JP2003308558A - Automatic beverage vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic beverage vending machine which can sell beverage even when the hot water temperature of a boiler temporally decreases due to a continuous selling. <P>SOLUTION: The automatic beverage vending machine can sell beverage when a customer inserts coins even when a hot water temperature of a boiler 2 is lower than the vendable temperature if the temperature reaches the vendable temperature before the first waiting time has passed because the machine is set to sell beverage if the first waiting time has not passed. In addition, when merchandise is selected after inserting coins, even if the first waiting time has passed before the temperature reaches the vendable temperature, since the machine is set to sell beverage if the second waiting time has not passed, a heating time for the hot water can be prolonged during the extended waiting time even when the hot water temperature does not reach the vendable temperature when the customer selects the merchandise. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to, for example, coffee,
The present invention relates to a drink vending machine for injecting tea or various soft drinks into a cup for sale.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, as a beverage vending machine of this type, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-249172, powdered or concentrated liquid raw material or coffee using hot water produced in a boiler is used. It is known that an arbitrary beverage is produced from a raw material obtained by crushing beans with a mill, and the beverage is poured into a cup for sale.

There is also a miniaturized beverage vending machine, in which case the tank capacity of the boiler is 400 m.
Since it becomes as small as about 1, an instant heating type small boiler using a heater with high heating capacity is used.

[0004]

By the way, such a small beverage vending machine as described above is installed in a place with relatively few users, such as a rest area of an office building. However, users may be concentrated during breaks. However, since the beverage vending machine uses a small boiler, when beverages are continuously sold, the tank of the boiler is frequently supplied with water, and hot water in the tank can be sold in a predetermined manner. Temperature (eg 85
C)). In such cases,
When the hot water is heated to the temperature at which it can be sold again, the display lamp is turned on to restart the sale. Although the heating time is usually about 20 seconds, once the sale is stopped, the user either gives up the purchase at that time or tries to use another vending machine. There was a problem that the sales opportunity was lost even if the sales were temporarily stopped.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to lose the sales opportunity even when the hot water temperature of the boiler is temporarily lowered due to continuous sales or the like. It is to provide a beverage vending machine that does not have.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, in claim 1, a boiler which heats water stored in a tank having a predetermined capacity to generate hot water, and is supplied from the boiler. In a beverage vending machine that injects a beverage produced using hot water into a beverage container for sale, hot water temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the hot water of the boiler, and the temperature of the hot water of the boiler is higher than a predetermined salable temperature. If the temperature of the hot water is lower than the sellable temperature even after a lapse of a predetermined waiting time, a control means for stopping the sale is provided.

As a result, even if the hot water temperature of the boiler is lower than the salable temperature, if the predetermined waiting time has not elapsed before the hot water temperature reaches the salable temperature, the sale is stopped. Therefore, even if the user inputs money, if the hot water temperature reaches the salable temperature before the waiting time elapses, the beverage can be sold.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the beverage vending machine according to the first aspect, when the predetermined beverage purchase operation is performed by the control means before the waiting time elapses, the waiting time elapses. In addition, when the temperature of the hot water is lower than the sellable temperature even after another predetermined waiting time has elapsed, the sale is stopped.

Thus, in addition to the function of claim 1, when a predetermined beverage purchase operation such as a product selection operation is performed before the first waiting time elapses, the hot water temperature becomes the salable temperature. Even if the first waiting time elapses before reaching, the sale will not be stopped unless another predetermined waiting time elapses, so the hot water temperature has reached the salable temperature at the time of the beverage purchase operation. Even if it does not exist, the heating time of the hot water can be secured longer because the waiting time is extended.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the beverage vending machine according to the second aspect, the control means is configured to start timing of another waiting time when the beverage purchasing operation is performed. There is.

Thus, in addition to the function of claim 2, when the beverage purchasing operation is performed, even before the first waiting time elapses, timing of another waiting time is started from that time. Therefore, the waiting time is not extended beyond other waiting times after the beverage purchase operation is performed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the beverage vending machine according to the second aspect, when the beverage purchasing operation is performed on the control means, another waiting time after the first waiting time elapses. It is configured to start timing of.

Thus, in addition to the effects of the second aspect, when the beverage purchasing operation is performed, timing of other waiting times is started after the first waiting time elapses. Regardless of this, the extension time due to other waiting time is surely secured.

[0014]

1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view of a beverage vending machine, and FIG.
Is a schematic diagram showing its configuration, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are time charts showing the operation of the beverage vending machine.

