JP3255860B2 - Ice discharge control device for vending machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ice discharge control device for a vending machine which sells a beverage such as iced coffee in a cup.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an ice discharge control device of a cup-type vending machine uses various sensors to stabilize the amount of ice discharged.

[0003] As a conventional ice discharging device for a cup-type vending machine, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-251240. In this method, the presence / absence of ice is detected every unit time by an ice passage sensor, the amount of ice discharge is estimated based on the total number of times, and an attempt is made to stabilize the amount of ice discharge. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-348951 discloses an apparatus that guarantees a minimum opening time of an ice discharging device in order to cope with erroneous detection.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-348951, a sensor for detecting ice is erroneously detected due to water droplets, and ice cannot be discharged normally. There was a disadvantage.

[0005] The present invention solves the conventional problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide an ice discharge control device of a vending machine which can reduce the influence of erroneous detection due to water droplets.

In addition, the above-mentioned conventional configuration has a drawback that, because of the detection of ice by detecting the presence / absence of ice, there is ice and the sensor is likely to malfunction due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities even though ice is not ejected. .

It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice discharge control device for a vending machine in which a sensor abnormality is unlikely to occur.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve this object, the present invention detects ice based on the amount of transmitted light rather than the presence or absence of ice.

With this arrangement, the amount of light transmitted when no ice is discharged is used as a reference, and the amount of change in the ice discharge is detected to detect the discharge of ice, thereby reducing the light transmission due to the attachment of water droplets and impurities. Even in this case, it can be detected based on the amount of change in light transmission.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention provides a main control section for controlling the entire cup-type vending machine, such as currency detection and sorting, merchandise sales control, and sales information storage, and an ice discharging device for discharging ice in an ice making machine. An ice detection sensor for detecting the amount of ice discharge, and a pre-discharge storage means for storing a value of the ice detection sensor immediately before the ice discharge,
An accumulator for accumulating and storing the value of the ice detection sensor; a main controller, an ice discharging device, an ice detecting sensor, a pre-ice-discharging storage, and an arithmetic controller connected to the accumulator. It is.

The arithmetic and control unit stores the value of the ice detection sensor in the pre-ice-discharge storage means when the ice is not being discharged,
When the ice discharge amount is input from the main control unit, the value of the accumulated value storage means is erased, the ice discharge device is instructed to start ice discharge, and the value of the ice detection sensor is input every unit time. The difference between the values stored in the pre-discharge storage means is accumulated and stored in the cumulative value storage means. If the accumulated value reaches a value corresponding to the ice discharge amount instructed by the main control unit, the ice discharge is performed. By instructing the apparatus to end ice discharge, the amount of ice discharged can be stabilized even when light transmission is reduced due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities.

[0012] Further, the apparatus is provided with an ice ejection number storage means for storing the number of ice ejections.

When the amount of ice discharged from the main control unit is input to the arithmetic control unit, the amount of one discharge is divided by the number of times stored in the number-of-ice-discharges storing means, and the amount is stored in the number-of-ice-discharges storing means. If the ice is intermittently ejected in a divided number of times, even if light transmission is reduced due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities, the amount of ejected ice can be stabilized as a whole.

Further, as a criterion for judging that the value of the ice detection sensor is abnormal, there is provided an abnormality judgment criterion storage means for storing a value smaller than the light transmission amount is reduced due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities. It is.

The arithmetic and control unit stores the value of the ice detection sensor in the pre-ice-discharge storage means when the ice is not being discharged and compares the value of the ice detection sensor with the value stored in the abnormality determination storage means. If determined to be abnormal, an ice detection sensor abnormality is output to the main control unit. Since the value of the abnormality determination is smaller than the amount of light transmission due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities, the value of the abnormality determination is less likely to occur for the sensor abnormality.

