Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.

Michihiko Makino

Yoshio Yasaka

Norio Nakajima

Tsutomu Iwako

Hajime Erikawa

Katsuhiko Fukuda

Takuya Sakatoku

Takuma Kakiuchi

A product storage device includes: a main gate that is swingably provided to advance and move away from a product storage column, that advances to an advanced position, and that allows a downstream-most product to be taken out; a sub-gate that is swingably provided in association with the main gate; a sliding member that regulates the main gate from moving away and retracting from the product storage column; and a lever that allows the sliding member to be present at a regulation position, that switches to a regulation posture which regulates the sliding member from returning to the regulation position, and that then, when the main gate moves away from the product storage column in response to a take-out operation, switches to a standby posture when the main gate advances to the product storage column to allow the sliding member to return to the regulation position.

Product storage device and automatic vending machine

A product discharging device includes: a lower pedal that is swingably disposed in a base to move forward to and backward from a product storage passage storing input products in a vertical direction; an upper pedal that is swingably disposed in a base to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage in an area above the lower pedal; and a pedal link that links the lower pedal and the upper pedal. The upper pedal moves backward by causing the pedal link to move downward and the lower pedal moves forward to regulate downward movement of the product in a standby state, and the upper pedal moves forward to come in contact with a second lowest product and the lower pedal moves backward to discharge a lowest product downward by causing the pedal link to move upward, in an activated state.

Product discharging device

A product dispensing system includes: a first product discharging device that is applied to a first product storage passage storing an input product in a vertical direction, regulates downward movement of the product stored in the first product storage passage in a standby state, and discharges a lowest product stored in the first product storage passage downward in an activated state; and a second product discharging device that is applied to a second product storage passage being adjacent to the first product storage passage and storing an input product in the vertical direction thereof, regulates downward movement of the product stored in the second product storage passage in a standby state, and discharges a lowest product stored in the second product storage passage downward in an activated state. The first product discharging device and the second product discharging device are coupled to each other back to back.

A product dispensing device includes: one product discharging device; and the other product discharging device. The one product discharging device includes: a DC motor serving as a drive source; and a driving force applying unit configured to apply a driving force from the DC motor when a discharge command is issued. The driving force applying unit includes: an output gear configured to rotate about a central axis of the output gear according to a driving state of the DC motor; an arm member configured to rotate in accordance with a rotation direction of the output gear when the output gear is rotated; and a link lever member configured such that the one product discharging device and the other product discharging device are alternatively driven in accordance with a rotation of the arm member.

Product dispensing device

A product discharging device includes: a lower pedal that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from a product storage passage storing input products in a vertical direction; an upper pedal that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage in an area above the lower pedal; a pedal stopper pin that is coupled to a pedal link linking the lower pedal and the upper pedal and that is movable with movement in the vertical direction of the pedal link; and a rotation stopper of which a tip is linked to the lower pedal and that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage along with the lower pedal.

A product discharging device includes: a lower pedal swingably arranged with a base in such a manner that a distal end thereof advances into and retreats from a product storage passage storing therein, along an up-and-down direction, products that are input thereto; an upper pedal swingably arranged with the base in a region above the lower pedal, in such a manner that a distal end thereof advances into and retreats from the product storage passage; and a sold-out detection switch configured to detect whether there is any product in the product storage passage by going into an ON state or an OFF state when the lower pedal is in a first standby posture and going into the OFF state or the ON state when the lower pedal is in a second standby posture.

A product storage device includes: a product rack including a plurality of product storage columns, the product storage column having a product storage path; a main gate member provided the product storage columns to be rotatable in a form of moving into or out of the product storage path; and a restraining unit including a guide member extending along a direction of arranging the product storage columns, and a plurality of piece members slidably housed in a housing region of the guide member. The restraining unit in a normal state restrains all the main gate members from being retreated from the product storage path. The restraining unit allows any one main gate member to be retreated from the product storage path and restrain the other main gate members from being retreated from the product storage path when extraction of a product in the product rack is allowed.

Growing community of inventors

Yokkaichi, Japan

Michihiko Makino