Article supply device

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an article supply device with improved convenience. This article supply device (1) is provided with: a main body part (3); a housing part that can be attached to the main body part (3) and that can house an article (P); a supply unit (10) which is provided in the storage unit and is capable of supplying articles (P); a control unit (30) capable of controlling the supply of the articles (P) by the supply unit (10); a sorting unit that sorts only one article (P) at a time when the article (P) is supplied by the supply unit (10); and first detection units (18, 19) capable of detecting the articles (P) supplied by the supply unit (10). The first detection units (18, 19) are configured so as to be able to detect the articles (P) sorted by the sorting unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an article supply device. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is an article supply device capable of supplying card-shaped articles as an automatic vending machine. For example, in Patent Document 1, when a coin is inserted and a handle is operated, the front end of the package of the inserted card protrudes from the external outlet in a state covered by a card cover. Therefore, the following structure is disclosed: before the protruding amount of the front end of the card is uniform, the front end of the card is protected by the card cover, and it is effectively prohibited to remove the card with fingers and forcibly pull it out. On the other hand, when the protruding amount of the front end of the card is uniform, the card cover leaves the front end of the card and sinks into the external outlet, and then allows the front end of the card to be removed with fingers and pulled out.

[0003] [Background Technology Literature]

[0004] [Patent Document]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-182319 Summary of the invention

[0006] [Problems to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Patent Document 1 provides a card-shaped article with a handle operation, which is troublesome to operate. In addition, Patent Document 1 does not mention a structure that improves the operability of the device itself, and it is not possible to provide a variety of articles for the articles that can be provided, which has problems in its convenience.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an article supply device with improved convenience.

[0009] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0010] An article supply device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a main body; a storage portion which can be installed on the main body and can store articles; a supply portion which is arranged in the storage portion and can supply articles; a control portion which can control the supply of articles by the supply portion; a sorting portion which can only sort one article at a time when the articles are supplied by the supply portion; and a first detection portion which can detect articles supplied by the supply portion; and the first detection portion is configured to detect articles selected by the sorting portion.

[0011] [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an article supply device that is easy to use for users. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of an item supply device and a game execution unit according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the article supply device as viewed from the right side.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a side view of the internal structure of the article supply device as viewed from the right side.

[0016] Figure 4 It is a side view showing the driving mechanism of the first delivery unit and the second delivery unit.

[0017] Figure 5 It is a side view showing the driving mechanism of the third delivery unit and the fourth delivery unit.

[0018] Figure 6 It is a perspective view showing the first delivery section and the second delivery section.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a block diagram of a control system including a control unit.

[0020] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional view of the main parts showing the pressurizing structure of the second housing portion.

[0021] Fig. 9 It is a perspective view showing a state where the second housing portion is removed from the main body.

[0022] Fig.10 It is a perspective view showing the link structure in a state where the placing portion of the second storage portion is raised.

[0023] Fig.11 It is a perspective view showing the link structure in a state where the placing portion of the second storage portion is lowered.

[0024] Fig.12 It is a perspective view showing another form of the operating portion of the second storage portion.

[0025] Fig.13 (a) and (b) are operation explanation diagrams showing the initial state of feeding out the first article in the first supply unit.

[0026] Fig.14 (a) and (b) are operation explanation diagrams showing a state in the middle of feeding out the first article in the first supply unit.

[0027] Figure 1 5(a) and (b) are operation explanatory diagrams showing the final stage of the delivery of the first article in the first supply unit.

[0028] Fig.16 (a) and (b) are operation explanation diagrams showing the state when the first article falls in the first supply unit.

[0029] Fig.17 (a) and (b) are operation explanation diagrams showing the initial state of feeding out the second article in the second supply unit.

[0030] Figure 1 8 (a) and (b) are operation explanatory diagrams showing a state in the middle of the delivery of the second article in the second supply unit.

[0031] Fig.19 (a) and (b) are operation explanation diagrams showing the final stage of the delivery of the second article in the second supply unit.

[0032] Fig. 20 (a) and (b) are operation explanation diagrams showing the state when the second article falls in the second supply unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Hereinafter, an article supply device according to one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of the item supply device 1 and the game execution unit 100 .

[0035] The item supply device 1 is provided in a game center, etc., and is assembled inside the main body of a game execution unit (game machine) and includes, for example, a display 101 or a game operation unit 102. The game execution unit 100 can execute a game on the condition that a specified price is paid. For example, a card-shaped item P is supplied from the front side of the device (the left front side in the figure) in association with the result of the game in the game execution unit 100. In addition, it is also configured so that the item P can be supplied simply by inserting the price.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the article supply device 1 as viewed from the right side.

[0037] The article supply device 1 is provided with a supply section 10 capable of supplying articles P from the front side thereof. The supply section 10 is composed of a first supply section 11A having a first supply port 11h on the upper side, and a second supply section 12A having a second supply port 12h on the lower side. Moreover, the first article P1 is supplied from the first supply section 11A, and the second article P2 is supplied from the second supply section 12A. In addition, in the main body 3, as a storage section for articles P (the symbol "P" is used when collectively referring to the first article P1 and the second article P2), a first storage section 11 for storing the first article P1 and a second storage section 12 for storing the second article P2 are provided (refer to Figure 3 The main body 3 is an integrated unit structure as shown in the figure, and is configured to be detachable from the main body of the game execution unit 100 as a unit in the state shown in the figure. In addition, the item supply device 1 can also be arranged in the horizontal direction or in the vertical direction on the main body 3.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a side view of the internal structure of the article supply device 1 as seen from the right side.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, the storage quantity of the first article P1 and the second article P2 is different. For example, the second article P2 on the lower side is a rare article and the quantity is small, while the first article P1 on the upper side is stored in large quantities. This is because the supply opportunity of the second article P2 is set to be less than the supply opportunity of the first article P1.

