Article accommodation device and article supply device

Inventors: Hajime Kondo (Tokyo, JP); Tatsushi Ikarashi (Tokyo, JP); Nobuo Kurokawa (Tokyo, JP); Yoshihiro Murakami (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: BANDAI CO., LTD.

G07F11/16 G07F11/00 G07F11/42

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12705947
App. No.: 18/550,676
Granted: Aug 11, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An article accommodation unit which can be attached to an article supply device, comprises a main body capable of accommodating articles in a state where the articles are laminated; an operation portion provided in the main body; and a lock portion provided in the main body and capable of locking the operation portion so as not to perform a certain operation, wherein the lock portion is configured so as to be able to release a lock of the operation portion on condition that the article accommodation unit is attached to the article supply device.

Claims (22)

1 . An article accommodation unit which can be attached to an article supply device, comprising:

a main body configured to accommodatie articles in a state where the articles are laminated;

an operation portion provided in the main body; and

a lock portion provided in the main body and including:

a first projecting portion which projects in a first direction from one end portion thereof,

a second projecting portion which projects in a second direction which is different from the first direction from another end portion thereof, and

a biasing portion configured to bias the second projecting portion toward the operation portion such that the second projecting portion is brought in contact with the lock portion by a biasing force of the biasing portion thereby locking the operation portion, when no force is exerted on the first projecting portion,

wherein the second projection portion of the lock portion is configured to move away from the operation portion against the biasing force, thereby releasing a lock of the operation portion when the article accommodation unit is attached to the article supply device and the first projecting portion is brought into contact with an inner wall of the article supply device such that the force is exerted on the first projecting portion.

2 . The article accommodation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the operation portion is configured to perform an operation on a condition that payment of consideration for an article is detected by a detection unit which is provided in the article supply device and is configured to detect the payment of consideration for the article, and that an operation to the operation portion provided in the article supply device is performed to transport the article from the article accommodation unit.

3 . The article accommodation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the operation portion is configured to perform a rotation operation thereof as a predetermined operation.

4 . The article accommodation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the article accommodation unit is configured to be attachable to the article supply device and configured to be drawn toward a front side of the article supply device, and the operation portion is configured so as not to be in contact with the inner wall of the article supply device in a state where the article accommodation unit is attached to the article supply device.

5 . The article accommodation unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the operation portion projects from a bottom portion of the main body.

6 . The article accommodation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the operation portion is a gear, and the lock portion is configured to be locked so that the gear does not rotate, on condition that a portion of the gear where the no tooth is formed is brought into contact with the second projecting portion.

7 . The article accommodation unit according to claim 6 , wherein part of teeth of the gear is configured so as to be exposed from the article accommodation device, the exposed teeth are configured to be interlocked with a power transmission unit, which is directly or indirectly connected to the operation portion provided in the article supply device, on condition that the article accommodation unit is attached to the article supply device.

8 . The article accommodation unit according to claim 7 , wherein, except for a portion of the exposed teeth, the gear is covered with a transparent or a semi-transparent member.

9 . The article accommodation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the main body further includes a transportation portion configured to transport the article accommodated in the main body, and the transportation portion is configured to transport the article on condition of an operation of the operation portion.

10 . An article supply device comprising:

the article accommodation unit according to claim 9 ;

a reception unit which receives payment of consideration for the article;

a detection portion which detects the payment of consideration;

an operation portion which accepts an operation for transporting the article accommodated in the article accommodation unit in response to a detection of the payment of consideration; and

a power transmission unit for transmitting a power of the operation to the transportation unit, and transporting the article.