JP2003072900A - Self-service filling station system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a self-service filling station system that prevents changes from being double-dispensed. SOLUTION: The self-service filling station system has one change-dispenser for a plurality of oil feed devices and controls change dispensation by a control device. The self-service filling station system is provided with a bill issuing means that issues a bill 2 for each oil feed device. The change dispenser has a recovering part that recovers a paid bill 2 and prevents the bill 2 from being given to a customer. After the bill 2 is paid, the bill 2 is recovered in the recovering part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-service gas station system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a self-service gas station system, a system provided with a change issuing machine for refunding change has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-237697). In such a system, the bar code printed on the refueling slip is read by the change issuing machine to refund the change.

[0003]

However, since the refueling slip remains in the customer's hand even after the change is paid, the paid refueling slip may be misused. For example, if you show a paid refueling voucher and claim that you have not received the change payment, or if a third party picks up the paid refueling voucher and is required to pay the change, you will need to pay the change double. There is a risk.

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a self-service gas station system which can prevent double payment of change.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the self-service type gas station system of the first aspect of the present invention, when the change according to the slip is paid from the refund means, pays the slip. It is characterized in that it is collected in the collecting unit.

On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the present invention, when change corresponding to a slip is paid from the refund means, the processing means performs a predetermined processing on the slip and the processed slip is discharged from the discharging means. The feature is that it can be returned to the customer.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A and FIGS. 2 to 9 show the first embodiment. Overall Configuration: As shown in FIG. 1A, a self-service type gas station system includes, for example, one management device 20, a change issuing machine 30, and a plurality of fuel supply devices 10i. The refueling device 10i is connected to the management device 20 via an interface (not shown). The change issuing machine 30 is connected to the management device 20. As will be described later, the customer puts money into the fuel supply device 10i and then refuels the fuel, and receives a receipt or a change voucher from the fuel supply device 10i after the refueling. When the change is refunded, the change exchange ticket is inserted into the change issuing machine 30 and the change is refunded.

Refueling device: As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the refueling device 10i mainly refuels and issues a slip, and includes a refueling microcomputer 11. The refueling microcomputer 11 has a touch screen 12,
Currency identification means 13, card reader 14, slip issuing means 1
5 and refueling control means 16 are connected via an interface (not shown).

The refueling microcomputer 11 controls each of the devices connected to the refueling microcomputer 11 and performs various calculations, and includes a first CPU 11a, a first storage section 11b, and a timer 11c for measuring time. .

The touch screen 12 is, for example,
It is equipped with a liquid crystal display device, constitutes display means for displaying various information, and, as will be described later, by touching the display surface, the customer can change the refueling amount or refueling amount, the type of oil, etc. The refueling information input means is configured to input refueling schedule information. The currency identification means 13
Is for identifying the currency inserted from the currency insertion port 13a for refueling, and determines the type and number (number) of currency. The card reader 14 reads and writes a prepaid card.

The refueling control means 16 includes, for example,
The refueling machine 17 is connected to the oil types “regular”, “high-octane” and “light oil”. Refueling nozzles 18 are connected to the fuel fillers 17, respectively. Refueling control means 1
Reference numeral 6 controls the refueling machine 17. As will be described later, refueling is performed from a refueling nozzle 18 of a predetermined oil type according to the refueling schedule information, and the refueling amount is counted.

Each time the refueling is performed, the refueling microcomputer 11 causes the date, time, refueling amount, oil type,
The slip amount (identification information) is attached to the input amount, the purchase amount, the change information (change information to be paid), etc., and the refueling information is transmitted to the management device 20.

