JP2002230638A - Cup type automatic beverage vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cup type automatic beverage vending machine capable of detecting a cup moving in a vending stage using a single detecting sensor irrelevant to its moving position. SOLUTION: This automatic beverage vending machine is so constituted that a cup C containing beverage is disposed in the vending stage 11 inside a selling port 8 and a user of the vending machine takes out the beverage cup C through the selling port 8. This vending machine is provided with a detecting sensor 87 detecting the presence/absence of the disposition of the cup C relative to the vending stage 11 and confirming the take-out of the cup C. The detecting sensor 87 comprises a light emitting device 87a emitting a light and a light receiving device 87b receiving the emitted light. The devices 87a and 87b are distributed to the both sides in the direction heading to the side of the selling port 8 from the depth part in the vending stage 11 where the cup C is disposed, diagonally inclined in the direction, and disposed on a line crossing the direction line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for preparing a predetermined beverage by stirring and mixing various powdery or liquid raw materials such as coffee, cocoa, black tea or syrup and hot water or cold water in a cup. The present invention relates to a cup-type beverage vending machine for selling prepared beverages through a sales outlet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a cup beverage vending machine for cooking and selling various beverages in a cup, a cup holding unit for holding a cup in a box-shaped body having an open front surface, and the cup holding unit. A transport device for cyclically transporting to a predetermined position, a cup supply device for supplying cups of various sizes to the cup holding unit,
A raw material supply device for supplying various powder and liquid raw materials into the cup, a hot and cold water supply device for supplying hot water and water for melting and dilution into the cup, an ice particle supply device for supplying ice particles into the cup, A stirring device or the like for stirring the contents in the cup is provided.

[0003] A bend stage is provided at an open portion on the front of the fuselage, and a lateral opening type door is attached to one side edge of the front of the fuselage. A mouth is formed, and a cover door for opening and closing the mouth is provided at the sales outlet.

When a beverage is sold, the cup holding unit is first conveyed below the cup supplying device via the conveying device, and at this position, a cup of a predetermined size is discharged from the cup supplying device to the cup holding unit.

[0005] The cup holding unit holding the cup is conveyed below the raw material supply device, and at this position, a predetermined raw material is supplied into the cup. Thereafter, the cup is transported to the inside of the bend stage via the cup holding unit, and at this position, hot water,
Cold water or the like is supplied, and the contents in the cup are stirred and mixed by the stirring device, whereby a predetermined beverage is cooked. Then, the user of the vending machine inserts his hand into the vending machine and takes out the cup.

[0006] The stirring device for stirring the contents in the cup,
It is located at the back of the bend stage, so that the contents in the cup are agitated at this position. When the contents are agitated and the cooking is completed, the cup is disposed at the back of the bend stage, which makes it difficult to remove the cup.

Therefore, in recent years, a technique has been proposed in which after the stirring of the contents has been completed, the cup is moved to the front side of the bend stage so as to be close to the sales outlet so that the cup can be easily taken out. .

In the bend stage, there is provided a detection sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the cup with respect to the bend stage. When the stirring operation is completed and the cup is taken out from the bend stage, this is detected by the detection sensor. Then, the removal is confirmed, and after the confirmation, the operation of returning the cup holding unit to the predetermined start position, for example, starts.

The cup placed on the bend stage is
As described above, it is necessary to move from the position at the back to the position at the front, so that it can be detected even when the cup is located at any of the positions.

For this reason, in the prior art, the first and second
The first detection sensor detects the cup when the cup is disposed at a position at the back of the bend stage, and the second detection sensor when the cup is disposed at a position at the front of the bend stage. The detection sensor detects the cup so that the cup can be detected at any position.

[0011]

However, such means using two sets of sensors have a complicated structure and high cost, and the use of two sets of detection sensors also requires complicated wiring processing and control circuits. turn into.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to detect a cup moving in a bend stage by using a single detection sensor regardless of its movement position. It is to provide a cup-type beverage vending machine which can be used.

