JP6666712B2 - Sensor device, sensor unit, article selection device, article selection unit, and vending machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor device and a sensor unit including a capacitance sensor, an article selection device including the sensor device, an article selection unit including the sensor unit, and these sensor devices, a sensor unit, an article selection device, and an article selection unit. Vending machine including at least one of the following.

  In vending machines, it has been proposed to illuminate a product sample to be displayed using an LED light source. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a product sample holding device that illuminates a product sample using an LED and a light guide plate. ing. It has also been proposed to select a product without using a push button. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a product selection device using a capacitance sensor instead of a push button.

JP 2009-251682 A JP 2008-108190 A

  The product sample holding device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 can make a product sample stand out with various illuminations, but it is difficult to display the product sample more compactly.

  The product selection device using the capacitance sensor disclosed in Patent Literature 2 selects a product only by bringing the customer closer to the capacitance sensor, so that a product that the customer does not intend to purchase is erroneously selected. There is a risk that it will.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a sensor device and a sensor unit capable of displaying an article sample such as a product sample more compactly and preventing erroneous selection of a sample by a user, an article selecting apparatus including the sensor apparatus, and the sensor unit. And a vending machine including at least one of these sensor devices, a sensor unit, an article selection device, and an article selection unit.

According to a first aspect of the present invention,
A sensor device disposed behind the sample,
A light guide plate that transmits light for illuminating the sample,
And a capacitance sensor having a sensor electrode,
The sensor electrode is located behind the sample,
A sensor device is provided in which the light guide plate is disposed between the sensor electrode and the sample.

  In the sensor device according to the first aspect, the sensor electrode may be arranged such that an electric field formed by the sensor electrode extends in front of the sample.

  The sensor device according to the first aspect may further include a sample holding unit that detachably holds the sample in front of the light guide plate.

  In the sensor device according to the first aspect, the light guide plate may be a plate member formed of a semi-transmissive material.

  In the sensor device according to the first aspect, the light guide plate may include an incident surface on which light is incident, an emission surface for emitting light incident from the incident surface, and a reflection surface facing the emission surface, The reflection surface may have a plurality of optical projections.

  In the sensor device according to the first aspect, the sensor electrode may be provided on a sensor substrate, and the sensor substrate may be further provided with a light source that emits light for illuminating the sample.

According to a second aspect of the present invention,
A plurality of sensor devices according to the first aspect;
A sensor unit is provided which has a plurality of sensor circuits respectively corresponding to the sensor electrodes of the plurality of sensor devices, and a main board to which the plurality of sensor devices are detachably attached.

According to a third aspect of the present invention,
A plurality of sensor devices according to the first aspect;
A plurality of sensor circuits respectively corresponding to the sensor electrodes of the plurality of sensor devices and a plurality of light sources respectively emitting light for illuminating a sample disposed in front of the plurality of sensor devices, wherein the plurality of sensor devices are There is provided a sensor unit including a main board detachably mounted.

  In the sensor unit according to the second aspect or the third aspect, each of the plurality of sensor devices may include an engagement piece, and the main board may include a plurality of engagement pieces that respectively engage with the plurality of engagement pieces. It may have holes.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention,
A sensor device according to the first aspect,
An article selection device comprising: a sample disposed in front of the sensor device.

  In the article selecting device according to a fourth aspect, the sample may display a price of an article corresponding to the sample.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention,
An article selection unit including the sensor unit according to the second or third aspect and a plurality of samples respectively arranged in front of a plurality of sensor devices of the sensor unit is provided.

  In the article selecting unit according to a fifth aspect, each of the plurality of samples may display a price of an article corresponding to each of the plurality of samples.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention,
A vending machine including the sensor device according to the first aspect or the sensor unit according to the second or third aspect is provided.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention,
A vending machine provided with the article selection device of the fourth aspect or the article selection unit of the fifth aspect is provided.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention,
A sensor device disposed behind the sample,
Light source,
A light guide plate that transmits light from the light source toward the sample,
A capacitance sensor having a sensor electrode;
A control unit for controlling the light source,
The sensor electrode is disposed behind the sample so that the electric field lines reach the front of the sample,
The light guide plate is disposed between the sensor electrode and the sample,
The control unit changes the illumination state of the light source when the capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes beyond a first reference value, and the capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes to a second reference value. A sensor device that further changes the illumination state of the light source when the light source changes.

  Sensor device and sensor unit of the present invention, article selection device including the sensor device, article selection unit including the sensor unit, and automatic including at least one of these sensor devices, sensor unit, article selection device, and article selection unit According to the vending machine, the article sample can be displayed in a more compact manner, and erroneous selection of the sample by the user can be prevented.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vending machine including a product selection device and a product selection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the product selection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the product selection device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic cross-sectional views of the light guide plate. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a part of the main substrate of the product selection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the product selection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a product selection device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a product selection device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a part of a main substrate of a product selection unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

  First, a vending machine VM using a sensor device, a sensor unit, an article selection device, and an article selection unit of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The vending machine VM includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing B, an exhibition section D and a coin slot CI provided at an upper part of the housing B, a product outlet IO and a change return port CR provided at a lower part of the housing B. Mainly have.

  The display section D includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing section D1 and a transparent plate D2 that covers the front surface of the housing section D1. In FIG. 1, a product selection unit 10 according to a first embodiment, which will be described later, is vertically arranged in three stages in a storage unit D1. The product selection units 10 each have six product selection devices 11. A long price display plate PP is attached to a portion of the inner surface of the transparent plate D2 (the surface facing the product selection unit 10) located in front of the product selection unit 10. The price of the product that can be purchased via each of the plurality of product selection devices 11 is described on the price display plate PP at a position corresponding to each of the product selection devices 11 (see FIG. 2).