The slip issuing means 15 is equipped with, for example, a thermal printer and a cutter. The slip issuing means 15 issues the receipt 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The receipt 1 contains the issue date, time, slip number,
The refueling information including the refueling amount, the oil type, the purchase amount, the input amount, and the change is printed. Further, the slip issuing means 15
If there is "change", the change voucher 2 shown in FIG. 3B is issued. The change voucher 2 has a slip N
o., date, time, input amount, purchase amount, change amount, bar code 2b, etc. are printed. As the print content of the bar code 2b, the slip number, the date, and the time, which are identification information for distinguishing from another change voucher 2, are printed. As shown in FIG. 3, receipt 1 and change voucher 2
Is issued in a detached state. Note that FIG. 1 (b)
As shown in, the touch screen 12 and the currency identification means 1
3, one or more elements of the card reader 14 and the slip issuing means 15 may be provided for each refueling device 10Ai, and may be provided as a structure separately from the refueling device 10Ai.

Management device: The management device 20 shown in FIG. 5A is for managing change issuance and the like, as will be described later, and is composed of, for example, a personal computer 21. The personal computer 21 includes a second CPU 21a and a second storage unit 2
It is equipped with 1c. The second CPU 21a is provided with a withdrawal control means 21b described later, and is also provided with a refueling mode for storing the refueling information from the refueling device 10i in the second storage section 21c, and a change withdrawal mode described later. The second CPU 21a is set so that both modes can be processed in parallel (multitasking).

As shown in FIG. 5B, the issued change voucher 2 is stored in the storage area of the second storage section 21c.
For each slip number, the date, time, refueling amount, oil type, input amount, purchase amount, change information, and withdrawal flag are stored in association with each other. When the refueling information is transmitted from the refueling device 10i in the refueling mode, the refueling information is stored in the storage field of the second storage section 21c.

Change issuing machine: A change issuing machine 30 shown in FIG. 6 (a) is mainly for refunding change and is provided with a change issuing microcomputer 31. A payout means (change counter) 33, an intercom 34, a display unit 35, a reading device 40, etc. are connected to the change issuing microcomputer 31 via an interface (not shown). The change issuing microcomputer 31 controls each device connected to the change issuing microcomputer 31 and performs various calculations, and includes a third CPU 31a and a third storage unit 31b.

As shown in FIG. 7, the reading device 40 includes:
It is provided in the main body of the change issuing machine 30 and has a feeding device 4
3 and a bar code reader 45. The feeding device 43 includes a motor 41 and a pair of upper and lower drive belts 42 driven by the motor 41, and an upstream portion of the drive belt 42 is an inlet 32 (FIG. 6) formed in the main body of the change issuing machine 30. (B)) It is provided in the vicinity.
When the change voucher 2 is inserted from the input port 32,
The feeder 43 conveys the change voucher 2, and the bar code reader 45 reads the slip number from the bar code printed on the change voucher 2. The third CPU 31a uses the slip N
is transmitted to the management device 20. On the other hand, after the reading, the change voucher 2 is sent to the downstream side, discharged to the lower collecting section 47, and collected.

The second of the management device 20 shown in FIG.
Upon receiving the slip number, the CPU 21a starts the refund mode. When the withdrawal mode is started, the withdrawal control means 21b reads out the change information corresponding to the slip number from the second storage section 21c and outputs it to the change issuing machine 30 as a withdrawal signal for returning the change, and the change is actually sent. Issued to the change change microcomputer 3
When the refund completion signal is received from 1, the refund completion flag is stored in the refund flag associated with the slip number in the second storage unit 21c (a flag is set).

The withdrawal means 33 of FIG. 6 (a) has a function of confirming and counting money types and a withdrawal function. When the change issuing microcomputer 31 receives a withdrawal signal from the management device 20, the withdrawal signal is sent based on the withdrawal signal. Change of a predetermined amount,
A refund is made from the payout port 33a shown in FIG. The display unit 3
In 5, for example, the amount of change and the like are displayed.

