JP5884386B2 - Vending machine control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a control device for a vending machine, and more specifically, to a vending machine that has a plurality of columns for storing products and dispenses and sells products from the corresponding columns when a sales instruction is given. The present invention relates to an applied control device.

  Conventionally, various products such as canned beverages and packed beverages are stored in a plurality of columns, and when the purchaser presses a selection button assigned to the desired product, the corresponding product is dispensed from the column. There is known a vending machine that can be taken out from an outlet.

  In such a vending machine, when a product is replenished for any column, the sales suspension time required until the product in the column reaches a desired temperature state is set, and Until time elapses, the sale of the product in the product storage box provided with the column is restricted. In such a vending machine, the sales suspension time may be constant, or may increase or decrease depending on the season, installation environment, and product content (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-49954 A

  By the way, in the vending machine proposed in Patent Document 1 described above, the sales suspension time is increased or decreased according to the season, the installation environment, and the content of the product. Increasing the time, increasing the sales suspension time for items that are installed outdoors rather than being installed indoors, or extending the sales suspension time for products with larger internal capacity than those with smaller internal capacity They are merely increasing or decreasing the sales suspension time. In other words, the sales suspension time is not determined according to the product characteristics such as the temperature of the product to be replenished and the type of the container that contains the product, so that the sales suspension time is appropriate for the replenishment product. There were times when I didn't.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a control device for a vending machine capable of determining an appropriate sales suspension time for a supplement product.

To achieve the above object, a control device for the automatic vending machine according to the present onset Ming has a plurality of columns for storing the product, and sell dispensing the product from the appropriate column when the vending command is given In the control device of the vending machine, when a product is replenished in any column, the type of replenishment product using the product type information set in advance in association with the column and the type of product stored in the column About the determined replenishment product, using the temperature change information indicating the change in the product temperature with respect to time for each type of product, with the outside temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor as the current temperature of the supplement product. currently determines the time required for the temperature to a target temperature as a sales downtime, and further comprising a control means for the replenishment item to the target temperature condition in such sales downtime

  According to the control device of the vending machine of the present invention, when a product is replenished in any column, the control means sets the product type information in the column and the time previously determined for each product type. The temperature change information is used to determine the sales suspension time of the supplementary product according to the outside air temperature, and the supplementary product is set to the target temperature state during the sales suspension time. It is possible to determine the sales suspension time according to the product characteristics such as the type of container to be performed, and it is possible to determine an appropriate sales suspension time for the supplement product.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a vending machine to which a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view showing a vending machine to which the control device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main control system of the vending machine to which the control device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of product type information. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of temperature change information. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of the replenishment control process performed by the control means. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the sales suspension time determination process performed in the replenishment control process shown in FIG.

  Exemplary embodiments of a control device for a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 to 3 each show a vending machine to which a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 1 is a front view, FIG. 2 is a sectional side view, and FIG. 3 is a main control. It is a block diagram which shows a system. The vending machine illustrated here sells beverages in containers such as canned beverages and beverages in plastic bottles as products.

  The main body cabinet 1 of this vending machine is provided with a plurality of product storage boxes 2. Each of the commodity storages 2 has a heat insulating structure, and can maintain the internal atmosphere at a desired temperature state. Each product storage 2 is provided with a plurality of product storage racks 3, and columns are set in these product storage racks 3. The column is a storage unit in which the same type of product is stored, and one or a plurality of product storage racks 3 corresponds to the product to be sold. The product storage rack 3 has a product storage passage 4 that meanders along the vertical direction, and is a serpentine type in which products are stored in the product storage passage 4. These merchandise storage racks 3 are each provided with a bend mech 5 for controlling the carry-out of merchandise at each lower portion, and a sell-out sensor 6 for detecting the sold-out of the merchandise in each bend mech 5. Here, the sold-out sensor 6 outputs an ON signal to the control means 30 to be described later when there is no product in the corresponding product storage rack 3, while if there is a product in the product storage rack 3, it controls the OFF signal. 30 is output.

