JP2007018179A - Commodity storage rack - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a commodity storage rack capable of reducing risk that a commodity jams halfway through a commodity passage. <P>SOLUTION: This commodity storage rack 14 is provided with: the commodity passages 17 storing the commodities C along a vertical direction; and commodity storage areas 60 formed above the commodity passages. The commodity storage rack is provided with storage area increase means 35 increasing the commodity storage areas according to the number of the commodities put in the commodity passages. The storage area increase means has two sets of rotating rollers 37, 38, a belt 40, a position detection sensor 41, and commodity detection sensors 42. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a commodity storage rack.

  Vending machines that sell products such as canned beverages, bottled beverages, or plastic bottled beverages are widely known. Such a vending machine incorporates a product storage rack for storing the products.

  In such a product storage rack, a plurality of arc-shaped guide members (segments) are provided between a pair of side plates erected so as to be opposed to the left and right, and the product path is formed in a meandering manner along the vertical direction. There is a serpentine type to be formed.

  Further, the product storage rack is provided with a product delivery mechanism for delivering the product at the lowest position of the product passage at the lower part of the product passage (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  When the product is replenished to the product storage rack, for example, a columnar product is put into the product passage in a sideways posture, the loaded product is rolled by the action of gravity, and the product is conveyed to the lower part of the product passage by rolling.

JP-A-9-153181

  By the way, when a product is replenished to the product storage rack, there is a possibility that the product thrown in a lying position will stand in the middle of conveyance, and the product may be jammed in the middle of the product passage.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a product storage rack capable of reducing the possibility of products being jammed in the middle of a product passage.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a product passage for storing products along the vertical direction, and a product storage area configured above the product passage. The product storage rack for paying out the lowest product has a storage area increasing means for increasing the product storage area in accordance with the number of products put into the product passage.

  A product storage rack according to claim 2 of the present invention is the product storage rack according to claim 1, further comprising a product delivery mechanism for delivering the product at the lowest position of the product path, and moving the product delivery mechanism in the vertical direction. According to another aspect, the storage area increasing means is configured.

  According to the product storage rack according to the present invention, the product storage area configured above the product path and the storage area increasing means for increasing the product storage area according to the number of products put into the product path are provided. When a product is stored in the product passage, the introduced product can be arranged in the upper part of the product passage. Therefore, since it is not necessary to transport the product to the lower part of the product passage, it is possible to reduce the change of the attitude of the product during the transportation, and to reduce the possibility that the product is blocked in the product passage.

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

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the inside of a vending machine to which the commodity storage rack according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the vending machine shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the configuration of the vending machine to which the commodity storage rack is applied will be described with reference to these drawings.

  The vending machine exemplified here is for selling a product C such as a canned beverage, a bottled beverage, or a plastic bottled beverage, and includes a main body cabinet 10 and a main door 11.

  The main body cabinet 10 is configured by appropriately combining a plurality of steel plates, and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open front surface. The inside of the main body cabinet 10 is formed as a heat insulating space by attaching a heat insulating member to the main body cabinet 10.

  The main door 11 has a size large enough to cover the front opening of the main body cabinet 10, is made of a solid steel material, and is supported on one side edge of the main body cabinet 10.

  Inside the main body cabinet 10, side plates 12a and heat insulating members 12b are provided at predetermined intervals, and four independent commodity storage boxes 12 are provided side by side within the main body cabinet 10 by these side plates 12a. . Furthermore, each goods storage 12 is comprised with the heat insulation space by the said heat insulation member 12b. On the other hand, a single machine room 13 is provided at a position below the commodity storage 12.

  The side plates 12a are arranged in a form that forms a pair so as to face the left and right direction of the vending machine (only one is shown in FIG. 2).

  The product storage 12 is for storing the product C in a state maintained at a desired temperature. In such a commodity storage 12, a column-shaped commodity storage rack 14 is disposed from the upper part to the center, and a commodity shooter 15 is disposed at each lower part.

  The product storage rack 14 is provided with, for example, a top tray 16, a product passage 17, and a bend mech (product delivery mechanism) 23.