[0040] In addition, the main body 3 is structured such that the first receiving section 11 is located directly above the second receiving section 12, and the two receiving sections 11, 12 are arranged vertically. The upper side of the first receiving section 11 is an open structure in order to be able to replenish the first article P1 from the upper part thereof. Moreover, an upper pressurizing section 11f capable of pressurizing the first article P1 downward is provided above the uppermost first article P1 in the stack. On the other hand, the second receiving section 12 is structured to be detachable from the main body 3 as described later, for example, the discharge and supply direction (X1) of the article P is the same direction as the pull-out direction from the main body 3 (structured to be able to be pulled out from the front side). Therefore, the second receiving section 12 is in a state of being detached from the main body 3 (refer to Fig. 9 ) and can replenish the second item P2 from its top.

[0041] As described above, the supply section 10 is provided with the first supply section 11A and the second supply section 12A. The first supply section 11A is provided with the first delivery section 21 on the upstream side thereof, and the third delivery section 23 on the downstream side thereof. Furthermore, the second supply section 12A is provided with the second delivery section 22 on the upstream side thereof, and the fourth delivery section 24 on the downstream side thereof. The first delivery section 21 is configured to be able to sort and deliver the first article P1 accommodated in the first storage section 11. Furthermore, the second delivery section 22 is able to sort and deliver the second article P2 accommodated in the second storage section 12. Furthermore, the supply section 10 is configured so that the supply direction of the first article P1 from the first storage section 11 and the supply direction of the second article P2 from the second storage section 12 are the same direction (arrow X1 direction).

[0042] In the first supply section 11A, the first rotating roller section 21a forming the first delivery section 21 and the third rotating roller section 23a forming the third delivery section 23 are arranged front and back in the horizontal direction (inside and front side of the device). That is, the first rotating roller section 21a is arranged on the upstream side of the delivery section just below the first article P1 accommodated in the first accommodation section 11, and the third rotating roller section 23a constitutes the first supply port 11h on the downstream side of the delivery section. The first delivery section 21 faces the first article P1 from the lower side, and as described later, functions as a sorting section that delivers the first article P1 at the bottom piece by piece. In addition, the first article P1 sorted and delivered in the first delivery section 21 is discharged and supplied from the first supply port 11h via the third delivery section 23.

[0043] On the other hand, in the second supply section 12A, the second rotating roller section 22a forming the second delivery section 22 and the fourth rotating roller section 24a forming the fourth delivery section 24 are arranged in the front and back direction in the horizontal direction. In addition, the second rotating roller section 22a is arranged on the upstream side of the delivery section just above the second article P2 stored in the second storage section 12, and the fourth rotating roller section 24a constitutes the second supply port 12h on the downstream side of the delivery section. In addition, as described later, the second article P2 sorted and sent out in the second delivery section 22 functioning as a sorting section is discharged and supplied from the second supply port 12h via the fourth delivery section 24.

[0044] Here, the first rotating roller portion 21a is arranged directly above the second rotating roller portion 22a, and the third rotating roller portion 23a is arranged directly above the fourth rotating roller portion 24a. That is, the supply portion 10 of the article P is configured as a mechanism centrally arranged between the first storage portion 11 and the second storage portion 12. When the first article P1 is sent out, the first rotating roller portion 21a and the third rotating roller portion 23a rotate in the counterclockwise direction, that is, the first direction. On the other hand, the second rotating roller portion 22a and the fourth rotating roller portion 24a rotate in the clockwise direction, that is, the second direction, which is different from the first direction, to send out and supply the second article P2.

[0045] Furthermore, a first detection unit 18 capable of detecting the upper side of the first article P1 is provided at the first supply port 11h, and a first detection unit 19 capable of detecting the lower side of the second article P2 is provided at the second supply port 12h. The articles P discharged and supplied from the supply ports 11h and 12h are detected by the two first detection units 18 and 19. Furthermore, a second detection unit 31 capable of detecting the first article P1 from the lower side is provided on the first storage portion 11 side, and a second detection unit 32 capable of detecting the second article P2 from the upper side is provided on the second storage portion 12 side. The second detection units 31 and 32 arranged in the upper and lower sides can detect the presence or absence of the two articles P1 and P2.

[0046] The upper first detection unit 18 and the lower first detection unit 19 are arranged in a vertical arrangement, and are mounted on the main body 3 as a pair of sensors with their detection parts facing in the vertical opposite directions. In addition, the upper and lower second detection units 31 and 32 are also arranged in a vertical arrangement, and are mounted on the main body 3 as an integral structure with their detection parts facing in the vertical direction. In addition, the upper and lower first detection units 18 and 19 are not particularly limited, and for example, non-contact optical sensors can be used for the article P. In addition, the upper and lower second detection units 31 and 32 can use, for example, contact type or non-contact type sensors.

[0047] Figure 4 It is a side view showing the driving mechanism of the first delivery unit 21 and the second delivery unit 22. Figure 5 It is a side view showing the driving mechanism of the third delivery portion 23 and the fourth delivery portion 24.

[0048] The rotation rollers are driven by two power imparting parts arranged in front and back. For example, the first rotation roller 21a and the second rotation roller 22a are driven by the rotational force of the first power imparting part 28m of the motor via the right gear train 28. On the other hand, the third rotation roller 23a and the fourth rotation roller 24a are also rotationally driven by the second power imparting part 29m of the motor via the left gear train 29. The right gear train 28 houses a gear box 28c (see FIG. 28 ) disposed on the right side of the main body 3. Figure 2 ), the left side gear train 29 accommodates a gear box 29c disposed on the left side of the main body 3 (reference Figure 2 ).

[0049] Here, when the third rotating roller portion 23a and the fourth rotating roller portion 24a are driven to rotate by the second power imparting portion 29m, the third rotating roller portion 23a rotates in the counterclockwise direction (direction when viewed from the right side), and the fourth rotating roller portion 24a rotates in the clockwise direction (direction when viewed from the right side). In addition, when the second power imparting portion 29m is driven, the third rotating roller portion 23a and the fourth rotating roller portion 24a always rotate simultaneously. On the other hand, the first rotating roller portion 21a and the second rotating roller portion 22a are not driven to rotate simultaneously, but are rotated separately as described later.

[0050] Figure 6 It is a perspective view showing the first delivery unit 21 and the second delivery unit 22.

