Carousel and vending machine

Abstract

To provide a rotary rack capable of reducing the use of a fastening member and simplifying an assembly process, and a vending machine having the rotary rack.SOLUTION: A middle cylinder, layer partition plates, row partition plates and a shielding ring, wherein the layer partition plates are arranged at intervals in an axial direction of the middle cylinder, a plurality of first slots are formed in radial outer edges of the layer partition plates, the row partition plates extend outwards and are distributed radially along a radial direction of a cylinder surface of the middle cylinder, and a plurality of second slots are formed in inner edges of the row partition plates; The inner periphery of the row partition plate is inserted into the second slot, the outer edge of the row partition plate is inserted into the first slot, the inner edge of the row partition plate is provided with a protrusion, the inner edge of the row partition plate abuts against the barrel wall, the protrusion is inserted into the first through hole, the plurality of row partition plates are further provided with second through holes at positions corresponding to each other, and the shroud ring passes through the second through holes of the plurality of row partition plates to fasten the plurality of row partition plates.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vending machines, and more particularly to a carousel and a vending machine having the carousel. [Background technology]

[0002] Vending machine racks generally include spiral racks, conveyor racks, shelf racks, lift racks, and drawer racks. In recent years, some vending machines selling industrial goods have also begun to use carousel racks. When a user purchases a specific product, the carousel rack can rotate the loading cell containing the specific product to the cabinet door, allowing the user to open the cabinet door and retrieve the product.

[0003] A carousel generally has a multi-layer design. Each layer must be partitioned with multiple row dividers to form radially distributed loading cells. This results in a large number of layer dividers and row dividers. Furthermore, in the prior art carousel, fastening the layer dividers and row dividers to each other and to the carousel's inner cylinder requires the use of a large number of fastening members, such as screw connections. This results in a complex assembly process, which is unsuitable for large-scale production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In response to the above technical problems, the present invention provides a rotating rack and a vending machine having the rotating rack, which can reduce the number of fastening members used and simplify the assembly process.

[0005] A first aspect of the present invention provides a rotating rack including a center cylinder, a plurality of layer partition plates, a plurality of row partition plates, and a shroud ring. The center cylinder has a cylindrical wall with a plurality of first through holes. The layer partition plates are annular, and the plate surfaces of the layer partition plates are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axial direction of the center cylinder. The layer partition plates are spaced apart in the axial direction of the center cylinder, and a plurality of first slots are formed on the radial outer edges of the layer partition plates. The row partition plates extend radially outward along the radial direction of the cylindrical surface of the center cylinder, and a plurality of second slots are formed on the inner edges of the row partition plates. The inner periphery of the layer partition plate is inserted into the second slots, and the outer edge of the row partition plate is inserted into the first slots. The inner edge of the row partition plate is formed with a protrusion, and the inner edge of the row partition plate abuts the cylindrical wall. The protrusions are inserted into the first through holes, and the plurality of row partition plates are further provided with second through holes at positions corresponding to each other. The shroud ring fastens the plurality of row partition plates by passing through the second through holes of the plurality of row partition plates.

[0006] According to the above technical solution, after mounting a plurality of layer partition plates on the center cylinder at intervals, simply inserting a plurality of row partition plates into the first slots on the radial outer edges of the layer partition plates allows the layer partition plates and row partition plates to be interlocked with each other through the first slots and second slots. Furthermore, because of the interlocking configuration, the layer partition plates and row partition plates can overlap each other within their radial extension range, providing stable support for each other. After the center cylinder, layer partition plates, and row partition plates are pre-assembled, a shroud ring is used to fasten all the row partition plates, thereby enhancing the tightness of the entire rack and making the structure more compact and stable.

[0007] Preferably, the row partition plates have one second through hole between every two layer partition plates, and there are multiple shroud rings, each passing through a corresponding second through hole in the axial direction. The multiple shroud rings are used to fasten the row partition plates of the same layer in each layer, and a uniform force is applied across the entire axial direction of the center cylinder, thereby tightly fixing the multiple row partition plates. The fastened shroud rings not only assemble the row partition plates, but also apply a radially inward force to the row partition plates. This radially inward force further secures the row partition plates to the center cylinder, ensuring the structural and dimensional consistency of the assembled product.

