Vehicle-mounted vending machine
By using a lifting frame in the vehicle-mounted vending machine to transfer goods and close the dispensing outlet, the problems of insufficient space and safety hazards on buses are solved, the system complexity and failure rate are reduced, and the ease of use is improved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ZIBO AOGUAN TRANSPORTATION TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing vending machines are difficult to apply on buses due to issues such as insufficient space, easy tipping over, inconvenience in retrieving goods, and safety hazards. Furthermore, existing technical solutions increase costs and failure rates.
Design a vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine that uses a lifting frame to transfer goods and close the dispensing port, reducing system complexity, lowering costs, and improving safety.
The lifting platform closes the loading port while transferring goods, reducing system complexity and failure rate, and improving the safety and convenience of vehicle-mounted use.
Smart Images
Figure CN224232215U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] A vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine, belonging to the field of vending machine technology. Background Technology
[0002] Vending machines, as a new type of transaction device, have been widely used in various public places. Public buses, as one of the most common forms of public transportation, no longer simply serve as transportation; the demand for additional functions from buses is gradually increasing. Onboard vending machines can provide passengers with goods while they travel, and with the popularization of mobile payment and the development of communication technology, there are no technological barriers to onboard vending machines. Currently, vending machines are widely found in various public places, and their common structure is as follows: A cabinet with several grids inside, and a spiral conveyor belt within each grid. Goods are placed one at a time in each interval of the conveyor belt, and a glass door is located on the front of the cabinet, allowing consumers to see the goods inside. After the consumer selects an item and pays, a drive motor rotates the conveyor belt in the corresponding grid by a certain angle (number of revolutions), causing the goods to gradually move forward and eventually fall from the front of the grid. A retrieval slot is located at the bottom of the cabinet, with a freely swinging baffle at the retrieval slot. The consumer pushes open the baffle to retrieve the goods.
[0003] However, the above-mentioned vending machines in the existing technology are difficult to apply directly to buses, because:
[0004] (1) Traditional vending machines, especially beverages, are placed vertically for easy display. This results in a relatively high height, which is unsuitable for the limited space on buses. Furthermore, the transparent windows of traditional vending machine doors are typically made of glass, and the bumpy ride on buses makes them prone to tipping over, posing a safety hazard. Damage to the door further exacerbates the danger. These problems exist in the technical solutions described in patent applications 201910202249.3 and 201921244003.4, including but not limited to those in patent documents.
[0005] (2) Traditional vending machines have the dispensing slot located at the bottom of the cabinet, requiring consumers to squat down to retrieve the goods. Since buses are often bumpy and turn frequently, passengers are prone to falling while retrieving goods. This problem exists in the technical solution described in patent application number 201921598990.8. Although the technical solution disclosed in Chinese invention patent application number 201710787190.X does not place the dispensing slot at the bottom, it still requires opening the entire door to retrieve goods, thus also presenting the problem of difficulty in retrieving the items.
[0006] To address the specific needs of buses and solve the aforementioned technical problems, the applicant filed a utility model patent (application number 202421168575.X) on May 27, 2024, entitled "An Automatic Vending Machine Applicable to Buses," which describes a technical solution for an automatic vending machine suitable for buses. However, according to customer feedback, the product using this technical solution still has the following problems during use:
[0007] (1) When using this vending machine, it is necessary to remove one or two seats in the bus before it can be installed, which causes some inconvenience to passengers. (2) Since the dispensing port of this vending machine is located on the top of the casing, a separate drive system is set up to control the movement of the dispensing port baffle, which increases the cost and the failure rate.
