JP2003077044A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vending machine capable of preventing the disadvantage that the vending machine is unnecessarily kept in a standby state for a long time even when the goods not existing in a goods accommodating and conveying means, are designated by mistake. SOLUTION: A goods conveying means 3 is mounted for taking out and conveying the goods from a plurality of goods accommodating and transporting means 1 capable of accommodating the goods in a horizontally arranged state and feeding out the goods from one end side, to transfer the goods to a goods taking-out part 2, a non-contact goods detecting means 43 is mounted on a goods holding part 23 for detecting the presence or absence of the goods by applying the goods detecting wave to a goods accommodating space in a condition that the goods holding part 23 is located on a goods receiving position, and the after-processing corresponding to the absence of the goods is performed when the absence of the goods is detected by the goods detecting means, when the goods designated by the goods designating means is placed on a goods receiving part and received in a goods selling procedure.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided with a plurality of product storing / conveying means, which can store products arranged in a horizontal direction and which can carry out the stored products from one end side of the arrangement direction. The product holding section is moved to the product receiving section for each of the product storing / conveying means and the product delivering section for removing the product from outside the machine, and the products to be sold received from the respective product storing / conveying means are transferred to the product removing section. Merchandise selling means for delivering the sold merchandise, controlling the operations of the merchandise storing and conveying means and the merchandise merchandise conveying means, and conveying the merchandise designated by the merchandise designating means to the merchandise take-out section for sale. The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine provided with a product sales control means for executing processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of the vending machine having the above structure, there is a see-through type vending machine which sells products in a paper pack. In such a vending machine, the front door is made of a transparent plate so that the stored products can be viewed from the outside. Further, as the product storing and conveying means, a plurality of product storing units for storing a plurality of products arranged side by side in a horizontal posture are provided, and each product storing unit moves the products stored therein in the arranging direction. Moving means, for example, configured to include a push operation tool, a belt conveyor, and the like, and a configuration in which a product transport device including a product holding unit that is movable across the product receiving location and the product delivering location is provided there were. That is, after moving the product holding unit to a product receiving location corresponding to the product storing and conveying unit in which the product designated as the product to be sold is located, the products stored by the moving unit as described above are arranged in the direction of arrangement. The product holding unit receives a product located on the front end side of the products stored by the product storing and conveying means, and conveys the product to the product taking-out unit (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-1999). -154261 gazette). In such a vending machine, the product purchaser first inserts the product purchase price from the price insertion port, selects the desired product while observing the lined products with the eyes, and performs the designation operation by the product designation means. ,
It is configured to execute the transport operation as described above.

In the above structure, for example, when a product purchaser mistakenly specifies a product different from the desired product, the product storage / conveying means for storing the wrongly specified product is provided. The product may not be present and may be sold out, but in such a case, conventionally, the following processing has been performed.

That is, after the product designating means is operated, the product holding section is moved to the product receiving location for the product storing and conveying means in which the designated product is located, and the product stored in the product storing and conveying means. Are set in the arranging direction, and a preset waiting time (for example, several tens of seconds) longer than the required time required to receive the products in the product holding unit is set in advance, and the product sales control means is set. However, when it is determined that the product has not been delivered to the product holding unit even after the set waiting time has elapsed from the time when the product designating means is operated,
At that time, it is determined that the product is sold out, and, for example, a process of refunding the input product purchase price is performed.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional configuration, when a sold-out product is designated due to an operation error, the above-mentioned configuration is followed unless the set waiting time as described above elapses. Since the refund process is not executed, the merchandise purchaser has to wait until such a long setting waiting time elapses after operating the merchandise designating means, which is a disadvantageous process.

In order to eliminate such disadvantages, each of the plurality of commodity storage / conveying means is provided with a commodity detecting means for detecting whether or not a commodity is present, and these plural commodity detecting means are detected. The detection information of the means is input to the product sale control means, and the product sale control means is configured to determine the presence or absence state of the product for each of the plurality of product storing and conveying means,
When a product that does not exist in the product storing and conveying means is designated due to an operation error, the product sales control means may immediately determine the presence / absence state and perform post-processing for the absence. However, if the plurality of product storage / conveying means is provided with the product detecting means in this way, a large number of the product detecting means are required, and the structure becomes complicated and the cost becomes high.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to provide a commodity detecting means for detecting whether or not a commodity is present in each of a plurality of commodity storing and conveying means. As described above, the product is erroneously designated when there is no product in the product storage / conveyance means, and the product is taken out to the product storage / conveyance means, without the disadvantage of causing a complicated structure or high cost. Even in the case of performing the above, there is a point of providing a vending machine that can avoid the disadvantage of waiting unnecessarily for a long time.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of product storing / conveying means are arranged side by side so that the products can be stored in a line in the horizontal direction and the stored products can be carried out from one end side in the direction of arrangement. Then, by moving the product holding unit between the product receiving position for each of the plurality of product storing and conveying means and the product delivering position for the product removing unit for taking out the product from the outside of the machine, A sales product conveying means for delivering to the product taking-out section is provided, and the operation of the product storing and conveying means and the sale-goods conveying means is controlled to convey the product specified by the product specifying means to the product taking-out section. In an automatic vending machine provided with a merchandise sales control means for executing a merchandise sales process for selling, the merchandise holding section in the merchandise selling means is The non-contact type product detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a product by projecting a product detection wave in the product storage space of the product storage / transport means in a state of being positioned at the product receiving location for each of the product storage / transport means. The product sales control means is provided in the product holding part, and the product sales control means positions the product holding part at a product receiving position in the product storage / conveying means for storing the sales product designated by the product designating means in the product selling process. When the presence of the product is detected by the product detecting unit when the product is received for sale, the operation of selling the product is executed, and the absence of the product is detected by the product detecting unit. And post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product.