[0008] Preferably, the second through-hole is provided on the inner edge of the row partition plate and adjacent to the protrusion. By locating the second through-hole adjacent to the protrusion, it is possible to sufficiently ensure that the radially inward acting force applied by the shroud ring to the row partition plate is effectively transmitted between the protrusion and the center cylinder, thereby ensuring a tight connection between the protrusion and the center cylinder. Furthermore, by locating the second through-hole in this position, it is possible to shorten the required length of the shroud ring and reduce costs.

[0009] Preferably, the container further includes a cell plate detachably connected to the center cylinder, the row divider plate, and / or the layer divider plate, and the loading cell separated by the layer divider plate and the row divider plate can be further divided into two or more sub-cells. The size of the sub-cells can be adjusted with the cell plate. When a larger loading cell is needed, the cell plate can be removed, and when a smaller loading cell is needed, the cell plate can be used to separate the loading cell. This allows for flexible adjustment according to the size of the loaded products, making it possible to accommodate a greater variety of products, and improving space utilization efficiency.

[0010] Preferably, the cell plate is disposed along the radial plane of the center cylinder, and has first and second ends facing each other along the axial direction of the center cylinder. The first end of the cell plate has a cell plate protrusion that is inserted into an engaging groove of the layer partition plate. The second end of the cell plate has a threaded connection that is threadedly connected to the layer partition plate located on the other side of the cell plate. According to the above technical solution, the cell plate is stably fixed between the upper and lower layer partition plates, and the vending machine installer can choose whether or not to use the cell plate as needed. Furthermore, even when the cell plate is not used, the surface of the layer partition plate is relatively flat and smooth, making it easy for products to enter and exit the loading cells.

[0011] Preferably, the inner edge of the cell plate has a cell plate avoidance opening for avoiding the shroud ring. By providing the cell plate avoidance opening on the inner edge of the cell plate, the inner edge of the cell plate can be fixedly connected to the center cylinder, ensuring the stability of the cell plate fixation. On the other hand, by avoiding the shroud ring, the installation of the cell plate does not affect the main body structure of the already assembled rotary rack, and cell plates can be added as needed after the entire rotary rack is assembled.

[0012] Preferably, a third through-hole is further opened in the cylindrical wall of the center cylinder, and the inner edge of the cell plate further has a cell plate inner edge protrusion, which is inserted into the third through-hole of the center cylinder. According to the above technical solution, the inner edge protrusion, the cell plate protrusion and the screw connection can limit or fix the position of the cell plate from three different directions, improving the stability of the fixation of the cell plate.

[0013] Preferably, the width of the first slot and / or the second slot is 1.5 to 2 mm. The width of the first slot and the second slot should not be too wide or too narrow. The width is a width suitable for inserting the layer partition board or the row partition board and fitting them together to interlock.

[0014] Because the layer dividers and row dividers must both have a certain strength or thickness, the width of the first and second slots must not be too narrow, and the thickness of the layer dividers and row dividers must not be too thick, as this would significantly increase the weight of the carousel. Therefore, taking the above two points into consideration, it is preferable that the width of the first and second slots be in the range of 1.5 to 2 mm, in accordance with the thickness of the layer dividers and row dividers.

[0015] Preferably, the outer end of the first slot further has a flared portion having a width greater than the width of the first slot, which facilitates insertion of the row divider into the first slot and allows the row divider to guide insertion into the first slot. A second aspect of the present invention provides a vending machine comprising a carousel according to the first aspect of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a rotary rack according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] 3A and 3B are structural schematic diagrams of a layer partition plate and a row partition plate in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 3A and 3B are structural schematic diagrams of a layer partition plate and a row partition plate in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the outer edge of the layer partition plate of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 5] 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the inner edge of the column partition plate of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a rotary rack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the fixing of the upper edge of the cell plate and the top layer partition plate in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the fixing of the lower edge of the cell plate and the bottom layer partition plate in the second embodiment. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a cell plate provided in a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in accordance with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is clear that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, and do not include all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments that can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] term The terms "parallel" and "perpendicular" are not limited to angles of 90 degrees in the strict geometric sense, but may be within the range that is normally considered to be parallel and perpendicular in light of common technical knowledge in the relevant technical field, and for example, an error of up to 15 degrees is acceptable. The term "adjacent" when describing the positional relationship between the second through hole and the protrusion means that the force of the second through hole applied by the shroud ring can be transmitted almost entirely to the protrusion, thereby enhancing the connection and adhesion between the protrusion and the middle cylinder; specifically, the distance between the second through hole and the protrusion may be, for example, within 10 to 30 mm.

