JP3612910B2 - Vending machine control equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a control device for a vending machine (hereinafter, vending machine) provided with a refrigeration unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when a vending machine equipped with a refrigeration unit performs a defrosting operation, the defrosting start time is set in advance by an operator using a keyboard or the like.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The conventional defrosting control device has the following problems.
That is, since the internal temperature rises at the time of defrosting, there is a possibility that the product carried out during defrosting or immediately after defrosting has begun to melt. Further, if the product is replenished immediately after defrosting, the replenished product may be melted.
[0004]
This is because the vending machine operating conditions such as the sales situation, the trend of product replenishment, and the cooling characteristics of the machine are not sufficiently considered when determining the defrosting time.
The subject of this invention is calculating | requiring a defrost start time in consideration of the vending machine driving | running | working condition.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A vending machine control device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a vending machine control device that performs a defrosting operation. Door opening detection means for detecting opening of a product replenishing door, and timing means for measuring an elapsed time of opening of the product replenishing door. And a door opening date storage means for storing the date and time when the product replenishment door is opened, a defrosting time storage means for storing a defrosting prohibition time zone, and a defrosting prohibition time zone stored in the defrosting time storage means in a defrosting means for performing defrosting operation to detect a product refill door open by door opening detecting means, when the door opening time by time counting means exceeds a predetermined time, daily in door opening time stored door opening time The time until a predetermined time elapses from the door opening date / time stored in the door opening date / time storage means for each predetermined period is stored in the defrosting timing storage means as a defrosting prohibition time zone.
[0008]
Thereby, since the product replenishment is not performed immediately after the defrosting time, a defrosting start time at which there is no possibility that the supplemented product is melted is obtained. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vending machine control device comprising: a sales number storage means for storing the number of times a product is sold for each reference time zone; Sales data collecting means stored in the storage means, door opening detection means for detecting the opening of the product replenishment door, time measuring means for measuring the elapsed time of the product replenishing door opening, and door opening date storage for storing the date and time of opening of the product replenishing door And a replenishment time data collecting means for detecting opening of the product replenishment door by the door opening detection means, and storing the door opening date and time in the door opening date storage means when the door opening time by the timing means exceeds a predetermined time, The temperature detection means for detecting the internal temperature, the time measuring means for measuring the recovery time, the recovery time storage means for storing the recovery time, and the time from the defrost start time until the internal temperature by the temperature detection means reaches a predetermined temperature. Timekeeping means More time counting, calculating an average value with the previous recovery time, recovery time collecting means for storing this average value in the recovery time storage means as the recovery time, defrosting time storage means for storing the defrosting start time, A defrosting unit that performs a defrosting operation based on the data stored in the defrosting time storage unit, and for a predetermined period, rank the order of the daily product sales frequency according to the number of product sales accumulated in the sales number storage unit. The defrosting time is the time zone in which the product sales frequency is the lowest among the time zones calculated by day and excluding the time from the door opening date and time accumulated in the door opening date and time storage means to the recovery time elapsed by the recovery time storage means. Is set in the defrosting time storage means.
[0009]
As a result, defrosting is performed during times when sales are less frequent, and product replenishment is not performed during the recovery time, so defrosting starts without the risk of unloading products that have started melting or melting replenished products. Time is required.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This apparatus includes a main control unit 1 that controls the entire vending machine, a carry-out control unit 2, and a cooling control unit 3.
Connected to the carry-out control unit 2 are a loading door switch 21 installed on a loading door that is opened and closed when a product is replenished, and a sales mechanism 22 such as a product carry-out mechanism. The cooling control unit 3 is connected to a motor / compressor unit (MC) 31, a defrost heater 32, and an internal temperature sensor 33 such as a thermistor.
[0011]
Signals are transmitted and received between the above devices as follows.
The main control unit 1 sends a sales operation command (1) to the carry-out control unit 2, and receives sales operation end information and loading door opening / closing information (2) from the carry-out control unit 2. Further, the main control unit 1 sends a defrosting start command (3) to the cooling control unit 3 and receives the internal temperature information (4) from the cooling control unit 3.
[0012]
The carry-out control unit 2 receives the loading door switch input <5> from the loading door switch 21 and sends the sales mechanism control output <6> to the sales mechanism 22.
The cooling control unit 3 sends the MC control output (7) to the MC 31 and the defrost heater control output (8) to the defrost heater 32, and receives the thermistor input (9) from the internal temperature sensor 33.