When the product is designated by the product designating means, the product holding section is moved toward the product receiving portion in the product storing and conveying means for storing the specified product to be sold,
Before the merchandise holder is located at the merchandise receiving position and the merchandise to be sold is received, the non-contact merchandise detecting means provided in the merchandise holding portion applies a merchandise detection wave to the merchandise storage space of the merchandise storing and conveying means. Project and detect the existence of the product. At that time, if the presence of the product is detected by the product detection means,
The merchandise sale control means performs an operation of selling the merchandise. In other words, the product holding unit located at the product receiving position receives the sale target product from the product storing and conveying means, and conveys the received sale target product to the product extracting unit. Then, when the product detection unit detects the absence of the product, the product sale control unit executes a post-processing corresponding to the product absence. As the post-processing, for example, a processing of notifying the product purchaser of the absence of the product such as notifying that the product is sold out or refunding the money that has been put in, or the same as the specified product There is processing such as executing a product receiving operation for another product storing and conveying means in which a product is stored. In addition, if this post-processing is added to the description, the detection result in which the absence of the product is detected by the product detection means as described above is stored, and after the absence of the product is detected, Indicates that processing such as notifying that the product is sold out is continuously executed. Moreover, the timing for performing such post-processing may be set as soon as the absence of the product is detected by the product detection unit, or after returning the product holding unit to the standby position. It may be performed. Further, as the process of notifying the product purchaser of the non-existence of the product, the product purchaser may be placed in a state of waiting for designation of another product other than the product of which the non-existence is detected.

That is, even if the purchaser takes out the product from the product storage / transport means by an operation error of the purchaser when the product is not present in the product storage / transport means, the product storage is performed. When the time required until the part is moved to the product receiving location in the product storing and conveying means for storing the sale product specified by the product specifying means, immediately after that, the post-processing as described above is executed. The product purchaser does not have to wait until the preset long standby time elapses after operating the product designating means as in the prior art described above, and avoids the disadvantage of waiting unnecessarily for a long time. It will be possible.

Moreover, a non-contact type product detection means is provided in the product holding unit which is always moved toward the product receiving place where the designated sale product is stored when executing the product sales process. Since the product detection unit is configured to detect the presence / absence of a product in the product storage / transportation unit, the product detection unit can detect the presence / absence of a product in each of the plurality of product storage / transportation units. It is sufficient to provide only in the case, and it is possible to cope with a simple structure improvement without significantly complicating the configuration and increasing the cost as in the case of providing the article detecting means in each of the plurality of article storing and conveying means. Further, since the product detection means is configured as a non-contact type for detecting the presence or absence of a product by projecting a product detection wave into the product storage space of the product storage / transport means, for example, like a contact type product detection means, A member such as a contact piece protruding toward the side is unnecessary, and there is no disadvantage that the movement operation of the product holding unit is obstructed.

Therefore, in a state in which there is no disadvantage that the structure is complicated and the cost is high, such as a structure in which a product detection unit for detecting whether or not a product is present in each of the plurality of product storage / transportation units is provided. Even if the product is erroneously designated when the product does not exist in the product storing and conveying means and the product is taken out from the product storing and conveying means, it waits unnecessarily for a long time. It has become possible to provide a vending machine that can avoid such disadvantages.

According to the second aspect, a plurality of product storing / conveying means which can store the products arranged in the horizontal direction and which can carry out the stored products from one end side in the arrangement direction are arranged side by side. The product holding section is moved to the product receiving section for each of the storage / conveying means and the product passing section for the product taking-out section for taking out the product from the outside of the machine, and the product to be sold received from each product storing / conveying means is transferred to the product taking-out section A product sale process is provided in which a sale product delivery unit is provided, and the operations of the product storage delivery unit and the sale item delivery unit are controlled to deliver the item designated by the item designation unit to the item takeout unit for sale. In an automatic vending machine provided with a product selling control means for executing, the product holding section in the sold product carrying means carries out the plurality of product storing and carrying operations. A non-contact type product detection means for projecting a product detection wave into the product storage space of the product storage / transport means to detect the presence or absence of the product in a state of being located at the product receiving location in each of the means is provided in the product holding portion. When the product sales control means does not execute the product sales process and the detection operation condition is satisfied,
The product holding unit is sequentially positioned at the product receiving location in each of the plurality of product storage / conveyance means, and a product detection process for detecting the presence or absence of each product in each product storage / transportation means is executed, and the product detection is performed. When the absence of the product is detected by the means, the post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product is executed.

That is, when the product sale control means does not execute the product sale process and the detection operation condition is satisfied, for example, it is set in advance during a time period in which the product sale is not performed. At a predetermined time, the product holding units are sequentially positioned at the product receiving locations in each of the plurality of product storage / conveyance units, and a product detection process for detecting the presence / absence of each product in each product storage / transportation unit is executed. That is, in a state in which the product holding unit is located at a product receiving location in each of the plurality of product storage / conveyance units, the product detection unit projects a product detection wave into the product storage space of the product storage / transport unit to detect the product. The existence is detected. The condition for satisfying the detection operation condition is not limited to the predetermined time set in advance in the above-mentioned time period in which the product is not sold, and for example, when the power switch is turned on, There are times, such as when the sales manager performs a product replenishment process on the product storing and conveying means. When the product detection unit detects the absence of the product, the post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product is executed. As the post-processing, for example, the product storing and conveying means in which the absence of the product is detected is stored in association with the product set as the product to be stored therein, and then the product specifying means is stored. When a product to be sold is specified, if the specified product is set as a product to be stored in the product storing and conveying means in which the absence of the product is detected, the product is immediately sold out. It is informed that it is in a state, or executes processing to notify the product purchaser that the product is absent, such as refunding the inserted money, or the same product as the specified product is stored. The commodity receiving operation for another commodity storing and conveying means is executed.