[0008] Among the existing technologies, including the technical solutions previously applied for by the applicant of this application and other prior art solutions, a common problem with current vehicle-mounted vending machines is that, unlike fixed vending machines placed in public places, buses are always in operation, and passengers should ideally retrieve their goods as soon as possible after payment. Otherwise, in the event of an emergency, the falling goods could affect driving safety and pose a certain safety hazard. Utility Model Content
[0009] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine in which the lifting frame not only realizes the transfer of goods, but also acts as a sealing door to close the dispensing port. Therefore, there is no need to arrange a separate sealing door at the dispensing port, which reduces the complexity of the system software and hardware, reduces costs and reduces the failure rate.
[0010] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is as follows: The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine includes a cabinet, and a dispensing device for placing and conveying items is provided inside the cabinet. A lifting frame is provided at the dispensing end of the dispensing device, which is connected to the dispensing device and used to transfer and output items. The feature is that a retrieval area is provided at the bottom of one side of the cabinet, and the top surface of the retrieval area is the dispensing port of the cabinet. The lifting frame moves back and forth between the dispensing device and the retrieval area, or stays at the dispensing port and closes the dispensing port.
[0011] Preferably, a detection sensor for detecting the status of items is also installed at the top of the shelf, with the detection sensor facing downwards towards the surface of the lifting frame.
[0012] Preferably, the shipping device includes a shelf with multiple aisles arranged inside the shelf, and a conveying unit for driving the lifting frame to move up and down is provided on the side of the shelf. The lifting frame is connected to the conveying mechanism.
[0013] Preferably, the conveying unit includes a guide rail mechanism and a synchronous belt mechanism arranged vertically on the side of the shelf. The lifting frame is movably connected to the guide rail mechanism and fixed to the synchronous belt mechanism. A lifting drive mechanism for driving the synchronous belt mechanism is also provided at the bottom of the shelf.
[0014] Preferably, the lifting drive mechanism includes a lifting drive motor and a reducer installed at the output end of the lifting drive motor. The output shaft of the reducer is connected to the drive pulley in the synchronous belt mechanism, and the lifting frame is fixed to the synchronous belt in the synchronous belt mechanism.
[0015] Preferably, the guide rail mechanism includes a vertically arranged guide rail and a slider that is slidably connected to the guide rail, and the lifting frame is fixed to the slider.
[0016] Preferably, the lifting frame includes a horizontal bearing surface for carrying goods, and a fixed arm is arranged vertically at the end of the horizontal bearing surface, with a slider fixed to the top of the fixed arm.
[0017] Preferably, the retrieval area is a notch arranged along the front and back direction of the cabinet; the detection sensor is a distance sensor installed on the top of the shelf, with the distance sensor facing downwards directly onto the surface of the lifting frame.
[0018] Preferably, the retrieval area is a notch located at the bottom center of the cabinet, with shielding parts arranged at the front and rear ends of the retrieval area, and the detection sensor is a ranging sensor arranged in one of the shielding parts; or the detection sensor is an infrared beam sensor arranged in the front and rear shielding parts.
[0019] Preferably, the front face of the cabinet is provided with an openable cabinet door, the middle of which is a transparent window, and a touch screen is provided on the side of the cabinet door.
[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:
[0021] In the vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine of this application, the lifting frame not only transfers goods but also acts as a sealing door to close the dispensing outlet. Therefore, there is no need to install a separate sealing door at the dispensing outlet, which reduces the complexity of the system's hardware and software, reduces costs, and lowers the failure rate.
[0022] Goods are placed horizontally on the surface of the aisle. Baffles are arranged on the front and back sides of each aisle to prevent goods from falling. The horizontal placement of goods on the surface of the aisle reduces the height of the cabinet itself and improves the safety of vehicle use.
[0023] The slider is located at the top of the fixed arm on the side of the lifting frame. Therefore, the bottom of the horizontal bearing surface of the lifting frame can be lower than the bottom of the synchronous belt mechanism. That is, when the slider falls to the bottom of the guide rail, the position of the horizontal bearing surface of the lifting frame is already lower than the bottom of the drive pulley in the synchronous belt mechanism. At this time, the horizontal bearing surface of the lifting frame has entered the retrieval area on the side of the cabinet, so as to facilitate passengers to retrieve their items.
