JPH0554246A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the automatic vending machine which detects the sending- out state of articles from a discharge opening and restarts article discharging operation to prevent an article from not being sold. CONSTITUTION:An article selling opening 5 is provided at the front part of the main body 1 of the automatic vending machine V. An article storage column 16 is installed in a storage 9. A discharging opening 22 for sending articles out of the article storage column 16 to the article selling opening 6 is provided. A suspension plate 30 which freely swings is provided in the discharging opening 22. The operation of the suspension plate 30 by the passage of an article is detected and when the suspension plate 30 does not swing, the article discharging operation is restarted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine for sending a product from a product storage column installed in a storage box to a product sales outlet through an outlet, and in particular, it is possible to detect the output of the product from the outlet. Regarding vending machines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In conventional vending machines of this type,
For example, as disclosed in JP-A-61-211795, a product storage column in which a plurality of products such as ice cream are loaded is installed in a storage box, and the product storage is performed when the products are sold when coins are put in. The product is ejected from the column and delivered from the outlet to the product sales outlet.

Usually, this product storage column incorporates a spiral as shown in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-126378 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-72682, and the products are loaded in the spiral at predetermined vertical intervals. Incidentally, when the product is sold once, the spiral is rotated, for example, by 180 degrees to drop and discharge the product from the lower end of the spiral.

[0004]

According to the conventional structure, for example, when the product is loaded in the spiral of the product storage column, that is, in the conventional example, the space between the product and the product is 180 at the spiral rotation angle. When opened more than once, there was a problem that the next product would not drop even if the spiral rotated, and the product would not be sold despite the coin being inserted.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic vending machine which detects the state of delivery of a product from an outlet and restarts the product delivery operation to prevent the sale of the product.

Another object of the present invention is, in the case where the structure of restarting the discharging operation of the product by detecting the sending condition of the product from the discharge port, duplicate sales caused by mischief of the detecting means. The purpose is to provide a vending machine that prevents fraud.

[0007]

An automatic vending machine V according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a product sales port 5 provided in the front part of a main body 1, a product storage column 16 installed in a storage 9, and a product storage. A discharge port 22 for sending the product G from the column 16 to the product sales port 5, and a hanging plate 30 swingably provided on the discharge port 22.
And a suspension plate motion detection means (bend end switch) 33 for detecting the operation of the suspension plate 30, and a control means for controlling the product discharge operation from the product storage column 16 based on the output of the bend end switch 33. (Control circuit) 35 and suspends and supports the hanging plate 30 so that the hanging plate 30 operates at least in the direction of the product sales port 5 when the product G passes. It is configured to restart the product discharge operation when it does not operate.

The vending machine V according to the invention of claim 2 is a main body 1
A product sales port 5 provided at the front, a product outlet 4 provided at the front of the product sales port 5, a sales port door 6 that opens and closes the product outlet 4, and is installed in the storage 9. Product storage column 16 and product G from this product storage column 16
Outlet 22 for sending the product to the product sales outlet 5, and this outlet 2
2 is a product delivery detection means (hanging plate 30 and bend-ed switch 33) for detecting delivery of the product G from 2, and the door 6
Outlet opening / closing detection means (sales opening switch) 28 for detecting opening / closing of the product, and control means (control circuit for controlling the discharging operation of the products from the product storage column 16 based on the outputs of the bend end switch 33 and the sales opening switch 28). ) 35, the control circuit 35 restarts the product discharging operation when the product G is not delivered from the outlet 22 at the time of selling the product, and the product discharging operation is performed when the sales port door 6 is opened. It is configured to prohibit restart.

[0009]

According to the automatic vending machine V of the first aspect of the invention, when the product storage column 16 is pulled out and the product G does not drop and the product G is not delivered from the discharge port 22 to the product sales port 5, The hanging plate 30 does not work. The non-operation of the hanging plate 30 can be judged by the output from the bend end switch 33, and the control circuit 35 detects the non-sale of the product G by this. The control circuit 35 restarts the product discharge operation from the product storage column 16 by detecting the non-sale of the product G.

According to the vending machine V of the invention of claim 2,
A person who wants to cheat opens the sales door 6 and inserts his / her hand through the product outlet 4, mischiefs on the hanging plate 30 and, even though the product G falls from the product storage column 16, the hanging plate 30 is dropped.
Even if the user does not detect the delivery of the product G from the outlet 22, the control circuit 35 prohibits the restart of the product ejecting operation by the fact that the outlet sensor 28 detects that the outlet door 6 is opened. To do.