That is, even if the purchaser takes out the product from the product storing / conveying means due to an operation error by the purchaser when the product is not present in the product storing / conveying means, the product is designated. Immediately after that, it is possible to execute the notification processing as described above and the processing for receiving the product for another product storing and conveying means, and the product purchaser operates the product designating means as in the prior art. Therefore, it is not necessary to wait until the preset long standby time elapses, and it is possible to avoid the disadvantage of waiting unnecessarily for a long time. In the configuration of claim 2, the normal product sales process is performed after the product detection process is executed when the detection operation condition is satisfied and before the detection operation condition is satisfied next time. There is a risk that one of the products will be sold out by executing the above.In such a case, the post-processing is not executed until the next product detection process is executed. When such a sold-out product is specified, it is to wait until the long set waiting time elapses, but during the period from the execution of the product detection process to the sale of any product, Since it is not necessary to wait until the long set waiting time elapses, it is possible to avoid the disadvantage of always waiting unnecessarily for a long time as in the conventional case. Therefore, by combining the configuration of claim 2 and the configuration of claim 1, it is possible to more reliably avoid the disadvantage of waiting unnecessarily for a long time.

Moreover, a non-contact type product detection means is provided in the product holding unit, which is always moved toward the product receiving portion in which the designated sales product is stored when the product sales process is executed. Since the product detection unit is configured to detect the presence / absence of a product in the product storage / transportation unit, the product detection unit can detect the presence / absence of a product in each of the plurality of product storage / transportation units. It is sufficient to provide only in the case, and it is possible to cope with a simple structure improvement without significantly complicating the configuration and increasing the cost as in the case of providing the article detecting means in each of the plurality of article storing and conveying means. Further, since the product detection means is configured as a non-contact type for detecting the presence or absence of a product by projecting a product detection wave into the product storage space of the product storage / transport means, for example, like a contact type product detection means, A member such as a contact piece protruding toward the side is unnecessary, and there is no disadvantage that the movement operation of the product holding unit is obstructed.

Therefore, in a state where there is no disadvantage that the structure is complicated and the cost is increased like the structure in which the product detecting means for detecting whether or not the product is present in each of the plurality of product storing and conveying means is provided. Even if the product is erroneously designated when the product does not exist in the product storing and conveying means and the product is taken out from the product storing and conveying means, it waits unnecessarily for a long time. It has become possible to provide a vending machine that can avoid such disadvantages as much as possible.

According to a third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the sales control means includes:
After receiving the sold product by arranging the product holding section at the product receiving position in the product storing and conveying means for storing the sold product designated by the product designating means, the presence or absence of the product is determined by the product detecting means. Detecting and, after the detection, actuating the sale merchandise conveying means so as to deliver the received sale merchandise to the merchandise take-out section, and
When the product detection unit detects the absence of the product by the detection after receiving the sold product, the post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product is executed.

That is, after the merchandise holding section is located at the merchandise receiving section of the merchandise storing and conveying means for accommodating the merchandise to be sold designated by the merchandise designating means, the merchandise is taken out. Although the product is properly conveyed and the product sale processing is completed, the product detection unit detects the presence or absence of the product after the product holding unit is positioned at the product receiving portion and the product to be sold is received. Then, when the sale item conveying means is operated so as to deliver the received sale item to the item taking-out section, and the absence of the item is detected by the detection of the item detecting unit after the sale item is received, the item does not exist. The post-processing corresponding to is executed. That is, as described above, if the properly sold product is the last product in the product storage / conveyance means, there is no product in the product storage / transportation means after the product is sold. Therefore, it is detected whether or not the product is not present after the product is sold. Then, when the absence of the product is detected at that time, the post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product is executed. As this post-processing, for example,
After that, when the product is erroneously specified, the product purchaser is immediately notified that the product is out of stock, or the money paid is refunded to notify the product purchaser of the absence of the product. Alternatively, a product receiving operation or the like for another product storing / conveying means in which the same product as the designated product is stored is executed. In this way, with proper product sales processing, even after the delivery of the product, the presence or absence of the product in the product storing and conveying means is detected, so that the presence or absence of the product can be more accurately determined. Means suitable for carrying out claim 1 or 2 are obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided merchandise receipt detection means for detecting that the merchandise holding section has received the merchandise for sale in a state of being located at a merchandise receiving position in the merchandise storing and conveying means, and the merchandise receipt detecting means is provided. In the product selling process, the control unit positions the product holding unit at a product receiving position in the product storing and conveying unit that stores the sold product specified by the product specifying unit, and then the product reception detecting unit When it is detected that the product for sale is received, the product for sale is configured to be conveyed to the product unloading unit, and the product for sale is set even after a set time has elapsed since the product was designated by the product designating means. When the receipt detection means does not detect that the sale product has been received, it is configured to execute post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product. And wherein the Rukoto.

That is, the product holding unit is provided for detecting that the product holding unit has received the product to be sold, and in the product sales process, from when the product is designated by the product designating unit until a set time elapses. During the period, when the product receipt detecting means detects that the sale product is received, the sale product is properly delivered from the product storing and conveying means to the product holding unit, so that the sale product is sent to the product taking out unit. Will be transported. If the product receipt detection unit does not detect that the sale product has been received even after a set time has elapsed since the product was designated by the product designation unit, post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product That is, a process of informing the product purchaser of the absence of the product is executed, or a product receiving operation or the like for another product storing and conveying means in which the same product as the designated product is stored is executed. It will be.

