Product storage device

Abstract

To reduce the burden on operators when replacing products and the like.SOLUTION: A product storage device 1 provided herein comprises a spiral member 2 extending spirally in a front-back direction to allow products to be stored in gaps formed by the spiral, and a product mounting unit 4 extending in the front-back direction inside the spiral member 2 in the radial direction to allow products to be mounted thereon. Products are moved forward by turning the spiral member 2 about a center axis X of the spiral. The product mounting unit 4 is configured to allow the height position of a mounting surface 4a for products to be mounted to be switched between at least a low position H1 and a high position H2 higher than the low position H1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a product storage device that is provided in a vending machine or the like, that stores a plurality of products and delivers the stored products. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a spiral rack (hereinafter referred to as a product storage device) that includes a spiral member that extends spirally in the front-to-rear direction and stores multiple products, and a holding plate provided below the spiral member, and sends the products forward by rotating the spiral member. In the product storage device described in Patent Document 1, the products stored in the spiral member are sent forward while placed on the holding plate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-109103 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, a product storage device stores products of various sizes. To ensure that the stored products are moved forward by the rotation of the spiral member, it is preferable to set the vertical position (height position) of the storage surface on which the products are placed to an appropriate position according to the size of the product. For this reason, the product storage device described in Patent Document 1 requires work such as changing (replacing) the holding plate or adding another part when replacing a product if the size of the product is significantly different from the previous product, which poses a problem of placing a heavy burden on the worker when replacing the products.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a product storage device that can reduce the burden on workers when replacing products, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a product storage device including a spiral member extending spirally in a front-to-rear direction and having products stored in gaps formed by the spiral, the spiral member rotating about a central axis of the spiral to move the products stored in the gaps forward. The product storage device includes a product placement section extending in the front-to-rear direction radially inward of the spiral member and on which the products are placed, the product placement section being configured to switch the height position of a placement surface on which the products are placed between at least a lower position and an upper position higher than the lower position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the product storage device includes a product placement section that extends in the front-to-rear direction radially inside the spiral member and on which the products are placed, and the product placement section is configured so that the height position of the placement surface on which the products are placed can be switched at least between a lower position and an upper position that is higher than the lower position, so that the height position of the placement surface can be switched and changed as needed, reducing the burden on workers when replacing products, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a commodity storage device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the commodity storage device. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the commodity storage device. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an internal structure of a commodity placement unit of the commodity storage device. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating a link mechanism of the product placement unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the link mechanism. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the commodity placement section. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view of the commodity storage device shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the commodity storage device shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] 9 is an exploded perspective view of a commodity placement section of the commodity storage device shown in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the commodity placement section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] [Overview of product storage device] 1 to 3 are diagrams illustrating the appearance of a product storage device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 1 being a side view, Fig. 2 being a perspective view, and Fig. 3 being a front view. For ease of explanation, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are appropriately indicated in the drawings. In Fig. 3, a support plate 33, which will be described later, has been removed.

[0011] The product storage device 1 according to this embodiment is disposed inside the main body of a vending machine that stores and sells multiple products. Specifically, although not shown, the main body of the vending machine may have, for example, multiple product storage columns arranged side by side on the left and right, and the multiple product storage columns arranged side by side on the left and right may be arranged in multiple tiers above and below. The product storage device 1 is applied as each product storage column.

[0012] The product storage device 1 has a generally rectangular shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view seen from the top and bottom, and stores a plurality of products P (see FIG. 1) of the same type (item) and size lined up in the front-to-rear direction inside it. Furthermore, when selling products, the product P in the front row of the plurality of products P stored in the product storage device 1 is delivered from the front end of the product storage device 1. In the vending machine, the product P delivered from the front end of the product storage device 1 is dispensed to a product outlet (not shown) via a product conveying device (not shown) and is then taken out by a purchaser or the like.

[0013] 1, the product storage device 1 includes a spiral member 2 and a product placement section 4 on which products P are placed, and is attached to the upper surface of a shelf 1a of the main body of a vending machine. In this embodiment, the product storage device 1 includes a base 3 in addition to the spiral member 2 and the product placement section 4.

[0014] The spiral member 2 is a member that extends spirally in the front-to-rear direction. A drive unit 5 that rotates the spiral member 2 is attached to the rear end portion of the upper surface of the shelf plate 1a. The rear end of the spiral member 2 is connected to the drive unit 5. For example, the drive unit 5 includes a drive motor 51 and a power transmission mechanism 52 that is connected to the rear end of the spiral member 2 and transmits the power of the drive motor 51 to the spiral member 2, and is configured to rotate the spiral member 2 around the spiral center axis X of the spiral member 2 by the power of the drive motor 51. More specifically, the power transmission mechanism 52 of the drive unit 5 has a spiral holder 52a that is connected to the rear end of the spiral member 2 and holds the spiral member 2, and this spiral holder 52a is configured to rotate by the power of the drive motor 51.

[0015] The rear end of the spiral member 2 is connected to and supported by the spiral holder 52a, and the front end of the spiral member 2 is an unsupported free end.

