Vending machine with product bin leveling function

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of automatic vending machine with the function of taking thing box leveling, including cabinet and taking device, wherein, taking device includes: guide rail assembly, pulley assembly, taking thing box assembly and upgrade drive component, guide rail assembly includes first guide rail and second guide rail and the first lifting chute and the second lifting chute of first guide rail and second guide rail on along up-down direction extension, pulley assembly is supported in first lifting chute and can slide up and down along first lifting chute, pulley assembly includes pedestal, the upper roller assembly supported on the upper portion of pedestal, the lower roller assembly supported on the lower portion of pedestal and the horizontal adjusting mechanism of the lower portion of pedestal is driven to move in left and right directions, horizontal adjusting mechanism includes the adjusting screw that can be rotated by user, adjusting screw is driven arrangement with the lower portion of pedestal. The automatic vending machine of the scheme can adjust the levelness of taking thing box assembly in real time by horizontal adjusting mechanism, realize smooth, smooth operation, control cost simultaneously.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automatic vending equipment technology, and in particular to an automatic vending machine with an adjustable dispensing box assembly level. Background Technology

[0002] Vending machines, as convenient retail devices, are widely used in various public places. One type of vending machine has a retrieving box that can move up and down, transferring the item to be dispensed between the product storage area and the dispensing slot. The stable raising and lowering of the retrieving box is crucial to ensuring accurate grabbing and reliable delivery of the item, directly affecting whether the vending machine can accurately dispense the purchased item to the user.

[0003] Currently, to reduce manufacturing costs, many vending machines use a single-sided drive system to operate the dispensing box. In this system, one side of the dispensing box is directly driven by a transmission mechanism such as a motor, belt, or chain, while the other side is only supported on a guide rail by sliding connection, lacking independent power drive. Although this single-arm support structure simplifies mechanical design and the number of parts, because the dispensing box is only subjected to force on one side and the other side passively follows, the dispensing box is prone to tilting or twisting during lifting and lowering.

[0004] Tilting the retrieval box can cause a series of problems: First, a tilted retrieval box is difficult to precisely coordinate with the pushing mechanism, aisle baffles, and other transmission components in the product storage area, which can easily lead to products getting stuck, falling, or failing to be properly grabbed; second, long-term tilting will accelerate the wear and tear on the guide rails and sliding parts, affecting the lifespan of the equipment; in addition, tilting may also cause vibration and noise, reducing the user experience.

[0005] Therefore, the existing single-sided drive retrieval box solution presents a trade-off between cost and stability, and there is a need for further improvement. Utility Model Content

[0006] In order to solve the problems mentioned above, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an automatic vending machine that can control costs and ensure the smooth lifting and lowering of the dispensing box.

[0007] Therefore, this utility model provides an automatic vending machine with a leveling function for the dispensing box, including a cabinet with a product storage compartment and a dispensing device arranged in the cabinet. The dispensing device includes: a guide rail assembly, including a first guide rail and a second guide rail arranged in the cabinet and distributed horizontally; the first guide rail is provided with a first lifting groove extending in the vertical direction, and the second guide rail is provided with a second lifting groove that is horizontally opposite to the first lifting groove; and a pulley assembly, supported in the first lifting groove and capable of sliding vertically along the first lifting groove, the pulley assembly including a base, an upper roller assembly supported on the upper part of the base, a lower roller assembly supported on the lower part of the base, and a horizontal adjustment mechanism that drives the lower part of the base to move in the horizontal direction. The upper roller assembly includes an upper axle and a pair of upper rollers rotatably supported at the two ends of the upper axle. The lower roller assembly includes a lower axle and a pair of lower rollers rotatably supported at the two ends of the lower axle. Both the pair of upper rollers and the pair of lower rollers are constrained in the first lifting slide groove, allowing only vertical movement and preventing horizontal movement. The horizontal adjustment mechanism includes an adjusting screw that can be turned by the user, and the adjusting screw is driven to the lower part of the base. The item retrieval box assembly has one end fixedly connected to the base and the other end slidably supported in the second lifting slide groove. The lifting drive assembly is arranged on the side where the first guide rail is located and includes a motor and a transmission mechanism, with the transmission mechanism drivingly connecting the base and the motor.

[0008] In some embodiments, the leveling mechanism further includes a balance adjustment plate disposed on the lower part of the base and capable of vertical movement, wherein the adjusting screw is threadedly connected to the balance adjustment plate; when the adjusting screw is screwed upward, the balance adjustment plate can move upward relative to the lower part of the base.

[0009] In some embodiments, the balance adjustment plate is provided with a pair of oblique elongated slots facing each other in the front-rear direction, and the lower part of the base is provided with a pair of horizontal elongated slots facing each other in the front-rear direction. The lower wheel axle is simultaneously supported in the pair of oblique elongated slots and the pair of horizontal elongated slots.

