JP7571489B2 - Product dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a product dispensing device, and more specifically, to a product dispensing device that is applied to a vending machine that sells products such as beverages in containers such as cans or PET bottles, and that appropriately dispenses products stored in a product storage passage.

Conventionally, in vending machines that sell products such as beverages in containers such as cans or plastic bottles, a product storage rack is provided in a product storage compartment inside the main body cabinet, which is the main body of the vending machine. The product storage rack has a product storage passage that extends in the vertical direction and a product discharge device disposed below the product storage passage.

The product storage passage is for storing products vertically in a horizontal position, and its left-right width is slightly larger than the vertical dimension of products contained in containers such as 500 mL PET bottles (hereinafter also referred to as long-sized products). This product storage passage is capable of storing long-sized products vertically in a horizontal position.

The product storage aisle is also equipped with a partition that divides it into left and right sections, making it possible to store products in containers such as 170 mL plastic bottles, i.e. products that are half the length of long-size products (hereinafter also referred to as half-size products), in two rows, one above the other, in a horizontal position.

The product discharge device is equipped with two sets of lower and upper pedals to accommodate half-size products. These lower and upper pedals are each installed in a manner that allows them to move forward and backward as appropriate relative to the product storage passage.

In such a product discharge device, in the standby state, the upper pedal is in a state of moving backward from the product storage passage, while the lower pedal is in a state of moving forward into the product storage passage. This causes the lower pedal to abut against the lowest product stored in the product storage passage, thereby holding the product stored in the product storage passage.

On the other hand, in the product discharge device, when a discharge command is given, a driving force is applied from the drive source, causing the upper pedal to move forward into the product storage passage and the lower pedal to move backward from the product storage passage.

When the upper pedal moves forward into the product storage passage, it comes into contact with the second-lowest product, restricting that product and any products stored above it from moving downward. When the lower pedal moves backward out of the product storage passage, the lowest product is carried downward. After the lowest product is carried out, the product carrying device returns to a standby state and holds the product.

In the above-mentioned product discharge device, when long-size products are stored in the product storage passage, the two sets of lower and upper pedals are driven synchronously to discharge the lowest long-size product downward, and when half-size products are stored in the product storage passage, the two sets of lower and upper pedals are driven individually to discharge the lowest half-size product downward (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2017-102794 A

In a vending machine, the product storage passages are arranged adjacent to each other in the front and rear, so the product discharge devices arranged at the bottom of the adjacent product storage passages are placed back-to-back to each other to form a product dispensing device. Therefore, the product dispensing device requires a number of drive sources according to the number of product discharge devices.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a product dispensing device that can reduce the number of drive sources relative to the number of product discharge devices, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

In order to achieve the above object, the product dispensing device of the present invention is applied to a first product storage passage capable of storing long-size products vertically in a horizontal position while storing half-size products vertically in two rows, one on the left and one on the right, and is provided with a first product dispensing device having two sets of pedal units that move forward and backward into the first product storage passage to hold or dispense the products in response to the half-size products; and a second product storage passage adjacent to the first product storage passage in the front and rear, capable of storing long-size products vertically in a horizontal position while storing half-size products vertically in two rows, one on the left and one on the right, A product dispensing device that is applied to a storage passageway and can be combined back-to-back with a second product dispensing device having two sets of pedal units that move forward and backward into the second product storage passageway to hold or dispense products corresponding to the half-size products, and is characterized by having a common drive source for the first product dispensing device and the second product dispensing device, and a drive force applying means that, when a dispensing command is given, alternatively selects the first product dispensing device or the second product dispensing device in response to the dispensing command, applies a drive force from the drive source, and drives the two sets of pedal units synchronously or individually.

The present invention is also characterized in that in the above-mentioned product dispensing device, the driving force applying means comprises output gears each of which is arranged to be rotatable in both forward and reverse directions around its own central axis in correspondence with the pedal unit, and which are formed with individual cam portions for individually driving only the corresponding pedal unit, and common cam portions for synchronously driving the pedal unit together with other pedal units paired with the pedal unit, and link levers each of which is arranged to be rotatable around its own central axis in correspondence with the output gear, which normally allows the corresponding output gear to rotate in the reverse direction, but which rotate when in contact with the individual cam portion or common cam portion of the output gear rotating in the forward direction, thereby individually driving or synchronously driving the pedal unit corresponding to the output gear.

The present invention is also characterized in that in the above-mentioned product dispensing device, the drive source is a DC motor.

According to the present invention, a common drive source is provided for the first product discharge device and the second product discharge device, and when a dispensing command is given, the drive force applying means alternatively selects either the first product discharge device or the second product discharge device in response to the dispensing command and applies drive force from the drive source to drive the two sets of pedal units synchronously or individually, thereby achieving the effect of reducing the number of drive sources relative to the number of product discharge devices and reducing manufacturing costs.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view showing the internal structure of a vending machine to which a product dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, as viewed from the right side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the product dispensing device shown in FIG. 1, that is, a product dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the product dispensing device shown in FIG. 1, that is, a product dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the internal structure of the product dispensing device shown in FIG. 1, that is, the product dispensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the rear. FIG. 5 is a front view of the internal structure of the product dispensing device shown in FIG. 1, that is, the product dispensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram that illustrates a schematic diagram of one pedal unit provided in the first product discharge device. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram that illustrates a schematic diagram of one pedal unit provided in the first product discharge device. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram that illustrates a schematic diagram of one pedal unit provided in the first product discharge device. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the drive unit shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the drive unit shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the drive unit. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the drive unit. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the drive unit. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the drive unit. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the drive unit. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the drive unit. FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the drive unit.