[0016] As described above, the product storage device 1 stores a plurality of products P of the same type and size lined up in the front-to-back direction. Specifically, the plurality of products P are stored by being loaded into the gaps formed by the spiral of the spiral member 2, and as a result, the plurality of products P are stored lined up in the front-to-back direction in the product storage device 1. Each product P stored in the gaps of the spiral member 2 is placed on the product placement section 4. In other words, in the product storage device 1, the plurality of products P are placed on the product placement section 4 while being stored in the gaps of the spiral member 2.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the base 3 is a member that supports the spiral member 2 from below, and is formed in a generally rectangular shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view viewed from the top-to-bottom direction. The base 3 extends below the spiral member 2, spanning substantially the entire front-to-rear direction of the spiral member 2. As described above, the front end of the spiral member 2 is a free end and is unstable. Therefore, in this embodiment, the base 3 disposed below the spiral member 2 guides and supports the lower end of the spiral member 2 from below. In this embodiment, the base 3 is disposed so as to be close to or in contact with the lower end of the spiral member 2, thereby restricting downward movement or displacement of the spiral member 2 by the base 3.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the product storage device 1. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a downwardly recessed recess 31 is provided on the upper surface of the base 3, and the lower end of the spiral member 2 is adapted to be in close proximity to or in contact with the bottom surface 31a of the recess 31. As a result, downward movement or displacement of the spiral member 2 is restricted by the bottom surface 31a of the recess 31. Each side surface 31b forming the recess 31 is inclined, and a lower-end arc portion 2a, which includes the lower end of the spiral member 2 and has a predetermined length in the circumferential direction, is positioned between the two side surfaces 31b. As a result, movement or displacement of the spiral member 2 in the left-right direction (in other words, the width direction of the base 3) is restricted by the two side surfaces 31b. In other words, the lower-end arc portion 2a is an arc portion that is lower than the spiral center axis X of the spiral member 2 and lower than a lower position H1, which will be described later.

[0019] The base 3 is placed on the shelf board 1a and is also a component that serves as the base of the entire product storage device 1. The base 3 has locking claws 32, and the locking claws 32 lock onto the shelf board 1a, thereby attaching the base 3 (product storage device 1) to the shelf board 1a.

[0020] The product placement section 4 extends in the front-rear direction radially inside the spiral member 2, and is configured to place the product P on it. Similar to the base 3, the product placement section 4 is formed in a generally rectangular shape that is long in the front-rear direction in a plan view viewed from the top-bottom direction. The product placement section 4 is longer in the front-rear direction than the base 3, and the front end of the product placement section 4 protrudes further forward than the front end of the base 3, while the rear end of the product placement section 4 protrudes further rearward than the rear end of the base 3.

[0021] The front end of the product placement unit 4 is fixed by screws or the like to the vertical wall 33a of an L-shaped support plate 33 provided at the front end of the base 3, and the rear end of the product placement unit 4 is fixed to a bracket 53 attached to the front of the drive unit 5. This bracket 53 is located in front of the spiral holder 52a and has a bracket shaft (not shown) protruding toward the spiral holder 52a, which is supported by a bearing (not shown) provided inside the spiral holder 52a. However, since the front end of the product placement unit 4 is fixed to the support plate 33, rotation of the product placement unit 4 is prevented, and therefore rotation of the bracket 53 to which the rear end of the product placement unit 4 is fixed is also prevented. In this way, both ends of the product placement unit 4 are supported by the support plate 33 and the bracket 53, so that the product placement unit 4 is fixedly positioned at a predetermined position radially inward of the spiral member 2. The detailed structure of the product placement unit 4 will be described later.

[0022] In the product storage device 1, when the drive device 5 rotates the spiral member 2 once, each of the multiple products P placed and stored in the product storage device 1 slides forward on the product placement section 4 by one product (in other words, one spiral pitch), and the product P in the front row is sent forward from the front end of the product storage device 1. In other words, the product storage device 1 rotates the spiral member 2 around the spiral center axis X, thereby moving the products P stored in the gaps formed by the spiral of the spiral member 2 forward.

[0023] Incidentally, in order to reliably move the products P placed and stored in the product storage device 1 forward by the rotation of the spiral member 2, it is preferable to set the height position of the placement surface 4a on which the products P are placed to an appropriate position according to the size of the products P. However, the size of the products P placed and stored in the product storage device 1 may change each time the products are replaced, etc. For this reason, if the burden on the worker to reset the height position of the placement surface 4a is high, the burden on the worker when replacing the products, etc. will also be high.

[0024] [Product placement area details] In this regard, in the product storage device 1 according to this embodiment, the product placement section 4 is configured to be able to switch the height position of the placement surface 4a, on which the product P is placed, between at least a lower position H1 and an upper position H2 that is higher than the lower position H1. The height position of the placement surface 4a refers to the height position of the placement surface 4a relative to a predetermined reference plane. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the predetermined reference plane is the upper surface of the base 3, and the lower position H1 and the upper position H2 are each shown as height positions of the placement surface 4a in the vertical direction relative to the upper surface of the base 3. Furthermore, FIGS. 1 to 3 show the placement surface 4a in the upper position H2, and in FIG. 4, the placement surface 4a in the upper position H2 is shown by a solid line, and the placement surface 4a in the lower position H1 is shown by a dashed line.