[0019] The term "axial" refers to a direction parallel to an axis, the term "radial" refers to a direction passing through an axis and perpendicular to the axis, and the term "circumferential" refers to a direction surrounding an axis. The terms "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" do not limit the shape of the described entity, as long as the entity has an axis; for example, a square entity has a central axis, and accordingly, "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" may be used to describe corresponding directions based on the entity. The term "annular" is a broader term that includes "circular toroid" and the shape being described may be different types of annular, such as circular, square, or elliptical. The terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the radially inner and outer sides unless otherwise specified, specifically, "inner" refers to the direction closer to the center cylinder, and "outer" refers to the direction closer to the exterior of the vending machine. The terms "top" and "bottom" refer to the height direction of the vending machine during normal operation.

[0020] First embodiment The present invention provides a carousel 100 for a vending machine, and Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the carousel 100 in a first embodiment of the present invention. When forming a vending machine, the carousel 100 shown in Figure 1 is mounted on a rotatable base, and the carousel 100 can be rotated by a motor coupled to the base.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the carousel 100 includes a top plate 101, a bottom plate 103, a layer divider plate 105, a row divider plate 107, a center cylinder 201 and a shroud ring 301.

[0022] The middle cylinder 201 is a hollow cylindrical member provided in the center of the rotary rack 100, and has a cylindrical cylinder wall 203. A plurality of through holes are formed on the surface of the cylinder wall 203, including a plurality of first through holes (not shown).

[0023] The top plate 101, bottom plate 103 and layer partition plates 105 are all installed parallel to each other at a distance, and the top plate 101, bottom plate 103 and layer partition plates 105 are all annular. The plate surfaces are perpendicular to the axial direction of the middle cylinder 201 (after assembly into a vending machine, the top plate 101, bottom plate 103 and layer partition plates 105 are all placed horizontally during normal operation of the vending machine). The inner edges of the top plate 101, bottom plate 103 and layer partition plates 105 are fixedly connected to the middle cylinder 201, and the outer edges are flush with each other. Storage spaces are defined between the top plate 101 and layer partition plates 105, between two adjacent layer partition plates 105, and between the layer partition plates 105 and the bottom plate 103.

[0024] The row partition plates 107 extend radially outward from the cylindrical surface of the middle cylinder 201. The row partition plates 107 are distributed radially, and the storage space of each layer is accordingly divided into a plurality of radially distributed loading cells 401. Each loading cell 401 is fan-shaped, annular (arc-shaped). In this embodiment, the loading cells 401 are described as having the same size and shape, but in other embodiments, the number and mounting positions of the row partition plates 107 may be adjusted according to actual needs. This allows loading cells 401 of different sizes to be obtained, flexibly meeting the storage needs of various types of products.

[0025] 2 and 3 are structural schematic diagrams of the layer partition plate 105 and the column partition plate 107 in this embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of first slots 109 are provided on the radial outer edge of the layer partition plate 105, and a plurality of second slots 111 are provided on the inner edge of the column partition plate 107. When the layer partition plate 105 and the column partition plate 107 need to be assembled, the layer partition plate 105 and the column partition plate 107 are first arranged perpendicular to each other, and then the first slots 109 of the layer partition plate 105 are aligned with the second slots 111 of the column partition plate 107. After that, the layer partition plate 105 and the column partition plate 107 are moved toward each other so that the layer partition plate 105 and the column partition plate 107 are inserted and fixed to each other. When assembly is complete, the outer edge of the row partition plate 107 (the portion having a solid body on the extension of the second slot 111) is inserted into the first slot 109 of the layer partition plate 105, and the inner periphery of the layer partition plate 105 (the portion having a solid body on the extension of the inside of the first slot 109) is inserted into the second slot 111 of the row partition plate 107. The layer partition plate 105 and the row partition plate 107 are inserted into each other, and the extending ranges of the layer partition plate 105 and the row partition plate 107 overlap each other in the radial direction, which allows the layer partition plate 105 and the row partition plate 107 to stably support each other.

