JPH0414196A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the labor of counting collected money after collection by storing inputted money in a storage device corresponding to every denomination and detecting money discharged corresponding to a discharge instruction in order to indicate the discharged sum. CONSTITUTION:The inputted money is stored in a storage device 1 corresponding to every denomination and the discharge driving part 2 of the device 1 is controlled by a controlling means 6 when a discharge instructing means 4 of the each device 1 is operated. The discharged money is detected one by one by a detecting part 3 of the device 1 and the discharged sum is calculated and displayed on a display part 5 by the controlling means 6. Thus, the labor of counting and totaling the collected money after the collection is reduced and an automatic vending machine which can be used easily is obtained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a vending machine.

[Prior Art] In vending machines for cigarettes and various other goods, currency such as coins and banknotes is inserted, and by operating a vending button corresponding to a desired item, the item is taken out of the machine. If change is required at this time, the vending machine determines this state and refunds a predetermined amount of change. A plurality of storage devices are installed inside the vending machine to store inserted coins for each denomination. This storage device includes a storage container that stores coins, and a discharge drive device that discharges the stored coins one by one from the storage container.

The ejection drive device of each storage device is provided with a currency sensor that detects the passage of currency ejected to the change payout port of the vending machine.

Additionally, the inside of the vending machine is equipped with a key-operated device for setting the price of each item to be sold, and a display device such as a liquid crystal display for displaying the set price. ing.

As mentioned above, when change is required, a control device such as a microcomputer installed in the vending machine activates the discharge drive device of the storage device corresponding to the change, and transfers the stored coins to the change refund slot. Eject one sheet at a time. The ejected money is detected by a money sensor, and the control device accumulates the amount for each storage device based on the output of the money sensor, and stops the money ejection operation when the amount matches the change amount.

When trying to collect the coins stored in the storage device by performing such a selling operation, each storage device is provided with a collection button to eject and collect all the stored coins. By operating a button, the microcomputer causes the corresponding storage device to be activated.
Turn on the unloading motor and execute the collection operation. An example of the process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. In step a1 of FIG. 6, a normal vending operation of the vending machine is performed. Ste knob a2 determines whether the recovery switch is in the ON state, and if negative, Ste knob a2
At step 3, the payout motor is turned off, and step a1 is executed. If the determination in step a2 is affirmative, the payout motor is turned on in step a4 and the process returns to step a2.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In conventional vending machines, when performing the collection operation, in order to know the total amount of collected coins, the collected coins are counted separately for each denomination and then accumulated. The total amount was calculated using

That is, the number of coins of each denomination is unknown at the time of collection from each storage device, which requires a great deal of effort as described above.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the purpose is to provide a vending machine that is easy to use and that allows you to easily know the quantity of each denomination of stored coins. shall be.

[Means for Solving the Problems] As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1, the vending machine of the present invention includes a plurality of storage devices 1 for storing inserted coins by denomination. Each storage device 1 includes a discharge drive device 2 that drives the coins to be discharged when it is necessary to withdraw the stored coins such as change, and a discharge drive device 2 that is installed in the discharge path of the stored coins and detects the coins to be discharged. Detecting means 3 are respectively provided. For each storage device 1, a discharge drive device 2
Discharge instruction means 4 is provided for performing an instruction operation for activating.

The vending machine also includes display means 5 for displaying a numerical value input when inputting the selling price of the item to be sold;
A control means 6 is provided for controlling the entire operation of the vending machine. This control means 6 determines the state in which money needs to be refunded at the time of sale of goods, and discharges the number of coins corresponding to the state in which money needs to be refunded from the storage device 1 for money of the denomination that corresponds to the state in which money needs to be refunded. , detects the operation state of the discharge instruction means 4 of each storage device 1, starts the discharge drive device 2, and displays the output of the detection means 3 on the display means 5.

[Work] The characteristic operation of the vending machine of the present invention will be explained.

When attempting to collect stored coins from the storage device 1 that stores coins inserted into a vending machine by denomination, the ejection instruction means 4 provided in each storage device 1 is used.
operate. The control means 6 detects the operation state of the ejection instruction means 4 of each storage device 1, starts the ejection drive device 2,
Ejects the stored coins one by one. The ejected coins are detected by the detection means 3. Based on the detection results of the detection means 3, the control means 6 causes the display means 5 to display the counting results for each denomination of money.

[Embodiment] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a vending machine 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vending machine 11 with the front door 12 open. be. The vending machine 11 includes a vending machine main body 13 and a front door 12 provided on the vending machine main body 13 with a hinge or the like so as to be openable and closable. The front door 12 is provided with a control device 14 that controls the execution state of the operation of the vending machine 11, and in association with this control device 14, a key human power device 15 and a display device 16 such as a liquid crystal display device. . To set the price of an item sold by vending machine 11, data is entered using key human power device 15. At this time, the input data is displayed on the display device 16. Further, the control device 14 is provided with sales buttons 32 for specifying the article when selling the article with the vending machine 11, for each type of article to be sold.

