JP5371385B2 - Goods collection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article receiving apparatus in which an article housing box and a mailbox are combined and incorporated in a common casing, and the numbers and disposing positions of the article housing boxes and the mailboxes are optionally changed at high flexibility, respectively, during design/assembly or after the entire installation of the article housing box and the mailbox. <P>SOLUTION: A main control part 601 connected with a receiving unit whose shape and size are determined on the basis of a prescribed unit size as the article housing box 610 and the mailbox 620, has a management table 6014 to which first identification information 6014b indicating whether the receiving unit is the article housing box or the mailbox and second identification information 6014c for identifying a specified destination corresponding to the mailbox when the receiving unit is the mailbox, can be registered. A control circuit controls locking and unlocking of the electric lock of the receiving unit functioning as the article housing box or the mailbox using the management table 6014. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an article receiving apparatus, and more particularly to an article receiving apparatus used for receiving a parcel delivery package or mail.

  In a housing complex such as a condominium, there is a case in which a delivery collection storage device, a so-called delivery box, is installed. The parcel delivery box can be locked to receive parcels delivered to a specific resident, or to collect parcels delivered by a specific resident, and can be unlocked with a physical key or key using an ID card This is an article storage device similar to a locker having a plurality of article storage boxes.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a delivery box for managing delivery / removal of a delivery package to / from a plurality of article storage boxes using a control circuit that controls the operation display unit using a touch panel or the like is known.

  In many cases, the door of the goods storage box of such a delivery box opens to the outside of the occupant's resident space defined by auto-locking etc., and the door of the outlet is arranged inside the occupant's space Is done.

  Also, mail boxes are always placed in apartment houses, even if no delivery box is installed. In auto-locked condominiums, etc., collective postboxes with a large number of mailboxes for each living room are used, and the receiving port is usually the occupant's resident space defined by auto-locking. It opens to the outside, and the outlet is arranged inside the occupant space.

Furthermore, due to the commonality of goods receipt, a configuration as shown in the following Patent Document 1 is already known as a configuration for arranging the above-mentioned delivery box together with a post box. Moreover, when arranging a delivery box together with a post box, a configuration is also known in which the recipient is identified and the delivery box and the post box are unlocked (for example, Patent Document 2 below).
JP 2004-248742 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-287943

  As a configuration in the case where the delivery box and the post box are arranged, the problem is the allocation of the article storage box of the delivery box and the post box of the post box.

  In general, when an article collection device used to collect this type of parcel delivery and mail is installed in an apartment house such as a condominium, the arrangement space for the entire article collection device is limited. There are various sizes (for example, vertical and horizontal sizes and volumes) and shapes.

  In spite of restrictions such as the layout of apartment houses, a configuration in which a delivery box and a post box are installed independently has difficulty in making effective use of the valuable entrance space. If you look at it, there will be a waste of flow lines and poor usability.

  Therefore, in order to make effective use of space and improve usability according to the flow of residents, the delivery box and the postbox are not housed in separate housings, but are housed in a common housing. A configuration in which boxes and mailboxes are arranged is also conceivable. Usually, however, the number of mailboxes in a postbox requires at least the number of apartment housing (or even a mailbox for a manager's room may be required), and in many cases First, it is possible to design and assemble the goods collection device by customizing the necessary number of mailboxes within the size of the goods collection device suitable for the arrangement space of the apartment, and placing the item storage box in the remaining space. It is necessary in the case of.

  However, conventionally, an article storage box of a delivery box and a post box of a post box are usually fixedly provided in a housing of an article receiving device, and once a receiving space is provided as an article storage box or a mailbox. If it is made, the arrangement of door holes and screw holes for fixing electric locks is often different, so for a specific apartment house, a specific box arrangement, structure Therefore, there is a problem in that it has to be redesigned and remanufactured every time, and the labor and cost of manufacturing are enormous.

  In addition, an article storage box of a delivery box is generally not assigned to each household, and a delivery person designates a destination and accommodates an article, and then a recipient receives an ID card (for example, a contactless recording of own ID information). IC card, etc.) is displayed on the console, and it is used in such a way that the item storage box containing the items addressed to you is unlocked. In the case of a mailbox with a mailbox, one item is assigned to each household. It is done.

  Generally, in many apartment houses, the position of the mailbox is usually fixed at the time of occupancy, which is convenient for residents who have secured a position that is easy to use and easy to operate, and for those who have been assigned a bad position. There was a problem that unfairness would occur on the top. In addition, it is common for a delivery box to have multiple boxes of a few different sizes, but depending on the lifestyle of the resident, the number may be insufficient or a larger size box may be required. Problems can arise.

  Therefore, if there is a system that can easily change the arrangement and number of mailboxes and home delivery boxes not only at the time of design / assembly but also after the installation of the goods collection device, the demand of the residents at that time It is thought that customization to the box arrangement suitable for can be performed flexibly.

