JPH09319950A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove useless power consumption related to cooling/heating and to attain energy saving, when a vending disabled state is generated due to sellout, a failure or the like. SOLUTION: When commodities in a certain cooling storage are sold out by commodity vending operation, a sellout detecting sensor for the cooling storage detects the sellout state and outputs a sellout detection signal S to a vending CPU. When the output of the signal S continues for a prescribed time or longer, the CPU drives a cooling unit into an energy saving mode. When commodities have been replenished in the cooling storage, the output of the signal S is stopped, and the CPU drives the cooling unit in a normal mode to restart vending.

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, and more particularly to an automatic vending machine which sets a predetermined temperature in a product storage by a cooling / heating unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional vending machine, there is known a vending machine provided with a plurality of product storages for storing products and a cooling / heating unit for cooling or heating each product storage by operating a changeover switch. .

In such a vending machine, even when a situation such as sold-out, a failure, or a night-time sale stop due to legal regulations cannot be sold, the inside of the product storage is always cooled to a specified temperature without turning off the power, or It is heating. Therefore, the quality of the product is not deteriorated, and there is no delay in temperature control at the time of restart of sales due to the power being turned off.

[0004]

However, according to the conventional vending machine, the inside of the product storage is cooled and warmed to the specified temperature even if the product cannot be sold due to being sold out or broken. There was a waste of power consumption.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic vending machine that saves energy by eliminating waste of power consumption related to cooling and heating when an unsold situation such as sold-out or failure occurs. Especially.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is directed to an automatic vending machine for setting a predetermined temperature in a product storage by a cooling unit or a heating unit,
Detection means for detecting an unsellable state such as sold-out in the goods storage, failure, etc., and when the detection means continuously detects the state for a predetermined time or more, the cooling unit or until the sale is resumed And a control means for operating the heating unit in an energy saving mode.

According to the above construction, when the detecting means continuously detects an unsellable state such as sold-out or failure in the product storage for a predetermined time or longer, the control means saves energy in the cooling unit or the heating unit. Drive in mode. When the sale is resumed, the control means operates the cooling unit or the heating unit in the normal mode at the time of sale.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. This vending machine 10
Has a substantially box-shaped vending machine main body 11, and has a main door 12 that can be opened and closed on the front surface of the vending machine main body 11.

The main door 12 has an exhibition space formed by a transparent panel 13. In this exhibition space, a product sample 14 is displayed, and under the product sample 14, a sub-panel 15 that displays COLD or HOT and price and the like is provided. A selection button 16 for selecting a product is provided on the surface of the transparent panel 13. The main door 12 has a bill insertion slot 1 into which a bill is inserted.
7, coin insertion slot 18 for inserting coins, return lever 19 for returning inserted banknotes or inserted coins, amount of change or inserted banknotes and inserted coins (payment amount)
And the like, a door lock 21 for locking the opening operation of the main door 12 by locking, a product outlet 22 for taking out products, and a change return port 23 for returning change. .

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic structure inside the vending machine body 11. The vending machine body 11 has a column number C1.
Left storage box 24 for storing products in the columns indicated by C8
a, a middle left storage box 24b for storing products in columns indicated by column numbers C9 to C12, and column numbers C13 to C16.
A middle right storage box 24c for storing products in the column indicated by
A right storage box 24d for storing products is provided in the columns indicated by column numbers C17 to C20.

In addition, in the vending machine body 11, each storage box 24
a, 24b, 24c, 24d, temperature sensors 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d for detecting the temperature inside the refrigerator,
It is provided in each storage 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d,
Internal circulation fans 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d that circulate air to make the internal temperature uniform, and cooling / heating switch provided in each of the storages 24b, 24c, 24d except the left storage 24a. 27a, 27b, 27c, a cooling unit 28 for cooling the inside of each storage 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, and each storage 24 except the left storage 24a
A heating unit 29 for heating the inside of b, 24c, 24d is provided.

The cooling unit 28 includes a compressor (compressor) 280 for compressing ammonia gas, a condenser (condenser) 281 for liquefying the ammonia gas compressed by the compressor 280, a condenser fan 282 for the condenser 281 and a left side. Evaporators 283a and 283b that are provided in the storage case 24a and the middle right storage case 24c, vaporize the ammonia liquefied by the condenser 281, and cool the surroundings when vaporizing the vaporized ammonia.
Temperature sensors 284a and 284b for preventing freezing of the evaporators 283a and 283b, and an evaporator 283.
a, 283b solenoid valves 285a, 28 for opening and closing conduits to 283b
5b and.