[0025] Specifically, in this embodiment, the commodity placement section 4 has a base section 41, a movable plate 42, and a link mechanism section 43. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the internal structure of the commodity placement section 4, Fig. 6 is a side view illustrating the link mechanism section 43 of the commodity placement section 4, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the link mechanism section 43. Note that the movable plate 42 has been removed in Figs. 5 to 7.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the product placement section 4 is disposed radially inward of the spiral member 2, close to the lower end arc section 2a of the spiral member 2.

[0027] The base portion 41 is a member facing the base 3. Here, the lower surface of the base portion 41 is close to or in contact with the radial inner edge of the lower end arc portion 2a of the spiral member 2, and in this state, both front-rear ends of the base portion 41 are fixed to and supported by the support plate 33 and the bracket 53. In other words, the lower end arc portion 2a of the spiral member 2 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the base portion 41 (in other words, the product placement portion 4) and the base 3.

[0028] The base portion 41 extends in the front-rear direction on the radially inner side of the spiral member 2 and is disposed below the spiral center axis X. In this embodiment, the base portion 41 has a curved surface 41a that follows the lower end side arc portion 2a of the spiral member 2 and extends in the front-rear direction.

[0029] Specifically, base portion 41 is formed in a boat-like shape that opens upward and is generally rectangular in shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction when viewed from above and below, and has a recessed plate accommodating portion 41b therein that is capable of accommodating movable plate 42. The lower surface of base portion 41 facing base 3 is curved to fit along lower-end arc portion 2a of spiral member 2, and has a curvature that matches the curvature of lower-end arc portion 2a (in other words, half the spiral inner diameter of spiral member 2). In other words, the lower surface of base portion 41 forms curved surface 41a that fits along lower-end arc portion 2a of spiral member 2. Furthermore, most of the bottom surface of plate accommodating portion 41b is curved with a curvature that matches the curvature of the lower surface of base portion 41.

[0030] Furthermore, slits 41c for picking up the movable plate 42 are formed in predetermined portions in the front-to-rear direction on both the left and right sides of the base portion 41 (for example, front portions in the front-to-rear direction on both the left and right sides of the base portion 41 that are easy to reach with your hands). These slits 41c are cut out to a depth below the bottom surface of the movable plate 42 when the movable plate 42 is housed in the plate housing portion 41b.

[0031] The movable plate 42 is a member having a placement surface 4a on which the product P is placed, and is located above the base portion 41. The movable plate 42 is movably connected to the base portion 41 via a link mechanism portion 43, as will be described later. The movable plate 42 has a cross-sectional shape that matches the concave shape of the plate accommodating portion 41b of the base portion 41, extends in the front-to-rear direction, and is formed into a roughly rectangular shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view seen from the top-to-bottom direction. The upper surface of the movable plate 42 forms the placement surface 4a, and this placement surface 4a is formed as a rectangular flat surface that is slightly smaller than the opening of the plate accommodating portion 41b.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4, the link mechanism 43 is a mechanism for connecting the movable plate 42 to the base 41 so that the mounting surface 4a can move between a lower position H1 and an upper position H2 in a position parallel to the base 41.

[0033] The link mechanism 43 includes, for example, a plurality of link members 431, a base-side link shaft 432, and a plate-side link shaft 433. The plurality of link members 431 are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and three link members 431 are provided here. Each link shaft (432, 433) is provided for each link member 431, is formed in a cylindrical shape, and is supported by the base portion 41 or the movable plate 42 so as to extend in the width direction of the base portion 41 (in other words, the left-right direction, more specifically, the left-right direction perpendicular to the spiral center axis X). More specifically, a pair of left and right base-side shaft supports 41d, 41d for supporting both ends of the base-side link shaft 432 is provided at the front, center, and rear of the bottom surface of the plate accommodating portion 41b of the base portion 41, respectively. Although not shown, a pair of left and right plate-side shaft supports for supporting both ends of the plate-side link shaft 433 is also provided at the front, center, and rear of the lower surface of the movable plate 42, respectively.

[0034] Each link member 431 has a generally rectangular plate-like outer shape, and a base-side link shaft 432 supported by a pair of left and right base-side shaft supports 41d, 41d of the base portion 41 is inserted into one end of each link member 431, and a plate-side link shaft 433 supported by the pair of left and right plate-side shaft supports of the movable plate 42 is inserted into the other end of each link member 431. In this way, the base portion 41 and the movable plate 42 are connected to each other by each link member 431, with each link member 431 connected to the base portion 41 and the movable plate 42 so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction.

[0035] In the product mounting section 4, when the link member 431 is laid down relative to the base section 41 (see FIG. 5), the other end of the link member 431 (the end through which the plate-side link shaft 433 is inserted) is located rearward of one end of the link member 431 (the end through which the base-side link shaft 432 is inserted), and the entire movable plate 42 is housed in the plate housing section 41b. At this time, the mounting surface 4a, which is the upper surface of the movable plate 42, is parallel to the upper surface of the base section 41 and is located at the same height as or approximately the same height as the upper surface of the base section 41, and in this state, the mounting surface 4a is located in the lower position H1.