  Conventionally, a system for interlocking the delivery box and the mailbox is proposed. However, in the configuration in which the article storage box and the mailbox are mixed and incorporated in a common housing as described above, the unlocking is performed. If it is controlled to automatically open the article storage box or the mailbox door unconditionally when there is an operation, if you operate another box in the vicinity (for example, open the door and put in and out the luggage) Usability and safety could be reduced if another resident was present.

  In view of the above problems, the problem of the present invention is that the article storage box and the mailbox can be mixed and incorporated in a common housing, and the number and arrangement position of each of the article storage box and the mailbox are designed. / It is to be able to change at an arbitrarily high degree of freedom during assembly or after the entire installation.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention,
In the goods collection device used to collect parcels or parcels,
A plurality of article storage boxes that can be locked by the electric lock accommodates a delivery package which is delivered to accommodate the mailpiece is delivered, a lockable its outlet via the electric lock, a Specific Destination A plurality of mailboxes arranged in an attached manner ,
The article storage box and the mailbox include at least a substrate for controlling the electric lock, function as the article storage box or the mailbox, and have a shape and size determined based on a predetermined unit size. And is further configured as
A housing for accommodating the receiving unit in a replaceable manner ;
A control circuit that is electrically connected to the substrate of the receiving unit that functions as the article storage box or the mailbox and controls the locking and unlocking of the electric lock of the receiving unit;
The control circuit is first identification information indicating whether the receiving unit accommodated in the housing and electrically connected to the control circuit and the substrate is an article storage box or a mailbox. A management table capable of registering second identification information for identifying a specific destination associated with the mailbox when the receipt unit is a mailbox; and the control circuit uses the management table to Control the locking and unlocking of the electric lock of the collection unit that functions as an article storage box or the mailbox ,
On the substrate of the collection unit functioning as the article storage box or the mailbox, first identification information indicating whether the receipt unit is an article storage box or a mailbox, or further, the receipt unit is a mail. Second identification information for identifying a specific destination associated with the mailbox in the case of receipt is given,
Wherein the collection unit that functions as the article storage box to the mail receiving the housing is assembled, or when the recombination of the collection unit has been performed, the control circuit changes the stored information of the management table Accepting a manual operation input and performing an allocation change process for changing registration information of the management table based on the manual operation input , or
When the receiving unit that functions as the article storage box or the mailbox is assembled in the casing, or when the receiving unit is recombined, the control circuit applied to the substrate is the first circuit. An arrangement is adopted in which the identification information or further the second identification information is read and an allocation change process for automatically changing the registration information in the management table is performed .

  By adopting the above configuration, according to the present invention, the article storage box and the mailbox can be mixed and incorporated in a common housing, and the number and arrangement position of each of the article storage box and the mailbox can be designed. / There is an excellent effect that it can be arbitrarily changed with a high degree of freedom during assembly or after the entire installation.

  Hereinafter, as an example of the best mode for carrying out the present invention, an embodiment relating to an article receiving apparatus comprising a delivery box and a post box will be described. In this embodiment, the delivery box and the post box are not necessarily housed in separate and independent housings (hereinafter referred to as boxes), but in a single box in accordance with the specifications of the installed housing complex. A parcel delivery box and a post box can be mixed and arranged.

  FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively show a delivery box adopting the present invention and an article receiving apparatus formed with a post box from the front side (FIG. 1) and the resident side (FIG. 2).

  The article receiving apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes three boxes (housings) 100 made of steel or the like and a control tower 500a disposed therebetween. The front side (FIG. 1) of the article receiving apparatus shown in the figure is outside the resident space of an apartment house such as a condominium defined by auto-locking (hereinafter referred to as an “apartment” by the term “apartment”). , And the back side of the article receiving apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is arranged toward the inside of the resident space (hereinafter also referred to as the private side).

  In FIG. 1, the structures of the right and center boxes 100, 100 are substantially the same, and are arranged in two rows between two types of article storage boxes 111, 111,... .. Have postal mailboxes 211, 211,.

  Between the right and center boxes 100, 100, a control tower 500a is arranged. The control tower 500a of the present embodiment includes (from the public side) an IC sensor 401 used for unlocking and other control of the article storage box 111 and the mailbox 211, a mail arrival display 402 configured using an LED, an LCD, and the like. A delivery receipt display 403 is provided. When not a single control tower 500a but a larger number of boxes are disposed, the control tower 500a may be disposed between the boxes as appropriate.

  The box 100 on the left side of FIG. 1 includes four article storage boxes 111, 111,... The control unit 500 has a control console for performing more serious control than the control tower 500a, for example, an article storage operation. This control console provides a display for displaying a guidance display and operation keys, a touch panel 501, an IC card reader 502 used for unlocking and other control of the article storage box 111 and the mailbox 211, a receipt to a delivery agent, and the like. A printer (or printing machine) 503 for issuing is provided.