[0016]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to the present invention.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1a denotes an arithmetic control unit. Reference numeral 2 denotes a main control unit that controls the entire cup-type vending machine, such as currency detection and sorting, merchandise sales control, and sales information storage, and is connected to the arithmetic control unit 1a. 3 is an arithmetic control unit 1a
And an ice discharging device for discharging ice inside the ice making machine to a cup for producing a beverage. Reference numeral 4 denotes an ice detection sensor provided in the path of the discharged ice, which can measure the amount of light transmitted to the ice passing by infrared rays. Reference numeral 5 denotes a pre-discharge storage unit for storing the normal value of the ice detection sensor 4, and reference numeral 6 denotes a cumulative value storage unit for accumulating and storing the value of the ice detection sensor 4 when discharging the ice.

The operation of the arithmetic and control unit 1a of the ice discharge control device for a vending machine having the above-described structure will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in the standby state, the ice discharge sensor 4
Is input (STEP 1) and stored in the pre-ejection storage means 5 (STEP 2). When an ice discharge amount is input by the main control unit 2 at the time of selling the product (STEP 3), the value of the accumulated value storage means 6 is cleared (STEP 4), and the ice discharge start is instructed to the ice discharge device 3 (STEP 5). ) Ice discharges. Then, the ice detection sensor 4 is inputted (S
(Step 6) By calculating the difference between the input value and the value stored in the pre-discharge storage means 5 (STEP 7), the amount of change due to the discharge of ice is measured. Next, the sum of the calculated value and the value stored in the cumulative value storage means 6 is calculated and stored in the cumulative value storage means 6 (STEP 8). It is determined whether or not the value corresponding to the input ice discharge amount has been reached (STEP 9). If it is determined that the ice discharge amount has not been discharged yet, a short period of time is waited for the passage of ice (STEP 10). , STEP
6, the process returns to the input processing of the ice detection sensor 4 and is repeated until the ice discharge amount instructed by the main control unit 2 is reached. And
If it is determined that the ice has reached the specified discharge amount, the ice discharging device 3
Is instructed to end the ice discharge (STEP 11) to end the ice discharge.

As described above, the ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to the present embodiment is mainly composed of an arithmetic control unit 1a and a main unit for controlling the entire cup-type vending machine such as currency detection and sorting, merchandise sales control, and sales information storage. A control unit 2, an ice discharging device 3 for discharging ice inside the ice machine to a cup for producing a beverage, an ice detecting sensor 4 provided in a passage of the discharged ice, and an ice detecting sensor 4
And the accumulated value storage means 6 for accumulating and storing the value of the ice detection sensor 4 at the time of ice discharge. The discharge amount of ice can be measured, and the discharge amount of ice can be stabilized even when light transmission decreases due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities. In addition, by measuring not the presence or absence of light but the amount of transmission, it is possible to measure the difference in the amount of transmitted light even in the case of solid ice or sparse ice, so that the amount of ice discharged can be stabilized with higher accuracy .

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 7 denotes ice discharge number storage means connected to the arithmetic and control unit 1b. In the present embodiment, the ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to the first embodiment is further provided with an ice discharge number storage means 7.

As described above, the ice discharge storage means 7 according to the first embodiment
FIG. 4 shows the operation of a discharge control device of a vending machine configured by adding
This will be described with reference to a flowchart. Example 1
The same processes as those described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.