[0051] The first rotating roller portion 21a of the first delivery portion 21 and the second rotating roller portion 22a of the second delivery portion 22 are driven by the right gear train 28. For example, the upper shaft end gear 21c fixed to the upper rotating shaft 21b of the first rotating roller portion 21a and the lower shaft end gear 22c fixed to the lower rotating shaft 22b of the second rotating roller portion 22a are simultaneously driven by the final gear 28a of the right gear train 28. As a result, the upper and lower rotating shafts 21b and 22b rotate in directions different from each other.

[0052] However, the rotational force of the upper and lower rotating shafts 21b and 22b is transmitted to the respective roller peripheries 21d and 22d via the first clutch mechanism 21g and the second clutch mechanism 22g. The first and second clutch mechanisms 21g and 22g are structures that automatically switch between a state in which power can be transmitted and a state in which power cannot be transmitted according to their rotational directions. For example, when the final gear 28a rotates in the clockwise direction (the direction of arrow A in the figure), together with the rotation of the upper rotating shaft 21b, the first rotating roller portion 21a rotates in the first counterclockwise direction R1 as a whole, and can transmit the rotational force to the lower surface bs of the first article P1. At this time, although the lower rotating shaft 22b rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the driving force is not transmitted to the roller periphery 22d, and the second rotating roller portion 22a does not rotate as a whole.

[0053] On the other hand, when the final gear 28a rotates in the counterclockwise direction (the direction of arrow B in the figure), the second rotating roller portion 22a rotates in the second clockwise direction R2 as a whole together with the rotation of the lower rotating shaft 22b, and can transmit the rotational force to the upper surface as of the second article P2. In this way, the first delivery portion 21 and the second delivery portion 22 are controlled to operate separately. As a result, the first article P1 and the second article P2 are delivered separately instead of being delivered simultaneously.

[0054] The first rotating roller portion 21a and the second rotating roller portion 22a are different from the third and fourth rotating roller portions 23a and 24a in that their cross-sections are non-circular shapes. For example, the first rotating roller portion 21a and the second rotating roller portion 22a are outer surface structures having first circumferential surfaces 21aa and 22aa, each of which has a circular portion of the circumferential surface, and non-circular second circumferential surfaces 21ab and 22ab, each of which has a smaller radius than the first circumferential surfaces 21aa and 22aa. In order to be able to deliver the article P, when the second circumferential surfaces 21ab and 22ab face each other, they do not contact each other frictionally, and the article P is not moved.

[0055] Therefore, the first rotating roller 21a and the second rotating roller 22a can sort the contacted articles P from the stacked articles P each time they rotate, and send them out in the supply direction. In addition, in the case of the contact with the first article P1, the first rotating roller 21a contacts the lower surface bs of the first article P1 at the lowermost side from the lower side. Similarly, the second rotating roller 22a contacts the upper surface as of the second article P2 at the uppermost side from the upper side.

[0056] Figure 7 It is a block diagram of a control system including the control unit 30 .

[0057] By changing the control of the rotation direction of the first power imparting part 28m, the action of the first delivery part 21 and the action of the second delivery part 22 are switched. For example, a game is executed in the game execution part 100, and the result is associated with it, and a specified signal is sent from the game execution part 100 to the control part 30. The signal at this time is to control the first rotating roller part 21a to rotate when the first object P1 is delivered. Then, the first object P1 selected in the first delivery part 21 is delivered to the third delivery part 23. And, the control of driving the second power imparting part 29m is based on the detection of the first detection part 18, so that the third rotating roller part 23a of the third delivery part 23 is rotated. Thereby, the first object P1 is discharged and supplied from the first supply port 11h. In addition, the control part 30 can also be configured to be able to perform overall control of the game execution part 100, such as related to the game.

[0058] In addition, the control unit 30 can stop the supply of items P or further perform control such as sending a signal urging the replenishment of items P based on the signal of the second detection unit (the second detection unit 31 on the upper side and the second detection unit 32 on the lower side) provided in each storage unit 11, 12 for detecting the presence or absence of items P.

[0059] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional view of the main parts showing the pressurizing structure of the second housing portion 12 .

[0060] The second storage section 12 is provided with a loading section 12a for holding the second article P2 so as to be movable up and down. In addition, the loading section 12a is urged upward by a lower pressure section 12f of a compression spring provided on the lower side thereof. For example, the lower pressure section 12f is provided between the loading section bottom plate 12b and the loading surface 12as. In addition, a circular recess 12c for accommodating the lower pressure section 12f is provided on the loading section bottom plate 12b. The lower pressure section 12f is urged upward by, for example, a pair of first pressure sections 12ff on the front side and a pair of second pressure sections 12fr on the rear side provided on the left and right (in a direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction relative to the feeding direction) in a first state in which the second storage section 12 is mounted on the main body 3, the loading surface 12as presses the uppermost article of the second article P2 held thereon in a manner of abutting against the second rotating roller section 22a, and adjusts the height according to the number of the second articles P2. For example, the placement surface 12as is configured so that the height position of the placement surface 12as increases as the number of accommodated second articles P2 decreases.

[0061] The placing portion 12a is provided so that its placing surface 12as can move up and down relative to the placing portion bottom plate 12b. That is, by applying pressure to the front side by the first pressurizing portion 12ff and applying pressure to the rear side by the second pressurizing portion 12fr, the placing surface 12as becomes movable in the vertical direction relative to the horizontal plane. In addition, the first pressurizing portion 12ff is provided directly below the second delivery portion 22, and is configured to be able to apply pressure to the second rotating roller portion 22a from directly below.

[0062] Fig. 9 It is a perspective view showing a state where the second housing portion 12 is removed from the main body portion 3 .

[0063] When the second storage section 12 is replenished without the second article P2, as described above, the second storage section 12 is moved toward the front direction ( Figure 2 The second state is performed by sliding and pulling out from the main body 3 in the X1 direction shown in the figure. Fig. 9 As shown, the placement portion 12a having a rectangular placement surface 12as in a plan view on which the second article P2 is placed is located at the upper part of the second storage portion 12 in the disassembled state. That is, when the placement portion 12a does not store the second article P2, its placement surface 12as is located at the uppermost part as shown in the figure.

[0064] Fig.10 It is a perspective view showing the link mechanism 13 in a state where the placement portion 12 a in the second storage portion 12 is raised.

