Automatic vending equipment

• US 5,791,512 A
• Filed: 12/09/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silk Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Silk Company Limited
• Inventors: Kanatsuka, Tsuneo
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US08/762,821
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 186/55, 186/56, 221/2, 221/7, 221/13, 221/131, 221/133, 221/155, 221/191, 221/192, 221/194, 221/258, 221/298, 221/301, 414/276, 414/281
• US Class Current: 221/2
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/16 Delivery means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles

Abstract

There are used article display shelves each comprising a plurality of article storing compartments arranged vertically and laterally, the article storing compartments each holding a plurality of articles in a front-declined state, and the articles in each article storing compartment are held by means of a stopper, the stopper being capable of moving between an article holding position for inhibiting free fall of article and an article release position for permitting free fall of article. On the premise that money is paid, a bucket is conveyed to a position where a desired article is to be dropped from the article storing compartment which holds the article, and the position of the stopper is shifted to the article release position by an operation performed on the bucket side. As a result, the desired article is put into the bucket, which bucket is then conveyed up to an article take-out port. In this way the sale of article is effected. Thus, the expensive drive source included in the stopper displacing structure, namely, the structure for taking out a desired article from the associated article display shelf, is provided on only the bucket and hence it is possible to provide a less expensive, large-sized, automatic vending equipment.

Claims

1. An automatic vending equipment comprising:

article display shelves each including a plurality of article storing compartments formed in a matrix form vertically and laterally for holding a plurality of articles in a front-declined state;

an article dropping mechanism provided in each of said article storing compartments, said article dropping mechanism having a stopper capable of moving between an article holding position for inhibiting free fall of article and an article release position for permitting free fall of article, stopper urging means for urging said stopper to said article holding position, and stopper displacing means which when pressed displaces the stopper to said article release position;

an article take-out port for taking out articles;

bucket conveying means for conveying an article receiving bucket to an article dropping position where an article is dropped into said bucket from the article storing compartment which holds the article, and also to said article take-out port;

pressing means attached to said bucket to impart a pressing force to said stopper displacing means in said article dropping mechanism;

a front panel which covers all of said article display shelves, said article dropping mechanism and said bucket conveying means and which allows said article take-out port to be exposed;

article designating keys;

money receiving means; and

article selling means which causes the bucket conveyance by said bucket conveying means and the displacement of said stopper to said article release position by said pressing means to be executed and which causes each article designated by said article designating keys to be conveyed up to said article take-out port on condition that the amount of money corresponding to the designated article is received by said money receiving means.

2. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 1, wherein said front panel constitutes part of interior wall surfaces of a room in which the automatic vending equipment is installed.

3. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 1, wherein said bucket conveying means includes bucket rails disposed in the horizontal direction, a bucket carrier which is slidable along said bucket rails and which holds said bucket in a vertically movable manner, a linear gear provided horizontally on one or both of said bucket rails, a gear attached to said bucket carrier and meshing with said linear gear, and a gear driving unit for driving the gear attached to the bucket carrier.

4. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 3, wherein said linear gear is a timing belt fixed to said bucket rail(s).

5. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 3, wherein said linear gear is formed integrally with said bucket rail(s).

6. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 1, wherein said article dropping mechanism further has a second stopper and a connection member, said second stopper being capable of moving between an article push-up position spaced a predetermined distance toward the back side from the position of said stopper in each said article storing compartment, in which article push-up position the second stopper projects to the article storing compartment side, and an article push-up cancel position where the second stopper does not project to the article snoring compartment side, said connection member connecting said stopper and said second stopper with each other in such a manner that the operation of the stopper and that of the second stopper are reverse to each other.

7. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 1, wherein said bucket has a bottom plate capable of being opened and closed and a bottom plate driving unit for opening and closing said bottom plate, and said article selling means causes the bucket with an article or articles put therein to be conveyed up to a position above said article take-out port and drives said bottom plate driving unit to open said bottom plate.

8. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 1, further including a shutter for opening and closing said article take-out port, said shutter assuming a front-declined state when opened, and a shutter driving unit for driving said shutter to let the shutter perform its opening and closing motions, and wherein said bucket has a bottom plate capable of being opened and closed, said bottom plate when opened assuming an inclined state contiguous to said shutter when the shutter is in its open condition, and a bottom plate driving unit for driving said bottom plate to let the bottom plate perform its opening and closing motions, and said article selling means causes said bucket with an article or articles put therein to be conveyed up to a position above and behind said article take-out port and drives said shutter driving unit and said bottom plate driving unit to open said shutter and said bottom plate.

9. An automatic vending equipment comprising:

article display shelves each including a plurality of article storing compartments formed in a matrix form vertically and laterally for holding a plurality of articles in a front-declined state;

an article dropping mechanism provided in each of said article storing compartments, said article dropping mechanism having a stopper capable of moving between an article holding position for inhibiting free fall of article and an article release position for permitting free fall of article, stopper urging means for urging said stopper to said article holding position, and stopper displacing means which when pressed displaces the stopper to said article release position;

an article take-out port for taking out articles;

a bucket support and moving mechanism for supporting an article receiving bucket movably to an article dropping position where an article is dropped into said bucket from the article storing compartment which holds the article, and also to said article take-out port;

a bucket driving unit for driving said bucket support and moving mechanism;

a pressing mechanism attached to said bucket and displaceable in a direction to impart a pressing force to said stopper displacing means in said article dropping mechanism;

a pressing mechanism driving unit for driving said pressing mechanism;

a front panel which covers all of said article display shelves, said article dropping mechanism and said bucket conveying means and which allows said article take-out port to be exposed;

article designating keys;

money receiving means; and

article selling means which applies drive control signals to both said bucket driving unit and said pressing mechanism driving unit, thereby causing the bucket conveyance by said bucket support and moving mechanism and the displacement of said stopper to said article release position by said pressing mechanism to be executed and causing each article designated by said article designating keys to be conveyed up to said article take-out port on condition that the amount of money corresponding to the designated article is received by said money receiving means.

10. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 9, wherein said front panel constitutes part of interior wall surfaces of a room in which the automatic vending equipment is installed.

11. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 9, wherein said bucket support and moving mechanism comprises bucket rails disposed in the horizontal direction, a bucket carrier which is slidable along said bucket rails and which holds said bucket in a vertically movable manner, a linear gear provided horizontally on one or both of said bucket rails, a gear attached to said bucket carrier and meshing with said linear gear, and a gear driving unit for driving the gear attached to the bucket carrier.

12. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 11, wherein said linear gear is a timing belt fixed to said bucket rail(s).

13. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 11, wherein said linear gear is formed integrally with said bucket rail(s).

14. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 9, wherein said article dropping mechanism further has a second stopper and a connection member, said second stopper being capable of moving between an article push-up position spaced a predetermined distance toward the back side from the position of said stopper in each said article storing compartment, in which article push-up position the second stopper projects to the article storing compartment side, and an article push-up cancel position where the second stopper does not project to the article storing compartment side, said connection member connecting said stopper and said second stopper with each other in such a manner that the operation of the stopper and that of the second stopper are reverse to each other.

15. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 9, wherein said bucket has a bottom plate capable of being opened and closed and a bottom plate driving unit for opening and closing said bottom plate, and said article selling means applies a drive control signal to said bucket driving unit, thereby causing the bucket to be conveyed up to a position above said article take-out port, and said article selling means applies a drive control signal to said bottom plate driving unit to open said bottom plate.

16. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 9, further including a shutter for opening and closing said article take-out port, said shutter assuming a front-declined state when opened, and a shutter driving unit for driving said shutter to let the shutter perform its opening and closing motions, and wherein said bucket has a bottom plate capable of being opened and closed, said bottom plate when opened assuming an inclined state contiguous to said shutter when the shutter is in its open condition, and a bottom plate driving unit for driving said bottom plate to let the bottom plate perform its opening and closing motions, and said article selling means applies a drive control signal to said bucket driving unit, thereby causing the bucket to be conveyed up to a position above and behind said article take-out port, and said article selling means applies drive control signals to both said shutter driving unit and said bottom plate driving unit to open both said shutter and said bottom plate.

17. An automatic vending equipment comprising:

article display shelves each including a plurality of article storing compartments for holding a plurality of articles in an oblique state;

an article dropping mechanism provided in each of said article storing compartments, said article dropping mechanism having a stopper capable of moving between an article holding position for inhibiting free fall of article and an article release position for permitting free fall of article, stopper urging means for urging said stopper to said article holding position, and stopper displacing means which when pressed displaces the stopper to said article release position;

an article take-out port for taking out articles;

a bucket support and moving mechanism for supporting an article receiving bucket movably to an article dropping position where an article is dropped into said bucket from the article storing compartment which holds the article, and also to said article take-out port;

a bucket driving unit for driving said bucket support and moving mechanism;

a pressing mechanism attached to said bucket to impart a pressing force to said stopper displacing means in said article dropping mechanism;

a pressing mechanism driving unit for driving said pressing mechanism;

article designating means;

money receiving means; and

article selling means which applies drive control signals to both said bucket driving unit and said pressing mechanism driving unit, thereby causing the bucket conveyance by said bucket conveying means and the displacement of said stopper to said article release position by said pressing mechanism to the executed and causing each article designated by said article designating keys to be conveyed up to said article take-out port on condition that the amount of money corresponding to the designated article is received by said money receiving means.

18. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 17, wherein said bucket conveying means comprises bucket rails disposed in the horizontal direction, a bucket carrier which is slidable along said bucket rails and which holds said bucket in a vertically movable manner, a linear gear provided horizontally on one or both of said bucket rails, a gear attached to said bucket carrier and meshing with said linear gear, and a gear driving unit for driving the gear attached to the bucket carrier.

19. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 18, wherein said linear gear is a timing belt fixed to said bucket rail(s).

20. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 18, wherein said linear gear is formed integrally with said bucket rail(s).

21. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 17, wherein said article dropping mechanism further has a second stopper and a connection member, said second stopper being capable of moving between an article push-up position spaced a predetermined distance toward the back side from the position of said stopper in each said article storing compartment, in which article push-up position the second stopper projects to the article storing compartment side, and an article push-up cancel position where the second stopper does not project to the article storing compartment side, said connection member connecting said stopper and said second stopper with each other in such a manner that the operation of the stopper and that of the second stopper are reverse to each other.

22. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 17, wherein said bucket has a bottom plate capable of being opened and closed and a bottom plate driving unit for opening and closing said bottom plate, and said article selling means applies a drive control signal to said bucket driving unit, thereby causing said bucket to be conveyed up to a position above said article take-out port, and said article selling means applies a drive control signal to said bottom plate driving unit to open said bottom plate.

23. An automatic vending equipment as recited in claim 17, further including a shutter for opening and closing said article take-out port, said shutter assuming a front-declined state when opened, and a shutter driving unit for driving said shutter to let the shutter perform its opening and closing motions, and wherein said bucket has a bottom plate capable of being opened and closed, said bottom plate when opened assuming an inclined state contiguous to said shutter when the shutter is in its open condition, and a bottom plate driving unit for driving said bottom plate to let the bottom plate perform its opening and closing motions, and said article selling means applies a drive control signal to said bucket driving unit, thereby causing said bucket to be conveyed up to a position above and behind said article take-out port, and said article selling means applies drive control signals to both said shutter driving unit and said bottom plate driving unit to open said shutter and said bottom plate.