Patent Description:
There has been a known article vending machine that stores a plurality of types of articles on shelves provided in a box-shaped cabinet, and automatically dispenses an article selected by a purchaser. For example, an article vending machine (an automatic vending machine) described in Patent Document <NUM> includes a bucket (a catcher bucket) that moves in an up-down direction in front of a plurality of shelves arranged in the up-down direction in a cabinet, and a dispensing mechanism is used to push an article selected by a purchaser forward from a corresponding shelf to dispense the article into the bucket moved to front of the shelf. Then, in such a structure, the bucket carrying the article thereon is moved to a position opposed to an article outlet located in a lower part of the article vending machine, and the purchaser takes out the article from the article outlet.

In the article vending machine described in Patent Document <NUM>, as a dispensing mechanism that dispenses the article carried on the shelf forward, a spiral dispensing mechanism including a spiral as a spiral rod-shaped part and a belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism are disclosed.

The belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism disclosed in Patent Document <NUM> is divided into a drive section including a motor fixed to an inner plate (a back plate) of the shelf, and a dispensing unit including a belt conveyor carried on the shelf. Therefore, the belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism is configured such that the dispensing unit is replaceable relative to the drive section.

Patent Documents <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> disclose a commodity storage device having a dispensing mechanism comprising a drive section in a rear part of a commodity storage shelf and a dispensing unit driven by the drive section. On output shaft of the drive section is removably coupled to an input shaft of the dispensing unit and the dispensing unit can be replaced relative to the drive section. The dispensing unit comprises a movement mechanism for moving the commodity forward, a gear that transmits driving force to the output shaft, and a cover that covers a part of the gear.

Patent Document <NUM> discloses an article vendor with elevator having a dispensing mechanism comprising a drive section and a dispensing unit driven by the drive section. A belt of the dispensing unit can be replaced.

In Patent Document <NUM>, a modular vending machine is disclosed. The vending machine comprises a vend mechanism in a front-rear direction which can dispense a product onto a belt of a product transport mechanism in a right-left direction.

In Patent Document <NUM>, also an automatic vending machine is disclosed. The vending machine comprises a commodity carrying-out mechanism in a front-rear direction for each commodity column. The carrying-out mechanism comprises an endless-shaped belt supported by a pulley driven by a gear on a front end side of the vending machine. A driving mechanism provided with the gear is located in front of the carrying-out mechanism. The driving mechanism and the carrying-out mechanism are covered by a housing of the vending machine.

In Patent Document <NUM>, a coin operated delivery system for vending machines is disclosed. The system comprises a helix as being a dispensing unit for dispensing articles forward. The system further comprises a coin receiver mechanism as being a drive section including a knob for manually rotating the helix in a rotation direction when a coin is inserted into the drive system and a ratchet wheel disposed against a rearward surface of a rear plate of the coin receiving mechanism for preventing movement of the knob and, therefore, of the helix in a counter rotation direction.

A dispensing unit disclosed in Patent Document <NUM> includes an input shaft protruding rearward, and the input shaft is inserted into and coupled to an output shaft of a drive section, so that power of the drive section can be transmitted to the dispensing unit.

In a coupled portion between the drive section and the dispensing unit, however, a key groove or the like is provided to transmit driving force, and it is necessary to perform rotation alignment during coupling. This coupled portion is located in an inner part of the shelf, and therefore cannot be visually seen, and it is difficult to couple the dispensing unit to the drive section with ease.

An object of the present invention, which has been made in view of such problems as described above, is to provide a dispensing mechanism for an article vending machine, which can facilitate coupling of a drive section to a dispensing unit, in the dispensing mechanism for the article vending machine, provided in a shelf of the article vending machine, and including a configuration where the drive section and the dispensing unit are divided.

