A carousel storage device for a vending machine

Abstract

The utility model relates to automatic vending machine technical field, especially automatic vending machine's carousel warehousing device, including fixed frame and carousel, carousel rotation sets up on fixed frame, the lower part coaxial corresponding fixed setting of carousel has the gear ring, is equipped with the drive unit on fixed frame, and the drive unit is used for driving carousel rotation, is provided with locking mechanism on fixed frame, and locking mechanism includes locking part and drive assembly, and drive assembly is used for driving locking part linear sliding along the radial direction of gear ring, to make the end of locking part can insert the gear slot of gear ring, to stop the rotation of carousel. Carousel warehousing device of the utility model aims at solving the technical problem that the automatic vending machine exists serious anti -theft hidden danger because of lacking the locking mechanism for limiting the rotation of carousel in the vending machine carousel device of prior art, and cannot stop the rotation of carousel, thereby leading to commodity easy to be stolen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vending machine technology, specifically to a rotary storage device for vending machines. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, some existing vending machines use a rotary storage structure. A motor drives the rotary table to rotate, aligning the target storage compartment with the dispensing slot, allowing the user to retrieve the goods. For example, utility model patent CN209248662U discloses a rotary table mechanism and vending machine. This device only uses a motor to drive gears, and the rotation of the rotary table is achieved through the meshing transmission between the gears and the gear ring. However, it lacks any locking mechanism to limit the rotation of the rotary table, making it impossible to lock the rotation.

[0003] In real-world use cases, when the target storage area of ​​the turntable is aligned with the dispensing slot, consumers can manually rotate the turntable through the dispensing slot, forcing it to rotate uncontrollably. This exposes goods from other storage areas to the dispensing slot, allowing consumers to access and steal other goods. This poses a serious theft risk to the vending machine and directly affects the safety and reliability of the equipment. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a rotary storage device for vending machines, which aims to solve the problem that the existing vending machine rotary devices lack a locking mechanism to limit the rotation of the rotary table, thus making it impossible to stop the rotation of the rotary table, resulting in easy theft of goods and serious anti-theft risks to vending machines.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a rotary storage device for an automatic vending machine, including a fixed frame and a rotary disk. The rotary disk is rotatably mounted on the fixed frame, and a toothed ring is provided on the rotary disk. The toothed ring is coaxial with the rotary disk. A drive unit is provided on the fixed frame to drive the rotary disk to rotate. A locking mechanism is provided on the fixed frame. The locking mechanism includes a locking part and a drive assembly. The drive assembly is used to drive the locking part to slide linearly along the radial direction of the toothed ring, so that the end of the locking part can be inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring to stop the rotation of the rotary disk.

[0006] Furthermore, the locking part has a plurality of teeth at one end facing the toothed ring that are adapted to the toothed groove of the toothed ring.

[0007] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a support frame, a first drive motor, a first gear, and a rack. The support frame is fixedly disposed on the upper side of the fixed frame. The first drive motor is mounted on the support frame. The first gear is connected to the output shaft of the first drive motor. The rack is fixedly disposed on the side of the locking part facing the first gear. The first gear meshes with the rack for transmission. The drive assembly also includes a guide structure. The guide mechanism is used to guide the locking part to move linearly along the radial direction of the gear ring.

[0008] Furthermore, the guide structure includes two guide blocks fixedly mounted on the support frame, and the line connecting the center lines of the two guide blocks is consistent with the radial direction of the toothed ring; a corresponding groove is provided on the locking part, and the two guide blocks are respectively inserted into the groove.

[0009] Furthermore, the guide structure also includes a baffle, which is disposed on the upper part of the two guide blocks and covers the locking part.

[0010] Furthermore, the baffle is detachably connected to the guide block via a threaded locking structure.

[0011] Furthermore, the first gear has a connecting shaft at its center, and a cross slot is formed through the center of the connecting shaft. The output shaft of the first drive motor has a cross plug that matches the cross slot cross ...

[0012] Furthermore, the baffle extends above the connecting shaft and covers the connecting shaft.

[0013] Furthermore, the drive assembly also includes a position sensor fixedly mounted on the support frame, the position sensor being used to detect whether the locking part is inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring.

