JP2009217361A - Cup type automatic beverage vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cup type automatic beverage vending machine guaranteeing the quality of a sold beverage even when sale is suspended. <P>SOLUTION: This cup type automatic beverage vending machine has raw material chutes 2 each temporarily storing a powder raw material dispensed from a raw material canister 1 storing the powder raw material, and each dispensing the powder raw material into a cup moved to a reception position by a cup carrier 3. In the cup type automatic beverage vending machine, when resuming the sale after the suspension of sales operation, the cup carrier 3 is controlled, so that the cup is moved to the reception position, and thereafter the raw material chute 2 is made to perform dispensing operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a cup-type beverage vending machine, and more particularly to a cup-type beverage vending machine of a cup-mixing system that cooks drink ingredients, sugar, cream, and the like inside a cup.

  A cup-type beverage vending machine that mixes drink ingredients (for example, instant coffee), sugar, cream, etc. inside the cup and contains powder ingredients such as drink ingredients, sugar, cream, etc. The raw material canister, the raw material shooter that receives the powder raw material dispensed from the raw material canister, temporarily moves the cup that is supplied from the cup supply device, and the powder raw material that is stored in the raw material shooter And a cup transport device for receiving the head.

  In such a vending machine, when a drink to be sold is selected, the powder raw material is dispensed from the raw material canister containing the powder raw material serving as the raw material of the drink to the raw material shooter. At the same time, in order to receive the powder raw material from the raw material shooter containing the discharged powder raw material when the cup is supplied from the cup supply device to the cup conveying device, the cup conveying device receives the powder raw material receiving position (the discharged raw material The cup is sequentially moved to a position for receiving the powder raw material from the shooter and below the raw material shooter. And if all the powder raw materials are received from a raw material shooter, a cup conveyance apparatus will move a cup to a cooking position. When the cup moves to the cooking position, hot water or a drink (for example, regular coffee) is poured into the cup and stirred when necessary (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1).

Supervised by Fumihiko Kimura, edited by Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association, “Vending Machine Technical Overview”, Hoshiseisha Koseikaku Publishing, May 20, 1998, p. 90-91

  However, when the selling operation is interrupted in the course of sales in the cup-type beverage vending machine described above, the powder raw material dispensed from the raw material canister may remain in the raw material shooter. When the powder raw material dispensed from the raw material canister remains in the raw material shooter, when the beverage is restarted and a drink containing the powdered raw material is selected, the powdery raw material is further dispensed from the raw material canister to the raw material shooter. .

  For example, if the sales operation is interrupted in the middle of selling regular coffee containing sugar, and the sugar discharged from the raw canister remains in the raw shooter, the sale is resumed, and if regular coffee containing sugar is selected, More sugar will be dispensed from the canister to the raw shooter. That is, regular sugar-containing coffee containing twice the usual sugar is cooked and sold.

  In addition, when the front door of the cup-type beverage vending machine is closed wildly, the powder material may spill from the material canister to the material shooter due to the impact. As described above, when a drink containing the powder raw material is selected in a state where the powder raw material is spilled on the raw material shooter, the powder raw material spilled and the powder raw material dispensed from the raw material canister are mixed, and the drink Quality will deteriorate.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a cup-type beverage vending machine that can guarantee the quality of a beverage to be sold even when the sale is interrupted.

  In order to achieve the above object, a cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present invention temporarily stores a powder raw material dispensed from a raw material canister in which a powder raw material is stored, while receiving it by a cup transport device. In a cup-type beverage vending machine equipped with a raw material shooter that dispenses powdered raw material to a cup that has been moved to a position, when sales are resumed after the sales operation is interrupted, the cup is received by controlling the cup transport device. It is characterized in that it is provided with a blanking control means for causing the raw material shooter to perform a dispensing operation after being moved to the position.

  In addition, the cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present invention temporarily stores the powder raw material dispensed from the raw material canister in which the powder raw material is stored, while being moved to the receiving position by the cup transport device. In a cup-type beverage vending machine equipped with a raw material shooter that pays out powdered raw materials, when an empty shot is instructed, the cup is moved to the receiving position by controlling the cup transport device, and then discharged into the raw material shooter. It is characterized by comprising a blanking control means for operating.