[0011]

Embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
Is a vertical sectional view of the vending machine V, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main body 1 of the vending machine V with the outer door 2 removed, and the upper and lower heat insulating doors 18 and 19 are opened. Part vending machine V
2A and 2B are enlarged vertical cross-sectional views, respectively.

An outer door 2 is pivotably supported at an opening 3 on the front surface of the main body 1 of the vending machine V so that the outer door 2 can be opened and closed. In addition, a product sales port 5 whose front is opened at the product outlet 4 is provided at the bottom. The product outlet 4 is rotatably pivoted at its upper end and is openably and closably closed by a sales port door 6 which pivots toward the inner product sales port 5 side to open the product outlet 4. A normally open sales port switch 28 is provided at the upper part of the product sales port 5 behind the sales port door 6 as the sales port door opening / closing detection means of the present invention. When it is rotated in five directions, it comes into contact with the selling port switch 28 and the contact is closed.

The body 1 is formed by a heat insulator 7,
A storage case 9 having an opening 8 formed in the front surface and a machine room 10 provided below the storage case 9 are provided. Inside the machine room 10, there are arranged a compressor 12, a condenser 13 and the like which constitute a refrigeration circuit to a cooler 11 installed in the lower part of the storage 9.

Further, in the storage 9, a plurality of product storage columns 16 having a door 15 for loading products on the front surface which can be opened and closed and a spiral 15 provided vertically are arranged in parallel.
Merchandise G such as ice cream is loaded in the spiral 15 at predetermined intervals (not shown in FIG. 1). Further, a motor for sale 27 for rotating the spiral 15 is provided at the upper end of each product storage column 16, and a product G discharged and dropped by the spiral 15 is provided below the product storage column 16 to the outer door 2. A product chute 17 for guiding and sending to the product sales port 5 is provided.

The front opening 8 of the storage 9 is divided into upper and lower parts and can be opened and closed by heat insulating doors 18 and 19 which are rotatably supported at one side end. The upper heat insulating door 18 abuts the back surface of the lower end against the support member 20 to close the opening 8 corresponding to the front surface of the product storage column 16, and when the door is opened, the door 14 of the product storage column 16 can be opened and closed. I am trying. On the other hand, the lower heat insulating door 19 makes the opening 8 corresponding to the front of the product chute 17 close by contacting the back surface of the upper end with the support member 20, and by opening the product chute 17, or the product. Shoot 1
The cooler 11 located at the rear of 7 can be inspected and repaired. In this way, the upper and lower heat insulating doors 18 and 19 are independently provided so as to be opened and closed.

The lower heat insulating door 19 is formed with a discharge port 22 for sending the product G guided by the product chute 17 to the product selling port 5. Outside the discharge port 22, a discharge port door 23 that opens when the product G is discharged and dropped from the product storage column 16 at the time of selling the product is installed. The outlet door 23 is supported by an arm 24 so as to be movable up and down. When the outlet door 23 is moved upward, the outlet 22 is opened, and when moved downward, a packing 26 provided around the inner surface is provided.
Is configured to be pressed against the front surface of the discharge port 22 from the front side to close the discharge port 22, and is opened and closed by the drive motor 25 at the time of sale.

Further, between the heat insulating door 19 and the discharge port door 23, a hanging plate 30 corresponding to the discharge port 22 is provided as a product delivery detecting means of the present invention. The suspension plate 30 is made of, for example, a light polycarbonate plate having a thickness of about 0.3 mm, and has a hinge 31 made of a non-magnetic material such as stainless steel attached to its upper end as shown in the enlarged perspective view of FIG. There is. This hinge 31 is the heat insulating door 1 above the outlet 22.
9 is fixed to the front surface, and the hinge plate 31B on the lower side is the outlet 22
By extending to, the suspension plate 30 is swingably supported at the discharge port 22 portion. The hanging plate 30 has a size that substantially closes the discharge port 22 in the hanging state,
From that state, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4, it is rotatable in the direction of the product sales port 5.

