US 11,983,979 B2
Item conveyance mechanism of item vending machine
Dai Takahashi, Isesaki (JP)
Assigned to SANDEN RETAIL SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Gunma (JP)
Appl. No. 17/292,990
Filed by SANDEN RETAIL SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Isesaki (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 11, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/044085
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 11, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/100799, PCT Pub. Date May 22, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-213259 (JP), filed on Nov. 13, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0005307 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. G07F 11/58 (2006.01); G07F 11/16 (2006.01)
CPC G07F 11/58 (2013.01) [G07F 11/1653 (2020.05)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dispensing mechanism for an article vending machine, comprising a drive section that is disposed in a rear part of an article storing shelf and configured to cause a motion based on a vending command, and a dispensing unit that is disposed in front of the drive section and carries articles arranged in a front-rear direction, the dispensing unit being driven by the drive section to sequentially dispense the articles forward,
an output shaft of the drive section being removably coupled to an input shaft of the dispensing unit, the dispensing unit being configured to be replaceable relative to the drive section, wherein the dispensing unit comprises:
a movement mechanism that moves the articles forward,
a gear that transmits, to the movement mechanism, driving force transmitted to the input shaft, and
a cover that covers the gear, wherein
the cover has a recess, and
at the bottom of the recess, a part of the meshing teeth of the gear is exposed to the outside the cover.