<First embodiment>
A product selection device (article selection device) 11 and a product selection unit (article selection unit) 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment includes six product selection devices 11 and a long main substrate 12 that supports the product selection devices 11 from below. As shown in FIG. 3, the product selection device 11 of the first embodiment includes a sample holding unit 112, a sensor substrate 111, a light guide plate LGP, and a product sample S stacked in this order. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the product sample S is located in front of the product selection unit 10 in the drawing, and the sample holding unit 112 is located in the rear of the drawing. In the following description, the side of the product selection device 11 where the product sample S is located (the side facing the user) is called the front side of the product selection unit 10 and the product selection device 11, and the side where the sample holding unit 112 is located. It is called the product selection unit 10 and the rear side of the product selection device 11.

  The six product selection devices 11 are arranged on the upper surface of the main substrate 12 along the longitudinal direction of the main substrate 12. As will be described later, each of the product selection devices 11 is detachable from the main board 12.

  The sensor substrate 111 of the product selection device 11 of the first embodiment is a rectangular plate that is long in the vertical direction and short in the width direction. A sensor electrode SE is formed as a circuit pattern at the center of the front surface of the sensor substrate 111. The sensor electrode SE is connected to a first connection terminal CT1 described later by a wiring (not shown).

  Below the sensor electrode SE, four light sources LS arranged side by side in the width direction are provided. Each of the four light sources LS is a variable-color LED, and is a side-emitting LED that is installed such that their optical axis extends in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the sensor substrate 111 in a plane parallel to the sensor substrate 111. That is, the four light sources LS are mounted on the sensor substrate 111 so as to emit light upward. Each of the four light sources LS is connected to a first connection terminal CT1 described later by a wiring (not shown).

  At the lower end (lower surface) of the sensor substrate 111, a first connection terminal CT1 is provided. The first connection terminal CT1 is a terminal for connecting the wiring from the sensor electrode SE and the four light sources LS to the wiring on the main substrate 12, and is an arbitrary connection terminal such as a pin type or a card edge connector type. Good.

  The sample holding unit 112 behind the sensor substrate 111 includes a back plate 112a that is a rectangular plate that is long in the vertical direction and short in the width direction, and a pair of side plates 112b that stand upright from both ends in the width direction of the back plate 112a. Have.

  Each of the pair of side plates 112b has a tab 112t at a front end. Each of the tabs 112t is a plate-like member projecting inward from the front end of the side plate 112b, and extends substantially parallel to the back plate 112a.

  Each of the pair of side plates 112b has a stopper 112s near the front end of the inner surface (the surface facing the other side plate 112b). Each of the stoppers 112s is a plate-like member that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the side plate 112b, and extends orthogonally to the back plate 112a and the side plate 112b. A gap G is defined between the stopper 112s and the back plate 112a.

  Engagement pieces E1 are respectively defined at lower end portions of the pair of side plates 112b. The engagement piece E1 is a part used when attaching the product selection device 11 to the main board 12, and is configured to be able to engage with an engagement hole E2 (described later) of the main board 12.

  The rear surface of the sensor substrate 111 is attached to the front surface of the back plate 112a of the sample holding unit 112. At this time, the vicinity of the lower end of the sensor substrate 111 extends downward through the gap G and is disposed below the stopper 112s. That is, the four light sources LS and the first connection terminal CT1 are arranged below the stopper 112s. The four light sources LS are arranged between the pair of stoppers 112s in the width direction so that the emitted light is not blocked by the stopper 112s.

  The light guide plate LGP is a planar illumination member having a light incident surface and a planar light exit surface, and uniformly emits light incident from the light incident surface from the light exit surface. The light guide plate LGP is formed of a light transmissive resin such as an acrylic resin or a polycarbonate resin, and has a plate portion PT as shown in FIG.

  On the side surface of the plate portion PT, a rectangular incident surface IS for entering light into the plate portion PT is defined. One of the surfaces connected to the long side of the incident surface IS is a reflecting surface (opposing surface) RS that reflects light that enters the plate portion PT from the incident surface IS and is guided through the plate portion PT, and the other ( The surface facing the reflection surface RS) is an emission surface ES from which light guided in the plate portion PT is emitted.

  A plurality of convex portions c are formed on the reflection surface RS of the plate portion PT. Each of the protrusions c is a substantially hemispherical protrusion protruding outward from the reflection surface RS, and is arranged over the entire area of the reflection surface RS. The density of the projections c formed on the reflection surface RS is low near the incident surface IS, and increases as the distance from the incident surface IS increases. Thereby, the light incident from the incident surface IS is uniformly emitted from the emission surface ES.

  The light guide plate LGP is supported by the stopper 112s from below with the reflection surface RS facing the front surface of the sensor substrate 111, and is arranged in the sample holding unit 112. The incident surface IS of the light guide plate LGP is arranged to face the four light sources LS of the sensor substrate 111.

  The product sample S is a flat (two-dimensional) sample in which a photograph or illustration of a product (for example, tobacco or confectionery) is printed on one surface of a rectangular light-transmitting thin plate. The product sample S is disposed in front of the light guide plate LGP, and is supported by the light guide plate LGP, the side plate 112b of the sample holding unit 112, the tab 112t, and the stopper 112s.

  As shown in FIG. 2, on one surface (upper surface) of the main substrate 12, a main control unit MC, a light source driving unit LD, and a sensor circuit unit SCU are formed.

  The main control unit MC is a part that controls the overall operation of the product selection unit 10 and is connected to the vending machine main body control unit VMC (FIG. 6). The main control unit MC is also connected to the light source driving unit LD and the sensor circuit unit SCU by wiring (not shown).

  The light source driving unit LD is a circuit that controls the operation of the light source LS of the sensor substrate 111. The light source driving unit LD is connected to a main control unit MC and a second connection terminal CT2 (described later) by wiring (not shown).

