JP2000259926A - Merchandise storing device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the merchandise storing device for automatic vending machine capable of conserving energy by reducing power consumption and suppressing the deterioration of the quality of merchandise. SOLUTION: This merchandise storing device 15 for storing merchandise in a merchandise storage 18 in a cooled or heated state is provided with an upper storage chamber 23a provided in the merchandise storage 18 for storing merchandise S, a lower storage chamber 23b provided in the merchandise storage 18 for storing the merchandise S in the cooled or heated state, a merchandise conveying device 25 for conveying the merchandise S in the upper storage chamber 23a to the lower storage chamber 23b, a merchandise discharging device 26 for discharging the merchandise S in the lower storage chamber 23b at the time of selling, a setting means for setting the number of merchandise to be stored in the lower storage chamber 23b, and a control circuit for controlling the conveyance of the merchandise S from the upper storage chamber 23a to the lower storage chamber 23b to be operated by the merchandise conveying device 25 so that the merchandise S to be stored in the lower storage chamber 23b can be turned into the number of merchandise set by the setting means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product storage device for a vending machine for storing a product in a product storage while cooling or heating the product.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vending machine for canned beverages and the like, generally, air cooled by a cooling device or air heated by a heating device is forcibly circulated into a product storage by a fan in the storage. Thus, the product stored in the refrigerator is cooled or heated. Vending machines usually contain a large number of products, but since a large number of products are rarely sold in a short time due to bulk purchase, etc., all products in the product storage are always cooled or heated. It is not advisable to do so from the viewpoint of energy saving. In addition, for example, if coffee containing milk or a product such as a citrus beverage is heated for a long time, the quality of the product deteriorates, such as separation of the milk component from the coffee component and discoloration of the beverage itself. . Therefore, it is desirable not to cool or heat all the products in the product storage, but to cool or heat only the immediate sales number of those products.

As a conventional product storage device proposed from such a viewpoint, for example, a device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-91855 is known. In this product storage device, the interior of the product storage is divided into two upper and lower storage rooms (hereinafter, the upper and lower storage rooms are referred to as an “upper storage room” and a “lower storage room”, respectively) by an openable and closable shutter. The products in the upper storage room are stored at room temperature, and only the products in the lower storage room are cooled or heated. In other words, by cooling or heating only the products in the lower storage room where the number of units sold at the moment is stored, power consumption is reduced and energy consumption is reduced compared to cooling or heating the entire product in the product storage. In addition, the quality of the entire product in the product storage is prevented from deteriorating. At the time of sale, the lowermost product in the lower storage room is paid out, and in conjunction with this, the shutter that is normally closed is opened, and only the product immediately above the shutter in the upper storage room is dropped. Then, by automatically sending the product to the lower storage room, the lower storage room becomes full at the time of selling standby.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional product storage device, the lower storage room is always full during standby for sales regardless of the sales of the products. All products are cooled or heated, and there is room for further improvement in saving energy. Further, for example, when the products in the lower storage room are heated, the above-described product storage device may heat products with poor sales in the lower storage room for a long time, so that deterioration in quality cannot be sufficiently suppressed. But there is room for improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a vending machine product capable of sufficiently achieving energy saving by reducing power consumption and suppressing deterioration of product quality. It is an object to provide a storage device.

[0006]

A commodity storage device for a vending machine according to the present invention is a product storage device for a vending machine for storing a product in a product storage while cooling or heating the product. A first storage room provided in the product storage for storing products, a second storage room provided in the product storage for storing products in a cooled or heated state, and a first storage Product delivery means for delivering products in the room to the second storage room, product delivery means for delivering products in the second storage room at the time of sale, setting means for setting the number of products to be stored in the second storage room, And control means for controlling the sending of the goods from the first storage room to the second storage room by the goods sending means so that the number of the goods stored in the second storage room is the number of the goods set by the setting means. It is characterized by having.

