JPH11144139A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically actualize the stabilization of article temperature at the time of vending and the saving of energy by cooling or warming articles stored in an article storage chamber more in a time band when it is predicted that more articles will be vended than usual. SOLUTION: A microcomputer 41 executes a vending data process routine at intervals of one hour as a unit time. This vending data process routine is executed by interrupting a main routine to gather data on how many articles are sold by hours. Then the microcomputer 41 executes a changing process routine for set temperature. This routine reads predicted vending information of 24 hours from the present, determines set temperature by time band of 24 hours from the present, and changes the set temperature. In this case, the articles stored in the article storage chamber are cooled or warmed more in the time band wherein it is predicted that more articles will be vended than usual.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine which sells a product stored in a product storage room by cooling or heating the product.

[0002]

In a vending machine that sells products such as cans or bottled beverages, a main body is generally provided with a plurality of product accommodation rooms for accommodating a large number of products. A cooling means for supplying cold air to the product storage chamber to cool the product, and a heating means for supplying hot air and heating the product, so that the temperature of the product is reduced to a temperature at which the product can be drunk. They are sold after cooling or heating.

In this type of vending machine,
In order to cool or warm the product to the temperature of drinking
The temperature of the product storage chamber is detected by a temperature sensor, and the cooling unit and the heating unit are controlled by the control unit such that the temperature of the product storage room becomes a preset temperature. In this case, the temperature of the product storage room is controlled to always be a constant set temperature (for example, about 3 ° C. in the case of cooling and about 59 ° C. in the case of heating) regardless of the time zone. It has become so.

[0004] In this type of vending machine, the sales situation of products may vary greatly depending on the installation location, time zone, and the like. In addition, one product storage room is divided into a plurality of columns, and looking at the temperature of the products in each column, if the product is cooled, the product at the bottom The existing product is higher than the set temperature, and if it is heated, even if the product at the bottom is heated to the set temperature, the product at the top is lower than the set temperature That is the fact. Then, the products are sold in order from the bottom of each column, and accordingly, the products existing at the top are gradually lowered.

[0005] However, in the conventional vending machine, as described above, the temperature of the product accommodating room is controlled so as to always be a constant set temperature regardless of the time zone. There were the following problems.

[0006] For example, in a time zone in which the sales volume of a product is large, as the sales progress, the product located at the top is lowered and sold, but the cooling or heating cannot catch up and is insufficient. May be sold at the same temperature. Conversely, when the sales volume of the product is low, the lower product is cooled or heated more than necessary, or the upper product that is not sold immediately is cooled down to the temperature of drinking. It is often heated and wasteful energy is consumed in many cases.

On the other hand, it is possible for the user to manually change the set temperature in order to prevent the above-mentioned problems as much as possible, but it is troublesome to perform such operations one by one.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to automatically or stabilize the temperature of a product at the time of sale and save energy in a product which is sold by cooling or heating. To provide a vending machine that can be realized.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an automatic vending machine which sells a product stored in a product storage room by cooling it by a cooling means or heating it by a heating means. In a vending machine, sales data storage means for storing the number of products sold per unit time as hourly sales data, and the cooling means or the heating means so that the temperature of the product storage room becomes a set temperature. Control means for controlling the sales data storage means, the control means, based on the sales data by time zone stored in the sales data storage means, for a time zone in which the number of products sold is expected to be large, the product Set the temperature of the containment chamber lower in case of cooling,
In the case of heating, the temperature is changed to be higher, and for the time period in which the number of products sold is expected to be small, the set temperature is changed to be higher in the case of cooling and lower in the case of heating. It is characterized by performing control.

[0010] According to the above means, the time zone in which the number of sales of the product is predicted to be large or the time zone in which the number of products sold is predicted to be small is predicted based on the sales data by time zone stored in the sales data storage means. be able to.

[0011] Then, the control means changes the set temperature of the product accommodating room so as to be lower in the case of cooling and to be higher in the case of heating in the time period when it is predicted that the number of products sold is large. To control the cooling means or the heating means. This allows
The products stored in the product storage room will be cooled or heated more strongly than usual, so even if the products are concentrated and sold, the temperature of the sold products should be as low as possible can do.

Further, the control means changes the set temperature of the product storage room to be higher in the case of cooling and to be lower in the case of heating during the time period when the number of products sold is expected to be small. To control the cooling means or the heating means. This allows
In a time period when the product is hardly sold, the operation rate of the cooling means or the heating means is reduced. At this time, there is no problem even if the products existing in the lower part of the product storage room are sold at the time of drinking.

