Anti-theft shutter mechanism for vending machines

Abstract

To reduce manufacturing costs while ensuring that items are theft-proof.SOLUTION: A theft-proof shutter mechanism includes: a shutter base 31 provided inside a vending machine main unit (1a); and a shutter movable portion 32 that is engaged with the shutter base 31 via engagement means and can move in an approaching / retracting manner with respect to the shutter base 31. The engagement means comprises: a first link member (40), a base end (40a) of which is connected to a rotary shaft (36) coupled to an output shaft (343a) of a shutter motor (343) installed in the shutter base 31 and which rotates integrally with the rotary shaft in a predetermined direction around its central axis according to a rotary drive of the shutter motor; and a second link member (41), one end (41a) of which is rotatably connected to a tip of the first link member and the other end (41b) is rotatably connected to the shutter movable portion 32. The shutter movable portion 32 is moved forward and backward by a one-way rotational drive of the shutter motor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a vending machine that transports products stored in a product rack in a product storage area inside the vending machine body to a predetermined product removal area. The product removal area is a space that is connected to the outside of the vending machine body through a product removal opening formed in the vending machine body, and a user can remove a product that has been transported to the product removal area by inserting their hand through the product removal opening.

[0003] Typically, in this type of vending machine, a portion of the front door that forms the front of the vending machine body is made of a transparent panel such as glass, allowing users to visually check and select products stored in the product racks in the product storage area from the outside. Vending machines that allow users to see the inside of the product storage area in this way have the advantage of increasing users' desire to purchase.

[0004] Among such vending machines, there are known ones equipped with an anti-theft plate inside the vending machine body. The anti-theft plate is slidable in the front-to-rear direction, and a rack formed on the plate engages with a pinion connected to the output shaft of the motor. This anti-theft plate slides forward when the motor rotates forward, and slides backward when the motor rotates reverse.

[0005] In such vending machines, when a product is transported to the product removal area, the motor is driven in the forward direction to slide the anti-theft plate forward, separating the product storage area from the product removal area, thereby preventing malicious individuals from reaching their hands through the product removal opening and removing products from the product rack (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-108967 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the vending machine proposed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the motor that is the drive source for sliding the anti-theft plate is a forward / reverse rotation motor, and since the anti-theft plate is slid by the meshing of the rack and pinion, torque also acts on the motor, requiring an expensive motor, which ultimately leads to increased manufacturing costs.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine that can reduce manufacturing costs while ensuring the theft prevention of merchandise. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to the present invention comprises a shutter base provided inside the vending machine body, and a shutter movable part that is engaged with the shutter base via an engaging means and that can move forward and backward in a manner that moves toward and away from the shutter base. When the shutter movable part moves forward in a manner that moves away from the shutter base and is placed in the advanced position, a product storage area provided with multiple product racks and products dispensed from the product racks can be taken out through a product take-out opening formed in the vending machine body. an anti-theft shutter mechanism that separates a product removal area from a front area, wherein the engagement means comprises a first link member whose base end is connected to a rotating shaft linked to the output shaft of a shutter motor provided on the shutter base, and which rotates integrally with the rotating shaft around its central axis in a predetermined direction as the shutter motor is rotated; and a second link member whose one end is rotatably connected to the tip end of the first link member and whose other end is rotatably connected to the shutter movable part, and wherein the shutter movable part is moved forward and backward by the rotational drive of the shutter motor in one direction.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that, in the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine, the shutter movable part is normally positioned at a retracted position where it has retracted close to the shutter base, and is capable of moving back and forth between the retracted position and the advanced position, and the engagement means moves the shutter movable part back and forth between the retracted position, the advanced position, and the retracted position in that order by driving the shutter motor to rotate only once.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that, in the anti-theft shutter mechanism for the vending machine described above, when the shutter movable part is arranged in the advanced position, the first link member is in an advanced position in which the tip end is closer to the advanced position than the base end, and extends at an angle from the base end to the tip end in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first link member, and the shutter base is installed in the rotation range of the first link member when the shutter movable part advances from the retracted position to the advanced position, and is provided with a stopper portion that allows the first link member to rotate in a predetermined direction as the shutter motor is rotated, while restricting the first link member from rotating in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that, in the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine, the shutter motor is housed in a drive housing provided on the shutter base in a manner that allows it to rotate around the central axis of a transmission gear that is linked to the output shaft and meshes with the rotating shaft, and the drive housing is normally biased by a housing biasing means to be maintained in a reference position, but when the first link member rotates from the advanced position in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, it rotates around the central axis of the transmission gear against the biasing force of the housing biasing means.

[0013] The present invention is also characterized in that the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine is provided with a slider that is rotatably connected to the other end of the second link member and connected to the shutter movable part via a slider biasing means, thereby allowing the shutter movable part, which is interposed between the second link member and the shutter movable part and positioned in the advanced position, to be displaced in a direction away from the shutter base against the biasing force of the slider biasing means.