According to this configuration, the appropriate number of commodities to be accommodated in the second storage room (hereinafter, referred to as “appropriate number of commodities” in the present specification) is set by the setting means, and is accommodated in the second storage room. The delivery of the product from the first storage room to the second storage room by the product delivery means is controlled so that the number of the products is an appropriate number of products. As described above, in the product storage, only the products in the second storage room separate from the first storage room are cooled or heated, and the number of products in the second storage room is adjusted to be the appropriate number of products. You. Therefore, for example, with respect to unsold products, the maximum number of products that can be stored in the second storage room (hereinafter, referred to as “maximum storage number” in the present specification)
By setting the appropriate number of products to be smaller than that, when the second storage room is full, that is, when the products of the maximum storage number are stored or stored in the second storage room, the products are cooled or heated. In comparison, power consumption can be reduced and energy saving can be sufficiently achieved. In addition, poorly sold products are less likely to be heated over a long period of time, so that quality deterioration can be sufficiently suppressed.

In this case, the apparatus further comprises a product number detecting means for detecting the number of products in the second storage room, and the control means sets the product number detected by the product number detecting means to the product number set by the setting means. It is preferable to control the product delivery means so that the product in the first storage room is delivered to the second storage room when the number becomes smaller than the number.

According to this configuration, when the number of commodities in the second storage room detected by the number-of-commodities detection means becomes smaller than the proper number of commodities, the goods in the first storage room are reduced by the commodity delivery means. It is sent out to the second storage room. Thereby, the number of products in the second storage room can be automatically and correctly controlled so as to match the appropriate number of products. If the number of products in the second storage room after sale is still larger than the appropriate number of products due to a change in the number of appropriate products so as to decrease, the delivery of the products to the second storage room is performed. I can't. In other words, the operation of the commodity delivery means is suspended until the number of commodities in the second storage room becomes smaller than the appropriate number of commodities.

In these cases, the apparatus further comprises sales prediction means for predicting the number of products sold, and the setting means determines the number of products to be stored in the second storage room in accordance with the number of sales predicted by the sales prediction means. It is preferable to set.

According to this configuration, the sales forecasting means
Forecast the number of products sold and calculate the number of sales
In this specification, the appropriate number of goods is automatically set in accordance with the “predicted sales quantity”, so that the operator who replenishes the goods does not need to set the appropriate number of goods by himself. Numbers are set more appropriately.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a vending machine incorporating a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This vending machine sells a variety of canned beverage products such as coffee and juice. As shown in both figures, the vending machine 1 is provided with a box-shaped vending machine main body 2 having a heat insulating door 3 on a front surface, and a main door 4 for opening and closing the front surface of the vending machine main body 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of product samples M corresponding to the products S to be sold are displayed on the upper half of the front surface of the main door 4, and the sample samples are displayed below each product sample M. A selection button 5 for selecting a product is provided. A coin slot 6 for inserting money is provided at the center right portion of the front of the main door 4.
And a bill insertion slot 7, an amount indicator 8 for displaying the amount of inserted money, a return lever 9 for returning change, and the like, and a return opening 10 for returning coins. On the other hand, a door key 11 for locking the main door 4 to the vending machine main body 2 is provided. In the lower part of the front surface of the main door 4, a product S is carried out at the time of sale, and a product outlet 12 for taking out the product S is provided.

On the other hand, the vending machine main body 2 has a product storage device 15 for storing the product S in the interior defined by the heat insulating wall 2a.
And the product S stored in the product storage device 15,
A cooling device 16 for cooling and a heating device 17 for heating,
It has. The inside of the vending machine main body 2 is partitioned in the left-right direction by a plurality of heat-insulating partition plates (not shown), and a plurality of spaces formed between these heat-insulating partition plates are product storages 18. .