[0065] The placement portion 12a is configured to be able to Fig.10The link mechanism 13 shown in the figure moves up and down. The link mechanism 13 includes, for example: a pair of left and right front arms 13a; a pair of left and right rear arms 13b; a loading portion bottom plate 12b axially supported by a rear end support portion 13ad of the front arm 13a and a rear end support portion 13bd of the rear arm 13b; and an operating portion 14 including meshing teeth 14g that can rotate up and down on the front side of the second storage portion 12 and mesh with a gear portion 13g at the front end of the front arm 13a.

[0066] Fig.11 It is a perspective view showing the link mechanism 13 in a state where the placement portion 12 a in the second storage portion 12 is lowered.

[0067] like Fig.11 As shown, the operating portion 14 can be rotated in a manner of opening toward the lower near front side with the rotation center axis 14c as the center. By the rotation of opening as described, the gear portion 13g meshing with the meshing teeth 14g rotates. As a result, the front arm 13a rotates in the clockwise direction with the rotation shaft portion 13ac as the fulcrum, and the rear arm 13b also rotates in the same direction with the rotation shaft portion 13bc as the fulcrum. As a result, the loading portion 12a moves toward the lower side by moving the loading portion bottom plate 12b toward the bottom side of the second storage portion 12. In the described state, the second article P2 is placed on the loading surface 12as and stored in the second storage portion 12. Then, the second storage portion 12 is inserted into the main body portion 3 ( Figure 2 Then, by turning upward in a manner to close the operation portion 14, the Fig. 9 The setting is completed.

[0068] Fig.12 It is a perspective view showing another form of the operation portion 14 of the second storage portion 12 .

[0069] In the second storage portion 12, the configuration of the operating portion 14 is not limited to the above configuration, and may be, for example, Fig.13 The structure shown. Fig.12 In the case of the structure shown, a connecting shaft 14a for connecting the left and right front arms 13a is provided at the front end side of the front arm 13a. In addition, a holding plate 14b is provided at the center of the length direction of the connecting shaft 14a. Thus, the front arm 13a can rotate while holding the holding plate 14b. In addition, the holding plate 14b can rotate itself relative to the connecting shaft 14a, and the front arm 13a can be locked at a specified position (the state shown in the figure) through the rotational movement.

[0070] Below, reference Figure 13 to Figure 16 , the operation of the first supply unit 11A to deliver articles is described.

[0071] like Fig.13As shown in (a) in the figure, in the first supply section 11A, an opening 11bh is formed on the bottom surface 11b of the first storage section 11 above the first rotating roller section 21a of the first delivery section 21, and a part of the back surface of the bottommost article P1 of the stacked first articles is exposed at the opening 11bh. In addition, an upper pressure section 11f is provided as a weight on the topmost part of the stacked first articles P1.

[0072] In the above state, before the first delivery unit 21 is driven to rotate, the first rotating roller 21a is in a non-contact state with respect to the first article P1. Then, a designated signal is input to the control unit 30, and the first rotating roller 21a rotates. By the above rotation, the first rotating roller 21a rotates in a state in which the first peripheral surface 21aa thereof contacts the first article P1 at the bottom. Fig.13 As shown in (b) in the figure, by the rotation of the contact state, only the lowest item of the first item P1 moves in the delivery direction (left direction in the figure), and its front end abuts against the classification part 11a. In addition, during the movement, there is a case where the first item P1 directly above the lowest first item P1 also moves in the same direction due to the friction between the items. However, the lowest first item P1 abuts against the inclined surface 11as on the lower side of the classification part 11a, while the front end of the upper first item P1 faces or abuts against a part of the vertical surface of the classification part 11a.

[0073] In the above state, Fig.14 As shown in (a) in the figure, the first rotating roller portion 21a further rotates, and the front end of the first article P1 at the bottom is guided by the inclined surface 11as and passes between the classification portion 11a and the lower guide 42, and is sent to the third delivery portion 23. On the other hand, the first article P1 on the upper side of the sent-out first article P1 at the bottom is stopped by the classification portion 11a and is not sent out. In addition, there is a case where the first article P1 on the upper side does not move with the bottom article. In this way, the first rotating roller portion 21a functions as a sorting portion that sorts only the first article P1 at the bottom, and effectively implements the delivery of each piece.

[0074] like Fig.14 As shown in (b) in FIG. 1 , the first article P1 fed to the third feeding section 23 is inserted between the third rotating roller section 23a and the driven upper roller 23b facing the third rotating roller section 23a, and then moves through the first rotating roller section 21a. At this time, the third rotating roller section 23a is not driven to rotate, and the third rotating roller section 23a and the driven upper roller 23b rotate by friction with the moving first article P1. That is, the first feeding section 21 on the upstream side performs the first action based on power application, while the third feeding section 23 on the downstream side performs the second action using friction without power application.

[0075] like Fig.15 As shown in (a) in the figure, the front end of the first article P1, which is moving while being clamped by the third delivery section 23, reaches the sensing area Sa of the first detection section 18 on the upper side. As a result, the first detection section 18 on the upper side sends a detection signal to the control section 30 to drive the second power imparting section 29m. At this time, the first rotating roller section 21a, which is no longer driven by the power imparting and continues to be in contact with the first article P1, slightly rotates by frictional contact with the first article P1, and finally stops in a non-contact state with the first article P1. Here, the third delivery section 23 may also be driven during the driving of the first delivery section 21, but it is preferably controlled so that the drives of both sides do not overlap.

[0076] like Fig.15 As shown in (b) in FIG. 1 , the third delivery unit 23 can be continuously driven to rotate when the first detection unit 18 on the upper side detects the first article P1, but it can also be driven for a fixed time after the article is detected, and then released to rotate together with the movement of the first article P1. In this way, by releasing the drive of the third delivery unit 23 using the power before the discharge of the article is completed, the third delivery unit 23 can be driven to the minimum required level.