When there is an input of the ice discharge amount from the main control unit 2 (STEP 3), the arithmetic control unit 1b divides the ice discharge amount by the number of times stored in the ice discharge number storage means 7 to calculate one discharge amount. Calculation is performed (STEP 21). Then, the accumulated value storage means 6
Is cleared (STEP 4), and the start of ice discharge is instructed to the ice discharge device 3 (STEP 5) to discharge ice. Then, the ice detection sensor 4 is inputted (STEP
6) The difference between the input value and the value stored in the pre-discharge storage means 5 is calculated (STEP 7) to measure the amount of change due to the discharge of ice. Next, the calculated value and accumulated value storage means 6
Is calculated and stored in the accumulated value storage means 6 (STEP 8). It is determined whether the value stored in the cumulative value storage means 6 has reached a value corresponding to the ice discharge amount input from the main control unit (STEP 9). If it is determined that the ice discharge amount has not been discharged yet, After waiting for a sufficiently short time for the passage of ice (STEP 10), the process returns to the input processing of the ice detection sensor 4 in STEP 6, and is repeated until the ice discharge amount instructed by the main control unit 2 is reached. If it is determined that the ice has reached the specified discharge amount, the ice discharge device 3 is instructed to terminate the ice discharge (STEP 11), and the discharge of the ice is completed. Next, it is determined whether or not the number of discharges has reached the value stored in the ice discharge number storage means (STEP 22). If not, the process returns to STEP 4, and the ice of the divided discharge amount is discharged again.

As described above, the ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to the present embodiment is mainly composed of an arithmetic control unit 1b and a main unit for controlling the entire cup-type vending machine such as currency detection and sorting, merchandise sales control, and sales information storage. The control unit 2, a discharge amount 3 for discharging ice inside the ice maker to a cup for producing a beverage, an ice detection sensor 4 provided in a path of the discharged ice, and a normal value of the ice detection sensor 4. It is composed of a pre-discharge storage means 5 for storing, an accumulated value storage means 6 for accumulating and storing the value of the ice detection sensor 4 at the time of ice discharge, and an ice discharge number storage means 7, so that the amount of change of the sensor value is calculated. Since the ice discharge amount can be measured and the ice can be discharged in a plurality of times, the light transmission decreases due to the attachment of water droplets and impurities during one ice discharge, and the actual ice discharge amount decreases. Even in this case, stabilize the amount of ice discharged after the second time. The discharge amount of the more stable ice whole can be ensured since it is.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of an ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 8 is connected to the arithmetic and control unit 1c, and stores a value smaller than the amount of light transmission due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities becomes smaller as a criterion for judging that the value of the ice detection sensor is abnormal. This is an abnormality determination criterion storage means. In this embodiment, an abnormality determination criterion storage unit 8 is further provided in the ice discharge control device of the vending machine according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the ice discharging control device of a vending machine constituted by adding the abnormality determination criterion storage means 7 to the first embodiment. I will explain based on it. Note that the same processes as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.

In the standby state, an input is made to the ice discharge sensor 4 (STEP 1) and stored in the pre-discharge storage means 5 (STEP 2). It is determined whether or not the stored value of the ice discharge sensor 4 in the standby state has reached the value stored in the abnormality determination reference storage means (STEP 31). Output to (STE
P32). In the main control unit, if an abnormality of the ice detection sensor 4 is input, the occurrence of the abnormality is stored, and the sale of beverages requiring ice is stopped.

As described above, the ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to the present embodiment is mainly composed of an arithmetic control unit 1c and a main unit for controlling the entire cup-type vending machine such as currency detection and sorting, merchandise sales control, and sales information storage. A control unit 2, an ice discharging device 3 for discharging ice inside the ice machine to a cup for producing a beverage, an ice detecting sensor 4 provided in a passage of the discharged ice, and an ice detecting sensor 4
Since it is composed of a pre-discharge storage means 5 for storing the normal value of, an accumulated value storage means 6 for accumulating and storing the value of the ice detection sensor 4 at the time of discharge, and an abnormality determination reference storage means 7, The value of the sensor 4 is compared with the value stored in the abnormality determination criterion storage means, and if an abnormality is determined, an ice detection sensor abnormality can be output to the main control unit. Since the value is smaller than the transmission amount is reduced, the occurrence of sensor abnormality can be suppressed.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation control unit, the money detection sorting, the product sales control, the sales information storage, etc.
A main control unit that controls the entire cup-type vending machine, an ice discharging device that discharges ice inside the ice maker to a cup that produces a beverage, an ice detection sensor provided in a passage of the discharged ice, and ice detection. It is composed of pre-discharge storage means for storing the normal value of the sensor, and accumulative value storage means for accumulating and storing the value of the ice detection sensor at the time of ice discharge. The discharge amount can be measured, and the discharge amount of ice can be stabilized even when light transmission decreases due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities. In addition, by measuring not the presence or absence of light but the amount of transmission, it is possible to measure the difference in the amount of transmitted light even in the case of solid ice or sparse ice, so that the amount of ice discharged can be stabilized with higher accuracy .