In order to achieve the above object, an aspect of the present invention is directed to a dispensing mechanism for an article vending machine, including a drive section that is disposed in a rear part of an article storing shelf and configured to cause a motion based on a vending command, and a dispensing unit that is disposed in front of the drive section and carries articles arranged in a front-rear direction, the dispensing unit being driven by the drive section to sequentially dispense the articles forward, an output shaft of the drive section being removably coupled to an input shaft of the dispensing unit, the dispensing unit being configured to be replaceable relative to the drive section, wherein the dispensing unit includes a movement mechanism that moves the articles forward, a gear that transmits, to the movement mechanism, driving force transmitted to the input shaft, and a cover that covers the gear, and a part of the gear is exposed to outside the cover.

Preferably, the cover may include an opening through which the part of the gear is exposed.

Preferably, the gear may be disposed in a central portion of the dispensing unit in a right-left direction, and the opening may be provided in a central portion of the case in the right-left direction.

Preferably, the opening may be provided in a front surface of the cover.

Preferably, the output shaft and the input shaft may be arranged to extend in the front-rear direction, and the dispensing unit may be moved rearward relative to the shelf to bring the dispensing unit closer to the drive section such that the output shaft of the drive section is coupled to the input shaft of the dispensing unit.

According to the present invention, a part of a gear is exposed to outside a cover, and hence, an operator can rotate the gear, for example, with fingers or the like. Consequently, an input shaft of a dispensing unit can be rotated. Therefore, to couple an output shaft of a drive section to the input shaft of the dispensing unit, rotation alignment can be easily performed by rotating the gear.

Hereinafter, description will be made in detail as to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

<FIG> is a perspective view showing a schematic exterior shape of an article vending machine of the present embodiment. <FIG> is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an interior structure of the article vending machine.

As shown in <FIG>, an article vending machine <NUM> includes a main body unit <NUM> that stores articles, and an operation unit <NUM>.

The main body unit <NUM> includes a box-shaped cabinet <NUM> formed in a box shape having an opened front surface, and including a door <NUM> that openably/closably covers a front surface opening. Furthermore, an article storage section <NUM> that stores the articles is provided inside the cabinet <NUM>.

The operation unit <NUM> is disposed adjacent to a side of the main body unit <NUM>, and includes a selecting switch of an article, and a billing section that performs acceptance or payment of charges by bills, coins or the like, or payment by card. The operation unit <NUM> transmits a vending command to the main body unit <NUM> in response to the payment of the charges performed in the billing section and a selecting operation of the article performed with the selecting switch.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, an upper part of a front surface of the door <NUM> of the main body unit <NUM> is configured such that the interior can be viewed through a transparent plate <NUM> made of transparent glass or resin. In a lower part of the door <NUM>, a rectangular article outlet <NUM> (an outlet) is provided. In the article outlet <NUM>, a rectangular plate-like outlet shutter <NUM> is provided. The outlet shutter <NUM> is supported swingably in a front-rear direction in an upper edge portion of the article outlet <NUM>. The outlet shutter <NUM> closes the article outlet <NUM> at a closing position extending in an up-down direction, and has a lower part swung rearward from this closing position, to open the article outlet <NUM>.

The article storage section <NUM> in the cabinet <NUM> is configured such that a plurality of (e.g., six) shelves 13a to 13f each having an opened front part are arranged at a distance in the up-down direction. The shelf 13f of a bottom row in the article storage section <NUM> stores articles that are comparatively large in the up-down direction, such as PET bottle beverages, and the shelf 13a in a top row stores articles that are comparatively small in the up-down direction.

A space where a bucket <NUM> moves (hereinafter, referred to also as a bucket moving space <NUM>) is provided in the front-rear direction between a front end portion of each of the shelves 13a to 13f and the transparent plate <NUM> that is the front surface of the door <NUM>.