  In the sensor circuit unit SCU, six sensor circuits SC forming a capacitance sensor together with the sensor electrodes SE of the sensor substrate 111 are formed. The sensor circuit unit SCU is connected to the main control unit MC and the second connection terminal CT2 by a wiring (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 5, a second connection terminal CT2 and an engagement hole E2 are provided in a region A1 corresponding to one product selection device 11 on one surface (upper surface) of the main substrate 12. On one surface of the main substrate 12, six regions A1 having the above structure are arranged in the longitudinal direction.

  The second connection terminal CT2 is a terminal for connecting the wiring from the light source driving unit LD and the sensor circuit unit SCU to the wiring on the sensor substrate 111, and may be an arbitrary type of connection terminal.

  The pair of engagement holes E2 are provided on one surface of the main board 12 in front of the second connection terminals CT2 and separated in the longitudinal direction. Each of the engagement holes E2 is formed so as to be able to engage with the engagement piece E1 of the sample holding portion 112, and in the present embodiment, is a rectangular through hole that is long in the front-rear direction.

  The product selection device 11 is detachable from the main board 12. The product selection device 11 is attached to the main board 12 by connecting the first connection terminal CT1 of the sensor board 111 to the second connection terminal CT2 of the main board 12, and connecting the engagement piece E1 of the sample holding section 112 to the main board. This can be performed by engaging the twelve engagement holes E2.

  When the product selection device 11 and the main board 12 are connected, the sensor electrode SE of the sensor board 111 and the sensor circuit SC of the main board 12 are connected via the first and second connection terminals CT1, CT2. , Forming a capacitance sensor. Further, the light source LS of the sensor substrate 111 is connected to the light source driving unit LD of the main substrate 12 via the first and second connection terminals CT1 and CT2. FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of the product selection unit 10 in a state where the product selection device 11 and the main board 12 are connected.

  In the present specification, a part excluding the product sample S from the product selection device 11 of the first embodiment is referred to as a sensor device SD1 of the first embodiment (FIG. 3), and a portion from the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment. The portion excluding the product sample S is called the sensor unit SU1 of the first embodiment (FIG. 2).

  Next, a method of using and operation of the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment will be described.

  When the product selection unit 10 is used for the vending machine VM, first, the main board 12 is arranged in the storage section D1 of the exhibition section D. The main board 12 can have an arbitrary number of stages in the vertical direction. When the size of the accommodation portion D1 in the horizontal direction is large, a plurality of main substrates 12 may be arranged in a horizontal direction, or a main substrate 12 having six or more regions A1 may be used.

  Next, a product sample S on which photographs, illustrations, and the like displaying products to be sold by the vending machine VM are prepared, and this is held by the sample holding unit 112 of the sensor device SD1. As described above, the product sample S is stably held in front of the sensor electrode SE and the light guide plate LG by the light guide plate LGP, the side plate 112b, the tab 112t, and the stopper 112s of the sample holding unit 112.

  Next, the sensor unit SU1 holding the product sample S (that is, the product selection device 11) is attached to the main board 12. At this time, the product selection device 11 may be attached to the entire area A1 of the main substrate 12, or the product selection device 11 may be attached to only a part of the area A1. By attaching the product selection device 11 to all the areas A1 of the main board 12, more types of products can be sold. By attaching the product selection device 11 to only a part of the area A1 of the main board 12, the area A1 where the product selection device 11 is not attached is effectively used, and decoration for sales promotion (POP or the like) is provided. Can be applied.

  Finally, the price display plate PP corresponding to the arranged product sample S is attached to the transparent plate D2 of the exhibition section D. Thus, the installation of the product selection unit 10 in the display section D is completed. In addition, the attachment of the price display plate PP to the transparent plate D2 may be performed before the product selection unit 10 is arranged in the storage section D1.

  In a state where coins are not inserted into the coin insertion slot IC of the vending machine VM, the commodity selection unit 10 is in a standby state under the control of the vending machine main body main control unit VMC. In the standby state, the light source LS of the product selection device 11 is lit white. The light of the light source LS is incident on the plate portion PT via the incident surface IS of the plate portion PT of the light guide plate LGP, and is reflected by the convex portion c formed on the reflection surface RS of the plate portion PT and the front surface of the sensor substrate 111. The light exits from the exit surface ES. The light emitted from the emission surface ES illuminates the product sample S from behind. If the corresponding product is out of stock, the light source LS may be turned off in the standby state.

  When the user inserts a coin into the coin insertion slot IC of the vending machine VM, the sensor circuit unit SCU detecting this through the vending machine main body side control unit VMC and the main control unit MC connects to the sensor electrode SE of the sensor substrate 111. Apply current. Thereby, an electric field penetrating the light guide plate LGP and the product sample S is formed between the electrodes of each sensor electrode SE of the substrate 111. At this time, the line of electric force between the sensor electrodes SE extends in front of the product sample S.

  Next, the user selects a desired product, that is, selects one of the plurality of product selection devices 11 of the product selection unit 10 and outputs a product photograph or the like printed on the product sample S of the product selection device 11. Move your hands closer. At this time, when the user's hand approaches the product sample S of the product selection device 11 to some extent, the amount of change in the electric field (lines of electric force) formed between the sensor electrodes SE of the selected product selection device 11 changes to the first. The reference value is reached, and the capacitance of the capacitance sensor formed by the sensor electrode SE and the corresponding sensor circuit SC reaches the first reference value.

  When the main control unit MC detects that one of the plurality of capacitance sensors has reached the first reference value, the main control unit MC controls the light source driving unit LD to provide a product including the capacitance sensor. The light source LS of the selection device 11 is changed from white light emission to blue light emission. As a result, the user can visually recognize that the product selection device 11 has been activated and the product that he or she intends to purchase has been selected.

  When the user desires to purchase the product selected by himself, he moves his hand closer to the product sample S. When the user's hand further approaches the product sample S of the product selection device 11, the amount of change in the electric field (lines of electric force) formed between the sensor electrodes SE included in the product selection device 11 reaches the second reference value, The capacitance of the capacitance sensor formed by the sensor electrode SE and the corresponding sensor circuit SC reaches the second reference value.