The heating unit 29 is composed of heaters 290a, 290b, 290c provided in the respective storages 24b, 24c, 24d except the left storage 24a.

Evaporator 2 provided in the middle right housing 24c
The cold air from 83b is stored in the middle left housing 24b and the middle right housing 2
4c and between the right housing 24d and the middle right housing 24c by opening ventilation holes (not shown), the air flows to the middle left housing 24b and the right housing 24d. That is, the left storage case 24a is dedicated to the cooling storage room, and the middle left storage case 24b, the middle right storage case 24c and the right storage case 24d are the opening / closing operation of the ventilation hole and the changeover switch 27a.
It becomes a cooling box or a heating box by the switching operation of 27b and 27c.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system of the vending machine 10. This vending machine 10 includes a vending machine 10
It has a main control unit 40 that controls the entire system.
In the communication line 40a of 0, a cash control unit 43 that controls the coin mechanism unit 41 and the bill processing unit 42, a customer control unit 45 that controls the customer service unit 44, a sales control unit 47 that controls the sales unit 46, and various It is connected to a remote controller 48 equipped with keys, a digital display unit and the like. Further, a power supply unit 50 that supplies power to each unit of the vending machine 10 is connected to the main control unit 40.

The coin mechanism 41 is equipped with a change-out sensor for detecting change-out, receives coins inserted from the coin insertion port 18, and if necessary, the change return port 2
It will be returned from 3.

The cash processing unit 42 receives a bill inserted from the bill insertion slot 17 and identifies the denomination of the bill.

The cash control unit 43 controls the coin mechanism unit 41 and the bill processing unit 42 to count the number of coins and bills inserted according to denomination, store them in a safe, and dispense change.

The customer service section 44 includes a plurality of selection buttons 16 described above.
And a sellable lamp provided on each selection button 16 indicating that the corresponding product can be sold, a sold-out lamp indicating that the corresponding product is sold out, and the display 20. .

The customer service control unit 45 sends a push-down signal to the main control unit 40 based on the operation of the selection button 16. The customer control unit 45 detects the amount of money inserted by the main control unit 40 and the change-out sensor of the coin mechanism unit 41. The display of the change-out detected by is displayed on the display device 20, and the sale / sold-out display of the corresponding product is performed by turning on the sale / sold lamp of the selection button 16.

The main control unit 40 includes a CPU 40b for controlling each unit of the automatic vending machine 10, a ROM 40c for storing a program of the CPU 40b, and column numbers C17 to C20 assigned to the selection button 16 and sales price data. RAM 40d for storing various data, current year,
It is provided with a clock / calendar 40e that outputs time information of month, day, hour, minute, and second.

The CPU 40b obtains the amount of money to be inserted based on the number-of-insertion data for each type of money from the cash control unit 43, subtracts the sales amount from the amount of money inserted after the sale of the product, and if there is a balance, the change data is cash-controlled. It is sent to the section 43 and the change is paid out. Further, the CPU 40b, based on the push signal of the selection button 16 from the customer service control unit 45,
The sales information including the column numbers C17 to C20 corresponding to the pressing signal is sent to the sales controller 47. In addition, the CPU 40b uses one of the storage boxes 24a to 24a.
Concerning d, in case of unsellable situation such as breakdown or suspension of night sale due to laws and regulations
A temperature control signal is sent to the sales control section 47 so that the temperatures in 4a to 24d are shifted by a predetermined temperature from the time of sale. Regarding any of the storage boxes 24a to 24d,
Whether or not a failure has occurred is detected by communication with the cash control unit 43, the customer service control unit 45, and the sales control unit 47. Further, regarding any of the storage sheds 24a to 24d, when the night sale is stopped due to the regulation, the storage time and the storage shed name (or column number) are stored in the RAM 40d, and the corresponding storage shed 24a to 24d is stored. Is recognized by the storage name stored in the RAM 40d, and night sales suspension due to legal regulations is detected by comparing the time zone in which the sales are stored in the RAM 40d with the time information from the clock / calendar 40e.

The RAM 40d includes storage boxes 24a, 24
Stores various information such as sales data consisting of the number of sales per unit time in the past one week, a permissible temperature range information such as a temperature range for preventing quality deterioration of products, and the like, for each predetermined period of b, 24c, and 24d. Has been done.