[0014] Furthermore, the drive unit includes a second drive motor mounted on a fixed frame, and the output shaft of the second drive motor is provided with a second gear, which meshes with the gear ring for transmission.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: When the turntable device of this utility model is in use, after the turntable is driven by the drive unit to rotate to the designated position and stop rotating, the drive assembly drives the locking part to slide linearly along the radial direction of the toothed ring and towards the turntable, so that the end of the locking part is inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring. At this time, the rotation of the toothed ring is locked by the linearly moving locking part. Since the toothed ring is fixedly connected to the turntable, the turntable cannot be manually turned to produce unexpected rotation. This solves the technical problem in the prior art that the turntable device of the vending machine lacks a locking mechanism to limit the rotation of the turntable, which makes it impossible to stop the rotation of the turntable, thus making the goods easy to be stolen and causing serious anti-theft risks to the vending machine. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model; Figure 2 For the present utility model Figure 1 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point A in the middle; Figure 3 For the present utility model Figure 1 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point B; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drive component of this utility model; Figure 5 For the present utility model Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure after the middle baffle and guide block are separated; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first drive motor and the first gear after separation.

[0017] Numbering in each attached figure: 100. Fixed frame; 200. Turntable; 201. Gear ring; 300. Support frame; 301. Position sensor; 302. Frame; 400. Locking part; 401. Tooth; 402. Slide groove; 403. Rack; 500. First drive motor; 501. First gear; 502. Connecting shaft; 503. Cross insert; 504. Cross slot; 600. Guide block; 601. Threaded hole; 700. Baffle; 701. Through hole; 800. Second drive motor; 801. Second gear. Detailed Implementation

[0018] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0019] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0020] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "setting" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0021] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through other features. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0022] Please refer to Figures 1-6 This utility model provides a rotary storage device for vending machines. Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The vending machine's rotary storage device includes a fixed frame 100 and a rotary disk 200. The fixed frame 100 is a rectangular frame structure and is fixedly installed inside the vending machine's cabinet. The rotary disk 200 is rotatably mounted on the fixed frame 100, and has multiple storage compartments composed of partitions distributed circumferentially on the rotary disk 200. A toothed ring 201 is provided on the rotary disk 200, coaxially arranged with the rotary disk 200. The toothed ring 201 is an external toothed ring structure, with multiple tooth grooves evenly distributed on its outer circumferential surface. A drive unit is provided on the fixed frame 100 to drive the rotary disk 200 to rotate. A locking mechanism is provided on the fixed frame 100, which includes a locking part 400 and a drive assembly. The driving assembly is used to drive the locking part 400 to slide linearly along the radial direction of the toothed ring 201, so that the end of the locking part 400 can be inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring 201 to stop the rotation of the turntable 200. Specifically, the locking part 400 extends radially along the toothed ring 201, the driving assembly is mounted on the fixed frame 100, and the driving assembly is used to drive the locking part 400 to slide linearly along the radial direction of the toothed ring 201, so that the end of the locking part 400 can be inserted into the tooth groove of the outer ring of the toothed ring 201 to stop the rotation of the toothed ring 201, thereby stopping the rotation of the turntable 200.

[0023] When the drive unit drives the turntable 200 to rotate to the designated position and stops rotating, the drive assembly is activated. The drive assembly drives the locking part 400 to slide linearly along the radial direction of the toothed ring 201 towards the turntable 200, so that the end of the locking part 400 is inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring 201. At this time, the rotation of the toothed ring 201 is locked by the linearly moving locking part 400. Since the toothed ring 201 is fixedly connected to the turntable 200, the turntable 200 cannot be manually turned to produce unexpected rotation. This solves the problem in the prior art where the vending machine turntable 200 lacks a locking mechanism to limit the rotation of the turntable 200, thus failing to stop the rotation of the turntable 200, which makes it easy for goods to be stolen and creates a serious anti-theft risk for the vending machine.

[0024] Reference Figure 2 The locking part 400 has multiple teeth 401 at one end facing the toothed ring 201, the shape and spacing of which are perfectly matched to the tooth grooves of the toothed ring 201. Specifically, there are four teeth 401, which are arranged in a linear array on the end face of the locking part 400, and the distance between adjacent teeth 401 is equal to the distance between adjacent tooth grooves of the toothed ring 201. When the locking part 400 is inserted into the toothed ring 201, all four teeth 401 are simultaneously engaged in their corresponding tooth grooves. Through the meshing contact between multiple teeth 401 and the tooth grooves, the locking force is distributed to multiple contact points, avoiding excessive force on a single tooth 401 that could cause deformation or breakage. At the same time, it increases the contact area between the locking part 400 and the toothed ring 201, further improving the locking reliability and preventing the turntable 200 from being forcibly rotated.

