JPH03201183A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve vending chances by arranging service devices and commodity take-out ports on plural positions of the automatic vending machine and controlling a distributing device so as to discharge a commodity to the take-out port detecting the approach of a user. CONSTITUTION:Respective service devices 8a to 8d and commodity take-out ports 10a to 10d are respectively arranged on the front door 2a, rear door 2b and both sides 11a, 11b of the automatic vending machine body 1. Commodity stockers 7a, 7b are arrayed in th4e body 1 and a shoot 13 is arranged under the stockers 7a, 7b through a turn table 14 so as to be turned. When any one of the service devices is operated in the constitution, the shoot 13 is rotated to the discharge port of the operated service device by the turn table 14, a discharge command is applied to one of the stockers 7a, 7b and a commodity is discharged to the take-out port.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Field of Application The present invention is an automatic vending machine that has a customer service device and a product outlet at multiple locations in the circumferential direction of the main body of the vending machine so that products can be purchased even from a direction other than the front side. It concerns vending machines.

A conventional vending machine in general is constructed as shown in FIG. An inner box 3 having a heat-insulating structure is provided inside the vending machine surrounded by a vending machine main body 1 and a front door 2. A product stocker 7 is installed in the chamber surrounded by the inner box body 4 and the inner door 5, in which canned beverages 6 are stacked and stocked. An evaporator, a sheathed heater, and a fan are installed at the bottom A of the inner box 3, and a compressor, a condenser, etc. are installed at the bottom B of the vending machine body 1. The vessels form a refrigeration cycle.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention When the customer service device 8 provided on the front door 2 is operated, the canned drinks 6 dispensed from the product stocker 7 are dispensed onto the tray 9, and the canned beverages 6 are dispensed through the front door 2. The product is delivered to the product outlet 10.

When the front door 2 is installed in the center of the station platform C, facing up towards the platform D, as shown in Figure 6,
Passengers on the down platform E or passengers standing on the side of the vending machine body 5 are forced to stand on the side of the up platform D in order to use the vending machine. Also,
When two vending machines are installed as shown in FIG. 7, the platform becomes narrow at the installation position of the vending machines, which is undesirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine that can be used from a direction other than the front side of the vending machine body and can quickly dispense products.

Means for Solving the Problems The vending machine of the present invention is provided with a customer service device and a product takeout port at a plurality of locations in the main body of the vending machine, and the product dispensed from the product stocker is delivered to one of the product takeout ports. At the same time, proximity sensors for detecting the approach of a user are provided at the plurality of locations on the vending machine body, and the location where the approach of the user is detected based on the output of each proximity sensor is The present invention is characterized in that a control unit is provided to operate the dispensing device so as to dispense the product to a provided product outlet.

Function According to this configuration, when the customer service device and the product takeout port are provided on the front side, rear side, and both sides, the product taken out from the product stocker will be transferred to the customer service side where the operated customer service device is installed. The product is distributed to the product outlet by a dispensing device.

When a user approaches one of the customer service surfaces, a proximity sensor on that customer service surface detects the user. Prior to execution of the sale, the control unit operates the dispensing device to dispense the product to the product outlet provided on the customer service surface where the approach of the user is detected.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained based on FIGS. 1 to 4. Components having the same functions as those in FIG. 5 showing the conventional example will be described with the same reference numerals.

1 to 3 show a vending machine of the present invention.

The vending machine main body 1 is equipped with a front door 2a on the front side and a rear door 2b on the rear side, and the front door 2a is equipped with a customer service device 8a.
The rear door 2b is provided with a customer service device 8b and a product takeout port 10b.

Further, a customer service device 8 is provided on the side surface 11a of the vending machine main body 1.
c and a product outlet 10C, and a customer service device 8d on the side 11b.
and a product outlet Sod are provided respectively.

The inner box body 4 is also provided with an inner door 5a on the front side and an inner door 5b on the rear side, and the inner door 5a has a dispensing port 12a, and the inner door 5b has a dispensing port 12b. . Although not shown, there is also a payout port 12a on the side a and Ilb.
, 12b is provided with a payout port t2cs12d.

Inside the warehouse, there is a product stocker 7a in the front and back direction [direction of arrow G].
s 7 b are arranged. Product stocker 7as7
A chute 13 is provided at a lower position of b. This chute 13 is installed via an electric turntable 14, and can be rotated between a broken line position and an imaginary line position shown in FIG.

When the customer service device 8a of the front door 2a is operated, the chute I3 is rotated by the turntable I4 so that the dispensing port 15 faces the product dispensing port 10a as shown by the broken line in FIG. After stopping at the position, a product dispensing instruction is given to one of the product stockers 7a*7b, and the dispensed canned beverage 6 is dispensed to the product takeout port 10a via the chute 13 and the dispensing port 12a. .

When the customer service device 8b on the rear door 2b is operated, seat I
The product stocker 7a is rotated by the turntable 14 so that the dispensing port 15 of No. 3 faces the product dispensing port 10b, and the shoe 13 is stopped at a predetermined position.

A product dispensing instruction is given to one of the product stockers 7b, and the dispensed canned beverage 6 is dispensed to the product takeout port tab via the chute 13 and the dispensing port 12b.