[0024] In existing buses, especially city buses, the driver's seat is generally enclosed to form a relatively independent driver's cabin, with a cabinet for storing items located at the back of the cabin. The vehicle-mounted vending machine of this application can be placed on the surface of the cabinet behind the driver's seat, or suspended and fixed to the back panel of the driver's cabin, without removing the seat. For large long-distance buses, the vehicle-mounted vending machine of this application can also be placed above the water dispenser cabinet at the front. Attached Figure Description
[0025] Figure 1 Axonometric drawing of a vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine.
[0026] Figure 2 This is a front view of a vehicle-mounted vending machine.
[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A bottom view.
[0028] Figure 4 This is a front view of the dispensing device of a vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine.
[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The right view.
[0030] Figure 6 This is a top view of the lifting drive mechanism in the dispensing device of a vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine.
[0031] Figure 7 This is an isometric drawing of the cabinet of a vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine.
[0032] Figure 8 This is a front view of the vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine cabinet.
[0033] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A bottom view.
[0034] Figure 10 for Figure 8 Sectional view along the AA direction.
[0035] The components include: 1. Cabinet; 2. Shipping device; 3. Retrieval area; 4. Touch screen; 5. Cabinet door; 6. Lifting frame; 7. Shelf; 8. Cargo channel; 9. Baffle; 10. Wheel fixing plate; 11. Support plate; 12. Detection sensor; 13. Driven pulley; 14. Track; 15. Track fixing plate; 16. Synchronous belt; 17. Slider; 18. Fixed arm; 19. Drive pulley; 20. Lifting drive mechanism; 21. Base plate; 22. Control box; 23. Cross brace; 24. Lifting drive motor; 25. Connecting shaft; 26. Reducer; 27. Covering part. Detailed Implementation
[0036] Figures 1-6 This is the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is described below in conjunction with the appendix. Figures 1-10 The present invention will be further described below.
[0037] Example 1:
[0038] like Figures 1-3 As shown, a vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine includes a cabinet 1 with an openable door 5 on its front side. The center of the door 5 is a transparent window (such as made of acrylic material). A dispensing device 2 is installed inside the cabinet 1. The transparent window of the door 5 allows easy observation of the goods placed in the dispensing device 2, facilitating passenger selection and replenishment of missing items. A touchscreen 4 is located on the side of the door 5, allowing passengers to select goods and make payments. The specific technical solution for buying and selling goods via the touchscreen 4 of the vending machine is common knowledge in the field and will not be elaborated further here.
[0039] A retrieval area 3 is provided at the bottom of one side of the cabinet 1. The retrieval area 3 is a notch arranged along the front and back direction of the cabinet 1. The upper part of the retrieval area 3 is directly opposite the dispensing port of this vehicle-mounted vending machine. A liftable lifting frame 6 is provided at the dispensing port. The lifting frame 6 has two functions: (1) Goods transfer. The lifting frame 6 connects with the dispensing device 2 through lifting. The goods output by the dispensing device 2 fall on its surface, and then the lifting frame 6 falls to the retrieval area 3 for easy retrieval by passengers. (2) Closing the dispensing port. When the customer has completed the retrieval or no transaction has occurred, the bottom surface of the lifting frame 6 moves horizontally with the top surface of the retrieval area 3, which serves to close the dispensing port. Therefore, in the vehicle-mounted vending machine of this application, there is no need to arrange a separate closing door at the dispensing port, which reduces the complexity of the system hardware and software, reduces costs, and reduces the failure rate.
