Patents by Inventor Tsutomu IWAKO
Tsutomu IWAKO has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11443583Abstract: An automatic vending machine includes: a product housing rack including product housing shelves each including a product housing path, and a product discharger; a first stopper configured to be movable between a protrusion position and a retract position, and to tilt such that a free end side of a holding portion is positioned at a product discharge port; a second stopper configured to be movable between a retract position and a protrusion position, and to press a vending product when protruding; a link configured to move each of the first and the second stopper to the protrusion and the retract position; and a driver configured to drive the link, wherein the second stopper includes ribs formed on a surface facing the product housing path, the ribs being configured to extend from a base end part toward a holding portion of the second stopper.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignees: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD., THE COCA-COLA COMPANYInventors: Katsuhiko Fukuda, Tsutomu Iwako, Yasuo Nakazato, Yasuhiro Yamazaki, Takashi Nishiyama
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Patent number: 11227462Abstract: An automatic vending machine includes a product housing rack including a plurality of product housing shelves that are disposed in an up-down direction, a plurality of product housing paths corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves, each product housing path being defined in the corresponding product housing shelf and configured to house products, a plurality of product discharge devices corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves and the plurality of product housing paths, each product discharge device being configured to separate and discharge, one by one, the products that are housed in the corresponding product housing path. The product housing shelf includes a front side shelf member and a back side shelf member that are divided in the front-back direction, supported by support members, and detachably coupled with each other so that the front side shelf member is sandwiched by the back side shelf member.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignees: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD., THE COCA-COLA COMPANYInventors: Katsuhiko Fukuda, Tsutomu Iwako, Yasuo Nakazato, Yasuhiro Yamazaki, Takashi Nishiyama
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Patent number: 11183000Abstract: An automatic vending machine includes a product housing rack including a plurality of product housing shelves that are disposed in an up-down direction, a plurality of product housing paths corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves, each product housing path being defined in the corresponding product housing shelf and configured to house products, a plurality of product discharge devices corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves and the plurality of product housing paths, each product discharge device being configured to separate and discharge, one by one, the products that are housed in the corresponding product housing path. The product housing shelf includes a front side shelf member and a back side shelf member that are divided in the front-back direction, supported by support members, and detachably coupled with each other so that the front side shelf member is sandwiched by the back side shelf member.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignees: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD., THE COCA-COLA COMPANYInventors: Katsuhiko Fukuda, Tsutomu Iwako, Yasuo Nakazato, Yasuhiro Yamazaki, Takashi Nishiyama
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Publication number: 20200334939Abstract: An automatic vending machine includes a product housing rack including a plurality of product housing shelves that are disposed in an up-down direction, a plurality of product housing paths corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves, each product housing path being defined in the corresponding product housing shelf and configured to house products, a plurality of product discharge devices corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves and the plurality of product housing paths, each product discharge device being configured to separate and discharge, one by one, the products that are housed in the corresponding product housing path. The product housing shelf includes a front side shelf member and a back side shelf member that are divided in the front-back direction, supported by support members, and detachably coupled with each other so that the front side shelf member is sandwiched by the back side shelf member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2020Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Katsuhiko FUKUDA, Tsutomu IWAKO, Yasuo NAKAZATO, Yasuhiro YAMAZAKI, Takashi NISHIYAMA
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Publication number: 20200302730Abstract: An automatic vending machine includes: a product housing rack including product housing shelves each including a product housing path, and a product discharger; a first stopper configured to be movable between a protrusion position and a retract position, and to tilt such that a free end side of a holding portion is positioned at a product discharge port; a second stopper configured to be movable between a retract position and a protrusion position, and to press a vending product when protruding; a link configured to move each of the first and the second stopper to the protrusion and the retract position; and a driver configured to drive the link, wherein the second stopper includes ribs formed on a surface facing the product housing path, the ribs being configured to extend from a base end part toward a holding portion of the second stopper.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2020Publication date: September 24, 2020Inventors: Katsuhiko FUKUDA, Tsutomu IWAKO, Yasuo NAKAZATO, Yasuhiro YAMAZAKI, Takashi NISHIYAMA
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Patent number: 10380823Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes an article discharging apparatus, which includes a base, an article storage passage storing articles, a lower pedal, and an upper pedal, an out-of-stock detection switch that is turned to a first state when the lower pedal is in a second standby position and that is turned to a second state when the lower pedal is in a position other than the second standby position; an output member putting the article discharging apparatus in the standby state and drives the article discharging apparatus when the output member rotates from the standby position; and a controller rotating the output member to return the output member to the standby position when the output member rotated from the standby position does not return to the standby position in a preset set time and when the out-of-stock detection switch is turned to the first state in the set time.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2017Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: FIJU ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuhiko Fukuda, Hajime Erikawa, Yuji Tachi, Shirou Takeuchi, Tsutomu Iwako
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Patent number: 10255747Abstract: A product carry-out device of an automatic dispenser includes two sets of first stopper members and second stopper members corresponding to half-size products accommodated in two rows, a single driving device for driving the two sets of first stopper members and second stopper members, a link mechanism having link members corresponding to the first stopper members and second stopper members, a connection mechanism for connecting the single driving device and the link mechanism, and a switching device selectively connecting the connection mechanism and the link mechanism. The two sets of first stopper members and second stopper members are driven synchronously by connecting the connection mechanism and the link members. The connection mechanism and the one or another of the link members are separated from each other, thereby individually driving one or another of the two sets of first stopper members and second stopper members.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2016Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Tsutomu Iwako