  The article storage box 111 has a front door that is locked and unlocked via the electric lock 301 in accordance with the operation of the control console. The mailbox 211 according to the present embodiment unlocks (for example, purely mechanical operation) two doors (described later: 2111, 2112) and an electric lock 301 that locks the front door from the public side in an emergency. An emergency key 303 is used for the purpose.

  FIG. 2 shows the arrangement on the private side of the article receiving apparatus of FIG. The configuration of the control tower 500a is the same as that of the front side having the IC sensor 401, the postal matter arrival display 402, the delivery delivery arrival display 403, and the like. The control unit 500 is also provided with a control console equivalent to that shown in FIG. 1, but detailed illustration thereof is omitted here (or when sufficient control can be performed only by the user interface of the control tower 500a). The control console on the back (private side) may be omitted).

  Each of the mailboxes 211, 211,... Has doors 1117 and 2117 that are unlocked via the electric lock 301 by the operation of the control console of the control unit 500 on the private side or the operation of the control tower 500a. In the lower part of the two boxes having the mailbox 211 on the left side of FIG. 2, the mail arrival indications 404 and 404 common to the boxes are provided. The postal matter arrival indications 404 and 404 are used, for example, to indicate that a postal matter has arrived at any postbox 211 in each box. Alternatively, display means for displaying whether or not an article is stored in any of the article storage boxes 111 of each box may be provided together with the mail arrival display 404 and 404.

  These display means at the bottom of the box 100 display not only the presence or absence of mail or articles, but also display a specific display mode when the unlocking operation is performed, for example, and are unlocked by the unlocking operation. It can also be used to clearly indicate a box including the mailbox 211 and the article storage box 111.

  As apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, the two types of article storage boxes 111 having different sizes are sized in units of the size of the mailbox 211. For example, the article storage box 111 in the upper part of FIG. 1 has the same size as the two mailboxes 211 arranged on the left and right, and the article storage box 111 in the lower part arranges the two mailboxes 211 on the left and right. Occupies the same size. The article storage box 111 and the mailbox 211 have a unit structure as will be described later. For example, an arrangement space defined by passing a support member such as a shelf (not shown in detail) to a predetermined position of the boxes 100, 100. Are assembled to each.

  FIG. 3 shows the circuit configuration of the control unit 500. Before explaining the circuit of FIG. 3, the mailbox 211 (and the article storage box) is structured as a unit and can be customized in various positions and numbers. 111: The structure of the article storage box 111 is also the same as that of the mailbox 211).

  4 to 8 show the structure of the mailbox 211 and the assembly structure of the mailbox 211. FIG. The structure of the article storage box 111 is substantially the same as that of the mailbox 211, except that there is no posting port (211 1112) on the public side. In the following, the name “acquisition unit” is used to collectively refer to the mailbox 211 or the article storage box 111 having the structure shown in FIGS.

  4A and 4B show the internal structure of the mailbox 211. FIG. 4A shows a cross section of the mailbox 211, and FIG. 4B shows a front side of the mailbox 211 on the public side. The mailbox 211 is composed of a box-shaped housing made of steel or the like as one unit. The size of this unit structure determines the size of one mailbox 211 shown in FIGS.

  There are two large and small doors on the public door of the mailbox 211 (right side in FIG. 4 (a): the electric lock 301 is almost locked, but it may be a panel fixed by screwing or the like). The mailing ports 2112 and 2111 and the emergency key 303 described above are arranged. A flap (door) 2112a for avoiding rain, dust and the like is swingably provided at the large mailing slot 2112. A room number display 2112 whose display contents can be changed by an LCD panel or the like is provided on the side of the posting port 2111. The lighting circuit of the room number display 2112 is connected to a substrate 2114 or 2115 provided inside through a wire harness (not shown).

  A partition plate 2226 for sorting postal matter (or other printed matter) posted from the upper and lower outlets 2111, 2112, is arranged inside the mailbox 211. In order to detect the presence / absence of a mail piece placed inside, a mail sensor 6221 is arranged at the upper part (or even lower part of the compartment of the mail box 211: FIG. 4 (b)). The mail sensor 6221 is composed of, for example, a reflective optical sensor, a CCD camera, or the like.

  On the private side of the mailbox 211 (left side in FIG. 4A), a door 2117 is supported via a hinge (not shown in detail) and the like so as to be opened and closed. The public side door and the private side door 2117 are locked / unlocked by electric locks 3011 and 3012, respectively.

  The electric locks 3011 and 3012, the mail sensor 6221, and the room number display 2112 are arranged along the side walls and the like of the substrates 2114 and 2115 (in this case, two substrates but the substrates 2114 and 2115 are arranged on one substrate). The control circuit of the circuit may be mounted).

