Small-sized vending machine
A small-sized automatic vending machine for snack confectionery is provided, which is capable of being fitted to a side surface of an already installed automatic vending machine for drinks, or the like, and which enables machine size reduction, commodity protection, and a first-in first-out operation for commodities. The small-sized automatic vending machine comprises a base frame ( 4 ), which is capable of being fitted to a mounting surface ( 2 ), and a cabinet ( 6 ). The cabinet ( 6 ) comprises a commodity vending opening ( 10 ), which is located at an upper region, and a commodity accommodating section, which is located within the cabinet ( 6 ) and accommodates a plurality of commodities (CA, CB) laid-up on commodity carriers ( 26 A, 26 B). A lower region of the cabinet ( 6 ) is pivotably supported on the base frame ( 4 ) via a hinge ( 8 ), such that the cabinet ( 6 ) is capable of being set in a sideways fallen state, in which the commodity accommodating section is exposed. In the sideways fallen state, commodity replenishment is performed by leaving the commodities, which remain in the commodity accommodating section, at a predetermined position, and moving the commodity carriers ( 26 A, 26 B) in a direction heading away from the commodity vending opening ( 10 ).
1. A small-sized automatic vending machine capable of being fitted onto a mounting surface, the automatic vending machine comprising:
i) a base frame, which is capable of being fitted onto the mounting surface, and
ii) a cabinet, whose lower region is pivotably supported on the base frame,
wherein the cabinet is capable of undergoing a pivoting movement between an upright state, in which the cabinet is latched onto the base frame, such that a commodity vending opening of the cabinet is located at an upper position, and such that the cabinet accommodates a plurality of commodities laid-up on a commodity carrier located for vertical movement within the cabinet, and a sideways fallen state, in which a commodity accommodating section that accommodates the plurality of the commodities is capable of being exposed, and
commodity replenishment into the commodity accommodating section is capable of being performed in the sideways fallen state of the cabinet with an operation, in which the commodity carrier is moved in a direction heading away from the commodity vending opening, while certain commodities remaining within the commodity accommodating section are being left at a predetermined position in the commodity accommodating section.
2. A small-sized automatic vending machine as defined in claim 1 wherein commodity pushing-up means and commodity delivering means are located within the cabinet,
the commodity pushing-up means successively performing pushing-up operations for pushing up the plurality of the laid-up commodities in the upright state of the cabinet in a manner such that, with each of the successive pushing-up operations, the commodity pushing-up means lifts the commodity carrier by a distance equal to a height of each of the laid-up commodities;
the commodity delivering means delivering the highest commodity on the commodity carrier into the commodity vending opening.
3. A small-sized automatic vending machine as defined in claim 2 wherein a plurality of commodity carriers are located so as to stand side by side within the cabinet, and
a plurality of commodity delivering means are located such that each of the commodity delivering means corresponds to one of the commodity carriers.
4. A small-sized automatic vending machine as defined in claim 2 wherein only one commodity carrier is located within the cabinet,
the commodities of an identical kind are laid-up in a plurality of columns on the commodity carrier, and
a plurality of commodity delivering means are located such that each of the commodity delivering means corresponds to one of the columns of the laid-up commodities.
5. A small-sized automatic vending machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the automatic vending machine further comprises locking means, which is capable of locking the cabinet in the upright state and which, with an unlocking operation, allows the cabinet to shift into the sideways fallen state.
6. A small-sized automatic vending machine as defined in claim 5 wherein, in cases where the commodities on the commodity carrier have been sold out, the commodity carrier is returned to the lowest position as an operation accompanying the unlocking operation of the locking means or the shifting of the cabinet into the sideways fallen state.
7. A small-sized automatic vending machine as defined in claim 2 wherein the automatic vending machine further comprises a shutter, which ordinarily blocks the commodity vending opening, and which opens the commodity vending opening before the highest commodity is delivered by the commodity delivering means into the commodity vending opening.
8. A small-sized automatic vending machine capable of being fitted onto a mounting surface, the automatic vending machine comprising:
i) a base frame, which is capable of being fitted onto the mounting surface, and
ii) a cabinet secured to the base frame in an upright state, in which a commodity vending opening of the cabinet is located at an upper position, the cabinet accommodating a plurality of commodities laid-up on a commodity carrier located for vertical movement within the cabinet,
wherein commodity pushing-up means and commodity delivering means are located within the cabinet,
the commodity pushing-up means successively performing pushing-up operations for pushing up the plurality of the laid-up commodities in the upright state of the cabinet in a manner such that, with each of the successive pushing-up operations, the commodity pushing-up means lifts the commodity carrier by a distance equal to a height of each of the laid-up commodities,
the commodity delivering means delivering the highest commodity on the commodity carrier into the commodity vending opening.
9. A small-sized automatic vending machine as defined in claim 8 wherein a plurality of commodity carriers are located so as to stand side by side within the cabinet, and
a plurality of commodity delivering means are located such that each of the commodity delivering means corresponds to one of the commodity carriers.
10. A small-sized automatic vending machine as defined in claim 8 wherein the automatic vending machine further comprises a shutter, which ordinarily blocks the commodity vending opening, and which opens the commodity vending opening before the highest commodity is delivered by the commodity delivering means into the commodity vending opening.