JP3291318B2 - Vending machine display - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device of a vending machine for maintaining the inside of a warehouse storing commodities at a predetermined temperature.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vending machine of this kind, in particular, for selling canned beverages, a plurality of hot or cold canned beverages are loaded into a plurality of product columns provided in a refrigerator, and the inside of the product column is filled. By heating or cooling each to maintain the inside of each product column at a predetermined temperature, the product is heated or cooled to a temperature suitable for each sale.

However, immediately after a product is loaded in the product column, the product is not heated or cooled to a temperature suitable for sale, and if the customer selects a product in this state, the product is not yet cooled or There is a risk that so-called lukewarm products that are not warm will be sold. Therefore, a conscientious vending machine administrator attaches a heating or cooling tag to the vending machine for a while after loading the product,
For example, JP-A-60-108993 (G07F9 /
02) and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 56-100773 (G07F9).
/ 00), a display is provided in the vending machine, and the temperature in the refrigerator is displayed on the display, or a display indicating that the vending machine is on sale is performed only when the temperature reaches the specified temperature. What to provide is considered.

[0004]

However, when a heating or cooling tag is attached to a vending machine, the vending machine administrator must measure the elapsed time from the loading of the product and attach / detach the tag. And is extremely troublesome. Also,
The internal temperature is the air temperature around the product, and the temperature of the product itself near the product sales outlet to be sold next changes later than the air temperature due to the heat capacity of the product. It is not possible to inform the customer of the actual condition of warming or cooling of the product only by displaying the information on the inside temperature of the vending machine as described above, and in the early stage after loading, the inside temperature becomes the specified temperature. Even if it reaches, the temperature of the product itself is not enough to drink.

[0005] Further, according to the conventional display method as described above, since only the current situation can be notified to the customer, the customer can determine how much time elapses in the future, that is, how long the product should be at an appropriate temperature and be ready for drinking. There is a problem that the customer gives up purchasing even though the temperature has reached a certain level soon after the loading since the time has passed since the loading, and the seller loses the opportunity to sell the product.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a display device of a vending machine which can provide a customer with information on the temperature of a product to be sold. And It is another object of the present invention to provide a display device of a vending machine which can provide a customer with information on a time until the temperature of the product reaches an appropriate temperature.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device for a vending machine, comprising: a temperature detecting device for detecting a temperature in a refrigerator in which goods are stored; and a display unit provided on a front surface of the vending machine. , A cooling device for cooling or heating the inside of the refrigerator, and a control device, wherein the control device outputs from the temperature detection device.
A predetermined upper limit temperature and a lower limit temperature based on the internal temperature;
Cycle the cooling and heating equipment between
The temperature of the product stored near the vending machine of the vending machine is estimated based on the change in the rise time of the internal temperature, and information on the temperature of the product is displayed on a display unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device for a vending machine, comprising: a temperature detecting device for detecting a temperature in a refrigerator storing a product; a display unit provided on a front surface of the vending machine ;
It has a cooling / heating device for cooling or heating, and a control device, and the control device controls the internal temperature output from the temperature detection device.
Cold between a predetermined upper limit temperature and a lower limit temperature
Operate the equipment in a cycle and increase the internal temperature of each cycle.
The time until the temperature of the product stored near the product vending machine of the vending machine reaches the appropriate temperature is calculated based on the change in the rise time, and information on the calculated time is displayed on the display unit. Things.

[0009]

For example, when a canned beverage is sold after being cooled, the temperature of the product and the inside of the refrigerator is normal immediately after the product (can beverage) is loaded into the vending machine, and the inside of the refrigerator is cooled by the cooling device of the vending machine. The temperature decreases, and the temperature of the product gradually decreases after the temperature of the refrigerator decreases. Then, the internal temperature reaches the predetermined set temperature earlier than the temperature of the product, and thereafter, with the cooling device being cycled between the upper and lower temperatures set above and below the set temperature. , Rising and falling changes are repeated.

