Automatic vending system and delivery control method

Abstract

The present invention discloses an automatic vending system and a delivery control method. Each storage area of the automatic vending system is respectively provided with a material channel. A feeding screw, a plurality of movable sleeves and a carrying sleeve are arranged inside the material channel. The carrying sleeve is located in front of the movable sleeve and is movably connected to the storage area. A spacing cylinder is arranged between each movable sleeve, and a positioning cylinder is arranged between the carrying sleeve and the movable sleeve. An inner threading block is arranged on the movable block of the movable sleeve, and a movable outer threading block is arranged on the carrying sleeve. The carrying sleeve is provided with a clamping piece for clamping goods. The feeding screw passes through the inner threading blocks of all the movable sleeves and is connected to the outer threading block of the carrying sleeve. The feeding screw of the automatic vending system of the present invention can not only complete the feeding of the feeding channel of the storage area, but also serve as a discharging piece, which can continuously pull goods so that the goods fall stably to the picking frame, thereby reducing the falling and collision of goods during delivery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automatic vending equipment, and in particular to an automatic vending system and a delivery control method. Background Art

[0002] Vending machines, which automatically collect cash and pay for goods, are a new form of retail. Vending machine aisles on the market primarily feature spring aisles, serpentine aisles, and crawler aisles. Spring aisle vending machines use coil springs to push goods into a pickup rack, where consumers can retrieve them. However, items pushed from high locations can fall onto the pickup rack, causing damage and affecting product quality. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to improve the situation in the prior art where goods at a high position of an automatic vending machine with a spring cargo channel fall and collide after being pushed out, and to propose an automatic vending system and a delivery control method.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] A vending system includes a cabinet body, wherein a storage area, a picking frame and a drop-off space are arranged inside the cabinet body, the drop-off space is located above the picking frame, and the picking frame and the drop-off space are respectively located in front of the storage area. Goods in the storage area enter the picking frame from the drop-off space, and a movable cover is provided on the cabinet body above the picking frame. The goods inside the picking frame can be taken out by opening the movable cover.

[0006] Furthermore, each storage area is respectively provided with a material channel, and a feeding screw with a horizontal axis, several movable sleeves and a carrying sleeve are provided inside the material channel. The carrying sleeve is located in front of the movable sleeve. When the carrying sleeve is located in the material channel, the feeding screw, movable sleeve and carrying sleeve are coaxially arranged.

[0007] Furthermore, a guide rod is provided within the storage area, parallel to the axis of the feed screw. A slider is provided on the exterior of the movable sleeve, which is slidably sleeved on the guide rod. The movable sleeve is movably connected to the storage area along the axis of the feed screw. A spacer cylinder is provided between each of the movable sleeves, with the ends of the spacer cylinders connected to different movable sleeves respectively. The spacer cylinders are used to adjust the axial distance between the movable sleeves.

[0008] Furthermore, a positioning cylinder is disposed between the carrying sleeve and the movable sleeve, one end of the positioning cylinder being fixedly connected to the movable sleeve, and the other end of the positioning cylinder being provided with a coupling block. The carrying sleeve is provided with a positioning block, the coupling block being compatible with the positioning block and capable of coupling with the positioning block. The positioning cylinder is used to adjust the distance between the carrying sleeve and the movable sleeve. When the feed screw is feeding, the distance between the carrying sleeve and the movable sleeve is the same as the distance between the movable sleeves.

[0009] Furthermore, the movable sleeve is provided with a movable block and a movable annular groove, the movable annular groove being coaxially arranged with the movable sleeve, the movable block being slidably connected to the movable annular groove, and the movable block moving in a circular manner on the movable sleeve through the movable annular groove. A brake cylinder is provided on the movable block, which can limit the sliding of the movable block in the movable annular groove and is used to position the movable block.

[0010] Furthermore, an inner threading block is provided on the movable block, and a threading through hole is provided on the inner threading block to accommodate the passage of the feeding screw. There is friction between the threading through hole and the feeding screw, and the friction force is greater than the friction force between the movable block and the inner wall of the movable ring groove. When the movable block slides in the movable ring groove, the feeding screw does not slide relative to the inner threading block.

[0011] Furthermore, the structure of the carrying cover is the same as that of the movable cover. The carrying cover is provided with an outer threading block movably connected to the carrying cover, and the outer threading block is provided with a hole fixedly connected to the end of the feeding screw.

[0012] One end of the feeding screw is connected to the output end of the feeding motor, and the other end of the feeding screw passes through the inner threading blocks of all the movable sleeves and is connected to the outer threading block of the carrying sleeve. The feeding screw connects the movable sleeve and the carrying sleeve to cooperate with each other.