[0013]

To achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a cup containing a beverage is arranged in a bend stage inside a sales outlet, and the cup containing the beverage is automatically placed. In a beverage vending machine of a type in which a user of a vending machine takes out through the vending port, the vending machine includes a detecting means for detecting presence / absence of a cup with respect to the inside of a bend stage and confirming removal of the cup. And one element that receives the emitted light, and these elements are distributed to both sides in the direction from the back part inside the bend stage where the cup is arranged toward the sales port side, and in that direction. It is characterized by being disposed obliquely on a line intersecting the direction line.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a beverage material or the like is supplied into the cup, and the contents in the cup are stirred by a stirrer at a position on the inner side of the bend stage inside the sales outlet. The present invention is characterized in that the detection means detects the presence or absence of a cup in the bend stage and confirms the removal.

In the invention according to claim 3, there is provided transfer means for moving a cup containing a drink, which is disposed in a deep portion of the bend stage inside the sales port, from the deep portion to a front portion of the bend stage approaching the sales port, It is characterized in that the detection means detects the presence or absence of a cup in the bend stage and confirms removal thereof.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, an automatic opening / closing type cover door is provided at the sales outlet, and the cup in the bend stage inside the sales outlet is taken out from a state where the cover door is opened. After being confirmed by the detection means, the cover door is automatically closed.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the external appearance of the vending machine, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the internal configuration of the vending machine, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the internal configuration of the vending machine.

The body 1 of the vending machine has a box shape with an open front, and an opening / closing door 3 is rotatably mounted on one side edge of the body 1 via a hinge 2 for example. The opening of the front of the body 1 is opened and closed by the opening and closing door 3.

On the front face of the opening / closing door 3, an insertion slot 4 for inserting coins for purchase, an insertion slot 5 for inserting bills, a return slot 6 for returning the change, and a plurality of types for selecting the type and contents of the beverage to be purchased. , A sales outlet 8 for taking out a purchased cup-containing beverage, a transparent cover door 9 for opening and closing the sales outlet 8, and the like.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a column 10 extending substantially vertically extends from the ceiling to the bottom plate of the body 1 at a portion located closer to the center from the right side of the body 1 as shown in FIGS. It is erected across. And this pillar 1
A bend stage 11 is attached to a substantially middle part above and below zero. The bend stage 11 is mounted on the left side of the support post 10, and the sales outlet 8 is arranged at the front end of the bend stage 11 with the opening and closing door 3 closed.

Inside the fuselage 1, a plurality of canisters 12 are provided side by side in the upper part on the left side of the column 10 as a boundary. Various powder materials such as coffee, cocoa, tea, sugar, and cream are stored in each canister 12, respectively.

Further, in the space below the front side of each canister 12, there is provided a cup holding unit 13 and a transfer device 14 for cyclically transferring the cup holding unit 13 to each position in a horizontal XY direction area. ing.

As shown in FIG. 5, the transfer device 14
The movable rail 16 includes a pair of fixed rails 15 extending in the left-right direction of the body 1, and a movable rail 16 spanned between the fixed rails 15 and moved along the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the fixed rail 15. Cup holding unit 1 on
3 is provided, and the cup holding unit 13 moves along the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the movable rail 16.

The cup holding unit 13 has a case 30 containing a driving device (not shown).
Pair of hand arms 31 and cup stage 3 from the front of
When the cup protrudes and the cup is supplied from above the hand arm 31, the bottom of the cup is supported by the cup stage 32, and the pair of hand arms 31 is opened and closed right and left by the driving device. Then, both sides of the upper portion of the cup are sandwiched and held.

A cup supply device 36 is attached to the upper portion of the support 10 via a hinge 35, and a number of cups of various sizes are stored in the cup supply device 36. The cup supply device 36 is supported so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis with the hinge 35 as a fulcrum. In addition,
A plurality of canisters 37 are attached to the back of the cup supply device 36, and a powder material is stored in the canisters 37.

As shown in FIG. 2, a drain pan 38 is provided horizontally below the transfer device 14, and a cooling water tank 39 is provided below the drain pan 38. A syrup tank 40 is provided in the cooling water tank 39. The syrup tank 40 contains a syrup stock solution.
Further, a carbon dioxide cylinder 42 is installed inside the open portion on the front surface of the body 1.

