When the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position in this way, the vending machine control unit 70a switches the door lock mechanism 63 from a locked state to an unlocked state, allowing the product removal door 23 to swing in the opening direction and allowing products to be removed through the product removal opening 22.

If the product detection sensor 64 detects that no products are placed on the transport tray 18, the vending machine control unit 70a switches the door lock mechanism 63 from the unlocked state to the locked state, preventing the product removal door 23 from swinging in the opening direction.

The shutter control unit 70b also issues a drive command to the shutter motor 343 to rotate the shutter motor 343. As the shutter motor 343 rotates in this manner, the shutter movable unit 32, which is positioned in the advanced position, moves backward to the retracted position as described above. Then, as the retracting shutter movable unit 32 is positioned in the retracted position and the first detection unit 66 is turned on, the shutter control unit 70b stops the rotation of the shutter motor 343. In this way, merchandise can be sold smoothly while ensuring anti-theft performance.

The shutter control unit 70b performs the following initial operation control when power is applied to the vending machine 1 or when power is restored after a power outage.

Figure 22 is a flowchart showing the initial operation control process performed by the shutter control unit 70b shown in Figure 3.

In this initial operation control, the shutter control unit 70b sends a drive command to the shutter motor 343 (step S101) and determines whether the second detection unit 67 has switched from an ON state to an OFF state (step S102). If it cannot be determined that the second detection unit 67 has switched from an ON state to an OFF state (step S102: No), the shutter control unit 70b repeats this process.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the second detection unit 67 has switched from the ON state to the OFF state (step S102: Yes), i.e., if the shutter movable unit 32 has moved backward from the advanced position, the shutter control unit 70b determines whether the first detection unit 66 has switched from the OFF state to the ON state before a predetermined reference time (e.g., approximately 2 to 3 seconds) has elapsed (steps S103 and S104).

If it is determined that the first detection unit 66 has switched from the OFF state to the ON state before the reference time has elapsed (step S103: Yes, step S104: No), i.e., if the shutter movable unit 32 is positioned in the retracted position, the shutter control unit 70b sends a drive stop command to the shutter motor 343 (steps S105, S106) on the condition that a predetermined time (e.g., approximately one second) has elapsed, and then returns to the procedure, terminating this processing.

This allows the shutter movable part 32 to be reliably positioned in the retracted position, allowing the above-mentioned product sales operation to be performed.

On the other hand, if the reference time has elapsed without determining that the first detection unit 66 has switched from the OFF state to the ON state (step S103: No, step S104: Yes), the shutter control unit 70b makes an abnormality determination that an abnormality has occurred (step S107), and then returns the procedure to end the current processing.

This allows it to determine that the shutter movable part 32 is not positioned in the retracted position, and then by performing a notification action such as displaying an abnormality on the display unit, the manager of the vending machine 1 can be made aware of the abnormality.

As described above, the anti-theft shutter unit 30 and shutter control unit 70b constitute the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the present invention.

The anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine 1 comprises a first link member 40 whose base end 40a is connected to a rotating shaft 36 linked to the output shaft 343a of a shutter motor 343 mounted on the shutter base 31, and which rotates clockwise around its central axis as viewed from above integrally with the rotating shaft 36 as the shutter motor 343 rotates. The second link member 41 has one end 41a rotatably connected to the tip end 40b of the first link member 40 and the other end 41b rotatably connected to the shutter movable part 32. The shutter movable part 32 moves forward and backward as the shutter motor 343 rotates in one direction. Therefore, it is sufficient for the shutter motor 343 to rotate in one direction, and there is no need for forward and reverse rotation as in conventional systems. This allows for the use of an inexpensive shutter motor 343. This reduces manufacturing costs while ensuring product theft prevention.

