JPH0542548Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial application field This invention relates to a sold-out detection device for a vending machine.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY In recent years, the variety of products sold has become more diverse, and in the future, there will be a demand for conveyor devices that can be divided into front and rear parts, allowing the sale of two types of products instead of the one type that used to be sold.

An example of a conventional sold-out detection device for a multi-product vending machine will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9 show conventional sold-out detection devices for vending machines. In the figure, 1 is the main body of the vending machine, and 2 is a product storage rack horizontally arranged in multiple stages vertically and horizontally. 3 is a bucket located at the center of the product storage rack 2 and movable up and down. Reference numeral 4 denotes a support for holding the storage rack 2 and the bucket bag 3. 5 is
An endless chain 6 is constructed by sprockets attached to the storage rack 2. A motor 7 rotates the chain 6 in one direction and is connected to the sprocket 5 via a gear 8. Reference numeral 9 denotes a caterpillar for conveyance, which is attached to the chain 6 in an endless manner. Reference numeral 10 denotes a sold-out detection section which is approximately L-shaped and is attached to the rear part of the storage rack 2 (on the right side in FIG. 9), and has a part that comes into contact when storing the product and a part that comes into contact when the product is moved. When the product is delivered, the end 10a of the sold-out detector 10 comes into contact with the product and rotates to push a switch 11 attached to the lower part of the product storage rack 2. When the product is sold out, the sold-out detection unit 10 detects the product storage rack 2 and the spring 1 attached to the bottom.
2 is used to move away from the switch 11.

The operation of the sold-out detection device for a vending machine configured as described above will be described below.

First, the sold-out detection unit 10 for detecting sold-out items is replaced according to the shape and size of the product to be sold, and then when filling the upper part of the storage rack 2 with the products to be sold,
The product is brought into contact with one end of the sold-out detection section 10, the sold-out detection section 10 is rotated 90 degrees clockwise to fill the product, and the sold-out detection section 10 presses the switch 11 to complete the product filling. On the other hand, when a product is sold out, the return force of the spring 12 causes the sold-out detection unit 10 to rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise, turning the micro stitch 11 into the OFF state and detecting the sold-out state.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above configuration, the sold-out detection unit 10 protrudes above the endless caterpillar 9, so when the conveyance devices are arranged in the front and back, the rear conveyance device This has a serious drawback in that the sold-out detection section 10 becomes hesitant when storing the product, making it impossible to store the product.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an out-of-stock detection device for a vending machine that facilitates the storage of products in the rear transport device and can also store different types of products in the front transport device.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the sold-out detection device for a vending machine of the present invention has a sold-out detection member that includes a guide portion that contacts the product at one end and a pusher that operates a switch at the other end. a guide member that removably supports the sold-out detection member; and a guide provided on the guide member to guide the sold-out detection member to a position where the guide portion of the sold-out detection member is lower than the top surface of the endless caterpillar. It is equipped with a piece.

Function The present invention has the above-described configuration, so that the sold-out detection member normally serves as a contact surface when storing a product and is pivotally supported by the guide member, and when there is no product, one piece of the sold-out detection member activates the sold-out detection switch. By moving the sold-out detection member slightly in the longitudinal direction, the shaft support of the sold-out detection member is disengaged and falls downward along the guide piece of the guide member, and the upper surface of the sold-out detection member is moved from the top surface of the caterpillar to the top surface of the sold-out detection member moves downward.

Embodiment A sold-out detection device for a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings shown in FIGS. Omit detailed explanation.

Reference numeral 15 denotes storage racks for placing products, and a large number of storage racks are arranged horizontally in the main body 1 of the vending machine so that the rear side is the lower end of the slope. A sprocket 5, a chain 6, a motor 7, a gear 8, and a caterpillar 9 are attached to this storage rack 15 as in the conventional case. In addition, storage rack 15
A product sold-out detection member 13 is arranged behind the product. This sold-out detection member 13 is a guide extending in the longitudinal direction along which the caterpillar 9 of the storage rack 15 moves, which comes into contact with the rear surface of the product A when the product A is inserted from the front of the storage rack 15 (the left side in FIG. 1 is shown). When the product A is on the storage rack, the guide portion 13a comes into contact with the rear surface of the product A to detect the presence of the product. Arms 13b are provided at both ends on the lower side of the guide portion 13a. A fixing plate 16 is formed in a substantially U-shape at the rear end of the rack 15, and a cut-and-raised part 16b is provided on the back surface 16a of the fixing plate 16, and a round hole is provided in the center of the fixing plate 16. Further, the upper surface 16c is provided with an elliptical hole 16d for guiding the sold-out detection member.