[0077] Item 1 P1 Fig.16 As shown in (a) in the figure, when the rear end is released from the clamp of the third delivery part 23, it starts to rotate with the front end facing downward because it protrudes outward from the first supply port 11h (left side in the figure). As a result, the flat surface part Pd on the lower surface side of the first article P1 contacts the second contact part 42a of the corner part of the lower guide 42, and in the above state, it rotates in a manner that the front end further drops downward. As a result, the side part Pr of the rear end of the first article P1 contacts the first contact part 41a of the upper guide 41, as shown in FIG. Fig.16 As shown in (b) of FIG. 1 , the first article P1 falls in a manner of being offset from the second contact portion 42a. Here, the completion of the supply of the first article P1 is detected by the rear end of the first article P1 being separated from the sensing area Sa. In addition, as described above, the power application of the third delivery portion 23 may be stopped at the stage of detecting that the rear end of the first article P1 is separated from the sensing area Sa.

[0078] Below, reference Figures 17 to 20 , the operation of the second supply unit 12A for delivering articles is described.

[0079] like Fig.17As shown in (a) of FIG. 1 , in the second supply section 12A, an opening 43h is formed in the upper guide member 43 facing the second storage section 12 from the upper side below the second rotating roller section 22a, and a portion of the front surface of the uppermost second article P2 stacked on the placement surface 12as is exposed below the opening 43h. In addition, the stacked second articles P2 are pressed upward by the lower pressing section 12f.

[0080] In the above state, before the second delivery unit 22 is driven to rotate, the second rotating roller 22a is in a non-contact state with respect to the second article P2. Then, a designated signal is input to the control unit 30, and the second rotating roller 22a rotates. By the above rotation, the second rotating roller 22a rotates in a state in which the first circumferential surface 22aa thereof contacts the uppermost second article P2. Fig.17 As shown in (b) of FIG. 1 , the second article P2 is pushed downward together with the placement surface 12as by the rotation in the contact state, and moves in the delivery direction (left direction in the figure). Furthermore, the front end of the second article P2 abuts against the sorting portion 12d.

[0081] In the above state, Fig.18 As shown in (a) in the figure, the first rotating roller portion 21a further rotates, and the loading portion 12a is tilted in a manner that the front side (left side) becomes higher. As a result, the front end of the second article P2 moves upward on the inclined surface 12ds. Moreover, the front end of the second article P2 passes over the inclined surface 12ds and passes between the classification portion 12d and the upper guide 43, and is sent to the side of the fourth delivery portion 24. In this way, the second rotating roller portion 22a cooperates with the classification portion 12d to function as a sorting portion that only sorts the second article P2 at the top.

[0082] like Fig.18 As shown in (b) in FIG. 1 , the second article P2 delivered to the fourth delivery section 24 is inserted between the fourth rotating roller section 24a and the driven lower roller 24b facing the fourth rotating roller section 24a, and then moves through the second rotating roller section 22a. At this time, the fourth rotating roller section 24a is not driven to rotate by power. In other words, the fourth rotating roller section 24a and the driven lower roller 24b rotate by friction with the moving second article P2. This is because, when the second delivery section 22 on the upstream side performs the first action based on power delivery, the fourth delivery section 24 on the downstream side performs the second action that is independent of power delivery and utilizes frictional contact with the article.

[0083] like Fig.19As shown in (a) in the figure, the front end of the second article P2, which is moving while being clamped by the fourth delivery section 24, reaches the sensing area Sa of the first detection section 19 on the lower side. As a result, the first detection section 19 on the lower side sends a detection signal to the control section 30. As a result, the second power imparting section 29m is driven. At this time, the second rotating roller section 22a, while continuing to contact the second article P2 without performing rotational drive using power imparting, slightly rotates by frictional contact with the second article P2, and finally stops in a non-contact state with the second article P2. Here, the fourth delivery section 24 may also be driven while the second delivery section 22 is being driven, but it is preferably controlled so that the drives of both sides do not overlap.

[0084] like Fig.19 As shown in (b) of FIG. 1 , the fourth delivery unit 24 can be continuously driven to rotate when the second article P2 is detected by the first detection unit 19 at the lower side, but it can also be driven for a fixed time after the article is detected, and then released to rotate together with the movement of the second article P2. In this way, by releasing the drive of the fourth delivery unit 24 using the power before the discharge of the article is completed, the fourth delivery unit 24 can be driven to the minimum required level.

[0085] Article 2 P2 Fig. 20 As shown in (a) in the figure, when the rear end is released from the clamping of the fourth delivery part 24, it starts to rotate with the front end facing downward because it protrudes outward from the second supply port 12h (left side in the figure). As a result, the flat surface part Pd on the lower surface side of the second article P2 contacts the fourth contact part 44a of the corner part of the lower guide 44, and rotates in the state in which the front end further drops downward. As a result, the side part Pr of the rear end of the second article P2 contacts the third contact part 43a of the upper guide 43, as shown in FIG. Fig. 20 As shown in (b) of FIG. 1 , the fourth delivery section 24 falls in a manner of deviating from the fourth abutting section 44a. Here, the completion of the supply of the second article P2 is detected by the rear end of the second article P2 being separated from the sensing area Sa. In addition, as described above, the power application of the fourth delivery section 24 may be stopped at the stage of detecting that the rear end of the second article P2 is separated from the sensing area Sa.

[0086] As described above, in the article supply device 1 of the present invention, the first storage section 11 for storing the first article P1 and the second storage section 12 for storing the second article P2 are formed as a vertically integrated structure, thereby enabling the delivery mechanism for supplying the two articles to be centrally arranged at the same position in the upper and lower parts. As a result, the driving system of the delivery mechanism can be easily shared.

[0087] In the article supply device 1 of the present aspect, the first storage section 11 and the second storage section 12 are configured as one unit, and thus can be integrally attached to and detached from the mounting portion, thereby providing good operability.

[0088] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, the first storage section 11 is located directly above the second storage section 12, thereby enabling the first article P1 to be placed from the upper side and to be easily replenished. In addition, the first storage section 11 can accommodate a larger number of first articles P1 than the second storage section 12. In addition, the second storage section 12 is configured so that the second article P2 can be replenished from the upper part thereof in a state where the second storage section 12 is detached from the main body 3, thereby enabling the second article P2 to be easily replenished even in a configuration where the delivery mechanism for the first article P1 is located above the second storage section 12.

[0089] In the article supply device 1 of this aspect, the supply section 10 is configured so that the supply direction of the first article P1 from the first storage section 11 and the supply direction of the second article P2 from the second storage section 12 are the same direction, thereby enabling the article taking-out area to be set to one, thereby simplifying the structure.