[0013] Furthermore, the storage area is provided with a limit block in front of the carrying case, which is used to prevent the carrying case from slipping out of the feeding channel of the storage area. The limit block is connected to the storage area via a limit cylinder, which can drive the limit block to retract or extend at the front end of the feeding channel to release or limit the carrying case.

[0014] The cargo is placed between the threads of the feed screw. When the feed screw is feeding, the feed motor drives the feed screw to rotate. At this time, the movable block slides into the movable ring groove, and the movable block of the carrying sleeve can also slide. The limit block limits the carrying sleeve, and the engagement block engages with the positioning block. When the feed screw rotates in the forward direction, the feed screw drives the movable sleeve and the carrying sleeve to move synchronously, pushing the cargo between the movable sleeve and the carrying sleeve.

[0015] Furthermore, a clamping member for clamping cargo is provided on the side of the carrying sleeve opposite the movable sleeve. An axial cylinder, an intermediate block, and radial cylinders are disposed between the clamping member and the carrying sleeve. The intermediate block connects the axial and radial cylinders, with the axes of the axial and radial cylinders being perpendicular to each other. The axial cylinder is fixedly connected to the carrying sleeve, while the radial cylinder is fixedly connected to the clamping member. The axial and radial cylinders cooperate to enable the clamping member to clamp cargo between the movable sleeve and the carrying sleeve.

[0016] When the feeding screw is unloading, the clamping parts on the carrying sleeve clamp the cargo between the carrying sleeve and the movable sleeve. The brake cylinder forms a fixed movable block in the movable ring groove. The movable block of the carrying sleeve can also be limited. At this time, the limit block releases the limit on the carrying sleeve, and the coupling block separates from the positioning block. The feeding screw rotates in the forward direction, and the feeding screw moves relative to the threading block of the movable block. The length of the feeding screw between the movable sleeve and the carrying sleeve increases. The feeding screw pushes the carrying sleeve out of the feeding channel of the storage area, and the carrying sleeve and cargo enter the drop space.

[0017] The feeding screw rotates forward continuously, and when the carrying sleeve enters the picking frame, the clamping part releases the grip on the goods, and the goods remain in the picking frame. Then, the feeding screw rotates in the reverse direction, retracting the carrying sleeve and allowing it to enter the feeding channel of the storage area again.

[0018] Preferably, a positioning roller and a positioning motor for driving the positioning roller to rotate are provided on one side of the carrying cover. The positioning roller is connected to the storage area through a contact cylinder, and the contact cylinder is used to adjust the position of the positioning roller to achieve contact or separation between the positioning roller and the carrying cover.

[0019] When the carrying cover is recovered and enters the feeding channel of the storage area, the positioning roller contacts the carrying cover, and there is no relative sliding between the positioning roller and the carrying cover. The positioning roller can drive the carrying cover to rotate, so that the positioning block on the carrying cover corresponds to the position of the combining block of the positioning cylinder, which is convenient for the positioning block and the combining block to be combined again for the next feeding.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the feeding screw of the automatic vending system can not only complete the feeding of the feeding channel of the storage area, but also serve as a discharging piece. The carrying sleeve on the head of the feeding screw can carry the goods at the front end of the feeding channel into the falling space. The feeding screw can continuously pull the goods, so that the goods fall stably to the picking frame, reducing the falling and collision of the goods during delivery. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the automatic vending system;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the storage area of the automatic vending system;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the movable sleeve of the automatic vending system;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the carrying case of the automatic vending system;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the clamping part of this automatic vending system.

[0026] In the figure: 1. Cabinet; 2. Storage area; 3. Pick-up frame; 4. Drop-off space; 5. Movable cover; 6. Back plate; 7. Feeding screw; 8. Movable sleeve; 9. Carrying sleeve; 10. Positioning roller; 11. Spacer cylinder; 12. Positioning cylinder; 13. Connecting rod; 14. Clamping piece; 15. Feeding motor; 21. Guide rod; 22. Limit block; 23. Limit cylinder; 71. Extension section; 81. Movable ring groove; 82. Movable block; 83. Inner threading block; 84. Slider; 91. Positioning block; 92. Outer threading block; 101. Contact cylinder; 121. Combining block; 141. Axial cylinder; 142. Intermediate block; 143. Radial cylinder; 821. Brake cylinder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments.