[0013]
The RAM (not shown) of the main control unit 1 stores data such as sales data, loading door opening / closing and internal temperature data.
(1) Invention 1 FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the control device according to Invention 1. The operation will be described with reference to FIG.
[0014]
In the sales standby state (step S11), when a sales operation command (1) is sent from the main control unit 1 to the carry-out control unit 2, the carry-out control unit 2 performs sales control such as carrying out the product in the commanded column ( Step S12).
When the sale is over, the number of times of sale is accumulated and stored in the storage area for the current day of the week and time zone in the RAM of the main control unit 1 (step S13). Here, the storage area is an area in which one week is divided into days of the week and each day is further divided into time zones of one hour, that is, each week is divided into 168 equal parts.
[0015]
When one week has elapsed from the predetermined reference time (step S14, branch Y), the sales frequency ranking is assigned to the above data stored in the RAM (step S15), and the start time of the time zone with the lowest sales frequency is divided for each day of the week. The frost start time is set in the RAM (step S16). If it is not one week in step S14 (branch N), the process returns to step S11 and waits for the next sale. FIG. 3 is an example of data with sales frequency rankings assigned in this way.
[0016]
When the defrost start time set as described above is reached, the main control unit 1 sends a defrost start command (3) to the cooling control unit 3, and the cooling control unit 3 outputs a defrost heater control output to the defrost heater (32). 8 is sent to start defrosting.
As a result of the above operation, since the defrosting start time is set as the time period in which the sales frequency is minimum for each day of the week based on the sales performance for one week, the sales of products that have started to melt can be minimized.
(2) Regarding Invention 2 FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the control device according to Invention 2. The operation will be described with reference to FIG.
[0017]
When the loading door is in an open standby state (step S21), when the loading door is opened and the loading door switch 21 is sent from the loading door switch 21 to the main control unit 1 via the carry-out control unit 2, the main control unit 1 opens the loading door. Is detected (step S21, branch Y).
Next, in order to confirm whether the detected door opening is an operation for replenishing goods or an operation due to other factors, it is determined whether the door opening has continued for a predetermined time (T seconds) (step S22). If not continued (branch N), the process returns to step S21, and if continued (branch Y), the opening operation for replenishing the product is determined, and the time when the loading door is opened is the same as the present invention 1 Is stored in a storage area for each day of the week and time zone (step S23).
[0018]
When one week has elapsed from the predetermined reference time (step S24, branch Y), the tendency of product replenishment is calculated from the above data stored in the RAM (step S25) until a predetermined time elapses from the loading door opening time for each day of the week. Is set in the RAM as a defrosting prohibition period (step S26). If it is not one week in step S24 (branch N), the process returns to step S21 and waits for the next loading door to open. FIG. 5 is an example of data indicating the tendency of the loading door to open.
[0019]
At times other than the defrosting prohibition period set as described above, the main control unit 1 starts defrosting.
With the above operation, the defrosting is not performed for a predetermined time after the door is opened based on the loading door opening situation for one week, so that it is possible to prevent problems such as melting of supplementary products.
(3) Invention 3 FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the control device according to Invention 3. The operation will be described with reference to FIG.
[0020]
When in the defrost standby state (step S31), when the defrost is started (branch Y), the main control unit 1 sets a timer (not shown) (step S32).
When the defrosting is finished and the cooling operation is resumed (step S33), it waits for the temperature detected by the internal temperature sensor 33 to return to the predetermined temperature (t ° C.) (step S34), and when the temperature reaches the predetermined temperature (branch Y). The timer is stopped and the elapsed time (recovery time) is stored in the RAM (step S35). Next, an average value with the previous recovery time is obtained (step S36), and the average recovery time of this vending machine is set in the RAM (step S37).
[0021]
Based on the recovery time set as described above, the main control unit 1 performs control so that the product is not replenished until the recovery time elapses after the start of defrosting.
With the above operation, the product is not replenished within the recovery time calculated based on the actual data, so that the product can be prevented from melting due to the product replenishment immediately after defrosting.
(4) Invention 4 FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the control device according to Invention 4. The operation will be described with reference to FIG.
[0022]
This invention 4 calculates | requires a defrost start time based on the data memorize | stored in RAM by each step S15, S25, S36 of the above-mentioned invention 1,2,3. In the flowchart of the present invention (FIG. 7), detailed steps up to the above data collection are omitted and shown as a data collection operation (step S41).