  Moreover, the cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned invention, an empty batting instruction input means for instructing the empty batting is provided inside a front door.

  The cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present invention controls the cup transport device to move the cup to the receiving position and then causes the raw material shooter to perform a dispensing operation when sales are resumed after the sales operation is interrupted. Therefore, the powder raw material remaining in the raw material shooter due to the suspension of the sales operation is collected in the cup. For this reason, even if sales are interrupted, the quality of the drink concerning the next sale can be guaranteed.

  The cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present invention controls the cup transport device to move the cup to the receiving position and then causes the raw material shooter to perform a dispensing operation when an empty shot is instructed. There is no need for a rootman who goes around a beverage vending machine to collect the powdered raw material remaining in the raw material shooter.

  Exemplary embodiments of a cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

  The cup-type beverage vending machine according to the embodiment employs an in-cup mixing method in which beverage ingredients (for example, instant coffee), sugar, cream, etc. are cooked inside the cup.

  The cup-type beverage vending machine of the in-cup mixing system includes a plurality of raw material canisters 1, a raw material shooter 2 provided for each canister, and a cup conveying device 3.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a raw material canister of a cup-type beverage vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a left side view of the raw material canister shown in FIG.

  The raw material canister 1 contains powder raw materials such as drink raw materials (for example, instant coffee), sugar, cream and the like, and is prepared for each powder raw material. As shown in FIG. 1, the cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present embodiment includes ten raw material canisters 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the material canister 1 includes a screw 11 formed in a spiral shape, and when the material motor 12 provided outside is driven, the screw 11 rotates and the powder material is paid to the material shooter 2. It comes out.

  The raw material shooter 2 receives and temporarily stores the powder raw material discharged from the raw material canister 1, and is disposed in front of the raw material canister 1. The raw material shooter 2 includes a shutter (not shown) that can be opened and closed at a lower portion. This shutter is urged in the closing direction by the spring 21 and is opened only when the powder raw material is discharged from the raw material shooter 2 to the cup. Therefore, when the powder raw material is dispensed from the raw material canister 1, the shutter is closed.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cup transport device of a cup-type beverage vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cup transport device shown in FIG.

  The cup transport device 3 moves the hand holding the cup in the left-right direction (X direction), the depth direction (Y direction), and the up-down direction (Z direction). It has become. When a drink is selected, the cup transport device 3 moves the hand to the cup receiving position and receives the cup from the cup supply device 4 (see FIG. 5). In addition, the cup supply device 4 of the cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present embodiment can supply four types of cups, and a cup receiving position for moving the hand according to the type of cup to be supplied (FIG. C1 to C4) shown in FIG. 7 are selected.

  When the hand receives the cup, the cup transport device 3 moves the cup (hand) to the receiving position. The receiving position is a position for receiving the powder raw material discharged from the raw material canister 1 to the raw material shooter 2, and the receiving position is below the raw material shooter 2 from which the powder raw material has been discharged. For example, when selling regular coffee containing sugar and cream, the cream dispensed from the raw material canister 1 is temporarily below the raw material shooter 2 in which the sugar dispensed from the raw material canister 1 is temporarily stored. The receiving position is below the material shooter 2 to be accommodated.

  Then, by sequentially moving the hand to the receiving position, when the cup receives all the powder raw material dispensed from the raw material shooter 2, the cup transport device 3 moves the cup (hand) to the cooking position. Yes. The cooking position is a position where hot water or a drink (for example, regular coffee) is poured into the cup, and the hot water or the drink is stirred when necessary. For example, when selling regular coffee containing sugar and cream, regular coffee is poured out and stirred.

  And when the pouring of hot water or a drink into a cup is completed, the cup conveyance apparatus 3 moves a cup (hand) to a sales outlet position. The sales outlet position is a position where the user takes out the drink (cup), and when the take-out door (not shown) provided on the front door (not shown) of the cup-type vending machine is opened, the drink (Cup) can be taken out. When a drink (cup) is taken out from the cup transport device 3 at the sales port position, the cup transport device 3 moves the hand to the standby position.

  A disposal position is provided between the sales port position and the standby position described above, and when the cup transport device 3 moves the hand to the disposal position, the cup held by the hand is automatically drained (see FIG. (Not shown).

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present embodiment.