An ice maker 45 for producing ice particles is provided substantially at the center of the upper part of the body 1 at the back, and a hot water tank 46 is provided at the right end of the body 1 at the back. Further, a regular coffee production device 48 is provided in a space on the right side of the support 10 in the body 1.

This regular coffee production apparatus 48
Is composed of a pair of canisters 49, a coffee mill 50 disposed below the canisters 49, and a brewer 51 disposed below the coffee mills 50. Each of the canisters 49 accommodates different types of coffee beans. Have been. Then, based on a predetermined signal, the coffee beans in one of the canisters 49 are supplied into the coffee mill 50 via the chute 52, and the coffee mill 50 grinds the coffee beans into ground powder. Is supplied into the brewer 51.

Further, hot water is supplied from the hot water tank 46 into the brewer 51, and the ground water is brewed into coffee liquid by the hot water, and the coffee liquid is extracted through a paper filter 53.

The paper filter 53 is wound in a roll shape, and is used by being drawn out by a necessary length sequentially, and the used portion is sequentially discarded in a bucket 54 arranged below the brewer 51. It is supposed to be.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the bend stage 11 attached to the column 10 has a box shape having open front and rear surfaces, and the bottom plate 58 of the bend stage 11 allows the cup holding unit 13 to enter. A notch portion 59 that can be formed is formed.

A stirrer 60 is attached to the column 10 so as to be disposed above the back of the bend stage 11. This stirring device 60 has a case 61 with an open lower end.
And a first motor 62 provided in the case 61.
An endless belt 63 that rotates by being driven by the first motor 62, a second motor 64 that moves up and down in conjunction with the endless belt 63, and a vertical motor that is attached to the second motor 64. Long impeller shaft 6
5 and an impeller 66 integrally provided at the lower end of the impeller shaft 65. The case 61 is attached to the side surface of the support 10 via a plurality of screws 67.

At the lower end of the case 61, a nozzle mounting plate 69 is provided.
And an ice hopper 70 are attached. A supply port 71 is formed on a side surface of the ice hopper 70, and a hose 72 led out from the ice maker 45 is connected to the supply port 71.

The lower end of the ice hopper 70 protrudes from the upper surface of the bend stage 11 to the inside thereof. It faces the opening at the lower end.

The impeller shaft 65 of the stirring device 60
Is lowered integrally with the second motor 64, the impeller 66 at the lower end thereof passes through the inside of the ice hopper 70 and enters the cup C arranged on the bend stage 11, and the impeller 66 The rotation is driven by the second motor 64, and the content in the cup C is agitated by this rotation.

A hot water nozzle 77 connected to the hot water tank 46 via a hose 76 is connected to the nozzle mounting plate 69.
A cold water nozzle 79 communicating with a water source (not shown) via a hose 78, and a hose 80 connected to the syrup tank 40.
And a coffee nozzle 83 communicating with the brewer 51 via a hose 82.
Are attached to the agitator 60 so as to be disposed on the outer periphery of the impeller 66 as a center.

As shown in FIG. 6, the bend stage 11 is provided with a photoelectric detection sensor 87 for detecting the presence or absence of the cup C in the bend stage 11. The photoelectric detection sensor 87 includes, for example, a light emitting element 87a that emits infrared light and a light receiving element 87b that receives the infrared light.

One light-emitting element 87a is provided on one side of the inside of the bend stage 11 on the back side, and the other light-receiving element 8a
7b is disposed on the other side of the front side in the bend stage 11, and due to this arrangement, infrared rays as light rays emitted from the light emitting elements 87a are oblique to the moving direction of the cup C moving in the bend stage 11. And enters the light receiving element 87b.

Next, the operation of the beverage vending machine will be described. When the drink is on standby for sale, the cup holding unit 13 is arranged at a predetermined start position, for example, behind the bend stage 11. When the user of the vending machine selects and operates the selection button 7 corresponding to the desired beverage, the cup holding unit 13 is moved from the start position via the transfer device 14 to the cup supply device 3.
6, and a cup C of a predetermined size is supplied from the cup supply device 36 to the cup holding unit 13 at this position, and the cup C is supported on the cup stage 32 and The upper and lower sides of the hand arm 31 are sandwiched and held.

