JPH0245237B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a cup supply device attached to a hot-and-cold type vending machine or the like.

(Prior Art) A hot-and-cold vending machine dispenses heated beverages such as hot coffee or chilled beverages such as cold juice into cups based on instructions selected by the customer. be.

Such a vending machine is equipped with a cup supply device, from which a cup is supplied to a beverage injection section each time a beverage is sold. Such a cup supply device stores different types of cups with different designs, materials, and capacities, ie, cups for hot beverages and cups for chilled beverages, which are selectively used depending on the type of beverage.

By the way, the frequency with which heated beverages and chilled beverages are sold differs greatly depending on the season and the like. Therefore, it is necessary for the cup supply device to be capable of storing and discharging cups for heated beverages and cups for chilled beverages at a ratio commensurate with the frequency of sales.

As a conventional cup feeding device, the
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 57-29985, cup rotating drums are arranged concentrically inside and outside, and rows of different types of cups, each of which is stacked with a plurality of cups, are stored and taken out in these rotating drums. ,
As disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-129582, three or more cup storage sections are formed in the housing, and a specific shared cup storage section located in the center of these cup storage sections is sandwiched between the cup storage sections. At the lower end of the cup storage areas adjacent to the left and right sides of the cup storage area, there is provided a cup ejection mechanism for each type of cup that takes out different types of cup rows. As disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-134879, a base is equipped with a delivery mechanism that holds the cup in position and sends out the row of cups toward one adjacent cup storage section based on a certain command. A plurality of rows of cups are slidably placed on the base, and a cup ejecting section is provided at one end of the base, and the cup rows placed on the base are pushed and moved by a cup pushing plate to eject the cups. What I decided to send to the department,
It has been known.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, the device disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-29985 is only capable of storing cup rows of different types separately according to their types, and the storage ratio cannot be changed arbitrarily. I can't. Also, in 1987-
In the device of Publication No. 129582, the storage ratio of cups can be changed, but in the standby state, the cup rows stored in the shared cup storage are held in that position, and the cup storage ratio is changed at a constant level. Since a dispensing mechanism is disposed for dispensing a row of cups toward one adjacent cup storage section based on a command, the height of this dispensing mechanism becomes a dead space, resulting in a disadvantage that cup storage efficiency deteriorates. Utsukai Showa 59-
In the device disclosed in No. 134879, a plurality of rows of cups are slidably placed on a base in a horizontal state, and these rows of cups are sequentially pushed out and discharged to a discharge section provided at one end of the base. Therefore, there is a drawback that it is not possible to store rows of cups of different types and discharge them separately according to the type, or to change the storage ratio of the cups according to the type.

This invention has been made with attention to these points, and it is possible to store different types of cups by type with high storage efficiency, and to change the storage ratio of the cups by type as appropriate. The object of the present invention is to provide a cup feeding device that can perform the following functions.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) A base is provided horizontally inside the case, and a cup outlet is provided at one end and the other end of the base, respectively. A cup pusher is provided above the base so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the base. A drive mechanism is provided for the cup pusher to drive the cup pusher and place it at any position along the length of the base. On the base, different types of cup rows are arranged on one side and the other side of the cup pusher. The cup ejection parts provided at both ends of the base operate when the number of cups in the cup row arranged at the ejection part decreases below a certain level to control the above-mentioned drive mechanism, and this control operates the cup pusher. A cup cutter switch mechanism is provided to move the cup toward the discharge section and introduce one of the rows of cups on the base into the discharge section.

(Function) In the cup feeding device with such a configuration,
When the number of cups in the row of cups arranged in one ejection section decreases, this is detected by the cup-out switch mechanism, and in response to this detection, the cup pusher moves toward that ejection section. When a row is replenished and the number of cups in the cup row placed in the other ejection section decreases, this is detected by the cup-out switch mechanism, and in response to this detection, the cup pusher moves toward the ejection section, and this movement The cup row is replenished into the discharge section.

