JPH0486983A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need of fixing a setter required for making readout and registration of commodity data to an automatic vending machine by providing a freely attachable and detachable setter and a communicating means which makes delivery and reception of data between the memory of the main body of the vending machine and the setter to the main body of the vending machine. CONSTITUTION:The setter 7 of this automatic vending machine is constituted of a remote control setter 7a which can be attachable and detachable freely and remote control station 10 for housing the setter 7a to a position where the setter can be electromagnetically coupled with a sale processing circuit 4a when the setter 7a makes delivery and reception of commodity data with the circuit 4a. The commodity data delivery and reception are performed by means of an electromagnetic coupler 9 in a state where a remote control induction coil 9a provided on the setter 7a side and an induction coil 9b for the circuit 4 provided on the front door 3b side of an automatic vending machine 3 are closely faced to each other. The station 10 and induction coil 9b fix the remote control setter 7a to a prescribed position and make the commodity data delivery and reception with each other by electromagnetic induction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine equipped with a setting device for reading and writing setting data such as prices of products to be sold.

Conventional technology Vending machines that sell cigarettes, canned drinks, and other packaged products, as well as cup-type vending machines that handle cup drinks, store many types of products in a single compartment, with prices set for each. There is. The general front surface of a vending machine consists of a sample product or product information panel, a price display, a money insertion device, a product selection button, a product takeout port, etc., and a display area including the address of the product storage shelf, price display, and product selection. It is controlled by a sales processing circuit that has preset setting data such as the address of the button, the amount of money to be inserted into the money input device, and the required amount of cup beverage ingredients to be injected according to the desired product.

Vending machines that handle the above-mentioned products are equipped with a system that manages setting data such as prices of products stored in predetermined storage shelves.

A conventional system for managing product setting data in a vending machine will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional product setting data management system installed on a part of the back side of the front door of a vending machine. Setting data 1 such as the price and other data of products sold by the vending machine is registered in the memory 2, and each address 1a of the memory stores data for one product, and the product price 1b and the cup Vending machine that sells beverages 1
13, other data 1c in which the required amount of each raw material to be drawn out each time is registered is stored at the address 1a.

The total amount of coins and banknotes inserted from the money input device 6c is displayed, and by pressing the product selection button, the address 1a of a specific product is designated, and the total amount satisfies the required price 1b. When this is determined, the product setting data management including the sales processing circuit 4a reads the raw material blending amount and blending order from the regular data 1c, and injects each raw material from the raw material tanks 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d into the product mixing chamber 6a. Circuit 4 is activated. After this, the raw materials are put into the cup in the product mixing chamber 6a, and the cup beverage is taken out from the product outlet 6b, completing one operation.

Next, we will explain the operation procedure by the route man who replenishes the products of the automatic vending machine 613, confirms the stock amount, and replaces new products.In the conventional automatic vending machine 113, a keyboard is displayed on the back side of the front door 3b. The setting device 7 consisting of units is crotch! It inputs product data into the sales processing circuit 4a and displays data on inventory products stored in the main body 3a of the vending machine. M light processing circuit 4a
and the setting device 7 are electrically coupled through a wire harness, and the setting device 7 cannot be freely removed from the front door 3b.

To confirm the amount of products in stock, the sales processing circuit 4a operates by operating the read key of the setting device 7, and the remaining amount of each raw material is read and displayed on the display unit of the setting device 7. The total amount of coins and bills inserted into the money input device 116c is also displayed, and the route man manages the inventory of products based on this information.

When replacing new products, if the setting data 1 registered for each address 1a in the memory 2 is re-registered using the registration key of the setting device 7, each raw material tank 5a + 5
At the same time as updating other data 1c such as the blending amount of b+...5d, the price 1b is also reset.

A route manager who manages a large number of vending machines 3 in such a system replenishes each vending machine 3 with products, records the amount of inventory, records the amount of replenishment, and records the amount of money inserted into the machine 6C.
Tasks such as tabulating the total amount of money put into the vending machine had to be done for each vending machine.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the price 1b of the product sold by the vending machine 3, the amount of raw materials mixed, the inventory amount, and other data IC and the total amount input in the money input device f6c, respectively. The reading was performed by operating a setting device 7 fixed to the back side of the front door 3b. Therefore, the route manager who manages the products must read the product data displayed by the setting device 7 each time, enter it in other tally tables with a writing instrument, or re-enter it into the PO8 terminal he carries. did not become.

In addition, automatic sales 1 can also be used when replenishing products or replacing new products.
13, the product name and price displayed on the front door 3b,
It is necessary to operate the keyboard of the setting device 7 while paying attention to the correspondence relationship such as the position with the product selection button.

For this reason, the route man checked the product settings while going back and forth between the front and back sides of the front door 3b.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and allows the route manager to automatically input the product data of the inventory products of automatic sales 1! When replacing products, product data can be registered in the setting device 7 at a location remote from the vending machine 613, and the portable setting device can be used in the vending machine! It is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine that can transfer the product data to the memory 2 of the sales processing circuit 4a by storing it in a remote control station provided at a predetermined position of the front door 3b of the vending machine 13.