[0036] The state in which the mounting surface 4a is positioned at the lower position H1 is maintained, for example, by the lower surface of the movable plate 42 abutting against the bottom surface of the plate accommodating portion 41b of the base portion 41 due to the weight of the movable plate 42, thereby preventing further rotation of the link member 431 (more specifically, clockwise rotation when viewed from the side in Figure 6).

[0037] Furthermore, when the mounting surface 4a of the movable plate 42 is located at the lower position H1 and the movable plate 42 is completely fitted and accommodated in the plate accommodating portion 41b, the portion of the movable plate 42 corresponding to the slit 41c of the base portion 41 is exposed. Therefore, the edge of the movable plate 42 located at the lower position H1 can be picked up by an operator's fingers or the like. When the movable plate 42 located at the lower position H1 is picked up, the link members 431 simultaneously rotate in an upright direction. At this time, the movable plate 42 moves along the rotation locus of the other end portion (the end portion through which the plate-side link shaft 433 is inserted) of each link member 431 while maintaining an orientation parallel to the upper surface of the base portion 41, toward the upper position H2.

[0038] The upper position H2 of the mounting surface 4a of the movable plate 42 is determined, for example, by an upright-side rotation restricting protrusion 431a protruding from one end of each link member 431. More specifically, the upright-side rotation restricting protrusion 431a is a protrusion protruding from the end face of the link member 431 on the base-side link shaft 432 side. A protrusion hole 41e is opened in a portion between the pair of left and right base-side shaft support parts 41d, 41d on the bottom surface of the plate accommodating part 41b of the base part 41, and the upright-side rotation restricting protrusion 431a can enter and retract when the link member 431 rotates between the laid-down position and the upright position. Further rotation of the link members 431 (specifically, counterclockwise rotation in the side view of FIG. 6) is restricted (blocked) by the rising-side rotation-limiting protrusions 431a abutting against the opening rear edges 41e1 of the protrusion holes 41e, and in this state, the placement surface 4a is located at the upper position H2. Note that the position of the opening rear edges 41e1 in the front-to-rear direction is set so that each link member 431 is inclined slightly forward when the rising-side rotation-limiting protrusions 431a abut against the opening rear edges 41e1.

[0039] The state in which the placement surface 4a is located at the upper position H2 is maintained by the upright-side rotation restricting protrusion 431a being pressed against the opening rear edge 41e1 by a rotational force that rotates the forward-inclined link member 431 forward, which is generated by the weight of the movable plate 42. However, if an external force is unintentionally applied to the movable plate 42 in this state, the link member 431 may rotate toward the lying-down position.

[0040] In this regard, in this embodiment, the product loading section 4 is configured to be switchable between a locked state in which movement of the movable plate 42 (here, rotation toward a lying-down position) is prevented when the loading surface 4a is positioned at the upper position H2, and an unlocked state in which the prevention of movement of the movable plate 42 is released.

[0041] 5 and 7, the rotation of any one of the plurality of link members 431 (the frontmost link member 431 in the figures) can be locked. More specifically, a latch 41f protrudes from the side surface of one (the left one in the figures) of a pair of left and right base-side shaft supports 41d, 41d provided at the front of the bottom surface of the plate accommodating section 41b, and when the placement surface 4a is in the upper position H2, the latch 41f fits into a locking hole 431b formed in the upright frontmost link member 431. As a result, when the placement surface 4a is positioned in the upper position H2, the commodity placement section 4 is in a locked state that prevents the movable plate 42 from moving.

[0042] A recess 431c is formed in a portion of the side surface of the front link member 431 opposite the latch 41f, facing the base-side link shaft 432. A first biasing spring 44 is provided between this recess 431c and the side surface of the other (right side in the figure) of the pair of left and right base-side shaft supports 41d, surrounding the periphery of the base-side link shaft 432 (see FIG. 7; the first biasing spring 44 is omitted in FIG. 5). The front link member 431 is biased by the first biasing spring 44 toward the side surface of the base-side shaft support portion 41d on which the latch 41f is provided. An external force acting against the biasing force of the first biasing spring 44 acts on the front link member 431, so that the front link member 431 can move along the base-side link shaft 432 between the side surfaces of the pair of left and right base-side shaft supports 41d by a distance equal to or greater than the protruding length of the latch 41f. That is, when the front link member 431 moves along the base-side link shaft 432, the commodity placing section 4 enters an unlocked state in which the prevention of movement of the movable plate 42 is released.

[0043] More specifically, when the commodity placement section 4 is locked at the upper position H2, for example, if an external force that rotates the link member 431 in the collapsed direction acts on the movable plate 42, the foremost link member 431 rotates slightly in the collapsed direction and starts to move along the base-side link shaft 432 toward the opposite side of the latch 41f (the right side in the figure) against the biasing force of the first biasing spring 44. Then, when the latch 41f disengages from the locking hole 431b of the foremost link member 431, the commodity placement section 4 enters an unlocked state. Thereafter, due to the biasing force of the first biasing spring 44, the foremost link member 431 moves along the base-side link shaft 432 toward the side surface of the base-side shaft support portion 41d on the latch 41f side and rotates to the collapsed position, and the commodity placement section 4 switches to a state in which the placement surface 4a is in the lower position H1. Then, when the movable plate 42 is picked up again, the front link member 431 rotates to just before the upright position, and then rotates further and moves to the opposite side of the latch 41f against the force of the first biasing spring 44, and when the latch 41f fits into the locking hole 431b, the product placement section 4 returns to the locked state again.