The bucket <NUM> is formed with about the same length as in each of the shelves 13a to 13f in a right-left direction, and configured to be movable in the bucket moving space <NUM> in the up-down direction. The bucket <NUM> is moved in the up-down direction by an unshown actuator provided inside the cabinet <NUM>, and a rear end portion of a bottom plate <NUM> of the bucket <NUM> is movable to upper and lower positions of a bottom plate of each of the shelves 13a to 13f. The bucket is movable so that the rear end portion of the bottom plate is located below a lower surface of the shelf 13f of the bottom row when the bucket is moved to a bottom. Note that a position of the bucket <NUM> moved to the bottom is a standby/outlet position. At this standby/outlet position, the article outlet <NUM> is located at a front surface of the bucket <NUM>, and one can open the outlet shutter <NUM> and put one's hand into the bucket <NUM>.

Inside the main body unit <NUM>, a machine room <NUM> is disposed below the article storage section <NUM>. In the machine room <NUM>, a condenser 23a of cooling equipment by refrigeration cycle, a fan 23b for the condenser and a compressor 23c are provided. A front part and a rear pat of the machine room <NUM> communicate with an exterior. Furthermore, a lower duct <NUM> is disposed between the machine room <NUM> and the shelf 13f of the bottom row. The lower duct <NUM> is provided with an evaporator 23d for the cooling equipment and a fan 23e for the evaporator 23d. The fan 23e generates flow of air passing through the evaporator 23d from front to rear of the lower duct <NUM>.

A rear part of the lower duct <NUM> communicates with a rear duct <NUM> extending in the up-down direction behind the article storage section <NUM>. Furthermore, an upper duct <NUM> extending in the front-rear direction is disposed above the article storage section <NUM>.

A front opening of the upper duct <NUM> opens toward an upper part of the bucket moving space <NUM>. Additionally, a wind guide plate <NUM> inclined downward and forward at an angle of, for example, <NUM> degrees is disposed in an upper edge portion of the front opening of the upper duct.

On the other hand, a back panel <NUM> is disposed in a front end portion of the lower duct <NUM>. The back panel <NUM> extends in the up-down direction, and defines the bucket moving space <NUM> in front of the lower duct <NUM> together with the duct. Furthermore, in an inclined part 28a that is an upper part of the back panel <NUM>, a plurality of vents 28c each having a diameter of about several millimeters are arranged at a distance of about <NUM> in up-down and right-left directions.

When each component of the cooling equipment is operated, particularly when the fan 23e in the lower duct <NUM> is operated, as shown by arrows in <FIG>, cooling air passing through and cooled by the evaporator 23d circulates from the lower duct <NUM> through the rear duct <NUM>, the upper duct <NUM>, and the bucket moving space <NUM> to the lower duct <NUM> in order. Note that part of the cooling air from the rear duct <NUM> moves forward among the shelves 13a to 13f, to cool the articles C stored in the shelves 13a to 13f.

During the movement of the cooling air from the upper duct <NUM> to the bucket moving space <NUM>, the cooling air is moved downward in a rear part of the bucket moving space <NUM> via the wind guide plate <NUM>, and the cooling air moves through the vents 28c of the back panel <NUM> to the lower duct <NUM>. Therefore, the cooling air forms air curtain along front surfaces of the shelves 13a to 13f. Consequently, the cooling air can be inhibited from being in contact with the transparent plate <NUM> of the door <NUM>, and the transparent plate <NUM> of the door <NUM> can be inhibited from fogging up.

<FIG> is a perspective view showing a structure of a shelf <NUM> of the article storage section <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, each of the shelves <NUM> (13a to 13f) is formed in a box shape including a bottom plate <NUM>, right and left side plates <NUM> and a back plate <NUM>, and opened upward and forward. Moreover, the shelf <NUM> includes the dispensing mechanism <NUM> and an unshown partition plate.

The dispensing mechanism <NUM> is constituted of a belt conveyor unit <NUM> (a dispensing unit) disposed on the bottom plate <NUM> of the shelf <NUM>, and a drive section <NUM> fixed to the back plate <NUM> of the shelf <NUM>. The belt conveyor unit <NUM> has about the same length as a length of the bottom plate <NUM> in a front-rear direction, and is disposed between the unshown partition plates or between the partition plate and the side plate <NUM>.

