JP3215637B2 - Vending machine control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine control device which allows a user to see the status of commodities stored in a column and the state of unloading of purchased commodities.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, vending machines have become capable of accommodating various types of commodities. The operator fills multiple columns with the same good-selling products, and sets up alternate sales for the same product columns, so that even if one column is sold out, the products in another column can be sold, Is available for sale.

As described above, as an alternate vending machine of a vending machine, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1669691, when a selection switch corresponding to a desired product storage column is operated, an alternate sale setting storage area is provided. From the alternate sales column storage area corresponding to the A group, the next alternate column set in the A group is read. There is known a method of selling products in a sales column so that they are sold alternately.

[0004]

However, in the above-described configuration, if the vending machine does not allow the user to see the status of the products stored in the column and the unloading status of the purchased products, the vending machine goes to the product outlet. As long as the incoming product is the same type as the selected product, there is no problem if the product comes out of any column, but the customer can see the status of the product stored in the column and the delivery status of the purchased product. In the case of a vending machine, the unloading operation of the selected column and another column is performed, and even if the product that comes out is the same type as the selected product, the customer is given the image that another product has come out, and the vending machine Had the drawback of giving them distrust. In addition, this type of vending machine has a method of not setting alternate sales, but has another disadvantage that only a specific column is sold out and old products are forever sold.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems and provides a vending machine control device capable of performing alternate sales without giving a sense of incongruity to a customer.

[0006]

In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention, a representative column number of an alternate sales column group is selected from columns set for alternate sales, and a column of the column selected as the representative column number is selected. When the commodity selection means is operated, alternate sales are performed, and when the commodity selection means of a column not selected as the representative column number is operated, it is invalidated.

[0007] Thus, it is possible to eliminate the distrust of the vending machine that a product in a column different from the column number selected by the user will appear.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention comprises a plurality of columns for storing goods, a goods selection means for selecting goods, an alternate sales setting means for enabling the columns to be sold alternately by group, and an alternate sales setting means. Alternate sales column storage means for storing the set alternate sales columns for each group, representative column storage means for storing the representative column numbers of the same group stored in the alternate sales column storage means, product selection means, and alternate sales setting Means, an alternate sales column storage means, and an arithmetic control unit connected to the representative column storage means.

When the commodity selection means is operated during the sale of the commodity, the arithmetic control unit stores the column selected by the commodity selection means in the alternate sales column storage means and the representative column storage means. If it does not match the column number, the input of the product selection means is invalidated.

Further, each of the columns is provided with column number display means. Then, the arithmetic control unit displays a predetermined column number on the column number display means of the column not stored in the alternate sales column, and displays the column number display means on the column stored in the alternate sales column. The column number stored in the representative column storage means is displayed.

[0011] Further, there is provided a representative column setting means for selecting a representative column number from the columns stored in the alternate sales column storage means.

The arithmetic control unit stores the column number set by the representative column setting means in the representative column storage means.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a vending machine control device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a vending machine control apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic external view of the vending machine of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the arithmetic control unit 16a of the embodiment.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, CL1 to CLn denote columns for storing the products, and 11 denotes a product selection means for selecting the products stored in the columns CL1 to CLn. Reference numeral 12 denotes an alternate sale setting means for setting the columns containing the same product among the columns CL1 to CLn so that they can be sold alternately. Reference numeral 13 denotes an alternate sales column storage unit which stores the columns set for the alternate sales by the alternate sales setting unit 12.
Numeral 14 denotes a representative column number storage means, which stores the youngest column number in the alternate sales columns stored in the alternate sales column storage means 13. Reference numeral 15 denotes a product carrying mechanism.
The carry-out control of the articles stored in the columns CL1 to CLn is performed. An arithmetic control unit 16a is connected to the commodity selection means 11, the alternate sales setting means 12, the alternate sales column storage means 13, the representative column number storage means 14, and the commodity delivery mechanism 15. 17 is a coin slot, 18 is a change return slot, 19
Is an amount indicator, and 20 is a product outlet.

The operation of the vending machine control device thus corrected will be described below with reference to FIG.

Specifically, column CL1, column CL2,
The operation when the same product is stored in the column CL3 and the column CL1, the collar CL2, and the column CL3 are set as alternate sales columns will be described.

First, when the column CL1, the column CL2, and the column CL3 are set as alternate sales columns by the alternate sale setting means 12 (STEP 1), the column CL1, the column CL2, and the column CL3 are stored in the alternate sales column storage means 13.
Is stored as an alternate sales column of group 1 (STEP 2), and the representative column number storage means 14 stores that the representative column number of the alternate sales column of group 1 is column CL1 (STEP 3). On the other hand, the operator sets the columns (CL1, CL
2, CL3) to notify the user that column (CL1, CL2, CL3) operates as column CL1.
, Indicate that the column number is CL1.