[0028] Reference Figure 1 A vending system includes a cabinet 1, wherein a storage area 2, a picking box 3 and a dropping space 4 are arranged inside the cabinet 1. The dropping space 4 is located above the picking box 3, and the picking box 3 and the dropping space 4 are respectively located in front of the storage area 2. The goods in the storage area 2 enter the picking box 3 from the dropping space 4. The cabinet 1 is provided with a movable cover 5 above the picking box 3. The goods inside the picking box 3 can be taken out by opening the movable cover 5.

[0029] refer to Figure 2 Each of the storage areas 2 is provided with a material channel, and a feeding screw 7 with a horizontal axis, several movable sleeves 8 and a carrying sleeve 9 are provided inside the material channel. The carrying sleeve 9 is located in front of the movable sleeve 8. When the carrying sleeve 9 is located in the material channel, the feeding screw 7, movable sleeve 8 and carrying sleeve 9 are coaxially arranged.

[0030] A rear panel 6 is provided on the rear side of the cabinet 1 , which can be opened to pull out the entire storage area 2 , and place goods between the thread intervals of the feed screw 7 , that is, between the movable sleeves 8 and between the movable sleeve 8 and the carrying sleeve 9 .

[0031] Furthermore, a guide rod 21 is provided inside the storage area 2, parallel to the axis of the feed screw 7. A slider 4 is provided outside the movable sleeve 8, which is slidably sleeved on the guide rod 21. The movable sleeve 8 is movably connected to the storage area 2 in the axial direction of the feed screw 7. A spacer cylinder 11 is provided between each of the movable sleeves 8, and the ends of the spacer cylinder 11 are respectively connected to different movable sleeves 8. The spacer cylinder 11 is used to adjust the axial distance between the movable sleeves 8.

[0032] refer to Figure 2 The axial distances between the movable sleeves 8 can be different and can be adjusted according to the size of the goods. The axial distances between the movable sleeves 8 for placing goods are the same. The axial distances between the movable sleeves 8 without other goods are smaller and are used for storage. The spacing between the remaining movable sleeves 8 can be adjusted.

[0033] Furthermore, a positioning cylinder 12 is disposed between the carrying sleeve 9 and the movable sleeve 8. One end of the positioning cylinder 12 is fixedly connected to the movable sleeve 8, and the other end of the positioning cylinder 12 is provided with a coupling block 121. The carrying sleeve 9 is provided with a positioning block 91, and the coupling block 121 matches the positioning block 91. The coupling block 121 can be coupled to the positioning block 91, such as by magnetic attraction. The positioning cylinder 12 is used to adjust the distance between the carrying sleeve 9 and the movable sleeve 8. When the feeding screw 7 is feeding, the distance between the carrying sleeve 9 with the goods and the movable sleeve 8 is the same as the distance between the movable sleeves 8.

[0034] refer to Figure 3 The movable sleeve 8 is provided with a movable block 82 and a movable annular groove 81. The movable annular groove 81 is coaxially arranged with the movable sleeve 8. The movable block 82 is slidably connected with the movable annular groove 81. The movable block 82 moves in a circular line on the movable sleeve 8 through the movable annular groove 81. The movable block 82 is provided with a brake cylinder 821. The brake cylinder 821 can limit the sliding of the movable block 82 in the movable annular groove 81 and is used to position the movable block 82.

[0035] Furthermore, an inner threading block 83 is provided on the movable block 82, and a threading through hole is provided on the inner threading block 83 to accommodate the feeding screw 7 to pass through. There is friction between the threading through hole and the feeding screw 7, and the friction force is greater than the friction force between the movable block 82 and the inner wall of the movable ring groove 81. When the movable block 82 slides in the movable ring groove 81, the feeding screw 7 does not slide relative to the inner threading block 83.

[0036] It is worth noting that, in actual production, a limiter may be provided between the feed screw 7 and the threading hole of the inner threading block 83 to limit or allow sliding between the feed screw 7 and the inner threading block 83 .

[0037] refer to Figure 4The structure of the carrying sleeve 9 is the same as that of the movable sleeve 8. The carrying sleeve 9 is provided with an outer threading block 92 movably connected to the carrying sleeve 9. The outer threading block 92 is provided with a hole fixedly connected to the end of the feeding screw 7.

[0038] An extension section 71 is provided at one end of the above-mentioned feeding screw 7, and the extension section 71 is axially slidably connected to the output end of the feeding motor 15 through the connecting rod 13, and the output end of the feeding motor 15 and the connecting rod 13 do not rotate. The other end of the feeding screw 7 passes through the inner threading block 83 of all movable sleeves 8 and is connected to the outer threading block 92 of the carrying sleeve 9. The feeding screw 7 connects the movable sleeve 8 and the carrying sleeve 9 so that they cooperate with each other. The distance between the inner threading block 83 and the outer threading block 92 corresponds to a spiral pitch of the feeding screw 7. The feeding screw 7 in this embodiment is flexible but has a certain radial reset support force. The movable sleeve 8 is used to support the feeding screw 7 so that it has a stable pushing ability when rotating. When the goods are shipped, the feeding screw 7 can be axially stretched, the spiral pitch can be changed, and the part of the feeding screw 7 retained on the movable sleeve 8 can enter the area where the movable sleeve 8 is placed where the goods are placed.