[0014] The present invention is also characterized in that the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine includes a first detection unit that detects when the shutter movable part is positioned at the retracted position, a second detection unit that detects when the shutter movable part is positioned at the advanced position, and a control unit that forcibly rotates the shutter motor when power is turned on, and stops the rotation of the shutter motor when the second detection unit detects that the shutter movable part is positioned at the advanced position and then the first detection unit detects that the shutter movable part is positioned at the retracted position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to this invention, the engagement means comprises a first link member whose base end is connected to a rotary shaft linked to the output shaft of the shutter motor provided on the shutter base, and which rotates integrally with the rotary shaft about its central axis in a predetermined direction as the shutter motor is rotated, and a second link member whose one end is rotatably connected to the tip end of the first link member and whose other end is rotatably connected to the shutter movable part, and since the shutter movable part is moved forward and backward by the rotary drive of the shutter motor in one direction, it is sufficient that the shutter motor rotates in one direction, and there is no need for a forward and reverse rotation drive as in the past. This allows the use of an inexpensive shutter motor, which has the effect of reducing manufacturing costs while ensuring the anti-theft properties of the product. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing the external configuration of a vending machine to which an anti-theft shutter mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view showing a schematic internal structure of a vending machine to which the anti-theft shutter mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a typical control system of a vending machine to which the anti-theft shutter mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the operation of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with some components not shown. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the state in which the shutter movable portion is placed at the retracted position in the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the operation of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with some components not shown. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a state in which the shutter movable portion moves forward and backward in the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a plan view showing the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the shutter movable portion positioned at the advanced position. [Figure 18]FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional side view showing a schematic internal structure of a vending machine to which an anti-theft shutter mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a plan view of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIG. 17, with some of the components omitted. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the operation of the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with some components not shown. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a plan view showing a state in which the shutter movable portion moves backward in the anti-theft shutter unit shown in FIGS. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the initial operation control performed by the shutter control unit shown in FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a plan view showing a case where the shutter movable part is pushed rearward in the anti-theft shutter unit in which the shutter movable part is disposed in the advanced position, and some components are not shown. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a plan view showing the anti-theft shutter unit with the shutter movable part in the advanced position when the shutter movable part is pulled out forward, with some components not shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of an anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Figures 1 to 3 each show a vending machine to which an anti-theft shutter mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, with Figure 1 being a front view showing the exterior configuration, Figure 2 being a cross-sectional side view showing the internal structure, and Figure 3 being a block diagram showing the characteristic control system.

[0019] The vending machine 1 illustrated here is installed in a store or the like to sell products stored therein, and includes a vending machine main body 1a. The vending machine main body 1a includes a main cabinet 10 and a front door 20.

[0020] The main body cabinet 10 is a rectangular parallelepiped housing with an opening 10a (hereinafter also referred to as the front opening) on ​​the front side. The front door 20 is a flat plate-like member that is pivotally supported on one side of the main body cabinet 10 so as to open and close the front opening 10a of the main body cabinet 10. This front door 20 forms the front surface of the vending machine main body 1a.

[0021] Although not shown in the figure, the main cabinet 10 and the front door 20 each have an insulating function, and when the front opening 10a of the main cabinet 10 is blocked by the front door 20, a product storage cabinet 11 is formed inside the main cabinet 10 as an insulated space.

[0022] The product storage cabinet 11 of the main body cabinet 10 has a product storage area 11A, which is a space for storing products, and this product storage area 11A has multiple product racks 12 arranged in the vertical direction.

[0023] The product rack 12 is configured with product columns 12a arranged side by side on the left and right, each of which stores a plurality of products along the front-to-rear direction. The product columns 12a are conventionally known and store products by restraining them between each pitch of a spiral 12b extending along the front-to-rear direction.

[0024] Although the above-mentioned product column 12a is equipped with a spiral 12b, in the present invention, the product column 12a may also store products by placing them on the upper horizontally extending portion of a conveyor belt that is stretched endlessly between a pair of front and rear pulleys.

[0025] An evaporator 13a is provided in the product storage cabinet 11. The evaporator 13a constitutes a cooling unit 13 that circulates a refrigerant together with a compressor 13b, a condenser 13c, and an expansion mechanism 13d, which are arranged in a machine room 14 defined in the lower region of the product storage cabinet 11, and cools the air by exchanging heat between the refrigerant passing through its own refrigerant passage (not shown) and the air inside the product storage cabinet 11 that passes around the evaporator 13a.

[0026] The air cooled around the evaporator 13a is drawn into the ventilation duct 16b through the intake port 16a of the rear panel 16 installed on the rear side of the product storage cabinet 11 by driving the internal ventilation fan 15, and after passing through this ventilation duct 16b, is blown out from each outlet 16c formed in the rear panel 16, thereby cooling the products stored in each product rack 12.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 1, the front door 20 is provided with a window 21 and a product removal opening 22. The window 21 is configured by arranging a transparent and insulating panel 21a, such as double-glazed glass. When the front opening 10a of the main cabinet 10 is blocked by the front door 20, the window 21 allows products stored in the front rows of the product columns 12a of all the product racks 12 to be viewed from the outside.

[0028] Product outlet 22 is an opening through which customers can receive purchased products, and is formed in front door 20 at a position lower than window 21. As is clear from Figure 2, upper edge 22a of the opening of product outlet 22 is set to be located further below product rack 12 arranged at the lowest level.

[0029] This product removal opening 22 is normally closed by a product removal door 23 provided on the front door 20, and can be opened by pushing the product removal door 23 inward. The product removal door 23 is supported by the front door 20 at its upper end by an opening / closing shaft 23a that extends in the left-right direction.

[0030] Although not shown in the figure, a gasket is arranged around the entire periphery of the front door 20, facing the product removal door 23, in the area surrounding the product removal opening 22, to prevent the internal atmosphere of the product storage cabinet 11 from circulating with the outside air through the product removal opening 22.

[0031] The front door 20 is provided with a product selection section 24, a coin slot 25, a bill slot 26, a card reader 27, and a coin return slot 28 at positions to the side of the window 21.

[0032] The product selection section 24 has a push-button numeric keypad, a display, etc., and is used by the user to select a product. The coin insertion slot 25 is an opening for inserting coins. The bill insertion slot 26 is an opening for inserting bills.

[0033] The card reader 27 transmits and receives data relating to money to and from a recording medium storing monetary information, known as electronic money, when the recording medium is held in a predetermined communication area. The coin return slot 28 is an opening for returning inserted coins or change.

[0034] 2, a product removal area 11B and a transport area 11C are provided at the front end of the product storage cabinet 11. The product removal area 11B is a space where products purchased by a user are ultimately transported, and is located below the upper edge 22a of the product removal opening 22 when the front door 20 is in a state where it closes the front opening 10a.