Means for Solving the Problems The vending machine of the present invention is configured to read setting data from a memory and process sales, and includes a setting device that is detachable from the vending machine body and a setting device that is detachable from the vending machine body. The present invention is characterized in that a communication means for exchanging data between the memory on the side and the setting device is provided.

Function: In order to execute the vending machine sales process, setting data in which product data is registered is read out from the memory, and data can be exchanged with the memory using a removable setting device for the vending machine. By having the means, there is no need to permanently install a setting device in the vending machine body for reading and registering product data.

In addition, the product data in the memory of the vending machine can be temporarily transferred to the setting device and read out, or conversely, the product data input to the setting device can be transferred to the memory of the vending machine 1 (PL) and the setting data can be registered remotely. be able to.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings from FIG. 1 to FIG. Components having the same functions as those in FIGS. 6 and 7 showing the conventional example are given the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a product setting data management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 2 and 3 show the situation inside the vending machine WA3 of the present invention with the front door 3b open, the situation in which various devices are installed on the back side of the front door, and the various devices installed on the front panel of the front door 3b. A product selection button 11a serves as an operation section.

Money input port 11b, product output port 6b, product display window 11c
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vending machine equipped with a

The circuit configuration of the product setting data management system in the vending machine 3 of the present invention is similar to the circuit configuration of the conventional example except for the part that exchanges data between the setting device 7 and the sales processing circuit 4a. Detailed explanation will be omitted in the wood.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the setting device 7 is placed in a position where it can be electromagnetically coupled to the removable remote control setting device 7a and the sales processing circuit 4a when exchanging product data. Remote control station 10 for storage
It consists of

For the exchange of product data, a remote controller induction coil 9a provided on the remote control setting device 7a side and a sales processing circuit induction coil 9b provided on the front door 3b side of the vending machine 3 are closely opposed to each other.
This is done by an electromagnetic coupler 9 that constitutes a magnetic circuit.

The remote control station 10 and the sales processing circuit induction coil 9b fix the remote control setting device 7a at a predetermined position, and exchange product data by electromagnetic induction.

The electromagnetic coupler 9 is coupled by an electromagnetic wave having a frequency with high coupling efficiency, and the signal is F S K (Fr
5-hift keying) method.

It has a two-way communication function that allows product data to be exchanged between the sales processing circuit 4a on the vending machine side and the remote control setting device 7a, and this carrier frequency is used for all vending machines 3 of the present invention to be managed. By setting the same value, it is also possible to communicate within the remote control station 10 with the - remote control setting device 7a in common with a large number of vending machines 813.

PO8 also collects product data from each vending machine 3.
Both terminals are configured so that data can be transferred via an electromagnetic coupler with the same specifications.

By providing the communication means 7b as described above and providing a register, which is a circuit for temporarily storing product data to be sent and received, inside the remote control setting device 7a, the route man can be separated from the vending machine 3. Product data can be registered or read at the location, and the remote control station 10 can transfer the data to the vending processing circuit 4a in the vending machine 3.

Although the communication means 7b is FSX, which uses electromagnetic induction to send and receive signals, it may also be infrared communication or ultrasonic communication used in remote controls for general home appliances.

In addition, this embodiment is a cup-type vending machine that adjusts ingredients by mixing and dissolving them inside the chamber, and was explained as a sales processing circuit that controls price setting and the amount of each ingredient mixed. The present invention is also effective in vending machines that sell beverages and other packaged products.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, setting data is read from memory and sales processing is performed, and a setting device that is detachable from the vending machine body and a setting device attached to the vending machine body are provided. By providing a communication means for transmitting and receiving data between the memory and the setting device, there is no need to fix the setting device to each vending machine, and route personnel have to carry and manage the setting device. Product data can be registered and read for all vending machines. In addition, there is no need to manually transfer and report the product data to the delivery vehicle for delivering the product or to a PO3 terminal installed at another location using a writing utensil, etc., and the portable remote control setting device can be used as a remote controller with an electromagnetic coupler. By inserting it into the station, the product data can be automatically transferred.

When replenishing products in a vending machine or replacing new products, you can register the product data using the remote control setting device while checking the product price and the address of the product selection button on the front panel, eliminating errors in entering product data. This has the effect of preventing this and speeding up the work.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vending machine product setting data management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
The figures are perspective views of the vending machine of the present invention with the front door open and closed, and Figures 4 and 5 are front and side views when the setting device is stored in the remote control station. , FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional vending machine product setting data management system, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the conventional vending machine with the front door open. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Setting data, 2... Memory, 4a... Sales processing circuit, 7... Setting device, 7a... Remote control setting device, 7b... Communication means, 9... Electromagnetic coupling ,1
0...Remote control station. Agent Yoshihiro MorimotoFigure 2Figure fFigure 9-r-IchirikiFigure 4Figure 5Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The setting data is read from the memory and processed for sales, and the setting device is detachable from the vending machine main body, and the data is transferred between the memory on the vending machine main body side and the setting device. A vending machine equipped with a communication means for sending and receiving.