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Patent number: 9818252Abstract: A product discharging device includes: a lower pedal that is swingably disposed in a base to move forward to and backward from a product storage passage storing input products in a vertical direction; an upper pedal that is swingably disposed in a base to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage in an area above the lower pedal; and a pedal link that links the lower pedal and the upper pedal. The upper pedal moves backward by causing the pedal link to move downward and the lower pedal moves forward to regulate downward movement of the product in a standby state, and the upper pedal moves forward to come in contact with a second lowest product and the lower pedal moves backward to discharge a lowest product downward by causing the pedal link to move upward, in an activated state.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Norio Nakajima, Yoshio Yasaka, Michihiko Makino, Tsutomu Iwako
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Publication number: 20170323512Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes an article discharging apparatus, which includes a base, an article storage passage storing articles, a lower pedal, and an upper pedal, an out-of-stock detection switch that is turned to a first state when the lower pedal is in a second standby position and that is turned to a second state when the lower pedal is in a position other than the second standby position; an output member putting the article discharging apparatus in the standby state and drives the article discharging apparatus when the output member rotates from the standby position; and a controller rotating the output member to return the output member to the standby position when the output member rotated from the standby position does not return to the standby position in a preset set time and when the out-of-stock detection switch is turned to the first state in the set time.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2017Publication date: November 9, 2017Inventors: Katsuhiko FUKUDA, Hajime ERIKAWA, Yuji TACHI, Shirou TAKEUCHI, Tsutomu IWAKO
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Patent number: 9811965Abstract: An article ejecting device of an automatic vending machine includes an article storage rack having an article storage passage for storing articles while being laid sideways, a base board forming one side of the article storage passage, a first stopper member movable between a protruding position in which the first stopper member protrudes toward the article storage passage and a retractable position in which the first stopper member is retracted from the article storage passage, a second stopper member movable between a protruding position in which the second stopper member protrudes toward the article storage passage and a retractable position in which the second stopper member is retracted from the article storage passage, and an outlet adjustment member forming another side of the article storage passage. The first stopper member includes an article placement surface having a holding portion holding the first vending article in a rolling manner.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2015Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Hajime Erikawa, Katsuhiko Fukuda, Tsutomu Iwako
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Patent number: 9710993Abstract: A product discharging device includes: a lower pedal that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from a product storage passage storing input products in a vertical direction; an upper pedal that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage in an area above the lower pedal; a pedal stopper pin that is coupled to a pedal link linking the lower pedal and the upper pedal and that is movable with movement in the vertical direction of the pedal link; and a rotation stopper of which a tip is linked to the lower pedal and that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage along with the lower pedal.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2016Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Michihiko Makino, Yoshio Yasaka, Norio Nakajima, Tsutomu Iwako
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Publication number: 20170161982Abstract: A product carry-out device of an automatic dispenser includes two sets of first stopper members and second stopper members corresponding to half-size products accommodated in two rows, a single driving device for driving the two sets of first stopper members and second stopper members, a link mechanism having link members corresponding to the first stopper members and second stopper members, a connection mechanism for connecting the single driving device and the link mechanism, and a switching device selectively connecting the connection mechanism and the link mechanism. The two sets of first stopper members and second stopper members are driven synchronously by connecting the connection mechanism and the link members. The connection mechanism and the one or another of the link members are separated from each other, thereby individually driving one or another of the two sets of first stopper members and second stopper members.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2016Publication date: June 8, 2017Inventor: Tsutomu IWAKO
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Publication number: 20160196710Abstract: A product discharging device includes: a lower pedal that is swingably disposed in a base to move forward to and backward from a product storage passage storing input products in a vertical direction; an upper pedal that is swingably disposed in a base to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage in an area above the lower pedal; and a pedal link that links the lower pedal and the upper pedal. The upper pedal moves backward by causing the pedal link to move downward and the lower pedal moves forward to regulate downward movement of the product in a standby state, and the upper pedal moves forward to come in contact with a second lowest product and the lower pedal moves backward to discharge a lowest product downward by causing the pedal link to move upward, in an activated state.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2016Publication date: July 7, 2016Inventors: Norio NAKAJIMA, Yoshio YASAKA, Michihiko MAKINO, Tsutomu IWAKO
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Publication number: 20160180630Abstract: A product discharging device includes: a lower pedal that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from a product storage passage storing input products in a vertical direction; an upper pedal that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage in an area above the lower pedal; a pedal stopper pin that is coupled to a pedal link linking the lower pedal and the upper pedal and that is movable with movement in the vertical direction of the pedal link; and a rotation stopper of which a tip is linked to the lower pedal and that is swingably disposed to move forward to and backward from the product storage passage along with the lower pedal,Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2016Publication date: June 23, 2016Inventors: Michihiko MAKINO, Yoshio YASAKA, Norio NAKAJIMA, Tsutomu IWAKO
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Publication number: 20160133083Abstract: An article ejecting device of an automatic vending machine includes an article storage rack having an article storage passage for storing articles while being laid sideways, a base board forming one side of the article storage passage, a first stopper member movable between a protruding position in which the first stopper member protrudes toward the article storage passage and a retractable position in which the first stopper member is retracted from the article storage passage, a second stopper member movable between a protruding position in which the second stopper member protrudes toward the article storage passage and a retractable position in which the second stopper member is retracted from the article storage passage, and an outlet adjustment member forming another side of the article storage passage. The first stopper member includes an article placement surface having a holding portion holding the first vending article in a rolling manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Inventors: Hajime ERIKAWA, Katsuhiko FUKUDA, Tsutomu IWAKO