A pair of guide members 17 rotatably support the sold-out detection member 13, and are provided with thick holes 17a and U so that the arms 13b of the sold-out detection member can be inserted therein.
It has a guide piece 17b that forms a groove. Further, it is fixed to the fixing plate 16 with screws (screws are not shown). Reference numeral 13c is a push piece provided at the bottom of the sold-out detection member, which presses the actuator 11a of the switch 11 attached to the fixed plate 16. 18 is a stopper that prevents the sold-out detection member from moving in the longitudinal direction (along the deformation hole 16d of the fixing plate 16) from the installed state; one end has an arc shape;
9, it is rotatably supported. A spring 20 is a tension spring attached to the push piece 13c of the sell-out detection member 13 and the fixed plate 16 so that the push piece 13c of the sell-out detection member 13 always presses the actuator 11a of the switch 11.

Now, when replenishing product A, it is placed on the caterpillar 9 from the front of the storage rack 15 and pushed backward, so that the rear face of product A comes into contact with the guide portion 13a of the sold-out detection member 13. If it is pushed further backward, the guide portion 13a moves backward, and at this time, the push piece 13c is located below the arm 13b of the sold-out detection plate 13, so it rotates clockwise. In other words, when one product A is placed on it, product A is present. Naturally, the push piece 13c of the sold-out detection member 13, which had been operating the switch 11, moves, and the operation of the switch 11 is stopped. Then, when the product is no longer for sale due to the movement of the caterpillar 9, the guide portion 13a, which had been in contact with the product, is no longer in contact with it, and returns to the state it was in before the product was stored due to the force of the spring 20 (at this time, the switch 11 is
The function works to detect when an item is sold out.
When storing the products in the rear conveyor, the stopper 18 is manually lifted upward to release the lock of the sold-out detection member 13, so that the sold-out detection member 13 can move along the deformed hole 16d of the fixed plate 16. During the movement, the arm 13 of the sold-out detection member 13 is
b is released from the support of the round hole 17a of the guide member 17,
As it continues to move, it hits the end face of the hole 16d and then pushes the sold-out detection member 13 downward (FIG. 6A
The arm 13b is in the state before being pushed down.
The sold-out detection member moves along the guide piece 17b of the rear conveyor 9 and stops when it hits the lower end of the guide piece 17b (FIG. 6B state). At this time, the guide portion 13a of the sold-out detection member is positioned below the upper surface of the caterpillar 9, so that there is no interference when storing the products in the rear conveyor, and the products can be stored easily.

Effects of the invention As described above, the present invention makes it possible to easily store products in the back of a conveyor device in which two or more storage racks are arranged in the front and back to carry out the products in order to store a wide variety of products. In addition, it is possible to reliably detect the original sold-out condition after storage. Also, push down the sold-out detection member of the front conveyance device, and
By interlocking the rear conveyance device, it is possible to sell large items (products with a long overall length), making it extremely easy to use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the product storage state of a sold-out detection device for a vending machine showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1 showing the sold-out state of the device, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the device, FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of essential parts of a vending machine showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a sell-out device showing an embodiment of the present invention. , FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views taken along the line C-C in FIG. 5 showing the movement of the sold-out detection member of the same device, FIG. 7 is a front view of the conveyance device of a conventional vending machine, and FIG. FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of a conventional sold-out detection device. 7... Motor, 9... Caterpillar, 11... Switch, 13... Sellout detection member, 13a... Guide portion, 13b... Arm, 13c... Push piece, 16...
...Fixing plate, 16d... Hole, 17... Guide member, 1
7b...Guidance piece, 18...Stopper.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A storage rack equipped with an endless caterpillar having a drive shaft provided in the depth direction of the vending machine and a motor for driving the endless caterpillar is arranged in parallel on the front side and the back side of the vending machine, and the storage rack A vending machine comprising a sold-out detection member provided at a position where it comes into contact with a product placed on the product, and a switch that is linked to the sold-out detection member, the guide portion having one end of which the sold-out detection member comes into contact with the product. and a push piece for operating the switch at the other end, and a guide member that removably supports the sold-out detection member, and a guide member that extends to a position where the guide portion of the sold-out detection member is lower than the top surface of the endless caterpillar. A sold-out detection device for a vending machine, comprising a guide piece provided on the guide member to guide the sold-out detection member.