Automatic vending machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11443583-B2
Application number	US-202016888934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2020
Priority date	Dec 7, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

An automatic vending machine includes: a product housing rack including product housing shelves each including a product housing path, and a product discharger; a first stopper configured to be movable between a protrusion position and a retract position, and to tilt such that a free end side of a holding portion is positioned at a product discharge port; a second stopper configured to be movable between a retract position and a protrusion position, and to press a vending product when protruding; a link configured to move each of the first and the second stopper to the protrusion and the retract position; and a driver configured to drive the link, wherein the second stopper includes ribs formed on a surface facing the product housing path, the ribs being configured to extend from a base end part toward a holding portion of the second stopper.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic vending machine comprising:
a product housing rack including:
product housing shelves tilted such that a product discharge port is lower than a product insertion port, the product housing shelves being disposed at multiple rungs in a vertical direction and each including a product housing path defined to house products arrayed in a sideways posture in line in a front-and-rear direction; and
a product discharger provided near the product discharge port of each product housing shelf and at an upper side of the product housing path, the product discharger being configured to separate and discharge each product housed in the product housing path;

a first stopper that is able to appear in each product housing path from the upper side of the product housing path, the first stopper being configured:
to be movable between a protrusion position where the first stopper protrudes in the product housing path to hold a product of a first vending order, that is a vending product, and a retract position where the first stopper is retracted from the product housing path to release holding of the vending product; and
to tilt such that a free end side of a holding portion of the first stopper, the holding portion of the first stopper being configured to hold the product, is positioned at the product discharge port relative to a rotational pivot side when protruding in the product housing path;

a second stopper that is able to appear in each product housing path from the upper side of the product housing path, the second stopper being configured:
to be movable between a retract position where the second stopper is retracted from the product housing path and a protrusion position where the second stopper protrudes in the product housing path to hold a product of the second vending order, that is a next vending product, following the vending product; and
to press the vending product when protruding in the product housing path;

a link configured to move each of the first stopper and the second stopper to the protrusion position and the retract position; and
a driver configured to drive the link, wherein
the second stopper includes ribs formed on a surface facing the product housing path, the ribs being configured to extend from a base end part toward a holding portion of the second stopper.

2. An automatic vending machine comprising:
a product housing rack including:
product housing shelves tilted such that a product discharge port is lower than a product insertion port, the product housing shelves being disposed at multiple rungs in a vertical direction and each including a product housing path defined to house products arrayed in a sideways posture in line in a front-and-rear direction; and
a product discharger provided near the product discharge port of each product housing shelf and at an upper side of the product housing path, the product discharger being configured to separate and discharge each product housed in the product housing path;

a first stopper that is able to appear in each product housing path from the upper side of the product housing path, the first stopper being configured:
to be movable between a protrusion position where the first stopper protrudes in the product housing path to hold a product of a first vending order, that is a vending product, and a retract position where the first stopper is retracted from the product housing path to release holding of the vending product; and
to tilt such that a free end side of a holding portion of the first stopper, the holding portion of the first stopper being configured to hold the product, is positioned at the product discharge port relative to a rotational pivot side when protruding in the product housing path;

a second stopper that is able to appear in each product housing path from the upper side of the product housing path, the second stopper being configured:
to be movable between a retract position where the second stopper is retracted from the product housing path and a protrusion position where the second stopper protrudes in the product housing path to hold a product of the second vending order, that is a next vending product, following the vending product; and
to press the vending product when protruding in the product housing path;

a link configured to move each of the first stopper and the second stopper to the protrusion position and the retract position; and
a driver configured to drive the link, wherein
the first stopper includes:
a bearing into which a rotation shaft as a rotational pivot is inserted;
the holding portion configured to hold the product; and
a product receiving portion formed to have a longitudinal section in a concave shape that is recessed to a rear side of a line connecting a base end and a leading end of the holding portion.

3. An automatic vending machine comprising:
a product housing rack including:
product housing shelves tilted such that a product discharge port is lower than a product insertion port, the product housing shelves being disposed at multiple rungs in a vertical direction and each including a product housing path defined to house products arrayed in a sideways posture in line in a front-and-rear direction; and
a product discharger provided near the product discharge port of each product housing shelf and at an upper side of the product housing path, the product discharger being configured to separate and discharge each product housed in the product housing path;

a first stopper that is able to appear in each product housing path from the upper side of the product housing path, the first stopper being configured:
to be movable between a protrusion position where the first stopper protrudes in the product housing path to hold a product of a first vending order, that is a vending product, and a retract position where the first stopper is retracted from the product housing path to release holding of the vending product; and
to tilt such that a free end side of a holding portion of the first stopper, the holding portion of the first stopper being configured to hold the product, is positioned at the product discharge port relative to rotational pivot side when protruding in the product housing path;

a second stopper that is able to appear in each product housing path from the upper side of the product housing path, the second stopper being configured:
to be movable between a retract position where the second stopper is retracted from the product housing path and a protrusion position where the second stopper protrudes in the product housing path to hold a product of the second vending order, that is a next vending product, following the vending product; and
to press the vending product when protruding in the product housing path;

a link configured to move each of the first stopper and the second stopper to the protrusion position and the retract position; and
a driver configured to drive the link, wherein
a holding portion of the second stopper is formed as a convex portion in a substantially trapezoid shape including a flat part facing the product housing path.

4. The automatic vending machine according to claim 3 , wherein the second stopper includes ribs continuously formed on a surface facing the product housing path, the ribs being configured to extend from a base end part toward a holding portion of the second stopper.

Assignees

• Fuji Electric Co Ltd
• Coca Cola Co

Inventors

• Fukuda Katsuhiko
• Iwako Tsutomu
• Nakazato Yasuo
• Yamazaki Yasuhiro
• Nishiyama Takashi

Classifications

• G07F11/10 Primary

  two or more magazines having a common delivery chute · CPC title

• G07F11/28 Primary

  in which the magazines are inclined · CPC title

• G06Q20/18

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title

• G07F11/32

  two or magazines having a common delivery chute · CPC title

• G07F11/24

  Rotary or oscillatory members · CPC title