[0044] As described above, the product storage device 1 according to the embodiment includes a product placement section 4 that extends in the front-to-rear direction radially inside the spiral member 2 and on which the product P is placed, and the product placement section 4 is configured so that the height position of the placement surface 4a on which the product P is placed can be switched at least between a lower position H1 and an upper position H2 that is higher than the lower position H1. Therefore, the worker can change the height position of the placement surface 4a as needed simply by switching the height position of the placement surface 4a, thereby reducing the burden on the worker when replacing products, etc.

[0045] In this embodiment, the product placement unit 4 has a base 41, a movable plate 42, and a link mechanism 43, and the link mechanism 43 connects the movable plate 42 to the base 41 so that the placement surface 4a can move between a lower position H1 and an upper position H2 with the placement surface 4a parallel to the base 41. As a result, the product P is placed on the placement surface 4a of the movable plate 42, which is parallel to the base 41, and the placement surface 4a of the movable plate 42 can be easily formed to be flat and have a large area, ensuring a sufficient effective placement area for the placement surface 4a.

[0046] In this embodiment, the commodity placing section 4 is configured to be switchable between a locked state in which movement of the movable plate 42 is prevented when the placing surface 4a is positioned at the upper position H2, and an unlocked state in which the movement of the movable plate 42 is released. This prevents the link member 431 from rotating toward the laid-down position even if an external force is unintentionally applied to the movable plate 42 when the placing surface 4a is positioned at the upper position H2.

[0047] [Modification of the product placement section] Next, a modified example of the commodity placement section 4 of the commodity storage device 1 will be described.

[0048] 8 to 11 are diagrams showing modified examples of the commodity storage device 1. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the commodity storage device 1 according to the modified example, Fig. 9 is a front view, Fig. 10 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view, and Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the commodity placement section 4 of the commodity storage device 1 according to the modified example. In the commodity storage device 1 shown in Figs. 8 to 11, the structure of the commodity placement section 4 has been modified. The following mainly describes the differences from the commodity placement section 4 shown in Figs. 1 to 7. Also, in Fig. 9, the support plate 33 has been removed.

[0049] 8 to 11, the commodity placement section 4 has a base section 45, a first wing section 46, and a second wing section 47. The commodity placement section 4 is configured so that the height position of the placement surface 4a on which the commodity P is placed can be switched at least between a lower position H1 and an upper position H2 by opening and closing the wing sections 46, 47.

[0050] Similar to base portion 41, base portion 45 is a member that faces base 3. The lower surface of base portion 45 is in close proximity to or in contact with the radial inner edge of lower-end arc portion 2a of spiral member 2, and in this state, both front-rear ends of base portion 45 are fixed to and supported by support plate 33 and bracket 53. In other words, lower-end arc portion 2a of spiral member 2 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between base portion 45 and base 3. Similar to base portion 41, base portion 45 has a curved surface 45a that follows lower-end arc portion 2a of spiral member 2 and extends in the front-rear direction.

[0051] Specifically, base portion 45 is formed in a generally rectangular shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view viewed from the top-to-bottom direction, and has recessed wing accommodating portions 45b inside it that can accommodate each of the wing portions (46, 47). The lower surface of base portion 45 facing the base 3 is formed in a curved shape to fit along the lower-end arc portion 2a of spiral member 2, and has a curvature that matches the curvature of lower-end arc portion 2a. In other words, the lower surface of base portion 45 forms curved surface 45a that fits along the entire lower-end arc portion 2a of spiral member 2.

[0052] In addition, slits 45b1 are formed on both the left and right sides of the base portion 45 to accommodate the base ends of each wing portion (46, 47) and form part of the wing accommodating portion 45b, and the slits 45b1 are formed so as to cut out both the left and right sides of the base portion 45, leaving both ends of the base portion 45 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0053] The first wing portion 46 is rotatably supported by a first shaft portion 451 extending in the front-rear direction and provided at one widthwise end side (the left end side in the figure) of the upper part of the base portion 45. Specifically, the first shaft portion 451 is attached to the base portion 45 on each of the front and rear walls that form the slit 45b1 on the left end side of the base portion 45 so as to protrude into the slit 45b1.

[0054] The second wing portion 47 is rotatably supported by a second shaft portion 452 extending in the front-rear direction and provided on the other widthwise end side (the right end side in the figure) of the upper part of the base portion 45. Specifically, the second shaft portion 452 is attached to the base portion 45 on each of the front and rear walls that form the slit 45b1 on the right end side of the base portion 45 so as to protrude into the inside of the slit 45b1.