The pivotal connecting portion 31A of the hinge 31 is attached so as to be located outside the packing 26 when the outlet door 23 is closed, thereby shutting off cool air from the storage 9 and pivotally connecting it. Freezing of the portion 31A is prevented. The hinge plate 31B extends laterally, and the magnet 32 is attached to the extending portion. A bend end switch 33 composed of a reed switch is attached to the front surface of the heat insulating door 19 corresponding to the magnet 32, and when the hanging plate 30 is in a hanging state, the magnet 32 approaches the bend end switch 33 and the hanging end switch 33 is lifted. When the hinge plate 31B moves toward the product sales port 5 in accordance with the operation of the lower plate 30, the magnet 32 is associated with the bend end switch 33 so as to separate from the bend end switch 33. Are opened and separated to close the contacts. Further, as described above, the hinge 31 is made of a non-magnetic material to prevent the bend end switch 33 from malfunctioning.

Next, the selling operation of the vending machine V will be described with reference to the electric circuit diagram of FIG. 5 and the flowchart of the control circuit 35 as the control means shown in FIG. Control circuit 3
Reference numeral 5 is a general-purpose microcomputer, and the terminal voltage of the bend end switch 33 connected to the power source via a resistor is input to the input terminal 35A thereof via an inverter 36. In addition, the input terminal 35B of the control circuit 35
The outlet switch 28 connected to the power supply through a resistor
The terminal voltage of is input via the inverter 37. Further, the inverter 38 is connected to the output terminal 35C of the control circuit 35.
Is connected, and the vending motor 27 is connected between the output of the inverter 38 and the power supply. Furthermore, the inverter 40 is connected to the output terminal 35E of the control circuit 35, and the drive motor 25 is connected between the output of the inverter 40 and the power supply.
Although the sales motor 27 actually exists for each of the plurality of product sales columns 16, only the product storage column 16 related to the product selected by the product selection button is shown here. Further, the flowchart shows only the control of the selling motor 27.

When a product selection button is pressed after inserting coins, a sales command signal M for the corresponding product is input to the input terminal 35D of the control circuit 35. When the sales command signal M is input, the control circuit 35 first sets the output terminal 35E to a high potential (hereinafter referred to as "H"). As a result, the output of the inverter 40 becomes a low potential (hereinafter referred to as "L"), the drive motor 25 is energized and the discharge door 23 is moved upward as shown in FIG. 7, and then the control circuit 35 sets the output terminal 35E to ". Then, the drive motor 25 is stopped and the state is maintained. At this time, since the hanging plate 30 substantially closes the discharge port 22, even if the discharge port door 23 rises, almost no cold air leaks from the storage case 9.

Next, in step S1 of FIG.
C is set to "H", the output of the inverter 38 is set to "L", the selling motor 27 is energized and rotated, and the spiral 15 is rotated. Next, in step S2, the bend end switch 33 is closed, and it is checked whether or not the output of the inverter 36 becomes "H", and if it becomes "H", it is stored. Next, in step S3, it is determined whether or not the spiral 15 is rotated 180 degrees and the sale is completed, and if not, the process returns to step S1. When the spiral 15 is rotated 180 degrees and the sale ends, the product discharging operation ends, and the process proceeds from step S3 to step S4 to determine whether the bend end switch 33 is closed.

Here, when the product G is discharged and dropped from the product storage column 16 as shown by the broken line in FIG. 7 by the rotation of the spiral 15, the product G is guided by the product chute 17 to the discharge port 22 and shakes. The hanging plate 30 that hangs freely is pushed toward the product sales port 5 and dropped into the product sales port 5. When the suspension plate 30 operates due to the passage of the product G, the magnet 32 separates from the bend end switch 33, so that the contacts are closed. Therefore, the process proceeds from step S4 to step S8, the flag is reset to end the selling operation, and the control circuit 35 again energizes the drive motor 25 to lower the outlet door 23 this time to close the outlet 22.

On the other hand, for example, when the product G is not loaded into the spiral 15 and the product G does not drop even when the spiral 15 rotates 180 degrees, the product G is discharged from the outlet 22.
Since it does not pass through, the suspension plate 30 also does not operate. Therefore, the contact of the bend end switch 33 is still open, and the fact that the bend end switch 33 is closed is not detected even by the check in step S2, and the process proceeds from step S4 to step S5 where the control circuit 35 functions as a function. It is determined whether or not the flag is set, and since it is reset here, it is determined in step S6 whether or not the outlet door 6 is opened and the contact of the outlet switch 28 is closed, and the contact must be closed. For example, the flag is set in step S7, the process returns to step S1, and thereafter the product discharging operation from step S1 to step S3 is restarted.
As a result, the spiral 15 is rotated again 180 degrees by the rotation of the selling motor 27, and the next product G is discharged.