[0040] Combination Figures 4-5 The dispensing device 2 includes a shelf 7, which is a rectangular frame made of commercially available standard 3535 aluminum profile. The shelf 7 has multiple layers, each with a horizontally arranged aisle 8 for placing and dispensing goods. In this vehicle-mounted vending machine, three vertical aisles 8 are arranged, with the bottom aisle 8 consisting of two opposing aisles to accommodate longer items (such as bottled water). The aisles 8 utilize commercially available push-plate aisles (or the same conveying mechanism as in the utility model patent filed by the applicant on May 27, 2024, application number 202421168575.X, entitled "An Automatic Vending Machine Applicable to Buses"). Its specific structure and operation will not be detailed here. Goods are placed horizontally on the surface of the aisles 8, and baffles 9 are arranged on the front and rear sides of each aisle layer 8 to prevent goods from falling.
[0041] Several cross braces 23 are also arranged inside the shelf 7. The cross braces 23 are also made of commercially available national standard 3535 aluminum profiles. As part of the shelf 7, the cross braces 23 are horizontally fixed inside the shelf 7 along the front and back direction. The function of the cross braces 23 is to: reinforce the shelf 7 to improve its stability; support the aisles 8 to allow the aisles 8 to be arranged inside the shelf 7; and fix the baffles 9. The baffles 9 are adjustablely installed on the surface of the cross braces 23 through grooves on the profile surface to cover goods of different lengths.
[0042] A fixing plate is installed on the side of shelf 7 near the loading port. A conveying unit is vertically arranged through the fixing plate. The lifting frame 6 is fixed to the conveying unit. A lifting drive mechanism 20 is also installed at the bottom on the same side of shelf 7. The lifting drive mechanism 20 is connected to the conveying unit to drive the lifting frame 6 to move up and down. Specifically:
[0043] The fixing plates consist of two sets, which are arranged opposite each other and located at the front and rear of corresponding sides of the rack 7. Each set of fixing plates includes a wheel fixing plate 10 and multiple track fixing plates 15 located below the wheel fixing plate 10, with the bottom track fixing plate 15 located at the bottom of the rack 7. The conveying unit includes a guide rail mechanism and a timing belt mechanism mounted via the fixing plates.
[0044] Multiple track fixing plates 15 in each set of fixing plates are arranged with a track 14 on the front and back sides of the shelf 7 respectively. The two tracks 14 are arranged opposite to each other. The two tracks 14 and the sliders 17 that are slidably installed on the two tracks 14 respectively form a guide rail mechanism.
[0045] The synchronous belt mechanism includes driven pulleys 13 mounted inside the top two front and rear wheel fixing plates 10, with the two driven pulleys 13 arranged opposite each other. The bottom track fixing plate 15 also serves to fix the driving pulley 19. A driving pulley 19 is also arranged inside the bottom two front and rear track fixing plates 15, with the two driving pulleys 19 arranged opposite each other. Driving pulleys 19 and driven pulleys 13 on the same side are arranged vertically opposite each other, and are connected by a synchronous belt 16.
[0046] Combination Figure 6 The lifting drive mechanism 20 includes a lifting drive motor 24 and a reducer 26 fixed to the lifting drive motor 24. The motor shaft of the lifting drive motor 24 is connected to the input shaft of the reducer 26. The output shaft of the reducer 26 extends from both sides as connecting shafts 25 to the front and rear drive pulleys 19, respectively, and is coaxially fixed to the corresponding drive pulleys 19. When the lifting drive motor 24 rotates, it drives the two layers of drive pulleys 19 to rotate through the reducer 26. When the drive pulleys 19 rotate, they in turn drive the two layers of driven pulleys 13 to rotate through the synchronous belt 16.
[0047] The aforementioned lifting frame 6 includes a horizontal bearing surface for carrying goods. The front and rear ends of the horizontal bearing surface are vertically bent to block the goods on its surface and prevent them from falling. Fixed arms 18 are vertically arranged on both sides of the horizontal bearing surface. The sides of the fixed arms 18 are fixed to the sliders 17 on the corresponding rails 14, and the backs of the fixed arms 18 are fixed to the corresponding synchronous belts 16. When the lifting drive motor 24 rotates, the above process drives the synchronous belts 16 on both sides to move, and under the guiding and limiting action of the two layers of rails 14, the lifting frame 6 is controlled to rise and fall.