  The structure of the article storage box 111 is substantially the same as that described above except that, for example, the entrance 2111, 2112, or the emergency key 303 is not provided on the public door.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a connector 2119 for mounting a wire harness connected to a control circuit constituting a control unit 500 described later is provided on the substrates 2114 to 2115 of the receiving unit (mailbox 211 or article storage box 111). It is done.

  Note that this type of wire harness is housed in a space around a receiving unit (mailbox 211 or article housing box 111) of a box (100, 100...) That is a housing. It is assumed that the network relationship with the control circuit that constitutes a so-called star type. In this case, a specific signal line in the wire harness is connected to a receiving unit at a specific position (corresponding to a unit number managed in a management table 6014 described later), and the control circuit By identifying a line (number, etc.), a receiving unit electrically connected to the signal line can be specified. In addition, although the structure which connects the control circuit which comprises the receipt unit (mailbox 211 or the article | item storage box 111) and the control part 500 mentioned later by the network of a bus | bath structure is also considered, naturally a control circuit is a specific circuit. It is assumed that the receiving unit (for example, its unit number) can be specified by communicating with the receiving unit (substrate) using a protocol or the like.

  Further, a jumper block 2120 is provided on the substrates 2114 to 2115. The jumper block 2120 is used to set identification information of the receiving unit (postbox or article storage box) according to the mounting position of the short pin.

  The identification information expressed by the jumper block 2120 and given to the substrate includes at least information indicating whether the receipt unit is the mailbox 211 or the article storage box 111, and the receipt unit is the postal mail. In the case of receipt 211, information on the room number of the room corresponding to the recipient of the mail is assumed to be included. When the room number is set in the jumper block 2120 of the mailbox 211, the room set in the jumper block 2120 when power is supplied to the boards 2114 to 2115 without waiting for the control of the control circuit described later. The number can be displayed as a room number display 2112. Of the above identification information, the information on whether the receipt unit is the mailbox 211 or the article storage box 111 is, for example, grounding one (or several) of the electrodes 2119a of the connector 2119 ( Alternatively, it can be expressed by means such as pulling up to the power supply voltage) or removing one (or several) of the electrodes 2119a to leave it electrically open.

  FIGS. 5A, 5B, 6 and 7 show the collection unit having the above-described structure, that is, the assembled state of the mailbox 211 and the article storage box 111 in the box 100, and the state of the arrangement change. It is a thing.

  5A and 5B have the same configuration as the box 100 shown in the right (left in FIG. 2) and the center of FIG. 1, and the receiving unit, that is, the mailbox 211 and the article storage box 111 are transferred to the box 100. The assembled state is shown.

  FIG. 5A shows the box 100 from the private side with the doors 2117 of the upper four mailboxes 211 open. Inside the door 2117, positions of the electric lock 3012, the substrate 2115, and the partition plate 2226 are shown. The article storage box 111 has one size corresponding to two mailboxes 211 at the top and one size corresponding to four sizes of the mailbox 211 at the bottom.

  As described above, the unit-structured article storage box 111 and the mailbox 211 are determined in shape and size based on a predetermined unit size (in this embodiment, the size of the mailbox 211). The receiving unit used as the article storage box 111 and the postbox 211 can be easily exchanged with each other, and several already-received receiving units can be removed and a receiving unit of a different size can be attached thereto. Is also easy to do.

  Since the receiving unit, that is, the mailbox 211 and the article storage box 111 are configured as units having the above-described size configuration, for example, a support member such as a shelf board is appropriately provided at a predetermined position of the box 100 (details are not shown). Can be assembled and fixed in the layout space defined by each other (the method is arbitrary, such as screwing or fitting structure using claws, etc.), depending on the living room configuration of the condominium to be installed The design and assembly work of determining the configuration of the box 100 and determining the number and arrangement of the mailbox 211 and the article storage box 111 are easy, and should be performed without using different parts for each installed apartment. In addition, it is easy to change the number and arrangement of the mailbox 211 and the article storage box 111 after the apartment is completed.

  For example, from the arrangement as shown in FIG. 6A (the arrangement in which each of the receiving units is the same as that in FIG. 5A with only the doors 2117 of the upper two mailboxes 211 and 211 open), It is also possible to remove the two mailboxes 211 and 211 in the second row from the top, and to change the portion into an article storage box 111 as shown in FIG. 6B instead. In this case, it is only necessary to remove the receiving unit having the structure of the mailboxes 211 and 211 and to assemble the article storage box 111 having the size of the mailbox 2112 instead.

  In FIG. 6B, the door 1117 on the private side of the article storage box 111 attached in place of the removed mailbox 211, 211 is in an open state, and the article sensor 6121 (mail sensor 6221 inside the article storage box 111). In the same manner as in the above, the installation position of a reflection type optical sensor or CCD camera for detecting an internal delivery product, etc., an electric lock 3012 or a substrate 1115 (postbox) configured in the same manner as the above-mentioned postbox 211. 211 corresponding to the substrate 2115).