[0025] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 The drive assembly includes a support frame 300, a first drive motor 500, a first gear 501, and a rack 403. The support frame 300 is fixedly mounted at one corner of the upper part of the fixed frame 100. Below the support frame 300 is a frame 302 for mounting the first drive motor 500, which is housed inside the frame 302. A through slot is formed on the horizontal surface of the support frame 300 corresponding to the output shaft of the first drive motor 500. The output shaft of the first drive motor 500 passes vertically upward through the through slot of the support frame 300 and is driven by the first gear 501. The rack 403 is fixed along the length of the locking part 400 on its side facing the first gear 501, and the first gear 501 meshes with the rack 403 for transmission. The drive assembly also includes a guide structure for guiding the locking part 400 to move radially linearly along the gear ring 201. When it is necessary to lock the turntable 200, the first drive motor 500 is started, which drives the first gear 501 to rotate. Through the meshing transmission between the first gear 501 and the rack 403, the locking part 400 is pushed to slide linearly along the guide structure towards the gear ring 201 until the teeth 401 at the end of the locking part 400 are inserted into the tooth groove, and then the first drive motor 500 is stopped.

[0026] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The guiding structure includes two cylindrical guide blocks 600, which are vertically fixed to the support frame 300. A locking part 400 has a vertically extending groove 402 corresponding to each guide block 600, extending along the length of the locking part 400. The locking part 400 is fitted onto the two guide blocks 600 through the grooves 402, with the width of the grooves 402 matching the width of the guide blocks 600, creating a linear sliding fit between the locking part 400 and the guide blocks 600. The line connecting the center lines of the two guide blocks 600 is aligned with the radial direction of the toothed ring 201, making the two guide blocks 600 and the toothed ring 201 collinear. This ensures that the locking part 400 can only move in a straight line along the radial direction of the toothed ring 201, preventing the teeth 401 from failing to align with the tooth groove due to the offset of the locking part 400, and ensuring the accuracy of the locking action.

[0027] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5The guide structure also includes a baffle 700, which is disposed above the two guide blocks 600 and covers the locking part 400, with a gap between the lower surface of the baffle 700 and the upper surface of the locking part 400. Since the slide groove 402 is through-cut, the baffle 700 covering the locking part 400 can limit the locking part 400, preventing it from tilting upwards and disengaging from the guide block 600 during sliding due to vibration or force, and further constraining the movement trajectory of the locking part 400.

[0028] Reference Figure 5 The baffle 700 is detachably connected to the guide block 600 via a threaded locking structure. Specifically, the upper ends of both guide blocks 600 are provided with threaded holes 601 in the vertical direction, and the surface of the baffle 700, where it connects to the guide block 600, is provided with through holes 701 in the vertical direction. The through holes 701 on the surface of the baffle 700 are coaxially corresponding to the threaded holes 601. When the baffle 700 is placed on the upper ends of the two guide blocks 600, bolts can be passed through the through holes 701 and threaded into the threaded holes 601, thereby achieving a detachable connection between the baffle 700 and the guide blocks 600. This facilitates disassembly and replacement when the locking part 400 or the guide block 600 is worn, reducing maintenance costs.

[0029] Reference Figure 6 The first gear 501 is coaxially provided with a cylindrical connecting shaft 502. A cross slot 504 is axially provided through the center of the connecting shaft 502. The output shaft of the first drive motor 500 is provided with a cross insert 503 at its top end. The cross section of the cross insert 503 is perfectly matched with the cross slot 504. The cross insert 503 of the first drive motor 500 is inserted into the cross slot 504 of the connecting shaft 502, forming a circumferential fixation between the output shaft of the first drive motor 500 and the first gear 501. Through the cooperation of the cross insert 503 and the cross slot 504, the first drive motor 500 and the first gear 501 are detachably connected, which is convenient for replacement and maintenance.

[0030] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 6 The baffle 700 extends above the connecting shaft 502 and covers it. One side of the baffle 700 extends toward the connecting shaft 502, and the lower surface of the extended portion leaves a gap with the top surface of the connecting shaft 502. The extended portion of the baffle 700 covers the cross slot 504 area at the top of the connecting shaft 502, thereby blocking the opening of the cross slot 504 and preventing foreign objects from falling in.