[0090] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, the supply section 10 includes a first delivery section 21 capable of sorting the first article P1 accommodated in the first accommodation section 11, and a second delivery section 22 capable of sorting the second article P2 accommodated in the second accommodation section 12, thereby being able to sort and supply the first article P1 and the second article P2 respectively.

[0091] In the article supply device 1 of the present aspect, the first delivery portion 21 is configured to be in contact with the lower surface of the first article P1 so as to be able to deliver the first article P1, and the second delivery portion 22 is configured to be in contact with the upper surface of the second article P2 so as to be able to deliver the second article P2. Thus, the first delivery portion 21 and the second delivery portion 22 can be arranged between the first storage portion 11 and the second storage portion 12, and in addition, when supplying the two articles P1 and P2, the upper surface can be set upward and the supply can be performed.

[0092] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, the first article P1 and the second article P2 can be moved in the same direction in the horizontal direction by the first supply unit 11A in which the first rotating roller unit 21a and the third rotating roller unit 23a are arranged horizontally, and the second supply unit 12A in which the second rotating roller unit 22a and the fourth rotating roller unit 24a are arranged horizontally. Thus, the first article P1 and the second article P2 can be dropped to the same position and discharged.

[0093] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, since the first rotating roller portion 21a on the upstream side of the first supply portion 11A and the second rotating roller portion 22a on the upstream side of the second supply portion 12A are arranged in a vertical arrangement, the first power applying portion 28m can be easily driven. In addition, since the third rotating roller portion 23a on the downstream side of the first supply portion 11A and the fourth rotating roller portion 24a on the downstream side of the second supply portion 12A are arranged in a vertical arrangement, the second power applying portion 29m can be easily driven.

[0094] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, since the loading portion 12a is constructed to be adjustable in such a manner that the height position of its loading surface 12as becomes higher as the number of the accommodated second articles P2 decreases, the second rotating roller portion 22a can be brought into stable contact with the uppermost second article P2, and the second articles P2 can be effectively sorted and delivered.

[0095] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, since the pressurizing section is provided with the upper pressurizing section 11f for pressing the first article P1 toward the first rotating roller section 21a in the first storage section 11, the contact pressure with the first rotating roller section 21a when sorting the first article P1 is stable, and reliable sorting and delivery can be performed. In addition, since the lower pressurizing section 12f for pressing the second article P2 toward the second rotating roller section 22a is provided in the second storage section 12, the second article P2 can be stably pushed toward the second rotating roller section 22a, and reliable sorting and delivery can be performed.

[0096] According to the article supply device 1 of the present aspect, the first supply unit 11A and the second supply unit 12A can discharge the article P from the first supply port 11h and the second supply port 12h with the front end side of the article P positioned downward and discharged in a manner that the article P falls by its own weight, so that the article P can be supplied with minimal power. In addition, since the front end of the article P can be positioned directly downward when discharging the article P and the article P falls by its own weight, the article P can be discharged in a state where the front side of the article P can be seen from the front and in a state where the article P is standing up, for example.

[0097] In addition, in the article supply device 1 of the present invention, since the first detection units 18 and 19 are configured to detect the discharge of an article P selected by the sorting part, the discharge and supply completion of each article P can be confirmed based on the detection signals of the first detection units 18 and 19.

[0098] According to the article supply device 1 of the present invention, since the supply section 10 is a two-stage delivery mechanism consisting of an upstream delivery section and a downstream delivery section, the downstream delivery section can have a discharge function, and on the other hand, the upstream delivery section can have the function of a sorting section, thereby enabling effective sorting and effective discharge to be performed in a stable state.

[0099] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, the upstream delivery section and the downstream delivery section are configured to be able to perform a first action based on the power imparting from the power imparting section and a second action based on the frictional force with the article, thereby enabling smooth delivery of articles in the upstream and downstream of the delivery section. For example, by having a second action that is not driven after the first action on the upstream side (after the driving action), even when the delivery speed of the first power imparting section 28m and the delivery speed of the second power imparting section 29m are greatly different, it is possible to avoid giving different driving speeds to the article P at the same time. Thus, the driving speeds of the upstream delivery section and the downstream delivery section can be freely set.

[0100] More specifically, after the second action of the upstream delivery section (the first rotating roller section 21a and the second rotating roller section 22a) is started, the downstream delivery section is controlled to perform the first action after the article P is detected by the first detection section 18, 19, thereby enabling the drive of the downstream delivery section to function as an action completely separated from the upstream article sorting section.

[0101] In the article supply device 1 of the present aspect, the first rotating roller portion 21a and the second rotating roller portion 22a respectively have a first circumferential surface 21aa, 22aa whose circumferential surface can abut against the perfect circle of the article and a second circumferential surface 21ab, 22ab which is not a perfect circle and does not abut against the article P, thereby being able to function as a sorting portion for the article P in each rotation.

[0102] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, the second detection units 31 and 32 capable of detecting the presence or absence of articles P stored in the first storage unit 11 and the second storage unit 12 are provided, thereby being able to detect the presence or absence of articles P in the first storage unit 11 and the second storage unit 12. In addition, the control unit 30 can detect the absence of articles P in each storage unit, thereby being able to perform control to urge the replenishment of the articles P in the storage unit that is absent.

[0103] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, the pressurizing unit includes a first pressurizing unit 12ff and a second pressurizing unit 12fr arranged front to back along the feeding direction of the second article P2, thereby being able to apply independent front and rear pressures in the front and rear directions of the second article P2. In addition, by arranging different pressurizing units in the front and rear, it is possible to form a state in which the second article P2 is tilted in the height direction in accordance with the action of the second rotating roller unit 22a during the sorting action, and to perform auxiliary actions such as facilitating the sorting of articles.

[0104] Furthermore, since the second pressing portion 12ff is provided right below the second delivery portion 22, the second article P2 can be firmly pressed against the second rotating roller portion 22a.

[0105] In the article supply device 1 of the present invention, since the second storage portion 12 is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the main body portion 3, it is easy to replenish the second article P2. In addition, since the height of the placement portion 12a of the second article P2 can be adjusted by the operating portion 14, the second article P2 can be easily replenished in the second state where it is not mounted on the main body portion 3.