First, points are assigned in descending order of sales frequency status calculated in step S15 (step S42). For example, the highest frequency time zone is 168 points.
[0023]
Next, the defrosting start prohibition time zone is obtained from the day-by-day product loading start time obtained in step S25 and the recovery time data calculated in step S36 (step S43).
Further, a time zone other than the prohibited time zone obtained in step S43 and having the lowest sales frequency is calculated for each day of the week (step S44). For example, the start time of the time zone is set as the defrosting start time (step S45). ). In this case, conditions such as the number of defrosting times per day can be set to 2 times or less.
[0024]
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the rank (1 to 168 points) according to the day of the week and the time zone obtained as described above and the defrosting prohibited time zone. For example, since the time zone from 1 o'clock to 1:59, which is the lowest ranking, is the defrosting optimum time zone on Sunday, for example, 1 o'clock is set as the defrost start time.
During the defrosting control based on the predicted time, the sales frequency, the product loading time, and the recovery time are measured and the next defrosting time is predicted (step S46). Since defrosting can be performed in the time zone and the product can be controlled so as not to be replenished during the recovery time, there is no possibility of unloading the product that has started melting or melting the replenished product.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, as described above, for example, the sales frequency, the product replenishment time, the recovery time, or the combination data thereof based on the performance data for one week is obtained, and the optimum defrosting time is set. Therefore, it is possible to set the optimum defrosting start time in consideration of the operating state of the vending machine, the installation location, the cooling characteristics for each machine, and the like. As a result, it is possible to prevent problems such as selling products that have started to melt and refilling products melting.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing main operations based on the invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of sales frequency by day of the week and time. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of product loading tendency by day of the week / time zone. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the main operation based on invention 3. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the main operation based on invention 4. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting data according to the fourth aspect of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Main control part, 2 ... Unloading control part, 3 ... Cooling control part, 21 ... Loading door switch, 22 ... Sales mechanism, 31 ... MC, 32 ... Defrost heater, 33 ... Inside temperature sensor.

Claims (2)

In the control device of the vending machine that performs the defrosting operation,
A door opening detecting means for detecting opening of the product replenishment door;
A time measuring means for measuring the elapsed time of the product replenishment door opening;
Door opening date storage means for storing the date of product replenishment door opening;
Defrosting time storage means for storing a defrosting prohibition time zone;
A defrosting unit that performs a defrosting operation at a time other than the defrosting prohibition time zone stored in the defrosting time storage unit,
Detecting a product refill door open by door opening detecting means, when the door opening time by time counting means exceeds a predetermined time, daily to store the door opening time to door opening time storage unit, every predetermined time period, daily in the A control device for a vending machine, wherein a time until a predetermined time elapses from a door opening date and time stored in a door opening date and time storage means is stored in a defrosting time storage means as a defrosting prohibition time zone. In the control device of the vending machine that performs the defrosting operation,
Sales number storage means for storing the number of product sales for each reference time zone;
Sales data collection means for accumulating the number of sales for each reference time zone for each product sale and storing it in the sales number storage means;
A door opening detecting means for detecting opening of the product replenishment door;
A time measuring means for measuring the elapsed time of the product replenishment door opening;
Door opening date storage means for storing the date of product replenishment door opening;
Replenishment time data collection means for detecting opening of the product replenishment door by the door opening detection means and storing the door opening date and time in the door opening date storage means when the door opening time by the timing means exceeds a predetermined time;
Temperature detection means for detecting the temperature in the chamber;
A time measuring means for measuring the recovery time;
A recovery time storage means for storing the recovery time;
The time from the defrosting start time until the internal temperature by the temperature detecting means reaches a predetermined temperature is measured by the time measuring means, and an average value with the previous recovery time is calculated, and the recovery time storage means as this average value as the recovery time Recovery time collecting means for storing, defrosting time storing means for storing the defrosting start time,
A defrosting means for performing a defrosting operation based on the data stored in the defrosting time storage means,
For a predetermined period, the rank of the daily product sales frequency is calculated based on the number of product sales accumulated in the sales number storage means, and the recovery time by the recovery time storage means from the door opening date stored in the door opening date storage means A control device for a vending machine, wherein a time zone with the lowest product sales frequency is set in the defrosting time storage means as a defrosting time among the time zones for each day excluding the elapsed time.

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