[0055] Each wing (46, 47) of the commodity placing unit 4 has a generally L-shaped cross section and extends in the front-rear direction, with its base end supported in the corresponding slit 45b1 so as to be rotatable in the width direction of the base unit 45, with the corresponding shaft (451, 452) as a fulcrum. That is, the first wing 46 has a wing base piece 461, which is the shaft side portion (in other words, the base end portion) rotatably supported on the first shaft 451, and a wing tip piece 462, which is the tip side portion, and is formed so as to bend over the entire length of the wing (front-rear direction) at a bending portion 463 provided between the wing base piece 461 and the wing tip piece 462. Similarly, the second wing 47 has a wing base piece 471, which is the portion on the shaft side (in other words, the portion on the base end side) rotatably supported by the second shaft 452, and a wing tip piece 472, which is the portion on the tip side, and is formed to bend over the entire length direction of the wing (front-to-back direction) at a bending portion 473 provided between the wing base piece 471 and the wing tip piece 472. In addition, operation pieces (464, 474) for pressing operation with a finger or the like are formed on the shaft (451, 452) side portion of each wing (46, 47), so as to protrude on the side opposite the wing base piece (461, 471).

[0056] The wing accommodating section 45b, which accommodates each wing portion (46, 47), includes the above-mentioned slit 45b1 for accommodating the base end of the wing base end piece (461, 471), a first recess 45b2 formed on the upper surface of the base portion 45 continuous with the slit 45b1 and accommodating the portion of the wing base end piece (461, 471) between the base end and the bent portion (463, 473), and a second recess 45b3 formed on the upper surface of the base portion 45 continuous with the first recess 45b2 and accommodating the wing tip piece (462, 472). With this configuration, when the wings are collapsed, the bent portions 463, 473 of each wing portion (46, 47) are accommodated in the wing accommodating section 45b, and the first recess 45b2 can support the weight of the product P.

[0057] Each wing portion (46, 47) is bent at the bent portion (463, 473) such that the wing tip pieces (462, 472) extend downward when the wing portions (46, 47) are laid flat on the base portion 45 (closed state). In other words, each wing portion (46, 47) is bent at the bent portion (463, 473) such that the wing tip pieces (462, 472) extend inward in the width direction of the base portion 45 when the wing portions (46, 47) are open.

[0058] In the product placing section 4 according to the modified example, the placing surface 4a at the lower position H1 is formed by the upper surfaces of the wing base end pieces (461, 471), and the placing surface 4a at the upper position H2 is formed by the upper surfaces of the wing tip end pieces (462, 472).

[0059] 10, in the commodity placement section 4, each wing portion (46, 47) is laid flat against the base portion 45, and the entire wing portion (46, 47) is accommodated in the wing accommodating portion 45b. At this time, the upper surface of the wing base end piece (461, 471) of each wing portion (46, 47) is parallel to the upper surface of the base portion 45 and is positioned at the same height as or approximately the same height as the upper surface of the base portion 45, and the upper surfaces of the wing base end pieces (461, 471) form the placement surface 4a at the lower position H1.

[0060] The state in which the mounting surface 4a is positioned at the lower position H1 is maintained, for example, by the lower surface of the wing base end piece (461, 471) of each wing portion (46, 47) or the tip of the wing tip piece (462, 472) abutting against the bottom surface of the wing accommodating portion 45b of the base portion 45 due to the weight of the wing portion (46, 47).

[0061] When the support surface 4a of each wing portion (46, 47) is located at the lower position H1 and the wing portion (46, 47) is completely fitted into and accommodated in the wing accommodation portion 45b, the operation pieces (464, 474) of the wing portion (46, 47) protrude outward in the width direction. Therefore, the operation pieces (464, 474) of the wing portion (46, 47) at the lower position H1 can be pressed by an operator's finger or the like to rotate the wing portion (46, 47) in the opening direction. When the operation pieces (464, 474) of the wing portion (46, 47) at the lower position H1 are pressed downward, the wing portion (46, 47) rotates in the upright direction and opens to its maximum opening position (see the wing portion indicated by the solid line in FIG. 10 ). At this time, the upper surfaces of the wing tip pieces (462, 472) of each wing portion (46, 47) are parallel to the upper surface of the base portion 45 and positioned above the lower position H1, and the upper surfaces of the wing tip pieces (462, 472) form the mounting surface 4a at the upper position H2.

[0062] In this embodiment, each wing portion (46, 47) is bent at an acute angle at a bent portion (463, 473) so that, in the fully opened state, the wing tip piece (462, 472) extends inside the width direction of the base portion 45 and in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the base portion 45. Therefore, in the fully opened state, each wing portion (46, 47) is inclined such that the wing base end piece (461, 471) is inclined outward in the width direction of the base portion 45 (base portion width direction). In other words, when the two wings (46, 47) are fully opened, they are open in an inverted V-shape. The commodity placement portion 4 is configured to prevent rotation in the open direction when in the inclined position.

[0063] Specifically, the upper position H2 of the mounting surface 4a of the wing portion (46, 47) is determined by the operation piece (464, 474). More specifically, when the wing base end piece (461, 471) is in an upright position, the operation piece (464, 474) is inclined relative to the wing base end piece (461, 471) so as to move closer to the inside in the width direction of the base portion as it approaches the tip, and an upright-side rotation restriction slit 45c is formed in a portion of the bottom surface of the base portion 45 corresponding to the slit 45b1. When the tips of the operating pieces (464, 474) abut against the standing-side rotation-restricting slits 45c, further rotation of the wing portions (46, 47) is restricted and prevented (more specifically, counterclockwise rotation for the first wing portion 46 and clockwise rotation for the second wing portion 47 in the side view of FIG. 10), and in this state, the placing surface 4a is located at the upper position H2. The positions of the standing-side rotation-restricting slits 45c and the lengths of the operating pieces (464, 474) are set so that, when the tips of the operating pieces (464, 474) abut against the standing-side rotation-restricting slits 45c, the wing base end pieces (461, 471) are slightly inclined outward in the width direction of the base portion.