Further, the provision of the ice discharge number storage means makes it possible to measure the amount of ice discharge based on the amount of change in the value of the sensor and discharge the ice in a plurality of times.
Even if the actual amount of ice discharged is reduced due to the decrease in light transmission due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities during one ice discharge, the amount of light is also reduced to two.
Since the discharge amount of ice can be stabilized after the first time, a more stable discharge amount of ice can be secured as a whole.

Further, by providing an abnormality determination criterion storage means, the value of the ice detection sensor is compared with the value stored in the abnormality determination criterion storage means. An abnormality can be output, and the value of the abnormality determination is smaller than the amount of transmitted light due to the attachment of water droplets or impurities, so that the occurrence of sensor abnormality can be suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of Embodiment 1 of an ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ice discharge control device of the vending machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of Embodiment 2 of an ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ice discharge control device of the vending machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of Embodiment 3 of an ice discharge control device for a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ice discharge control device of the vending machine of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b, 1c Operation control unit 2 Main control unit 3 Ice discharge device 4 Ice detection sensor 5 Pre-discharge storage unit 6 Cumulative value storage unit 7 Ice discharge count storage unit 8 Abnormality determination reference storage unit

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-9-35141 (JP, A) JP-A-7-129845 (JP, A) JP-A-2-148395 (JP, A) (58) Fields studied (Int) .Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G07F 13/06 G07F 13/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A main control unit for controlling the entire cup-type vending machine, such as currency detection and sorting, merchandise sales control, sales information storage, etc., an ice discharging device for discharging ice in an ice making machine, and a passage for the discharged ice. An ice detection sensor that detects the amount of ice discharged by measuring the amount of light transmitted to the ice that passes by infrared light, and a pre-discharge storage unit that stores a value of the ice detection sensor immediately before the ice is discharged. Cumulative value storage means for accumulating and storing the value of the ice detection sensor; connected to the main control unit, the ice discharge device, the ice detection sensor, the pre-ice discharge storage means, and the cumulative value storage means. An arithmetic control unit, wherein the arithmetic control unit stores the value of the ice detection sensor in the pre-ice-discharge storage unit when ice is not being discharged,
When the ice discharge amount is input from the main control unit, the value of the accumulated value storage means is deleted, and the ice discharge device is instructed to start ice discharge, and the value of the ice detection sensor is input every unit time. The difference between the set value and the value stored in the pre-ice-discharge storage means is accumulated and stored in the accumulated-value storage means, and the accumulated value corresponds to the ice discharge amount instructed by the main control unit. When the ice discharge control device of the vending machine instructs the ice discharge device to terminate ice discharge ,
It consists of ice discharge number storage means that stores the number of discharges, and calculates
When the control unit inputs the amount of ice to be discharged from the main control unit, one
The output amount is divided by the number of times stored in the ice discharge number storage means.
And the number stored in the ice discharge number storage means.
Ice dispensing in vending machines that intermittently eject ice by dividing it into numbers
Control device . 2. An abnormality determination criterion storage means for determining that the value of the ice detection sensor is abnormal, and the arithmetic control unit stores the value of the ice detection sensor in the pre-ice discharge storage means when the ice is not being discharged. the value of the ice detection sensor and stored in the abnormality determination storage means value to compare and, if determined to be abnormal to output a ice detection sensor abnormality to the main control unit according to claim 1 Symbol placing ice vending machine with Discharge control device.