JP2569563Y2 - Syrup level sensor in cup-type vending machines - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a syrup level sensor in a cup type vending machine in which the remaining amount of syrup in a syrup tank provided in the cup type vending machine can be extremely easily controlled.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a cup-type vending machine of this type, a syrup beverage of a cold drink is generally provided by diluting with water or pre-made carbonated water in the vending machine. In addition, the syrup tank for syrup storage provided inside the machine is always installed in a water tank cooled to 0 ° C to 1 ° C, so that it is difficult to understand how much syrup is inside. Has become. To check this content, look inside the tank from above and check how much is left. Alternatively, a syrup selling device is attached to prevent short selling when there is no syrup. As a syrup sold-out detection device, two isolated electrodes were provided in the middle of the syrup line that came out of the tank, and if there was syrup, the syrup was short-circuited. Things exist. In addition, a detection method using a float switch can be considered.

[0003]

However, in the prior art described above, in the case of the technique of visually confirming the inside of the tank, the water tank is installed below the back of the cup-type vending machine. General. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to see because the inside of the tank is dark at the same time that it is difficult to see the inside of the syrup tank in the water tank. Further, even in the case of the prior art in which a syrup selling device is provided to prevent short selling when there is no syrup, in order to avoid selling out as much as possible (loss of sales opportunity), As described above, since the remaining amount of syrup in the syrup tank is difficult to understand, there is a tendency that a large amount of syrup is put into the syrup tank, and there is a problem that the syrup is not easily sold and is exposed to an undesirable situation in terms of quality. In the case of the technology based on the syrup sold-out detection device using two isolated electrodes, since a voltage is applied between the electrodes, when the sales are stagnated for a long period of time, the beverage whose syrup is deteriorated by the principle of electrolysis ( Sports Drink)
Can not be used, and the conductivity differs depending on the physical properties of the shirof itself, so that it is necessary to adjust the presence / absence detection (volume adjustment). In addition, in the case of detection with a float switch, there is a problem that the syrup has a high sugar content and adheres to the switch to cause a malfunction. In view of these circumstances, the present invention has a simple configuration, and utilizes the fact that the capacitance has a property proportional to the dielectric constant of the dielectric substance, and attaches an insulated electrode to the syrup tank, and the The dielectric constant in the air above (≒ 1) and the dielectric constant below the liquid level (= 75-
80), a syrup level sensor that can display the liquid level of the syrup in the tank using the capacitance that changes in proportion to the liquid level is provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide a syrup level sensor in a vending machine which makes it possible to manage the remaining amount very easily.

[0004]

A solution for the present invention are those aimed at solving the above problems, providing a capacitive continuous level detection sensor cup type in the syrup tank provided in the vending machine, the syrup tank The level of the syrup tank in the syrup tank is continuously detected by the electrode of the level detection sensor inserted in the syrup tank, and this detection signal is received and the status of the remaining amount is displayed. In addition, a configuration was adopted in which a display using light emitting diodes was provided.

[0005]

[Function] The present invention adopts the above configuration,
With a simple configuration, a detection sensor is inserted into the syrup tank stored in the water tank, and information on the detected liquid level is transmitted to an indicator installed at an easy-to-read position on the vending machine main unit, and the remaining amount of syrup Management has been made extremely easy.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a cup-type vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be schematically described. 1 is a schematic front view showing a state in which a door is opened, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view, and FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a related configuration between a water tank and a syrup tank. As can be understood from FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a vending machine main body, and a door lock 3, a coin mechanism 4, a coin storage box 5, an outlet 6, and the like are provided on the door 2 side. Has a cup mechanism 7, a cup chute 8, a water tank 9, a drainage bucket 1
0, power supply box 11, interior light 12, canister 13,
An ice maker 14, a hot water tank 15, a carbon dioxide gas cylinder 16, and the like are provided in association with each other. Then, as can be understood from what is shown in FIG. 3, the syrup tank 17 is configured to be stored in the water tank 9. The syrup tank 17 is provided in the water tank 9 in a cup-type vending machine. In general, a syrup beverage of a cold drink is provided by being diluted with water or pre-made carbonated water in the vending machine. is there. In addition, the syrup storage tank 17 provided in the machine always has 0
It is generally located in a water bath cooled to between ゜ C and 1 ゜ C.