  FIGS. 7A and 7B show in more detail how the arrangement shown in FIG. 6 is changed. FIG. 7 (a) shows the public side (upper part of FIG. 7 (a)) and the private side (lower part of FIG. 7 (a)) of the two mailboxes 211, 211. In 211, substrates 2114 and 2114 are arranged at positions along the partition wall 211a in the center. The arrangement positions of the substrates 2115 and 2115 and the electric locks 3012 and 3012 are also positions along the partition wall 211a at the center as shown in the lower part of FIG.

  Note that the two mailboxes 211 and 211 may not be separate unit structures, but may be two unit structures.

  FIG. 7B shows a state in which the door 1117 on the private side of the article storage box 111 is opened as a receiving unit to be attached instead of the two mailboxes 211 and 211 (upper part of FIG. 7B), and This is shown in a closed state (lower part of FIG. 7B), and the receiving unit here is a single collapsed article storage box, so only one substrate 1115 and one electric lock 3012 are provided (article storage). The board 1114 and the electric lock 3011 arranged on the public side of the box 111 are arranged in the same manner as the board 2114 and the electric lock 3011 of the mailbox 211).

  Here, returning to FIG. 3, the configuration of the control circuit constituting the control unit 500 will be described. In FIG. 3, the same reference numerals are used for the constituent members described above, and the functions of the respective members will not be described again unless necessary.

  The control circuit 600 constituting the control unit 500 includes an input / output circuit 602 and 603 for communicating with the main control unit 601, the article storage box 610 and the mailbox 620, a display unit and touch panel 501, an IC card reader 502, The printer 503 is configured.

  The main control unit 601 communicates with the CPU 6011, the ROM 6012, the RAM 6013, the display unit and the touch panel 501, the IC card reader 502, the printer 503, the apartment auto-lock system, the intercom in each room, the management center, and the like via the network. The input / output circuit 6015 is connected to an external control unit 630.

  In FIG. 3, the article storage box 610 and the mailbox 620 are indicated by different reference numerals for the sake of convenience, but are electrically / logically equivalent as described above, and the electric lock 611 (301), 621 (301), an article or mail sensor 612 (the above-mentioned sensor 6121), and 622 (the above-mentioned sensor 6221). Also, what is indicated as IDs 613 and 623 is identification information realized by the configuration shown in FIG. 8 (for example, the pin arrangement / connection of the jumper block 2120 and the connector 2119).

  The CPU 6011 of the main control unit 601 controls the operation of the entire apparatus including locking / unlocking of each unit in accordance with a control program (described later) stored in the ROM 6012.

  As described above, the article storage box 610 and the mailbox 620 are configured as a receiving unit, and can be easily assembled as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, and can be freely changed in design and rearranged after installation. be able to.

  In this embodiment, the control circuit 600 also includes a configuration that can cope with such rearrangement of mechanical parts.

  That is, the main control unit 601 has a management table 6014 arranged in a predetermined area of the RAM 6013. The stored contents of the management table 6014 are retained by, for example, a backup power source so that they will not be erased even when the power is shut off (including an unexpected power failure). Alternatively, the storage area of the management table 6014 may be configured using a non-illustrated non-volatile ROM or HDD that retains stored contents even when the power is shut off.

  The management table 6014 includes, for each unit number 6014a of the receiving unit (article storage box or mailbox), at least an identification area 6014b for recording information indicating whether the unit is a mailbox or an article storage box. Then, when the unit is a mailbox, it has an identification area 6014c for registering the number of the destination room to which the mailbox is associated.

  By using such a management table 6014, it becomes easy to dynamically change the configuration relating to the number and arrangement of collection units (article storage boxes or mailboxes) of the article collection device.

  Next, the configuration related to the number and arrangement of the receiving units (article storage boxes or mailboxes) of the article receiving apparatus configured as described above will be described with respect to the arrangement change (allocation change) to be changed at the time of assembly or after installation in the apartment. To do.

  FIGS. 9-12 shows an example of the arrangement | positioning control which changes the structure regarding the number and arrangement | positioning of the said receipt unit (article storage box or a mailbox) of said article | item receipt apparatus at the time of an assembly or after installation in an apartment. ing. Of the illustrated procedure, the procedure executed by the main control unit 601 of the control circuit 600 is stored as a control program for the CPU 6011 in, for example, the ROM 6012.

  FIG. 9 shows an outline of the allocation control for changing the configuration relating to the number and arrangement of the receiving units (article storage boxes or mailboxes) at the time of assembly or after installation in the apartment.

