JPH08287335A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an automatic vending machine capable of being operated even by an unfamiliar person can operate by facilitating daily complicated input operation for the management of the automatic vending machine. CONSTITUTION: This automatic vending machine has a function setting means (function setting button 7) for switching an operation mode as a mode for performing the daily operation and a registration as a mode for batch-registering plural operations to be operated in the operation mode, an input means (ten-key 6) for inputting the operations in the registration mode, an operation registering means (CPU 2 and memory 4) for batch-registering the operations inputted by the input means, a command means (daily operation button) for giving commands for performing the operations registered by the operation registering means, and an operation executing means (CPU 2 and memory 4) for performing the operations registered by the operation registering means in the operation mode according to the commands from the command means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine such as a ticket vending machine.

[0002]

[Background Art] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, in daily management of vending machines such as ticket vending machines, printout of sales daily total, printout of cumulative sales, collection of sales, sales of next day In order to set the number of items, many input operations had to be performed every day, which was very troublesome.

An example of daily operations in a conventional vending machine is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

First, the sales button is pressed in step a1, the 0 (daily total) button is pressed in step a2, the daily total is printed out in step a3, and then the 1 (total) button is pressed in step a4. Then, since the cumulative printout is performed in step a5, step a6
Press the end button to finish printing the sales. Next, in step a7, the collection button is pressed to start the operation for collecting money, and in step a8, if the 0 (10 yen) button is pressed, 10 yen coins are discharged in step a9 and 1 (100 yen) in step a10. When the button is pressed, a 100-yen coin is ejected in step a11. Finally step a1
Press the end button at 2 to end the money collection operation.

Of the series of operations, steps a1 and a
2, a4, a6, a7, a8, a10, a12 total 8
Manual input is required for each step, and this input work is not only tedious and time-consuming, it also requires some handing over each time the operator changes, and it is a mistake because the work is complicated. Was also likely to occur and was a cause of trouble.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides an automatic vending machine which simplifies a complicated daily input operation and enables even an unfamiliar one to operate.

[0007]

The vending machine according to the present invention comprises:
In order to solve the above problems, in a vending machine having a control unit that manages the operation of the vending machine and an operation box that sends a command to this control unit, an operation mode that is a mode for performing daily operations, Function setting means for switching to a registration mode, which is a mode for collectively registering a plurality of operations to be performed in this operation mode; input means for inputting the plurality of operations in the registration mode; In the operation mode, operation registration means for collectively registering the plurality of operations input by the input means, command means for giving an instruction to sequentially execute the plurality of operations registered by the operation registration means, and And an operation execution means for sequentially executing the plurality of operations registered by the operation registration means in accordance with a command from the command means. Is shall.

[0008]

In the vending machine of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, there are an operation mode for performing daily operations and a mode for collectively registering a plurality of operations to be performed in this operation mode. Switching to the registration mode is performed by the function setting means. In the registration mode, a plurality of operations are collectively registered by the operation registration means in accordance with the input from the input means, and the plurality of operations registered by the operation registration means are transmitted from the command means in the operation mode. According to the command, the operation executing means sequentially executes the commands.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to block diagrams and flow charts. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an automatic vending machine A which is an embodiment of the present invention.

As in the conventional vending machine, the vending machine A has a plurality of selection buttons 13 for designating products to be purchased, a money indicator 14 for displaying the amount of money to be inserted, the balance, and the like. A return lever 12 for returning the vehicle is provided outside the machine body, and inside the machine body, a microcomputer 1 as a control unit, an operation box 5 for sending a command to the microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) 1, a printer 15, coin mech 16 and bill burr 17 are provided.

The microcomputer 1 has a CPU (central processing circuit) 2, an I / O (input / output) port 3 and a memory 4, and the operation box 5, printer 15, coin mech 16, bill burrs 17, etc. , This I / O port 3
It is connected to the microcomputer 1 via the like. Both the CPU (central processing circuit) 2 and the memory 4 are operation registration means for collectively registering a plurality of operations and also operation execution means for executing the registered operations. This will be described later.