A plurality of partition plates each extending in the front-rear direction are arranged at a distance from each other in a right-left direction between the right and left side plates <NUM> on the bottom plate <NUM>. The partition plate is removably fixed to the bottom plate <NUM> and the back plate <NUM> of the shelf.

The drive section <NUM> includes a motor <NUM>, a transmission section <NUM>, and a gear shaft <NUM> (a rotary drive shaft).

The transmission section <NUM> contains a transmission gear, and is disposed on a rear surface side of the back plate <NUM> of the shelf <NUM>. The motor <NUM> is fixed to a rear surface side of an upper part of the transmission section <NUM>. A rear part of the gear shaft <NUM> extending in the front-rear direction is inserted into and rotatably supported by a lower part of the transmission section <NUM>. The gear shaft <NUM> is formed by fixing a disk-shaped gear <NUM> to a front end portion of a columnar shaft. A front end portion of the gear shaft <NUM> protrudes forward from the back plate <NUM>, and the gear <NUM> is disposed close to and on a front surface side of the back plate <NUM>.

In a front surface of the gear <NUM>, a connecting section 67a is disposed to which an input shaft of the belt conveyor unit <NUM> is removably connected. The belt conveyor unit <NUM> is carried at the same position as a position of an axis of the gear shaft <NUM> in the right-left direction on the bottom plate <NUM> of the shelf <NUM>, has a front end portion removably fixed to a front end portion of the bottom plate <NUM>, and has a rear end portion removably fixed to the back plate <NUM>.

<FIG> is a perspective view showing a structure of the belt conveyor unit <NUM>. <FIG> is a front perspective view showing an interior structure of a gear section <NUM> of the belt conveyor unit <NUM>. <FIG> is a rear perspective view showing the interior structure of the gear section <NUM> of the belt conveyor unit <NUM>. <FIG> is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the gear section <NUM> of the belt conveyor unit <NUM>. Note that in <FIG>, <FIG>, a cover <NUM> and one of right and left vertical plates 74b are omitted.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> includes a support member <NUM> formed to extend in the front-rear direction of the shelf <NUM>, a pair of belt conveyors <NUM> provided in parallel with each other in the support member <NUM>, and the gear section <NUM> disposed in a rear end portion of the support member <NUM>.

The support member <NUM> is a member having a length that is several centimeters shorter than a length of the bottom plate <NUM> in the front-rear direction, and having a length of, for example, several centimeters in the right-left direction.

In a front end portion of the support member <NUM>, a front rotary shaft <NUM> extending in the right-left direction is rotatably supported. In the rear end portion of the support member <NUM>, a rear rotary shaft <NUM> (a belt drive shaft) extending in the right-left direction is rotatably supported in parallel with the front rotary shaft <NUM> and at about the same position as a position of the front rotary shaft in the up-down direction.

The pair of belt conveyors <NUM> are endless belts looped over the front rotary shaft <NUM> and the rear rotary shaft <NUM> at a distance of a predetermined distance (e.g., about <NUM>) in the right-left direction in parallel with each other, and having the same width in the right-left direction.

As shown in <FIG>, the gear section <NUM> includes a gear support member <NUM> fixed to the rear end portion of the support member <NUM>, a first gear shaft <NUM> (a rotary drive shaft), a second gear shaft <NUM>, and the cover <NUM>.

The gear support member <NUM> includes a box member 74a formed in a rectangular box shape having a rear part opened, and a pair of vertical plates 74b extending in the up-down direction, arranged at a distance from each other in the right-left direction, and connecting right and left end portions of a front surface of the box member 74a and right and left rear end portions of the support member <NUM>, respectively.