The following describes in detail a preferred embodiment of the product dispensing device according to the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view showing the internal structure of a vending machine to which a product dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, as seen from the right side. The vending machine shown here sells products in a cooled or heated state, and is configured with a main cabinet 1, an outer door 2, and an inner door 3.

The main cabinet 1 is formed in a rectangular shape with an opening at the front by appropriately combining multiple steel plates, and has a thermally insulated product storage 4 inside. The outer door 2 is for covering the front opening of the main cabinet 1, and is arranged on one side edge of the main cabinet 1 so as to be openable and closable. The front of the outer door 2 is provided with items necessary for selling products, such as a display window, product selection button, bill insertion port, coin insertion port, return lever, integrated display, coin return port, product removal port 2a, etc. The inner door 3 is an insulated door divided into upper and lower parts for covering the front opening of the product storage 4, and the upper insulated door 3a is arranged on one side edge of the outer door 2 so as to be openable and closable at a position inside the outer door 2, and the lower insulated door 3b is arranged on one side edge of the main cabinet 1 so as to be openable and closable. The lower part of the lower insulated door 3b of the inner door 3 is provided with a product removal port 3c for removing products from the product storage 4.

In addition, the vending machine has a chute 5 inside the product storage 4, and a temperature control unit 6 is disposed in the area below the chute 5 (hereinafter also referred to as the "heat exchange area"), while a product storage rack 10 is disposed in the area above the chute 5 (hereinafter also referred to as the "product storage area").

The chute 5 is a plate-shaped member for guiding products removed from the product storage rack 10 to the product outlet 3c of the inner door 3, and is arranged so that it gradually slopes downward toward the front. Although not shown in the figure, the chute 5 has many ventilation holes (not shown) that connect the heat exchange area and the product storage area.

The temperature control unit 6 is for maintaining the internal atmosphere of the product storage 4 at a desired temperature, and is configured with an evaporator 6a, heater 6b, and blower fan 6c of the refrigeration cycle. In this temperature control unit 6, for example, when the blower fan 6c is driven while the refrigeration cycle is in operation, the air cooled in the evaporator 6a is sent upward through the ventilation holes of the chute 5, so that the product storage area can be maintained at a low temperature. On the other hand, when the blower fan 6c is driven while the heater 6b is energized, the air heated by the heater 6b is sent upward through the ventilation holes of the chute 5, so that the product storage area can be maintained at a high temperature. The compressor, condenser, and expansion valve of the refrigeration cycle are all arranged in the machine room 7 outside the product storage 4, although they are not shown in the figure.

The above-mentioned product storage rack 10 is arranged in three rows from front to back, and has a plurality of product storage passages 13 (two in the illustrated example) that are arranged in a serpentine shape along the vertical direction by arranging passage components 12 between a pair of base side plates 11, and a plurality of products are stored in a horizontal position along the vertical direction inside these product storage passages 13. To explain in more detail, the passage components 12 are appropriately arranged so as to face each other on the front side and the rear side of the product storage passage 13, and are fixed to the base side plate 11. As a result, in each product storage rack 10, two product storage passages 13 are provided adjacent to each other in the front and rear directions. In the following, in one product storage rack 10, the product storage passage 13 on the front side will also be referred to as the first product storage passage 13a, and the product storage passage 13 on the rear side will also be referred to as the second product storage passage 13b.

The left-right width of the first product storage passage 13a and the second product storage passage 13b is slightly larger than the vertical dimension of products (hereinafter also referred to as long-sized products) contained in containers such as 500 mL PET bottles. These first product storage passage 13a and second product storage passage 13b are capable of storing long-sized products in a horizontal position, one above the other.

The first product storage passage 13a and the second product storage passage 13b are also provided with a partition plate (not shown) that divides them into left and right sections, making it possible to store products in containers such as 170 mL plastic bottles, i.e. products that are half the length of long-size products (hereinafter also referred to as half-size products), in a horizontal position in two rows, one above the other.

The passage component 12 is provided with a flapper (not shown in the figure). The flapper is arranged to be swingable on the passage component 12 in a manner that allows it to move toward and away from the product storage passage 13. This flapper is biased by a coil spring (not shown) and is normally in a position where it has advanced into the product storage passage 13. When the flapper comes into contact with a product passing through the product storage passage 13, it moves backward against the biasing force of the coil spring along the serpentine product storage passage 13, correcting the position of the product.

In the above-mentioned product storage rack 10, a top tray 14 is provided at the top of the product storage passage 13, while a product dispensing device 20 is provided at the bottom of the product storage passage 13.

The top tray 14 is made by bending a flat metal plate and is disposed between the base side panels 11 in such a way that it gradually slopes downward from the front to the rear. The upper surface of this top tray 14 forms a product guide passage 15 that guides products inserted through the insertion opening to the product storage passage 13.

Figures 2 to 5 each show the product dispensing device 20 shown in Figure 1, i.e., a product dispensing device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, with Figures 2 and 3 being perspective views, Figure 4 being a rear view of the internal structure as seen from the rear, and Figure 5 being a front view of the internal structure as seen from the front.