In each of the commodity storages 18, a plurality of partition plates 22 are provided.
Is divided in the front and rear direction. The partition plates 22 form four product storage columns 23 extending vertically in the product storage 18 in the front-rear direction. Each product storage column 23 is divided into upper and lower tiers at a position lower than the center in the vertical direction,
Upper storage room 23a (first storage room) and lower storage room 23b
(Second storage room). Each of the upper storage chamber 23a and the lower storage chamber 23b has a so-called serpentine type product passage (not shown). In a partition between the upper storage room 23a and the lower storage room 23b, a product delivery device 25 (product delivery means) for dropping the product S in the upper storage room 23a and sending it out to the lower storage room 23b is provided. At the lower end of the storage room 23b, a product delivery device 26 (product delivery means) that drops and pays out the product S in the lower storage room 23b at the time of sale is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the commodity delivery device 25 includes a shutter 31 which can horizontally open and close the commodity storage column 23 so as to partition the upper storage chamber 23a and the lower storage chamber 23b, and an upper storage chamber 23a. And a delivery mechanism 32 for sending out the products S in the storage chamber 23b one by one. The shutter 31 has a pair of front and rear partition pieces (a front partition piece 31a and a rear partition piece 31b) made of a heat insulating material. The front partition piece 31a has a front end portion at the front partition plate 22.
On the other hand, the rear partition 31b is rotatably supported at its rear end by the rear partition plate 22. Further, torsion coil springs 33, 33 for urging the rotating portions of the front partition 31a and the rear partition 31b so as to hold the both partitions 31a, 31b in a horizontal state, respectively.
Is provided. The pre-partition piece 31 thus configured
The rear end portion and the front end portion of the a and the rear partition piece 31b are normally combined with each other to partition the upper storage chamber 23a and the lower storage chamber 23b so as not to leak heat.

The delivery mechanism 32 is provided above the rear partition 31b of the shutter 31, and always supports a product (hereinafter, referred to as a "delivery product") S directly above the shutter 31. A first support plate 34 for releasing the support, and in conjunction with the release of the support of the outgoing product S by the first support plate 34, the outgoing product S
And a second support plate (not shown) for supporting a product (hereinafter, referred to as a “next-delivery product”) S immediately above. The first support plate 34 is configured to be rotatable about a rear end portion. Normally, the front end portion faces the upper storage chamber 23a, and the product S is sent out between the first support plate 34 and the front partition plate 22. By being sandwiched from the front and back, the delivered product S is supported so as not to drop. Then, the first support plate 34 releases the support of the sent-out product S by rotating counterclockwise in FIG. 3 when sending out the product, while the second support plate (not shown) supports the first support plate. Contrary to the plate 34, the next delivery product S is supported by facing the inside of the upper storage chamber 23a only at the time of delivery of the product.

Product delivery device 2 configured as described above
According to 5, the sent-out product S is sent out as follows.
That is, at the time of sending out the product S, the first support plate 34 and the second support plate alternately face the upper storage chamber 23a by the solenoid (not shown) to release the support of the product S to be sent out, and the product S to be sent out next time. By supporting, only the sent-out product S is dropped downward. Then, the shutter 31 is pushed open by the weight of the sent-out product S, whereby the sent-out product S is sent out from the upper storage room 23a to the lower storage room 23b. Thereafter, the front partition piece 31a and the rear partition piece 31b of the shutter 31 automatically return to the horizontal state by the torsion coil springs 33, 33, whereby the product storage column 23 is partitioned again.