[0048] It should be noted that the slider 17 is located at the top of the side fixed arm 18 of the lifting frame 6. Therefore, the bottom of the horizontal bearing surface of the lifting frame 6 can be lower than the bottom of the synchronous belt mechanism. That is, when the slider 17 falls to the bottom of the track 14, the position of the horizontal bearing surface of the lifting frame 6 is already lower than the bottom of the drive pulley 19 in the synchronous belt mechanism. At this time, the horizontal bearing surface of the lifting frame 6 has entered the retrieval area 3 on the side of the cabinet 1, so as to facilitate passengers to retrieve their items.
[0049] The lifting drive mechanism 20 is fixed by the cross brace 23 at the bottom of the shelf 7. A support plate 11 is also horizontally fixed at the top cross brace 23 inside the shelf 7, extending horizontally to the outside of the shelf 7. A detection sensor 12 is installed at the bottom of the support plate 11, facing downwards towards the surface of the lifting frame 6. In this embodiment, the detection sensor 12 is implemented as a distance sensor. By detecting the distance between itself and the surface of the lifting frame 6, it detects whether an item on the surface of the lifting frame 6 has been removed. That is, when an item is removed, the distance measured by the distance sensor is greater than the distance at which the item was not removed.
[0050] At the bottom of shelf 7, a base plate 21 is installed. A control box 22 is mounted on the surface of base plate 21, housing the control circuitry of the vending machine. This control circuitry includes a controller, which is connected to the aforementioned product channel 8 (the drive motor in the push-plate channel), the lifting drive motor 24, the touchscreen 4, and the detection sensor 12. The lifting drive motor 24 is preferably a stepper motor for precise control. A wireless communication module connected to the controller is also provided, preferably using GPRS to communicate with the control center for mobile payment. A buzzer is also installed at the controller's signal output for alarm notification.
[0051] The specific working process and working principle are as follows:
[0052] After a passenger selects the desired goods via touchscreen 4 and pays using the payment code displayed on touchscreen 4, the control center sends a control command to the controller via wireless signal. The controller first activates the lifting drive motor 24, which, through a synchronous belt mechanism, drives the lifting frame 6. Guided by the guide rail mechanism, the lifting frame 6 rises and falls to the corresponding side of the cargo channel 8. The controller then activates the drive motor in cargo channel 8, causing the goods to move towards the lifting frame 6. Once the goods fall from the surface of cargo channel 8 onto the surface of the lifting frame 6, the controller continues to activate the lifting drive motor 24, thus lowering the goods.
[0053] When the lifting frame 6 descends to its lowest point, its horizontal bearing surface enters the retrieval area 3 on the side of the cabinet 1, facilitating passenger retrieval. At this time, the detection sensor 12 operates to measure distance. Based on the measured distance change (or a comparison with the pre-entered distance to the surface of the lifting frame 6 under empty conditions), it determines whether the goods on the surface of the lifting frame 6 have been removed. If the goods are not removed within a certain time, the controller activates a buzzer to sound an alarm. After the goods are removed, the controller controls the lifting frame 6 to rise. When the lifting frame 6 rises to the point where its bottom is level with the top of the retrieval area 3, the controller stops the lifting drive motor 24, sealing the delivery port through the lifting frame 6.
[0054] In existing buses, especially city buses, the driver's seat is generally enclosed to form a relatively independent driver's cabin, with a cabinet for storing items located at the back of the cabin. The vehicle-mounted vending machine of this application can be placed on the surface of the cabinet behind the driver's seat, or suspended and fixed to the back panel of the driver's cabin, without removing the seat. For large long-distance buses, the vehicle-mounted vending machine of this application can also be placed above the water dispenser cabinet at the front.