As shown in these Figures 2 to 5, the product dispensing device 20 is equipped with a first product discharge device 20a, a second product discharge device 20b, and a drive unit 40. The first product discharge device 20a and the second product discharge device 20b are fitted back to back together and house the drive unit 40 inside.

The first product discharge device 20a is applied to the first product storage passage 13a and is installed at the bottom of the first product storage passage 13a. The first product discharge device 20a controls the behavior of the products between the opposing passage width regulation plate 16, so that in a standby state it holds the products in the first product storage passage 13a, but when driven it functions to discharge the corresponding products one by one to the chute 5. Two pedal units 30 are provided on the base 21 in a left-right pair.

The second product discharge device 20b is applied to the second product storage passage 13b and is installed at the bottom of the second product storage passage 13b. The second product discharge device 20b controls the behavior of the products between the opposing passage width regulation plate 17, thereby holding the products in the second product storage passage 13b in a standby state, and discharging the corresponding products one by one to the chute 5 when driven. Two sets of pedal units 30 are provided on the base 22 in a left-right pair. The first product discharge device 20a and the second product discharge device 20b are conventionally known as shown in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, so their configurations will be briefly described.

Two sets of pedal units 30 are provided on the bases 21 and 22, each corresponding to a half-size product, and are spaced apart from each other to the left and right. Since these pedal units 30 all have a common configuration, the following describes the configuration of one pedal unit 30 provided on the first product delivery device 20a, and the description of the other pedal units 30 is omitted.

Figures 6 to 8 are explanatory diagrams that show a schematic diagram of one pedal unit 30 provided in the first product discharge device 20a. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the pedal unit 30 is configured with a lower pedal 31 and an upper pedal 32.

The lower pedal 31 is a plate-shaped member, and is arranged so that it can swing around the central axis of the first swing support shaft 31a by inserting the first swing support shaft 31a into the base end. The first swing support shaft 31a is mounted on the base 21 so as to extend in a substantially horizontal direction.

The tip of the lower pedal 31 extends radially outward from the first swing support shaft 31a, and when it swings around the central axis of the first swing support shaft 31a, it can move toward and away from the first product storage passage 13a through an opening formed in the base 21. In other words, the lower pedal 31 is swingably provided in a manner that allows it to move toward and away from the first product storage passage 13a.

A lower pedal spring 31b is interposed between the lower pedal 31 and the base 21. The lower pedal spring 31b constantly biases the lower pedal 31 in the direction of advancing and moving it toward the first product storage passage 13a. To explain in more detail, the lower pedal spring 31b causes the lower pedal 31 to be in a standby position (hereinafter also referred to as a product-free standby position) so that the tip of the lower pedal 31 is located above the first swing support shaft 31a as shown in FIG. 6. When a product is placed on the upper surface of the lower pedal 31, the lower pedal spring 31b causes the lower pedal 31 to be in a standby position (hereinafter also referred to as a product-present standby position) so that the tip of the lower pedal 31 is located at the same height level as the first swing support shaft 31a as shown in FIG. 7. As a result, when the lower pedal 31 is in a product-free standby position, the tip of the lower pedal 31 is located higher than when it is in a product-present standby position.

The lower pedal 31 includes a plate-shaped pedal body 311 and a pair of guides 312. The pair of guides 312 are provided on the rear side of the pedal body 311. Each guide 312 is a plate-shaped member extending in the vertical direction and is formed to face each other. A guide groove 313 is formed on the opposing surfaces of each guide 312.

The guide groove 313 is provided with an insertion portion 313a which is located at the lowest position when the lower pedal 31 is positioned at the most advanced position relative to the first product storage passage 13a (as shown in FIG. 6) and into which the pedal operating shaft 361 of the rotation stopper 36 described later is inserted, and a contact portion 313d which is located at the highest position when the lower pedal 31 is positioned at the most retracted position relative to the first product storage passage 13a (as shown in FIG. 8) and into which the pedal operating shaft 361 of the rotation stopper 36 abuts, as well as a first guide portion 313b and a second guide portion 313c which connect the insertion portion 313a and the contact portion 313d so that they are continuous.

The first guide portion 313b is formed in the guide portion 312 in such a manner that, when the lower pedal 31 is positioned in the most advanced position (advanced position) relative to the first product storage passage 13a, it inclines diagonally upward from the insertion portion 313a so as to move away from the base 21, and then inclines diagonally upward so as to approach the base 21, reaching the abutment portion 313d.

The second guide portion 313c is formed in the guide portion 312 in such a manner that, when the lower pedal 31 is positioned in the most advanced position (advanced position) relative to the first product storage passage 13a, it slopes diagonally downward from the abutment portion 313d toward the base 21 and reaches the insertion portion 313a.

The radial length of the lower pedal 31 from the first swing support shaft 31a is set to a length that allows a gap smaller than the maximum width of the smallest product to be secured between the lower pedal 31 and the passage width regulation plate 16 when the pedal is in the most advanced position (advanced position) relative to the first product storage passage 13a.

The upper pedal 32 is a plate-shaped member, and is arranged on the base 21 in such a manner that the second swing support shaft 32a is inserted into the base end of the upper pedal 32, allowing it to swing around the central axis of the second swing support shaft 32a. The second swing support shaft 32a is arranged on the base 21 in such a manner that it extends in a substantially horizontal direction in an area above the first swing support shaft 31a.