[0035] The transport area 11C is a space for transporting products dispensed from each product column 12a of the product rack 12 to the product removal area 11B. This transport area 11C is provided in front of the product storage area 11A and continuous above the product removal area 11B. The front-to-rear and left-to-right dimensions of the transport area 11C are configured to be approximately the same as those of the product removal area 11B.

[0036] A pair of transport rails 17 are arranged on both sides of the product removal area 11B and the transport area 11C secured at the front end of the product storage cabinet 11, and a transport tray 18 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction between these transport rails 17. In the standby state, the transport tray 18 is arranged in the product removal area 11B.

[0037] The transport tray 18 is configured by disposing a central plate 18b between a pair of side plates 18a, and the dimension of the central plate 18b in the left-right direction is set to be approximately the same as the overall width of the product rack 12. The transport tray 18 is an elongated member whose extension length in the left-right direction is sufficiently greater than its extension length in the front-rear direction, and whose longitudinal direction is the left-right direction.

[0038] In the product storage cabinet 11, an anti-theft shutter unit 30 is provided below the product storage area 11A, that is, behind the boundary between the product removal area 11B and the transport area 11C.

[0039] Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the configuration of the anti-theft shutter unit 30 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the anti-theft shutter unit 30 is configured to include a shutter base 31 and a shutter movable part 32.

[0040] The shutter base 31 is made up of a plurality of metal plates etc. appropriately combined together to form a box-like shape with an opening on the top surface. The left-right and front-rear dimensions of this shutter base 31 are approximately equal to the left-right and front-rear dimensions of the product rack 12, respectively, and as shown in Fig. 6, the shutter base 31 has a base bottom 311, base side walls 312, a base front wall 313 and a base rear wall 314.

[0041] The base bottom 311 forms the bottom portion of the shutter base 31 and has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The base bottom 311 is configured by appropriately bending or the like so that a central region 311C is convex upward, and a drive unit 33 and a stopper portion 43 are provided in a right region 311R to the right of the central region 311C.

[0042] 7 and 8, the drive unit 33 is provided so as to pass through a rectangular mounting opening 311a formed in the right region 311R of the base bottom 311. The drive unit 33 is configured by disposing a drive mechanism 34, a transmission gear 35, and a rotary shaft 36 between a pair of upper and lower unit covers 33a, 33b.

[0043] The pair of upper and lower unit covers 33a, 33b are each constructed by bending sheet metal or the like, and the upper unit cover 33a, which is located above the mounting opening 311a, is attached to the lower unit cover 33b, which is located below the mounting opening 311a, via mounting screws or the like, and the upper unit cover 33a is also attached to the base bottom 311 via mounting screws or the like.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the drive mechanism 34 includes an output gear 342 inside a drive housing 341 formed by combining two drive cases 341a and 341b in a pair above and below.

[0045] The output gear 342 has a substantially annular shape and is housed inside the drive housing 341 in a manner that an inner peripheral output teeth portion 342a formed on the inner peripheral edge portion is exposed from the inner surface of an insertion hole 341c formed in the drive housing 341. Here, the insertion hole 341c extends in the vertical direction in the substantially central portion of the drive housing 341. The output gear 342 is housed in the drive housing 341 so that its central axis coincides with the central axis of the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341.

[0046] The output gear 342 has an outer peripheral output teeth portion 342b formed on its outer peripheral edge that links with an output shaft 343a of a shutter motor 343 housed inside a drive housing 341 via linking gears 344a and 344b. The shutter motor 343 is a drive source for the anti-theft shutter unit 30 that is driven in response to commands given from a control unit 70, which will be described later, and in this embodiment, is driven to rotate in one direction in response to commands given from the control unit 70, and more specifically, is driven to rotate the output gear 342 counterclockwise when viewed from above. The rotation of the output gear 342 is detected by a rotation detection switch 345 provided inside the drive housing 341.

[0047] The transmission gear 35 is made of, for example, a resin material. The transmission gear 35 is configured by integrally molding a transmission base portion 351, a first transmission gear portion 352, and a second transmission gear portion 353, and has a through-hole portion 354 formed therein that extends in the up-down direction.

[0048] The transmission base 351 is generally disk-shaped. The first transmission gear portion 352 is a cylindrical portion formed to protrude downward from the lower surface of the transmission base 351. The first transmission gear portion 352 has an outer diameter large enough to be inserted into the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341. The lower end of the first transmission gear portion 352 is provided with meshing pieces 352a facing each other. Meshing protrusions 352b are formed on each end of the meshing pieces 352a, which mesh with a portion of the inner peripheral output teeth portion 342a of the output gear 342. This allows the transmission gear 35 to rotate integrally with the output gear 342 around its own central axis, i.e., counterclockwise when viewed from above. The central axis of the transmission gear 35 coincides with the central axis of the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341 and the central axis of the output gear 342.

[0049] The second transmission gear portion 353 is formed in a manner to protrude upward from the upper surface of the transmission base portion 351, and its central axis coincides with the central axis of the first transmission gear portion 352. A transmission tooth portion 353a is formed on the outer periphery of the second transmission gear portion 353.

[0050] The transmission gear 35 has a first transmission gear portion 352 inserted into the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341 and meshed with the output gear 342, and a transmission shaft 37 relatively passing through the through-hole portion 354 is supported by the pair of upper and lower unit covers 33a, 33b, so that the transmission gear 35 is disposed between the unit covers 33a, 33b. Here, the central axis of the transmission shaft 37 coincides with the central axis of the transmission gear 35, and therefore also coincides with the central axis of the insertion hole 341c of the drive housing 341 and the central axis of the output gear 342.