When the internal temperature has not yet reached the set temperature, the temperature of the product near the product sales outlet of the vending machine is naturally higher than the set temperature, and the difference is large. Also, even if the internal temperature reaches the set temperature and repeats the rise and fall, the rise time (time during which the cooling device is stopped) is short, and the fall time (time during which the cooling device is operating). However, the temperature of the product is still higher than the set temperature and is approaching the set temperature. Further, when the rising time and the falling time of the internal temperature become stable, the temperature of the product has reached the set temperature.

The control device for the display device of the vending machine according to the first aspect of the present invention provides a control method for the temperature rise time in the refrigerator for each cycle operation.
Of the merchandise stored in the vicinity of the merchandise outlet of the vending machine based on the change of the vending machine, and information about the estimated merchandise temperature is displayed on a display provided on the front surface of the vending machine. As a result, the customer can know the degree of cooling or warming of the product to be sold next, or whether or not the product is about to be drunk.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control device for a display device of a vending machine , wherein the temperature rise time in the refrigerator for each cycle operation is provided.
The time until the temperature of the product stored near the product vending outlet of the vending machine reaches an appropriate temperature based on the change in the vending machine, and displays information about the estimated time on a display unit provided on the front of the vending machine. . In other words, if the temperature in the refrigerator has not reached the set temperature, it takes a long time for the product to reach an appropriate temperature, or a predetermined time (long) calculated backward from time data measured in advance by experiment is displayed. If the temperature rises for a long time even if the temperature reaches the set temperature, the temperature of the product becomes appropriate soon, or a similar predetermined time (short) is displayed. This allows the customer to easily determine whether to wait for the sold product to reach an appropriate temperature or to return to the market.

[0013]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a block diagram of an electric circuit of a vending machine 1 to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a front view of the vending machine 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a display section 3 of a front door 2 of the vending machine 1. FIG. In FIG. 2, a vending machine 1 is for selling, for example, hot and cold canned beverage products, and an upper part of a front door 2 is formed with an exhibition part 3. A return lever 5 is provided, and a product sales port 6 is provided below the front door 2. A plurality of sample cans 7 of canned beverages to be sold are stored in the display section 3 in two vertical stages, and a push button 8 for selecting a product is provided below each of the sample cans 7 in a corresponding manner. I have. Furthermore,
Immediately above the push button 8, a display section 9 composed of a liquid crystal, LED or lamp as shown in FIG. 3 is provided.

In FIG. 1, a control device 10 comprising a general-purpose microcomputer includes a sensor interface unit 11, a cooling / heating control unit 12, a sales control unit 13, and a display push button control unit 14. The display unit 9 is connected to the display push button control unit 14. Further, a coin mechanism 15 that receives and identifies coins inserted from the coin insertion slot 4 is connected to the control device 10.

The sensor interface unit 11 of the control device 10 detects the ambient temperature (hereinafter referred to as the inside temperature) in a plurality of unillustrated product columns provided in the vending machine 1 in the vending machine 1. An in-compartment temperature sensor 16 as a temperature detecting device including a thermistor provided in each column is connected, and a cooling device 1 including a refrigeration cycle including a compressor (not shown) is connected to the cooling / heating control unit 12.
7 and a heating device 18 composed of an electric heater are connected. The cool air from the cooler (not shown) of the cooling device 17 is supplied into a product column (not shown) for storing the cold can beverage and cools the cold can beverage, and the heating device 18 is a product column (not shown) for storing the hot can beverage. A hot can beverage is provided in the hot can. In addition, the sales control unit 13 of the control device 10 is connected to a sales mechanism 19 for products, and controls the discharge of canned beverages from the product column to the product sales outlet 6.

The control device 10 controls the operation of the cooling device 17 and the heating device 18 by the cooling / heating control portion 12 based on the output of the internal temperature sensor 16 input from the sensor interface portion 11, thereby controlling the storage of each product column. The internal temperature is maintained at a predetermined set temperature as an appropriate temperature of the product. That is, in the case of a product column containing cold can beverages, for example, the set temperature is set to + 5 ° C.
The upper and lower temperatures are set at 7 ° C. and + 3 ° C., and the cooling device 17 is operated when the temperature in the refrigerator rises to the upper limit temperature, and is stopped when the temperature falls to the lower limit temperature. By averaging the temperature inside the refrigerator and maintaining it at the set temperature,
Cool the stored canned beverage. In the case of a product column containing hot canned beverages, for example, the set temperature is set to + 60 ° C, and upper and lower temperatures are set above and below, for example, + 63 ° C and + 57 ° C. Generate heat and raise the temperature to the upper limit.
The exotherm of 8 is stopped. Thereby, the stored canned beverage is heated by averaging the inside temperature and maintaining the set temperature.

