JPS6182296A - Cup turret - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a cup turret in a cup feeding device that stores cups and supplies the cups to a cup delivery device as appropriate.

(B) Conventional technology In recent years, cup-type vending machines have come to dispense beverages into various types of cups, and as a result, cup turrets have also been adapted to accommodate cup dispensing devices installed according to cup types. It has become necessary to replenish certain types of cups. As such a cup turret, there is a technique disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-70281.

In this conventional technology, a plurality of cup storage chambers are lined up on the circumference of a cup storage drum, and a cup delivery device according to the type of cup is provided outside the periphery. This configuration is such that a cup storage chamber storing cups is opposed to a cup delivery device, and a cup row in the cup storage chamber is introduced into the cup delivery device by a cup row delivery mechanism.

By the way, in such conventional technology, the reason why the cup delivery device is disposed outside the rotational orbit of the cup storage drum is that if there is a cup delivery device on the rotational trajectory, a predetermined type of cup is sent to one cup delivery device. If the other cup dispensing device runs out of cups while the other cup dispensing device is running out of cups, and an attempt is made to move the cup storage chamber containing the corresponding row of cups to this cup dispensing device in order to replenish cups, the cup on the side that is not out of cups will be removed. This is because the drum cannot rotate freely because the cup row of the delivery mechanism becomes an obstacle.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention Therefore, according to the prior art, the size of the device is increased because the cup delivery device is disposed outside the rotational orbit of the cup storage chamber, and moreover, the cup delivery device is not connected from the cup storage chamber to the cup delivery device. A complex column delivery mechanism is required to move the column.

Moreover, when the cup row is moved on a horizontal surface, it may fall over, and in this case, the campfreet stops functioning.

In view of the above points, the present invention provides a cup turret in which the cup storage chamber can be freely moved even if the cup delivery device is disposed on the moving orbit of the cup storage chamber. The present invention also provides a cup turret that can reliably supply cups to the cup delivery device.

B) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention arranges a cup column in which the bottom plate is pivotally supported so that it can be opened and closed in a closed loop, is movable along the closed loop, and is arranged on the movement track surface of the cup column. The structure has a cup ejection port formed therein, and includes a support member that supports the bottom plate of the cup column that moves over the cup ejection port, a wedge plate that protrudes into the cup column that reaches the cup ejection port, and a support member that supports the bottom plate of the cup column. The cup turret is provided with a control member for controlling the release of support and the protrusion of the wedge plate into the cup column.

(e) Effect With the above configuration, some of the cups in the row of cups stored in the cup column are separated by the protrusion of the wedge plate.
When the support of the bottom plate by the support member is released, the separated cup is dropped and sent out through the outlet.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the cuff releaselet according to the present invention, and the cuff turret of this example accommodates a hot beverage cup and a cold beverage cup, and the cup turret according to the present invention stores a cup for hot beverages and a cup for cold beverages. It supplies the corresponding cup to the delivery device. In the same figure, there are nine force/knob columns (2) on the board (1) that can accommodate both hot and cold cups.
) are arranged in an elliptical closed loop, and the two adjacent cup columns (2) are connected at two points above and below by a connecting member (3), and the cup columns (2) are driven by a sprocket (8). ) is sequentially moved. Connecting member (3)
is a pair of holes (4) (5) as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
) to connect the cup columns (2+) (22) by insertion, but one hole (4) is provided with a protrusion (6) and a groove (7) formed in the cup column (2,). It is mated to Therefore, one cup column (2,) is fixed to the coupling member (3,), while the other cup column (22,)
) is in a state where it can freely rotate relative to the coupling member (3,) because no protrusion is formed in the hole (5). However, the cup column (21), which is fixed to the coupling member (3,), is not coupled to the coupling member (32) and is in a free state. In this way, one cup column (2) is subordinate to the movement of the other cup column (2) fixed to the coupling member (3), and the nine cup columns (2) are arranged in a closed loop. It is connected. Therefore, by rotating the sprocket (8), each cup column (2) moves in an elliptical orbit, but at this time, the guide part (9) is moved to a position where the sprocket (8) changes the direction of the cup column (2). installed to facilitate movement.

The cup column (2) accommodates a row of cups in which hot cups or cold cups are stacked vertically, and a bottom plate αη that can be opened and closed about an axis (to) as a fulcrum is provided at the bottom as shown in Fig. 4. A roller (2) is provided on the surface of the bottom plate σD facing the substrate (1), and the cup column (2) is moved on the substrate (1) by rotation of the sprocket (8).