On the other hand, the commodity delivery device 26 has the same configuration as that of the commodity delivery device 25 except that it does not have the shutter 31. That is, the lowermost product (hereinafter referred to as “paid-out product”) S in the lower storage room 23b is always supported by the first support plate 35, and when the product S is paid out, that is, at the time of sale, the lower storage room 23b. Only the payout product S is paid out through the opening at the lower end of 23b so as to be dropped on the chute 36 below. Then, the payout product S is guided by the chute 36 and is carried out to the product outlet 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling device 16 includes a compressor 41, a condenser 42, and an exhaust fan 43 arranged at the bottom of the vending machine main body 2.
The evaporator 4 is disposed at a lower portion of the evaporator 4 and connected to a compressor 41 and a condenser 42 via a refrigerant pipe 44.
5 and an in-compartment fan 46 for circulating cool air generated by the evaporator 45 into the lower storage chamber 23b of each product storage column 23. This cooling device 1
6, the product S stored in the lower storage room 23b
Is cooled. On the other hand, the heating device 17 is provided for each product storage 1
8 and a fan 46 for circulating warm air generated by the heater 47 into the lower storage chamber 23b of each product storage column 23. The product S stored in the lower storage chamber 23b is heated by the heating device 17. Therefore, only the product S in the lower storage chamber 23b of each product storage column 23 is cooled or heated by the cooling device 16 or the heating device 17, while the cool air by the cooling device 16 or the warm air by the heating device 17 is By being blocked by the shutter 31, the upper storage chamber 23a of each product storage column 23 is provided.
Is stored at room temperature.

Either one or both of the evaporator 45 of the cooling device 16 and the heater 47 of the heating device 17 are arranged below each product storage 18. Therefore, in the product storage 18 in which one of the evaporator 45 and the heater 47 is disposed below, the product S in the lower storage room 23b of each product storage column 23 is cooled or heated by them, and both of them are cooled. In the arranged product storage 18, the product S in the lower storage room 23 b is cooled or heated by being appropriately switched to cooling or heating.

Although not shown, the product storage device 15 includes a product number detection device (product number detection means) for detecting the number of products in the lower storage room 23b of each product storage column 23, and a product number detection device. A control comprising a microcomputer that predicts the sale of S, sets the product S to be stored in the lower storage room 23b according to the predicted sales number, and controls the operations of the product delivery device 25 and the product delivery device 26. Circuit (sales forecasting means, setting means and control means)
And

The device for detecting the number of articles has, for example, a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and is constituted by a plurality of optical sensors and the like which are juxtaposed in the lower storage chamber 23b at appropriate intervals in the vertical direction. Each optical sensor is electrically connected to the control circuit, and the light from the light emitting element to the light receiving element of each optical sensor is blocked by each product S stored in the lower storage chamber 23b. , The number of products in the lower storage room 23b is detected. Then, according to the detected number of products, the operation of the product delivery device 25 is determined based on a control program or the like stored in the control circuit.

The number of products in the lower storage room 23b may be detected as follows. First, the lower storage room 23
The maximum storage number of b is set in advance, and the corresponding product is stored in the lower storage room 23b. Then, the number of products sold in each product storage column 23 is counted, and the remaining number of products S (the number of products) in the lower storage room 23b is calculated by subtracting the number of sales from the maximum storage number. In this case, since the optical sensor as described above is not required, the number of products in the lower storage chamber 23b can be detected at low cost.

Here, the operation of the control circuit as sales forecasting means and setting means of the present invention will be described in detail. In addition,
For the sake of simplicity, in the following description, No. 1 to
No. The sales prediction in one product storage 18 having four product storage columns 23 and setting of the number of products to be stored in the lower storage room 23b will be described.