When the coin is inserted by the customer and the coin mechanism 15 determines that enough genuine coins have been inserted for sale of the merchandise, the control device 10 puts each merchandise in a sellable state. Thereafter, when one of the push buttons 8 is pressed by the customer to select a product, the control device 10 detects this by the display push button control unit 14 and the sales mechanism 19 sells the product among the selected products. The goods stored near the mouth 6 are discharged to the merchandise sales mouth 6.

Next, referring to FIG. 4 and FIG.
The display operation on the display unit 9 by the following will be described. FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of a program relating to the display operation of the control device 10. The control device 10 sends the in-compartment temperature sensors 16 from the sensor interface unit 11 in step S1.
Is input, and then in step S2, the internal temperature sensor 1
The product temperature is estimated by calculation from the state of the change in the internal temperature of each product column output by 6.

Here, FIG. 5 shows, for example, the time of the inside temperature of the product column and the temperature of the product stored near the product sales port 6 after the cold can beverage is loaded into the product column of the vending machine 1. Shows the transition. Immediately after a product is loaded into the product column, the temperature of the product and the inside of the refrigerator is at room temperature, and the temperature in the refrigerator is lowered by cooling by the cooling device 17 of the vending machine 1, and the temperature of the product is lowered. It gradually decreases with delay. The internal temperature is the set temperature (+5
° C) before the product temperature, and thereafter, between the upper limit temperature (+ 7 ° C) and the lower limit temperature (+ 3 ° C).
As a result, as the cooling device 17 is cycled, the ascending and descending changes are repeated.

The period A in FIG. 5 is a period in which the internal temperature has not yet reached the set temperature or a period immediately after reaching the set temperature for the first time, that is, the cooling operation is continuously performed after the product is loaded. In this period, the product temperature during this period is sufficiently higher than the set temperature, and the sales are suspended. Then, in a period in which the temperature in the refrigerator repeatedly rises and falls in the intermittent cooling operation after the temperature in the refrigerator reaches the set temperature, the rising time gradually increases (T11 <
T12 <T13... <T15) There is a period B and a period C in which the rise time is substantially constant (T16 ≒ T17).

Based on the calculation in step S2, the control device 10 bases on the relationship between the inside temperature and the product temperature in the periods B and C as described above, and determines whether or not the product near the product sales outlet 6 at that time is higher than the inside temperature. Estimate the temperature. In particular,
In the period B in FIG. 5, when the product temperature is high and the temperature in the refrigerator tends to rise immediately with the stop of the cooling device 17, if the rising times T11, T12, T13. It is predicted that the commodity temperature is also steadily decreasing. Therefore, assuming that the product temperature is estimated to be + 7 ° C. at the time of entering the period B, the difference (T12−T1) between the subsequent rise time T11 and the next rise time T12 is assumed.
1) is calculated, and a difference (T13-T12) between the rising time T12 and the next rising time T13 is calculated. If the difference is reduced based on the change in these differences, for example, the product temperature is reduced. It is estimated to be + 6.5 ° C and + 5.5 ° C if greatly reduced.

When the rising time T16 becomes substantially the same as the next rising time T17, a method of estimating that the period C is reached and the commodity temperature has reached the set temperature of + 5 ° C. can be considered. . Then, as a result of this estimation, the control device 10 determines in step S3 the product temperature of each product column,
Alternatively, information on the product temperature such as a sign of drinking when the product is ready for drinking is displayed on the display unit 9 corresponding to the product. This allows the customer to know how cold (or warm) each product in the vending machine 1 is, and whether the product is currently about to be drunk. Note that, during the period A, since the product temperature is in a considerably high state, the control device 10 does not display the temperature in step S3 but displays the sold-out display.