Refueling Method: Next, the refueling method will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. After the system is started, when the customer inserts money into the money insertion port 13a of the refueling device 10i, the currency identification means 13
Counts the amount of money to be inserted and proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the customer inputs refueling schedule information such as oil type, refueling amount, and refueling amount according to the display on the touch screen 12, and proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, when the predetermined refueling nozzle 18 selected by the customer is inserted into the refueling port of the vehicle and a predetermined operation is performed, the refueling control means 16 follows the refueling schedule information from the refueling nozzle 18 of the oil type. While refueling a predetermined amount, the refueling control means 16 counts the refueling amount and proceeds to step S13. In step S13, the refueling microcomputer 11 calculates the purchase amount from the refueling amount and subtracts the purchase amount from the input amount to calculate change information, and proceeds to step S14. In step S14,
Date, time, refueling amount, oil type, input amount,
A slip number is attached to the purchase amount and change information, and the information is sent to the management device 20 as refueling information, and the process proceeds to step S15.

On the other hand, the management device 20 is a refueling device 10i.
When the refueling information is received from, the second CPU 21a stores the refueling information in the storage field of the second storage unit 21c.

If it is necessary to refund the change in step S15, the process proceeds to step S16. On the other hand, if there is no need to refund the change, the process proceeds to step S17. In step S16, the slip issuing means 15 issues the receipt 1 and the change voucher 2 shown in FIG.
Return to 0. In step S17, the slip issuing means 15
Only the receipt 1 shown in FIG. 4 is issued from step S1.
Return to 0. It should be noted that FIG. 4 shows the receipt 1 when the prepaid card is used, but both the card and the cash can be used at the same time.

Refunding Method of Change: Next, a method of refunding change will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
After the system starts, in step S20, as shown in FIG.
When the customer inserts the change voucher 2 (FIG. 3B) into the insertion slot 32 shown in (b), the process proceeds to step S21.

In step S21, the bar code reader 45 of the reading device 40 causes the bar code 2 of the change coupon 2 to be read.
The slip number is read from b and the process proceeds to step S22. In step S22, the slip number is transmitted to the management device 20 and the process proceeds to step S23. When the bar code 2b of the change voucher 2 is unreadable, the feeder 43 in FIG. 7 is reversed to eject the change voucher 2 from the slot 32.

When the management device 20 receives the slip number from the change issuing machine 30, the refund mode is started. When the withdrawal mode starts, the withdrawal control means 2
1b reads out the change information associated with the slip number from the second storage unit 21c, and outputs a withdrawal signal for returning the change to the change issuing machine 30.

In step S23, when the change issuing machine 30 receives the withdrawal signal from the management device 20, the process proceeds to step S24. In step S24, the third CPU 31
a causes the withdrawal means 33 to pay the change based on the withdrawal signal, and outputs a completion signal to the management device 20, and step S
Go to 25. When the payout control unit 21b receives the completion signal, it sets a payout flag in the second storage unit 21c.
In step S25, the feeding device 43 shown in FIG. 7 ejects the change voucher 2 to the collecting portion 47 and collects it.
Return to 0.

As described above, when the change money corresponding to the change coupon 2 is paid, the change coupon 2 is collected in the collecting section 47 so as not to be delivered to the customer. There is no fear of Further, when trouble occurs in the change payment, the collected change voucher 2 can be taken out from the collecting unit 47 and confirmed. Furthermore, since the change voucher 2 is printed on the roll paper, the last part of the roll paper is curled due to curl, so the barcode can be recognized by the conventional method of holding the barcode reader over the barcode. Hateful. On the other hand, according to the present invention, the change voucher 2 is straightened and rolled in through a narrow gap between the pair of upper and lower drive belts 42, and thus reading failure is unlikely to occur.

In addition, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG.
As shown in 0 (a), the change issuing machine 30 may be separately provided with a receipt issuing device 50 including, for example, a thermal printer and a cutter. If there is change at the time of refueling, step S16 of the flowchart shown in FIG.
At, the refueling device 10i issues only the change voucher 2 shown in FIG. 10 (b). At the time of change payment, the change voucher 2 may be collected and the receipt 1 shown in FIG. 10C may be issued from the receipt issuing device 50 in step S25 of the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, the change voucher 2 may be collected, and instead of the change voucher 2, the receipt 1 printed with a charge corresponding to the amount of refueling corresponding to the change voucher 2 may be issued.