Next, when the user purchases a product (ST
EP4) When it becomes possible to sell, proceed to STEP5, and determine whether or not the commodity selection means 11 has been operated. When the commodity selection means 1 is operated, the operation proceeds to STEP 6 to check whether or not the column number selected by the commodity selection means 11 is set in the alternate sales setting column.
No. 3 is determined based on the data stored. For example, here, the product selection means 11 connected to the column CL5
Is operated, since the column CL5 is not stored in the alternate sales column storage means 13, the process proceeds to STEP8 so that the product in the column CL5 exits to the outlet 20.
The product unloading mechanism 15 is operated. In step 6, if the product selection means 11 connected to any one of the columns CL1, CL2, CL3 is operated,
Proceeding to STEP 7, it is determined whether or not the column number matches the column number stored in the representative column number storage means 14. If it is determined that the product selection means 11 in the column CL1 has been operated, since they match, the process proceeds to STEP9, and the alternate sales column next to the previous sales column (the column CL2 if the previous sales column is the column CL1, and the column CL2 if the previous sales column is the column CL2) In the case of the column CL3, if the column CL3, the carry-out mechanism 15 of the column CL1) is operated. In STEP7, column CL
2. If the commodity selection means 11 connected to any one of the columns CL3 is operated, the operation proceeds to STEP10, the input of the commodity selection means is invalidated, and the commodity is not carried out.

As described above, the control device of the vending machine of the present embodiment comprises a plurality of columns CL to CL
n, a product selection means 11 for selecting a product, and a column CL
Alternating sale setting means 12 for setting so that columns containing the same product in 1 to column CLn can be alternately sold.
And alternate sales column storage means 13 for storing the alternate sales columns for each group set by the alternate sales setting means 12.
And the representative column storage means 1 for storing the representative column numbers of the same group stored in the alternate sales column storage means 13
4, a commodity selection unit 11, an alternate sale setting unit 12, an alternate sale column storage unit 13, and a representative column number storage unit 14.
The operation control unit 16a stores the column selected by the product selection unit 11 in the alternate sales column storage unit 13 when the product selection unit 11 is operated during product sales. When it matches the column number stored in the representative column number storage means 14, the products in the column stored in the alternate sales column storage means 13 are sold alternately. When they do not match, the input of the product selection means 11 is performed. Is invalidated, it is possible to eliminate a sense of incongruity that when the customer performs alternate sales, a product other than the column selected by the user appears. Alternate sales columns that are not stored in the representative column number storage means are apparently unconnected columns to the user, and operating the product selection means 11 in these columns is an operation error of the user. In addition, it is possible to prevent a sale due to a user's operation error beforehand.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a vending machine control device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic external view of the vending machine of the embodiment. FIG.
9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the arithmetic control unit 16b of the embodiment.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, DG1 to DGn are column number display means for displaying the column numbers of the respective columns CL to CLn, and are connected to the arithmetic means 16b.

In this embodiment, the arithmetic and control unit 16a of the control device for a vending machine according to the first embodiment is further provided with column number display means DG1 to DGn.

The operation of the vending machine control device thus corrected will now be described with reference to FIG.

As in the first embodiment, the same product is stored in the column CL1, the column CL2, and the column CL3.
1. The operation when the column CL2 and the column CL3 are set as the alternate sales columns will be described.

First, the alternate sales setting means 12 sets the columns CL1, CL2, and CL3 as alternate sales columns (STEP 1), and stores the columns CL1, CL2, and CL3 in the alternate sales column storage means 13.
Is stored in the representative column number storage means 14, and the representative column number of the group 1 alternate sales column is CL1.
Is stored (STEP 3). Next, the flow proceeds to STEP 14, and it is determined whether or not all the columns CL1 to CLn are set as alternate sales columns based on the data stored in the alternate sales column storage means 13. If it is determined that alternate sales are set, S
Proceeding to TEP15, the column numbers stored in the representative column number storage means 14 are displayed on the column number display means DGx of the corresponding column CLx (column CL1, column CL).
2. Column CL3 is set as an alternate sales column,
Since the representative column number is the column CL1, the column number of the column CL1 is displayed on the column number display means DG1, DG2, DG3). If it is determined in STEP 14 that the selling is not set to alternate sales, the corresponding column CL
The corresponding column number is displayed on the y column number display means DGy (the columns CL4 to CLn display their own column numbers on the column number display means DG4 to DGn).

As described above, the control device of the vending machine of the present embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that the column number display means DG1 to DGn are provided.
The representative column number stored in the representative column number storage means 14 is displayed on the column number display means DGx of the alternate sales column CLx stored in the alternate sales column storage means 13, and the column CLy which is not the alternate sales column is displayed. By displaying the column number of the corresponding column CLy on the number display means DGy, it is not necessary for the operator to clearly indicate the representative column number in each column when alternate sales are set, and it is possible to prevent a work error.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a vending machine control device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing Operation 2 of the arithmetic control unit 16c of the embodiment.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 21 denotes a representative column number setting means for columns set for alternate sales.
c.