  The top tray 16 is composed of a plate-like member arranged in a manner gradually lowering from the front side to the back side of the vending machine at the upper part of the side plate 12a so as to guide the product C to the corresponding product passage 17. They are arranged in the vertical direction. Such a top tray 16 terminates at the entrance of the corresponding product passage 17. Further, the top tray 16 and the side plate 12a form an inlet 16a at the upper end on the front side of the product storage rack 14.

  The merchandise passage 17 arranged on the front side of the vending machine is arranged on the rear side of the pair of side plates 12a, the passage constituting member 20a arranged on the front side of the vending machine, and the vending machine. It is comprised with the certain channel | path structural member 20b.

  On the other hand, the merchandise passage 17 arranged on the back side of the vending machine is arranged on the front side of the vending machine and the pair of side plates 12a, the passage constituting member 21a arranged on the back side of the vending machine. It is comprised with the said channel | path component 21b. In addition, although the channel | path component member 20b and the channel | path component member 21b are integrally formed, it is good also as a different member, respectively.

  Each merchandise passage 17 is arranged along the up-and-down direction from the upper part to the center of the vending machine, and stores the merchandise along the up-and-down direction. Moreover, these merchandise passages 17 are arranged in a row from the front side to the back side of the vending machine. The upper end portion of each merchandise passage 17 serves as an entrance for the product C, while the lower end portion serves as a payout port for the product C.

  The bend mech 23 is disposed at the lower part of the product passage 17 when the vending machine is put into a sales state, and controls the delivery of the product C at the lowest position, as shown in FIG. The solenoid 26, the link mechanism 29, the lower pedal 32, and the upper pedal 33 are provided.

  The solenoid 26 is disposed outside the product passage 17 with the plunger 27 facing downward. The solenoid 26 is provided so as to be movable between a standby position in which the tip of the plunger 27 is extended downward and an operating position in which the tip of the plunger 27 is pulled upward. By a biasing force of a plunger biasing member 30 described later, Usually, the plunger 27 is held at the standby position, and the plunger 27 is held at the operating position against the urging force of the plunger urging member 30 when energized.

  The link mechanism 29 connects the plunger 27 and the lower pedal 32 and also connects the plunger 27 and the upper pedal 33. Such a link mechanism 29 is provided with a plunger urging member 30.

  The lower pedal 32 is supported so as to be movable to the advance position and the retreat position with respect to the product passage 17, and when occupied at the advance position, the lower pedal 32 supports the product C stored in the product passage 17, When occupied in the retreat position, the supported product C is passed.

  The lower pedal 32 is provided with a lower pedal urging member (not shown), and the lower pedal 32 is urged toward the advanced position by the urging force of the lower pedal urging member. Therefore, the lower pedal 32 is normally occupied at the advanced position.

  The upper pedal 33 is disposed above the lower pedal 32 and is supported so as to be movable between the advanced position and the retracted position with respect to the product passage 17. When the product C stored in 17 is supported and occupied at the retreat position, the supported product C is passed.

  Such an upper pedal 33 is provided with an upper pedal biasing member (not shown), and the upper pedal 33 is biased toward the retreat position by the biasing force of the upper pedal biasing member. Therefore, the upper pedal 33 is normally occupied at the retreat position.

  The operation of the bend mech 23 configured as described above will be described. Here, the product at the lowest position of the product passage 17 is referred to as a product C1, and the product above the product C1 is described as a product C2.

  When the vending machine is put into a sales standby state, the bend mec 23 does not energize the solenoid 26. Accordingly, the plunger 27 is occupied at the standby position by the urging force of the plunger urging member 30, the lower pedal 32 is occupied at the advanced position by the urging force of the lower pedal urging member, and the upper pedal 33 is at the upper position. The pedal is biased to the retreat position by the biasing force of the pedal biasing member. Therefore, in this state, the product C1 at the lowest position of the product passage 17 abuts on the upper surface of the lower pedal 32, and the product C1 is supported by the lower pedal 32. In addition, in this state, the upper pedal 33 is occupied at the retreat position, so the upper pedal 33 is not involved in the products C1 and C2.