The vending machine main body 13 is equipped with a plurality of hoppers 17 and 18 as storage devices for storing the inserted coins for each denomination, and these are equipped with relatively large quantities of 100 yen coins, ε10 yen coins, etc. It stores coins of different denominations. The vending machine main body 13 is provided with a coin processing device 19 called a coin mech. The coin processing device 19 is the part through which the coins inserted into the vending machine 11 first pass, and it determines the denomination of the coins inserted and transfers the 100 yen coins, ε10 yen coins, etc. to the hopper 17.18. Each has the function of supplying coins, and the other has the function of storing coins that are inserted in relatively small quantities, such as 9 500 yen coins and 9 0 yen coins.

The coin processing device 19 includes a charging duct 20 through which coins inserted are guided to the coin processing device 19, and a hopper 17.
Supply duct 21 that supplies 500 yen coins 9 to 0 yen 9 to 18
and is provided.

The hoppers 17, 18 are each provided with a collection switch 22, 23 as a discharge instruction means for collecting stored coins, and a discharge duct 24, 25 through which collected coins are discharged.

In relation to each discharge duct 24.25, each discharge duct 24
．． Optical sensors 26 and 27 are provided as detection means for detecting each coin passing through 25 one by one. Further, a power source 28 is provided for supplying operating power to the control device 14, hopper 17, 18, and coin processing device 19.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the configuration of the hopper 17, and the hopper 18 has a similar configuration. The hopper 17 includes a storage container 29 for storing inserted coins, a dispensing device 30 provided at the lower end of the storage container 29 and discharging the stored coins one by one, and a dispensing device 30 for operating the dispensing device 30. It is configured to include a motor 31 and the sensor 26 provided in the dispensing device 30.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the present invention in detail. In step b1 of FIG. 5, which type of sales button 32
Detect whether the has been manipulated.

In step b2, the articles in the column corresponding to the operated sales button 32 are carried out of the aircraft.

In step b3, it is determined whether the additional sales button 32 has been operated. If so, the articles in the corresponding column are subsequently carried out in step b2.

If the determination in step b3 is negative, the amount of change is calculated in step b4. In step b5, the control device 14 activates the dispensing device 30 such as the corresponding hopper 17.18, and carries out the stored coins one by one from the hopper 17.18 or the coin processing device 19 corresponding to the amount of change. .

In step b6, it is determined whether the cumulative number of coins and the cumulative amount detected by the sensors 26 and 27 match the calculated change amount.

If they do not match, the process returns to step b5 and the hopper 17.
18 or the coin handling device 19 continues to carry out the stored coins one by one. If the determination in step b6 is affirmative, the dispensing operation of the hopper 17, 18 or the coin processing device 19 is stopped in step b7.

In step b8, it is determined whether any of the collection buttons 22, 23 has been operated. If negative, step b1
Return to sales operation. If the judgment is positive, step b9
Then, the count value N of the sheet number counter set in software in the control device 14 is reset to zero. step b
At step 10, the motors 31 of the corresponding hoppers 17 and 18 are driven to discharge the stored coins.

In step b11, it is checked whether there is an output from the sensors 26, 27 of the corresponding hopper 17, 18, and if there is an output, the count value N is incremented by +1 in step b12. In step blB, the count value N at this time is displayed on the display device 16. If the determination at step b11 is negative, the process moves to step b13.

In step b14, the collection button 22.
23 is turned off. If negative, the process moves to step bll and the money collection operation continues. If this determination is affirmative, the motor 31 that was being driven is stopped in step b15, and the process returns to step bl.

In this way, in this embodiment, when collecting the coins stored in each hopper 17, 18, the quantity of coins collected from each hopper 17, 18 is displayed on the display device 16. As a result, as explained in the conventional example, there is no need to re-count the collected coins, and a vending machine with excellent usability can be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention as described above, when attempting to collect stored coins from the storage device 1, the control means 6 performs the following operations.
Based on the detection results of the detection means 3, the counting results for each denomination of money are displayed on the display means 5. This eliminates the need to re-count the collected coins after the fact, resulting in a vending machine with excellent usability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a vending machine 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows a front door 12 of the vending machine 11. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the configuration of the hopper 17, FIG. 5 is a flowchart explaining the present invention in detail, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining a typical conventional collection operation. be. Explanation of the first prisoner code 11...Vending machine, 14...Control device, 16...Display device, 17.18...Hopper, 19. ... Coin processing device, 22.23 ... Collection button, 26.27 ... Sensor, 30 ... Dispensing device, 31 ... Motor Shin 2 Figure 9n Figure 3 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A vending machine in which coins are inserted and goods are sold, comprising: a discharge drive device which stores the deposited coins by denomination and drives the stored coins to be discharged; a plurality of storage devices each provided with a detection means for detecting the currency discharged through the discharge path; and a plurality of storage devices provided for each storage device, and an instruction operation for activating a discharge drive device is performed. A discharge instruction means, a display means for displaying a numerical value input when inputting the sales price of an article to be sold, and a display means for determining a state in which money needs to be refunded at the time of selling the article, and determining a denomination corresponding to the state in which the money needs to be refunded. ejects the number of coins corresponding to the state in which a refund is required from the coin storage devices, detects the operating state of the ejection instruction means of each storage device, starts the ejection drive device, and displays the output of the detection means. A vending machine characterized by comprising: control means for displaying information on the means.