In this embodiment, a representative column number setting means 21 is further provided in the arithmetic and control unit 16b of the vending machine control device according to the second embodiment.

The operation of the vending machine control device corrected as described above will be described below with reference to FIG.

Steps up to STEP 3 are the same as those in the second embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. In STEP 24, the representative column number setting means 21
Is operated, the process proceeds to STEP 25, it is determined whether the input value matches the column number stored in the alternate sales column storage means 13, and if it is determined that the column number of the alternate sales column, Representative column number storage means 1
4 and stored.

As described above, the control device of the vending machine according to the present embodiment is provided with the representative column request setting means 21 in the second embodiment, and the value set by the representative column number setting means 21 is stored in the alternate vending column. If the column number matches the column number of the alternate sales column stored in the means 13, it is rewritten and stored in the representative column number storage means 14, so that when the alternate sales is set, the commodity selection means 11 of the representative column number cannot be operated due to a failure or the like. However, by making the column number connected to the commodity selecting means 11 of another alternate sales column which is normal as the representative column number, sales by alternate sales can be performed.

Although the present embodiment has been described with one alternate sales group, there may be a plurality of alternate sales groups.

Although the representative column number has been described as the youngest column number in the alternate sales column, it may be the column number of another alternate sales column.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of columns for storing products, a product selection means for selecting products, an alternate sales setting means for enabling the columns to be sold alternately by group, and an alternate sales setting Alternate sales column storage means for storing alternate sales columns for each group set by the means, representative column storage means for storing representative column numbers of the same group stored in the alternate sales column storage means, and product selection means. It comprises an alternate sale setting means, an alternate sale column storage means, and an arithmetic control unit connected to the representative column storage means, and the arithmetic control unit is selected by the product selection means when the product selection means is operated at the time of selling the product. When the column is stored in the alternate sales column storage means and does not match the column number stored in the representative column storage means, the input of the commodity selection means is invalidated. Because, when to perform the alternating sale, can eliminate the uncomfortable feeling that the items other than the column you choose to use customer exits. Alternate sales columns that are not stored in the representative column number storage means are apparently unconnected columns to the user, and operating the product selection means in these columns is an operation error of the customer, It is possible to prevent a sale due to a user's operation error beforehand.

Further, by providing a column number display means for each column, the column number display means of the alternate sales column stored in the alternate sales column storage means has the representative number stored in the representative column number storage means. By displaying the column number and displaying the column number of the corresponding column in the column number display means of the column that is not the alternate sales column, when alternate sales are set, the operator does not need to explicitly indicate the representative column number in each column, Work can be simplified and work mistakes can be prevented.

Further, by providing the representative column number setting means, if the value set by the representative column number setting means coincides with the column number of the alternate sales column stored in the alternate sales column storage means, a representative is set. By rewriting and storing in the column number storage means, when alternate sales are set, even if the product selection means of the representative column number becomes inoperable due to failure or the like, a column connected to another normal alternate sales column product selection means which is normal. By setting the number as the representative column number, sales by alternate sales can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a first embodiment of a vending machine control device according to the present invention.
Functional block diagram of

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the vending machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of an arithmetic control unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a second embodiment of the vending machine control device according to the present invention.
Functional block diagram of

FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of the vending machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the arithmetic control unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a third embodiment of the vending machine control device according to the present invention.
Functional block diagram of

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the arithmetic control unit of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Commodity selection means 12 Alternate sales setting means 13 Alternate sales column storage means 14 Representative column number storage means 16a, 16b, 16c Arithmetic control unit 21 Representative column number setting means CL1-CLn columns DG1-DGn Column number display means

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of columns for storing commodities, a commodity selecting means for selecting commodities, an alternating sales setting means for enabling the columns to be alternately sold by group, and a group set by the alternating sales setting means. Alternating sales column storing means for storing another alternating selling column, representative column storing means for storing the representative column number of the same group stored in the alternating selling column storing means, the product selecting means and the alternating sales setting means And an arithmetic control unit connected to the alternate sales column storage unit and the representative column storage unit, wherein the arithmetic control unit is selected by the product selection unit when the product selection unit is operated during product sale. Column is stored in the alternate sales column storage means, and when the column number does not match the column number stored in the representative column storage means, the product selection is performed. A control device for a vending machine, wherein an input of a selection means is invalidated. 2. Each of the columns is provided with a column number display means, and a predetermined column number is displayed on the column number display means of a column which is not stored in the alternate sales column, and is stored in the alternate sales column. 2. The vending machine control device according to claim 1, wherein said column number display means of said column includes an arithmetic control unit for displaying a column number stored in said representative column storage means. 3. A representative column setting means for selecting a representative column number from the columns stored in the alternate sales column storage means, and storing the column number set by the representative column setting means in the representative column means. 3. The vending machine control device according to claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic control unit.