  In step S10 of FIG. 9, a receiving unit (an article storage box or a mailbox) is assembled to the box 100 which is a casing of the article receiving apparatus. For example, when assembling an article receiving apparatus for new installation, a support member such as a shelf (not shown in detail) is appropriately placed at a predetermined position of the box 100 as a housing in accordance with the number of apartment rooms or the arrangement space. ) To define the arrangement space of each receiving unit, and the receiving unit (article storage box or mailbox) configured as described above is assembled in the arrangement space. Further, in the case of an arrangement change after installation in an apartment, a part of the receiving unit (article storage box or mailbox) is removed and replaced with another receiving unit (postbox or article storage box) (for example, FIG. 6 (a) and (b)).

  At the time of assembly in step S10, an operation of connecting the substrates 1114, 1115, 2114, and 2115 of the receiving unit (article storage box or mailbox) and the control circuit 600 shown in FIG. 3 via a wire harness (not shown) is performed. . When the system is composed of a plurality of boxes 100 as shown in FIG. 1, each box and a control circuit 600 for controlling the boxes are connected by a wire harness (not shown). At this time, if a configuration for giving identification information as shown in FIG. 8 is provided to the receiving unit (substrate), automatic allocation processing as shown in FIG. 11 described later becomes possible.

  In step S11, the allocation unit allocation change (or new setting) is performed. An example of this processing is shown in FIGS. In step S12, in order to verify whether the result of the allocation change (or new setting) of the receiving unit is correct, initialization processing and, if necessary, predetermined inspection processing are performed.

  FIG. 10 is a process for performing the allocation change (or new setting) of the receiving unit shown in step S11 of FIG. 9 by a manual setting operation using the display unit of the control console, the touch panel 501, and the like, and the control of the CPU 6011 based thereon. An example is shown. When the allocation change (or new setting) is performed by the processing of FIG. 10, the configuration for giving the identification information as shown in FIG. 8 is not necessarily required for the receiving unit.

  The assigned user interface is activated on the display section of the control console and the touch panel 501 (any of the front and back control consoles) may be used. The operations after step S22 are performed via this assigned user interface.

  In the loop of steps S22 to S26, the allocation change (or new setting) operation of each receiving unit is sequentially received. First, in step S22, a dialog is displayed on the display unit and the touch panel 501, and the operator inputs the unit number of the receiving unit to be set. Subsequently, in step S23, whether the receiving unit is the mailbox 211 (P ), (T) is input.

  In step S22, when information on whether the receipt unit is the postal mailbox 211 (P) or the article storage box 111 (T) is input, the CPU 6011 uses the unit number input in step S22. With reference to the position of the corresponding record in the management table 6014 in FIG. 3 (identifiable by the unit number 6014a or the offset from the head of the management table 6014, etc.), the receiving unit input in step S23 in the identification area 6014b of the record is Information indicating whether the mailbox 211 (P) or the article storage box 111 (T) is written.

  In step S24, it is determined whether or not the receipt unit is the mailbox 211 (P). If the receipt unit is the mailbox 211 (P), it is further assigned to the mailbox 211 in step S25. The room number is input, and the CPU 6011 writes the input room number in the identification area 6014c of the management table 6014.

  In step S26, it is determined whether or not an operation for ending the process has been performed (or whether or not all receiving units have been set). If there is a continuation of the setting operation, the process returns to step S22 and the above process is repeated.

  As described above, the allocation change (or new setting) of the receiving unit can be performed through the manual setting operation using the display unit of the control console, the touch panel 501 and the like. After the setting operation is completed, the management table 6014 shows whether the receiving unit is the mailbox 211 (P) or the article storage box 111 for each assembled receiving unit as shown in part in FIG. (T) information (identification area 6014b), and in the case of the mailbox 211, the corresponding room number information (identification area 6014c) is registered.

  Thereafter, the CPU 6011 can perform collection control (such as unlocking / locking control) of the mailbox 211 and the article storage box 111 using the identification data of the management table 6014.

  Even when the manual setting operation as shown in FIG. 10 is performed, the configuration of FIG. 8 may be provided in each receiving unit. For example, only part of the identification information such as the mailbox 211 or the article storage box 111 may be provided in the collection unit, and only the type of the unit may be automatically set using this identification information. Further, the unit number may be set in order while incrementing (or decrementing) the unit number sequentially as shown in FIG. 11 without manually inputting the unit number in step S22.

  FIG. 11 shows a control example in the case where a configuration for expressing the identification information of the receiving unit as shown in FIG. 8 is provided, and automatic allocation of the receiving unit is performed using this configuration.

  In step S31 of FIG. 11, the unit number set in the counter arranged in a predetermined area of the RAM 6013 is reset to 0 (when the unit number starts from 0). The value of this counter is used as a pointer instructing the receiving unit having a specific unit number and the corresponding record in the management table 6014 in the following processing.

