EP1178448A2 - Apparatus for engaging and dispensing articles - Google Patents

Abstract

Device (5) for picking up objects stored in storage columns (1, 2, 3) has a picking up assembly (34) with a suction device (36, 40) associated with a motorized elements (12, 16) for raising and lowering the device (5) in the columns. Equally the picking up device can be driven in a horizontal direction above the columns.

Description

The present invention relates to input devices and delivery of objects and more particularly to those incorporated in vending machines, especially for objects such as cards telephone, cards / vouchers, game cards, rental cards, discs.

Devices of this kind currently available on the market are divided into two families: one with a entry and delivery for each stack, column, drawer storing objects, a representative example of which is described in documents EP-A-0647927, EP-A-1001389, the other comprising a single device for several stacks, columns of juxtaposed objects which is associated with a mechanism ensuring its positioning at any stack and of which representative examples are described in documents EP-A-0037989, EP-A-0905660 and US 3,893,589.

In both families, the gripping device removes the object located at the base of the stack, column to bring it to a device of independent delivery which then transfers it to a place where the user can enter it.

However, for objects such as cards, subscriptions, phone vouchers / refills, usually made of a thin sheet of rectangular plastic, the entry from the bottom of the pile is far from being ideal because either the mechanism has a narrow slot that does not allow passage of only one object at a time which is a source of jams frequent in the case of slightly curved objects, either the mechanism is provided many settings, which makes it complicated, prone to breakdowns and expensive. Document US 6,029,972 describes such a device.

Document EP-A-1001389 covers a device aspirating the card located at the top of a pile but this construction works a mobile storage column, is very bulky and requires a powerful mechanism to move it while the aspirated card is then distributed by an additional mechanism comprising rolls, which is far from ideal in the case of curved cards or of different thicknesses.

The object of the present invention is therefore to remedy the disadvantages mentioned above by proposing a particularly suitable device to thin objects, even deformed, which is simple, reliable and cheap.

Another object of the invention is to propose a device for simple grip and able to cooperate with several columns to offer a wide choice.

Another object of the invention is to propose a device also ensuring the delivery of the object seized to avoid any mechanism additional.

Another object of the invention is to propose a device ensuring the seizure and delivery of only one object at a time.

Another object of the invention is to propose a device fast to reduce waiting time.

With a view to achieving these goals, the device which is the subject of the invention is essentially characterized by the content of the main claim.

• la figure 1 est une vue de devant succincte d'un ensemble incorporant une première variante du dispositif de l'invention en position inactive,
• la figure 2 est une vue de dessus de l'ensemble de la figure 1, muni d'un moyen de délivrance,
• la figure 3 est une vue partielle du dispositif de la figure 1 dans la position qu'il occupe en début de phase de saisie,
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle du dispositif de la figure 1 dans une position de délivrance,
• les figures 5 et 6 sont des vues détaillées d'éléments constitutifs du dispositif de la figure 1 dans la position qu'ils occupent aux figures 1 et 3, respectivement 4,
• la figure 7 est un détail de la figure 3 vue latéralement,
• la figure 8 est une vue semblable à la figure 1 mais partielle et d'une variante d'exécution.

Other advantages, characteristics of the device which is the subject of the invention will emerge from the detailed description, given below, of a preferred embodiment to which various improvements, modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, with reference to the appended figures for which:

• FIG. 1 is a brief front view of an assembly incorporating a first variant of the device of the invention in the inactive position,
• FIG. 2 is a top view of the assembly of FIG. 1, provided with a delivery means,
• FIG. 3 is a partial view of the device of FIG. 1 in the position it occupies at the start of the input phase,
• FIG. 4 is a partial view of the device of FIG. 1 in a delivery position,
• FIGS. 5 and 6 are detailed views of components of the device of FIG. 1 in the position they occupy in FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively 4,
• FIG. 7 is a detail of FIG. 3 seen from the side,
• Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1 but partial and an alternative embodiment.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a distributor automatic objects, in this case telephone cards, includes in a first variant three storage columns 1, 2, 3 offering three different cards, associated with a data capture and issue 5. For the sake of economy, the three columns 1 to 3 are fixed, juxtaposed and made of a folded sheet forming a rectangular tank 7 provided with vertical intermediate walls 8. In the example described, each column contains about 200 phone cards of a unit value of 5, 10, 20 Euros. Any other arrangement is possible and both the number and the height of the columns can vary; including the tray 7 can be larger, removable (figure 8) to be easily and quickly replaced by another containing other cards or whose walls are arranged differently for other card formats.

The dispenser is provided with an input device 5 which essentially comprises a chassis 10 supporting, using its part vertical, a control means 12 ensuring its vertical displacement, like a worm. The latter carries a movable element 14 such as a nut, placed in a substantially cylindrical element 16, forming a housing (Figures 5, 8) which can optionally be covered with a sleeve 18 clamp mounted (Figures 1 to 7).