[0064] Even in the product storage device 1 having the product placement section 4 according to the modified example described above, the worker can change the height position of the placement surface 4a by opening and closing the wing sections (46, 47) as needed, thereby reducing the burden on the worker when replacing products, etc.

[0065] Furthermore, in the product placement section 4 according to the modified example, each wing portion (46, 47) can be rotated independently. Therefore, although not shown, the product placement section 4 can be in a position in which the placement surface 4a of one wing portion (46 or 47) is positioned at a lower position H1 and the placement surface 4a of the other wing portion (47 or 46) is positioned at an upper position H2 (i.e., one wing portion is fully opened and the other wing portion is closed). By utilizing the step between the first wing portion 46 and the second wing portion 47 formed in this position, a relatively large product P, such as a boxed product, can be stably placed on the step portion on the product placement section 4 in an obliquely tilted position. In addition, by slightly opening the first wing portion 46 and the second wing portion 47, a groove is formed between the two wing tip pieces (462, 472), allowing products P such as long and thin products P and products P with curved bottom surfaces to be stably placed on the product placement section 4.

[0066] Furthermore, when the two wings (46, 47) are fully open, they are in an inverted V-shape, and are configured to be prevented from rotating in the opening direction in this position (inclined position). As a result, while each wing (46, 47) is biased by its own weight in a direction that rotates it in the opening direction, movement of each wing (46, 47) in the opening direction is prevented, and the fully open position of each wing (46, 47) is more stably maintained.

[0067] The commodity placing section 4 according to the modified example may be configured to be switchable between a locked state in which movement of the wing portions (46, 47) (here, rotation toward the laid-down position) is prevented when the placing surface 4a is located at the upper position H2, and an unlocked state in which the prevention of movement of the wing portions (46, 47) is released. This prevents the wing portions (46, 47) from rotating toward the laid-down position (closing direction) even if an external force is unintentionally applied to the wing portions (46, 47) when the placing surface 4a is located at the upper position H2.

[0068] The product placement section 4 according to the modified example may be configured so that the height position of the placement surface 4a can be changed in multiple stages.

[0069] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12 , wing latches (465, 475), which are protrusions projecting rearward, are provided at portions of the rear end surface of each wing portion (46, 47) corresponding to the bent portions (463, 473). A plurality of wing locking recesses 53a are formed along the movement path of the wing latches (465, 475) on the front surface of the bracket 53, to which the rear end of the product placement unit 4 is attached. When the placement surface 4a is in the upper position H2, the wing latches (465, 475) of the upright wing portions (46, 47) fit into the uppermost wing locking recesses 53a. As a result, when the placement surface 4a is in the upper position H2, the product placement unit 4 is in a locked state that prevents the wing portions (46, 47) from moving.

[0070] Movement permitting slits (466, 476) for permitting movement of the wing portions (46, 47) in the front-to-rear direction are formed near rear corners of the wing base pieces (461, 471) of the wing portions (46, 47), and base-side rear end pieces (467, 477) remaining rearward of the movement permitting slits (466, 476) of the wing portions (46, 47) are accommodated in rear end piece accommodating recesses 45d formed in the portions remaining rearward of the slits 45b1 in the base portion 45. In this state, both ends of each shaft portion (451, 452) are supported by side walls of the rear end piece accommodating recesses 45d, and each shaft portion (451, 452) is inserted through the base-side rear end pieces (467, 477). Second biasing springs 48 are provided between the front surfaces of the base-side rear pieces (467, 477) and the front sidewall of the rear piece accommodating recess 45d and surrounding the corresponding shaft portions (451, 452). The wing portions (46, 47) are biased toward the rear sidewall of the rear piece accommodating recess 45d by the second biasing springs 48. An external force that resists the biasing force of the second biasing springs 48 acts on the wing portions (46, 47), so that the wing portions (46, 47) can move in the front-rear direction along the shaft portions (451, 452) that correspond to a depth equal to or greater than the depth of the wing locking recess 53a, with the base-side rear pieces (467, 477) accommodated in the rear piece accommodating recess 45d. That is, when the wings (46, 47) move along the corresponding shafts (451, 452), the product placement section 4 enters an unlocked state in which the movement of the wings (46, 47) is no longer blocked.

[0071] Specifically, when the commodity placement section 4 is locked at the upper position H2, for example, if an external force acts on the wing portions (46, 47) such that the wing portions (46, 47) rotate in the downward direction, the wing portions (46, 47) rotate in the downward direction and begin to move forward along the corresponding shaft portions (451, 452) against the biasing force of the second biasing spring 48. Then, when the wing latches (465, 475) disengage from the uppermost wing locking recess 53a, the commodity placement section 4 enters an unlocked state. Thereafter, the wing portions (46, 47) move forward due to the biasing force of the second biasing spring 48 and rotate in the downward direction, and the wing latches (465, 475) fit into the second-highest wing locking recess 53a. At this time, the commodity placement section 4 switches to a state in which the placement surface 4a is at a height one step lower than the upper position H2. When the same operation is repeated, the wing portions (46, 47) are rotated to the lying position, and the wing latches (465, 475) fit into the lowest wing locking recesses 53a, at which point the commodity placing portion 4 is locked in the lower position H1. As described above, the height position of the placing surface 4a can be changed in multiple stages, so that the height position of the placing surface 4a can be changed more precisely, and the placing surface 4a can be positioned at a more appropriate height according to the size of the commodity P.