[0051] 9, the drive housing 341 is fixed to and supported by a support plate 38, and a locked portion 38a that protrudes downward is formed on the support plate 38. As shown in FIG. 8, the locked portion 38a is locked to the other end of a housing spring 39, one end of which is attached to the underside of the base bottom 311 and passes through an elongated cover hole 331 formed in the lower unit cover 33b. The housing spring 39 constantly urges the drive housing 341 rearward about the central axis of the transmission gear 35, and the locked portion 38a abuts against the rear edge of the cover hole 331, thereby maintaining the drive housing 341 in the reference position shown in FIG. 7, etc.

[0052] The rotating shaft 36 is an elongated member extending in the vertical direction, and is rotatably supported by a pair of upper and lower unit covers 33a, 33b on the left side of the transmission shaft 37 (transmission gear 35). An upper end portion 36a of the rotating shaft 36 protrudes upward beyond the upper unit cover 33a.

[0053] A disk-shaped rotary gear portion 361 that protrudes radially outward is integrally formed in the vertical middle portion of the rotary shaft 36. Rotary teeth 361a are formed on the outer periphery of the rotary gear portion 361, and mesh with the transmission teeth 353a.

[0054] As a result, the rotary shaft 36 is connected to the output shaft 343a of the shutter motor 343, and when the transmission gear 35 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from above due to the rotational drive of the shutter motor 343, the rotary shaft 36 rotates clockwise as viewed from above.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 6, a base end 40a of a first link member 40 is connected to the upper end portion 36a of the rotating shaft 36. The first link member 40 is a long, flat plate member whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction in Fig. 6, and is bent midway so that a tip end 40b is positioned above the base end 40a. The base end 40a of this first link member 40 is connected to the upper end portion 36a of the rotating shaft 36, and rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 36.

[0056] One end 41a of the second link member 41 is connected via a first connecting pin 42a to the tip end 40b of the first link member 40. The second link member 41 is a long, flat plate member whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction in Figure 6, and is bent midway so that the other end 41b is above the one end 41a.

[0057] The stopper portion 43 is disposed in front of the transmission shaft 37 and below the rotation range of the first link member 40. This stopper portion 43 has a stopper piece 432 that can protrude upward relative to a stopper main body 431. This stopper piece 432 is constantly urged upward by a stopper spring (not shown) and protrudes above the stopper main body 431.

[0058] When the first link member 40 rotates clockwise when viewed from above, the first link member 40 abuts against the inclined extension portion 432a formed on the stopper piece 432, causing the stopper piece 432 to displace downward against the biasing force of the stopper spring and be accommodated in the stopper body 431, allowing the first link member 40 to rotate; on the other hand, when the first link member 40 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from above, the first link member 40 abuts against the abutment portion 432b formed on the stopper piece 432, thereby restricting the rotation of the first link member 40 in the same direction.

[0059] The base sidewall portions 312 are a pair of left and right portions extending upward from both left and right ends of the base bottom portion 311. In the following description, the direction in which the base sidewall portions 312 are close to each other will be referred to as the inside, and the direction in which they are separated from each other will be referred to as the outside.

[0060] The base side wall 312 is provided with a fixed guide roller 44 and a guide rail 45. The fixed guide roller 44 is provided on the inner surface of the front side of the base side wall 312 so as to be rotatable around a central axis extending in the left-right direction.

[0061] The guide rail 45 is provided in a manner extending in the front-to-rear direction at the upper part of the base side wall part 312. A rail upper extension part 46 is formed on the outer part of this guide rail 45, extending upward and then bending inward. In addition, an auxiliary base roller 45a is provided at the front end part of the guide rail 45. The auxiliary base roller 45a is provided in a manner such that it can rotate freely around a central axis extending in the up-down direction.

[0062] The base front wall 313 extends upward from the front end of the base bottom 311 and connects the front end portions of the base side walls 312. The base rear wall 314 extends upward from the rear end of the base bottom 311 and connects the rear end portions of the base side walls 312.

[0063] Figures 11 and 12 are exploded perspective views showing the shutter movable part 32 shown in Figures 4 and 5, respectively. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the shutter movable part 32 is configured by overlapping an upper movable component 321 and a lower movable component 322, both of which are formed by processing sheet metal or the like.

[0064] The shutter movable part 32 has dimensions in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction that are approximately equal to the dimensions in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction of the shutter base 31, respectively, and is provided with a slider 47, a movable guide roller 48, and a pressing member 49.

[0065] The slider 47 is a long, flat plate member whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction as shown in Fig. 11. The slider 47 has elongated mounting holes 471 whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction formed at the front end and rear end.

[0066] The slider 47 is attached to the lower movable component 322 in such a manner that the slider mounting screw 472 penetrates the mounting hole 471 from above, thereby blocking the connecting hole 322a formed in the lower movable component 322.

[0067] That is, the slider 47 is attached between the upper movable component 321 and the lower movable component 322 so as to be slidable in the front-to-rear direction with the slider attachment screw 472 relatively displacing the attachment hole 471.

[0068] The slider 47 has one end of a slider spring 50 engaged with the lower movable component 322, the other end of which is engaged with the front end portion, and is constantly biased forward by the slider spring 50. As a result, the slider 47 maintains its position with the slider mounting screw 472 abutting against the rear edge of the mounting hole 471.

[0069] The movable guide roller 48 is provided on the outer surface of the rear side of the lower movable component 322 in a manner that allows it to rotate freely around a central axis that extends along the left-right direction.

[0070] A front right auxiliary movable roller 51a and a rear right auxiliary movable roller 51b are provided in a manner to protrude downward on the underside of the right end portion of such a lower movable component 322. The front right auxiliary movable roller 51a and the rear right auxiliary movable roller 51b are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction and are provided in a manner to be rotatable about a central axis extending in the up-down direction.