On the movement trajectory of the cup column (2) of the board (1), a hot cup outlet αQ and a cold cup outlet (b) are bored as shown in FIG. When the cup column (2) falls down and reaches the outlet 03α→, the support by the base plate (1) of the bottom plate (1'D) is released, but instead the support member (c) closes the bottom plate aη. As shown in FIG. 6, the support member aυ is rotatably supported at one end by the stepped portion η of the lever αQ, but the support member aυ cannot be rotated in the direction of the arrow a by the wall (t). The other end of the lever ◇e is rotatably supported by the drive shaft 00. Therefore, when the lever 0Q is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown by the dashed line by driving the drive shaft 1, The support member aG also rotates in the same direction, and the bottom plate 0]) is opened by disengaging the engagement IF. Also, above the outlet (13Q→), there is a cup row (
The wedge plate (a) for taking out 10 cups from c) is rotatably supported by the drive shaft, and the seventh
As shown in the figure, when the drive shaft is driven, the wedge plate (A) rotates in the direction of the arrow and comes into contact with the cup row (C), so that the wedge plate (C) is wedged into the gap between the curls of the cups. It has become. At the same time as the wedge plate (C) separates the cup from the cup row (C), the bottom plate 0 is removed by the supporting member αQ.
When the lock 1) is released, a plurality of cups are stacked and dropped from the cup row (c) through the outlet α30→. Such a wedge plate (a) and support member 0! ;l should be provided at the outlet α■α→, respectively. Figures 1θ and 11
The figure shows the configuration of the control section (c) that controls the drive of the wedge plate section and the support member aQ, and the drive shaft (
Gears (60) and 6υ are attached to the drive shaft α of the lever (G) that drives the support member (C) and the support member (G), respectively. The gear (60), II) meshes with the gear (631, 1, 4) attached to the deceleration output shaft of the separation motor (c). In Fig. 10, the gear (good) is shown by a solid line, and the gear - is Indicated by a wavy line. Furthermore, a cam is attached to the output shaft of the separation motor, and the cup separation operation is achieved by one cycle of the cam. When the output shaft bag is rotated in the direction of the arrow by the drive of the separation motor (c), the gear (60) whose teeth (60A) are facing the recess (63A) of the gear (6) in the standby state changes to the gear [F ]■ Teeth (63B
) and rotates. Therefore, the drive shaft rotates and the wedge plate (e) sinks into the cup row (b). −
The real part moving axis αO is urged to rotate in the direction of the arrow by the spring 66), but the gear (61) is locked because it is in contact with the convex part (64A) of the gear (goods). There is.

When the concave portion (64B) reaches the gear (-) due to the rotation of the gear (64), the drive shaft α is unlocked and is urged by the spring (66) to rotate in the direction of the arrow.
The support member αυ moves in the direction away from the cup row (C), and the bottom plate 01) opens. Therefore, some of the cups separated from the cup row (A) by the wedge plate (C) lose their support from the bottom plate (B) and are separated.
→Introduced into the cup delivery mechanism machine. Furthermore, the output shaft [F
] The tin rotates and the teeth (64C) of the gear (64)
1), the drive shaft Q rotates in the opposite direction of the arrow against the spring (66), and the bottom plate αD closes. Then, the concave part (63A) of gear 3) is
30, the gear (60) becomes free, so the drive shaft (A) is biased by the spring (67) and rotates in the opposite direction of the arrow, and the wedge plate (C) is separated from the cup row (A). Leave. Therefore, the cup row (c), which was held by the wedge plate (a), falls onto the bottom plate 0σ. This smooth one-cycle operation is detected by a full-cycle switch that turns ON and OFF in conjunction with the rotation of the cam needle. In addition, a buffer section by a spring (c) is formed in the middle of the power transmission path from the output shaft (621) to the wedge plate (1).

Therefore, when the wedge plate (E) comes into contact with the cup row (A), the power transmitted from then on will be absorbed by the spring (C), and the wedge plate (C) will surely support the curl of the cup row (A). can do. In addition, this buffer section allows for adaptation to differences in cup size depending on the type of cup, as well as misalignment of the cup column stopped at the outlet α■α→, without any adjustment. A recess (C) that approximately matches the circumference of the cup is formed on the piece of the wedge plate (E) that comes into contact with the cup row (C), and an inner wall of the cup column (2) facing the wedge plate (A) is formed. When the wedge plate (C) sinks into the gap between the curls, the cup to be separated is urged by the recess in the step, so it can be separated more smoothly than the cup row (C). be able to.