  In this state, when a sales command is transmitted from the vending machine to the bend mech 23, the bend mech 23 energizes the solenoid 26. With this energization, the solenoid 26 raises the plunger 27 to the upper operating position against the urging force of the plunger urging member 30, as shown in FIG. When the plunger 27 is pulled up to the operating position, the lower pedal 32 occupies the retracted position against the urging force of the lower pedal urging member, and the upper pedal 33 resists the urging force of the upper pedal urging member. Then occupy the advance position. By such movement of the lower pedal 32 and movement to the upper pedal 33, the commodity C1 at the lowest position of the commodity passage 17 is dispensed, and the commodity C2 that is on the commodity C1 is supported by the upper pedal 33. It will be. The product C1 paid out from the product passage 17 reaches the product outlet 11a by the product shooter 15.

  After a certain time elapses, energization of the solenoid 26 is stopped. When the energization is stopped, as shown in FIG. 5, the plunger 27 is occupied at the standby position by the urging force of the plunger urging member 30, and the lower pedal 32 is occupied at the advanced position by the urging force of the lower pedal urging member. The upper pedal 33 is occupied at the retreat position by the urging force of the upper pedal urging member. By such movement of the lower pedal 32 and movement to the upper pedal 33, the product C2 supported by the upper pedal 33 falls onto the lower pedal 32 by the action of gravity, and the product C2 is supported by the lower pedal 32. It will be.

  Such a bend mech 23 is provided with a storage area increasing means 35 for moving the bend mech 23 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage area increasing unit 35 includes two sets of rotating rollers 37 and 38, a belt 40, a position detection sensor 41, and a product detection sensor 42.

  Each of the rotating rollers 37 and 38 is formed longer than the length of the product C, and two of them constitute a set. Among these rotating rollers 37, 38, one rotating roller 37 is disposed at the upper part of the product passage 17 and outside the product passage 17, and the other rotating roller 38 is disposed at the lower part of the product passage 17. 17 is disposed outside.

  In the rotating roller 37, one rotating roller 37a is disposed on the front side of the passage constituting members 20a and 21a in FIG. 2, and the other rotating roller 37b is disposed on the passage constituting members 20a and 21a in FIG. It is arranged on the back side.

  On the other hand, in the rotating roller 38, one rotating roller 38a is arranged on the front side of the passage constituting members 20a and 21a in FIG. 2, and the other rotating roller 38b is arranged on the passage constituting member 20a, It is arranged on the back side of 21a.

  The belt 40 is formed so as to have a width larger than the length of the product C, and is provided so as to stretch between the rotating rollers 37a and 37b and the rotating rollers 38a and 38b. The bend mech 23 is attached to a part of the belt 40.

  The position detection sensor 41 is arranged at the upper part of the product passage 17 and detects the product C or the lower pedal 32 when the product C is stored.

  The product detection sensor 42 detects that the product C has been input to the input port 16a. Such a product detection sensor 42 does not detect the operator's hand when the operator puts his / her hand into the insertion port 16a, and if the operator inputs the product C from the insertion port 16a, It is a position where C is detected, and is arranged in the vicinity of the inlet 16a.

  The storage area increasing means 35 having such a configuration includes, for example, a motor (not shown) that rotates the rotating roller 38. By driving the motor, the other rotating roller 38 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 2, the rotating roller 37 and the belt 40 are rotated counterclockwise to move the bend mech 23 upward, while the motor is driven to rotate the rotating roller 38 clockwise in FIG. 2. The bend mech 23 is moved downward by rotating the rotating roller 37 and the belt 40 clockwise.

  The movement of the bend mech 23 by the storage area increasing means 35 is controlled by a control means 50 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, the control unit 50 includes a memory 51, a main control unit 52, a bend mech height acquisition unit 53, a product detection acquisition unit 54, a bend mech height setting unit 55, a drive command unit 56, and an operation reception unit 57. ing.

  The main control unit 52 includes a bend mech height acquisition unit 53, a product detection acquisition unit 54, a bend mech height setting unit 55, a drive command unit, based on a program or data stored in advance in a memory 51 such as a ROM or a RAM. 56 and the operation reception unit 57 are controlled in an integrated manner.

  The Bendmek height acquisition unit 53 is connected to the position detection sensor 41. When the position detection sensor 41 detects the product C or the lower pedal 32, the Bendmek height acquisition unit 53 converts the signal into a signal and transmits the signal to the main control unit 52. It is.