  When the main control unit MC detects that the capacitance of any one of the plurality of capacitance sensors has reached the second reference value, the main control unit MC controls the light source driving unit LD to The light amount of the light source LS that emits blue light in the product selection device 11 including the capacitance sensor is increased for a predetermined time. As a result, the user can visually recognize that the product selection device 11 has been activated and that the purchase of the product that the user intends to purchase has been executed.

  The main control unit MC also conveys the product corresponding to the selected product selection device 11 to the product outlet IO via the vending machine main body control unit VMC.

  The effects of the sensor device SD1, the sensor unit SU1, the product selection device 11, and the product selection unit 10 of the present embodiment will be summarized below.

  The sensor device SD1 and the sensor unit SU1 of the first embodiment have a sensor electrode SE and a light guide plate LGP disposed so as to cover the sensor electrode SE. Therefore, if the sensor device SD1 and the sensor unit SU1 of the first embodiment are arranged behind the product sample S, the sensor electrode SE of the capacitance sensor is arranged behind the product sample S, and the user can attach the product sample S to the product sample S. By bringing the hand closer, the capacitance sensor can be operated. According to the sensor device SD1 and the sensor unit SU1 of the first embodiment, it is possible to select and purchase a product by an intuitive operation such as reaching for a product to be purchased. Erroneous selection and erroneous purchase of a product can be prevented.

  In addition, according to the sensor device SD1, the sensor unit SU1, the product selection device 11, and the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment, the sensor electrode SE of the capacitance sensor is disposed behind the product sample S, so that it is exhibited. Only the price display plate PP needs to be attached to the transparent plate D2 of the part D, and there is no need to attach a product selection button. Therefore, according to the sensor device SD1 and the like of the first embodiment, it is possible to reduce the size (particularly, the size in the vertical direction) of the exhibition part D.

  Further, according to the sensor device SD1, the sensor unit SU1, the product selection device 11, and the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment, the light guide plate LDP is disposed behind the product sample S, and the product sample S is irradiated from behind. Therefore, some or all of the other lighting devices for illuminating the product sample S can be removed from the display unit D. Therefore, according to the sensor device SD1 and the like of the first embodiment, the dimensions of the exhibition part D can be made compact.

  The sensor device SD1, the sensor unit SU1, the product selection device 11, and the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment change the color and brightness of the light from the light source LS in accordance with the operation of the sensor electrode SE, and thus provide a capacitance sensor. Is configured to indicate to the user that has operated. This allows the user to visually recognize that the capacitance sensor has operated, thereby preventing erroneous operations such as pressing twice.

  The sensor unit SU1 and the product selection unit 10 according to the first embodiment include a main board 12 and a sensor device SD1 or a product selection device 11 that is detachable from the main board 12, and are installed in a vending machine VM. By simply attaching or detaching the sensor device SD1 or the product selection device 11 to or from the main board 12, the sensor device SD1 or the product selection device 11 can be freely arranged in the exhibition section D2. That is, according to the sensor unit SU1 and the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment, the product sample S can be laid out with a high degree of freedom.

  If the sensor device SD1, the sensor unit SU1, the product selection device 11, and the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment are used, a product selection button penetrating the transparent plate D2 on the transparent plate D2 of the display section D of the vending machine VM. There is no need to place. Therefore, it is possible to prevent external dust and moisture from entering the storage portion D1. Further, since the outer surface of the transparent plate D2 can be made flat, the outer surface of the transparent plate D2 can be easily cleaned.

  In the sensor device SD1, the sensor unit SU1, the product selection device 11, and the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment, the light source LS and the light guide plate LGP are fixed to each other in the sensor device SD1 or the product selection device 11. It is arranged in a state. Therefore, when the sensor device SD1 and the product selection device 11 are attached to the main substrate 12, there is no need to perform alignment between the light source LS and the light guide plate LGP.

In the sensor device SD1 and the like of the first embodiment, the number of light sources LS provided on the sensor substrate 111 and the direction of the optical axis can be changed as appropriate. For example, one or a plurality of light sources LS may be arranged above the sensor electrodes SE of the sensor substrate 111 and emit light downward. In addition, one or a plurality of light sources LS may be arranged on one side in the width direction of the sensor electrode SE of the sensor substrate 111 and emit light toward the other side in the width direction. In these cases, the shape and arrangement of the light guide plate LGP are appropriately adjusted, and both are arranged such that the light source LS and the incident surface IS of the light guide plate LGP face each other.
<Second embodiment>

  Next, a product selection device (article selection device) 21 and a product selection unit (article selection unit) 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The product selection unit 20 of the second embodiment has a configuration of a product selection device 21 different from the configuration of the product selection device 11 of the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment, but the other points are the product selection unit of the first embodiment. Same as 10. That is, the main board 22 of the product selection unit 20 of the second embodiment has the same structure as the main board 12 of the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment (FIG. 5).

  The product selection device 21 of the second embodiment has a structure in which a sensor substrate 211, a sample holding unit 212, and a product sample S are overlapped with each other.

  The sensor substrate 211 of the product selection device 21 is a rectangular plate that is long in the vertical direction and short in the width direction, like the sensor substrate 111 of the product selection device 11. A sensor electrode SE is formed as a circuit pattern in the center of the front surface of the sensor substrate 211, and six light sources LS are provided around the sensor electrode SE. A first connection terminal CT1 is provided. The sensor electrode SE and the light source LS are connected to the first connection terminal CT1 by a wiring (not shown).

  The six light sources LS are arranged side by side in the vertical direction on both sides in the width direction of the sensor electrode SE. Each of the six light sources LS is a variable-color LED, and is a top-emitting LED installed such that the optical axis thereof is orthogonal to the surface of the sensor substrate 211 and extends in front of the substrate 211. That is, the light source LS is mounted on the substrate 211 so as to emit light from the substrate 211 toward the product sample S (from the rear to the front).