In this case, the control means sets and controls the set temperature based on the hourly sales data of the previous day stored in the sales data storage means (invention of claim 2). A set temperature is set and controlled based on the stored time-of-day sales data for each day of the week.
Invention).

In the case of a vehicle having a plurality of product storage rooms, the set temperature is set for each product storage room on the basis of time zone sales data for each product storage room stored in the sales data storage means. It is preferable to set and control (the invention of claim 4).

Further, the control means controls the temperature of the time zone in which the number of products sold is predicted to be large by changing the set temperature from a predetermined time before the time zone (the invention of claim 5). It is preferable that the control is performed by changing the set temperature from a predetermined time before the time zone in which the number of sales is predicted to be small (the invention of claim 6).

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, in the main body 1 of the vending machine, as shown in FIG.
In this case, a left room 2, a middle room 3, and a right room 4 are provided, and a main door 5 is provided on the front surface of the main body 1.

Each of the chambers 2 to 4 in the main body 1 has a structure shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of columns 6 are provided extending in a meandering manner in the vertical direction, and each column 6 accommodates a product 7 such as a beverage in a can. The commodities 7 are supplied to the respective columns 6 from a commodity input port 8 at an upper portion on the front side. In this case, the left room 2 among the three rooms 2 to 4
And right chamber 4 are each provided with 10 columns 6, and middle chamber 3 is provided with 5 columns 6. Column 6
A product discharge device 9 for discharging one by one from the bottom product 7 is provided at the lower part of the main product 5. The product 7 discharged by the product discharge device 9 passes through the chute 10 and It is configured to be discharged to a product outlet 11 provided at the lower part.

Each of the three chambers 2 to 4 is configured to be capable of switching between cooling and heating. At the lower front part of each of the chambers 2 to 4, there are provided temperature sensors 12, 13 and 14, which constitute temperature detecting means, respectively. Is detected at the lowermost portion of the column 6 in the front row. The lowermost part of the main body 1 is a machine room 15, in which a compressor 16 of a refrigeration cycle, a fan device 17 for cooling the compressor 16, a condenser 18, a control box 19 and the like are provided. I have.

At the lower part of each of the three chambers 2-4,
The coolers 21 to 23 and the solenoid valves 24 to 26 (FIG.
), Heaters 27 to 29 and fan devices 30 to 32 are provided. In this case, when each of the chambers 2 to 4 is cooled, the cool air cooled by the coolers 21 to 24 corresponding to each of the chambers 2 to 4 is supplied to the fan device 30 corresponding to each of the chambers 2 to 4.
, The corresponding chambers 2 to 4 are cooled, and when each of the chambers 2 to 4 is heated, each of the chambers 2 to 4 is cooled.
The corresponding chambers 2 to 4 are heated by sending the hot air heated by the heaters 27 to 29 corresponding to the respective chambers 2 to 4 by the fan devices 30 to 32 corresponding to the respective chambers 2 to 4.

Therefore, in this case, a cooling means for cooling the corresponding chambers 2 to 4 is constituted by the compressor 16, the condenser 18, the coolers 21 to 23 (electromagnetic valves 24 to 26), and the fan devices 30 to 32 of the refrigeration cycle. And heater 2
7 to 29 and fan devices 30 to 32, the corresponding room 2
To 4 are constituted.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the front surface of the main door 5, a large number of samples 35 of products to be sold are displayed, and a selection switch 36 is provided below each sample 35. On the right side of the front of the main door 5, a display 37 and a cash slot 38 are provided, and an infrared communication unit 40 capable of communicating with a portable terminal 39 is provided.

On the other hand, in the control box 19, a microcomputer 41 (see FIG. 5) constituting control means for controlling the overall operation of the vending machine is provided. The microcomputer 41 includes a serial bus 43 capable of communicating with the infrared communication unit 40 and the personal computer 42, and an RTC for recognizing the current time.
A (real-time clock) 44, a memory 45 constituting sales data storage means for storing data such as the number of products sold per unit time as will be described later, and the like are connected. Temperature sensors 12 to 14, an outside air temperature sensor 46 for detecting an outside air temperature, and H / C changeover switches 47 to 4 for switching each of the chambers 2 to 4 between heating and cooling.
9, signals are input from the selection switches 36, the sold-out detection switch 50, and the like.