This beverage vending machine comprises a vending machine body 1
A boiler 2 for producing hot water, a water supply tank 3 for storing drinking water supplied to the boiler 2, and first to fourth raw material containers 4, 5, 6, 7 for storing a plurality of types of powder raw materials. , A fifth raw material container 8 for storing coffee beans as a raw material, a beverage extractor 9 for extracting a coffee beverage, a cup unloading mechanism 10 for unloading a cup, and a cup for unloading the cup unloading from the cup unloading mechanism 10. It is composed of a cup moving mechanism 11 for moving to the above, a drainage container 12 for storing unnecessary discharged liquid, and a control unit 13 for controlling the operation of the vending machine.

The vending machine body 1 has a plurality of product selection switches 1a on its front surface, a sales lamp 1b attached to a product display section 1a 'corresponding to each product selection switch 1a, sugar-containing, milk-containing, black, etc. And an auxiliary selection switch 1c for selecting the seasoning. Further, on the front surface of the vending machine body 1, a coin slot 1d, a coin return slot 1e,
A coin display 1f and a merchandise outlet 1g are provided so that coins inserted into the coin slot 1d are processed by the coin processor 1h.

The boiler 2 is a well-known instant type small boiler which produces hot water of about 90 ° C. by an internal heater (not shown), and has a tank 2a having a capacity of about 400 ml. The tank 2a is provided with a water supply port 2b and a drain port 2c, as well as a plurality of discharge ports 2d for discharging hot water for beverage production, and the drain port 2c is opened and closed by a solenoid valve 2e. Further, a hot water temperature sensor 2f for detecting the temperature of the hot water is provided in the tank 2a.

The water supply tank 3 is connected to the water supply port 2b of the boiler 2 via a water supply pump 3a and a flow meter 3b, and the drinking water stored therein is supplied to the boiler 2 by the water supply pump 3a. This water supply tank 3 is installed in the lower part of the vending machine body 1, and for example, water is replenished directly from the outside or is replaced with a new water supply tank 3 in which water is stored in advance. It may be one.

First to fourth raw material containers 4, 5, 6, 7
Is black tea (or Japanese tea), cocoa,
It contains cream and sugar, respectively, and carries out a predetermined amount of raw material from the raw material shooters 4a, 5a, 6a, 7a. Further, below the first raw material container 4, a mixer 4b for receiving the raw material carried out from the raw material container 4 is provided. That is, the hot water is supplied to the mixer 4b from the discharge port 2d of the boiler 2, the raw material and the hot water are mixed in the mixer 4b, and the hot water is injected into the cup A of the commodity outlet 1g. Further, below the second and third raw material containers 5 and 6, there is provided a mixer 5b for receiving the raw material carried out from the raw material containers 5 and 6. That is, the hot water is supplied to the mixer 5a from the discharge port 2d of the boiler 2, the raw material and the hot water are mixed in the mixer 5a, and the hot water is injected into the cup A of the commodity outlet 1g. Further, the raw material carried out from the fourth raw material container 7 is put into the cup A of the product take-out port 1g via the transport chute 7b extending to the product take-out port 1g.

The fifth raw material container 8 has a mill 8a for grinding coffee beans, and carries out a predetermined amount of raw material (ground beans) weighed by a weighing machine 8b to a beverage extractor 9.

The beverage extractor 9 has a well-known structure for extracting a coffee beverage from a raw material (ground beans) by using hot water supplied from the discharge port 2d of the boiler 2, and the extracted beverage is a cup having a product outlet 1g. It is supposed to be injected into A.

The cup carry-out mechanism 10 has a well-known structure for accommodating the cups A for selling beverages, and the cups A are dropped and carried out one by one to the cup moving mechanism 11 side.

The cup moving mechanism 11 is composed of an arm 11a capable of receiving the cup A at one end and a motor 11b for rotating the arm 11a, and receives the cup A carried out from the cup carrying-out mechanism 10 by the arm 11a.
By rotating the arm 11a by the motor 11b, the cup A is moved to the product outlet 1g.

The drainage container 12 is installed in the lower part of the main body 1 of the vending machine, and has a drainage port 2c of the boiler 2 and a product outlet 1g.
It is designed to contain unnecessary liquid discharged from the.

The control unit 13 is composed of a microcomputer, and has various product selection switches 1a and sales lamps 1.
b, coin processing device 1h, boiler 2, hot water temperature sensor 2f, water supply pump 3a, flow meter 3b, each raw material container 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, the beverage extractor 9, the cup unloading mechanism 10, and the cup moving mechanism 11 are connected. The control unit 13 is also connected to first and second timers 13a and 13b.