[0106] In the article supply device 1 of this aspect, since the height of the placement portion 12 a of the second storage portion 12 can be moved by the operation portion 14 , the second storage portion 12 can be easily pulled out from the main body 3 or attached to the main body 3 .

[0107] Furthermore, since the second storage section 12 is configured so that the direction of pulling out from the main body 3 and the direction of supplying articles P from the supply section 10 are the same, the opening for pulling out and installing and the opening for article supply of the second storage section 12 can be shared.

[0108] In the article supply device 1 of the present aspect, since the first power imparting unit 28m is configured to simultaneously impart power to the first delivery unit 21 that delivers the first article P1 and the second delivery unit 22 that delivers the second article P2, the power transmission mechanism can be set to one and the number of its power sources can be set to one.

[0109] In the article supply device 1 of the present aspect, control is performed in such a manner that when the first article P1 is being delivered by the first delivery unit 21, the second article P2 is not delivered by the second delivery unit 22. Furthermore, control is performed in such a manner that when the second article P2 is being delivered by the second delivery unit 22, the first article P1 is not delivered by the first delivery unit 21. Thus, the first article P1 and the second article P2 can be delivered at different timings.

[0110] According to the article supply device 1 of the present invention, since the first delivery part 21 and the second delivery part arranged in an upper and lower arrangement are constructed so that they can rotate only in the specified rotation direction (the first direction, the second direction) through the clutch mechanism of their respective rotating roller parts (the first rotating roller part 21a, the second rotating roller part 22a), it is possible to switch the delivery of the first article P1 and the second article P2 by controlling only the rotation direction of the first power imparting part 28m (motor) to rotate forward and reverse.

[0111] According to the article supply device 1 of the present invention, since the first delivery part 21 and the second delivery part 22 are arranged vertically, and the third delivery part 23 and the fourth delivery part 24 are arranged vertically, the delivery parts arranged vertically can be easily driven by the same power giving part (the first power giving part 28m, the second power giving part 29m).

[0112] According to the article supply device 1 of this aspect, since a clutch mechanism for controlling power transmission is not provided between the third and fourth feeder sections 23 and 24 and the second power applying section 29m, the driving force transmission structure can be simplified.

[0113] Although aspects of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be appropriately modified within the scope of its technical concept. For example, in the above aspect, the lower pressurizing portion 12f is configured to have four compression springs, but is not limited to the above configuration, and may also be configured to have two front and rear compression springs or five or more compression springs.

[0114] As described above, this specification discloses the following matters. (1)

[0116] An article supply device, comprising:

[0117] Body part;

[0118] A storage portion, which can be mounted on the main body and can store items;

[0119] A supply unit, disposed in the receiving unit and capable of supplying the article;

[0120] a control unit capable of controlling the supply of the article by the supply unit;

[0121] A sorting unit that can sort only one of the articles at a time when the articles are supplied by the supply unit; and

[0122] a first detection unit capable of detecting the article supplied by the supply unit; and

[0123] The first detection unit is configured to detect the articles selected by the selection unit. (2)

[0125] The article supply device according to (1), wherein

[0126] The sorting section is configured to sort only the article located at the bottom or the top among the plurality of articles stacked in the storage section. (3)

[0128] The article supply device according to (1) or (2), wherein

[0129] The supply unit includes a delivery unit that can deliver the articles stored in the storage unit and is located on the upstream side of the delivery direction and a delivery unit that is located on the downstream side; and

[0130] The downstream-side delivery section is configured to be able to deliver the articles delivered by the upstream-side delivery section and selected by the selection section. (4)

[0132] The article supply device according to (3), further comprising:

[0133] a power imparting unit capable of imparting power to the upstream delivery unit and the downstream delivery unit; and

[0134] The upstream delivery section and the downstream delivery section are configured to be capable of performing a first operation based on power application from the power application section and a second operation not based on power application. (5)

[0136] The article supply device according to (4), wherein

[0137] The upstream delivery section and the downstream delivery section are configured to be able to perform the second operation after the first operation. (6)

[0139] The article supply device according to (4) or (5), wherein

[0140] The second operation is an operation based on friction with the article being fed out. (7)

[0142] The article supply device according to any one of (4) to (6), wherein

[0143] The control unit controls the downstream-side delivery unit to perform the first operation after the first detection unit detects the article. (8)

[0145] The article supply device according to any one of (4) to (7), wherein

[0146] The downstream-side delivery section is configured to be able to perform the first operation after the upstream-side delivery section starts the second operation. (9)

[0148] The article supply device according to any one of (3) to (8), wherein

[0149] The receiving portion includes a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion; and

[0150] The first housing portion is configured to be located directly above the second housing portion. (10)

[0152] The article supply device according to (9), wherein

[0153] The upstream delivery portion and the downstream delivery portion are respectively in the form of rotating roller portions; and

[0154] The upstream delivery unit includes a first rotating roller unit capable of delivering the articles stored in the first storage unit, and a second rotating roller unit capable of delivering the articles stored in the second storage unit;

[0155] The downstream-side delivery section includes a third rotating roller section capable of further delivering the article delivered by the first rotating roller section, and a fourth rotating roller section capable of further delivering the article delivered by the second rotating roller section. (11)

[0157] The article supply device according to (10), wherein

[0158] The first rotating roller portion and the third rotating roller portion are configured to be rotatable in a first direction; and

[0159] The second rotating roller portion and the fourth rotating roller portion are configured to be rotatable in a second direction different from the first direction. (12)

[0161] The article supply device according to (10) or (11), wherein

[0162] The cross-sections of the first rotating roller portion and the second rotating roller portion are non-circular shapes; and

[0163] The third rotating roller portion and the fourth rotating roller portion have a perfect circular cross-section. (13)

[0165] The article supply device according to any one of (10) to (12), wherein

[0166] The circumferential surfaces of the first rotating roller portion and the second rotating roller portion respectively include a first circumferential surface and a second circumferential surface; and

[0167] The first peripheral surface is configured to be in contact with the object;

[0168] The second peripheral surface is configured not to come into contact with the article. (14)

[0170] The article supply device according to any one of (9) to (13), further comprising:

[0171] a second detection unit capable of detecting the presence or absence of the article stored in the first storage unit and the second storage unit; and

[0172] The second detection unit can detect the presence of the article from a lower portion of the first storage unit, and can detect the presence of the article from an upper portion of the second storage unit. (15)

[0174] The article supply device according to any one of (1) to (14), wherein

[0175] The control unit controls the article to be unable to be supplied when detecting that the storage unit is empty of the article. (16)

[0177] The article supply device according to any one of (1) to (15), further comprising:

[0178] Game execution department; and

[0179] The game execution unit can execute the game on condition that a price is paid. (17)

[0181] The article supply device according to any one of (1) to (16), wherein

[0182] The supply unit may supply one of the items on condition that a price is paid.