[0010] In some embodiments, a locking screw is provided between the lower part of the base and the balance adjustment plate, and the balance adjustment plate can be triggered to move up and down relative to the lower part of the base when the locking screw is in a loose state.

[0011] In some embodiments, the transmission mechanism includes a conveyor belt.

[0012] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention include: the horizontal adjustment mechanism, which includes adjusting screws, allows users to easily adjust the vertical displacement of the balance adjustment plate, thereby achieving horizontal adjustment of the retrieval box assembly. This design not only effectively improves the stability and smoothness of the retrieval device during the entire lifting and lowering process, but also eliminates the need for a complex and costly leveling structure, saving costs. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of an automatic vending machine provided for an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between a cabinet and a retrieval device, provided for an embodiment of this utility model.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of the object-retrieving device provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0016] Figure 4 A three-dimensional structural view of the object-retrieving device provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0017] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A three-dimensional structural view of the object retrieval device from another perspective.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pulley assembly supported on the first guide rail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the pulley assembly provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal adjustment mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the small roller assembly is located on the far left of the cross hole.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal adjustment mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the small roller assembly is located on the far right of the cross hole.

[0022] Among them, 100 is an automatic vending machine; 1 is a cabinet; 2 is a merchandise storage compartment; 3 is a dispensing device; 34 is a guide rail assembly; 41 is a first guide rail; 401 is a first lifting slide; 42 is a second guide rail; 402 is a second lifting slide; 35 is a pulley assembly; 51 is a base; 52 is an upper roller assembly; 521 is an upper wheel axle; 522 is an upper roller; 53 is a lower roller assembly; 531 is a lower wheel axle; 532 is a lower roller; 54 is a horizontal adjustment mechanism; 501 is an adjusting screw; 502 is a balance adjustment plate; 503 is an oblique elongated slot; 504 is a horizontal elongated slot; 505 is a locking screw; 36 is a dispensing box assembly; 37 is a lifting drive assembly; 701 is a motor; and 702 is a transmission mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0023] This application relates to an automatic vending machine, and more particularly to an automatic vending machine with an integrated leveling mechanism, which can adjust the level of the dispensing box assembly through the leveling mechanism, ensuring the stability and smoothness of the dispensing device during operation, while also controlling costs.

[0024] See Figures 1-9 The illustration shows an automatic vending machine 100 according to this application. The automatic vending machine 100 includes a cabinet 1 with a merchandise storage compartment 2 and a dispensing device 3 arranged inside the cabinet 1.

[0025] The retrieval device 3 includes a guide rail assembly 34, a pulley assembly 35, a retrieval box assembly 36, and a lifting drive assembly 37.

[0026] The guide rail assembly 34 includes a left guide rail 41 and a right guide rail 42 arranged in the cabinet 1 and distributed left and right. The left guide rail 41 is provided with a left lifting slide 401 extending in the vertical direction, and the right guide rail 42 is provided with a right lifting slide 402 that is opposite to the left lifting slide 401.

[0027] The pulley assembly 35 is supported in the left lifting slide 401 and can slide up and down along the left lifting slide 401. The pulley assembly 35 includes a base 51, an upper roller assembly 52 supported on the upper part of the base 51, a lower roller assembly 53 supported on the lower part of the base 51, and a horizontal adjustment mechanism 54 that drives the lower part of the base 51 to move in the left and right directions.

[0028] The upper roller assembly 52 includes an upper axle 521 and a pair of upper rollers 522 rotatably supported at the two ends of the upper axle 521. The lower roller assembly 53 includes a lower axle 531 and a pair of lower rollers 532 rotatably supported at the two ends of the lower axle 531. Both the pair of upper rollers 522 and the pair of lower rollers 532 are constrained in the left-side lifting slide 401, allowing them to move only up and down and not left and right.

[0029] The horizontal adjustment mechanism 54 includes a balance adjustment plate 502, an adjustment screw 501, and a locking screw 505.

[0030] A balance adjustment plate 502 is movably mounted on the lower part of the base 51. An adjusting screw 501 is threaded onto the lower part of the balance adjustment plate 502; when the user tightens the adjusting screw 501, the balance adjustment plate 502 moves vertically relative to the base 51. In this example, the adjusting screw 501 is configured to be tightened by the user from the lower side of the base 51. A locking screw 505 is used to secure the lower part of the base 51 to the balance adjustment plate 502. With the locking screw 505 in a loosened state, the balance adjustment plate 502 can be moved vertically relative to the lower part of the base 51 by the user tightening the adjusting screw 501.