Now, the operation of the control unit 13 will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. First, when the temperature T detected by the hot water temperature sensor 2f is equal to or higher than a predetermined salable temperature T1 (for example, 85 ° C.) at the stage when the previous selling operation is completed (S1) (S2), a coin is inserted by the user. (S3), when an arbitrary product is selected by the product selection switch 1a (S4), the selling operation is started (S5).
That is, the cup A is unloaded from the cup unloading mechanism 10, the cup A is moved to the product outlet 1g by the cup moving mechanism 11, and an arbitrary beverage is poured into the cup A. For example, when black tea is selected by the product selection switch 1a, the powdered raw material for black tea is supplied from the first raw material container 4 to the mixer 4b, and hot water is supplied from the boiler 2 to the mixer 4b. Is generated. When coffee is selected by the product selection switch 1a and cream and sugar are selected by the auxiliary selection switch 1c, hot water of the boiler 2 is supplied to the beverage extractor 9 to extract the coffee beverage. The cream is carried out of the third raw material container 6 and the sugar is carried out of the fourth raw material container 7. In this case, the third raw material container 6
The powder raw material of the cream carried out from is mixed with the hot water supplied from the boiler 2 by the mixer 5b, and the powdered sugar carried out from the fourth raw material container 7 is put into the cup A via the transfer shooter 7b. .

If the temperature T detected by the hot water temperature sensor 2f is lower than the salable temperature T1 in step S2, the first timer 13a starts counting time (S6).
After this, before the first waiting time t1 (for example, 20 seconds) elapses (S7), when the hot water temperature T becomes equal to or higher than the salable temperature T1 (S8), after the product purchasing operation ( S
3, S4) and the selling operation is started (S5). On the other hand, when the first waiting time t1 elapses before the hot water temperature T reaches the salable temperature T1 (S8) (S7), the selling lamp 1
The b is turned off to stop the sale (S9). After this, hot water temperature T
When the temperature becomes equal to or higher than the sellable temperature T1 (S10), the sales lamp 1b is turned on to resume the sales (S11), and the process waits for the product purchase operation in step S3.

As mentioned above, the hot water temperature T is the salable temperature T1
Even if it has not reached (S8), but before the first waiting time t1 has elapsed (S7), the sale is not canceled,
Coins may be inserted by the user (S1
2) In this case, when the hot water temperature T becomes equal to or higher than the salable temperature T1 before the first waiting time t1 elapses (S
8) Then, the process proceeds to step S3, and after a product selection operation is performed (S4), the selling operation is started (S5). on the other hand,
After the coin has been inserted (S12) and before the hot water temperature T reaches the salable temperature T1 (S8), if the first waiting time t1 has elapsed (S7), the selling lamp 1b is turned off. The sale is stopped (S9), and the inserted coins are returned (S13, S14). After this, when the hot water temperature T exceeds the salable temperature T1 (S10), the selling lamp 1b
Is turned on to resume the sale (S11), and the step S3 is performed.
It shifts to the product purchase operation waiting state.

After the coin is inserted (S1
2) Before the first waiting time t1 has elapsed (S7), if there is a product selection operation (S15), the second timer 13a starts counting time (S16), and the first waiting Time t
After 1 has elapsed (S17), but before the second waiting time t2 (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed (S18), the sale is not stopped and the second waiting time t2 is set as shown in the time chart of FIG. When the hot water temperature T becomes equal to or higher than the salable temperature T1 before the waiting time t2 elapses (S19), the selling operation is started (S
5).

On the other hand, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 6, before the hot water temperature T reaches the salable temperature T1 (S1
9) If the second waiting time t2 has elapsed (S1
8) At the same time, the sale lamp 1b is turned off to stop the sale (S9), and the inserted coins are returned (S13, S1).
4). After that, when the hot water temperature T becomes equal to or higher than the salable temperature T1 (S10), the selling lamp 1b is turned on to resume the selling (S11), and the process waits for the product purchasing operation in the step S3.

As described above, according to the beverage vending machine of this embodiment, even when the hot water temperature T of the boiler 2 is lower than the salable temperature T1, the hot water temperature T reaches the salable temperature T1. Since the sale is not stopped before the first waiting time t1 has passed, even if a coin is inserted by the user, the selling temperature T1 is reached before the first waiting time t1 elapses. Once reached, the beverage can be sold. Therefore, for example, even when the hot water temperature T of the boiler 2 is temporarily decreased due to continuous sales, the user is not abandoned for the purchase and the sales opportunity can be surely acquired.