With this configuration, for example, a state in which a transport trouble occurs such that the product is jammed due to transport and the process of delivering the product from the product storing and conveying means to the product holding unit is not performed well, or Even if an abnormal situation occurs such that the non-contact type product detection means makes a detection error and the presence of the product is detected even though the product is not actually present, the set time After the lapse of time, the product purchaser can take subsequent actions by surely performing the post-processing, and when the abnormal situation as described above occurs, the product purchaser will be able to exceed the set time. It is possible to avoid the disadvantage of having to wait a long time forever and obtain a suitable means for implementing any one of claims 1 to 3.

[0023]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of an automatic vending machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a front view of the vending machine. This vending machine mainly sells products S such as beverages enclosed in rectangular paper packs,
A product rack 1 as a product storing and conveying means that can store the products as described above in a horizontal direction and store the stored products from one end side in the arrangement direction is arranged in the vertical direction and a direction intersecting with the product rack. The plurality of product racks 1 are arranged side by side and provided with a product transfer device 3 as a sales product transfer means for transferring a specified product from the product rack 1 in which the specified product is stored to the product unloading section 2. The portion corresponding to the product on the front side of the device is configured as a see-through type vending machine, which is formed of a transparent plate so that the stored product can be viewed from the outside of the machine. And on the side of the front panel of the device,
A money slot 4 for inputting a product purchase price, a product designating operation unit 5 as a product designating unit for designating a product to be purchased, and the like are provided. A product take-out section 2 for taking out from the outside is provided. The product specification operation unit 5 is configured to specify the number attached to the product rack 1 in which the products to be purchased are stored.

Next, the structure of the product rack 1 will be specifically described. This product rack 1 is, as shown in FIG.
The stored products are configured so that they can be carried out from one end side in the arranging direction, that is, from the front end side of the device.At the device front end side, a closed posture that prevents the products from being carried out in the product storage state and an upper side An opening / closing gate 6 is provided that can be switched to an open posture in which the product can be unloaded by swinging open. The opening / closing gate 6 is configured to be switched to an open position via a link 9 as the slider 8 is pushed and moved by a pusher 7 of the product transfer device 3 as described later. Further, each product rack 1 has a pusher 10 for pushing and moving the stored products S toward the front end side of the apparatus.
The pusher 10 is provided with
The power supplied from the product transport device 3 is transmitted via the rotating belt 11 arranged along the product mounting surface, and the product S can be pushed and moved.
The opening / closing gate 6 is made of a transparent material so that the product can be seen from the outside of the machine even in the closed posture.

The product transporting device 3 moves the holding device 23 as a product holding part between the product receiving part for each of the plurality of product racks 1 and the product delivering part for the product removing part for taking out the product from outside the machine,
The product to be sold received from each product rack 1 is delivered to the product takeout unit 2. In detail,
The product transporting device 3 is configured to include the holding device 23, an elevating movement operating means for moving the holding device 23 in the vertical direction, and a lateral movement operating means for operating the holding device 23 in the horizontal direction. Has been done. That is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of left and right vertical plate frames 12 and 13 are provided at both sides in the lateral width direction of the product storage place as described above.
2 and 13 are vertically driven belts 1 along the vertical direction.
4 and 15 are rotatably wound, and an elevating table 16 is installed so as to be vertically movable across the left and right longitudinal drive belts 14 and 15. The drive pulleys 17 and 18 of the vertical drive belts 14 and 15 on the left and right sides are integrally rotatably and interlockingly connected by a connecting shaft 19, and a lifting motor 20 that rotationally drives the connecting shaft 19. Is provided. That is,
By driving the elevating motor 20 in the forward and reverse directions, the elevating table 16 can be moved up and down while maintaining a substantially horizontal state. The elevating / moving operation means is thus configured.

The right and left vertical drive belts 14, 1
In the part on the opposite side to the connection part with the lifting platform 16 in 5,
A balance weight 21 for equalizing the weight balance with respect to the load of the lift 16 is attached. or,
Detecting a plurality of detection objects (not shown) provided corresponding to the vertical position of each of the product racks 1 at a position near one of the vertical drive belts 15 of the lifting platform 16. Then, an optical vertical movement position sensor 22 for detecting whether or not the lift table 16 is in an appropriate lift position is provided.

A holding device 23 that can hold the products delivered from the product rack 1 is movably supported in the left-right direction on the elevating table 16, and the holding device 23 is moved in the left-right direction. A lateral movement operation means is provided. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the lateral drive belt 24 is rotatably wound around the elevating table 16 along the left-right direction, and the holding device 23 is integrally formed with the lateral drive belt 24. The holding device 23 is connected to the lateral drive belt 24 so as to laterally move, and a lateral movement motor 26 that rotationally drives the drive pulley 25 of the lateral drive belt 24 is provided. That is, the holding device 23 can be reciprocated in the left-right direction by driving the lateral movement motor 26 in the forward and reverse directions. Further, the holding device 23 detects a plurality of detected parts (not shown) provided corresponding to the lateral position of each of the product racks 1, so that the holding device 23 can move to an appropriate lateral movement position. There is provided an optical lateral movement position sensor 27 for detecting whether or not