The tip of the upper pedal 32 extends radially outward from the second swing support shaft 32a, and when it swings around the central axis of the second swing support shaft 32a, it can move forward and backward through the opening of the base 21 into the first product storage passage 13a. In other words, the upper pedal 32 is arranged to be swingable so as to move forward and backward relative to the first product storage passage 13a.

An upper pedal spring (not shown) is interposed between the upper pedal 32 and the base 21. The upper pedal spring constantly biases the upper pedal 32 in the direction in which it moves backward relative to the first product storage passage 13a.

The upper pedal 32 is provided with a pressing inclined surface 321, a recess 322, a stopper abutment portion 323, and a protrusion 324. The pressing inclined surface 321 is provided at the tip of the upper pedal 32, and is a curved inclined surface formed in such a manner that it gradually becomes lower toward the first product storage passage 13a when the upper pedal 32 is moved backward relative to the first product storage passage 13a. The recess 322 is provided on the rear side of the upper pedal 32, and is a single recess extending in a substantially horizontal direction formed in such a manner that it opens on both side surfaces of the upper pedal 32. The stopper abutment portion 323 is a portion that is abutted by a stopper pin 34a described later, and is provided on the rear side of the upper pedal 32 in such a manner that it is inclined above the recess 322.

The protrusion 324 is provided at the base end of the upper pedal 32 so as to protrude toward the first product storage passage 13a.

The upper pedal 32 is biased by the biasing force of the upper pedal spring so as to move backward into the first product storage passage 13a, but the initial position is set in a backward state relative to the first product storage passage 13a when the stopper pin 34a abuts against the recess 322.

When the upper pedal 32 is in the most advanced position (advanced position) relative to the first product storage passage 13a (as shown in FIG. 8), it is tilted forward with respect to a vertical plane passing through the second swing support shaft 32a. The radially outward length of the upper pedal 32 from the second swing support shaft 32a is set to a length that allows a gap smaller than the maximum width of the smallest product to be secured between the upper pedal 32 and the passage width defining plate 16 in the forward tilted state described above.

A stopper pin 34a, a pedal stopper pin 34b, and a stopper shaft 34c are mounted on the base 21.

The stopper pin 34a is a shaft-shaped member arranged along a substantially horizontal direction. This stopper pin 34a is connected to the pedal link 35, which will be described later, and can move vertically in conjunction with the vertical movement of the pedal link 35. In addition, the stopper pin 34a abuts against the recess 322 of the upper pedal 32 in the initial position.

The pedal stopper pin 34b is a shaft-shaped member arranged along a substantially horizontal direction. This pedal stopper pin 34b is connected to the pedal link 35, and can move along the vertical direction in conjunction with the vertical movement of the pedal link 35.

The stopper shaft 34c is a shaft-shaped member arranged along a substantially horizontal direction. The stopper shaft 34c supports the rotation stopper 36 at its middle portion. The rotation stopper 36 is arranged so that the stopper shaft 34c is inserted into an insertion hole at the base end and can swing around the central axis of the stopper shaft 34c.

The tip of the pivot stopper 36 extends radially outward from the stopper shaft 34c, and can move toward and away from the first product storage passage 13a when it swings around the central axis of the stopper shaft 34c.

This rotation stopper 36 has a pedal operating shaft 361 that passes through a through hole 36a at the tip. The pedal operating shaft 361 is a shaft-shaped member that is arranged in a substantially horizontal direction, and both ends of the pedal operating shaft 361 are fitted into the guide groove 313 of the lower pedal 31.

A pedal operating spring (not shown) is interposed between the rotation stopper 36 and the base 21. The pedal operating spring constantly biases the rotation stopper 36 in a direction to move it forward toward the first product storage passage 13a.

The rotation stopper 36 is biased by the pedal operating spring in the direction of advancing toward the first product storage passage 13a, and the pedal stopper pin 34b enters the recess 36b of the rotation stopper 36 and abuts against the pedal stopper pin 34b, restricting movement in the direction of retreating, and an initial position is set in the state where the rotation stopper 36 advances toward the first product storage passage 13a. In addition, because the lower pedal 31 is biased by the lower pedal spring 31b, both ends of the pedal operating shaft 361 of the rotation stopper 36 are positioned in the fitting portion 313a of the guide groove 313, and the initial position is set to the position where the lower pedal 31 advances toward the first product storage passage 13a.

The rotation stopper 36 is provided with a flat cover portion 36c that extends upward on its rear side, i.e., on the rear side of the recess 36b. This cover portion 36c covers the portion of the pedal stopper pin 34b opposite the first product storage passage 13a.

The pedal link 35 is a long plate-like member that extends in the vertical direction, and its upper portion is bent forward and then extends upward. The upper portion of this pedal link 35 is provided with a contact piece 351 that extends backward and then diagonally upward. A link spring 35a (see FIG. 4, etc.) is interposed between this pedal link 35 and the base 21. This link spring 35a constantly biases the pedal link 35 downward.

When the pedal link 35 is biased downward by the link spring 35a, the recess 322 of the upper pedal 32, which is positioned in the retracted position, abuts against the stopper pin 34a. Moreover, the rotation stopper 36, which is positioned in the advanced position, abuts against the pedal stopper pin 34b, restricting the retraction movement of the rotation stopper 36. In addition, the pedal operating shaft 361 of the rotation stopper 36, which is positioned in the advanced position, is fitted into the fitting portion 313a of the lower pedal 31, thereby restricting the retraction movement of the lower pedal 31, which is positioned in the advanced position.