[0071] Furthermore, a front left auxiliary movable roller 51c is provided on the underside of the left end portion of the lower movable component 322 in a manner that protrudes downward. This front left auxiliary movable roller 51c forms a left-right pair with the front right auxiliary movable roller 51a and is provided in a manner that allows it to rotate freely around a central axis that extends along the vertical direction. Behind the front left auxiliary movable roller 51c, a rear left auxiliary movable roller 51d is provided on a roller support piece 321a attached to the upper movable component 321. This rear left auxiliary movable roller 51d forms a left-right pair with the rear right auxiliary movable roller 51b and is provided in a manner that allows it to rotate freely around a central axis that extends along the vertical direction.

[0072] The pressing member 49 is made of, for example, a resin material and is an elongated member whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction. This pressing member 49 is attached to the underside of the right end portion of the lower movable component 322, on the inner side (left side portion) of the front right auxiliary movable roller 51a. The pressing member 49 has a pressing portion 491 that is convex downward in the center portion in the front-to-rear direction. A front end portion 491a of this pressing portion 491 extends gradually upward at an incline toward the front, and a rear end portion 491b of the pressing portion 491 extends gradually upward at an incline toward the rear.

[0073] In the shutter movable portion 32, the slider 47 is connected to the other end 41b of the second link member 41 via the second connecting pin 42b through the connecting hole 322a. As a result, the second link member 41 has one end 41a rotatably connected to the tip end 40b of the first link member 40 via the first connecting pin 42a, and the other end 41b Second connecting pin 42b The slider 47 (shutter movable portion 32) is rotatably connected thereto via the slider 47.

[0074] Furthermore, the shutter movable part 32 is disposed so as to be movable forward and backward in the front-rear direction while approaching and moving away from the shutter base 31, with the movable guide rollers 48 being rollably placed on the corresponding guide rails 45 and the front ends of both left and right ends of the lower movable component 322 being placed on the corresponding fixed guide rollers 44. The rail upper extensions 46 restrict the shutter movable part 32 from being displaced in the left-right direction relative to the shutter base 31. In this way, the first link member 40 and the second link member 41 constitute an engaging means for engaging the shutter base 31 and the shutter movable part 32.

[0075] The operation of such an anti-theft shutter unit 30 will now be described. When the anti-theft shutter unit 30 is in a standby state in which the shutter motor 343 is not rotating, i.e., in a normal state, the first link member 40 is arranged in the front-to-rear direction with the tip end 40b located rearward relative to the base end 40a, and the second link member 41 is arranged in the front-to-rear direction with the other end 41b located forward relative to the one end 41a so as to overlap above the first link member 40, as shown in Figure 13. As a result, the shutter movable part 32 is arranged in the retracted position on the rearmost side, as shown in Figure 14.

[0076] When the shutter motor 343 is driven to rotate while the shutter movable part 32 is disposed in the retracted position, the transmission gear 35 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from above, and as a result, the first link member 40 rotates clockwise as viewed from above integrally with the rotation shaft 36, as shown in Fig. 15. When the first link member 40 rotates clockwise in this manner, the movable guide rollers 48 roll forward on the corresponding guide rails 45, and the second link member 41 also rotates around the central axis of the first connecting pin 42a, and as shown in Fig. 16, the shutter movable part 32 advances forward in a manner moving away from the shutter base 31.

[0077] As the shutter movable part 32 advances forward in this manner, the first link member 40, rotating clockwise, may pass through the stopper part 43, but as described above, the first link member 40 abuts against the inclined extending part 432a of the stopper piece 432, causing the stopper piece 432 to be displaced downward against the biasing force of the stopper spring and to be housed in the stopper main body 431, thereby allowing the clockwise rotation of the first link member 40. After the first link member 40 has passed, the stopper piece 432 is displaced upward by the biasing force of the stopper spring and protrudes above the stopper main body 431.

[0078] Thereafter, the shutter movable part 32 moving forward is restricted in its forward movement by the front right auxiliary movable roller 51a and the front left auxiliary movable roller 51c abutting against the corresponding fixed guide rollers 44, and is positioned at the forwardmost advanced position as shown in Figure 17.

[0079] When the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position in this manner, the anti-theft shutter unit 30 separates the product removal area 11B from the transport area 11C (product storage area 11A) by the front end portion of the shutter movable part 32 abutting against the front door 20 that blocks the front opening 10a, as shown in Figure 18.

[0080] Furthermore, when the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position, as shown in Figure 19, the first link member 40 is in an advanced position in which the tip end 40b is closer to the advanced position than the base end 40a, and extends at an angle from the base end 40a to the tip end 40b in the opposite direction (counterclockwise direction) to the rotation direction (clockwise rotation direction) of the first link member 40.

[0081] When the shutter movable part 32 is disposed in the advanced position, the shutter motor 343 is rotationally driven, causing the transmission gear 35 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed from above, and as a result, the first link member 40 in the advanced position rotates integrally with the rotation shaft 36 clockwise as viewed from above, as shown in Fig. 20. When the first link member 40 rotates clockwise in this manner, the movable guide rollers 48 roll rearward on the corresponding guide rails 45, and the second link member 41 also rotates around the central axis of the first connecting pin 42a as its axis, and as shown in Fig. 21, the shutter movable part 32 moves backward toward the shutter base 31.

[0082] Thereafter, the shutter motor 343 makes one rotation from the standby state, whereby the shutter movable part 32 is disposed at the retracted position as shown in Fig. 14. That is, the shutter movable part 32 is normally disposed at the retracted position where it has retracted and moved close to the shutter base 31, and is capable of moving forward and backward between the retracted position and the advanced position. Then, the first link member 40 and the second link member 41 move the shutter movable part 32 forward and backward between the retracted position, the advanced position, and the retracted position in this order as the shutter motor 343 rotates only one rotation.

[0083] In addition to the above configuration, such a vending machine 1 is equipped with a dispensing mechanism 61, a conveying mechanism 62, a door locking mechanism 63, a product detection sensor 64, a cash handling unit 65, a first detection unit 66, a second detection unit 67, and a control unit 70, as shown in Figure 3.