[0031] The balance adjustment plate 502 is provided with a pair of oblique elongated slots 503 facing each other in the front-to-back direction. The lower part of the base 51 is provided with a pair of horizontal elongated slots 504 facing each other in the front-to-back direction. In this example, the pair of oblique elongated slots 503 are located inside the pair of horizontal elongated slots 504, and the two sets of slots intersect. The lower wheel axle 531 of the lower roller assembly 53 passes through both the pair of oblique elongated slots 503 and the pair of horizontal elongated slots 504. Thus, when the balance adjustment plate 502 is driven to move up and down, the pair of oblique elongated slots 503 move up and down along with it. Since the pair of lower rollers 532 of the lower roller assembly 53 are constrained to only move up and down, the lower wheel axle 531, which is also part of the lower roller assembly 53, will also only be able to move up and down. With the help of the pair of oblique elongated slots 503, the lower part of the base 51 will be pushed to move left and right.

[0032] The left end of the retrieval box assembly 36 is fixedly connected to the base 51, and the right end is slidably supported in the right lifting groove 402. When the lower part of the base 51 is pushed to move left and right, while the upper part of the base 51 remains stationary, the left end of the retrieval box assembly 36 will deflect slightly in the vertical direction, thereby adjusting the retrieval box assembly 36 in the lateral position.

[0033] In this embodiment, the adjustment screw 501 in the adjusting pulley assembly 35 drives the balance adjustment plate 502 to generate displacement. The lower roller 532 rolls within the intersecting hole formed by the oblique elongated slot 503 on the balance adjustment plate 502 and the horizontal elongated slot 504 at the bottom of the base 51, converting the horizontal displacement of the lower roller 532 into the vertical displacement of the balance adjustment plate 502. This transmission mechanism further drives the lower part of the base 51, connected to the retrieval box assembly 36, to adjust its lateral position within the left-side lifting slide 401, thereby changing the support height on the right side of the retrieval box assembly 36 and ultimately compensating for and correcting the overall levelness of the retrieval box assembly 36. After correction, the locking screw 505 is tightened to lock the relative position of the base 51 and the pulley assembly 35.

[0034] In this embodiment, the lifting drive assembly 37 is arranged on the side where the left guide rail 41 is located, and includes a motor 701 and a transmission mechanism 702. The transmission mechanism 702 drives the base 51 and the motor 701. The motor 701 directly drives the base 51 through the transmission mechanism 702 to provide power to the lifting device 3. The transmission mechanism 702 includes a conveyor belt.

[0035] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims, specification, and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic vending machine with a leveling function for the dispensing box, comprising a cabinet with a merchandise storage compartment and a dispensing device arranged within the cabinet, characterized in that, The object retrieval device includes: The guide rail assembly includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail arranged in the cabinet and distributed left and right. The first guide rail is provided with a first lifting groove extending in the vertical direction, and the second guide rail is provided with a second lifting groove that is left and right opposite to the first lifting groove. A pulley assembly, supported in the first lifting slide groove and capable of sliding up and down along the first lifting slide groove, includes a base, an upper roller assembly supported on the upper part of the base, a lower roller assembly supported on the lower part of the base, and a horizontal adjustment mechanism that drives the lower part of the base to move in the left and right direction. The upper roller assembly includes an upper wheel axle and a pair of upper rollers rotatably supported on the two ends of the upper wheel axle. The lower roller assembly includes a lower wheel axle and a pair of lower rollers rotatably supported on the two ends of the lower wheel axle. The pair of upper rollers and the pair of lower rollers are constrained in the first lifting slide groove, which can only move up and down and cannot move left and right. The horizontal adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment screw that can be turned by the user, and the adjustment screw is driven by the lower part of the base. A retrieval box assembly, wherein one end of the retrieval box assembly is fixedly connected to the base, and the other end is slidably supported in the second lifting groove; and A lifting drive assembly is arranged on the side where the first guide rail is located and includes a motor and a transmission mechanism, wherein the transmission mechanism drivesly connects the base and the motor.

2. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal adjustment mechanism further includes a balance adjustment plate that is movable up and down at the lower part of the base, and the adjustment screw is threadedly connected to the balance adjustment plate; when the adjustment screw is turned upward, the balance adjustment plate can move upward relative to the lower part of the base.

3. The automatic vending machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The balance adjustment plate is provided with a pair of oblique elongated slots facing each other in the front-to-back direction, and the lower part of the base is provided with a pair of horizontal elongated slots facing each other in the front-to-back direction. The lower wheel axle is supported in both the pair of oblique elongated slots and the pair of horizontal elongated slots.

4. The automatic vending machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, A locking screw is provided between the lower part of the base and the balance adjustment plate. The balance adjustment plate can be triggered to move up and down relative to the lower part of the base when the locking screw is in a loose state.

5. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism includes a conveyor belt.

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