According to the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine 1 described above, when the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position, the first link member 40 assumes an advanced position in which the tip end 40b is closer to the advanced position than the base end 40a and extends at an angle from the base end 40a to the tip end 40b in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the first link member 40 (see Figure 19). The stopper portion 43 installed in the rotation range of the first link member 40 when the shutter movable part 32 moves advanced from the retracted position to the advanced position allows the first link member 40 to rotate clockwise as viewed from above in conjunction with the rotational drive of the shutter motor 343, but prevents the first link member 40 from rotating counterclockwise as viewed from above. Therefore, when the shutter movable part 32 positioned in the advanced position is pressed toward the retracted position, the first link member 40 will rotate counterclockwise as viewed from above, but this rotation is restricted by abutting against the stopper portion 43. This prevents the shutter movable part 32 from moving backward even if it is pressed toward the retracted position when it is positioned in the advanced position.

In particular, the drive housing 341 housing the shutter motor 343 is mounted on the shutter base 31 in a manner that allows it to rotate around the central axis of the transmission gear 35. Normally, it is biased by the housing spring 39 and maintained in a reference position. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 23, when the first link member 40 rotates counterclockwise from the advanced position as viewed from above, the drive housing 341 rotates around the central axis of the transmission gear 35 against the biasing force of the housing spring 39. As a result, if the shutter movable part 32, which is positioned in the advanced position, is accidentally pressed toward the retracted position, the drive housing 341 will rotate around the central axis of the transmission gear 35 against the biasing force of the housing spring 39 until the retraction movement is restricted by the stopper part 43. This eliminates the risk of excessive load being placed on the shutter motor 343 and prevents damage to the shutter motor 343.

In addition, in the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine 1, the slider 47, which is rotatably connected to the other end 41b of the second link member 41, is constantly biased forward by the slider spring 50, thereby maintaining its position with the slider mounting screw 472 abutting the rear edge of the mounting hole 471. Therefore, as shown in Figure 24, when the shutter movable part 32, which is positioned in the advanced position, is pulled forward, the slider mounting screw 472 is allowed to displace relative to the mounting hole 471 against the biasing force of the slider spring 50. In other words, the slider 47, which is connected to the shutter movable part 32 via the slider spring 50 so that the shutter movable part 32 can move back and forth, is interposed between the second link member 41 and the shutter movable part 32, and allows the shutter movable part 32, which is positioned in the advanced position, to be displaced in a direction (forward) away from the shutter base 31 against the biasing force of the slider 47 spring 50. As a result, even if the shutter movable part 32, which is positioned in the advanced position, is accidentally pulled out in a direction away from the shutter base 31, there is no risk of excessive load being placed on the shutter motor 343, and damage to the shutter motor 343 can be prevented.

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

In the embodiment described above, the first link member 40 rotates clockwise as viewed from above due to the rotational drive of the shutter motor 343. However, in the present invention, the direction of the engagement means having the first link member and second link member is not particularly limited, as long as it can move the shutter movable part back and forth due to the rotational drive of the shutter motor in one direction.

In the above-described embodiment, the drive housing 341 housing the shutter motor 343 was provided on the shutter base 31 in a manner that allowed it to rotate around the central axis of the transmission gear 35. However, in the present invention, the drive housing does not have to be provided on the shutter base in a manner that allows it to rotate around the central axis of the transmission gear.

In the embodiment described above, a slider 47 was interposed between the shutter movable portion 32 and the other end 41b of the second link member 41, but in the present invention, a slider does not necessarily have to be provided.