The sales section 46 is provided with the temperature sensors 25a, 2a.
5b, 25c, 25d, internal circulation fans 26a, 26
b, 26c, 26d, changeover switches 27a, 27b, 2
7c, a cooling unit 28 and a heating unit 29 are provided,
Take out products from columns C1 to C20 and take out products 2
2. A plurality of sales mechanisms to be released to 2 and storage boxes 24a, 24
Each of b, 24c, and 24d is provided with a sold-out detection sensor that detects the sold-out of the product.

The sales control unit 47 controls a sales CPU 47a for controlling each unit of the sales unit 46, a ROM 47b for storing a program of the sales CPU 47a, and an R for storing various information.
AM 47c, controls the sales section 46 based on the sales information from the main control section 40, and column numbers C1 to C20.
The product corresponding to is taken out from the column and the product outlet 22
Is to be released to.

The sales CPU 47a, during normal sales,
A cooling unit 28 and a heating unit 29 so as to maintain the temperature in the storage boxes 24a to 24d at a specified temperature (or range).
When the temperature control signal is sent from the CPU 40b of the main control unit 40 due to a failure, night-time sales stop, etc., or the product is sold out, the sold-out detection sensor indicates the sold-out detection signal. Is sent, the cooling unit 28 and the heating unit 29 are operated in the energy saving mode so that the temperature (or range) in which the temperature in the corresponding storage boxes 24a to 24d is shifted by a predetermined temperature from the specified temperature is maintained. Has become.

The temperature control of the specified temperature and the temperature shifted from the specified temperature is performed in both the normal mode and the energy saving mode by turning on / off the compressor 280 and the solenoid valve 28.
5a, 285b opening / closing or internal circulation fans 26a, 26
b, 26c, 26d is turned on / off, and the heaters 290a, 290b, 290c are turned on / off or the internal circulation fans 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d are turned on / off. This temperature control is performed by the temperature sensors 25a, 2
By performing the feedback control based on the internal cold storage temperatures detected by 5b, 25c, and 25d, the control can be performed in units of about 1 degree.

In the energy saving mode, the sales CPU 47a controls the temperature of the temperature control signal from the CPU 40b of the main control unit 40 or the sold-out detection signal from the sold-out detection sensor when the sold-out detection signal is continuously output for, for example, one hour or more. Until the signal or the sold-out detection signal is no longer output, the temperature inside the refrigerator is shifted to a temperature slightly higher than the specified temperature, and the temperature inside the refrigerator is slightly higher than the specified temperature. Shift to a lower temperature. The shift amount in the energy saving mode is calculated based on the sales data stored in the RAM 40d, the allowable internal temperature range information, and the like. For example, based on the sales data, it is determined whether the sales stop time is the time when the number of sales is high.If the sales are high, reduce the shift amount and immediately resume normal sales. Make sure that the specified temperature is reached. If the number of sales is small, increase the shift amount to reduce power consumption. However, in the case of a product in which quality deterioration is a problem, such as a product containing dairy ingredients, the shift amount is calculated so that the quality is guaranteed based on the in-compartment allowable temperature range information.

Next, the switching operation between the normal mode and the energy saving mode of the vending machine 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a temperature change in the cooling chamber, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a temperature change in the heating chamber. In addition,
The middle left housing 24b is switched to the cooling side by the changeover switch 27a and is used as a cooling housing.
It is assumed that the c and the right housing 24d are switched to the heating side by the changeover switches 27b and 27c and are used as the heating housing. Further, a case where the sale becomes impossible due to the sold-out will be described.

When the product is sold, the sales CPU 47a
The cooling unit 28 and the heating unit 29 are operated in the normal mode. That is, the sales CPU 47a uses the cooling unit 28 to cool the left storage compartment (the left storage compartment 24a, the middle left storage compartment 24a).
b) Temperature control is performed so that the temperature in the inside keeps a specified temperature, for example, 5 ° C., and the heating unit 29 heats the heating chamber (the middle right storage chamber 24).
c and the temperature in the right housing 24d) is a specified temperature, for example 6
The temperature is controlled so as to maintain 0 ° C.