The worm 12 is rotated by means motorized 20 classics, including motor, pulleys and belt transmission; the nut 14 side-door three axes 22 arranged at 120 ° one of which passes through a longitudinal slot 26 vertically in the chassis 10 (FIG. 7), and in the mode of preferred embodiment, these axes 22 also pass through three helical slots 24, formed in the housing 16 (FIGS. 5, 8), while an elastic means 28 such as a compression spring is placed in the housing 16 between its top and the movable element 14. In presence of a sleeve 18 (FIGS. 1 to 6), this also has a helical slot 25 similar to the slot 24 allowing the passage of the axis 22 guided by the slot 26 (Figures 1, 3 to 6).

The element 16 or its sleeve 18 carries an axis 30 (FIGS. 8, 2, 4) around which an element 32 pivots such as an elbow support extending substantially perpendicular to the housing 16 and provided with a means of entry 34 which, in the preferred mode, comprises in particular a means drive 36, such as a micromotor whose output axis carries a rotary means 38, such as a fin wheel placed in a housing 40, preferably cylindrical and provided with lateral openings. So when the micro-motor 36 is energized, the assembly 38, 40 creates, at the base cylindrical housing 40, a vacuum which sucks and holds plated against this base the object placed at the top of the pile of any column. Such an arrangement, autonomous and very simple, ensures that the device 5 picks up only one object at a time, the means 36, 38 being advantageously calibrated to create a depression not allowing aspiration of weight from a single object. In addition, by measuring the power consumption of micromotor 36, it should be noted that this significantly increases compared to empty consumption when a object is pressed against the base of the housing 40; so we can easily ensure the presence or not of an object.

The actuation of the motorized means 20 ensures the displacement of the nut 14 and of the housing 16 in a foreground, the along the auger 12 up or down, depending on the supply polarity and in particular between the positions shown in Figures 1, 8, 3, and 4.

The device being in the position shown in Figures 1, 8, the motorized means are actuated to ensure the descent of the input means 34 in the selected column. When the base of the circular housing 40 meets the object located at the top of the pile, the worm 12 while continuing its movement forces a slight movement, here a pivoting, of the support 32 around the axis 30 since the objects constituting the battery prohibit any descent of the means of entry 34 (Figure 3). A microswitch (not shown) detects this swivel and the program that controls the input device 5 reverse then interrupts the action of the motorized means 20 which raises very slightly the gripping means 34 then powers the micromotor 36 actuating the impeller 38. The object is therefore caught up by the means 34, this being controlled by the consumption value of the micromotor 36, then the program supplies the motorized means 20 for that the rotation of the worm 12 goes up the housing 16 to its upper level (Figures 1, 8) where its upward movement is stopped by the upper horizontal fold 10B of the chassis 10. If the nut 14 continues to rise following the rotation of the worm 12, it compresses the spring 28 (figure 6) and as the axis 22 is held in the slot longitudinal 26 (Figure 7), the latter forces the helical slots 24 to move which ensures movement of the housing 16 and therefore of the input means 34 in a second plane other than the first plane, in particular a plane which is substantially perpendicular to it, in the example describes a rotation around the control means 12. When the axis 22 arrives at the top of the slot 26, it actuates a switch (not shown) interrupting the supply of means 20; the device is then in the position shown in FIG. 4. In the embodiment preferred, this rotation is about 90 ° to bring the object seized in outside the perimeter of the tank 7. The supply of the micromotor 36 is then interrupted, the depression created at the base of the housing 40 disappears and the object seized, undergoing the sole effect of gravity, results in delivery means 44 (FIG. 2), here an inclined plane guiding it up to a position where it can be entered by the user.

The cancellation of depression may not be homogeneous which can lead to an uncontrolled descent of the object, the base of the housing 40 advantageously comprises (FIG. 8) a lever 42, very light, therefore having a negligible influence on the action of the assembly 36, 38 gripping means 34 but ensuring, when the vacuum disappears, that the object seized leaves the housing 40 preferably, in particular on the side opposite to the pivoting of the lever 42 so that its descent on the delivery means 44 is controlled.

When the power supply polarity of the motorized means 20 is inverted while the device is in the position of the figure 4, the sequence of movements described above is reversed: the nut 14 descends while the elastic means 28 maintains the housing 16 pressed against the upper horizontal fold 10B of the chassis 10 which forces the helical slots 24 and therefore the housing 16 to pivot in the opposite direction to bring the gripping means 34 back to the base of one of the columns (Figures 1, 2, 8) then, when the axes 22 reach the lower end of the helical slots 24 (FIGS. 1, 5, 8), the movement of housing 16 downwards is again linked to that of the nut 14 (Figures 5, 8).

The movement of the gripping device 5 between the different columns 1 to 3 is provided by a drive device 60 making call, in the first variant (Figures 1 to 3) and for reasons economy and standardization, to a control means 62 and motorized means 64 similar to the aforementioned means 12, respectively 20.