  In step S32, the identification information of the receiving unit (article storage box 610, mailbox 620) connected to the input / output circuits 602 and 603 (FIG. 3) via the wire harness is scanned. This identification information is expressed by the configuration of FIG. 8, and is output from each receiving unit. Then, the receiving unit having the unit number currently set in the counter is specified, and the information on whether the receiving unit 211 is the mailbox 211 (P) or the article storage box 111 (T) is read. In the configuration of FIG. 8, for example, this information is expressed by the pin arrangement / connection of the jumper block 2120 and the connector 2119 as described above. The CPU 6011 writes the information on whether it is the read mailbox 211 (P) or the article storage box 111 (T) in the identification area 6014b of the management table 6014 currently instructed by the counter.

  In step S33, it is determined whether or not the receiving unit is the mailbox 211 (P). In step S34, the room number assigned to the mailbox 211 is further determined (in the configuration of FIG. The CPU 6011 writes the input room number in the identification area 6014c of the management table 6014.

  In step S35, the value of the counter is incremented by one, and in step S36, it is determined whether or not the setting process for all receiving units has been completed. This determination can be made, for example, by checking whether the value of the counter has reached the upper limit (for example, by comparing with the number of scanned receiving units). If the setting process for all the receiving units has not been completed, the process returns to step S32 and the above process is repeated.

  As described above, the allocation unit allocation change (or new setting) is completely automatically set by reading out and using the identification information given by the configuration shown in FIG. 8 for each receiving unit (substrate). It can be implemented by processing. After completion of the automatic setting, as shown in part of FIG. 3, in the management table 6014, for each collection unit assembled, whether the collection unit is the mailbox 211 (P) or the article storage box 111. (T) information (identification area 6014b), and in the case of the mailbox 211, the corresponding room number information (identification area 6014c) is registered. In this process, the allocation unit allocation change (or new setting) can be carried out through almost automatic processing, and the operator assembles a predetermined receiving unit (the mailbox 211 or the article storage box 111) at a predetermined position (at that time). The identification information such as the room number is appropriately set according to the pin arrangement / connection of the jumper block 2120 and the connector 2119), and the allocation change (or new setting) of all the receiving units is almost completed simply by starting the processing of FIG. Since it is automatically executed, the allocation change (or new setting) of the receiving unit can be carried out reliably and quickly without requiring a troublesome operation.

  In FIG. 12, the collection unit is not assembled or modified (for example, the layout change as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B), but the correspondence between the mailbox and the room is changed (the room number of the mailbox is changed). ) Shows an example of control.

  Such a change in the room number of the mailbox (relocation of the mailbox) as described above, for example, led by a condominium management association or a management company in order to avoid unfairness in terms of ease of use depending on the location of the mailbox. Is done by. In the processing of FIG. 12, the configuration such as the pin arrangement / connection of the jumper block 2120 and the connector 2119 for giving (representing) the identification information for each receiving unit as shown in FIG. 8 is not necessary.

  In step S41 in FIG. 12, it is determined whether it is necessary to change the room number of the mailbox, that is, to change the correspondence between the mailbox and the room. For example, this determination may be performed by determining whether or not an operation for instructing a change in the room number of the mailbox is performed on the control console. Further, the current time measured by a real-time clock (not shown) provided in the control circuit 600 is a specific date and time (for example, a specific relocation date and time set by a condominium management association or management company via the control console: for example once a year For example, the first Sunday of a specific month).

  If step S41 is affirmed, postal room number change processing is performed after step S42. In step S42, it is determined using a mail sensor (622, 6221 described above) or the like whether there is a mail box in which mail remains. However, for a mailbox that is flagged for exclusion from the room number change target, which will be described later, no stay determination is made in step S42.

  If there is a mailbox in which mail is retained in step S42, it is determined in step S43 whether the retention is a long-term retention (for example, retention in units of 1 to several months). This long-term stay is determined by constantly monitoring the output of the mail sensor (622, 6221) and the open / closed state of the door 2117 together with timing information of a real-time clock (not shown), creating a database and RAM 6013 (or an HDD not shown). ) And refer to this registration information. In this embodiment, if it is not long-term stay, the mailbox is not excluded from the room number change target, and the process proceeds to step S44. If long-term stay is present, the mailbox is changed to room number change target in step S43. Flag to exclude from. This process is continued as long as there is a long-staying mailbox that loops to step S42 and there remains a flag that is not excluded from the room number change target.

  On the other hand, if there is no mailbox in which mail is retained in step S42, or all long-term mailboxes are flagged for exclusion from room number change targets, the process proceeds to step S44. Only in the mailbox that is not excluded from the room number change target (in step S43), the record of each unit number in the management table 6014 is shifted one by one (in ascending order or descending order).

  In step S45, according to the contents of the new management table 6014, the room number display (2113: FIG. 4 (b)) of each mailbox is changed to a newly assigned room number display.

  Although FIG. 12 shows an example in which the numbers are shifted one by one, it goes without saying that processing such as reassigning the unit number of the mailbox and the room number to a random relationship may be performed. Further, when there is a stay of mail, a flag to be excluded from the room number change target may be set regardless of the length of the stay period.