Here, when the products of all the column numbers C9 to C12 of the middle left storage box 24b, which is a cooling box, are sold out by the sale operation of the products, as shown in FIG. 4, the sale for the middle left storage box 24b is performed. The cut-off detection sensor detects it and outputs a sold-out detection signal S to the sales CPU 47a. If the sold-out detection signal S continues for a predetermined time, for example, 1 hour or more, the sales CP
The U 47a operates the cooling unit 28 in the energy saving mode. That is, the sales CPU 47a has the RAM 40
The shift amount is calculated based on the past sales data stored in d, allowable internal temperature range information, and the like. CPU for sale
47a closes the electromagnetic valve 285b for the middle left storage cabinet 24b, the middle right storage cabinet 24c and the right storage cabinet 24d or closes the internal circulation fan 26b for the middle left storage cabinet 24b based on the calculation result of the shift amount. It is turned off, and as shown in FIG. 4, temperature control is performed so that the temperature inside the middle left housing 24b is maintained at a slightly higher temperature, for example, 10 ° C.

Further, depending on the product selling operation, for example, all the column numbers C17 to C of the right storage box 24d which is a heating box.
When the 20 commodities are sold out, as shown in FIG. 5, the sold-out detection sensor for the right storage box 24d detects it and outputs a sold-out detection signal S to the sales CPU 47a. When the sold-out detection signal S continues for a predetermined time, for example, one hour or more, the sales CPU 47
In a, the heating unit 29 is operated in the energy saving mode. That is, the sales CPU 47a calculates the shift amount based on the past sales data stored in the RAM 40d, the in-compartment allowable temperature range information, and the like. Sales CPU 47a
Turns off the heater 290c for the right housing 24d or turns off the internal circulation fan 26d for the right housing 24d based on the calculation result of the shift amount, and as shown in FIG. The temperature is controlled so that the temperature of is maintained at a slightly lower temperature, for example, 55 ° C.

Here, when the manager of the vending machine 10 replenishes the sold-out middle left storage cabinet 24b and right storage cabinet 24d with columns, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. The sold-out detection signal S from the sold-out detection sensors for the storage 24d and the right storage 24d is no longer output, and the sales C
The PU 47a, the sales CPU 47a, and the cooling unit 28
Also, the heating unit 29 is operated in the normal mode to resume the sale.

According to the vending machine 10 described above, the cooling unit 28 and the heating unit 29 are operated in the energy saving mode when the unsold state such as sold-out or failure continues for a certain time or longer, so that the vending machine is sold. It is possible to save energy by saving waste of power consumption for cooling and heating when the product becomes unsellable due to disconnection or failure. Also, instead of immediately switching to the energy saving mode when it becomes unsellable, it shifts to the energy saving mode when it can be considered that the unsellable state will continue for a certain period of time and sales will not resume for the time being. Therefore, unnecessary mode switching can be prevented, and stable temperature control can be performed. Also, when operating in energy-saving mode, the shift amount is determined based on past sales data, so that the product can be brought to an appropriate temperature immediately when sales are resumed, or power consumption can be further reduced. it can. Furthermore, when operating in the energy-saving mode, the shift amount is determined based on the in-compartment allowable temperature range information, so that useless power consumption can be reduced within a range that does not deteriorate quality and the like. Further, in the energy saving mode, since the shift amount is small, it is possible to suppress the delay in temperature control at the time of restart of sales as much as possible.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various embodiments are possible. For example, in the description of the operation of the above-described embodiment, the case where the product is sold out has been described as a situation where the product cannot be sold.
Even when it becomes impossible to sell the product due to the suspension of the night sale, it can be operated in the energy saving mode as well.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cooling unit or the heating unit is operated in the energy saving mode when the unsold state such as sold-out or failure continues for a certain time or more. Eliminates the waste of power consumption related to cooling and heating when it becomes impossible to sell such as sold out,
Energy saving can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration in a vending machine body according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a temperature change in a cooling box of the vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a temperature change in the heating chamber of the vending machine according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Vending Machine 28 Cooling Unit 29 Heating Unit 40 Main Control Unit 47 Sales Control Unit 40d RAM 47a Sales CPU 47b ROM

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine that sets a predetermined temperature in a product storage by a cooling unit or a heating unit, and a detection means for detecting an unsellable state such as sold-out or failure in the product storage. When the detection means continuously detects the state for a certain period of time or longer, the control means operates the cooling unit or the heating unit in an energy saving mode until the sale is resumed. Vending machine.