In the second and third embodiments described below, only the receipt is issued from the oil supply device. Second Embodiment: FIG. 11 shows a second embodiment. Figure 11
In (a), the reading device 40B is provided with a feeding device 43 and a bar code reader 45 together with a cutter (processing means) 46.
Is equipped with.

If there is a change at the time of refueling, FIG.
As shown in (b), the barcode 1b is printed on the receipt 1B together with the refueling information. As the print content of the barcode 1b, the slip number is printed. At the time of payment of change, if the receipt 1B is inserted into the input port 32 of the change issuing machine 30, the change is paid based on the barcode 1b and the barcode 1b is provided by the cutter 46.
The portion marked with is cut and removed, and is collected by the collecting unit 47. After that, the feeding device 43 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the receipt 1B from which the portion with the barcode 1b is removed is discharged from the input port 32 and returned to the customer. Therefore, the feeding device 43 constitutes an ejecting unit that conveys the receipt 1B to the barcode reader 45 and the cutter 46, and ejects the processed receipt 1B from which the portion with the barcode 1b is removed. There is. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment, and the same portions or corresponding portions will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description and illustration thereof will be omitted.

Third Embodiment: FIG. 12 shows a third embodiment. In FIG. 12A, the reading device 40C includes a feeding device 43 and a bar code reader 45, and a printing device (processing means) 48. As the printing device 48, for example, a thermal printer, an inkjet printer, a stamp or the like can be used.

At the time of refueling, as shown in FIG.
The barcode 1b is printed on the receipt 1B together with the refueling information. The contents printed on the barcode 1b are the slips.
No. is printed. When the change is paid, the change is paid based on the bar code 1b, and the printing device 48 causes the bar code 1 of the receipt 1B shown in FIG.
Printing is performed by superimposing from above b, and the barcode 1b is rewritten so that the barcode 1b cannot be read.
The processed receipt 1B is sent by the feeder 43 to the input port 3
It is discharged from 2 and returned to the customer. Other configurations are the same as those of the first and second embodiments, and the same portions or corresponding portions will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description and illustration thereof will be omitted.

In the third embodiment, instead of making the barcode 1b unreadable, the barcode 1c may be printed below the barcode 1b of the receipt 1C as shown in FIG. As the print content of the barcode 1c, information indicating that the change has been refunded is printed. Also,
As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the payment 1B may be printed or stamped on the receipt 1B by a thermal printer or the like so that the customer can recognize that the change has been refunded.

Although the preferred embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, those skilled in the art can easily envision various changes and modifications within the scope that is obvious from a view of this specification. Let's do it. For example, the identification information may be printed on a card or a ticket instead of the change voucher. Also, print numbers and letters instead of barcodes, and
You may make it read using CR (Optical Character Reader). Moreover, you may record using a magnetism.
Accordingly, such changes and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0036]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the change corresponding to the voucher is paid, the voucher is collected in the collection unit so as not to be delivered to the customer. There is no fear of double payment. Further, when trouble occurs in the change payment, the collected slip can be taken out from the collecting unit and confirmed.

According to the invention of claim 2 or 3, the receipt can be automatically issued without an operator or a clerk.

On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the change according to the slip is paid, the slip is subjected to the predetermined processing, so that whether or not the change has been paid is checked from the processing state of the slip. I can know. Therefore, there is no fear of double payment of change.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a schematic configuration diagram showing a self-service gas station system according to a first embodiment of the present invention,
(B) is a schematic block diagram which shows the gas station system concerning a modification.

FIG. 2A is a schematic configuration diagram showing a refueling device, and FIG. 2B is a front view showing an operation unit and the like of the device.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a receipt and a change voucher.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing another receipt.

5A is a schematic configuration diagram showing a management device, and FIG. 5B is a table showing stored contents of a storage unit.

FIG. 6A is a schematic configuration diagram showing a change issuing machine, and FIG.
[Fig. 3] is a front view showing a change issuing machine.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a reading device.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a refueling method.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a method of refunding change.