[0072] 1 to 7, the height position of the mounting surface 4a may be adjustable in multiple stages. In this case, for example, latches 41f (see FIGS. 5 and 7) may be provided at multiple locations spaced apart in the swing direction of the link member 431 on the side surface of the foremost base-side shaft support portion 41d. Furthermore, although each wing portion (46, 47) has the bent portion (463, 473) and is bent, this is not limiting, and each wing portion (46, 47) may be configured by a linearly extending wing base end piece (461, 471) without the bent portion (463, 473) and the wing tip piece (462, 472). In this case, the product placement unit 4 receives the product P on the tip surfaces of the linearly extending wing base pieces (461, 471) at the upper position H2, and receives the product P on the upper surfaces of the wing base pieces (461, 471) at the lower position H1.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above description, the product storage device 1 is described as including a base 3, but this is not limiting and the product storage device 1 may not include a base 3. In this case, for example, the shelf 1a is arranged so as to be close to or in contact with the lower end of the spiral member 2, and the downward movement or displacement of the spiral member 2 is restricted by the shelf 1a. In other words, instead of the base 3, the shelf 1a supports the spiral member 2 from below and restricts the downward movement of the spiral member 2. In this case, the predetermined reference surface for the height position of the placement surface 4a is, for example, the upper surface of the shelf 1a.

[0074] The above describes the embodiments and modifications of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and it goes without saying that further modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1...product storage device, 2...spiral member, 3...base, 4...product placement section, 4a...placement surface, 41...base section, 42...movable plate, 43...link mechanism section, 45...base section, 46...first wing section, 461...wing base end piece, 462...wing tip piece, 463...bending section, 47...second wing section, 471...wing base end piece, 472...wing tip piece, 473...bending section, H1...lower position, H2...upper position, P...product, X...spiral center axis

Claims

1. A product storage device comprising a spiral member that extends spirally in a front-to-rear direction and stores products in gaps formed by the spiral, and the spiral member is rotated around a spiral center axis to move the products stored in the gaps forward, a product placement section extending in the front-rear direction on the radially inner side of the spiral member and on which the product is placed; a base that supports the spiral member from below; Including, The commodity placement unit has a base unit and a movable plate having a placement surface on which the commodity is placed and movably connected to the base unit, and is configured so that the height position of the placement surface can be switched at least between a lower position and an upper position higher than the lower position, a front end of the base portion, which is a front end of the product placement portion, protrudes forward beyond a front end of the base; When the placing surface is in the upper position, the front end of the movable plate is located above the front end of the base portion.

2. 2. The product storage device according to claim 1, wherein the product placement section has a link mechanism section that connects the movable plate to the base section so that the placement surface can move between the lower position and the upper position in a position parallel to the base section.

3. 3. The product storage device according to claim 2, wherein the product placement section is configured to be switchable between a locked state in which movement of the movable plate is prevented when the placement surface is positioned in the upper position, and an unlocked state in which the prevention of movement of the movable plate is released.

4. A product storage device comprising a spiral member that extends spirally in the front-to-rear direction and stores products in a gap formed by the spiral, and the product stored in the gap is moved forward by rotating the spiral member around the central axis of the spiral, a product placement section extending in the front-rear direction on the radially inner side of the spiral member and on which the product is placed, The product placement unit is A base portion and a first wing portion rotatably supported on a first shaft portion extending in the front-rear direction and provided on one widthwise end side of an upper portion of the base portion; a second wing portion rotatably supported on a second shaft portion extending in the front-rear direction and provided on the other widthwise end side of the upper portion of the base portion; and Each wing portion of the product placement portion has a placement surface on which the product is placed, The product storage device is configured so that the height position of the product placement surface can be switched at least from a lower position to an upper position that is higher than the lower position by rotating the wing portion from a lying position relative to the base portion to an upright position.

5. When the wing portions of the product placement unit are fully opened, the wing portions are inclined outward in the width direction of the base unit at the shaft portion side, The product storage device according to claim 4, wherein the product placement section is configured to be prevented from rotating in an opening direction when in the inclined position.

6. The product storage device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the product placement section is configured to be switchable between a locked state in which the wing section is prevented from moving when the placement surface is positioned in the upper position, and an unlocked state in which the prevention of movement of the wing section is released.

7. When the wing portions of the product placement unit are laid down relative to the base unit, the wing tip pieces are bent at bending portions provided between the wing base end pieces on the shaft side and the wing tip pieces on the tip side so that the wing tip pieces extend downward, A product storage device described in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the storage surface in the lower position is formed by the upper surface of the wing base end piece, and the storage surface in the upper position is formed by the upper surface of the wing tip piece.

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