Different types of cup rows are stored on one side and the other side of the cup pusher on the base, so the different types of cup rows can be selectively moved to a predetermined position depending on the direction in which the cup pusher moves. introduced into the discharge section. By setting the arrangement position of the cup pusher, the storage ratio of different types of cup rows distributed between one side and the other side of the cup pusher can be varied.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the figure, 1 is a thin case, and this case 1 is provided with a back plate 2 vertically at the rear and a base 3 horizontally at the bottom. base 3
Funnel-shaped discharge portions 4 and 5 are formed at both ends of the
Ejection mechanisms 6 and 7 are provided in these ejection parts 4 and 5, respectively. On this base 3, a plurality of cup rows A made up of a large number of stacked cups a are arranged in parallel, and furthermore, cup rows A and A are arranged in each discharge section 4 and 5 as well. The cups a of the cup rows A, A, arranged in each of the discharging sections 4, 5 are sequentially ejected one by one starting from the lowest layer via ejection mechanisms 6, 7 that operate based on a certain signal. It is. Also, on the sides of each ejection section 4, 5, there is a device that senses when the number of cups in the cup rows A, A arranged in these ejection sections 4, 5 decreases below a certain level (6 to 7 pieces). Operated cup break switches 8, 9 are provided.

A cup pusher 11 is vertically provided on the front surface of the back plate 2 and is slidably supported via rails 10, 10. This cup presser 11
are interposed between any one of the cup rows A arranged on the base 3 to partition the space above the base 3 into left and right sides. A forward/reverse drive motor 15 is provided at the inner bottom of the cup 1 as a drive mechanism for moving the cup pusher 11.
and the cup pusher 11 are connected via a chain 16, and the cup pusher 11 is moved left and right along the rails 10, 10 by the forward and reverse rotation of the forward and reverse drive motor 15. Also, inside the back plate 2, there are a plurality of position detection switches 17 corresponding to each cup row A arranged on the base 3.
a, 17b, . . . are provided at a constant pitch along the rails 10, 10, and when the cup pusher 11 moves, these position detection switches 17a, 17b, .

On the front of the case 1, there are two holding bars 20, upper and lower.
20 is constructed, and these holding bars 20, 20,
Cup holders 21 are provided between the cup rows A disposed on the base 3 and at portions corresponding to both sides. As shown in FIG. 3, this cup holder 21 has a mountain-shaped cross section, and its top side elastically protrudes from the inside of the holding bar 20 through the opening 22 to the outside thereof under the urging force of a spring 23. The sloped surface of the cup holder 21 comes into contact with the side surface of the cup rows A, thereby holding the cup rows A vertically and preventing them from falling over.

Regarding the electric circuit, as shown in FIG. A series circuit of position detection switches 17a . The position detection switches 17a... are arranged in parallel, and the selection switch 27 is provided with terminals 27a... corresponding to these position detection switches 17a...
Position detection switches 17a are connected to the corresponding terminals 27a, respectively.

Next, the effect will be explained. Now, in Fig. 1, each cup a of the cup row A arranged on the left side of the figure with the cup pusher 11 as the border is for a heated beverage, and each cup a on the right side of the figure is for a chilled beverage. Suppose that it belongs to . From this state, for example, if the number of heated beverage cups a placed in one of the discharge sections 4 decreases below a certain level as they are discharged, the cup cutoff switch 8 operates accordingly. From the state shown in FIG. 4, the contact is switched to the normally open side, and the forward/reverse drive motor 15 is energized and rotates forward. This operation causes the cup pusher 11 to move to the left, and each cup row A for heated beverages arranged on the left side of the cup pusher 11 is pushed leftward, and the leftmost cup row A is moved to the left. It is dropped into the discharge section 4. Accordingly, the contact of the cup release switch 8 returns to the normally closed side, the power to the forward/reverse drive motor 15 is cut off, and the operation of the cup pusher 11 is stopped. In addition, on the side of the cup row A... there is a holding bar 2.
The holders 21 that protrude from the cups 0 and 20 are in contact with each other, but when the cup pusher 11 moves, the holders 21 sink into the holding bars 20 and 20 against the springs 23 due to the pressing force. , Therefore, the cup row A can be moved smoothly without any trouble.