[0055] Example 2:
[0056] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that the structure of cabinet 1 is different. Therefore, the accompanying drawings in the specification of this embodiment are different. Figures 7-10 The diagram only shows the structure of the cabinet body of cabinet 1.
[0057] In Embodiment 1, the retrieval area 3 is a through area that runs through the front and back of the cabinet 1. In this embodiment, the cabinet 1 itself is used to set shielding parts 27 at the front and rear ends of the retrieval area 3 to shield the front and rear sides of the retrieval area 3.
[0058] The detection sensor 12, used to detect whether an item has been removed, is arranged in the shielding portions 27 on both the front and rear sides. In this embodiment, the detection sensor 12 is preferably implemented as an infrared through-beam sensor, with its transmitting end and receiving end located in the shielding portions 27 on both the front and rear sides, respectively. The detection sensor 12 can also be implemented as a ranging sensor similar to that in Embodiment 1.
[0059] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit the utility model in any other way. Any person skilled in the art may make changes or modifications to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments. However, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this utility model without departing from its technical solution shall still fall within the protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. A vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine, comprising a cabinet (1), a dispensing device (2) for placing and conveying items is provided inside the cabinet (1), and a lifting frame (6) is provided at the dispensing end of the dispensing device (2) for lifting and lowering, the lifting frame (6) being connected to the dispensing device (2) and used for transferring and dispensing items, characterized in that: A retrieval area (3) is provided at the bottom of one side of the cabinet (1). The top surface of the retrieval area (3) is the outlet of the cabinet (1). The lifting frame (6) moves back and forth between the shipping device (2) and the retrieval area (3), or stays at the outlet and closes the outlet.
2. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: Inside the cabinet (1), there is also a detection sensor (12) for detecting the status of items.
3. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shipping device (2) includes a shelf (7), in which multiple layers of cargo channels (8) are arranged. A conveying unit for driving the lifting frame (6) to rise and fall is provided on the side of the shelf (7). The lifting frame (6) is connected to the conveying mechanism.
4. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The conveying unit includes a guide rail mechanism and a synchronous belt mechanism arranged vertically on the side of the shelf (7). The lifting frame (6) is movably connected to the guide rail mechanism and fixed to the synchronous belt mechanism. A lifting drive mechanism (20) for driving the synchronous belt mechanism is also provided at the bottom of the shelf (7).
5. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lifting drive mechanism (20) includes a lifting drive motor (24) and a reducer (25) installed at the output end of the lifting drive motor (24). The output shaft of the reducer (25) is connected to the drive pulley (19) in the synchronous belt mechanism. The lifting frame (6) is fixed to the synchronous belt (16) in the synchronous belt mechanism.
6. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The guide rail mechanism includes a vertically arranged rail (14) and a slider (17) slidably connected to the rail (14), and the lifting frame (6) is fixed to the slider (17).
7. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The lifting frame (6) includes a horizontal bearing surface for carrying goods, and a fixed arm (18) is arranged vertically at the end of the horizontal bearing surface, with a slider (17) fixed to the top of the fixed arm (18).
8. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The retrieval area (3) is a notch arranged along the front and back direction of the cabinet (1); the detection sensor (12) is a distance sensor set on the top of the shelf (7), with the distance sensor facing downwards directly onto the surface of the lifting frame (6).
9. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The retrieval area (3) is a notch located at the bottom center of the cabinet (1). There are shielding parts (27) arranged at the front and rear ends of the retrieval area (3). The detection sensor (12) is a distance measuring sensor arranged in one of the shielding parts (27); or the detection sensor (12) is an infrared beam sensor arranged in the front and rear shielding parts (27).
10. The vehicle-mounted automatic vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: A cabinet door (5) that can be opened and closed is provided on the front side of the cabinet (1). The middle part of the cabinet door (5) is a transparent window, and a touch screen (4) is provided on the side of the cabinet door (5).