[0084] The dispensing mechanism 61 is provided for each product column 12a that constitutes the product rack 12, and includes a dispensing motor 61a. The dispensing motor 61a is a drive source that is driven in response to commands given from the control unit 70. When the dispensing motor 61a is driven, the dispensing mechanism 61 rotates the spiral 12b of the corresponding product column 12a, dispensing the front product forward.

[0085] The transport mechanism 62 includes a transport motor 62a and a tray detector 62b. The transport motor 62a is a drive source that is driven in response to commands given from the control unit 70. The tray detector 62b is configured with an encoder or the like that detects the rotation of the transport motor 62a, and detects the position of the transport tray 18. This allows the transport mechanism 62 to move the transport tray 18 up and down between the transport rails 17. Furthermore, the transport mechanism 62 places the transport tray 18 in a predetermined standby position when in a standby state.

[0086] The door lock mechanism 63 is provided near the product outlet 22. The door lock mechanism 63 is switchable between a locked state in which the product outlet door 23, which closes the product outlet 22, is kept closed and the product outlet door 23 is prevented from swinging rearward, and an unlocked state in which the product outlet door 23 is allowed to swing rearward. The door lock mechanism 63 switches between the locked state and the unlocked state in response to a command given from the control unit 70.

[0087] The commodity detection sensors 64 are configured with a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, such as an optical sensor, and are provided on both the left and right sides of the commodity removal area 11B. The commodity detection sensors 64 detect whether or not a commodity is placed on the transport tray 18 by transmitting light from the light-emitting element through a detection hole (not shown) in the transport tray 18 that has moved to the commodity removal area 11B, and provide the detection result to the control unit 70.

[0088] The money handling unit 65 has a coin mechanism 65a and a bill validator 65b, and handles the money handling of coins inserted through the coin insertion slot 25 and the money handling of banknotes inserted through the banknote insertion slot 26. The money handling unit 65 also handles money handling such as subtraction of amount information read by the card reader 27.

[0089] The first detection unit 66 constitutes the anti-theft shutter unit 30. As shown in FIG. 6 and other figures, the first detection unit 66 is provided in the right rear part of the drive unit 33 in the right region 311R of the base bottom 311.

[0090] When the shutter movable part 32 is located in the retracted position, the first contact 66a of the first detection part 66 is pressed by the pressing member 49, turning the first detection part 66 into an ON state and sending an ON signal to the control unit 70. When the shutter movable part 32 is located in a position other than the retracted position, the first detection part 66 is turned into an OFF state as the first contact 66a is in a free state. In other words, the first detection part 66 detects that the shutter movable part 32 is located in the retracted position.

[0091] The second detection unit 67 constitutes the anti-theft shutter unit 30. As shown in FIG. 6 and other figures, the second detection unit 67 is provided in front of the first detection unit 66 in the right region 311R of the base bottom 311.

[0092] When the shutter movable part 32 is located in the advanced position, the second contact 67a of the second detection part 67 is pressed by the pressing member 49, turning the second detection part 67 into an ON state and sending an ON signal to the control unit 70. When the shutter movable part 32 is located in a position other than the advanced position, the second contact 67a of the second detection part 67 is in a free state, turning the second detection part 67 into an OFF state. In other words, the second detection part 67 detects that the shutter movable part 32 is located in the advanced position.

[0093] Control unit 70 is electrically connected to each part of vending machine 1 and controls the overall vending operations of vending machine 1 in accordance with programs and data stored in memory unit 71, which is also electrically connected to control unit 70. This control unit 70 includes a vending machine control unit 70a and a shutter control unit 70b.

[0094] The vending machine control unit 70a controls the overall operation of selling products in the vending machine 1, and the shutter control unit 70b controls the overall operation of the anti-theft shutter unit 30.

[0095] The control unit 70 may be realized, for example, by having a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) execute a program, i.e., by software, or may be realized by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware.

[0096] The following describes the vending operation of the vending machine 1 configured as described above. When a product is selected through the product selection unit 24 and the money is properly processed through the money handling unit 65, the vending machine control unit 70a issues a command to the transport motor 62a to drive the transport mechanism 62, and moves the transport tray 18 arranged in the product removal area 11B upward to the front area of ​​the specified product rack 12.

[0097] When the tray detector 62b detects that a transport tray 18 has been transported to the front area of ​​a specific product rack 12, the vending machine controller 70a stops driving the transport motor 62a and drives the dispensing motor 61a of the corresponding product column 12a. This drives the dispensing mechanism 61 to rotate the corresponding spiral 12b, dispensing the product held in the front pitch of the spiral 12b forward and receiving it in the transport tray 18. After the product held in the front pitch has been dispensed forward, the vending machine controller 70a stops driving the dispensing motor 61a and drives the transport motor 62a. This causes the transport tray 18 to move downward by the transport mechanism 62 toward the product removal area 11B.

[0098] When the tray detector 62b detects that the transport tray 18 has been placed in the product removal area 11B, the vending machine controller 70a stops driving the transport motor 62a. Then, when the product detection sensor 64 detects that a product has been placed on the transport tray 18, the shutter controller 70b issues a drive command to the shutter motor 343 to rotate the shutter motor 343.

[0099] As a result of the shutter motor 343 being rotated in this manner, the shutter movable part 32 disposed in the retracted position moves forward to the advanced position as described above. Then, as the shutter movable part 32 moving forward is disposed in the advanced position and the second detection part 67 is turned on, the shutter control part 70b stops the rotation of the shutter motor 343.

[0100] When the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position in this manner, the vending machine control part 70a switches the door lock mechanism 63 from a locked state to an unlocked state, allowing the product removal door 23 to swing in the opening direction and allowing products to be removed through the product removal opening 22.

[0101] When the product detection sensor 64 detects that no product is placed on the transport tray 18, the vending machine control unit 70a switches the door lock mechanism 63 from the unlocked state to the locked state, preventing the product removal door 23 from swinging in the opening direction.