The first gear shaft <NUM> is rotatably supported in a hole provided in a central portion of a front wall of the box member 74a, and disposed to extend in the front-rear direction. A first bevel gear 75a is fixed to a front side of a front wall of the first gear shaft <NUM>, and a connecting section 75b is disposed on a rear side of the front wall of the box member 74a. The connecting section 75b is inserted and connected from front into the connecting section 67a of the gear <NUM> of the drive section <NUM>, to transmit rotation between the gear shaft <NUM> of the drive section <NUM> and the first gear shaft <NUM>. The connecting section 75b is formed, for example, by providing a saw-shaped stepped portion 75d every <NUM> degrees along an outer peripheral surface of a rear end portion of the first gear shaft <NUM>. The stepped portion 75d of the first gear shaft <NUM> engages with the connecting section 67a disposed on the front surface of the gear <NUM> of the drive section <NUM>, so that rotation can be transmitted between the gear shaft <NUM> and the first gear shaft <NUM>. Furthermore, the first bevel gear 75a has a front surface recessed rearward to form a recess 75c.

The second gear shaft <NUM> is rotatably supported in holes provided in the pair of vertical plates 74b, and formed to extend in the right-left direction. The second gear shaft <NUM> is disposed at about the same position as a position of the first gear shaft <NUM> in the up-down direction and at a distance in front of the first gear shaft, and the second gear shaft is disposed in parallel with the rear rotary shaft <NUM>.

A second bevel gear 76a that meshes with the first bevel gear 75a of the first gear shaft <NUM> is fixed to a vicinity of an end portion of the second gear shaft <NUM> in the right-left direction. A spur gear 76b is fixed to a central portion of the second gear shaft <NUM> in the right-left direction.

Furthermore, a spur gear 73a (a gear) that meshes with the spur gear 76b of the second gear shaft <NUM> is fixed to a central portion of the rear rotary shaft <NUM> in the right-left direction between two belt conveyors <NUM>.

Therefore, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> is installed on the bottom plate <NUM>, and the connecting section 75b is connected to the gear <NUM> of the drive section <NUM>, to drive the motor <NUM> of the drive section <NUM>. Consequently, the rear rotary shaft <NUM> rotates via the first gear shaft <NUM> and the second gear shaft <NUM>, and the belt conveyor <NUM> is driven to rotate. Thus, the articles carried on the belt conveyor <NUM> can be moved forward and dispensed forward.

The cover <NUM> is disposed to cover a space between the right and left vertical plates 74b, and to cover the first gear shaft <NUM> (a rotary shaft), the second gear shaft <NUM> and the spur gear 73a of the rear rotary shaft <NUM>, and the cover is fastened to the rear end portion of the support member <NUM> with screws or the like.

A front wall surface 77a of the cover <NUM> has a lower part linearly extending in the up-down direction, and an upper part circularly bent rearward. Further, in a central portion of the front wall surface 77a of the cover <NUM> in the right-left direction, a recess <NUM> including a bottom portion 80a circularly bent downward and rearward is disposed. In the bottom portion 80a of the recess <NUM>, an opening <NUM> is provided through which an upper part of the spur gear 76b protrudes upward by several millimeters. Also, a width of the recess <NUM> in the right-left direction gradually decreases from top to bottom, and is set to a width slightly larger than a width of a typical adult finger at the bottom. This makes it easier to insert the finger from an upper front part of the cover <NUM> into the recess <NUM>.

That is, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> includes a structure where the upper part of the spur gear 76b is slightly exposed from the bottom portion 80a of the recess <NUM> in the cover <NUM>. Then, one can put one's finger from front into the recess <NUM> to the belt conveyor unit <NUM>, so that the upper part of the spur gear 76b is easily touched.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the dispensing mechanism <NUM> disposed in the shelf <NUM> of the article vending machine <NUM> is constituted of the drive section <NUM> fixed to the back plate <NUM> of the shelf <NUM>, and the belt conveyor unit <NUM>, and the gear shaft <NUM> that is an output shaft of the drive section <NUM> is removably attachable to the first gear shaft <NUM> that is the input shaft of the belt conveyor unit <NUM>. Therefore, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> is configured to be replaceable relative to the drive section <NUM>.