If, for example, hot coffee is selected as a beverage, the cup holding unit 13 is transported to a position below the canister 12 in which the powdered coffee material is stored. Is supplied with a coffee powder material. Thereafter, the cup holding unit 13 is moved to the bend stage 11.
The cup C transported to the bend position behind and held by the hand arm 31 moves the bend stage 11
It is arranged in the inner part, that is, below the stirring device 60.

A cup C is provided at the back of the bend stage 11.
Is disposed, the light emitting element 87a of the detection sensor 87
The light emitted toward the light receiving element 87b is blocked by the cup C, whereby the arrangement of the cup C with respect to the bend stage 11 is detected.

A cup C is provided at the back of the bend stage 11.
Is placed in the cup C, a predetermined amount of hot water is injected from the hot water tank 46 through the hot water nozzle 77, and subsequently, the first motor 62 of the stirring device 60 is driven to lower the impeller shaft 65. The impeller 66 at the lower end thereof enters the cup C, and the impeller 66 is rotated by the driving of the second motor 64, whereby the contents in the cup C are stirred, and the hot coffee is cooked. Then, the impeller shaft 65 rises and returns to the initial position.

When iced coffee is selected as the beverage, the powdered coffee material is supplied into the cup C, and after the cup C is disposed in the back of the bend stage 11, the coffee A small amount of hot water necessary for dissolving the powder material is injected from the hot water tank 46 through a hot water nozzle 77. Subsequently, the stirring device 60
The impeller shaft 65 descends, the impeller 66 at the lower end thereof enters the cup C, and the rotation of the impeller 66 stirs the contents in the cup C.

Further, during the stirring, cold water is injected into the cup C through the cold water nozzle 79, and ice particles are supplied from the ice maker 45 through the ice hopper 70. And these contents are stirred by the impeller 66,
The ice coffee is cooked by this stirring, and thereafter, the impeller shaft 65 rises and returns to the initial position.

When a carbonated syrup beverage is selected as the beverage, for example, after the cup holding unit 13 holds the cup C in the cup C receiving position, the cup holding unit 13 is moved to the bend position together with the cup C. Returning, the cup C is disposed inside the bend stage 11 at the back.

Then, the syrup tank 4 is placed in the cup C.
A predetermined amount of the syrup stock solution is injected from 0 through the syrup nozzle 81, and cold water is injected through the cold water nozzle 79, or carbonated water generated based on carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide cylinder 41 is injected through the cold water nozzle 79, and Ice particles are supplied from the ice maker 45 through the ice hopper 70. Next, the contents in the cup C are stirred by the impeller 66, and the syrup beverage is cooked by this stirring,
Thereafter, the impeller shaft 65 rises and returns to the initial position.

As described above, various beverages are cooked. After the cooking, that is, after the stirring of the contents in the cup C is completed and the impeller shaft 65 is raised and returned to the initial position, the cup holding unit 13 is moved. Move forward as indicated by a chain line in FIG. 6, and the cup C held by the hand arm 31 is transferred to the front part of the bend stage 11 approaching the sales outlet 8.

Thus, the cup C is in the bend stage 1
Although the cup C is transferred from the back to the front, the cup C is detected by the detection sensor 87 regardless of the position of the cup C at any position during the movement.

That is, the light emitting element 87 of the detection sensor 87
a and the light-receiving element 87b are separately provided on both sides of the bend stage 11, and the light-emitting element 87a and the light-receiving element 87b are obliquely inclined with respect to the moving direction of the cup C moving in the bend stage 11. The cup C is disposed at any position in the moving direction because the emitted light from the light emitting element 87a travels in a direction obliquely inclined with respect to the moving direction of the cup C because the emitted light from the light emitting element 87a travels obliquely to the moving direction of the cup C. In this case, the emitted light is blocked by the cup C, and the detection is achieved.