[0102] Further, the shutter control unit 70b issues a drive command to the shutter motor 343 to rotate the shutter motor 343. As the shutter motor 343 rotates in this manner, the shutter movable unit 32, which is disposed in the advanced position, moves backward to the retracted position as described above. Then, as the retracting shutter movable unit 32 is disposed in the retracted position and the first detection unit 66 is turned on, the shutter control unit 70b stops the rotation of the shutter motor 343. In this way, merchandise can be sold smoothly while ensuring anti-theft performance.

[0103] Incidentally, the shutter control unit 70b performs the following initial operation control when power is supplied to the vending machine 1 or when power is restored after a power outage.

[0104] FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the initial operation control performed by the shutter control unit 70b shown in FIG.

[0105] In this initial operation control, the shutter control unit 70b sends a drive command to the shutter motor 343 (step S101), and determines whether the second detection unit 67 has switched from an ON state to an OFF state (step S102). If it cannot be determined that the second detection unit 67 has switched from an ON state to an OFF state (step S102: No), the shutter control unit 70b repeats this process.

[0106] On the other hand, if it is determined that the second detection unit 67 has switched from the on state to the off state (step S102: Yes), that is, if the shutter movable part 32 has moved backward from the advanced position, the shutter control unit 70b determines whether the first detection unit 66 has switched from the off state to the on state before a predetermined reference time (for example, approximately 2 to 3 seconds) has elapsed (steps S103, S104).

[0107] If it is determined that the first detection unit 66 has switched from the off state to the on state before the reference time has elapsed (step S103: Yes, step S104: No), that is, if the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the retracted position, the shutter control unit 70b sends a drive stop command to the shutter motor 343 (steps S105, S106) on the condition that a predetermined time (for example, about one second) has elapsed, and then returns the procedure to end this processing.

[0108] This allows the shutter movable portion 32 to be reliably placed in the retracted position, and allows the above-mentioned product selling operation to be started.

[0109] On the other hand, if the reference time has elapsed without determining that the first detection unit 66 has switched from the off state to the on state (step S103: No, step S104: Yes), the shutter control unit 70b makes an abnormality determination that an abnormality has occurred (step S107), and then returns the procedure to end the current processing.

[0110] This makes it possible to determine that the shutter movable part 32 is not positioned in the retracted position, and then by performing an alarm operation such as displaying an abnormality on the display unit, the manager of the vending machine 1 can be made aware of the abnormality.

[0111] As described above, the anti-theft shutter unit 30 and the shutter control section 70b constitute the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the present invention.

[0112] In the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine 1, the first link member 40 has a base end 40a connected to a rotating shaft 36 linked to an output shaft 343a of a shutter motor 343 provided on the shutter base 31, and rotates clockwise around its central axis as viewed from above integrally with the rotating shaft 36 as the shutter motor 343 rotates. The second link member 41 has one end 41a rotatably connected to a tip end 40b of the first link member 40 and the other end 41b rotatably connected to the shutter movable part 32. The shutter movable part 32 moves forward and backward as the shutter motor 343 rotates in one direction. Therefore, it is sufficient for the shutter motor 343 to rotate in one direction, and there is no need for forward and reverse rotation, as in the past. This allows for the use of an inexpensive shutter motor 343. This ensures product theft prevention while reducing manufacturing costs.

[0113] According to the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine 1 described above, when the shutter movable part 32 is positioned in the advanced position, the first link member 40 assumes an advanced posture in which the tip end 40b is closer to the advanced position than the base end 40a and extends at an angle from the base end 40a to the tip end 40b in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the first link member 40 (see Figure 19). A stopper portion 43 provided in the rotation range of the first link member 40 when the shutter movable part 32 moves advanced from the retracted position to the advanced position allows the first link member 40 to rotate clockwise as viewed from above in conjunction with the rotational drive of the shutter motor 343, but restricts the first link member 40 from rotating counterclockwise as viewed from above. Therefore, when the shutter movable part 32 positioned in the advanced position is pressed toward the retracted position, the first link member 40 will rotate counterclockwise as viewed from above, but this rotation is restricted by abutting against the stopper portion 43. This makes it possible to restrict the shutter movable portion 32 from moving backward even if the shutter movable portion 32 is pressed toward the retracted position when it is positioned at the advanced position.

[0114] In particular, the drive housing 341 that houses the shutter motor 343 is provided on the shutter base 31 in a manner that allows it to rotate about the central axis of the transmission gear 35, and since it is normally biased by the housing spring 39 and maintained in a reference position, as shown in Fig. 23, when the first link member 40 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from above from the advanced position, this drive housing 341 rotates about the central axis of the transmission gear 35 against the biasing force of the housing spring 39. As a result, if the shutter movable part 32 arranged in the advanced position is accidentally pressed toward the retracted position, the drive housing 341 will rotate about the central axis of the transmission gear 35 against the biasing force of the housing spring 39 until the retracted movement is restricted by the stopper part 43, and there is no risk of an excessive load being applied to the shutter motor 343, and it is possible to prevent the shutter motor 343 from being damaged, etc.

[0115] Furthermore, in the anti-theft shutter mechanism of the vending machine 1, the slider 47 rotatably connected to the other end 41b of the second link member 41 is constantly biased forward by the slider spring 50, thereby maintaining its position with the slider mounting screw 472 abutting against the rear edge of the mounting hole 471. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 24, when the shutter movable part 32 arranged in the advanced position is pulled forward, the slider mounting screw 472 allows the mounting hole 471 to be relatively displaced against the biasing force of the slider spring 50. In other words, the slider 47, which is connected to the shutter movable part 32 via the slider spring 50 so that the shutter movable part 32 can move back and forth, is interposed between the second link member 41 and the shutter movable part 32, and allows the shutter movable part 32 arranged in the advanced position to be displaced in a direction away from the shutter base 31 (forward) against the biasing force of the slider 47 spring 50. As a result, even if the shutter movable part 32 arranged in the advanced position is accidentally pulled out in a direction away from the shutter base 31, there is no risk of excessive load being placed on the shutter motor 343, and damage to the shutter motor 343 can be prevented.