FIG. 10A is a schematic configuration diagram showing a change issuing machine according to another embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a front view showing the change voucher.
(C) is a front view showing the same receipt.

FIG. 11A is a sectional view showing a reading device according to a second embodiment, and FIGS. 11B and 11C are front views showing the receipt.

12A is a sectional view showing a reading device according to a third embodiment, and FIGS. 12B and 12C are front views showing the receipt.

FIG. 13 is a front view showing a receipt according to another embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing a receipt according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Receipt 2: Change voucher (slip) 10i: Refueling device 12: Touch screen (means for inputting refueling schedule information) 13: Money insertion means 15: Voucher issuing means 20: Management device 21b: refund control means 21c: second storage unit 30: Change issuing machine 32: Input port 33: Refund means 45: Bar code reader 47: Collection Department

Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3E040 AA01 AA03 AA08 BA12 BA13                       CA12 FH04 FK04                 3E047 JA02 KA01 KA03 KA09 LA02                 3E083 AA02 AB15 AB18 AC04 AC10                       AC18 AC19 AC28

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A self-service type gas station system in which one change issuing machine is provided for a plurality of refueling devices, and the management device manages change issuance, wherein a refueling amount or a refueling amount is provided for each refueling device. Includes refueling schedule information input means for inputting refueling schedule information including refueling amount, currency identification means for identifying currency inserted for refueling, and identification information for identifying at least other slips The change issuing machine is provided with a slip issuing means for issuing a slip, the change issuing machine has a slot for inserting the slip, a reader for reading the identification information of the inserted slip, and a change according to the read identification information. And a collecting unit for collecting the change-paid slip and preventing the change from being delivered to the customer. The management device collects the identification information of each of the issued slips. A storage unit that stores information about change to be paid, and a withdrawal control unit that reads out change information from the storage unit based on the identification information read by the reader and outputs a signal for returning the change to the withdrawal unit. A self-service gas station system, comprising: a change-off means for collecting the slip when the change corresponding to the slip is paid from the refund means. 2. The voucher issuing means according to claim 1, wherein the change voucher as a voucher including the identification information and the receipt on which a fee corresponding to the amount of refueling corresponding to the voucher is printed are separated. A self-service gas station system that is issued in the open state. 3. The change issuing machine according to claim 1, when the change issuing machine collects the voucher, instead of issuing the voucher, issuing a receipt printed with a charge corresponding to a refueling amount corresponding to the voucher. A characteristic self-service gas station system. 4. A self-service type gas station system in which one change issuing machine is provided for a plurality of refueling devices, and the management device manages change issuance, wherein a refueling amount or a refueling amount is provided for each refueling device. Includes refueling schedule information input means for inputting refueling schedule information including refueling amount, currency identification means for identifying currency inserted for refueling, and identification information for identifying at least other slips The change issuing machine is provided with a slip issuing means for issuing a slip, the change issuing machine has a slot for inserting the slip, a reader for reading the identification information of the inserted slip, and a change according to the read identification information. The management device, wherein the management device includes: a refunding device for paying the bill, a processing device for performing a predetermined process on the slip when the change is paid, and a discharging device for discharging the processed slip. A storage unit that stores change information to be paid for each identification information of the issued slip, and to read change information from the storage unit based on the identification information read by the reader to refund the change to the refunding unit. And a refund control means for outputting a signal of, when the change according to the voucher is paid from the refund means, the processing means performs the predetermined processing on the voucher, and outputs the processed voucher. A self-service gas station system that can be discharged from the discharge means and returned to the customer. 5. The self-service type gas station system according to claim 4, wherein the processing means performs one or more of the following processing as the predetermined processing, (1) the identification information in a slip before the processing The portion marked with is cut and removed. (2) The identification information is rewritten by printing or stamping on the identification information in the unprocessed slip. (3) Information indicating that the change has been refunded, which is the reader. Prints or stamps the readable information on the pre-processing slip (4) so that the customer can recognize that the change has been refunded,
The slip before printing is printed or stamped.