In contrast, when the pedal link 35 is positioned upward against the biasing force of the link spring 35a, as shown in FIG. 8, the stopper abutment portion 323 of the upper pedal 32 abuts against the stopper pin 34a, restricting the backward movement of the upper pedal 32, and the upper pedal 32 moves forward against the biasing force of the upper pedal spring and is positioned in the forward position.

Meanwhile, the restriction on the retraction movement of the rotation stopper 36 by the pedal stopper pin 34b is released, and therefore the restriction on the retraction movement of the rotation stopper 36 is released around the stopper shaft 34c. Here, the weight of the product abutting the lower pedal 31, which is maintained in the advanced position by the rotation stopper 36, is applied to the rotation stopper 36, and the restriction on the retraction movement of the rotation stopper 36 is released, and the rotation stopper 36 starts to move backward. When the retraction movement of the rotation stopper 36 starts, the pedal operating shaft 361 comes out of the fitting portion 313a of the lower pedal 31, and the lower pedal 31 is allowed to move backward around the first swing support shaft 31a, and moves backward against the elastic force of the lower pedal spring 31b due to the weight of the product.

In this way, in the pedal unit 30, when the pedal link 35 is positioned downward, the lower pedal 31 moves forward into the first product storage passage 13a and holds the product in the first product storage passage 13a, and when the pedal link 35 is positioned upward against the biasing force of the link spring 35a, the upper pedal 32 moves forward into the first product storage passage 13a, preventing the second-lowest product from being displaced downward, while the lower pedal 31 moves backward from the first product storage passage 13a to carry the lowest product downward.

Figures 9 and 10 are exploded perspective views showing the configuration of the drive unit 40 shown in Figure 5. The drive unit 40 is stored in a storage space formed by combining a resin front cover 40F and a rear cover 40B, and is configured with a motor 41, an output gear 43, a carrier switch 45, and a link lever 47. The front cover 40F is attached to the base 21 of the first product discharge device 20a, and the rear cover 40B is attached to the base 22 of the second product discharge device 20b, so that the drive unit 40 is stored between the first product discharge device 20a and the second product discharge device 20b.

The motor 41 is a drive source, and is a DC motor that can rotate forward and backward and is driven in response to commands given from a control unit (not shown). The motor 41 is disposed in a state where it is held by a motor holding portion 41a that is composed of a front cover 40F and a rear cover 40B.

There are four output gears 43, each of which is disk-shaped. A gear portion 431 consisting of multiple teeth is formed on the circumferential surface of each output gear 43. A shaft portion 432 protruding in the front-rear direction is formed in the center of the output gear 43, and this shaft portion 432 is inserted into the shaft support recesses 43a of the front cover 40F and the rear cover 40B, so that the output gear 43 is stored in a manner that allows it to rotate around its own central axis. These output gears 43 are linked to the motor 41 via multiple linking gears 42, and rotate around their own central axis when driven by the motor 41.

Each of these output gears 43 corresponds to a pedal unit 30, with the rightmost output gear 43 corresponding to the right pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a, the third output gear 43 from the right corresponding to the left pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a, the second output gear 43 from the right corresponding to the right pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b, and the leftmost output gear 43 corresponding to the left pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b. In other words, the rightmost output gear 43 and the third output gear 43 from the right correspond to the pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a, and the second rightmost output gear 43 and the leftmost output gear 43 correspond to the pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b.

The output gear 43 has a pressure piece 433 formed on the front surface and a common cam portion 434 and an individual cam portion 435 formed on the rear surface.

The pressing piece 433 is generally V-shaped and is formed on the front surface so that it protrudes forward. The rotation angle position at which the pressing piece 433 is formed is the same for each output gear 43.

The common cam portion 434 and the individual cam portion 435 each have an arc shape and are formed in a manner that protrudes toward the rear. The common cam portion 434 and the individual cam portion 435 are formed so that the length of the arc is large enough to maintain the pedal link 35 in its upward position after it has been moved upward.

The rightmost output gear 43 and the third rightmost output gear 43 corresponding to the pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a have the same rotation angle position at which the common cam portion 434 is formed. Also, the rotation angle positions at which the individual cam portion 435 is formed are different from each other.

On the other hand, in the second output gear 43 from the right and the leftmost output gear 43 corresponding to the pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b, the common cam portion 434 and the individual cam portion 435 formed on the output gear 43 (the rightmost output gear 43 and the third output gear 43 from the right) corresponding to the pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a are formed at different rotational angle positions, and while the rotational angle positions at which the common cam portions 434 are formed match each other, the rotational angle positions at which the individual cam portions 435 are formed are different.

In other words, the rotational angle positions at which the individual cam portions 435 are formed are not the same for the four output gears 43, but the rotational angle positions at which the common cam portions 434 are formed for the output gears 43 corresponding to the pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a are the same, and the rotational angle positions at which the common cam portions 434 are formed for the output gears 43 corresponding to the pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b are the same.

The carrier switch 45 is a so-called push-type switch, and is equipped with a contact 45a. This carrier switch 45 is stored slightly above the area in which the leftmost output gear 43 is disposed. This carrier switch 45 turns on when the contact 45a is pressed by the pressure piece 433 of the leftmost output gear 43, and sends an on signal to that effect to the control unit. On the other hand, when the contact 45a is not pressed by the leftmost pressure piece 433, the carrier switch 45 turns off, and sends an off signal to that effect to the control unit.