[0039] refer to Figure 2 The storage area 2 is provided with a limit block 22 in front of the carrying cover 9. The limit block 22 is used to prevent the carrying cover 9 from slipping out of the feeding channel of the storage area 2. The limit block 22 is connected to the storage area 2 via a limit cylinder 23. The limit cylinder 23 can drive the limit block 22 to retract or extend at the front end of the feeding channel to release or limit the carrying cover 9.

[0040] Furthermore, a clamping member 14 for clamping goods is provided on one side of the carrying cover 9 relative to the movable cover 8. Figure 5 An axial cylinder 141, an intermediate block 142, and radial cylinders 143 are disposed between the clamping member 14 and the carrying sleeve 9. The intermediate block 142 connects the axial cylinder 141 and radial cylinder 143, with their axes perpendicular to each other. The axial cylinder 141 is fixedly connected to the carrying sleeve 9, while the radial cylinder 143 is fixedly connected to the clamping member 14. The axial cylinder 141 and radial cylinder 143 cooperate to enable the clamping member 14 to clamp the cargo between the movable sleeve 8 and the carrying sleeve 9. In actual production, the clamping member 14 is kept in a suitable position to prevent it from interfering with the feed screw 7.

[0041] It is worth noting that, in this embodiment, the materials of the carrying case 9 and the clamping member are both lightweight, which facilitates the recycling of the carrying case 9 .

[0042] refer to Figure 4 A positioning roller 10 and a positioning motor for driving the positioning roller 10 to rotate are provided on one side of the carrying cover 9. The positioning roller 10 is connected to the storage area 2 through a contact cylinder 101. The contact cylinder 101 is used to adjust the position of the positioning roller 10 to achieve contact or separation between the positioning roller 10 and the carrying cover 9.

[0043] The working process of the automatic vending system in this embodiment is as follows:

[0044] When the goods are selected and need to be shipped, the clamping member 14 on the carrying cover 9 clamps the goods between the carrying cover 9 and the movable cover 8, the brake cylinder 821 forms a fixation of the movable block 82 in the movable ring groove 81, and the movable block of the carrying cover 9 can also be limited. At this time, the limit block 22 releases the limit on the carrying cover 9, the coupling block 121 separates from the positioning block 91, and the positioning roller 10 separates from the carrying cover 9. The feeding motor 15 drives the feeding screw 7 to rotate in the forward direction, the feeding screw 7 moves relative to the threading block 83 of the movable block 82, the extended section 71 of the feeding screw 7 is sent out, the length of the feeding screw 7 between the movable cover 8 and the carrying cover 9 increases, the feeding screw 7 pushes the carrying cover 9 to leave the feeding channel of the storage area 2, the carrying cover 9 and the goods enter the falling space 4, and the carrying cover 9 is pulled by the feeding screw 7.

[0045] The feeding screw 7 keeps rotating in the forward direction, and when the carrying cover 9 enters the picking frame 3, the clamping member 14 releases the grip of the goods, and the goods remain in the picking frame 3. Subsequently, the feeding screw 7 rotates in the reverse direction, and the carrying cover 9 is pulled back.

[0046] Due to the radial reset support force of the feeding screw 7 itself, when the carrying cover 9 is pulled to the front end of the feeding channel, the carrying cover 9 can be coaxial with the feeding screw 7, and the carrying cover 9 can be recovered into the feeding channel of the storage area 2.

[0047] When the carrying cover 9 is recovered and enters the feeding channel of the storage area 2, the positioning roller 10 contacts the carrying cover 9, and there is no relative sliding between the positioning roller 10 and the carrying cover 9. The positioning roller 10 drives the carrying cover 9 to rotate, so that the positioning block 91 on the carrying cover 9 corresponds to the position of the coupling block 121 of the positioning cylinder 12, and the positioning block 91 is coupled with the coupling block 121.