In addition, when a product selection operation is performed after coins are inserted, even if the first waiting time t1 elapses before the hot water temperature T reaches the salable temperature T1, the second The sale is not stopped unless the waiting time t2 of the time elapses. Therefore, even if the hot water temperature T does not reach the salable temperature T1 at the time when the product selection operation is performed, only the amount of the waiting time is extended. It is possible to secure a long heating time for hot water.
This not only ensures sales opportunities, but also
Beverages can be surely sold to users who have proceeded with the purchase operation up to the product selection stage, and serviceability can be improved.

In this case, since the timing of the second waiting time t2 is started when the product selection operation is performed,
After the product selection operation is performed, the waiting time is not extended beyond the second waiting time t2, and the waiting time after selecting the product can be always appropriate.

In the above embodiment, the first waiting time t
Even when the product selection operation is performed even before 1 has elapsed, the second waiting time t2 is started to be measured from that time. As shown in the time chart of FIG. In addition, when a product selection operation is performed, the second waiting time t2 may be timed after the first waiting time t1 has elapsed. In this case, even when the time from the insertion of coins to the selection operation of the product is short, the extension time due to the second waiting time t2 can be surely secured, and the selection of the product from the insertion of the coins can be ensured. It is also effective for users who have a quick operation up to. Alternatively, it may be decided that the extension by the second waiting time t2 is performed at the time when the coin is inserted.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the beverage vending machine of the type that handles only coins is shown, but coins and bills may be used.

[0036]

As described above, according to the beverage vending machine of claim 1, even if the temperature of the hot water in the boiler is lower than the temperature at which it can be sold, the sale is not immediately stopped. For example, even when the hot water temperature is temporarily reduced due to continuous sales, the user is not abandoned for the purchase, and the sales opportunity can be surely acquired.

According to the beverage vending machine of claim 2, in addition to the effect of claim 1, when a predetermined beverage purchase operation such as product selection operation is performed, the hot water temperature is sold at that time. The waiting time is extended even if the temperature has not reached the maximum temperature, so the heating time of the hot water can be secured for that much, and not only can you surely acquire a sales opportunity, but also the purchasing operation has progressed to the product selection stage. Beverages can be surely sold to users, and serviceability can be improved.

According to the beverage vending machine of claim 3, in addition to the effect of claim 2, after the beverage purchasing operation is performed, the waiting time is extended beyond another predetermined waiting time. Therefore, the waiting time after the beverage purchasing operation can be always appropriate.

Further, according to the beverage vending machine of claim 4, in addition to the effect of claim 2, an extension time due to another waiting time can be surely secured regardless of the timing of the beverage purchase operation. Therefore, even if the timing of the beverage purchase operation differs depending on the user, the sales opportunity can be surely acquired.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a beverage vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit.

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the operation of the beverage vending machine.

FIG. 6 is a time chart showing the operation of the beverage vending machine.

FIG. 7 is a time chart showing the operation of the beverage vending machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... boiler, 2a ... tank, 2f ... hot water temperature sensor, 13 ...
Control unit.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kimihisa Ishikawa             20, Kotobukicho, Isesaki-shi, Gunma Sanden shares             In the company (72) Inventor Ryoichi Sekiguchi             20, Kotobukicho, Isesaki-shi, Gunma Sanden shares             In the company F-term (reference) 3E044 AA01 CC08

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A beverage automatic vending machine, comprising a boiler for heating water stored in a tank of a predetermined capacity to generate hot water, and pouring a beverage produced using hot water supplied from the boiler into a beverage container for sale. In the machine, the hot water temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the hot water of the boiler, and when the temperature of the hot water of the boiler is lower than a predetermined salable temperature, the hot water temperature is the same even after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. A beverage vending machine comprising a control means for stopping the sale when the temperature is lower than the sellable temperature. 2. When the predetermined beverage purchase operation is performed before the waiting time elapses, the control means controls the hot water even when the waiting time elapses and another predetermined waiting time elapses. The beverage vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the beverage vending machine is configured to stop selling when the temperature is lower than the salable temperature. 3. The beverage vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the control means is configured to start timing of another waiting time when the beverage purchasing operation is performed. 4. The control means is configured to start timing of another waiting time after the first waiting time has elapsed when the beverage purchase operation is performed. Beverage vending machine according to 2.