  The sample holding unit 212 in front of the sensor substrate 211 includes a back plate 212a that is a rectangular plate that is long in the vertical direction and short in the width direction, and a pair of side plates 212b that stand upright forward from both ends in the width direction of the back plate 212a. Have.

  In the vicinity of both ends in the width direction of the back plate 212a, three through holes 212h arranged vertically are provided. Each of these six through holes 212h is provided on the back plate 212a at a position overlapping with the six light sources LS when the back plate 212a is attached to the sensor substrate 211. The back plate 212a is a type of light guide plate that guides light from the light source LS to the product sample S through the through hole 212h. Alternatively, a translucent plate material having a milky white color or the like may be disposed in the through hole 212h to diffuse light from the light source LS. In this case, the translucent plate is also a kind of light guide plate. Note that in this specification, a material that partially transmits light is referred to as a semi-transmissive material.

  Each of the pair of side plates 212b has a tab 212t at a front end. Each of the tabs 212t is a plate-like member projecting inward from the front end of the side plate 212b, and extends substantially parallel to the back plate 212a.

  Each of the pair of side plates 212b has a stopper 212s on an inner surface (a surface facing the other side plate 212b). Each of the stoppers 212s is a plate-like member protruding inward from the inner surface of the side plate 212b, and extends orthogonally to the back plate 212a and the side plate 212b.

  At the lower ends of the pair of side plates 212b, engagement pieces E1 are defined. The engagement piece E1 is a part used when attaching the product selection device 21 to the main board 22 and is configured to be able to engage with the engagement hole E2 of the main board 22.

  The rear surface of the back plate 212a of the sample holding unit 212 is attached to the front surface of the sensor substrate 211. At this time, the six light sources LS provided on the sensor substrate 211 are accommodated in the six through holes 212h provided on the back plate 212a of the sample holding unit 212, respectively. That is, the six light sources LS are arranged such that their optical axes extend orthogonally to the back plate 212 via the through holes 212h of the back plate 212a of the sample holding unit 212.

  The product sample S has the same structure as the product sample S of the first embodiment. The product sample S is disposed in front of the back plate 212a of the sample holding unit 212, and is supported by the back plate 212a, the side plate 212b, the tab 212t, and the stopper 212s of the sample holding unit 212.

  In the present specification, a part of the product selection device 21 of the second embodiment except for the product sample S is referred to as a sensor device SD2 of the second embodiment (FIG. 7). The portion excluding the product sample S is called the sensor unit SU2 of the second embodiment (FIG. 2).

  The sensor device SD2, sensor unit SU2, product selection device 21, and product selection unit 20 of the second embodiment are also used in the same manner as the sensor device SD1, sensor unit SU1, product selection device 11, and product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment. And operates in a similar manner, but the method of illuminating the commodity sample S with the light source LS is different. In the sensor device SD2, the sensor unit SU2, the product selection device 21, and the product selection unit 20 of the second embodiment, the light from the light source LS irradiates the product sample S from behind through the through hole 212h of the sample holding unit 212. I do.

  The same effects as those of the sensor device SD1, the sensor unit SU1, the product selection device 11, and the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment can also be obtained by the sensor device SD2, the sensor unit SU2, the product selection device 21, and the product selection unit 20 of the second embodiment. Can be obtained. Furthermore, the sensor device SD2, the sensor unit SU2, the product selection device 21, and the product selection unit 20 of the second embodiment are inexpensive and easy because they do not have the internal reflection type light guide plate LGP used in the first embodiment. Can be manufactured.

<Third embodiment>
Next, a product selection device (article selection device) 31 and a product selection unit (article selection unit) 30 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The product selection unit 30 of the third embodiment is different from the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment mainly in the arrangement of the light sources LS. Specifically, the four light sources LS provided in the product selection device 11 in the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment are provided on the upper surface of the main substrate 32 in the product selection unit 30 of the third embodiment. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the product selection device 31 of the third embodiment has a structure in which a sensor substrate 311, a sample holding unit 312, a light guide plate LGP, and a product sample S are stacked on each other in this order.

  The sensor substrate 311 of the product selection device 31 is a rectangular plate that is long in the vertical direction and short in the width direction, like the sensor substrate 111 of the product selection device 11. A sensor electrode SE is formed as a circuit pattern at the center of the front surface of the sensor substrate 311, and a first connection terminal CT <b> 1 is provided at a lower end (lower surface) of the sensor substrate 311. The sensor electrode SE and the first connection terminal CT1 are connected by a wiring (not shown).

  The sample holding unit 312 in front of the sensor substrate 311 includes a back plate 312a, which is a rectangular plate that is long in the vertical direction and short in the width direction, and a pair of side plates 312b that stand upright forward from both ends in the width direction of the back plate 312a. Have.

  Each of the pair of side plates 312b has a tab 312t at a front end. Each of the tabs 312t is a plate-like member projecting inward from the front end of the side plate 312b, and extends substantially parallel to the back plate 312a.

  Each of the pair of side plates 312b has a stopper 312s on an inner surface (a surface facing the other side plate 312b). The stoppers 312s are plate-like members protruding inward from near the front end of the inner surface of the side plate 312b, and extend perpendicular to the back plate 312a and the side plate 312b. A gap G is defined between the stopper 312s and the back plate 312a.

  Engagement pieces E1 are respectively defined at lower end portions of the pair of side plates 312b. The engagement piece E1 is a part used when attaching the product selection device 31 to the main board 32, and is configured to be able to engage with the engagement hole E2 of the main board 32.

  The rear surface of the back plate 312 a of the sample holder 312 is attached to the front surface of the sensor substrate 311.