[0007] In the arrangement relationship of each member of the cup-type vending machine, the water tank 9 for storing the syrup tank 17 is:
In general, it is provided at the lowermost corner of the bottom part due to its weight and size. For this reason, it is difficult to understand how much syrup remains in the syrup tank 17. In order to solve this, an insulated electrode 19 is attached to the syrup tank 17, and the dielectric constant in air above the liquid surface (≒ 1) and the dielectric constant below the liquid surface (= 75-
80), the liquid level of the syrup can be displayed using the capacitance that changes in proportion to the liquid level. In this display, for example, the display 20 is appropriately provided at a position that is easy to see on the door 2 side. And FIG.
As shown in the figure, the display 20 displays levels using 12 lamps using light emitting diodes. At that time, one red lamp is provided at the bottom, and when only this red lamp is displayed, the sold-out level is displayed, a signal is output to the vending machine side, and the sold-out display is displayed. Will not be available for sale.

A single yellow lamp is provided immediately above the red lamp. When only the yellow lamp is lit, it is a reminder that the remaining amount is low. At the same time, it outputs a sold-out signal. Ten green lamps are provided above the yellow lamp, and indicate the level of the remaining amount of the syrup tank 17. Therefore, while the lamp using the light emitting diode equal to or larger than the yellow lamp is lit, the red lamp is not lit. This is, in other words,
When the syrup tank 17 is full, all the yellow and green lamps are lit.

Next, a specific embodiment of the syrup level sensor 18 will be described with reference to FIG. The syrup level sensor 18 is a capacitance type continuous level detection sensor that continuously detects the liquid level of water, an aqueous solution, a syrup or the like, and displays the status of the remaining amount by a light emitting diode. Further, a sold-out signal is output at a designated level point. This is such that the red lamp is turned on when the liquid level drops to near the lowermost end of the electrode 19. Then, a characteristic in which the capacitance of the capacitor is proportional to the dielectric constant and the area of the dielectric is used. When the insulated electrode 19 is put into a syrup solution (aqueous solution) as shown in FIG. 4, the dielectric constant is 部分 1 since the portion 21 is in the air, and the dielectric constant is 75 to 80 since the portion 22 is in the aqueous solution. Since the dielectric constant (≒ 1) in air is extremely small and negligible compared to the dielectric constant of an aqueous solution, the capacitance is proportional to the area below the liquid surface. Since this area is naturally proportional to the liquid level, the capacitance between the electrodes eventually changes in proportion to the liquid level. Conversely, this change can be used to detect the liquid level. It is. Therefore, the present syrup level sensor 18
9 in a syrup solution, and the electrostatic force which changes in proportion to the liquid level using the difference between the dielectric constant ≒ 1 above the liquid surface, that is, the dielectric constant 空 気 1 in the air and the dielectric constant below the liquid surface = 75-80. The liquid level is detected using the capacity.

As shown in FIG. 6, an example of the circuit configuration includes a circuit for outputting a fixed rectangular wave, an amplifier circuit for amplifying a detection capacitor and a reference capacitor detection signal, an output display circuit, and a sold-out information output circuit. Have been. It also means that each display level can be taken as a signal on the vending machine side, and the computer can be used to put on-line information and check the remaining amount of syrup in each vending machine while staying at the sales office (head office). Not even.

As the syrup tank 17, in addition to the one located in the water tank 9, a pressure-resistant sealed container is used to supply syrup by gas pressure, or a box made of paper or the like. Among them, there is a back-in-box type in which a flexible syrup container made of synthetic resin is placed, but it goes without saying that the same effect can be obtained by adopting a similar configuration.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained based on the above configuration. (1) By mounting a display at a place where the inside of the vending machine can be easily seen, the lid of the syrup tank can be removed and the remaining amount of the syrup can be accurately determined without looking inside. (2) Since the sold-out judgment is also made based on the capacitance between the electrically insulated electrodes, there is no deterioration due to electrolysis,
Syrups of all physical properties can be used without adjustment. (3) If each display level is taken into the vending machine as a signal, it goes without saying that it is possible to check the remaining amount while staying at the office with the online information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a cup type vending machine showing an embodiment of the present invention with a door opened.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main body of the cup-type vending machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a water tank and a syrup tank, which are main parts of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view for explaining the syrup level sensor of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory front view of the display device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Vending machine body 2 Door 3 Door lock 4 Coin mechanism 5 Coin storage box 6 Outlet 7 Cup mechanism 8 Cup chute 9 Water tank 10 Drain Bucket 11 Power supply box 12 Interior light 13 Canister 14 Ice machine 15 Hot water tank 16 Carbon dioxide cylinder 17 Syrup tank 18 Syrup level sensor 19 Electrode 20 Display vessel

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-135991 (JP, A) JP-A-61-288289 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A provided an electrostatic capacitance type continuous level detection sensor cup type in the syrup tank provided in an automatic vending machine, a continuous syrup liquid level in the syrup tank by electrodes inserted level detection sensor in the syrup tank Cup-type vending machine characterized by providing a light-emitting diode indicator provided at an appropriate position on the main body of the cup-type vending machine which receives the detection signal and displays the state of the remaining amount. Syrup level sensor in the machine.