FIG. 4 is provided in a storage area of the control circuit.
The sales total map of goods S used for predicting sale of goods S is shown. As shown in the figure, this sales aggregation map stores the sales (number of units sold) data of the product S on a daily basis (on the current day, 1 to 7 days before and on public holidays), and stores the product storage column 23 (No. 1 to No. 4). Every hour and every time zone (0-6, 6-12, 12-18 and 1
8 to 24 o'clock). The sales of the product S are detected by the purchaser operating the selection button 5 at the time of purchase, and sales data obtained by counting the count is stored in the corresponding storage area of the control circuit.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a method for writing and updating sales data in the sales totaling map. First, the sales data N0 of the day is written in the data storage area of the day corresponding to each of the product storage columns 23 and each time zone (step 51). Next, at 24:00 (Step 52: Yes),
It is determined whether or not the day is a holiday (step 53).
If it is not a holiday (step 53: No), the data N1 to N6 stored in the data storage area 1 to 6 days ago for each of the product storage columns 23 and for each time zone.
Are sequentially shifted to the data storage area two to seven days ago.
The previous day data N2 to N7 are set (step 54), and the current day data N0 is shifted to the one day before data storage area to be set as one day before data N1 (step 55).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 53 that the current day is a holiday (step 53: Yes), the day data N
0 is shifted to the holiday data storage area, and the holiday data Nh
(Step 56). And data N 1-6 days ago
1 to N6 are converted into data N 2 to 7 days ago as in step 54.
2 to N7 and 7 days before data N7
Is set as data N1 one day before (step 57). As described above, the sales summary map includes the latest sales performance data of 1 to 7 days before and on holidays in the product storage column 2.
It is stored every 3 hours and every 6 hours. In particular, in this sales aggregation map, the holiday data Nh representing the sales of holidays is stored separately from and prior to days other than holidays.
When viewed from the day, the day of the week data represents the sales results of the same day of the week except holidays.

Based on the sales summary map stored as described above, the number of sales for each of the above-mentioned time zones on the day is predicted (the number of sales predicted), and this predicted number of sales is stored in the lower storage room of each product storage column 23. 23b is set as the number of commodities to be stored in each time zone (appropriate number of commodities). Then, at the time of sale, the lower storage chamber 2 is detected by the above-mentioned not-shown product number detection device.
The number of commodities in 3b is detected, and when the detected number of commodities becomes smaller than the appropriate number of commodities, the commodity sending device 25 operates to send the commodities S from the upper storage room 23a to the lower storage room 23b.

More specifically, for example, when the proper number of commodities in the lower storage room 23b of one product storage column 23 in a predetermined time zone on a certain day is newly set to three, the lower storage room 23b is already stored in the lower storage room 23b. If four or more products S are stored in the room 23b and one of the products S is sold,
In the lower storage room 23b, since the products S (three) are stored in a number equal to or more than the appropriate number (three), the product delivery device 25 does not send out the product S. Conversely, if three commodities S of the same number as the appropriate number of commodities are stored in the lower storage room 23b and one of the commodities S is sold, the number of commodities (2 ) Is the appropriate number of products (3
At this time, the product delivery device 25 is operated, and the product S is delivered from the upper storage room 23a to the lower storage room 23b. Thereafter, each time the product S is sold, the product S is sent out to the lower storage room 23b, whereby the number of products in the lower storage room 23b is maintained at an appropriate number.

As described in detail above, according to the product storage device 15 of the present embodiment, the products S in the upper storage room 23a are stored at room temperature, and the products S in the lower storage room 23b Are automatically adjusted and stored so as to have the proper number of products set according to the above, and only the products S in the lower storage chamber 23b are cooled or heated. Therefore, for example, for a poorly sold product, the lower storage room 23b is filled up by setting the proper number of products to be smaller than the maximum number of products (maximum storage number) that can be stored in the lower storage room 23b. That is, power consumption can be reduced and energy saving can be sufficiently achieved as compared with a case where the commodity S is cooled or heated in a state where the commodity of the maximum storage number is stored in the lower storage chamber 23b. In addition, the poorly sold product S
Since heating over a long period of time is reduced, quality deterioration can be sufficiently suppressed.