  The light guide plate LGP is a rectangular plate having the same structure as the light guide plate LGP of the first embodiment, but has a longer dimension (up and down direction) than the light guide plate LGP of the first embodiment. The light guide plate LGP of the product selection device 31 of the third embodiment is attached and held on the front surface of the back plate 312a of the sample holding unit 312. In the sample holding unit 312 of the third embodiment, unlike the sample holding unit 112 of the product selection device 11 of the first embodiment, the lower surface (incident surface IS) of the light guide plate LGP is not supported by the stopper 312s, It is arranged below the stopper 312s via the gap G. More specifically, the position is near the front of the first connection terminal CT1.

  The product sample S has the same structure as the product sample S of the first embodiment. The product sample S is disposed in front of the light guide plate LGP, and is supported by the light guide plate LGP, the side plate 312b of the sample holding unit 312, the tab 312t, and the stopper 312s.

  The main substrate 32 of the third embodiment is the same as the main substrate 12 of the first embodiment except that four light sources LS are provided in the area A1.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a second connection terminal CT2 is provided at the center of the area A1 of the main substrate 32 of the third embodiment, and a pair of engagement holes E2 is provided in front of the second connection terminal CT2. It is provided apart in the longitudinal direction. The second connection terminal CT2 has the same configuration as the second connection terminal CT2 of the first embodiment, and the pair of engagement holes E2 has the same configuration as the engagement hole E2 of the first embodiment.

  The four light sources LS are juxtaposed at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction between the pair of engagement holes E2. Each of the four light sources LS is a variable-color LED, and is a top-emitting LED that is installed so that their optical axes are orthogonal to the surface of the main substrate 32 and extend above the main substrate 32. That is, the light source LS is mounted on the main substrate 32 so as to emit light upward from the main substrate 32.

  The product selection device 31 is detachable from the main board 32. The product selection device 31 is attached to the main board 32 by connecting the first connection terminal CT1 of the sensor board 311 and the second connection terminal CT2 of the main board 32, and engaging the engagement piece E1 of the sample holding section 312 with the main board. This can be done by engaging the 32 engagement holes E2. When the product selection device 31 is attached to the main substrate 32, the light incident surface IS of the light guide plate LGP of the product selection device 31 is arranged to face the four light sources LS of the main substrate 32.

  In addition, in this specification, the part excluding the product sample S from the product selection device 31 of the third embodiment is referred to as a sensor device SD3 of the third embodiment (FIG. 8). The portion excluding the product sample S is called the sensor unit SU3 of the third embodiment (FIG. 2).

  The sensor device SD3, sensor unit SU3, product selection device 31, and product selection unit 30 of the third embodiment are also used in the same manner as the sensor device SD1, sensor unit SU1, product selection device 11, and product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment. Can work as well.

  The sensor device SD3, the sensor unit SU3, the product selection device 31, and the product selection unit 30 of the third embodiment are also the same as the sensor device SD1, the sensor unit SU1, the product selection device 11, and the product selection unit 10 of the first embodiment. The effect can be obtained.

  In the above-described first to third embodiments, the following modifications can be adopted.

  In the merchandise selection devices 11, 21, 31 and merchandise selection units 10, 20, 30 of the first, second, and third embodiments, the price of the merchandise corresponding to the merchandise sample S is displayed on the merchandise sample S. May be. By using such a product sample S, the price display plate PP becomes unnecessary, and the product selection units 10, 20, 30 in a plurality of stages can be more compactly arranged in the display section D of the vending machine VM. Further, since the price of the product intended for purchase is displayed integrally with the product sample, the user can intuitively recognize the price of the product intended for purchase at a glance. As a result, it is possible to prevent erroneous recognition of the price of the product intended to be purchased.

  In the above-described first, second, and third embodiments, the merchandise selection devices 11, 21, and 31 and the merchandise selection units 10, 20, and 30 have been described as being used for the vending machine VM, but are not limited thereto. . The merchandise selection devices 11, 21, 31 and the merchandise selection units 10, 20, 30 may be used in a device for displaying articles (prizes, prizes, etc.) other than merchandise, or may be used in game machines and the like. In addition, the use of the commodity selection devices 11, 21, 31 and the commodity selection units 10, 20, 30 is arbitrary. In this specification, the terms product selection device and product selection unit are used as a general concept of the product selection devices 11, 21, and 31 and the product selection units 10, 20, and 30. Here, the “article” includes, but is not limited to, “goods”, and also includes non-commodity goods such as rental goods and free gifts such as premiums.

  In the above first, second and third embodiments, the number of sensor devices and product selection devices included in the product selection devices 11, 21, 31 and the product selection units 10, 20, 30 is arbitrary, and the main substrate 12 , 22 and 32 are also arbitrary. Further, the main substrates 12, 22, and 32 may be housed in the housing. In this case, the engagement hole E2 may be provided in the housing.

  In the first, second, and third embodiments, the electric field (line of electric force) formed by the sensor electrode penetrates the light guide plate LGP and the product sample S and reaches the front of the product sample S. Not limited. If the electric field formed by the sensor electrode can be changed by bringing the user closer to or touching the product sample S, the electric field formed by the sensor electrode does not necessarily have to reach the front of the product sample S. Absent.

  In the sensor devices SD2 and SD3 and the product selection devices 21 and 31 of the second and third embodiments described above, the sample holding units 212 and 312 may further include a portion that covers the sensor substrates 211 and 311 from behind. In this case, the back plate 312a of the sample holding unit 312 may be omitted.

  In the sensor devices SD1, SD2, and SD3 and the merchandise selection devices 11, 21, and 31 of the first, second, and third embodiments, the sensor circuit SC may be formed on the sensor substrates 111, 211, and 311. . In the sensor devices SD1, SD2, SD3 and the product selection devices 11, 21, 31 of the first, second, and third embodiments, the sensor substrates 111, 211, 311 and the sample holding units 112, 212, 312 May be separate. In this case, for example, the sensor boards 111, 211, 311 are attached to the main boards 12, 22, 32 via the first connection terminal CT1 and the second connection terminal CT2, and the sample holding sections 112, 212, 312 are engaged. It is attached to the main boards 12, 22, 32 via the piece E1 and the engagement hole E2.