  By performing the processing as shown in FIG. 12, for example, the room number is changed (shifted) at an appropriate frequency such as once a year or once every several years, and the allocation of the mailbox to the resident is changed. In addition, it is possible to avoid unfairness in usability due to the position of the mailbox and fixing it.

It is explanatory drawing which showed the structure (public side) of the goods receipt apparatus which employ | adopted this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the structure (private side) of the goods receipt apparatus of FIG. It is the block diagram which showed the control circuit of the goods receipt apparatus of FIG. The structure of the mailbox of the goods receipt apparatus of FIG. 1 is shown, (a) is sectional drawing of a mailbox, (b) is a front view. 1A and 1B show a structure of a mailbox of the article receiving apparatus of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a private side door of the mailbox is opened, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a front side of a public side. is there. 1A and 1B show a state of the arrangement change of the article receiving apparatus, in which FIG. 1A is an explanatory view showing a state in which the door on the private side of the mailbox is opened, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which showed the state which changed into the goods storage box. FIGS. 2A and 2B are views showing a state of changing the arrangement of the article receiving apparatus in FIG. 1, where FIG. 2A is an explanatory view showing a postal box to be changed, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which showed the structure of the circuit board of the mailbox of the goods receipt apparatus of FIG. It is the flowchart figure which showed the outline | summary of arrangement | positioning change of the receipt unit (mailbox and article storage box) in the article receipt apparatus of FIG. It is the flowchart figure which showed the mode of arrangement | positioning change by manual operation of the receipt unit (mailbox and article storage box) in the article receipt apparatus of FIG. It is the flowchart figure which showed the mode of the automatic arrangement | positioning change of the receipt unit (mailbox and article storage box) in the article receipt apparatus of FIG. It is the flowchart figure which showed the mode of the room number change of the mailbox in the goods collection apparatus of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

100 box (housing)
111 Item Storage Box 211 Mailbox 303 Emergency Key 401 IC Sensor 402 Mail Item Arrival Display 403 Delivery Item Arrival Display 404 Postal Object Arrival Display 500a Control Tower 501 Display Unit and Touch Panel 502 IC Card Reader 503 Printer (Printer)
600 Control Circuit 601 Main Control Unit 602, 603 Input / Output Circuit 610 Item Storage Box 620 Mailbox 630 External Control Unit 1117 Door 2112 Room Number Display 2117 Door 2119 Connector 2120 Jumper Block 3011, 3012 Electric Lock 6011 CPU
6012 ROM
6014 Management table 6015 Input / output circuit 6121 Article sensor 6221 Postal sensor

Claims (2)

In the goods collection device used to collect parcels or parcels,
A plurality of article storage boxes that can be locked by the electric lock accommodates a delivery package which is delivered to accommodate the mailpiece is delivered, a lockable its outlet via the electric lock, a Specific Destination A plurality of mailboxes arranged in an attached manner ,
The article storage box and the mailbox include at least a substrate for controlling the electric lock, function as the article storage box or the mailbox, and have a shape and size determined based on a predetermined unit size. And is further configured as
A housing for accommodating the receiving unit in a replaceable manner ;
A control circuit that is electrically connected to the substrate of the receiving unit that functions as the article storage box or the mailbox and controls the locking and unlocking of the electric lock of the receiving unit;
The control circuit is first identification information indicating whether the receiving unit accommodated in the housing and electrically connected to the control circuit and the substrate is an article storage box or a mailbox. A management table capable of registering second identification information for identifying a specific destination associated with the mailbox when the receipt unit is a mailbox; and the control circuit uses the management table to Control the locking and unlocking of the electric lock of the collection unit that functions as an article storage box or the mailbox ,
On the substrate of the collection unit functioning as the article storage box or the mailbox, first identification information indicating whether the receipt unit is an article storage box or a mailbox, or further, the receipt unit is a mail. Second identification information for identifying a specific destination associated with the mailbox in the case of receipt is given,
Wherein the collection unit that functions as the article storage box to the mail receiving the housing is assembled, or when the recombination of the collection unit has been performed, the control circuit changes the stored information of the management table Accepting a manual operation input and performing an allocation change process for changing registration information of the management table based on the manual operation input , or
When the receiving unit that functions as the article storage box or the mailbox is assembled in the casing, or when the receiving unit is recombined, the control circuit applied to the substrate is the first circuit. An article collection apparatus that performs an assignment change process of reading the identification information or the second identification information and automatically changing the registration information of the management table .   In response to a predetermined operation input or timing information timed by the timing means, a second destination identifying a specific destination associated with the mailbox when the collection unit is a mailbox in the registration information of the management table. 2. The article receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence between the mailbox and the specific destination is changed by changing the identification information.

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