Next, the structure of the holding device 23 will be described. The holding device 23 is provided in a substantially U shape in a plan view, receives a specified product from the product rack 1, and
It can be held in a U-shaped internal space,
It is configured so that the held product can be conveyed to the product take-out section 2 and discharged. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9 to 11, a bottom plate member 28 for supporting a product is provided in an internal space formed in a substantially U shape in a plan view.
Is provided rotatably around the horizontal axis of the end of the product rack, and the bottom plate member 2 is provided below the bottom plate member 28.
A rotatable cam member 29 is provided for supporting the 8 in a horizontal posture and in a slanted posture so as to be switchable. Further, the holding device 2 is provided below the bottom plate member 28.
An electric motor for link linkage, which controls the operation of the link linkage mechanism for linking or releasing the linkage with the product rack 1 in a state where 3 is located at the product receiving position for the product rack 1. (Hereinafter, referred to as a link motor) 30, and a rack drive electric motor (hereinafter, referred to as a rack motor) 31 that supplies power for moving the pusher 10 in the product rack 1 in a power-linked state. Has been. A product holding space is formed above the bottom plate member 28, and when a product S is stored in the product holding space, it swings to detect a product receiving lever-type product receiving means for detecting the product receiving space. A sensor 32 is provided.

Further, on the vertical wall portion on one lateral side of the holding device 23,
The swinging pusher 7 for opening and closing the opening / closing gate 6 in the product rack 1 in a state where the holding device 23 is located at the product receiving position for the product rack 1 and the push of the link motor 30 as the link motor 30 rotates. A cam operating mechanism 33 for swinging the tool 7, and a protruding position sensor 3 for detecting whether or not the pressing tool 7 is in a protruding position protruding toward the rack side.
4, a retracted position sensor 35 for detecting whether or not the pushing tool 7 is in the retracted retracted position, and is moved to the product rack 1 side in conjunction with the swing operation of the pushing tool 7 to move to the product rack 1 side. A drive gear 37 that meshes with the driven gear 36 to rotate the rotary belt 11 and a door opening / closing mechanism 50 that opens and operates the bucket door 38 for discharging the product as the link motor 30 rotates are provided. There is. On the other hand, in the vertical wall portion on the opposite side of the holding device 23, a belt transmission mechanism 40 for rotating the driving force of the rack motor 31 to drive the drive gear 37 and the product drawing guide roller 39, and when receiving a product. A flap motor 42 for operating a receiving flap 41 for receiving a product and stabilizing its posture is provided.

Then, in the holding device 23, as shown in FIG. 9, when the holding device 23 is located at the product receiving position for each of the plurality of product racks 1, the product is detected in the product storage space of the product rack 1. A product detection sensor 43 is provided as a non-contact product detection unit that projects light, which is an example of a wave, to detect the presence or absence of a product. As shown in FIG. 12, the product detection sensor 43 includes a light emitting portion 43a that projects detection light toward a portion corresponding to the insertion hole 44 formed in the pusher 10, and the detection light is reflected by a reflector. Light receiving section 4 for receiving the reflected light
And 3b. Therefore, product rack 1
If there is a product in the product, the projected light is reflected by the outer surface of the product S and the reflected light is effectively received by the light receiving portion 43b, but the product is not present in the product rack 1. In this case, since the projected light passes through the insertion hole 44 formed in the pusher 10, it is not reflected over a long distance. Therefore, if the light quantity of the reflected light detected by the light receiving section 43b is a small value equal to or smaller than the set value, it is possible to detect that there is no product in the product rack 1.

The automatic vending machine controls the operations of the product rack 1 and the product transfer device 3 as described above, and transfers the product specified by the product specification operation section 5 to the product extraction section 2 for sale. A control device H using a microcomputer is provided as a product sale control means for executing the product sale process. As shown in FIG. 7, the control device H receives the information of the commodity designation operation unit 5, the money detection device 45 that detects the insertion of money from the money insertion port 4, and the information of each sensor. Based on the information, the operation of each of the motors is controlled. When money is inserted from the money insertion port 4 and a product to be sold is specified by the product specification operation unit 5, the control device H causes the holding device 23 to store the specified product. The rack 1 is moved to a product receiving position, the holding device 23 and the rotating belt 11 of the product rack 1 are linked to each other, and only one product is delivered to the holding device 23, and the product is taken out. It is configured so as to be controlled so that it is conveyed to 2.

In the product sales process, the control device H positions the holding device 23 at the product receiving position in the product rack 1 for storing the sales product specified by the product specification operation unit 5 to sell the sales product. When receiving, when the presence of the product in the product rack 1 is detected by the product detection sensor 43, the operation of selling the product is executed, and
When the product detection sensor 43 detects the absence of a product,
It is configured to execute post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product.

The specific control operation will be described below with reference to the control flowchart shown in FIG. 8 and the operation explanatory diagrams of FIGS. 9 to 12. In the initial state, the holding device 2
No. 3 is waiting at a preset waiting position. First,
When a product to be sold is selected based on the detection information of the money detection device 45 and the product designation operation unit 5 (step 1), the elevator platform 16 corresponds to the elevator stop position corresponding to the product rack 1 in which the designated product is stored. The elevating motor 20 is driven so as to rise to (2) (steps 2 and 3). When it moves to the elevation stop position, the elevation motor 20 is stopped, and then the holding device 23 moves to the lateral movement stop position corresponding to the product rack 1 in which the designated product is stored until the horizontal movement motor. 26 is driven (step 4). When it moves to the stop position for lateral movement, the lateral movement motor 26 is stopped and the link motor 30 is operated (steps 5 and 6). It should be noted that whether or not it is the lifting stop position is confirmed by the detection information of the vertical movement position sensor 22, and whether it is the horizontal movement stop position is confirmed by the detection information of the horizontal movement position sensor 27.