[0026] Preferably, the length of the first slot 109 is half the width (in the radial direction) of the annular layer partition plate 105, and the length of the second slot 111 is half the width (in the width direction) of the row partition plate 107, and the width of the layer partition plate 105 is equal to the width of the row partition plate 107. As a result, the layer partition plate 105 and the row partition plate 107 can be fully overlapped and inserted into each other, and the inner and outer edges of the layer partition plate 105 and the row partition plate 107 are all flush with each other.

[0027] Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the outer edge of the layer partition plate 105 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the inner edge of the column partition plate 107 of Fig. 3. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, in this embodiment, the width d1 of the first slot 109 and the width d2 of the second slot 111 are both 1.5 to 2 mm. The widths of the first slot 109 and the second slot 111 and the thicknesses of the layer partition plate 105 and the column partition plate 107 match each other, allowing the layer partition plate 105 or the column partition plate 107 to be inserted and interlocked. Because layer dividers 105 and column dividers 107 must both have a certain strength or thickness, the widths of first slots 109 and second slots 111 must not be too narrow, and on the other hand, the thicknesses of layer dividers 105 and column dividers 107 must not be too thick, as excessive thickness of layer dividers 105 and column dividers 107 would significantly increase the weight of carousel 100. Therefore, taking the above two points into consideration, it is preferable that the widths of first slots 109 and second slots 111 be within the range of 1.5 to 2 mm, in accordance with the thicknesses of layer dividers 105 and column dividers 107.

[0028] 4, in this embodiment, the outer end of the first slot 109 further has a flared portion 113 whose width is greater than the width of the first slot 109. The flared portion 113 has a notch structure whose diameter gradually increases in the radial direction, which acts as a guide for the row partition plate 107 and improves the ease of insertion and fixing.

[0029] 5, in this embodiment, one end of the second slot 111 also has an opening structure 115 whose width is wider than the width of the second slot 111, improving ease of assembly. Note that the second through-hole 119 in the row partition plate 107 is formed by cutting and folding back a portion of the row partition plate 107, and this structure is easy to process and has little effect on the strength of the row partition plate 107.

[0030] In this embodiment, the inner edges of the layer partition plates 105 and the row partition plates 107 are both fixedly connected to the middle cylinder 201. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, a protrusion 117 is provided on the inner edge of the row partition plate 107. When assembly is complete in the rotating rack 100, the inner edge of the row partition plate 107 abuts against the outer surface of the barrel wall 203 of the middle cylinder 201, and the protrusion 117 is inserted into a first through-hole opened in the surface of the barrel wall 203. Furthermore, each row partition plate 107 is provided with one protrusion 117 at a position between each pair of corresponding layer partition plates 105, and the multiple protrusions 117 are distributed at intervals along the height direction, thereby allowing the weight of some of the row partition plates 107 to be borne by the middle cylinder 201 and serving to stably support the row partition plates 107 in the height direction.

[0031] 1 and 3, the row partition plates 107 are further provided with second through holes 119 at corresponding positions. Specifically, each row partition plate 107 has a second through hole 119 between every two second slots 111, between the second slot 111 at the top and the upper edge of the row partition plate 107, and between the second slot 111 at the bottom and the bottom edge of the row partition plate 107.

[0032] In this embodiment, the shroud rings 301 are inserted through the second through holes 119 to fasten each of the row partition plates 107. Specifically, assuming that each row partition plate 107 has N second through holes 119, N shroud rings 301 are used to fasten each of the row partition plates 107. Each shroud ring 301 is inserted through the second through holes 119 located in the same layer (i.e., through all of the second through holes 119 in the top layer, the bottom layer, or the second through holes 119 located between the same two layer partition plates 105), thereby fastening each of the row partition plates 107. The row partition plates 107 may be fastened, for example, by first inserting strip-shaped hoops into the second through holes 119 in order, and then joining and converging the hoops from the top to the bottom to form the shroud ring 301.