  In the sensor devices SD1, SD2, and SD3 and the product selection devices 11, 21, and 31 of the first, second, and third embodiments, the product sample S is formed into a two-dimensionally printed plate. The shape is not limited to a three-dimensional structure, for example, a cylindrical shape may be used for a sample of a canned beverage, and a shape obtained by dividing a plastic bottle into two along a longitudinal direction may be used for a sample of a PET bottled beverage. Is also good. Other product samples can be of various shapes and dimensions. Therefore, the light guide plate LGP in the sensor devices SD1, SD2, and SD3 and the product selection devices 11, 21, and 31 of the first, second, and third embodiments, and the sample holding units 112, 212, and 312 are used for the product sample S. Various shapes and dimensions may be used depending on the shape and the dimensions. Further, the sensor substrates 111, 211, and 311 can be attached to and detached from any of the sample holders 112, 212, and 312 of various shapes and dimensions, or the light guide plate LGP, and the product samples S or The light guide plate LGP may be used together with the light guide plate LGP.

  In the sensor devices SD1, SD2, and SD3 and the merchandise selection devices 11, 21, and 31 of the first, second, and third embodiments, the sample holding units 112, 212, and 312 do not have the engagement pieces E1. Is also good. In this case, the engagement holes E2 of the corresponding main substrates 12, 22, 32 are not required.

  In the sensor device SD2 and the product selection device 21 of the second embodiment described above, the back plate 212a of the sample holding unit 212 may be formed of a translucent plate material having no through hole and exhibiting a milky white color. Such a semi-transparent plate is also a kind of the light guide plate of the present invention.

  The sensor devices SD1, SD2, and SD3 and the product selection devices 11, 21, and 31 of the first, second, and third embodiments need not have the sample holding units 112, 212, and 312, respectively. In this case, for example, a seal or the like indicating a sample can be attached to the light exit surface ES side of the light guide plate LGP. Alternatively, the product sample S may be held by the main substrates 12, 22, 32, or the product sample S may be printed on the light guide plate itself. Further, the product sample S may be formed by using a hologram printing technique or partially by retroreflective printing or luminous printing.

  In the first and third embodiments, on the reflection surface RS of the plate portion PT of the light guide plate LGP, as shown in FIG. 4B, a prism array in which the prisms p are continuous instead of the plurality of protrusions c is formed. May be. Such a prism p (prism array) can also guide the light of the plate part PT to the emission surface ES side. Like the projection c, the prism p may have a low density near the incident surface IS, and may have a higher density as the distance from the incident surface IS increases. Thus, the light incident from the incident surface IS is uniformly emitted from the emission surface. In this specification, the convex portion c and the prism p formed on the reflection surface RS of the plate portion PT are collectively referred to as “optical convex portions”. In the light guide plate LGP, a large surface can be uniformly illuminated by adjusting the distribution of the optical projections formed on the reflection surface RS of the plate portion PT.

  In the light guide plate LGP, the optical projections on the reflection surface RS may be formed with a uniform density over the entire area of the reflection surface RS. When the light emitting surface ES of the plate portion PT is small, the light emitting surface ES can emit light uniformly even with such a configuration.

  Further, the light guide plate LGP may include a reflection film (not shown) disposed to face the reflection surface RS so as to cover the entire area of the reflection surface RS. Such a reflection film functions to return the light leaked from the reflection surface RS of the plate portion PT to the inside of the plate portion PT. The reflection film can be made of any material such as a polyester resin. Alternatively, the front surface of the sensor substrate 111 of the first embodiment, the front surface of the back plate 212a of the unit holding unit 212 of the second embodiment, and the front surface of the back plate 312a of the unit holding unit 312 of the third embodiment are white, and The light leaked from the reflection surface RS of the plate part PT can be returned to the inside of the plate part PT by the white surface.

  In the sensor units SU1 and SU2 and the merchandise selection units 10 and 20 of the first and second embodiments, the main substrates 12 and 22 support the merchandise selection devices 11 and 21 from below, but are not limited thereto. Absent. As an example, the first connection terminal CT1 may be provided on the rear side of the sensor boards 111 and 211, and the main boards 12 and 22 may support the commodity selection devices 11 and 21 from behind. According to this aspect, since the main boards 12 and 22 are arranged to overlap behind the product selection devices 11 and 21, the product selection device is more compactly housed in the storage section D2 of the exhibition section D of the vending machine VM. 11 and 21 can be arranged.

  In the sensor devices of the first, second, and third embodiments, the number of light sources LS is arbitrary. The light source LS does not necessarily need to be a variable color LED, and may be an LED that can emit only a single color such as white or blue. In particular, in the sensor devices SD1 and SD2 of the first and second embodiments, since the light source LEDs are provided on the sensor substrates 111 and 211, the commodity sample S can be illuminated in a desired color only by replacing the sensor device SD1 or the like. it can. Specifically, for example, when it is desired to illuminate the product sample S that has been illuminated in white until now, the sensor device SD1 and the like may be changed from those having white LEDs to those having blue LEDs.

  In the sensor device SD1 and the product selection device 11 of the first embodiment described above, the sensor substrate 111 is provided with a backside mounting LED separate from the light source LS, and separate from the illumination of the product sample S via the light source LS and the light guide plate LGP. Alternatively, a specific portion of the product sample S may be illuminated with a pinpoint. With such pinpoint lighting, for example, the product price displayed integrally with the product sample S may be illuminated. Alternatively, such pinpoint lighting may be used to display a sold-out product.

  The pinpoint illumination of the product sample S using the back surface mounted LED can be adopted also in the sensor device SD2 and the product selection device 21 of the second embodiment. In this case, an additional through-hole is formed on the back plate 212a of the sample holding unit 212 at a position corresponding to the position where the back surface mounted LED is provided.