[0031] Reference Figure 2The drive assembly also includes a position sensor 301 fixedly mounted on the support frame 300. The position sensor 301 is controlled by the vending machine's control system and is used to detect whether the locking part 400 is inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring 201. When the tooth 401 at the end of the locking part 400 is inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring 201, the position sensor 301 will send a feedback signal to the vending machine's control system, which will then control the first drive motor 500 to stop driving.

[0032] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 The drive unit includes a second drive motor 800 and a second gear 801. The second drive motor 800 is mounted on one side of the fixed frame 100, and its output shaft is vertically upward. The output shaft of the second drive motor 800 is drivenly connected to the second gear 801, and the second gear 801 meshes with the gear ring 201. When the turntable 200 needs to rotate, the second drive motor 800 is started, and the second drive motor 800 drives the second gear 801 to rotate. Through the meshing transmission between the second gear 801 and the gear ring 201, the turntable 200 is driven to rotate around its own axis.

[0033] In summary, the working principle of this utility model is as follows: When the turntable 200 needs to rotate, the second drive motor 800 is started. The output shaft of the second drive motor 800 drives the second gear 801 to rotate. Through the meshing transmission between the second gear 801 and the gear ring 201, the turntable 200 is driven to rotate around its own axis until the turntable 200 rotates to the designated position. At this time, the second drive motor 800 stops working, and then the first drive motor 500 is started, so that its output shaft drives the first gear 501. The first gear 501 meshes with the rack 403, and through the guide limit of the two guide blocks 600, it drives the locking part 400 to slide radially in the direction of the toothed ring 201. When the four teeth 401 at the end of the locking part 400 are fully inserted into the four adjacent tooth grooves in the toothed ring 201, the position sensor 301 detects that the locking is in place and feeds back a signal to the control system of the vending machine, and the first drive motor 500 stops working. At this time, the toothed ring 201 is locked by the locking part 400. Since the toothed ring 201 is fixedly connected to the turntable 200, the turntable 200 cannot be manually turned to produce unexpected rotation, which effectively solves the problem of easy theft of goods in the prior art.

[0034] The above description is the preferred embodiment of this utility model. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A rotary storage device for an automatic vending machine, comprising a fixed frame and a rotary disk, the rotary disk being rotatably mounted on the fixed frame, a toothed ring being provided on the rotary disk, the toothed ring being coaxial with the rotary disk, and a drive unit being provided on the fixed frame for driving the rotary disk to rotate, characterized in that: The fixed frame is provided with a locking mechanism, which includes a locking part and a driving component. The driving component is used to drive the locking part to slide linearly along the radial direction of the toothed ring so that the end of the locking part can be inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring to stop the rotation of the turntable.

2. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 1, characterized in that: The locking part has a plurality of teeth at one end facing the toothed ring that are adapted to the tooth groove of the toothed ring.

3. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 1, wherein: The drive assembly includes a support frame, a first drive motor, a first gear, and a rack. The support frame is fixedly disposed on the upper side of the fixed frame. The first drive motor is mounted on the support frame. The first gear is connected to the output shaft of the first drive motor. The rack is fixedly disposed on the side of the locking part facing the first gear. The first gear meshes with the rack for transmission. The drive assembly also includes a guide structure. The guide mechanism is used to guide the locking part to move linearly along the radial direction of the gear ring.

4. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 3, characterized in that: The guide structure includes two guide blocks fixedly mounted on the support frame, and the line connecting the center lines of the two guide blocks is consistent with the radial direction of the toothed ring; a corresponding groove is provided on the locking part, and the two guide blocks are respectively inserted into the groove.

5. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 4, wherein: The guide structure also includes a baffle, which is disposed on the upper part of the two guide blocks and covers the locking part.

6. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 5, wherein: The baffle is detachably connected to the guide block via a threaded locking structure.

7. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 3, wherein: The first gear has a connecting shaft at its center, and a cross slot is formed through the center of the connecting shaft. The output shaft of the first drive motor has a cross plug that matches the cross slot cross ...

8. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 5, wherein: The baffle extends above the connecting shaft and covers the connecting shaft.

9. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 3, wherein: The drive assembly also includes a position sensor fixedly mounted on the support frame, which is used to detect whether the locking part is inserted into the tooth groove of the toothed ring.

10. A carousel storage device for a vending machine as defined in claim 1, wherein: The drive unit includes a second drive motor mounted on a fixed frame. The output shaft of the second drive motor is provided with a second gear, which meshes with the gear ring.

Images