In such a state, the user of the vending machine opens the cover door 9 and takes out the cup C arranged at the front part of the bend stage 11 through the sales opening 8. At this time, since the cup C is arranged near the sales port 8, it can be easily taken out.

When the cup C is taken out of the bend stage 11, the light emitted from the light emitting element 87a of the detection sensor 87 is incident on the light receiving element 87b, whereby the taking out of the cup C is detected. For example, the cup holding unit 13 moves behind the bend stage 11, returns to the initial start position, and waits for the next selling operation.

As described above, the bend stage 1 is placed between the end of the cooking and the time when the cup C is taken out.
Although it moves within 1, the single detection sensor 87 can detect the presence or absence of the cup C with respect to the inside of the bend stage 11 irrespective of the movement, thus simplifying the configuration and reducing the cost. In addition, a single detection sensor 8
7, the wiring process is easy, and the control circuit can have a simple configuration.

When the cup C moves inside the bend stage 11, the cover door 9 of the sales outlet 8 can be automatically opened in parallel with the operation. In this case, Since the cover door 9 is opened during the moving operation of the cup C, the cup C can be promptly saved without wasting time.
You can sell beverages inside.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the bend stage 11.
And a modification of the cup holding unit 13 are shown.
In this case, the bend stage 11 has a cup transfer device 90 on the inner bottom.

The cup transfer device 90 has a drive shaft 91 and a driven shaft 92 which are spaced apart from each other and run in parallel. Sprockets 93 are attached to both ends of the drive shaft 91 and the driven shaft 92, respectively. Endless belts 94 are stretched between the sprocket 93 of the shaft 91 and the sprocket 93 of the driven shaft 92, respectively.

A large number of pins 95 are installed in parallel between the one belt 94 and the other belt 94 at a constant pitch, and form a saw-like shape on which the cup C can be placed. An endless transport belt 96 is configured.

The drive shaft 91 is connected to an output shaft of a geared motor 98, and the driving of the geared motor 98 causes a conveyor belt 96 having a shape of a blade to circulate between a pair of rollers 93.

On the other hand, the cup holding unit 13 is transported by the transport mechanism so that the bend stage 11
To be placed on top of The pair of hand arms 31 in the cup holding unit 13 are supported via support shafts 101 and 102, respectively, and are opened and closed by rotating about the support shafts 101 and 102, respectively. Release is being performed.

A geared motor 103 is provided on the side of the cup holding unit 13.
A pinion gear 105 is attached to the output shaft of the first arm, and a pinion gear 106 is attached to the support shaft 101 of the one hand arm 31.
A rack 107 is provided between the reference numerals 06. Further, the support shaft 102 of the other hand arm 31 is provided with a spring 108 for elastically biasing the hand arm 31 in the closing direction.

Each hand arm 31 has an interlocking plate 1
10, 111 are provided. The other hand arm 3
1 is elastically urged in the closing direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 8) by the spring 108, and the interlocking plate 111 of the other hand arm 31 comes into contact with the interlocking plate 111 of the one hand arm 31 by this urging force. ing.

When the geared motor 103 is driven to rotate the pinion gear 105 forward and backward, the rack 107 is rotated.
Reciprocates, and the reciprocal movement of the rack 107 causes one of the hand arms 31 via the pinion gear 106 to move the support shaft 10.
1 and the operation is transmitted to the other hand arm 31 via the interlocking plates 110 and 111, and the other hand arm 31 is connected to the one hand arm 31 around the support shaft 102. Rotating in the forward and reverse directions in synchronization, the pair of hand arms 31 open and close with each other.

In the bend stage 11, a photoelectric detection sensor 87 for detecting the presence or absence of the cup C in the bend stage 11 is provided as in the case described above. That is, the light emitting element 87a and the light receiving element 87b of the detection sensor 87 are distributed to both sides of the bend stage 11 and move within the bend stage 11.
Is provided so as to be obliquely inclined with respect to the moving direction and to be disposed on a line intersecting the moving direction.

