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> includes a belt conveyor formed with an endless belt looped over a pair of shafts disposed in a frame and arranged away from each other in a front-rear direction, and the rear shaft is driven by a motor disposed in a rear part of the frame, to move an upper surface of the belt forward from the rear part.

Furthermore, in the belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism, articles are arranged and carried in the front-rear direction on the belt, and the belt is driven for one article, to sequentially dispense the articles forward from the belt.

Patent documents <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> disclose dispensing mechanisms comprising drive sections and dispensing units driven by the drive sections. The dispensing units respectively comprise one belt conveyor for conveying the articles on an upper surface of the belt conveyors forward in a front-rear direction.

A belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism may include a sold out detection device that detects that there are no more articles on a belt. The sold out detection device includes, for example, a lever switch disposed in a vicinity of a front end portion of the belt, to be pushed by the article on the belt, and detects whether or not the articles on the belt are sold out, based on a detection result of the lever switch.

In a case where such a belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism as in Patent Document <NUM> includes the lever switch, however, the lever switch has to be disposed on a side of the belt so that the switch does not interfere with the belt. Depending on a shape or carried position of the article, therefore, even when the article is carried on the belt and moved forward, the lever switch cannot be pushed, and it may be difficult to correctly detect sold-out. Furthermore, when power is transmitted from an output shaft of a motor or the like to a drive shaft over which the belt is looped, the power is transmitted via a gear disposed in one end portion of the drive shaft and located on the side of the belt. Consequently, there is concern that the drive shaft driving the belt receives eccentric load, the belt and the drive shaft slip, and a dimension of the whole dispensing mechanism in a right-left direction increases.

An object of the present invention, has been made in view of such problems as described above, is to provide a belt conveyor type dispensing mechanism for an article vending machine, which is disposed in a shelf of the article vending machine, and in which an associated component other than a belt can be easily and compactly installed.

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 an article storing shelf and on which articles arranged in a front-rear direction are carried, the drive section being configured to drive based on a vending command, and a dispensing unit that is driven by the drive section to sequentially dispense the articles forward, wherein the dispensing unit includes a plurality of belt conveyors arranged in a right-left direction, arranged away from each other in the right-left direction in at least a portion, and each having an upper surface moved forward to discharge the article carried on the upper surface forward.

Preferably, the drive section may include a motor disposed in a rear part of the shelf, to drive, via a gear, a belt drive shaft over which belts of the belt conveyors are looped, and the gear may be disposed in a center between an even number of belt conveyors arranged in the right-left direction.

Preferably, a rotary drive shaft to be driven and rotated by the motor and the belt drive shaft may be arranged orthogonally to each other, the rotary drive shaft may be provided with a first bevel gear including a recess in a central portion, the dispensing mechanism may include an intermediate shaft disposed in parallel with the belt drive shaft, and including a second bevel gear that meshes with the first bevel gear, and an intermediate shaft gear that meshes with the gear disposed on the belt drive shaft, and at least a part of the intermediate shaft gear may be located in the recess of the first bevel gear.

Preferably, the dispensing mechanism may include a detecting section that detects presence/absence of the article carried on the belt conveyor, between the belt conveyors in the right-left direction.

Preferably, the detecting section may be disposed in a center between an even number of belt conveyors arranged in the right-left direction.

Preferably, the dispensing unit may be removably fixed to the shelf, and may include a connecting section removably disposed between a region of the rotary drive shaft that is supported in the shelf and the first bevel gear.

According to the present invention, a dispensing unit disposed in a shelf to sequentially dispense carried articles forward includes a plurality of belt conveyors arranged in a right-left direction, and hence, right and left lower portions of each of the articles carried on the belt conveyors are supported, and the plurality of belt conveyors are driven, so that properties of dispensing the articles forward can improve.

Furthermore, the plurality of belt conveyors are arranged away from each other in the right-left direction in at least a portion, and hence, associated components such as an article detection device and a drive gear can be arranged between the belt conveyors arranged away from each other. Therefore, these associated components are arranged at positions close to center of gravity of the article in the right-left direction. Functionalities of the associated components can improve, and the dispensing mechanism including the associated components can be compactly formed.

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>. 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 disposed around at a distance of a predetermined distance (e.g., about <NUM>) in the right-left direction in parallel with each other between the front rotary shaft <NUM> and the rear rotary shaft <NUM>, 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> (an intermediate shaft), 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 disposed 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 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, i.e., orthogonally to the first gear shaft <NUM>. 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 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 (an intermediate shaft gear) 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.

<FIG> is a perspective view showing a structure of a front end portion of the belt conveyor unit <NUM>. <FIG> is a perspective view showing a structure of a detection unit <NUM> (a detecting section), (A) shows a case where the article is small, and (B) shows a case where the article is large.

As shown in <FIG>, the detection unit <NUM> of an article detection device is disposed in the front end portion of the belt conveyor unit <NUM>.

The article detection device is a device that detects presence/absence of the article in each dispensing mechanism <NUM> of each shelf <NUM>, and the device detects the presence/absence of the article in front of a row of articles arranged in the front-rear direction and carried in each dispensing mechanism <NUM>, to detect passage of the article. Note that detection information obtained by this article detection device is for use in, for example, determining whether the articles in the corresponding dispensing mechanism <NUM> are sold out.

As shown in <FIG>, the detection unit <NUM> includes a support member <NUM> and a detection lever <NUM> (a lever section).