The horizontal base 10A of the chassis 10 carries pads 66 cooperating with the internal periphery of an opening 70 made in the horizontal frame 72 ensuring the horizontal movement of the input 5. The control means 62 is a worm screw similar to the worm 12 and carries a nut 74 similar to nut 14 and integral with the base 10A of the chassis 10. Thus, the tensioning of the means motorized 64 ensures, depending on the polarity applied, the displacement of the nut 14 and therefore of the gripping means 5 along the opening 70 in one way or the other.

In this variant, the pulley 78 driving the worm 62 carries four openings or magnets placed at 90 degrees to cooperate with either an optical element or a Hall effect detector allowing a counting, to the nearest quarter turn, the number of rotations of the pulley 78 to know the relative horizontal position of the gripping means 5 by relative to a given reference, in particular the position in front of the slot 3 indicated by a microswitch. So the entry 5 can be easily positioned in front of a column 1, 2 or 3 and this depending on the card or phone recharge that the user has chosen.

In the second variant (Figure 8), the means 60 always include a motorized device 64 but for machines larger, the control means is advantageously constituted of a toothed belt 80 forming a loop and linked to the chassis 10A.

The rotation of the gripping means 5 for the delivery of the object occupying a certain space it is interesting to realize compact devices to prevent this space overflowing from that of the columns storage. It is for this reason that the means of delivery 44 are, in the variants described, placed at the height of column 2. In in this case, when an object is entered in any column, the means motorized 64 are actuated while maintaining the micromotor 36 under tension to bring the assembly up to column 2, this thanks to the count explained above.

In another embodiment (FIG. 8), the rectangular container 7 and the storage columns 1, 2, 3 are removable relative to the chassis 72 and bear at their base for example two position indications 90, 92 cooperating with optical sensors fixed on the horizontal part 10A of the chassis 10. In this case, the optical sensors moving with the 10A chassis read on position indicators 90, 92 the position instantaneous of the chassis 10 with respect to the tank 7 and its centering with respect to at each storage column. This has the advantage that different sizes of tray 7 can be created without having to modify the mechanics and the program managing it.

If you want the seized items to be delivered to a position adjacent to the storage columns, for example for devices placed on the front, the rotation of the input device may have at one end of the tank 7. For built-in appliances, we can position the inclined plane 44 in one of the storage columns, the gripping device releasing the object which, subject to gravity, slides on said inclined plane to reach the delivery orifice. In that case, the rotation of the gripping device 34 is not implemented.

To avoid milling the helical slots 24 on the housing 16, one can consider placing on the fold 10B of the chassis 10 a mechanism ensuring rotation of the housing assembly 16, grip 34 when it abuts against said fold 10B.

Legend of the references in the figures

1, 2, 3

storage columns

5

input device

7

rectangular tray

8

intercalary

10

frame

10A

horizontal base of chassis 10

10B

upper horizontal fold of chassis 10

12

control means, worm

14

moving element, nut

16

element, housing

18

muff

20

motorized means

22

axes

24

slot

25

slot

26

longitudinal slot

28

elastic medium, spring

30

axes

32

element, support

34

input method

36

drive, micromotor

38

rotating medium, impeller

40

housing

42

the sink

44

means of delivery

60

training device

62

control device

64

motorized device

66

skates

70

opening

72

frame

74

nut

78

pulley

80

toothed belt

Claims (11)

Device for gripping objects (5) associated with storage columns (1, 2, 3) substantially vertical, juxtaposed and comprising a gripping means (34) provided with a device (36, 38, 40) ensuring a vacuum for entering an object,
characterized in that said device (5) is movable in a substantially horizontal plane along the columns and the gripping means (34) is associated with motorized means (12, 16, 20) ensuring its movement in a storage column ( 1, 2, 3). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (5) ensures the delivery of the object captured in a column (1, 2, 3) by depositing on a delivery means (44). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping device (5) is linked to the motorized means (16, 20) by an axis (30) around which it pivots. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is associated, by means of a mobile element (14), with an element (16) driven by a control means (12). Device according to claim 4, characterized in that when the movable element (14) moves relative to the element (16), it ensures the latter a movement in a first plane up to a higher level. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that when the movable element (14), by continuing its movement beyond the upper level, ensures movement of the element (16) in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first travel plan. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable element (14) is linked to the element (16) by an axis (22). Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the element (16) carries a helical slot through which the axis (22) passes. Device according to any one of Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the axis (22) passes through a slot (26) formed vertically in the chassis (10) and the helical slot (24) the element (16) to rotate around its control means (12) when its movement in the foreground is stopped. Device according to any one of Claims 4 to 9, characterized in that an elastic means (28) is positioned between the element (16) and the movable element (14). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a drive means (36) is associated with a rotary means (38) to create a depression at the base of said gripping device (5).

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