[0033] N shroud rings 301 are used to fix the row partition plates 107 at different axial positions of the rotary rack 100, so that the row partition plates 107 and the middle cylinder 201 bear a uniform force. Furthermore, during the tightening process, the shroud rings 301 not only tighten the row partition plates 107 as their radial dimensions decrease, but also apply a radially inward force to the row partition plates 107, aligning with the protrusions 117 on the inner edge of the row partition plates 107 and inserting them into the first through-hole structure of the middle cylinder 201. This radially inward force further tightens the fixation between the row partition plates 107 and the middle cylinder 201. This ensures the consistency of the structure and dimensions of the assembled product. The shroud rings 301 may be made of plastic or metal. The present embodiment does not limit the strength and ductility of the material as long as the material has the desired strength and ductility.

[0034] In this embodiment, referring to FIG. 3 , the second through-holes 119 are disposed adjacent to the protrusions 117, both of which are located on the inner edge of the row partition plate 107. In the direction of the force applied by the shroud ring 301, the second through-holes 119 and the protrusions 117 are located in positions corresponding to each other. Specifically, the second through-holes 119 and the protrusions 117 are located adjacent to each other near the center lines of the two second slots 111. This adjacent and corresponding arrangement allows the radially inward force applied by the shroud ring 301 to the row partition plate 107 to be effectively transmitted between the protrusions 117 and the center cylinder 201, ensuring a tight connection between the protrusions 117 and the center cylinder 201. Furthermore, by locating the second through-holes 119 in this position, the required length of the shroud ring 301 can be effectively shortened, thereby reducing the cost required for manufacturing the shroud ring 301. In some other embodiments, the protrusion 117 may not be provided in the center, but may be provided symmetrically along the center line, offset from a position adjacent to the center line of the two second slots 111. This allows the first through-holes provided corresponding to the center tube 201 to be offset from the other through-holes, thereby increasing the strength of the center tube 201. As a result, the use of fastening members can be avoided or reduced, and the carousel 100 for a vending machine can be assembled and formed by utilizing simple joining of the partition plates and convergence of the shroud ring 301.

[0035] Second embodiment The second embodiment of the present invention provides a carousel 100 for a vending machine. FIG. 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the carousel 100 in the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the configuration of the carousel 100 in this embodiment is substantially the same as the configuration of the carousel 100 in the first embodiment. The main difference between the first and second embodiments of the present invention is that the carousel 100 in the second embodiment has a cell plate 501 flexibly attached thereto to adjust the size of the loading cells 401 as needed.

[0036] Specifically, different application scenarios require different types of products on the carousel 100, which requires different amounts of space for each product. To save costs, a standardized design is adopted. Typically, the number of first slots 109 per layer divider 105 is fixed. For example, in the first embodiment, a design with 18 first slots 109 is adopted, and the number of insertable column dividers 107 is also 18. This means that each layer can be divided into 17 individual loading cells 401 in the circumferential direction. In the first embodiment, the size of each loading cell 401 is fixed. If a certain product does not require such a large space, it is difficult for users or maintenance personnel to adjust the space.

[0037] In this embodiment, the structural design of the layer partition plate 105 and the corresponding cell plate 501 allow the size of the loading cell 401 to be adjusted. Specifically, in this embodiment, each loading cell 401 can be further divided into two sub-cells 403, thereby halving the volume of the loading cell 401. This allows for a larger number of relatively small-volume products to be accommodated. Generally, when a vending machine sells products, it selects and opens a specific loading cell 401 or sub-cell 403 based on the user's actual payment or order status. Therefore, the minimum purchase unit (minimal) is determined by the number of products accommodated in the loading cell 401 or sub-cell 403. Generally, a user must purchase all of the products in the loading cell 401 or sub-cell 403 as the minimum purchase unit (minimal). Therefore, if the loading cell 401 or sub-cell 403 is too large, small-volume products can only be sold in packs, which impacts the user experience.

[0038] In this embodiment, an example is described in which one cell plate 501 is used to divide one mounting cell 401 into two subcells 403, but the manner in which the cell plate 501 divides the mounting cell 401 is not limited to this. In other embodiments, two or more cell plates 501 may be used to divide the same mounting cell 401, or a horizontally extending cell plate 501 may be used to divide the mounting cell 401. The volume of each subcell 403 is also not limited to the two subcells 403 with equal volumes exemplified in this embodiment; it is of course possible to divide subcells 403 with unequal volumes by adjusting the installation position of the cell plate 501.