As the display form in step S3, either digital temperature display or analog temperature display can be considered. In addition, it is conceivable to display character information such as "appropriate for drinking" in the sign of drinking. Furthermore,
As for the display method, besides the method of always displaying the same,
For example, in the standby state, the commodity temperature is always displayed, and when the coin is inserted, the sign is switched to the drinkable state, or vice versa, or both are alternately displayed.

As another operation, the controller 1
0 calculates and estimates the time until the product temperature to be sold next reaches the set temperature (appropriate temperature) based on the product temperature estimated from the inside temperature in step S2. As an estimation method in this case, for example, in the period A of FIG. 5, the commodity temperature is estimated along the drop of the internal temperature as described above, and in the period B, the rise time of the internal temperature (T11...
The product temperature is estimated based on the change in 5), and the required time is specifically estimated from the difference between the estimated product temperature and the set temperature (+ 5 ° C.) in each period. That is, if the temperature difference is large, it takes a long time, and if the temperature difference is small, it is expected to be short.
In the case of ° C, it is estimated to be 5 minutes. Alternatively, the product temperature and the required time from the temperature to the set temperature may be measured and set in advance by experiment, and the required time may be derived in accordance with the product temperature estimated as described above.

Then, in step S3, the control device 10
Displays information such as "sold out" in the period A and "slightly more" in the period B on the display unit 9 based on the estimated time, or specifically displays the estimated time required as described above in numerical form. (The time display is not performed in the period A as described above.) This allows the customer to know the time it takes for the product temperature to reach the set temperature, and to easily determine whether to wait until the temperature of the next product to be sold reaches the set temperature or to return again. Can be.

Although the embodiment has been described with reference to a cold can beverage, a hot can beverage may be displayed by the same processing.

[0027]

As described in detail above, according to the first aspect of the present invention , based on the change in the rise time of the internal temperature in each cycle operation,
Estimate the temperature of the product stored near the product sales outlet,
The information on the estimated temperature of the product is displayed on the display unit provided at the front of the vending machine, so that the customer can know the degree of cooling or warming of the product to be sold next, or whether the product is ready for drinking. This makes it possible to provide products to customers in better condition.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the cycle
Estimate the time until the temperature of the product stored near the product sales outlet reaches an appropriate temperature based on the change in the rise time of the internal temperature for each operation, and estimate the time on the display provided on the front of the vending machine Information on the product, the customer can easily determine whether to wait for the next product to be sold at an appropriate temperature or whether to return to the market. This will increase the customer's willingness to purchase and increase sales volume. Can be measured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electric circuit of a vending machine to which the present invention is applied.

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

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a display section of a front door of the vending machine.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a program of a control device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a time transition of a refrigerator temperature and a product temperature.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vending machine 2 Front door 9 Display part 10 Control device 16 Internal temperature sensor 17 Cooling device 18 Heating device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G07F 5/00-13/10

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vending machine for maintaining the refrigerator housing the products to a predetermined temperature, a temperature detecting device for detecting the in-compartment temperature, a display unit provided on the front face of the vending machine, the A cooling / heating device for cooling or heating the inside of the refrigerator, and a control device , wherein the control device is the temperature detection device
The upper limit temperature predetermined based on the inside temperature output by
Cycle the cooling device between the temperature and the lower limit temperature,
Based on the change in the rise time of the internal temperature for each cycle operation,
And estimating the temperature of the product stored near the vending machine of the vending machine, and displaying information on the temperature of the product on the display unit. 2. A vending machine for maintaining the refrigerator housing the products to a predetermined temperature, a temperature detecting device for detecting the in-compartment temperature, a display unit provided on the front face of the vending machine, the A cooling / heating device for cooling or heating the inside of the refrigerator, and a control device , wherein the control device is the temperature detection device
The upper limit temperature predetermined based on the inside temperature output by
Cycle the cooling device between the temperature and the lower limit temperature,
Based on the change in the rise time of the internal temperature for each cycle operation,
Temperature of the product housed in the vicinity of the product sales outlet of the vending machine had calculates the time until the suitable temperature, vending machines and displaying the information about the time the calculated on the display unit Display device.