  The pinpoint illumination of the product sample S using the rear surface mounted LED can be adopted also in the sensor device SD3 and the product selection device 31 of the third embodiment. In this case, similarly to the sensor substrate 111 of the first embodiment, the sensor substrate 311 is disposed in front of the back plate 312a of the sample holding unit 312, and the front surface of the sensor substrate 311 and the reflection surface RS of the light guide plate LGP are connected. Make them face each other.

  In each of the above embodiments, when the user approaches the product sample S by hand and the capacitance of the capacitance sensor reaches the first reference value, the main control unit MC supplies the product including the capacitance sensor. The light source LS of the selection device emits blue light, and when the user further approaches the product sample S, when the capacitance of the capacitance sensor reaches the second reference value, the product selection device including the capacitance sensor Although the light amount of the light source LS is increased for a predetermined time, the control by the main control unit MC is not limited to this. The main control unit MC can change the state of the light source LS in an arbitrary manner so as to visually notify that the user has selected a product and made a purchase. Further, the main control unit MC determines when the user selects a product sample (when the capacitance of the capacitance sensor reaches the first reference value) or when the user purchases a product (static). The state of the light source LS may be changed only at any one of the times (when the capacitance of the capacitance sensor reaches the second reference value).

  The sensor unit and the product selection unit in each of the above embodiments may not have the main control unit MC. The main control unit MC can be arranged at another arbitrary position in the vending machine VM or outside the vending machine VM. Further, the product selection units 10, 20, 30 can be freely arranged inside the accommodation section D1 of the vending machine VM.

  In each of the above embodiments, another light source such as a laser diode (LD) may be used instead of the LED light source.

  As long as the features of the present invention are maintained, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and other forms that can be considered within the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention. .

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION The sensor apparatus of this invention, a sensor unit, etc. can exhibit an article sample more compactly and can prevent a user's incorrect selection of a sample. Therefore, for example, if the sensor device, the sensor unit, and the like of the present invention are used in a vending machine, it is possible to provide an easy-to-use vending machine that is compact and that prevents erroneous purchase of a product.

10, 20, 30 Product selection unit (article selection unit)
11, 21, 31 Product selection device (article selection device)
12, 22, 32 Main substrates 111, 211, 311 Sensor substrates 112, 212, 312 Sample holding part CT1 First connection terminal CT2 Second connection terminal E1 Engagement piece E2 Engagement hole LD Light source drive part LGP Light guide plate LS Light source MC Main control unit (control unit)
PP Price Label S Product Sample (Sample)
SCU Sensor circuit SE Sensor electrode VM Vending machine

Claims (15)

In a vending machine, a sensor device arranged behind the sample,
A light guide plate that transmits light for illuminating the sample,
And a capacitance sensor having a sensor electrode,
The sensor electrode is located behind the sample,
The light guide plate is disposed between the sensor electrode and the sample ,
The sensor device includes:
A sensor substrate provided with the sensor electrode,
An LED light source provided on the sensor substrate and emitting light for illuminating the sample,
A sample holding unit that detachably holds the sample in front of the light guide plate,
It is configured to be detachable with respect to the main board installed in the vending machine,
The sample holding portion, the sensor substrate, the light guide plate, and wherein the sample, the sensor device that will be placed superposed to each other in this order. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a connection terminal for detachably connecting the sensor device to the main substrate is provided on the sensor substrate. 3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor electrode is arranged such that an electric field formed by the sensor electrode extends in front of the sample. 4.   The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide plate is a plate material formed of a semi-transmissive material.   The light guide plate has an incident surface on which light is incident, an output surface for emitting light incident from the incident surface, and a reflective surface facing the output surface, and the reflective surface has a plurality of optical projections. The sensor device according to any one of Items 1 to 3. A plurality of sensor devices according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
  A sensor unit including the main board installed in a vending machine,
  A sensor unit, wherein the main substrate includes a plurality of sensor circuits respectively corresponding to sensor electrodes of the plurality of sensor devices. Each of the plurality of sensor devices has an engagement piece,
  The sensor unit according to claim 6, wherein the main board has a plurality of engagement holes respectively engaged with the plurality of engagement pieces. A sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
  An article selection device comprising: a sample disposed in front of the sensor device. The article selection device according to claim 8, wherein the sample displays a price of an article corresponding to the sample. A sensor unit according to claim 6 or 7,
  An article selection unit including: a plurality of samples respectively arranged in front of a plurality of sensor devices of the sensor unit. The article selection unit according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of samples displays a price of an article corresponding to each of the plurality of samples. A vending machine comprising the sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, or a sensor unit according to claim 6 or 7. A vending machine comprising the article selection device according to claim 8 or claim 9, or an article selection unit according to claim 10 or 11. In a vending machine, a sensor device arranged behind the sample,
  An LED light source,
  A light guide plate that transmits light from the LED light source toward the sample,
  A capacitance sensor having a sensor electrode;
  A control unit for controlling the LED light source,
  The sensor electrode is arranged behind the sample so that the electric field line extends in front of the sample,
  The light guide plate is disposed between the sensor electrode and the sample,
  The control unit changes the illumination state of the LED light source when the capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes beyond a first reference value, and the capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes to a second reference value. Further change the illumination state of the LED light source when it changes beyond the value,
  The sensor device includes:
  A sensor substrate provided with the sensor electrode and the LED light source,
  A sample holding unit that detachably holds the sample in front of the light guide plate,
  It is configured to be detachable with respect to the main board installed in the vending machine,
  A sensor device in which the sample holding unit, the sensor substrate, the light guide plate, and the sample are arranged so as to overlap each other in this order. The sensor device according to claim 14, wherein a connection terminal for detachably connecting the sensor device to the main substrate is provided on the sensor substrate.

Images