[0183] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0184] 1 Item supply device

[0185] 3 Main body part

[0186] 10 Supply Department

[0187] 11 Containment Division 1

[0188] 11A First supply unit

[0189] 11f Upper pressurizing part (pressurizing part)

[0190] 12 Containment Division 2

[0191] 12A Second supply unit

[0192] 12a Loading section

[0193] 12as Loading surface

[0194] 12f Lower pressure part (pressure part)

[0195] 12ff First pressurizing unit (pressurizing unit)

[0196] 12fr Second pressurizing section (pressurizing section)

[0197] 14 Operation section

[0198] 18, 19 Detection Unit 1

[0199] 21 1st delivery section (upstream delivery section)

[0200] 21a First rotating roller portion (rotating roller portion)

[0201] 21aa Week 1

[0202] 21ab Week 2

[0203] 21g 1st clutch mechanism

[0204] 22 Second delivery section (upstream delivery section)

[0205] 22a Second rotating roller portion (rotating roller portion)

[0206] 22aa Week 1

[0207] 22ab Week 2

[0208] 22g Second clutch mechanism

[0209] 23 The third delivery section (the downstream delivery section)

[0210] 23a Third rotating roller portion (rotating roller portion)

[0211] 24 4th delivery section (downstream delivery section)

[0212] 24a Fourth rotating roller portion (rotating roller portion)

[0213] 28m First power applying unit (power applying unit)

[0214] 29m Second power applying unit (power applying unit)

[0215] 30 Control Department

[0216] 31, 32 Second Detection Unit

[0217] 41a First contact portion

[0218] 42a Second contact portion

[0219] 43a Third contact portion

[0220] 44a Fourth contact portion

[0221] P Items

[0222] P1 Item 1 (item)

[0223] P2 Item 2 (item)

[0224] Pr Side of the item

[0225] Pd The flat part of an object.

Claims

1. An article supply device, comprising: Body part; A storage portion, which can be mounted on the main body and can store items; A supply unit, disposed in the receiving unit and capable of supplying the article; a control unit capable of controlling the supply of the article by the supply unit; A sorting unit that can sort only one of the articles at a time when the articles are supplied by the supply unit; and a first detection unit capable of detecting the article supplied by the supply unit; and The first detection unit is configured to detect the articles selected by the selection unit.

2. The article supply device according to claim 1, wherein The sorting section is configured to sort only the article located at the bottom or the top among the plurality of articles stacked in the storage section.

3. The article supply device according to claim 2, wherein The supply unit includes a delivery unit that can deliver the articles stored in the storage unit and is located on the upstream side of the delivery direction and a delivery unit that is located on the downstream side; and The downstream-side delivery section is configured to be able to deliver the articles delivered by the upstream-side delivery section and selected by the selection section.

4. The article supply device according to claim 3, further comprising: a power imparting section capable of imparting power to the upstream delivery section and the downstream delivery section; and The upstream delivery section and the downstream delivery section are configured to be capable of performing a first operation based on power application from the power application section and a second operation not based on power application.

5. The article supply device according to claim 4, wherein The upstream delivery section and the downstream delivery section are configured to be able to perform the second operation after the first operation.

6. The article supply device according to claim 5, wherein The second operation is an operation based on frictional force with the article being fed out.

7. The article supply device according to claim 6, wherein The control unit controls the downstream-side delivery unit to perform the first operation after the first detection unit detects the article.

8. The article supply device according to claim 7, wherein The downstream-side delivery section is configured to be able to perform the first operation after the upstream-side delivery section starts the second operation.

9. The article supply device according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein The receiving portion includes a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion; and The first housing portion is configured to be located directly above the second housing portion.

10. The article supply device according to claim 9, wherein The upstream delivery portion and the downstream delivery portion are respectively in the form of rotating roller portions; and The upstream delivery unit includes a first rotating roller unit capable of delivering the articles stored in the first storage unit, and a second rotating roller unit capable of delivering the articles stored in the second storage unit; The downstream-side delivery section includes a third rotating roller section capable of further delivering the article delivered by the first rotating roller section, and a fourth rotating roller section capable of further delivering the article delivered by the second rotating roller section.

11. The article supply device according to claim 10, wherein The first rotating roller portion and the third rotating roller portion are configured to be rotatable in a first direction; and The second rotating roller portion and the fourth rotating roller portion are configured to be rotatable in a second direction different from the first direction.

12. The article supply device according to claim 11, wherein The cross-sections of the first rotating roller portion and the second rotating roller portion are non-circular shapes; and The third rotating roller portion and the fourth rotating roller portion have a perfect circular cross-section.

13. The article supply device according to claim 12, wherein The circumferential surfaces of the first rotating roller portion and the second rotating roller portion respectively include a first circumferential surface and a second circumferential surface; and The first peripheral surface is configured to be in contact with the object; The second peripheral surface is configured not to come into contact with the article.

14. The article supply device according to claim 13, further comprising: a second detection unit capable of detecting the presence or absence of the article stored in the first storage unit and the second storage unit; and The second detection unit can detect the presence of the article from a lower portion of the first storage unit, and can detect the presence of the article from an upper portion of the second storage unit.

15. The article supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein The control unit controls the article to be unable to be supplied when detecting that the storage unit is empty of the article.

16. The article supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: Game execution department; and The game execution unit can execute the game on condition that a price is paid.

17. The article supply device according to claim 16, wherein The supply unit may supply one of the items on condition that a price is paid.

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