The gear shaft <NUM> and the first gear shaft <NUM> extend in the front-rear direction, and the belt conveyor unit <NUM> is inserted from front toward rear into the shelf <NUM>, to connect the connecting section 67a of the gear shaft <NUM> to the connecting section 75b of the first gear shaft <NUM>.

The connecting section 75b of the first gear shaft <NUM> is disposed in the rear end portion of the belt conveyor unit <NUM>, and on a front side of the connecting section 75b, the box member 74a and the gear section <NUM> covered with the cover <NUM> are provided. Therefore, it is difficult to visually see the connecting section 75b and the connecting section 67a during connection. Consequently, it might be difficult to perform rotation alignment of the connecting section 75b and the connecting section 67a.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, in the front wall surface 77a of the cover <NUM>, the opening <NUM> is provided through which the spur gear 76b is exposed. Therefore, when the belt conveyor unit <NUM> is inserted from front toward rear into the shelf <NUM> to connect the connecting section 75b of the first gear shaft <NUM> to the connecting section 67a of the gear shaft <NUM>, the spur gear 76b can be rotated with operator's finger from front of the cover <NUM>.

Consequently, the rotation alignment of the connecting section 67a of the gear shaft <NUM> and the connecting section of the first gear shaft <NUM> can be performed by rotating the first gear shaft <NUM>, and the gear shaft <NUM> can be easily connected to the first gear shaft <NUM>.

In particular, the opening <NUM> is provided in the front wall surface 77a of the cover <NUM>. Therefore, even when the other belt conveyor units <NUM> are present on opposite sides of the belt conveyor unit <NUM> in the right-left direction, the alignment can be performed by rotating the spur gear 76b without being obstructed.

Note that the spur gear 76b is formed with a comparatively large diameter so that the rear rotary shaft <NUM> decelerates relative to the second gear shaft <NUM>. Therefore, although the bevel gears 75a, 76a are interposed between the first gear shaft <NUM> and the second gear shaft <NUM>, the first gear shaft <NUM> can be rotated by rotating the spur gear 76b with a comparatively small force.

Also, the recess <NUM> is provided around the opening <NUM>, and hence, one can put one's finger from front into the recess <NUM>. Consequently, the spur gear 76b can be easily touched even when the spur gear 76b cannot be visually seen.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in place of the recess <NUM> and opening <NUM> of the cover <NUM>, a cutout may be provided in a left end portion of the cover <NUM>, to expose a part of the bevel gear 76a. Even in this configuration, the bevel gear 76a can be rotated. Therefore, the rotation alignment of the first gear shaft <NUM> and the gear shaft <NUM> can be performed by rotating the first gear shaft <NUM>.

Furthermore, a detailed structure of, for example, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> in the above embodiment may be suitably changed. Additionally, the dispensing unit driven by the drive section <NUM> to sequentially dispense the articles forward may include a configuration other than the belt conveyor unit <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A dispensing mechanism (<NUM>) for an article vending machine (<NUM>), comprising a drive section (<NUM>) that is disposed in a rear part of an article storing shelf (<NUM>) and configured to cause a motion based on a vending command, and a dispensing unit (<NUM>) that is disposed in front of the drive section (<NUM>) and carries articles arranged in a front-rear direction, the dispensing unit (<NUM>) being driven by the drive section (<NUM>) to sequentially dispense the articles forward,
an output shaft (<NUM>) of the drive section (<NUM>) being removably coupled to an input shaft (<NUM>) of the dispensing unit (<NUM>), the dispensing unit (<NUM>) being configured to be replaceable relative to the drive section (<NUM>), wherein the dispensing unit (<NUM>) comprises:
a movement mechanism (<NUM>) that moves the articles forward,
a gear (76b) that transmits, to the movement mechanism (<NUM>), driving force transmitted to the input shaft (<NUM>), and
a cover (<NUM>) that covers the gear (76b), and
when coupling the input shaft (<NUM>) of the dispensing unit (<NUM>) to the output shaft (<NUM>) of the drive section (<NUM>), a part of the gear (76b) is exposed to outside the cover.