[0048] At this point, the goods between the movable sleeve 8 and the carrying sleeve 9 have been removed and need to be replenished. Feed screw 7 begins feeding. The movable block 82 remains in sliding connection with the movable ring groove 81, and the movable block of the carrying sleeve 9 can also slide. The limit block 22 limits the position of the carrying sleeve 9, and the engaging block 121 engages with the positioning block 91. The feeding motor 15 drives the feed screw 7 to rotate forward, which drives the movable sleeve 8 and the carrying sleeve 9 to move synchronously, pushing the goods between the movable sleeve 8 into the space between the movable sleeve 8 and the carrying sleeve 9, completing the replenishment.

[0049] The feeding screw 7 of the automatic vending system in this embodiment can not only complete the feeding of the feeding channel of the storage area 2, but also serve as a discharging piece, carrying the goods into the falling space 4 through the carrying sleeve 9. The feeding screw 7 can continuously pull the goods so that the goods fall stably to the picking frame 3, reducing the falling and collision of the goods during delivery.

[0050] The above description is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field, within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, who makes equivalent replacements or changes based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic vending system, comprising a cabinet (1), wherein a storage area (2), a take-out frame (3) and a drop-off space (4) are arranged inside the cabinet (1), wherein the drop-off space (4) is located above the take-out frame (3), and the take-out frame (3) and the drop-off space (4) are respectively located in front of the storage area (2), each of the storage areas (2) is respectively provided with a material channel, and a feeding screw (7) with a horizontal axis is arranged inside the material channel, characterized in that: A plurality of movable sleeves (8) and a carrying sleeve (9) are further provided inside the material passage of each storage area (2), the carrying sleeve (9) being located in front of the movable sleeve (8), the movable sleeve (8) and the storage area (2) being movably connected in the axial direction of the feeding screw (7), a spacing cylinder (11) being provided between each of the movable sleeves (8), and a positioning cylinder (12) being provided between the carrying sleeve (9) and the movable sleeve (8); A movable block (82) is provided on the movable sleeve (8), the movable block (82) is slidably connected to the movable sleeve (8) via a movable ring groove (81) coaxially provided with the movable sleeve (8), an inner threading block (83) is provided on the movable block (82), and a brake cylinder (821) is provided on the movable block (82) for positioning the movable block (82) in the movable ring groove (81); An outer threading block (92) movably connected to the carrying cover (9) is provided on the carrying cover (9), and a clamping piece (14) for clamping goods is provided on one side of the carrying cover (9) opposite to the movable cover (8); One end of the feeding screw (7) is connected to the output end of the feeding motor (15), and the other end of the feeding screw (7) passes through the inner threading block (83) of all the movable sleeves (8) and is connected to the outer threading block (92) of the carrying sleeve (9); A positioning roller (10) is provided on one side of the carrying cover (9), and the positioning roller (10) is connected to the storage area (2) via a contact cylinder (101); when the positioning roller (10) contacts the carrying cover (9), the positioning roller (10) and the carrying cover (9) do not slide relative to each other; One end of the positioning cylinder (12) is fixedly connected to the movable sleeve (8), and the other end of the positioning cylinder (12) is provided with a coupling block (121); a positioning block (91) is provided on the carrying sleeve (9), and the coupling block (121) matches the positioning block (91); a limiting block (22) is provided in front of the carrying sleeve (9) in the storage area (2), and the limiting block (22) is connected to the storage area (2) through a limiting cylinder (23).

2. The automatic vending system according to claim 1, characterized in that: An axial cylinder (141), an intermediate block (142) and a radial cylinder (143) are arranged between the clamping member (14) and the carrying sleeve (9); the intermediate block (142) connects the axial cylinder (141) and the radial cylinder (143); and the axes of the axial cylinder (141) and the radial cylinder (143) are arranged perpendicular to each other.

3. The delivery control method of the automatic vending system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: When the goods are to be unloaded, the clamping member (14) on the carrying cover (9) clamps the goods between the carrying cover (9) and the movable cover (8), the brake cylinder (821) forms a fixation of the movable block (82) in the movable ring groove (81), the limit block (22) releases the limit on the carrying cover (9), the feeding screw (7) rotates in the forward direction, the length of the feeding screw (7) between the movable cover (8) and the carrying cover (9) increases, the carrying cover (9) carries the goods out of the feeding channel of the storage area (2) and enters the drop space (4), and when the carrying cover (9) enters the picking frame (3), the clamping member (14) releases the clamping of the goods, the feeding screw (7) rotates in the reverse direction, and the carrying cover (9) is retracted; When feeding, the movable block (82) is slidably connected to the movable ring groove (81), the limiting block (22) limits the carrying cover (9), the combining block (121) is combined with the positioning block (91), and the feeding screw (7) rotates in the positive direction to push the goods between the movable cover (8) to between the movable cover (8) and the carrying cover (9).

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