The operation of the link motor 30 will be further described. As shown in FIG.
The cam 33a in the cam operating mechanism 33, which is rotated by the drive of 0, abuts against the pushing tool 7, and the pushing tool 7 biased by the spring 33b in the retracting direction is projected to the product rack 1 side. Then, it is rocked to the protruding position. Then, the protruding pusher 7 pushes and moves the slider 8, which is guided along the guide groove 8a formed in the slider 8 and the link 9 slides downward to open and close the opening / closing gate 6 for swinging operation. It is composed. That is, the opening / closing gate 6 which has been in the closed posture for preventing the delivery of the product until then is switched to the open posture in which the product is delivered by swinging and opening upward. When the pushing position sensor 34 detects that the pushing tool 7 is at the projecting position, the drive gear 37 is linked to the swinging operation of the pushing tool 7 by the drive gear 37.
The link motor 30 is stopped (steps 7 and 8) assuming that it is confirmed that the driven gear 36 on the side of the product rack 1 is in mesh with the driven gear 36 (this state is called a link completed state). In the link completed state, the drive gear 37 meshes with the driven gear 36 on the side of the product rack 1. Therefore, the driven gear 36 is driven by driving the drive gear 37, and the rotating belt 11 is rotated by the power thereof.
The pusher 10 will be moved.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, detection light is projected from the light emitting portion 43a of the product detection sensor 43 toward the product storage space of the product rack 1 (step 9).
Then, when the light receiving section 43b detects the reflected light having the intensity equal to or more than the set value (step 10), the rack motor 31 is driven assuming that the product exists (step 11). By driving the rack motor 31, the pusher 10 is moved and operated via the driven gear 36 that meshes with the drive gear 37 and the rotating belt 11, and the product stored in the product rack 1 moves to the holding device 23 side. Become. At this time, not only the drive gear 37 but also the product pull-in guide roller 39 is rotationally driven, and one product located at the tip is delivered to the holding device 23 side. When the product receiving sensor 32 detects that the product is stored in the product holding space, the product payout process is executed and the selling process is ended (steps 12 and 13).

To explain this product payout process, the operation of the rack motor 31 is stopped, and the link motor 30 is driven to retract the pusher 7, as shown in FIG. When the pusher 7 is retracted, the opening / closing gate 6 is switched to the closed posture by a biasing spring (not shown), and the product is supported. Then, when the retracted position sensor 35 detects that the pusher 7 is in the retracted position, the rack motor 31 starts driving again to rotate the guide roller 39 for retracting the commodity to move the commodity inward. I will guide you to. At this time, the flap 41, as shown in FIG.
The flap motor 42 is configured to receive and support the product in an oblique posture and to control the operation of the flap motor 42 so as to stabilize the posture of the product while changing the inclination posture as the product enters inward. After that, the holding device 23 is moved to a product delivery place for the product takeout unit 2,
As shown in FIG. 11, by driving the link motor 30, the cam member 2 supporting the bottom plate member 28 in a horizontal posture.
9 corresponds to the notch, the bottom plate member 28 is in an oblique posture, and the door opening / closing mechanism operated by the drive of the link motor 30 causes the bucket door 3 for discharging the product.
8 is opened, and the product is paid out to the product taking-out section 2 via the fixed guide plate 51. Reference numeral 52 in the figure denotes an inner door flapper on the product take-out port side.

Then, in step 10, the light receiving section 4
If the reflected light with the intensity higher than the set value is not detected in 3b, it is determined that the product rack 1 is in a sold-out state in which no product exists, and a sold-out determination process as a post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product is executed. (Step 15). As the sold-out determination process, for example, a sold-out display lamp is turned on, or a notification process such as an audio notification is performed to notify the product purchaser that the product is sold out.

After the product to be sold is specified, the holding device is moved toward the product receiving position for the product rack 1 in which the specified product is located, and the products stored in the product rack 1 are lined up. The preset standby time (for example, several tens of seconds) longer than the required time required to move and transfer the rack motor 31 in the direction is set in advance, and in step 12, the rack motor 31 is driven. Nevertheless, even after the set waiting time has elapsed, if the product receiving sensor 32 does not detect that the product is stored in the product holding space, after the set waiting time elapses, the above-described process is performed. A sold-out determination process is executed (steps 14 and 15).

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the vending machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment, except for the control configuration of the processing for determining the presence or absence of the product in each of the product racks by the control device and the post-processing based on the result, other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, only different configurations will be described, and description of other configurations will be omitted.

In the first embodiment, the control device H positions the holding device 23 at the product receiving position in the product rack 1 for storing the product to be sold specified by the product specifying operation section 5 in the product sales process. When receiving the sold product, the product detection sensor 43 allows the product rack 1
When the presence of the product is detected, the operation for selling the product is executed, and when the absence of the product is detected by the product detection sensor 43, the post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product is executed. However, in this embodiment, instead of such a configuration, the configuration is controlled as follows.

That is, when the control device H does not execute the merchandise selling process and the detection operation condition is satisfied, the holding devices 23 are sequentially positioned at the merchandise receiving points of each of the plurality of merchandise racks 1. Then, the product detection process for detecting the presence or absence of each product in each product rack 1 is executed, and when the product detection sensor 43 detects the absence of the product, the post-processing corresponding to the product absence. Is configured to run.