  The product detection acquisition unit 54 is connected to the product detection sensor 42. When the product detection sensor 42 detects the product C, the product detection acquisition unit 54 converts that into a signal and transmits it to the main control unit 52.

  The bend mech height setting unit 55 detects the product C through the product detection / acquisition unit 54 and the product C that has been put into the product passage 17 based on the product height when the product is stored in the memory 51 in a lying position. The bend mech 23 is set to move downward so as to increase the commodity storage area described later according to the number of items.

  The drive command unit 56 is connected to the motor M, and moves the bend mech 23 upward or downward by driving the motor M based on a command from the main control unit 52.

  The operation reception unit 57 is connected to the operation unit CO. When there is an input to the operation unit CO, the operation reception unit 57 converts the input content into a signal and transmits the signal to the main control unit 52. The operation unit CO is, for example, a remote controller provided in the product storage rack 14.

  The product C is stored in the product storage rack 14 applied to the vending machine as described above as follows. Here, the control of the storage area increasing means 35 by the control means 50 will be mainly described. Moreover, in the following description, as shown in FIG. 7, it is assumed that there is no product C in the product storage rack 14.

  First, the operator opens the main door 11 and then inputs that the product C is to be stored in the operation unit CO.

  When there is an input to store the product C in the operation unit CO, the operation receiving unit 57 converts the signal to store the product C into a signal and transmits it to the main control unit 52.

  When the main control unit 52 receives a signal to store the product C, the main control unit 52 transmits a command to the motor M to move the bend mech 23 upward via the drive command unit 56.

  The motor M is driven by receiving a command to move the bend mech 23 upward. In FIG. 7, the motor M rotates the rotating roller 38 counterclockwise, thereby rotating the rotating roller 37 and the belt 40 counterclockwise. Thus, the bend mech 23 located at the bottom of the merchandise passage 17 is moved upward.

  When the bend mech 23 moves upward and the position detection sensor 41 detects the lower pedal 32 as shown in FIG. 8, the bend mech height acquisition unit 53 signals that the position detection sensor 41 has detected the lower pedal 32. To the main control unit 52.

  When the main control unit 52 receives a signal indicating that the position detection sensor 41 has detected the lower pedal 32, the main control unit 52 transmits a command to the motor M to stop the bend mech 23 via the drive command unit 56.

  The motor M stops driving by receiving a command to stop the bend mech 23, and stops the bend mech 23 at the upper part of the commodity passage 17. Thus, when the bend mech 23 is arranged on the upper part of the product passage 17, a product storage area 60 in which one product C can be stored is formed on the upper part of the product passage 17.

  After this state, the operator inputs the product C from the input port 16a. The thrown commodity C moves while rolling or sliding on the top tray 16 by the action of gravity, and is conveyed to the upper part of the commodity passage 17. In addition, when the product C is inserted into the insertion port 16a, the product detection sensor 42 detects the product C, and the product detection acquisition unit 54 converts the detection of the product C by the product detection sensor 42 into a signal. It transmits to the main control part 52.

  When there is a transmission that the commodity detection sensor 42 has detected the commodity C, the main control section 52 transmits that fact to the bend mech height setting section 55.

  The bendmech height setting unit 55 detects that the product C has been detected through the product detection acquisition unit 54 when the main control unit transmits a detection that the product C has been detected, and the lying posture stored in the memory 51 in advance. The bend mech 23 is set to move downward by a height corresponding to one of the products C depending on the product height in the case of the above.

  Based on the setting of the bend mech height setting unit 55, the main control unit 52 instructs the motor M to move the bend mech 23 downward by a height corresponding to one of the products C via the drive command unit 56. Send.

  When the motor M receives a command to move the bend mech 23 downward by a height corresponding to one product C, as shown in FIG. 9, the motor M drives the bend mech 23 for one product. Move downward by a height corresponding to. Thus, when the bend mech 23 is moved downward by a height corresponding to one product, a product storage area 60 in which two products C can be stored is formed in the product passage 17.

  Similarly, the worker inputs the product C into the input port 16a. Then, the product storage rack 14 moves the bend mech 23 downward according to the number of products C put into the product passage 17, thereby increasing the product storage area 60.