There are four link levers 47, each stored diagonally below and to the left of the output gear 43.

The link lever 47 is formed, for example, from a resin material, and has a through hole 471a formed in the base end 471. The link lever 47 has a hook-shaped tip 472 that extends diagonally downward to the left from the base end 471 and then curves diagonally upward to the left. In addition, a locking portion 473 is provided on the base end 471 of the link lever 47. The locking portion 473 is a plate-shaped elastic member that is elastically deformable and extends downward from the right end of the base end 471.

Such a link lever 47 is arranged so as to be rotatable around the central axis of the link shaft 47a by inserting the link shaft 47a provided on the front cover 40F into the through hole 471a of the base end 471. In this case, the link lever 47 passes through the lever opening 46 formed by the front cover 40F and the rear cover 40B, and the tip 472 is located outside the front cover 40F and the rear cover 40B, and is arranged in the lower area of the abutment piece 351 of the pedal link 35. In more detail, the link lever 47 stored diagonally below the left of the rightmost output gear 43 has a tip located in the lower area of the abutment piece 351 of the pedal link 35 constituting the right pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a, and the link lever 47 stored diagonally below the left of the third output gear 43 from the right has a tip located in the lower area of the abutment piece 351 of the pedal link 35 constituting the left pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a. In addition, the link lever 47 stored diagonally below and to the left of the second output gear 43 from the right has a tip located below the abutment piece 351 of the pedal link 35 that constitutes the right pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b, and the link lever 47 stored diagonally below and to the left of the leftmost output gear 43 has a tip located below the abutment piece 351 of the pedal link 35 that constitutes the left pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b (see FIG. 5, etc.).

The normal position of these link levers 47 is determined by the engagement portion 473 abutting against the right edge 461 of the lever opening 46.

In the product dispensing device 20 having the above-mentioned configuration, the standby state is as follows. In the drive unit 40, the pressing piece 433 of each output gear 43 is located at the topmost position, and the pressing piece 433 of the leftmost output gear 43 presses the contact 45a of the carrier switch 45, turning the carrier switch 45 on. In this standby state, the cam portions (common cam portion 434 and individual cam portion 435) of none of the output gears 43 are in contact with the base end portion 471 of the link lever 47, and the tip portion 472 of the link lever 47 is in a position spaced downward from the abutment piece 351 of the corresponding pedal link 35.

When long-sized products are stored in the first product storage passage 13a and the second product storage passage 13b, the lowest long-sized product is placed so as to straddle the lower pedals 31 of the two pedal units 30, and each lower pedal 31 is in a product-present standby position.

When a command is given to dispense a long-sized product stored in the first product storage passage 13a, the product dispensing device 20 operates as follows.

The motor 41 is driven in reverse rotation to rotate (reversely rotate) each output gear 43 clockwise as viewed from the front (counterclockwise as viewed from the rear). Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the reverse rotation of the motor 41 is stopped at the timing when the end of the common cam portion 434 of the output gear 43 (the rightmost output gear 43 and the third output gear 43 from the right) corresponding to the pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a comes into contact with the upper surface of the base end portion 471 of the corresponding link lever 47.

The reverse rotation of the motor 41 rotates the output gear 43 counterclockwise when viewed from the rear, causing some of the cam portions of the output gear 43 (the common cam portion 434 and the individual cam portion 435) to come into contact with the underside of the base end portion 471 of the link lever 47. In this case, the link lever 47 is restricted from rotating around its central axis because the locking portion 473 is in contact with the right edge portion 461 of the lever opening 46. Therefore, the locking portion 473 elastically deforms to allow the base end portion 471 to approach the locking portion 473, and does not impede the movement of the cam portions (the common cam portion 434 and the individual cam portion 435) caused by the rotation of the output gear 43.

Driving the motor 41 in the forward direction in the state shown in Figure 11 causes each output gear 43 to rotate (forward) counterclockwise as viewed from the front (clockwise as viewed from the rear). As a result, when the common cam portion 434 of the rightmost output gear 43 and the third rightmost output gear 43 abuts against the base end portion 471 of the corresponding link lever 47 from above, the corresponding link lever 47 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the rear, as shown in Figure 12. When these link levers 47 rotate counterclockwise, the tip portions 472 move upward. In this way, the tip end 472 moves upward, making contact with the abutment piece 351 of the pedal link 35 that constitutes each pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a, and the pedal link 35 can be moved upward a predetermined distance against the biasing force of the link spring 35a. Moreover, while the common cam portion 434 is in sliding contact with the base end 471, the pedal link 35 can be maintained in a state in which it has been moved upward a predetermined distance.

As the pedal link 35 moves upward, the stopper pin 34a moves upward while abutting against the edge wall of the recess 322 of the upper pedal 32, so that the upper pedal 32 moves forward from the initial position against the biasing force of the upper pedal spring. This forward movement of the upper pedal 32 is achieved by the upward movement of the stopper pin 34a. The stopper pin 34a then abuts against the stopper abutment portion 323, restricting the retraction of the upper pedal 32.

Then, the upper pedal 32, which has moved forward, comes into contact with the second-lowest long-sized product, preventing this long-sized product from moving downward.