[0116] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this and various modifications can be made.

[0117] In the above-described embodiment, the first link member 40 rotates clockwise as viewed from above due to the rotational drive of the shutter motor 343, but in the present invention, the direction of the engagement means having the first link member and the second link member is not particularly limited as long as it can move the shutter movable part back and forth due to the rotational drive of the shutter motor in one direction.

[0118] In the above-described embodiment, the drive housing 341 that houses the shutter motor 343 is provided on the shutter base 31 in a manner that allows it to rotate around the central axis of the transmission gear 35, but in the present invention, the drive housing does not have to be provided on the shutter base in a manner that allows it to rotate around the central axis of the transmission gear.

[0119] In the above-described embodiment, the slider 47 is interposed between the shutter movable portion 32 and the other end 41b of the second link member 41, but in the present invention, a slider does not necessarily have to be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 1...vending machine, 1a...vending machine main body, 10...main body cabinet, 11...product storage cabinet, 11A...product storage area, 11B...product removal area, 11C...transport area, 12...product rack, 12a...product column, 18...transport tray, 20...front door, 22...product removal port, 30...anti-theft shutter unit, 31...shutter base, 311...base bottom, 312...base side wall, 313...base front wall, 314...base rear wall, 32...shutterable Moving part, 321...upper movable component, 322...lower movable component, 33...drive unit, 33a, 33b...unit cover, 34...drive mechanism, 341...drive housing, 341a, 341b...drive case, 341c...through hole, 342...output gear, 343...shutter motor, 343a...output shaft, 344a, 344b...linking gear, 35...transmission gear, 351...transmission base, 352...first transmission gear part, 353...second transmission gear part, 354...through hole part, 36 ...rotating shaft, 361...rotating gear portion, 37...transmission shaft, 38...supporting plate metal, 39...casing spring, 40...first link member, 40a...base end portion, 40b...tip portion, 41...second link member, 41a...one end portion, 41b...other end portion, 43...stopper portion, 431...stopper body, 432...stopper piece, 44...fixed guide roller, 45...guide rail, 47...slider, 471...mounting hole, 472...slider mounting screw, 48...movable guide roller, 4 9...Pressing member, 50...Slider spring, 51a...Front right auxiliary movable roller, 51b...Rear right auxiliary movable roller, 51c...Front left auxiliary movable roller, 51d...Rear left auxiliary movable roller, 61...Dispensing mechanism, 62...Conveying mechanism, 63...Door locking mechanism, 64...Product detection sensor, 65...Cash handling unit, 66...First detection unit, 67...Second detection unit, 70...Control unit, 70a...Vending machine control unit, 70b...Shutter control unit, 71...Memory unit.

Claims

1. a shutter base provided inside the vending machine body; a shutter movable portion that is engaged with the shutter base via an engaging means and that is movable toward and away from the shutter base; Equipped with When the shutter movable part is advanced and moved away from the shutter base and placed in an advanced position, the anti-theft shutter mechanism separates a product storage area in which a plurality of product racks are provided from a product removal area that allows products dispensed from the product racks to be removed through a product removal opening formed in the vending machine body, The engagement means a first link member whose base end is connected to a rotary shaft linked to an output shaft of a shutter motor provided on the shutter base, and which rotates integrally with the rotary shaft around its central axis in a predetermined direction in accordance with the rotational drive of the shutter motor; a second link member having one end rotatably connected to the tip end of the first link member and the other end rotatably connected to the shutter movable portion; Equipped with The shutter movable part is moved forward and backward by rotating the shutter motor in one direction, the shutter movable part is normally disposed at a retracted position where it has retracted and moved close to the shutter base, and is movable back and forth between the retracted position and the advanced position, The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine is characterized in that the engagement means moves the shutter movable part back and forth between the retracted position, the advanced position, and the retracted position in that order when the shutter motor is driven to rotate only once.

2. When the shutter movable part is disposed at the advanced position, the first link member is in an advanced position in which the tip end is closer to the advanced position than the base end, and the first link member is in an advanced position in which the tip end is inclined and extends from the base end toward the tip end in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first link member, The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the shutter base is provided with a stopper portion that is installed in the rotation range of the first link member when the shutter movable portion moves forward from the retracted position to the advanced position, and that allows the first link member to rotate in a predetermined direction in conjunction with the rotational drive of the shutter motor, while restricting the first link member from rotating in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

3. the shutter motor is accommodated in a drive housing provided on the shutter base in a manner that the shutter motor is rotatable around a central axis of a transmission gear that meshes with the rotation shaft while linking with the output shaft, The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive housing is normally biased by the housing biasing means to be maintained in a reference position, but when the first link member rotates from the advanced position in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, it rotates around the central axis of the transmission gear against the biasing force of the housing biasing means.

4. The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is provided with a slider that is relatively rotatably connected to the other end of the second link member and connected to the shutter movable portion via a slider biasing means, thereby allowing the shutter movable portion, which is interposed between the second link member and the shutter movable portion and positioned in the advanced position, to be displaced in a direction away from the shutter base against the biasing force of the slider biasing means.

5. a first detector that detects that the shutter movable portion is disposed at the retracted position; a second detection unit that detects that the shutter movable unit is placed at the advanced position; a control unit that forcibly drives and rotates the shutter motor when power is turned on, and stops the rotation and drive of the shutter motor when the second detection unit detects that the shutter movable part is located at the advanced position and then the first detection unit detects that the shutter movable part is located at the retracted position; The anti-theft shutter mechanism for a vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising:

Images