  The vending machine is provided with a merchandise selection button 7 and a sold-out lamp 8 corresponding to the column, as well as a money handling device 9, an integrated display 10, a cooling unit 11, and an internal temperature sensor 12.

  The product selection button 7 is for the user to select a purchased product. Such a product selection button 7 is disposed together with a product sample 14 on the front surface of the outer door 13 that opens and closes the front opening of the main body cabinet 1. The individual product selection buttons 7 output respective output signals to the control means 30 when pressed by the user.

  The sold-out lamp 8 is for displaying whether or not the product can be sold to the user, and is built in each product selection button 7.

  The money handling device 9 is called a coin mechanism or bill validator, and a user inserts money (coin or banknote) through a coin insertion slot 15 or a banknote insertion slot 16 provided on the front surface of the outer door 13. When it is determined, this is discriminated, and the discrimination result is output to the control means 30. The integrated display 10 is for displaying data necessary for purchasing a product, such as an input amount and a change amount, and is constituted by a liquid crystal display, for example.

  The cooling unit 11 includes a compressor 11a and a solenoid valve (not shown). The compressor 11a constitutes a refrigerant circuit that circulates the refrigerant together with the condenser 11b, the expansion mechanism 11c, and the evaporator 11d, and sucks and compresses the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 11d. The condenser 11b condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11a by cooling it with ambient air. The expansion mechanism 11c decompresses the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 11b and adiabatically expands the refrigerant. The evaporator 11d is disposed inside each commodity storage 2, and cools the internal air of the commodity storage 2 in which the evaporator 11d is disposed by evaporating the refrigerant passing therethrough.

  The solenoid valve is disposed upstream of each evaporator 11d in the refrigerant circuit. The solenoid valve is a valve body that can be opened and closed. The solenoid valve is closed when a close command is given, and restricts the flow of refrigerant to the evaporator 11d on the downstream side of the solenoid valve, while the solenoid valve is opened when the open command is given. Thus, the refrigerant is allowed to flow into the evaporator 11d.

  The in-compartment temperature sensor 12 is disposed inside each commodity storage 2 in the main body cabinet 1 and detects the internal temperature (internal temperature) of the commodity storage 2. When the internal temperature sensor 12 detects the internal temperature, the internal temperature sensor 12 outputs the internal temperature to the control means 30 as a detection signal.

  The vending machine is provided with an outside air temperature sensor 17, a door opening / closing sensor 18, and a remote controller 20.

  The outside air temperature sensor 17 is disposed on the outside door 13 and detects the ambient temperature (outside air temperature) of the vending machine. When the outside temperature sensor 17 detects the outside temperature, the outside temperature sensor 17 outputs the outside temperature as a detection signal to the control means 30.

  The door opening / closing sensor 18 detects opening / closing of the outer door 13, and outputs an ON signal to the control means 30 when the outer door 13 is opened, and the outer door 13 is closed to close the front opening. In this case, an off signal is output.

  The remote controller 20 is, for example, the remote controller 20 or the like, and includes various settings related to the sale of products such as column settings for the product storage rack 3, correspondence between columns and product selection buttons 7, and sales price settings. Input means for performing confirmation includes an input unit 21 such as various function keys and a numeric keypad. When the input unit 21 is operated, an output signal is output to the control unit 30. The remote controller 20 is operated by an operator called a vending machine administrator or a route operator, and can be operated only when the locked outer door 13 is unlocked and opened. .

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control means 30 of the vending machine includes a sold-out sensor 6, a money handling device 9, a product selection button 7, an internal temperature sensor 12, an outside air temperature sensor 17, a door open / close sensor 18, and a remote control 20. When the output signal is given, it controls the operation of the bend mech 5, the sold-out lamp 8, the integrated display 10, the cooling unit 11, etc. of the product storage rack 3 according to the program and data stored in the memory 31 in advance. Thus, it has an input control unit 30a, an output control unit 30b, a sales management control unit 30c, and a replenishment management control unit 30d.