A specific control operation of the product detection process will be described with reference to the control flowchart shown in FIG. First, prior to processing, numbers 1 to N are set in advance for each of the plurality of product racks 1. And when the product sales process is not executed,
Further, as the detection operation condition, when a predetermined time set in a time period during which the product is not sold is reached (steps 20 and 21), first, the holding is performed at the product receiving position in the first product rack 1. The device 23 is positioned (steps 22 and 23), and the product presence / absence determination process by the product detection sensor 43 is executed (step 24). Then, the presence / absence information of the product in the product rack 1 is stored in the memory (step 25). After that, the product presence / absence determination process and the presence / absence information storage process are repeatedly executed in order of the numbers in each of the plurality of product racks 1 (steps 26 and 27), and when the process is completed for all the product racks 1. , This product detection process ends.

In the merchandise selling process performed thereafter, as shown in FIG. 14, when the merchandise to be sold is selected based on the detection information of the money detecting device 45 and the merchandise designation operating section 5, the merchandise is designated. When it is determined that the product does not exist, the sold-out determination process similar to that of the first embodiment is immediately executed (steps 30, 31, 3).
2). If the non-existence of the product cannot be determined, the above first
Processing similar to the processing from step 2 to step 7 in the control flowchart of FIG. 8 in the embodiment is executed (steps 33 to 38). Then, in this embodiment, the link linkage is completed in step 38 without executing the product presence / absence determination process by the product detection sensor 43 every time the holding device 23 moves to the product receiving position of the product rack 1. While turning off the link motor 30,
The rack motor 31 is configured to be driven, and when the product receipt sensor 32 detects that the product is stored in the product holding space, the product payout process is executed and the sale process is terminated (steps 39, 40, 41). Further, even if the preset standby time (for example, several tens of seconds) similar to that of the first embodiment is set in advance and the rack motor 31 is driven, even after the preset standby time has elapsed, If the product receiving sensor 32 does not detect that the product is stored in the product holding space, the sold-out determination process as described above is executed after the set waiting time has elapsed (step 42, 43).

In this way, by detecting the presence or absence of the product in the product rack 1 by utilizing the free time when no product is sold,
When the sold-out product is erroneously designated, the sold-out determination process can be executed without a time delay.

[Other Embodiments] Other embodiments will be listed below.

(1) In the second embodiment, in the product selling process, when the holding device moves to the product receiving position of the product rack, the product presence / absence determining process is not performed by the product detecting sensor. However, instead of such a configuration, in the product sales process, the product detection unit is configured to perform a product presence / absence determination process by a product detection sensor every time the holding device moves to a product receiving position of a product rack. When the absence of the product is detected, the above-described post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product may be executed.

(2) In the second embodiment, the detection operation condition is such that the product detection process is executed at a predetermined time set in a time zone during which the product is not sold. Instead of such a configuration, for example, the product detection process may be executed when the power switch is turned on, and the product may be processed after the sales manager performs the product replenishment process on the product storing / conveying means according to the usage status. Various conditions may be appropriately set as the detection operation condition such as executing the detection process.

(3) In each of the above embodiments, if the product receipt sensor as the product receipt detection unit does not detect that the product for sale has been received even if the set time has elapsed since the product was designated, the product is not accepted. Although the post-processing corresponding to the presence is performed, the post-processing based on the detection information of the product receipt detecting means may not be performed.

(4) In each of the above-described embodiments, in the product selling process, the product holding unit is positioned at the product receiving position in the product storing and conveying means for storing the sold product specified by the product specifying means. After receiving the sale product, it was configured to only perform the process of transporting the sale target product to the product removal unit, but is not limited to such a configuration, after receiving the sale product in the product holding unit, After the presence or absence of a product is detected by the product detection unit, after the detection, the sales product transportation unit is operated so as to transfer the received sales product to the product extraction unit, and after receiving the sales product. When the absence of the product is detected by the detection of the product, the post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product may be executed.

The product detection sensor 43 in the first embodiment functions as a product storage / conveying means because the projection light is blocked by the product after the product is received by the holding device 2 as the product holding unit. Although it is not possible to detect the presence or absence of the product in the product rack 1, instead of such a configuration, for example, a gate similar to the open / close gate 6 of the openable product rack is provided at the entrance of the storage space of the holding device 23. By providing the product detection sensor 43 at this gate, it is possible to detect the presence or absence of the product in the product rack 1 even after receiving the product for sale.

(5) In each of the above-described embodiments, as post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product, the product purchaser is informed that the product is sold out by lighting a sold-out display lamp or using a notification means such as a voice notification. Although it is configured to execute the sold-out determination process of notifying, it is not limited to such a configuration,
The post-processing may be configured to correspond to various processing forms, such as performing a product receiving operation with respect to another product storage / conveying unit that stores the same product as the designated product.

(6) In each of the above-described embodiments, as the structure of the product presence / absence determination process by the product detection sensor 43, the insertion hole 44 is formed in the pusher 10 and the insertion hole 44 is directed toward the position corresponding to the insertion hole 44. If the light emitting unit 43a projects the detection light and the light amount of the reflected light detected by the light receiving unit 43b is a small value equal to or less than the set value, there is no product in the product rack 1. However, instead of such a configuration, the following (a) to
You may implement in various forms as described in (d).

(A) As shown in FIG. 15, the detection light projected from the light emitting portion 43a by the light receiving portion 43b of the product detection sensor 43 is not reflected light returned substantially perpendicularly to the reflecting surface, As a configuration for detecting light reflected in a diagonal direction by a set angle, a reflecting surface for reflecting the detection light projected from the light emitting section 43a in a diagonal direction by the set angle when no product is present in the pusher 10. 10
As a configuration including b, if the light amount of the reflected light detected by the light receiving unit 43b is larger than the set value, it may be configured to detect that no product is present in the product rack 1.

(B) As shown in FIG. 16, the pusher 10 is provided with a mirror-finished reflecting portion 10c for reflecting the detection light projected from the light emitting portion 43a toward the light receiving portion 43b when no product is present. If the quantity of the reflected light detected by the light receiving section 43b is larger than the set value corresponding to the mirror surface, it is detected that there is no product in the product rack 1. Good.