Next, a modified example of the above embodiment will be briefly described with reference to FIG. In the commodity storage device of this modified example, an air curtain is used instead of the shutter 31 to partition the upper storage room 23a and the lower storage room 23b so as not to leak heat. The components having the same functions as those of the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, this product storage device 15
The upper storage room 23a and the lower storage room 23b of each product storage column 23 are separated in the front-rear direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 6).
(Air passage 60), and air A in the upper half of the product storage 18 is turned counterclockwise in FIG. 6 by an air fan 61 provided in the upper corner of the product storage 18. Circulate. In addition, the front of the product storage column 23 at the foremost position (the left end in FIG. 6) and the last position (the right end in FIG. 6) near the partition between the upper storage room 23a and the lower storage room 23b.
On the rear surface of the product storage column 23, straightening plates 62, 62 curved downward and convex are provided to smoothly circulate the air A into the air passage 60. Thus, an air curtain is formed in the air passage 60 by the circulating air A, and the cool air B or the warm air B by the cooling device 16 or the heating device 17 is formed by the air curtain.
Only the product S in the lower storage chamber 23b is cooled or heated by the cool air B or the warm air B without almost flowing into the 3a.

The product storage device 15 as described above has the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment.
Since it is not necessary to provide the shutter 31 for every three, it is possible to reduce the number of parts.

The present invention can be implemented in various modes without being limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, not only vending machines that sell canned beverages, but also vending machines that cool and heat various products, such as packed products, plastic bottle products, and even products other than beverages, and sell them. Can also be applied. In addition, the upper storage room in which the products are stored at room temperature and the lower storage room in which the products are cooled or heated are arranged above and below, respectively. Thus, the product may be sent from the storage room for storing the product at room temperature to the storage room for cooling or heating the product. In the upper storage room, not only products are stored at room temperature, but also pre-cooling or pre-heating (heating at low temperature) may be performed.

Further, the sales prediction of the product is automatically performed by the control circuit. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The operator who replenishes the product may manually set the appropriate number of products. Further, a plurality of products may be sent out collectively. Furthermore, the number of products sold may be predicted by various methods, such as making the number of sales forecast the number of sales the day before.

Further, the detailed configurations of the upper storage room, the lower storage room, the product delivery device, the product delivery device, the product number detection device, and the control circuit shown in the embodiment are merely examples, and the purpose of the present invention is not limited thereto. It can be changed appropriately within the range.

[0038]

As described in detail above, the product storage device of the vending machine according to the present invention has effects such as energy saving by reducing power consumption and suppression of deterioration of product quality. Have.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a vending machine provided with a product storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the internal structure of the product storage device.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing a main part of a product delivery device and a product delivery device.

FIG. 4 is a sales summary map of a product.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a method of writing and updating sales data in a sales aggregation map.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing an internal structure of a product storage device according to a modification.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vending Machine 14 Commodity Storage 15 Commodity Storage 18 Commodity Storage 23a Upper Storage Room (First Storage Room) 23b Lower Storage Room (Second Storage Room) 25 Product Delivery Device (Product Delivery Means) 26 Product Delivery Device ( Product delivery means) M Product sample S Product

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Left ▲ High ▼ Takuya 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3E044 AA01 CC04 DB14 DC01 FB07 FB11 FB13

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A product storage device of a vending machine for storing a product in a product storage in a cooled or heated state, wherein the first device is provided in the product storage and stores the product. A storage room, a second storage room provided in the product storage, for storing the product in a cooled or heated state, and a product delivery unit for sending the product in the first storage room to the second storage room. Product selling means for paying out products in the second storage room at the time of sale; setting means for setting the number of products to be stored in the second storage room; and products stored in the second storage room, Control means for controlling the delivery of the product from the first storage chamber to the second storage room by the product delivery means so that the number of the products is set by the setting means. Vending machine quotient Storing device. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a number-of-commodities detecting unit configured to detect a number of commodities in the second storage room, wherein the control unit sets the number of commodities detected by the number-of-commodities detecting unit by the setting unit. 2. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the merchandise delivery means is controlled so as to send out the merchandise in the first storage room to the second storage room when the number of products becomes smaller than the number of products. Machine storage device. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a sales prediction unit for predicting a sales number of the product, wherein the setting unit sets the product to be stored in the second storage room according to the sales number predicted by the sales prediction unit. The merchandise storage device for a vending machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the number is set.