The detection lever <NUM> includes a claw plate-shaped detecting portion 111b extending in the front-rear direction, and a shaft portion 111a extending in the right-left direction in a rear end portion of the detecting portion 111b.

The support member <NUM> extends in the front-rear direction, and includes, in a rear part, a lever support hole <NUM> in which the shaft portion 111a of the detection lever <NUM> is rotatably supported.

Under the detection lever <NUM>, provided are an unshown urging member that urges the detecting portion 111b of the detection lever <NUM> upward to the support member <NUM>, and an unshown microswitch that detects downward rotation of the detecting portion 111b of the detection lever <NUM>.

Then, in a case where the article is carried on the detection lever <NUM>, a front end of the detection lever <NUM> rotates downward to the same position as a position of an upper surface of the support member <NUM> in the up-down direction against urging by the urging member. At this time, the microswitch of the detection unit <NUM> turns on.

Furthermore, in a case where any articles are not carried on the detection lever <NUM>, a rear end of the detection lever <NUM> is urged by the urging member, to protrude upward from the upper surface of the support member <NUM>. At this time, the microswitch of the detection unit <NUM> turns off.

Furthermore, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the support member <NUM> is movable in the front-rear direction to the support member <NUM>, and, for example, claw portions provided on the support member <NUM> fit in a plurality of recesses provided in the support member <NUM>. Thus, the support member <NUM> is configured to be fixable to the support member <NUM> every position of <NUM> to <NUM>.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the dispensing mechanism <NUM> disposed in the shelf <NUM> of the article vending machine <NUM>, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> that sequentially dispenses the carried articles forward includes two belt conveyors <NUM> arranged in the right-left direction, and hence, right and left lower portions of the article carried on the belt conveyors <NUM> are supported. The two belt conveyors <NUM> are driven, so that properties of dispensing the articles forward can improve.

Furthermore, since the two belt conveyors <NUM> are arranged away from each other in the right-left direction, the detection unit <NUM> and the spur gear 73a to drive the belt of the belt conveyor <NUM> can be disposed between the two belt conveyors <NUM>. Therefore, associated components of the belt conveyor <NUM>, such as the detection unit <NUM> and the spur gear 73a, can be arranged at the positions close to center of gravity of the article in the right-left direction. Functionalities of associated components such as the detection unit <NUM> and the spur gear 73a can improve, and the belt conveyor unit <NUM> and the dispensing mechanism <NUM> including the associated components can be compactly formed.

Furthermore, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> is configured to be removably attached to the shelf <NUM>, and a spiral conveyor unit may be attached in place of the belt conveyor unit <NUM> as required. The spiral conveyor unit includes a spiral part including a spirally formed metal rod having a diameter of several millimeters, and a pedestal extending in a front-rear direction below the spiral part and in parallel with an axis of the spiral part, to support a component installed in a pitch between the spiral parts. The spiral part has a rear end removably attached to the connecting section 67a of the front surface of the gear <NUM>. Therefore, the drive section <NUM> can be for use in common, and the belt conveyor unit <NUM> can be easily replaced with the spiral conveyor unit as required.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, a detailed structure of the gear section <NUM> of the belt conveyor unit <NUM> may be suitably changed. A plurality of detection levers <NUM> having different lengths in the front-rear direction of the detection unit <NUM> may be prepared, and the detection lever may be suitably replaced in accordance with a size of the article. Consequently, a position of a tip of the detecting portion 111b of the detection lever <NUM> in the front-rear direction can be changed.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the connecting section 67a on the front surface of the gear <NUM> disposed on the gear shaft <NUM> is connected to the connecting section 75b at the rear end of the first gear shaft <NUM>. Alternatively, when the gear <NUM> can be removed from the gear shaft <NUM>, the gear shaft <NUM> may be directly connected to the first gear shaft <NUM>.

Additionally, in the above embodiment, two belt conveyors <NUM> have the same width, and may have different widths. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> includes two belt conveyors <NUM>. Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to a belt conveyor unit including a plurality of belt conveyors <NUM>. For example, in a belt conveyor unit including an even number of, for example, four belt conveyors <NUM>, a space is made between two belt conveyors <NUM> and two belt conveyors <NUM>, and in this space, the spur gear 73a or the detection lever <NUM> may be disposed in a center of the belt conveyor unit in the right-left direction.

However, in the belt conveyor unit including two or more, for example, four belt conveyors <NUM>, tension may vary in accordance with accuracy in length of the belt, and the belt may slip. Therefore, the belt conveyor unit <NUM> including two belt conveyors <NUM> as in the above embodiment preferably has better balance in operation than the belt conveyor unit including more than two belt conveyors <NUM>.

Furthermore, a detailed structure of the detection unit <NUM> in the above embodiment may be suitably changed,.

Claim 1:
A dispensing mechanism (<NUM>) for an article vending machine (<NUM>), comprising a drive section (<NUM>) that is disposed in an article storing shelf (<NUM>) and on which articles arranged in a front-rear direction are carried, the drive section (<NUM>) being configured to drive based on a vending command, and a dispensing unit (<NUM>) that is driven by the drive section (<NUM>) to sequentially dispense the articles forward, wherein the dispensing unit (<NUM>) comprises a plurality of belt conveyors (<NUM>) arranged in a right-left direction, arranged away from each other in the right-left direction in at least a portion, and each having an upper surface moved forward to be configured to discharge one of the articles carried on the upper surfaces of the plurality of belt conveyors (<NUM>) forward.