[0039] In this embodiment, the cell plate 501 is detachably connected to the middle cylinder 201 and the layer partition plate 105. Specifically, the upper edge of the cell plate 501 is fixedly connected to the layer partition plate 105 at the top of the layer, the lower edge of the cell plate 501 is fixedly connected to the layer partition plate 105 at the bottom of the layer, and the inner edge of the cell plate 501 is fixedly connected to the middle cylinder 201.

[0040] 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the fixation between the upper edge of the cell plate 501 and the top layer partition plate 105 in this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 7, the upper edge of the cell plate 501 (i.e., the second end of the cell plate 501) has a threaded connection portion 503. Specifically, the upper edge of the cell plate 501 has a bent portion 505 bent toward the side of the cell plate 501, and a through hole is opened in the bent portion 505. A threaded connection member passes through the through hole and is then threadedly connected to the top layer partition plate 105, thereby fixing the cell plate 501 to the top layer partition plate 105.

[0041] 8 is a structural diagram of the fixing of the lower edge of the cell plate 501 to the bottom layer partition plate 105 in this embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 8, the layer partition plate 105 is provided with an engagement groove 507 at a position suitable for installing the cell plate 501. The lower edge of the cell plate 501 (i.e., the first end of the cell plate 501) has a cell plate protrusion 509, which can be inserted into the engagement groove 507 of the layer partition plate 105, thereby limiting and fixing the position of the cell plate 501 to the layer partition plate 105.

[0042] To improve the versatility of the component, a screw hole 511 is further provided on the side of the engagement groove 507 at a position adjacent to the engagement groove 507. The same layer partition plate 105 is fixedly connected to the cell plate 501 below it by the screw hole 511, and is also fixedly connected to the cell plate 501 above it by the engagement groove 507. This prevents the upper and lower cell plates 501 from interfering with each other, and allows each cell plate 501 to be fixed from both above and below. Furthermore, by adopting the above structure, even when the cell plate 501 is not attached, the layer partition plate 105 is relatively flat and smooth, making it easy for products to enter and exit the loading cell 401.

[0043] FIG. 9 is a structural schematic diagram of a cell plate 501 provided in a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 9, the inner edge of the cell plate 501 has a cell plate escape opening 513. During installation, the middle cylinder 201, the layer partition plate 105, and the row partition plate 107 are first assembled and fixed, and then the shroud ring 301 is fastened. After that, the cell plate 501 can be installed as needed. The cell plate escape opening 513 is a recessed groove structure on the inner edge of the cell plate 501. The installation height of the recessed groove structure corresponds to the height of the second through-hole 119. Specifically, in this embodiment, the recessed groove structure is located midway across the width of the cell plate 501 (the vertical direction in FIG. 6). The recessed depth of the recessed groove structure on the inner edge of the cell plate 501 is a depth suitable for the cell plate 501 to completely escape from the shroud ring 301 or to lightly press against the shroud ring 301. By providing cell plate avoidance openings 513 on the inner edge of cell plate 501, the inner edge of cell plate 501 can be fixedly connected to middle cylinder 201, ensuring the stability of the fixed cell plate 501. Meanwhile, by avoiding shroud ring 301, the installation of cell plate 501 does not affect the main body structure of rotating rack 100 that has already been assembled, and cell plates 501 can be added as needed after the entire rotating rack 100 has been assembled.

[0044] 9 , cell plate inner edge protrusions 515 are provided on both the upper and lower ends of the inner edge of the cell plate 501. Specifically, in this embodiment, the cell plate inner edge protrusions 515 are formed by cutting and bending corners of the cell plate 501. When assembling the rotary rack 100, the cell plate inner edge protrusions 515 protrude radially inward from the inner edge of the cell plate 501 and can be inserted into third through-holes (not shown) located in the tube wall 203 of the middle tube 201, thereby fixedly connecting the cell plate 501 to the middle tube 201.