Meanwhile, the rotation stopper 36 is loaded with the weight of a long-sized product abutting against the lower pedal 31, which is maintained in the advanced position, and the upward movement of the pedal stopper pin 34b releases the restriction on backward movement, causing the rotation stopper 36 to start moving backward.

When the rotation stopper 36 starts to move backward in this way, the pedal operating shaft 361 comes out of the fitting portion 313a, and the lower pedal 31 starts to move backward against the biasing force of the lower pedal spring 31b due to the weight of the long-size product. The pedal operating shaft 361 of the rotation stopper 36 that has come out of the fitting portion 313a moves along the first guide portion 313b toward the position where the first guide portion 313b and the second guide portion 313c intersect.

Then, the weight of the lowest long-sized product causes the lower pedal 31 to move backward, allowing the lowest long-sized product to move downward, and the lowest long-sized product can be removed downward (see FIG. 8). The removed long-sized product is guided to the product removal outlet 3c through the chute 5, and then becomes available for removal through the product removal outlet 2a.

When the lowest long-sized product passes through the lower pedal 31, the lower pedal 31 moves toward the advanced position due to the elastic force of the lower pedal spring 31b, and the rotation stopper 36 also moves toward the advanced position due to the elastic force of the pedal operating spring. When the lower pedal 31 and the rotation stopper 36 move toward the advanced position, the pedal operating shaft 361, which has been held at the position where the first guide portion 313b and the second guide portion 313c intersect, moves along the second guide portion 313c toward the insertion portion 313a, and the lower pedal 31 and the rotation stopper 36 return to the advanced position.

After that, when the common cam portion 434 and the base end portion 471 are released from contact, the pedal link 35 is biased by the link spring 35a and moves downward.

This downward movement of the pedal link 35 causes the stopper pin 34a to move downward, and the pedal stopper pin 34b to move downward. When the pedal stopper pin 34b moves downward, it abuts against the recess 36b on the back side of the rotation stopper 36, which has returned to the advanced position. This restricts movement in the backward movement direction, and the lower pedal 31 is returned to the product-free standby position in which it was advanced relative to the first product storage passage 13a by the biasing force of the lower pedal spring 31b.

Meanwhile, the upper pedal 32 is biased by the upper pedal spring and moves backward as the stopper pin 34a moves downward. This allows the second-lowest long-sized product to move downward, after which the long-sized product comes into contact with the lower pedal 31 that has moved forward and is restricted from moving downward, while the lower pedal 31 transitions to a product-present standby position and returns to the standby state.

Next, when a command is given to dispense a long-sized product stored in the second product storage passage 13b, the product dispensing device 20 operates as follows.

From the standby state, the motor 41 is driven in reverse rotation to rotate each output gear 43 clockwise as viewed from the front (counterclockwise as viewed from the rear). Then, the reverse rotation of the motor 41 is stopped at the timing when the end of the common cam portion 434 of the output gear 43 (the second output gear 43 from the right and the leftmost output gear 43) corresponding to the pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b comes into contact with the upper surface of the base end portion 471 of the corresponding link lever 47.

Then, the motor 41 is driven in a forward direction to rotate each output gear 43 counterclockwise as viewed from the front (clockwise as viewed from the rear). As a result, when the common cam portion 434 of the second right output gear 43 and the leftmost output gear 43 abuts against the base end portion 471 of the corresponding link lever 47 from above, the corresponding link lever 47 rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the rear, as shown in FIG. 13. When these link levers 47 rotate in a counterclockwise direction, the tip portion 472 moves upward. By moving the tip portion 472 upward in this manner, it abuts against the abutment piece 351 of the pedal link 35 constituting each pedal unit 30 of the second product discharge device 20b, and the pedal link 35 can be moved upward by a predetermined distance against the biasing force of the link spring 35a, and the pedal link 35 can be maintained in a state in which it has been moved upward by a predetermined distance while the common cam portion 434 is in sliding contact with the base end portion 471. This allows long-sized products to be dispensed in the same manner as the first product dispensing device 20a described above.

When half-size products are stored in the first product storage passage 13a, the lowest half-size product is placed on the lower pedal 31 of one pedal unit 30, and each lower pedal 31 is in a product-present standby position. When half-size products are stored in the first product storage passage 13a, a partition plate is provided in the first product storage passage 13a to divide it into left and right sections, as described above.

When a command is given to dispense a half-size product stored on the right side of the first product storage passage 13a, the product dispensing device 20 operates as follows.

From the standby state, the motor 41 is driven in reverse rotation to rotate each output gear 43 clockwise as viewed from the front (counterclockwise as viewed from the rear). Then, the reverse rotation of the motor 41 is stopped when the end of the individual cam portion 435 of the rightmost output gear 43 corresponding to the right pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a comes into contact with the upper surface of the base end portion 471 of the corresponding link lever 47.

Then, by driving the motor 41 in the forward direction, each output gear 43 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front (clockwise as viewed from the rear). As a result, when the individual cam portion 435 of the rightmost output gear 43 abuts against the base end portion 471 of the corresponding link lever 47 from above, the corresponding link lever 47 rotates in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the rear, as shown in FIG. 14. When this link lever 47 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the tip portion 472 moves upward. By moving the tip portion 472 upward in this manner, it abuts against the abutment piece 351 of the pedal link 35 constituting the right pedal unit 30 of the first product discharge device 20a, and the pedal link 35 can be moved upward by a predetermined distance against the biasing force of the link spring 35a, and the pedal link 35 can be maintained in a state in which it has been moved upward by a predetermined distance while the individual cam portion 435 is in sliding contact with the base end portion 471. This allows half-size products to be dispensed in the same way as the long-size products described above.