As described above, when the product G is not discharged even by one product discharging operation, the product discharging operation is repeated again, so that the non-sale of the product due to the mistake of loading the spiral G with the product G can be prevented. it can.

Next, in step S4, based on the check in step S2, it is determined whether or not the bend end switch 33 is closed. If the product G is discharged, the process proceeds to step S8 as described above. If the end switch 33 is not closed, the process proceeds to step S5. Since the flag is set here, the process proceeds from step S5 to step S8 this time, and the selling operation is completed. That is, when the product G is not discharged even by one product discharging operation, the discharging operation is repeated once to finish.

Here, the product is not discharged even in the first product discharging operation, and the bend end switch 33 is operated in step S4.
Is not closed, and if the outlet switch 28 is closed and the output of the inverter 37 becomes "H" at the time of proceeding from step S5 to step S6, the commodity discharging operation is not restarted because it proceeds to step S8. ..

That is, the person who is going to commit fraud has the sales door 6
Open and insert your hand into the product sales port 4 and hold down the suspension plate 30 from the front.
Since the suspension plate 30 does not operate even when the control circuit 3 is dropped,
5 restarts the product discharge operation. If this discharging operation is performed as it is, two products G are collected on the product chute 17 behind the hanging plate 30, and by releasing the hands, the two products G can be dropped into the product selling port 5. Become. However, the sales door 6
When the door is opened, the selling door 6 comes into contact with the selling switch 28, and the contact of the selling switch 28 is closed. Therefore, as described above, the process proceeds from step S6 to step S8, and the product discharging operation is not restarted. prohibited. Therefore, the double sales as described above do not occur and fraud can be prevented.

Although the suspension plate 30 is made of polycarbonate in the embodiment, the suspension plate 30 is not limited to this and may be light-weight and operable even when the product G passes through the discharge port 22 in any posture.

[0029]

According to the invention of claim 1, the delivery of the product from the discharge port is detected by the operation of the hanging plate, and the product does not drop due to a drop in the product storage column. When the product is not delivered to the sales outlet, the product discharging operation is restarted, so that it is possible to prevent non-sale due to a mistake in loading the product.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the sales outlet door is opened in an attempt to make a fraud so that the product delivery detecting means cannot detect the delivery of the product from the outlet, the sale door opening / closing detection is performed. Since the means detects and prohibits the restart of the product discharge operation, it is possible to prevent fraudulent duplicate sales.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a vending machine.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vending machine main body with an outer door removed and upper and lower heat insulating doors opened.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of a vending machine at a product sales port.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a suspension plate.

FIG. 5 is an electric circuit diagram.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a program of a control circuit.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the vending machine at the product sales port showing the operation of the hanging plate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main Body 4 Merchandise Exit 5 Merchandise Selling Port 6 Merchandise Door 9 Storage Box 16 Merchandise Storage Column 22 Discharge Port 28 Sale Port Switch 30 Hanging Plate 33 Bend End Switch 35 Control Circuit

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazumi Kobayashi 2-18 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Sato 2-18-2 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. In the company

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A product sales opening provided in a front portion of a main body, a product storage column installed in a storage box, and an outlet for sending a product from the product storage column to the product sales opening. In an automatic vending machine, a suspension plate swingably provided at the discharge port, a suspension plate motion detection means for detecting the motion of the suspension plate, and the suspension plate motion detection means based on the output of the suspension plate motion detection means. Control means for controlling the operation of discharging the product from the product storage column, the hanging plate is hung and supported so as to move at least in the direction of the product selling port when the product passes, and the control means is for the product. An automatic vending machine, which restarts the product discharging operation when the hanging plate does not operate at the time of sale. 2. A product sales opening provided at the front of the main body, a product outlet provided at the front of the product sales outlet, a sales outlet door that opens and closes the product outlet, and is installed in a storage cabinet. In a vending machine comprising a product storage column and a discharge port for sending the product from the product storage column to the product sales port, product delivery detection means for detecting the delivery of the product from the delivery port. A sales opening door opening / closing detection means for detecting opening / closing of the sales opening door; and a control means for controlling a product discharging operation from the product storage column based on outputs of the product delivery detecting means and the sales opening door opening / closing detection means. The control means restarts the product discharging operation when the product is not delivered from the discharge port at the time of selling the product, and prohibits the restart of the product discharging operation when the sales port door is opened. Automatic characterized by Vending machine.