The operation box 5 has a numeric keypad 6, a function setting button 7, a daily operation button 8, a sales button 9, a collection button 10, and an end button 11. The ten-key pad 6 is used as an input means for inputting an operation desired to be registered. The function setting button 7 is a function setting for switching between an operation mode, which is a mode for performing daily operations, and a registration mode, which is a mode for collectively registering a plurality of operations to be performed in this operation mode. It is a means. The daily operation button 8 is a command means for sending a command to the microcomputer 1 to sequentially execute a plurality of registered operations. The sales button 9 is a button for printing out the daily total and total sales, and the collection button 10
Is a button for collecting money in the coin mech 16 and the bill Bali 17, and the end button 11 is a button for ending printout and collection work of these. The return lever 12 is a lever for returning the inserted money, but in the present embodiment, it is also used for ending the registration mode as described later.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for registering the daily operation shown in FIG. 4 in the vending machine A as an example of the conventional technique.

First, in step x1, the function setting button 7 is pressed, and subsequently, in steps x2 and x3, the 5 button and 4 button of the numeric keypad 6 are pressed to switch the mode to the registration mode.

Next, in step x4, the sales button 9 is pressed, in step x5, the 0 (daily total) button of the numeric keypad 6 is pressed, in step x6, the 1 (cumulative) button of the numeric keypad 6 is pressed, and in step x7, the end button 11 is pressed. Push.

Subsequently, in step x8, the collection button 1
Press 0, press the 0 (10 yen) button in step x9,
Press the 1 (100 yen) button in step x10, and press the end button 11 in step x11.

Finally, the return lever 12 is pushed down to end the registration mode.

The input contents in steps x4 to x11 are sent to the microcomputer 1 and stored in the memory 4 by the action of the CPU 2. That is, the operation for printing out the daily total and the cumulative total and the operation for collecting the 10-yen coin and the 100-yen coin are collectively registered by the CPU 2 and the memory 4 which are operation registration means.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of how the operation registered as described above is executed in the operation mode.

First, when the daily operation button 8 is pressed in step y1, the daily total is printed out in step y2, then the cumulative total is printed out in step y3, and subsequently the 10-yen coin is ejected in step y4. Finally, a 100-yen coin is discharged in step y5.

Although not shown in the flow chart, this will be described in more detail. When the daily operation button 8 as command means is pressed, a command for executing a series of registered operations is sent to the CPU 2 of the microcomputer 1, The CPU 2 calls the registered contents from the memory 4, commands the printer 15 to print out the daily total and the cumulative total, and further commands the coin mech 16 to eject the 10-yen coin and the 100-yen coin.

Of the above, what is done manually is
Only the daily operation button 8 at step y1 is pressed, and conventionally, steps a1, a2, a4, a6, a7, a in FIG. 4 are used.
Whereas a total of eight inputs in 8, a10, and a12 are required, it is only necessary to input once, so daily work becomes very simple, and even a first-time worker can definitely perform it.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and for example, as the daily operation button which is the command means, any key (button) of the ten keys is used without providing a dedicated button. You may do it. The button as the command means is preferably one button, but may be a plurality of buttons as long as the operation is not complicated. Further, the content to be registered may be appropriately selected as necessary, and only a part of a series of daily operations may be registered.

[0024]

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present invention, complicated daily input work can be performed by a simple operation. Therefore, even a person unfamiliar with the operation can make a necessary operation by mistake. It can be done quickly and quickly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic vending machine A that is an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for registering an operation in the vending machine A. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a routine operation procedure in the vending machine A.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a routine operation procedure in a conventional vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Microcomputer 11 ... End button 2 ... CPU 12 ... Return lever 3 ... I / O port 13 ... Selection button 4 ... Memory 14 ... Cash indicator 5 ... Operation box 15 ... Printer 6 …… Numeric keypad 16 …… Coin mech 7 …… Function setting button 17 …… Bill Bali 8 …… Daily operation button 9 …… Sales button 10 …… Collection button

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic vending machine having a control section for managing the operation of the automatic vending machine and an operation box for sending a command to the control section. The operating mode is a mode for performing daily operations, and in this operating mode Function setting means for switching to a registration mode which is a mode for collectively registering a plurality of operations to be performed, input means for inputting the plurality of operations in the registration mode, and input by the input means Operation registering means for registering the plurality of operations collectively performed, commanding means for giving an instruction to sequentially execute the plurality of operations registered by the operation registering means, and the commanding means in the operation mode. And an operation execution means for sequentially executing the plurality of operations registered by the operation registration means in accordance with a command from Vending machine that.