On the other hand, when a command to dispense a half-size product stored on the left side of the first product storage passage 13a is given, the product dispensing device 20 rotates the motor 41 in the reverse direction from the standby state and stops the motor 41 at the timing when the end of the individual cam portion 435 of the third output gear 43 from the right corresponding to the pedal unit 30 on the left side of the first product dispensing device 20a contacts the upper surface of the base end portion 471 of the corresponding link lever 47. Then, by driving the motor 41 in the forward direction, the individual cam portion 435 of the third output gear 43 from the right contacts the base end portion 471 of the corresponding link lever 47 from above, and the corresponding link lever 47 rotates in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the rear, as shown in FIG. 15. By rotating this link lever 47 in the counterclockwise direction, the half-size product can be dispensed in the same manner as the dispensing of the half-size product stored on the right side of the first product dispensing device 20a described above.

When half-size products are also stored in the second product storage passage 13b and a command is given to dispense a half-size product stored on the right side of the second product storage passage 13b, the individual cam portion 435 on the second output gear 43 from the right rotates the corresponding link lever 47 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 16. When a command is given to dispense a half-size product stored on the left side of the second product storage passage 13b, the individual cam portion 435 on the leftmost output gear 43 rotates the corresponding link lever 47 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 17.

As described above, in the product dispensing device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the motor 41 of the drive unit 40 constitutes a common drive source for the first product dispensing device 20a and the second product dispensing device 20b, and the output gear 43 and link lever 47 in the drive unit 40 constitute a drive force applying means that, when a dispensing command is given, alternatively selects either the first product dispensing device 20a or the second product dispensing device 20b in response to the dispensing command and applies a drive force from the drive source to the first product dispensing device 20a and the second product dispensing device 20b, thereby driving the two pedal units 30 synchronously or individually.

And, according to the above-mentioned product dispensing device 20, the motor 41 is a common driving source for the first product dispensing device 20a and the second product dispensing device 20b, and when a dispensing command is given, the output gear 43 and the link lever 47 alternatively select either the first product dispensing device 20a or the second product dispensing device 20b in response to the dispensing command, and apply driving force from the motor 41 to drive the two sets of pedal units 30 synchronously or individually. This allows the number of motors 41 to be reduced relative to the number of product dispensing devices 20a, 20b, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

Moreover, the first product delivery device 20a and the second product delivery device 20b are also compatible with long-size and half-size products, respectively, and can be applied to vending machines that sell a variety of products, thereby improving versatility.

In the above-described embodiment, the output gear 43 and the link lever 47 constitute the driving force applying means, but in the present invention, as long as the first product discharge device 20a and the second product discharge device 20b can be alternatively selected in response to a dispensing command to apply driving force from a driving source and drive the two sets of pedal units 30 synchronously or individually, other components may be added, and other members may be used in place of the output gear 43 and the link lever 47, without being limited to the output gear 43 and the link lever 47.

10...Product storage rack, 13...Product storage aisle, 13a...First product storage aisle, 13b...Second product storage aisle, 20...Product dispensing device, 20a...First product discharge device, 20b...Second product discharge device, 21, 22...Base, 30...Pedal unit, 31...Lower pedal, 32...Upper pedal, 35...Pedal link, 40...Drive unit, 41...Motor, 43...Output gear, 45...Carrier switch, 47...Link lever, 431...Gear portion, 432...Shaft-shaped portion, 433...Pressing piece, 434...Common cam portion, 435...Individual cam portion, 471...Base end portion, 472...Tip portion, 473...Latching portion.

Claims (2)

a first product discharge device that is applied to a first product storage passage capable of storing long-size products vertically in a horizontal position and storing half-size products vertically in two rows, one on the left and one on the right, in a horizontal position, and that includes two sets of pedal units that move forward and backward into the first product storage passage to hold or discharge the half-size products;
a second product dispensing device which is adapted to a second product storage passage adjacent to the first product storage passage in the front-rear direction and capable of storing long-size products vertically in a horizontal position while storing half-size products vertically in two rows on the left and right in a horizontal position, the second product dispensing device having two sets of pedal units which move forward and backward into the second product storage passage to hold or dispensing the products in accordance with the half-size products;
A common drive source for the first product discharge device and the second product discharge device;
a driving force applying means for, when a dispensing command is given, selectively selecting the first product dispensing device and the second product dispensing device in response to the dispensing command and applying a driving force from the driving source to the first product dispensing device and for synchronously driving or individually driving the two sets of pedal units ,
The driving force applying means is
output gears each of which is arranged to be capable of rotating in both forward and reverse directions about its own central axis in correspondence with said pedal unit, and each of which is formed with an individual cam portion for individually driving only the corresponding pedal unit, and a common cam portion for synchronously driving said pedal unit together with another pedal unit which is paired with said pedal unit;
a link lever that is provided so as to be rotatable about its own axis in correspondence with the output gear, and that normally allows the corresponding output gear to rotate in the reverse direction, but when the link lever comes into contact with an individual cam portion or a common cam portion of the output gear that rotates in the forward direction, the link lever rotates to individually or synchronously drive the pedal unit corresponding to the output gear;
A product dispensing device comprising : 2. The product dispensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the drive source is a DC motor.

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