When the customer service device 8c on the side surface 11a is operated, the chute 13 is rotated by the turntable 14 so that the dispensing port 15 faces the product dispensing port 10c as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. After stopping at the position, a product dispensing instruction is given to one of the product stockers 7 a s 7 b, and the canned beverage 6 is dispensed.
product ejection port 10 via shoe) 13 and dispensing port 12c.
It is paid out to c.

When the customer service device 8d on the side surface 11d is operated, the turntable 14 is operated in the same manner, and the product is dispensed to the product outlet 10d via the outlet 12d.

Because of this configuration, in the case of the usage pattern shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, one vending machine can be installed from the front door 2a toward the up platform D side and through the rear door 2b toward the down platform E side. All you have to do is install the machine.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pyroelectric infrared sensor 1 [
ia, IGb, l[ic, and led are provided, and the control unit 17 shown in FIG. 3 controls the turntable 1 as follows until the user operates the customer service device.
4 is being driven.

Priority circuit! 8 outputs angle information I in the horizontal plane where the customer service surface where the infrared sensor that detected the user earliest among the infrared sensors tsa-1[id is located is located. The angle information I is sent to the comparator 2o via the switch circuit 13.
, and is compared with detected angle information (2) of the position detector 2I that detects the current rotation angle of the turntable 14. The turntable I4 is set to “I” by the output of the comparator 20.
=I[''. In other words, the turntable 14 is operated so that the payout opening 15 of the chute 13 faces in the direction in which the approach of the user is detected.

For example, as soon as the user approaches the front door 2a, the turntable 14 rotates to direct the payout opening 15 of the chute 13 toward the front door 2a. When the customer service device 8a is operated here, the buffer circuit 22 is operated by the customer service device 8a.
Angle information (2) of the turntable 14 and selected column information (2) are generated according to a. The switch circuit 19 detects a sales operation start signal V indicating that one of the customer service devices has been operated and switches, and the comparator 20 compares the angle information (2) with the detected angle information (2). In that case, “■=■”
Therefore, the matching signal is from the product stocker 7a.

The product is supplied to the product dispensing device 7b, and the product stocker 7a
Alternatively, 7b dispenses the canned beverage 6 of the brand specified by the selection column information ■. Shoot the dispensed canned beverage 6! 3, the product is immediately delivered to the product outlet 10a.

In this way, the control section 17 controls the shade H3 prior to the sales operation.
can be aligned with the customer service surface in the direction toward which the user approaches, realizing a reduction in sales processing time compared to a configuration in which the turntable 14 is rotated after detecting the operation of the customer service device. can.

In the above embodiment, the chute 13 is connected to the turntable 14.
Although the dispensing device 23 has been constructed by attaching it to the dispensing device 23, it can also be constructed as shown in FIG. Fig. 4 shows a case where a customer service device 8a, a product dispensing port 10at, a customer service device 8b, and a product dispensing port 10b are provided at three locations, the front door 2a and the rear door 2b. The dispensing device 23 includes a pedestal 24 disposed at a position for receiving the canned beverage 6, and a swinging device 25 for swinging the pedestal 24 between a solid line position and a virtual line position. In this case, the rocking device 25 is the control unit! Driven by 7.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a customer service device and a product takeout port are provided at a plurality of locations in the vending machine body, and the product dispensed from the product stocker is placed in one of the product takeout ports. Since it is configured to dispense with a dispensing device, the vending machine can be used not only from one side of the vending machine itself but also from other sides, improving operability and eliminating missed sales opportunities. Not often.

Furthermore, proximity sensors are installed at the plurality of locations on the vending machine body to detect the approach of a user, and based on the output of each proximity sensor, the product is dispensed into the product outlet provided at the location where the approach of the user is detected. Since a control unit is provided to operate the dispensing device so as to release the vending machine, the dispensing device can be set in advance at an appropriate position when the user approaches the vending machine.
Compared to a configuration in which the dispensing device is set at an appropriate position after detecting the operation of the customer service device, the time required for the sales operation can be shortened.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vending machine of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same device, Fig. 3 is a configuration diagram of the control system of the dispensing device of the same device, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional vending machine, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are explanatory views of the conventional vending machine installed on a platform. 1...Vending machine body, 2a...Front door, 2b...
・Rear door, 6...Canned beverage, 7at7b...Product stocker, 8a*sb, 8c*8d-...Customer service equipment, t
ea, 1obt10c, 10d---Product outlet,
1las 1lb-...Side, 13...Chute, 1
4-...Turntable, IGa, lab. 1 (ic, 18d... Pyroelectric infrared sensor [proximity sensor], 17... Control unit, 23... Distribution device, 24
... pedestal, 25... rocking device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A customer service device and a product takeout port are provided at a plurality of locations in the vending machine body, and the product dispensed from the product stocker is distributed by a distribution device to one of the product takeout ports. In addition, proximity sensors for detecting the approach of a user are provided at the plurality of locations on the vending machine main body, and the product outlet provided at the location where the approach of the user is detected based on the output of each proximity sensor is provided. A vending machine comprising a control unit that operates the dispensing device to dispense products. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing device comprises a chute disposed at a position to receive the products dispensed from the product stocker and a turntable for horizontally rotating the chute. 3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing device is constituted by a pedestal placed at a position to receive the products dispensed from the product stocker, and a rocking device for rocking the pedestal.