1...vending machine, 1a...vending machine main body, 10...main body cabinet, 11...product storage cabinet, 11A...product storage area, 11B...product removal area, 11C...transport area, 12...product rack, 12a...product column, 18...transport tray, 20...front door, 22...product removal port, 30...anti-theft shutter unit, 31...shutter base, 311...base bottom, 312...base side wall, 313...base front wall, 314...base rear wall, 32...shutterable Moving part, 321...upper movable component, 322...lower movable component, 33...drive unit, 33a, 33b...unit cover, 34...drive mechanism, 341...drive housing, 341a, 341b...drive case, 341c...through hole, 342...output gear, 343...shutter motor, 343a...output shaft, 344a, 344b...linking gear, 35...transmission gear, 351...transmission base, 352...first transmission gear part, 353...second transmission gear part, 354...through hole part, 36 ...rotating shaft, 361...rotating gear portion, 37...transmission shaft, 38...supporting sheet metal, 39...casing spring, 40...first link member, 40a...base end portion, 40b...tip end portion, 41...second link member, 41a...one end portion, 41b...other end portion, 43...stopper portion, 431...stopper body, 432...stopper piece, 44...fixed guide roller, 45...guide rail, 47...slider, 471...mounting hole, 472...slider mounting screw, 48...movable guide roller, 4 9...Pressing member, 50...Slider spring, 51a...Front right auxiliary movable roller, 51b...Rear right auxiliary movable roller, 51c...Front left auxiliary movable roller, 51d...Rear left auxiliary movable roller, 61...Dispensing mechanism, 62...Transport mechanism, 63...Door locking mechanism, 64...Product detection sensor, 65...Cash handling unit, 66...First detection unit, 67...Second detection unit, 70...Control unit, 70a...Vending machine control unit, 70b...Shutter control unit, 71...Memory unit.

Claims (5)

a shutter base provided inside the vending machine body;
a shutter movable portion that is engaged with the shutter base via an engaging means and that is movable toward and away from the shutter base,
When the shutter movable part is advanced and moved away from the shutter base and placed in an advanced position, the anti-theft shutter mechanism separates a product storage area in which a plurality of product racks are provided from a product removal area that allows products dispensed from the product racks to be removed through a product removal opening formed in the vending machine body,
The engagement means
a first link member whose base end is connected to a rotary shaft linked to an output shaft of a shutter motor provided on the shutter base, and which rotates integrally with the rotary shaft around its central axis in a predetermined direction in accordance with the rotational drive of the shutter motor;
a second link member having one end rotatably connected to the tip end of the first link member and the other end rotatably connected to the shutter movable portion,
The shutter movable part is moved forward and backward by rotating the shutter motor in one direction ,
the shutter movable part is normally disposed at a retracted position where it has retracted and moved close to the shutter base, and is movable back and forth between the retracted position and the advanced position,
The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine is characterized in that the engagement means moves the shutter movable part back and forth between the retracted position, the advanced position, and the retracted position in that order when the shutter motor is driven to rotate only once . When the shutter movable part is disposed at the advanced position, the first link member is in an advanced position in which the tip end is closer to the advanced position than the base end, and the first link member is in an advanced position in which the tip end is inclined and extends from the base end toward the tip end in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first link member,
The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the shutter base is provided with a stopper portion that is installed in the rotation range of the first link member when the shutter movable portion moves forward from the retracted position to the advanced position, and that allows the first link member to rotate in a predetermined direction in conjunction with the rotational drive of the shutter motor, while restricting the first link member from rotating in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction. the shutter motor is accommodated in a drive housing provided on the shutter base in a manner that the shutter motor is rotatable around a central axis of a transmission gear that meshes with the rotation shaft while linking with the output shaft,
The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive housing is normally biased by the housing biasing means to be maintained in a reference position, but when the first link member rotates from the advanced position in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, it rotates around the central axis of the transmission gear against the biasing force of the housing biasing means . The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is provided with a slider that is relatively rotatably connected to the other end of the second link member and connected to the shutter movable portion via a slider biasing means, thereby allowing the shutter movable portion, which is interposed between the second link member and the shutter movable portion and positioned in the advanced position, to be displaced in a direction away from the shutter base against the biasing force of the slider biasing means. a first detector that detects that the shutter movable portion is disposed at the retracted position;
a second detection unit that detects that the shutter movable unit is placed at the advanced position;
and a control unit that forcibly drives the shutter motor to rotate when power is turned on, and stops the rotation of the shutter motor when the second detection unit detects that the shutter movable part has been placed in the advanced position and then the first detection unit detects that the shutter movable part has been placed in the retracted position.