  In the cup-type beverage vending machine according to the present embodiment described above, the entire vending machine is controlled by the main control unit 5, and the above-described raw material canister (raw material motor 12) 1, raw material shooter 2, and cup transport device. 3. Control of the cup supply device 4 is performed by a cooking control unit 6 connected to the main control unit 5.

  The main control unit 5 has an automatic return means 51. The automatic return means 51 returns the inserted money and controls the system reset (automatic return) when the selling operation of the vending machine is interrupted for some reason (for example, coffee brewer failure). It is. The system reset control activates the vending machine, determines whether or not to sell the cup (supply of the cup) according to the situation at the time of the system reset, and sells the cup (cup After the cup is supplied from the supply device), a shoot blanking instruction (for automatic return) is output to the cooking control unit 6 and when it is not necessary to sell the cup, the shoot blanking instruction (automatically) (For return) is output.

  Further, a chute empty key 7 and an operation key 8 are connected to the main control unit 5. The chute empty key 7 and the operation key 8 are disposed inside the front door of the vending machine, and can be operated when the front door is opened, that is, during maintenance. When the front door is opened and the chute empty key is pressed when the vending machine is in the standby state, the main control unit 5 outputs an empty shot preparation instruction to the cooking control unit 6. . Further, when the operation key 8 is pressed in a state where preparation for empty shot is completed, the main control unit 5 outputs a shot empty shot instruction (for maintenance) to the cooking control unit 6.

  The cooking control unit 6 includes a chute idle control means (for automatic return) 61 and a chute idle control means (for maintenance) 62.

  When the chute idle control means (for automatic return) 61 is input from the main control unit 5 to the cooking control unit 6 to the cooking control unit 6, the cup (hand) is driven without driving the raw material motor 12. ) Are sequentially moved to all the receiving positions to cause the raw material shooter 2 to perform a dispensing operation (blank operation). When the dispensing operation of the raw material shooter is completed at all the receiving positions, the cup (hand) is cooked. After moving to the position and initializing the vending machine (mechanical), the cup is discarded.

  On the other hand, the chute empty shot control means (for maintenance) 62 is configured to move the hand to the sales outlet position when the main control section 5 inputs an empty shot preparation instruction to the cooking control section 6. The cup can be supplied to the hand at the position (hand placement). Here, when a cup is supplied to the hand and a chute emptying instruction (for maintenance) is input from the main control unit 5 to the cooking control unit, all the cups (hands) are received without driving the material motor 12. The raw material shooter 2 is moved sequentially to the position to cause the raw material shooter 2 to perform a paying-out operation (blank operation). When the raw material shooter is discharged at all receiving positions, the cup (hand) is moved to the sales outlet position. It is like that.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an automatic return procedure of the cup-type beverage vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the above-described cup-type beverage vending machine resets the system when the selling operation of the vending machine is interrupted for some reason (step S1), and then starts the vending machine. (Step S2).

  When the vending machine is activated, it is first determined whether the activation is reset during beverage sales (step S3). When the activation is not reset during beverage sales (step S3: No), that is, when the activation is a normal activation, the activation is performed in the same manner as the previous one.

  On the other hand, if the activation is reset during beverage sales (step S3: Yes), it is further determined whether or not the sale of cups (supply of cups) has ended (step S4). When the sale of the cup is not finished (step S4: No), that is, when it is not possible to detect that the cup has been supplied, after the cup is disposed (step S5), after the sale of the cup (after the supply of the cup) ( Step S6), the shot empty shot operation (step S7) is started. On the other hand, when the sales of the cups are finished (step S4: Yes), that is, when the cups are supplied to the hand, the shot emptying operation (step S7) is started immediately.

  FIG. 7 is a transport diagram showing a cup transport procedure in the chute emptying operation (for automatic return) shown in FIG.

  When the chute emptying operation is started, the cup is sequentially moved to all the receiving positions CN1 to CN10, and the payout operation is performed at each of the receiving positions CN1, CN2,. That is, the raw material shooter 2 is dispensed without driving the raw material motor 12, and when the raw material powder remains in the raw material shooter 2, the raw material powder is discarded from the raw material shooter 2 into the cup. Will be.