  When the worker finishes putting the product C into the product storage rack 14, the operator inputs that fact to the operation unit CO.

  When the operation unit CO receives an input to end the insertion of the product C, the operation accepting unit 57 converts the input of the product C to be finished into a signal and transmits the signal to the main control unit 52.

  When the main control unit 52 receives a command to end the introduction of the product C, the main control unit 52 transmits a command to the motor M to move the bend mech 23 downward via the drive command unit 56.

  When receiving an instruction to move the bend mech 23 downward, the motor M is driven to rotate the rotating roller 38 clockwise in FIG. 9, thereby rotating the rotating roller 37 and the belt 40 clockwise. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the bend mech 23 in the middle of the product passage 17 is moved to the lower part of the product passage 17.

  Thereafter, the operator closes the main door 11 and finishes storing the product C.

  In the above-described example, the case where the product C is stored in the product storage rack 14 has been described as having no product C in the product storage rack 14. If there is a product C in the product storage rack 14, the bend mech 23 moves upward and the position detection sensor 41 detects the product C at the uppermost position. Based on the detection, the bend mech height acquisition unit 53 Then, a signal indicating that the product C has been detected is transmitted to the main control unit 52. The main control unit 52 transmits a command to the motor M to stop the bend mech 23 via the drive command unit 56.

  According to the product storage rack 14 of this embodiment, since the storage area increasing means 35 for increasing the product storage area 60 according to the number of products C put into the product path 17 is provided, the product C is placed in the product path 17. In the case of storing, the introduced product C can be arranged in the upper part of the product passage 17. Accordingly, since it is not necessary to transport the product C to the lower part of the product passage 17, it is possible to reduce the change in the attitude of the product C during the transportation, and to reduce the possibility that the product C is clogged in the product passage 17. can do. Moreover, since the introduced product C can be arranged at the top of the product passage 17, even if the product C introduced in a lying position is standing at the top of the product passage 17, the product C is corrected to a lying posture. can do.

  In the above-described embodiment, the storage area increasing means 35 has been described as including the two sets of rotating rollers 37 and 38, the belt 40, the position detection sensor 41, and the product detection sensor 42. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and instead of the storage area increasing means 35 having two sets of rotating rollers 37 and 38, a belt 40, a position detection sensor 41, and a product detection sensor 42, a posture of lying down by the weight of one product. By providing an elastic member extending a distance corresponding to the product height in the case of the bend between the bend mech 23 and the top plate 12d of the product storage case 12 shown in FIG. The bend mech 23 may be moved downward according to the number.

  Further, in the above-described example, the one in which the bend mech 23 including the lower pedal 32 and the upper pedal 33 is provided in one passage constituent member has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the lower pedal 32 is provided in one passage constituent member. The bend mech 23 having the upper pedal 33 may be provided on the other passage constituting member, or the bend mech 23 having the lower pedal 32 provided on the other passage constituting member. Also good.

It is a perspective view which shows the state which open | released the inside of the vending machine to which the goods storage rack concerning this invention is applied. It is a cross-sectional side view of the vending machine. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the bend mec with which the vending machine is provided. It is explanatory drawing which shows the effect | action of the bendmec. It is explanatory drawing which shows the effect | action of the bendmec. It is explanatory drawing which shows the control means with which the goods storage rack is provided. It is explanatory drawing which shows the case where goods are stored in the goods storage rack. It is explanatory drawing which shows the case where goods are stored in the goods storage rack. It is explanatory drawing which shows the case where goods are stored in the goods storage rack. It is explanatory drawing which shows the case where goods are stored in the goods storage rack.

Explanation of symbols

14 Product Storage Rack 17 Product Passage 23 Bendmek (Product Delivery Mechanism)
35 Storage area increasing means 60 Product storage area

Claims (2)

In a product storage rack configured to provide a product passage for storing products along the vertical direction and a product storage area configured above the product passage, and to pay out products at the lowest position of the product passage,
A product storage rack comprising storage area increasing means for increasing the product storage area in accordance with the number of products put into the product passage. A product delivery mechanism for delivering the product at the lowest position of the product passage,
The commodity storage rack according to claim 1, wherein the storage area increasing means is configured in such a manner that the commodity dispensing mechanism is moved in the vertical direction.

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