When the beverage is sold, the cup holding unit 1
The cup C is supplied to the vending machine 3, and the cup C goes around the inside of the vending machine integrally with the cup holding unit 13 to receive the raw material therein. Then, the cup C is disposed at a position at the back of the bend stage 11.

At this position, for example, hot water is poured into the cup C, the contents in the cup C are stirred by the stirring device, and a predetermined beverage is cooked. After this cooking, the pair of hand arms 31 are moved. When opened, the cup C falls downward by its own weight and is placed on the transport belt 96 of the transfer device 90.

Thereafter, the transfer device 90 is driven, and the conveyor belt 96 runs to move the cup C to the bend stage 11.
It is transported from the inside to the front. Then, the user of the vending machine opens the cover door 9 and takes out the cup C transferred to the front part of the bend stage 11 through the sales opening 8.

When the cup C is placed in the bend stage 11, this is detected by the detection sensor 87.
Also in this case, one of the light emitting elements 87a of the detection sensor 87 is disposed on one side on the back side in the bend stage 11, and the other light receiving element 87b is connected to the bend stage 1
1, the cup C
Moves from the back part to the front part in the bend stage 11 to detect the cup C at any position.

When the cup C is taken out of the bend stage 11, the light emitted from the light emitting element 87a of the detection sensor 87 is incident on the light receiving element 87b, whereby the taking out of the cup C is detected. For example, the cup holding unit 13 moves behind the bend stage 11, returns to the initial start position, and waits for the next selling operation.

FIG. 9 shows a further modification of the bend stage 11. In this modification, a water tank 114 is provided at the inner bottom of the bend stage 11, and the cleaning liquid is contained in the water tank 114. And this aquarium 1
A roller 115 is provided in the roller 14, and a part of the transport belt 96 of the transfer device 90 is wound around the roller 115. A drain pipe 116 is provided on the bottom surface of the water tank 114, and a water stop valve 117 is provided in the middle of the drain pipe 116.

In such a configuration, the transport belt 9
6 is immersed in the cleaning liquid in the water tank 114 in accordance with the traveling of 6. Although the beverage scattered from inside the cup C adheres to the conveyor belt 96 and becomes dirty, the dirt is washed away by immersing the conveyor belt 96 in the cleaning liquid.
Keep it clean.

The conveyor belt 96 is driven intermittently every time the beverage is sold, and a part of the section is immersed in the cleaning liquid. The conveyor belt 96 may be driven to sequentially immerse the entire length section of the conveyor belt in the cleaning liquid. In this case, the conveyor belt 96 can be cleaned more cleanly and kept clean.

In the above-described embodiment, the cup supplied from the cup supply device is transported around the inside of the machine by the transport mechanism, and during this transport, powdery raw materials such as coffee are sequentially received in the cup, and the cup is sold. The vending machine of the type in which the beverage is cooked by disposing it in a bend stage inside the mouth, injecting hot water or the like at this position, and stirring the contents in the cup by a stirring device has been described. However, the contents in the cup are agitated at the position in the middle of the conveyance of the cup, and the beverage is cooked.The cup is not circulated and the cup is directly introduced into the bend stage from the cup supply device, and the powder is poured into the cup. A beverage cooking section such as a mixing bowl or the like is provided in which a raw material or boiling water is supplied and stirred to prepare a beverage, or a vending machine is provided with a beverage cooking section such as a mixing bowl. The present invention is similarly applied to a vending machine of a type in which a powdered raw material, boiling water, or the like is supplied to a part, and the beverage is cooked by stirring, and the beverage is supplied into a cup previously charged in a bend stage. Can be.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the beverage-containing cup disposed at the back of the bend stage is automatically transferred by the transfer means to the front side of the bend stage approaching the sales outlet. Even if the vending machine user inserts his / her hand into the vending machine and places the cup at the back of the bend stage in the vending machine without transferring the vending machine, the cup is moved to the vending machine with the hand and the vending machine is taken out. Good.

In this case, for example, an automatic opening / closing type cover door is provided at the sales outlet, and when the cup containing the beverage is placed on the bend stage, the cover door is automatically opened, and the removal of the cup is confirmed by the detecting means. After that, the cover door may be automatically closed.