  When the chute emptying operation is completed, the cup conveying device 3 moves the cup to the cooking position DH, whereby the vending machine is initialized (mechanical) (step S8). The recovered cup is discarded from the discard position WT (step S9), the hand is moved to the standby position OR, and the automatic return is completed.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a chute idle operation (for maintenance) according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  On the other hand, when the front door of the vending machine is opened and the chute empty key is pressed as shown in FIG. 8 (step S11: Yes), an empty shot preparation instruction is input from the main control unit 5 to the cooking control unit 6, The cooking control unit 6 prepares a chute emptying operation (step S12). Specifically, the cup transport device 3 is controlled so that the cup can be supplied (placed manually) at the sales outlet position (VS shown in FIG. 8).

  Then, after supplying (manually placing) the cup at the sales port position, when the operation key 8 is pressed (step S13: Yes), the shot emptying operation (step S14) is started.

  FIG. 9 is a transport diagram showing a cup transport procedure in the chute emptying operation (for maintenance) shown in FIG.

  When the chute emptying operation is started, the cup is sequentially moved to all the receiving positions CN1 to CN10, and the payout operation is performed at each of the receiving positions CN1, CN2,. That is, the raw material shooter 2 is dispensed without driving the raw material motor 12, and when the raw material powder remains in the raw material shooter 2, the raw material powder is discarded from the raw material shooter 2 into the cup. Will be.

  When the payout operation of the raw material shooter 2 is performed at all the receiving positions CN1 to CN10, the cup conveying device 3 thereafter moves the cup to the sales opening position, and thus the chute emptying operation is completed. Therefore, the cup can be taken out at the sales outlet position.

  According to the cup-type beverage vending machine according to the embodiment described above, when sales are resumed after the suspension of the sales operation, the cup is sequentially moved to all the receiving positions by controlling the cup transport device 3, Since each raw material shooter 2 is caused to perform a payout operation, the powder raw material remaining in the raw material shooter 2 is recovered in the cup by interruption of the sales operation. For this reason, even if sales are interrupted, the quality of the drink concerning the next sale can be guaranteed.

  Further, when an empty shot instruction is given, the cup transport device 3 is controlled so that the cup is sequentially moved to all the receiving positions and the dispensing shooter 2 is operated. Therefore, it is not necessary for the rootman who performs the maintenance around to collect the powder raw material remaining in the raw material shooter 2 at the time of maintenance.

It is a perspective view which shows the raw material canister of the cup-type drink vending machine which is this Embodiment. It is a left view of the raw material canister shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the cup conveyance apparatus of the cup-type drink vending machine which is this Embodiment. It is a top view of the cup conveyance apparatus shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the cup-type drink vending machine which is embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the automatic return procedure of the cup-type drink vending machine which is embodiment of this invention. FIG. 7 is a transport diagram illustrating a cup transport procedure in the chute emptying operation (for automatic return) illustrated in FIG. 6. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the chute idle operation (for maintenance) which is the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a transport diagram illustrating a cup transport procedure in the chute emptying operation (for maintenance) illustrated in FIG. 8.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Raw material canister 11 Screw 12 Raw material motor 2 Raw material shooter 21 Spring 3 Cup conveyance device 4 Cup supply device 5 Main control part 51 Automatic return means 6 Cooking control part 61 Chute empty control means (for automatic return)
62 Chute idle control means (for maintenance)
7 Shoot empty key 8 Operation key

Claims (3)

A cup-type beverage automatic equipped with a raw material shooter that temporarily stores powder raw materials dispensed from a raw material canister containing powdered raw materials, and dispenses powder raw materials to a cup moved to a receiving position by a cup transport device In the vending machine,
In the case where sales are resumed after the sales operation is interrupted, the cup transporting device is controlled to move the cup to the receiving position, and then the blank shooting control means for causing the raw material shooter to perform a payout operation is provided. Cup-type beverage vending machine. A cup-type beverage automatic equipped with a raw material shooter that temporarily stores powder raw materials dispensed from a raw material canister containing powdered raw materials, and dispenses powder raw materials to a cup moved to a receiving position by a cup transport device In the vending machine,
A cup-type beverage characterized by comprising a blanking control means for controlling a cup conveying device to move a cup to a receiving position and then allowing a raw material shooter to perform a dispensing operation when blanking is instructed. vending machine.   3. A cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 2, further comprising an empty batting instruction input means for instructing the empty batting inside a front door.

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