  The input control unit 30a performs input processing on signals output from each unit constituting the vending machine. The output control unit 30b outputs a command to each unit constituting the vending machine.

  The sales management control unit 30c comprehensively controls processing related to the sale of products. More specifically, when the column is set for the product storage rack 3 by the operation of the remote controller 20, and the product selection button 7 and the sales price are associated with the column, the sales management control unit 30c sets the column of the column. The number, the product storage rack 3, the product selection button 7, and the sales price are stored in the memory 31 in association with each other.

  Further, when money is inserted into the money handling apparatus 9, the sales management control unit 30c activates the corresponding product selection button 7 when the inserted money becomes equal to or higher than the selling price. When the activated product selection button 7 is pressed, the sales management control unit 30c operates the bend mec 5 provided in the product storage rack 3 of the corresponding column to pay out one product.

  Further, the sales management control unit 30c monitors the products in the product storage rack 3 through the sold-out sensor 6, and if no product is detected, the sold-out lamp 8 of the corresponding column is turned on to indicate that the product is in a sold-out state. Performs notification processing.

  The replenishment management control unit 30d controls processing related to replenishment of merchandise. Specifically, when a product is replenished in any column, the product type information of the column set in advance or temperature change information with respect to the time obtained in advance for each product type is used to The sales suspension time for the product until the desired temperature state is reached is determined.

  Here, the product type information is as shown in FIG. 4 and is stored in the memory 31. In FIG. 4, “A” indicates that the product container is a can and has an inner capacity of 200 ml, “B” indicates that the product container is a can and that has an inner capacity of 350 ml, and “C” indicates that the product container is Cans with a capacity of 500 ml, “D” indicates that the product container is a PET bottle and the capacity is 350 ml, “E” indicates that the product container is a PET bottle and the content is 500 ml “F” indicates that the product container is a PET bottle and the content is 1000 ml.

  Further, the temperature change information is as shown in FIG. 5 and is stored in the memory 31. FIG. 5 shows that when the temperature of the replenishment product of type “A” is, for example, 30 ° C., it takes about 25 minutes to cool the product to the target temperature (for example, 5 ° C.). In addition, when the temperature of the supplementary product of type “B” is, for example, 30 ° C., it takes about 150 minutes to cool the product to the target temperature (for example, 5 ° C.). In the case where the temperature of the replenishing product is “20 ° C.”, it takes about 100 minutes to cool the product to the target temperature (eg, 5 ° C.).

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of the replenishment control process performed by the control means 30 described above. The operation of the control device for the vending machine according to the present embodiment will be described while explaining the processing contents of the replenishment control processing.

  As a premise of the description of the replenishment control process, it is recognized that there is no product in the product storage rack 3 in which the sold-out sensor 6 is disposed by giving an ON signal from any of the sold-out sensors 6. The sold-out lamp 8 corresponding to the product storage rack (column) 3 is turned on.

  In this replenishment control process, the control means 30 inputs the ON signal from the door opening / closing sensor 18 through the input control unit 30a, that is, when the outer door 13 is open (step S110: Yes), the corresponding sold-out It waits for an off signal from the sensor 6 (step S120).

  And when an OFF signal is given from the corresponding sold-out sensor 6 and input processing is performed by the input control unit 30a (step S120: Yes), that is, when a product is replenished to the corresponding product storage rack 3, the control means 30 Then, a sales suspension time determination process is performed (step S130).

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the sales suspension time determination process performed in the replenishment control process shown in FIG. In this sales suspension time determination process, the control means 30 replenishes the type of product associated with the product storage rack 3 (column) in which the sold-out sensor 6 for which the OFF signal is input in step S120 is disposed. The product information stored in the memory 31 is read out through the control unit 30d to determine the product type (step S131). Here, it is assumed that the product of type “B” is supplemented.