However, also in this case, one element for emitting light and one element for receiving the emitted light are used as detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the cup and confirming the removal of the cup. These elements are distributed to both sides in the direction from the depth inside the bend stage where the cup is arranged toward the sales outlet side, and are arranged on a line obliquely inclined to the direction and intersecting the direction line.

In the case of such a vending machine in which a vending stage is provided with an automatic opening / closing cover door, and a user inserts his / her hand into the vending stage to take out a cup disposed at the back of the bend stage, the When the cup is detected by the detection means immediately when the cup at the back of the bend stage is gripped and moved by the hand, the closing operation of the cover door is started in response thereto, and the user of the vending machine is operated. Will be confused.

However, the detecting means according to the present invention comprises one element for emitting light and one element for receiving the emitted light, and these elements are located on both sides in the direction from the back of the bend stage toward the sales outlet. Is distributed to
In addition, since it is configured so that it is arranged diagonally to the direction and intersects with the direction line, grasp the cup at the back of the bend stage by hand and move this cup within the range of the bend stage Regardless of the position, the presence of the cup is detected as it is, that is, the removal is not detected until the cup is completely removed from the sales outlet, so that the cover door does not close and the inside of the bend stage Even if the operation of taking out the cup at the time of the operation is slow, the closing operation of the cover door does not start, and the cup can be taken out with confidence.

[0077]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Regardless of the moving position of the cup moving within the bend stage, the cup can be detected by a single detection sensor, and confirmation when the cup is taken out can be accurately achieved. Since only a single detection sensor needs to be used, the configuration can be simplified, the cost can be reduced, and the wiring processing can be easily performed, and the control circuit can have a simple configuration.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the internal structure of the vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the vending machine.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a bend stage and a stirring device in the vending machine.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a transport device in the vending machine.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state where a cup is arranged on a bend stage of the vending machine.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a modified example of the bend stage and the cup holding unit.

FIG. 8 is a side plan view showing a modified example of the bend stage and the cup holding unit.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing another modification of the bend stage.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Machine body 8 ... Sales outlet 9 ... Cover door 11 ... Bend stage 13 ... Cup holding unit 14 ... Transport device 32 ... Cup stage 87 ... Detection sensor 87a ... Light emitting element 87b ... Light receiving element C ... Cup

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Ako 180 Furuichi-cho, Maebashi-shi, Gunma F-term in Toshiba Equipment Co., Ltd. (reference) 3E044 AA01 BA01 BA02 CA02 CC01 DB05 FB03 FB05 FB09 FB17 3E047 AA01 AA02 BA01 BA03 BA04 CA06 CC03 DA03 DB08 EA01 EA08 EA10 EB01 EB03 ED02 ED03 ED05 FA01 FA04 FA07 GA03 GA04 GA06 GA08

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A beverage vending machine of a type in which a cup containing a drink is arranged in a bend stage inside a sales port, and a user of the vending machine takes out the cup containing the drink through the sales port. Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the cup with respect to the inside and confirming the removal of the cup, the detecting means comprises one element for emitting light and one element for receiving the emitted light, and these The elements are distributed on both sides in the direction from the depth inside the bend stage where the cup is placed toward the sales outlet side, and are arranged on a line that is oblique to the direction and intersects the direction line A cup-type beverage vending machine characterized by the following. 2. A beverage preparation means for supplying a beverage material or the like into a cup, and stirring the contents in the cup at a position on the inner side of a bend stage inside a sales outlet by a stirring device to cook the beverage. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the detection means detects the presence or absence of a cup in the bend stage and confirms the removal. 3. A bend stage disposed inside a bend stage inside a sales port, the transfer means for moving a cup containing a beverage from the deep portion to a front portion of the bend stage approaching the sales port, and the detecting means detects the bend stage. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the presence or absence of a cup is detected to confirm the removal. An automatic opening / closing type cover door is provided at the sales outlet, and the cup in the bend stage inside the sales outlet is taken out from a state where the cover door is opened, and the removal is confirmed by the detecting means. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the cover door is automatically closed later.