Further, when the number of cups a for cooling drinks continues to be discharged and the number thereof decreases below a certain level, the cup release switch 9 operates in the same manner as described above, the forward/reverse drive motor 15 rotates in the reverse direction, and the cup pusher 11 moves to the right, the cup row A for chilled beverages is dropped into the discharge section 5, and the cup pusher 11 stops. In this way, each row of cups A...
each cup a from the discharge parts 4 and 5.
...is ejected one by one.

On the other hand, when replenishing the cup row A into the case 1, the selection switch 27 is first operated to set the position where the cup pusher 11 is to be placed. That is, in the state shown in FIG.
1 is placed at a position corresponding to the third position detection switch 17c from the left, and on the left side of this cup pusher 11 there are 3 rows of cups A for heated beverages, and also on the right side 4 rows, that is, 3:4 Heterogeneous cup a with the ratio of
... is stored, but if you want to replenish cup row A... with such a ratio, the fourth
As shown in the figure, the contact of the selection switch 27 is aligned with the terminal 27c corresponding to the position detection switch 17c. At this time, if the cup pusher 11 is located on the left side of the position detection switch 17c, the contact point of the direction changeover switch 28 is connected to the right side movement terminal 28a.
If it is also on the right side, match it with the left side movement terminal 28b. For example, assume that it is on the left side, and therefore align it with the terminal 28a as shown in FIG. In this state, the contact of the supply/replenishment switch 25 is switched from the normally closed side to the normally open side. In response to this, the forward/reverse drive motor 15 is energized via the position detection switch 17c, selection switch 27, and direction changeover switch 28, causing it to rotate in the reverse direction.
The cup pusher 11 moves to the right. When the cup pusher 11 reaches the location of the position detection switch 17c, the cup pusher 11 contacts the position detection switch 17c, which opens the contact and de-energizes the forward/reverse drive motor 15. , the operation of the cup pusher 11 stops. In addition,
If the cup pusher 11 is placed on the right side of the position detection switch 17c, the forward/reverse drive motor 15
rotates forward, the cup pusher 11 moves to the left, and stops at the location where the position detection switch 17c is located. In this way, the cup pusher 11 is placed at a predetermined setting position, and in this state, the predetermined cup rows A are stored on the left and right sides of the cup pusher 11 at a ratio of 3:4, and are also supplied.・Switch the contact of the replenishment changeover switch 25 to the normally closed side.

In this way, by arbitrarily setting the position of the cup pusher 11, different kinds of cup rows A can be stored in the case 1 at a desired ratio, and therefore, regardless of the ratio, the case 1 can be stored in a desired ratio. 1 space can be used effectively without wasting it.

In the above embodiment, the position of the cup pusher when replenishing a row of cups is electrically controlled using a position detection switch, a selection switch, and a direction switch. There is no problem even if you do so.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, different types of cups can be stored separately by type with high storage efficiency, and can be discharged by type. This has the effect that the storage ratio of the cups can be changed as appropriate.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an overall front configuration diagram, FIG. 2 is a plan configuration diagram, FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the support structure of the holder, and FIG. 4 is an electric circuit. It is a diagram. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Case, 3... Base, 4, 5... Discharge part, 8, 9... Cup cutter switch, 11... Cup pusher, 15... Forward/reverse drive motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A base is provided horizontally inside the case, cup ejection parts are formed at both ends of the base, a cup pusher is provided above the base so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the base, and the cup pusher A drive mechanism is provided to drive the cups and place them at arbitrary positions along the length of the base, and rows of different types of cups are placed on the base on one side and the other side with the cup pusher as the boundary. , each of the above-mentioned ejection sections operates when the number of cups in the cup row arranged in the ejection section decreases below a certain level, controls the above-mentioned drive mechanism, moves the cup pusher toward the ejection section, and presses the base. A cup feeding device characterized in that it is provided with a cup cutter switch mechanism for introducing one of the upper rows of cups into its discharge section.