  The control means 30 that has determined the product type waits for detection of the outside air temperature sensor 17, and then the outside air temperature sensor 17 detects the outside air temperature, thereby inputting a detection signal from the outside air temperature sensor 17 through the input control unit 30a. In the case (step S132: Yes), the outside air temperature is determined as the product temperature supplemented to the product storage rack (column) 3 through the supplement management control unit 30d (step S133). Here, it is assumed that the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 17 is, for example, 20 ° C., and that the temperature of the supplement product is determined to be 20 ° C.

  The control means 30 that has determined the type (type “B”) of the supplement product in step S131 and the product temperature (20 ° C.) in step S133 is stored in the memory 31 through the supplement management control unit 30d. The temperature change information is read, and the sales suspension time of the product is determined using the temperature change information (step S134). In this example, the sales suspension time is determined to be 100 minutes, for example. The control means 30 that has determined the sales suspension time in this manner then returns the procedure and ends the current sales suspension time determination process.

  The control means 30 that has determined the sales suspension time (for example, 100 minutes) of the product in step S130 inputs the off signal from the door opening / closing sensor 18 through the input control unit 30a, that is, the outer door 13 is closed. When the front opening of the main body cabinet 1 is closed (step S140: Yes), the sales suspension time is counted through the replenishment management control unit 30d and the cooling unit 11 is driven through the output control unit 30b (steps S150 and S160). ).

  Thereafter, when the sales suspension time has elapsed (step S170: Yes), the control means 30 ends the counting and turns off the sold-out lamp 8 corresponding to the corresponding product storage rack 3 (column) through the output control unit 30b. (Step S180, Step S190) After that, the procedure is returned to end the current replenishment control process.

  According to this, the replenished product can be set to a predetermined target temperature (for example, 5 ° C.), and the product can be sold at a drinking temperature by a pressing operation of the selection button by the user.

  In the control device of the present embodiment as described above, the control means 30 uses the product type information and the temperature change information stored in the memory 31 when a product is replenished in any column. Since the sales suspension time of the supplementary product is determined and the supplementary product is set to the target temperature state during the sales suspension time, according to the product characteristics such as the temperature of the product to be supplemented and the type of the container for storing the product. A sales downtime can be determined, and an appropriate sales downtime can be determined for the supplement.

  In addition, since it is possible to determine an appropriate sales suspension time for the supplement product in this way, it is possible to provide a product that deviates from the target temperature range due to the sale suspension time being too short relative to the temperature of the supplement product, or to replenish It is possible to prevent a sales opportunity from being overcooled with respect to the product from being missed, and to increase the sales opportunity while improving the quality of the sales product.

  Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made. In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a vending machine having a so-called serpentine type product storage rack 3, but the control device of the present invention is applied to the vending machine having such a serpentine type product storage rack 3. The present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to a vending machine having a direct stacking type product storage rack or the like.

  As described above, the control device for a vending machine according to the present invention has a plurality of columns for storing products, and is a vending machine that dispenses and sells products from the corresponding columns when a sales instruction is given. Useful.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body cabinet 2 Commodity storage box 3 Commodity storage rack 5 Bendmec 6 Sold-out sensor 7 Product selection button 8 Sold-out lamp 9 Money processing device 10 Integrated display 11 Cooling unit 12 Internal temperature sensor 13 Outer door 17 Outside air temperature sensor 18 Door Open / close sensor 20 Remote control 30 Control means 30a Input control unit 30b Output control unit 30c Sales management control unit 30d Replenishment management control unit 31 Memory

Claims (1)

In the control device of a vending machine that has a plurality of columns for storing products, and sells the products from the corresponding column when a sales order is given,
When a product is replenished in any column, the type of the supplement product is determined using the product type information set in advance in association with the column and the type of product stored in the column,
Using the temperature change information indicating the change in product temperature with respect to time for each type of product, using the outside temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor as the current temperature of the supplement product, The time required to reach the target temperature is determined as the sales suspension time,
A control device for a vending machine comprising control means for bringing the replenished product into a target temperature state during such sales suspension time.

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