[0045] In this embodiment, the cell plate 501 is fixed to the middle cylinder 201 and the two layer partition plates 105 by the cell plate inner edge protrusions 515, the cell plate protrusions 509, and the screw connections 503, respectively, and the cell plate 501 is fixed from three directions, namely from above, below, and inside, effectively improving the fixing stability of the cell plate 501. Furthermore, the number of cell plates 501 to be attached, the attachment positions, etc. can be flexibly selected as needed, and the flexibility is relatively high.

[0046] As described above, in this embodiment, the size of the mounting cell 401 can be adjusted by the cell plate 501.

[0047] When a large loading cell 401 is required, the cell plate 501 can be removed, and when a small loading cell 401 is required, the cell plate 501 can be used to partition the loading cell 401. This allows the size of the loading cell 401 to be flexibly adjusted according to the size of the product to be loaded, making it possible to fit a greater variety of products onto the carousel 100 and improving space utilization efficiency.

[0048] The above-described embodiments are merely preferred examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these. Modifications and equivalents thereof are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, provided that they do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 100-Carousel Rack 101-Top plate 103-Bottom plate 105-layer partition board 107-column partition plate 109-First Slot 111-Second Slot 113-Flare section 115-Aperture structure 201-Middle tube 203-Cylinder wall 301-Shroud Ring 401-Placement Cell 403-Subcell 117-Protrusion 119-Second Hole 501-Cell Plate 503-Threaded Connection 505-Bending part 507-Engagement groove 509-Cell plate protrusion 511-screw hole 513-Cell Plate Evasion Port 515-Cell plate inner edge protrusion

Claims

1. a middle cylinder having a cylindrical wall with a plurality of first through holes formed in the wall; a plurality of annular layer partition plates, the plate surfaces of which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axial direction of the center cylinder, the layer partition plates being spaced apart in the axial direction of the center cylinder, and the layer partition plates being provided with a plurality of first slots on their radial outer edges; a plurality of row partition plates extending outward along the radial direction of the cylindrical surface of the middle cylinder and distributed radially, the row partition plates having a plurality of second slots formed on their inner edges, the inner peripheries of the layer partition plates being inserted into the second slots, the outer edges of the row partition plates being inserted into the first slots, and the inner edges of the row partition plates having protrusions formed thereon, the inner edges of the row partition plates being in contact with the cylindrical wall, the protrusions being inserted into the first through holes, and the plurality of row partition plates further having second through holes formed at positions corresponding to each other; a shroud ring that passes through the second through holes of the plurality of row partition plates to fasten the plurality of row partition plates.

2. 2. The rotating rack according to claim 1, wherein the row partition plates are provided with one second through hole between every two of the layer partition plates, and the shroud rings are provided in a plurality of positions, and each of the shroud rings passes through the second through holes corresponding to each other in the axial direction.

3. 3. The carousel rack according to claim 2, wherein the second through-hole is provided on an inner edge of the row divider plate and is adjacent to the protrusion.

4. 4. The carousel rack of claim 3, further comprising a cell plate detachably connected to the center cylinder, the row divider plate and / or the layer divider plate, and wherein the loading cell separated by the layer divider plate and the row divider plate can be further separated into two or more sub-cells.

5. 5. The rotary rack according to claim 4, wherein the cell plate is arranged along a radial plane of the center cylinder, the cell plate has a first end and a second end opposite to each other along the axial direction of the center cylinder, the first end of the cell plate has a cell plate protrusion, the cell plate protrusion is inserted into an engaging groove of the layer partition plate, and the second end of the cell plate has a screw connection portion, and the cell plate is screw-connected to the layer partition plate located on the other side of the cell plate by the screw connection portion.

6. 5. The carousel of claim 4, wherein an inner edge of said cell plate has a cell plate avoidance opening for avoiding said shroud ring.

7. 5. The rotary rack according to claim 4, wherein a third through hole is further opened in the cylindrical wall of the central cylinder, and the inner edge of the cell plate further has a cell plate inner edge protrusion, and the cell plate inner edge protrusion is inserted into the third through hole of the central cylinder.

8. 2. The carousel of claim 1, wherein the width of the first slot and / or the second slot is in the range of 1.5 to 2 mm.

9. 9. The carousel of claim 8, wherein an outer end of said first slot further comprises a flared portion having a width greater than a width of said first slot.

10. A vending machine comprising a carousel according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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