Below the outlet 03α, a cup delivery device (a) is arranged, which receives the cups separated from the cup rows) and delivers the cups one by one in response to a predetermined cup delivery signal. . As shown in FIG. 8, the cup delivery device @ includes a plurality of cup droppers (A), and the cup dropper shaft supports the curled portion of the lowest cup (C1). Then, a predetermined cup delivery signal causes the cancitro knob motor (
(not shown), each cup dropper shaft is driven by shaft 61.
) as a fulcrum, and move from the cup row (C) to the cup (C).
3) is separated and sent out, and the cup (C2) is newly supported. The detection member (to) moves in and out depending on the presence or absence of a cup in the cup delivery device (a), and the cup switch (a) detects the presence or absence of a cup in response to the movement of the detection member 61.

In addition, on the inner wall of the exterior case (B) that houses the cup column (2), a sensor (A) is arranged for each outlet 03α station, and a portion facing the sensor (C) of each cup column (2) is arranged. A display section (A) is formed in the display section (A). The display member of each cup column (2) indicates whether the stored cup is a hot cup or a cold cup, and in this example, a reflective member is attached when a hot cup is stored. The sensor (b) irradiates light and detects the presence of a reflective member based on the amount of reflected light, thereby determining the type of cup stored in the cup column (2). Alternatively, a reflective member may be attached to the display portion (to), and the position of the reflective member relative to the sensor (b) may be changed by sliding the display portion (g) depending on whether the cup is a hot cup or a cold cup. Also sensor 61
) detects the presence or absence of a cup row within the cup column (2).

With the above configuration, when the cup switch (A) detects that the cup delivery device (A) runs out of cups, the sprocket (8) is driven to sequentially move the cup column (2). Assuming that the cup delivery device (A) corresponding to the cup take-out port (C) is out of cups, the sensor @ (B) provided corresponding to this take-out port (To) reaches the cup column (2). ) determines the type of storage cup and the presence or absence of the cup. The cup take-out port (to) is for taking out the real cup, and when the sensor @0) detects that the reached cup column (2) is storing a hot cup, the sprocket (8) is stopped and the separation motor is activated. ) to drive. Then, the cam (
651 rotates and the full cycle switch turns OFF.
When it is detected that the motor is turned on from then on and then turned off again, the disconnection motor θυ is made inoperable. This disconnection motor 0
In one cycle of the frame, some of the cups are separated from the cup row (c) by the wedge plate (c), and when the bottom plate (11) is released from support by the support member 00, the separated cups pass through the outlet 03 and become hot. The cup delivery mechanism (a) on the side is replenished. The same goes for when the cold cup runs out; the sprocket (8) is driven by the cold cup run out, and the cup column (2), which is reached by the cup outlet (sensor @0] provided corresponding to lk), stores the cold cup. Determine whether When the cup column (2) storing the cold cup is detected, the separation motor (c) installed at the cup outlet α→ is driven to separate some of the cold cups from the cup column (2) and remove the cup. Exit α→
is supplied to the cup delivery mechanism (a) on the cold side.

However, even if the sprocket (8) is driven, if the sensor θυ cannot detect the presence of the desired hot cup or cold cup in any of the cup columns (2), the sprocket (8) is stopped as the cup is out of storage.

For example, if the sprocket (8) is driven and no detection signal is obtained from the sensor smell η even after a certain period of time has elapsed, that type of cup is considered to be out of storage.

(g) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, it is possible to downsize the device without having to move the cup row in the horizontal direction in order to perform the take-out operation outside the rotational orbit of the cup column. Since the cup rows are not moved in the horizontal direction, there is no overturning of the cup rows, and the cup feeding operation from the cup turret to the cup delivery device is ensured. Further, since some cups are separated from the cup row and introduced into the cup delivery device, the entire weight of the cup row is not applied to the cup delivery device, and a stable cup delivery operation can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the cup tallet, Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the connection of the cup column, Fig. 3 is a front view of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a view showing the main parts near the outlet, Figure 5 is a plan sectional view showing the main parts near the outlet, Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the support member, Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the wedge plate, and Figure 8 is a configuration diagram of the cup delivery mechanism seen from the front. , FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the arrangement of sensors, FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the control section, and FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG. 10. (1)...Substrate, (2)...Cup column, O
→...Bottom plate, Q3 (L4-...Cup outlet, θ...Support member, (C)...Control unit, (C)...
・Wedge board. Figure 4 Figure 7 Figure 6 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cup column that stores cups in a row of cups stacked vertically and has a bottom plate pivoted so that it can be opened and closed;
A substrate on which the cup column is arranged in a closed loop, a drive device that moves the cup column along the closed loop, a cup outlet formed on a movement track of the cup column that moves on the substrate, and the cup a support member that supports the bottom plate of the cup column that moves over the cup outlet; a wedge plate that protrudes into the cup column that has reached the cup outlet and is embedded in the cup row to separate some of the cups; A cup turret comprising a control section for controlling release of support of the bottom plate and separation of the cup rows by the wedge plate.