(C) The configuration described in (A) above and the configuration described in (B) may be combined. That is, the reflection surface 10b that reflects the detection light in the oblique direction by the set angle may be formed of a mirror-finished reflection portion.

(2) As described above, instead of projecting light as the product detection wave, an ultrasonic wave may be projected as the product detection wave and the presence or absence of the product may be determined from the reflected wave.

(7) In each of the above embodiments, the product S such as a beverage enclosed in a rectangular paper pack is sold, but the product is not limited to this, and the product is not limited to cigarettes or PET.
Various products such as bottles may be targeted.

(8) In each of the above embodiments, a plurality of product racks serving as product storage / conveying means are provided side by side along the vertical direction and the lateral direction intersecting with the product rack, but the present invention is not limited to such a structure. A plurality of product racks as product storage / conveying means may be arranged in a line in the vertical direction, or a plurality of product racks may be arranged in a line in the horizontal direction.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1] Front view of vending machine

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a product rack.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement of a product rack and a product transfer device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a product transfer device.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a lateral movement operating means of the holding device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a holding device.

FIG. 7 is a control block diagram.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of control operation

[Fig. 9] Operation explanatory diagram

FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory diagram.

FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory diagram.

FIG. 12 is an operation explanatory diagram

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the control operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the control operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration for detecting the presence or absence of a product according to another embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a configuration for detecting the presence or absence of a product according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Product storage and transportation means 2 Product take-out department 3 Sales goods transportation means 5 Product designation means 23 Product Storage 32 Product receipt detection means 43 Product detection means H product sales control means

Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3E044 AA01 BA01 CA02 CC03 CC06                       CC10 DA03 DB02 DB05 EA08                       EB01 EB08 FB01 FB05 FB07                       FB09                 3E046 BB02 CA20 CC03 DA03 EA01                       EA20 EB01 FA04 FA10 GA01                       HA01 HA03 HA04 HA05

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of merchandise storage / conveyance means for arranging products in a horizontal direction so that the commodities can be stored in the horizontal direction, and the stored commodities can be carried out from one end side of the arrangement direction. The product holding means is moved between the product receiving part for the product and the product delivering part for picking up the product from outside the machine, and the sold product carrying means for delivering the product to be sold received from each product storing and carrying means to the product taking part Is provided, and controls the operations of the product storing and conveying means and the sale product conveying means, conveys the commodity designated by the commodity designating means to the commodity taking-out section and sells the commodity, and sells the commodity. An automatic vending machine provided with a control means, wherein the product holding section of the sold product transfer means is provided for each of the plurality of product storage transfer means. In the state of being located at the product receiving location, a non-contact type product detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a product by projecting a product detection wave in the product storing space of the product storing and conveying means is provided in the product holding section, The product sale control means, in the product sale process,
The presence of the product is detected by the product detection unit when the product holding unit is located at the product receiving position in the product storage / conveying unit that stores the sale product specified by the product specifying unit Then, the operation for selling the product is executed, and when the absence of the product is detected by the product detecting means, the post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product is executed automatically. Vending machine. 2. A plurality of product storing / conveying means that can store the products side by side in a horizontal direction and can carry out the stored products from one end side in the arrangement direction are arranged side by side, and each of the plurality of product storing / conveying means is provided. The product holding means is moved between the product receiving part for the product and the product delivering part for picking up the product from outside the machine, and the sold product carrying means for delivering the product to be sold received from each product storing and carrying means to the product taking part Is provided, and controls the operations of the product storing and conveying means and the sale product conveying means, conveys the commodity designated by the commodity designating means to the commodity taking-out section and sells the commodity, and sells the commodity. An automatic vending machine provided with control means, wherein the product holding unit in the sale product transfer means is provided in each of the plurality of product storage transfer means. In the state of being located at the product receiving part, a non-contact type product detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a product by projecting a product detection wave in the product storing space of the product storing and conveying means is provided in the product holding section, When the product sales control unit does not execute the product sales process and the detection operation condition is satisfied, the product holding unit is sequentially positioned at the product receiving position in each of the plurality of product storing and conveying units. Then, a product detection process for detecting the presence or absence of each product in each product storage / conveying unit is executed, and when the product detection unit detects the absence of the product, post-processing corresponding to the product absence is performed. A vending machine that is configured to run. 3. The product sale control means, in the product sale process, positions the product holding section at a product receiving location in the product storage / conveying means for storing the sold product designated by the product designating means. After receiving the sale product, the presence or absence of the product is detected by the product detection means,
After the detection, the sales merchandise conveying means is operated so as to deliver the received sales merchandise to the merchandise take-out section,
The post-processing corresponding to the non-existence of the product is executed when the non-existence of the product is detected by the product detection means by the detection after receiving the sale product. Vending machine described. 4. A product receipt detecting unit for detecting that the product holding unit has received the sold product in a state of being located at a product receiving position in the product storing and conveying unit, and the product sales control unit, In the merchandise selling process, after the merchandise holding section is positioned at a merchandise receiving portion in the merchandise storing and conveying means for accommodating the merchandise to be sold designated by the merchandise designating means, the merchandise receipt detection means determines the merchandise to be sold. When it is detected that the product is received, the product for sale is configured to be conveyed to the product take-out section, and even if a set time has elapsed since the product was designated by the product designating unit, the product receipt detecting unit The post-processing corresponding to the absence of the product is executed when the receipt of the sold product is not detected. The vending machine according to any one of 1 to 3.