The microcomputer 41 uses these input signals and a program stored in advance to
The compressor 16, the fan motor 17a of the compressor fan device 17, and the fan devices 3 corresponding to the respective chambers 2 to 4.
0 to 32 fan motors 30a, 31a, 32a, solenoid valves 24 to 26 corresponding to each of the chambers 2 to 4, heaters 27 to 29 corresponding to each of the chambers 2 to 4,
1 and a function of controlling the display 37 and the like.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. First, each of the three chambers 2 to 4 that are product storage rooms can be switched between a cooling specification and a heating specification by H / C changeover switches 47 to 49.
In the case of the cooling specification, the microcomputer 41 normally sets the set temperature of each of the chambers 2 to 4 to 3 ° C., and sets the compressor 16 of the cooling means to the set temperature.
The corresponding solenoid valves 24 to 26 and the fan motors 30a to 32a of the fan devices 30 to 32 are turned off and on. In the case of the heating specification, similarly, the microcomputer 41 normally sets the set temperature of each of the chambers 2 to 4 to 59 ° C. and sets the corresponding heater 27 of the heating means to the set temperature. To 29 and the fan motors 30a to 32a of the fan devices 30 to 32 are subjected to power cutoff control.

When the desired selection switch 36 is operated in a state where the buyer has inserted predetermined money into the money insertion slot 38, the microcomputer 41 causes the commodity discharging device corresponding to the operated selection switch 36 to operate. Activate 9 Then, the commodity 7 at the bottom of the column 6 is shot 10
The product 7 is guided to the product outlet 11 through the chute 10. At this time, the sold product 7
For example, data relating to sales time, room, column number, and the like are stored in the memory 45. Thus, every time the product 7 is sold, the sold product 7
Is stored in the memory 45.

In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 41 executes the sales data processing routine shown in FIG. 6 every time one hour elapses as a unit time. This sales data processing routine is executed by interrupting the main routine. First, the data of the number of sales of the goods at 1 hour at X stored in the memory 45 is read and calculated, and the total number of sales is calculated. Is stored in the memory 45 as hourly sales data at the time of X (step A1).

Next, the sales number is set in advance,
Whether it is greater than the mass sales threshold (see FIG. 8), and
It is determined whether the number is smaller than the minority sales threshold (also see FIG. 8) (steps A2 and A3). In step A2,
When it is determined that the number of sales is large (when the number of sales is larger than the number of sales threshold), the number of predicted sales at the next X is set to many and stored in the memory 45 (step A4). If it is determined in step A2 that the number of sales is not large (if the number is equal to or less than the majority sales threshold) and if the number of sales is determined to be small in step A3 (if the number is smaller than the minority sales threshold), Then, the predicted sales volume at the next X time is set to a small number and stored in the memory 45 (step A5). Otherwise, the predicted sales volume at the next X time is set to normal and stored in the memory 45. (Step A6). Thereafter, the process returns to the main routine.

FIG. 8 shows an example of data on the number of units sold per time collected in this way. In the case of FIG. 8, from 0:00 to 8:00, it is regarded as “off-sale time zone” (time zone in which the number of sold products is predicted to be small), and from 8:00 to 1:00.
Until 6:00, it is regarded as a "peak sales period" (a time period during which the number of products sold is expected to be large), from 16:00 to 22:00 is regarded as a "normal sales time period", and from 22:00 Until 24:00, it is again referred to as “off-peak sales hours”.

Next, the microcomputer 41 operates as shown in FIG.
A set temperature change processing routine is executed. This set temperature change processing routine is also executed as an interrupt to the main routine. First, predicted sales information (information in FIG. 8) for 24 hours from the present is read out from the memory 45 (step B1), and 24 hours from the present. The set temperature for each time zone is determined (step B2), and the set temperature is changed (step B3). Thereafter, the process returns to the main routine.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which the set temperature is changed based on the information shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, from 0:00 to 6:00, the set temperature is set to 6 ° C. which is higher than the normal 3 ° C. in the case of the cooling specification in order to correspond to “off-sale time zone”. In this case, the set temperature is set to 56 ° C., which is lower than the normal 59 ° C.

The predetermined time T1 before the “peak sales time zone”, in this case, two hours before 6:00 to 16:00, corresponds to the “peak sales time zone”. , The set temperature is lower than the normal 3 ° C. 0
° C. In the case of the heating specification, the set temperature is 59
62 ° C., which is higher than the temperature.

In addition, from 16:00, which is the "normal sales time zone", to a predetermined time T2 before entering the "off-sale time zone", and in this case also until 20:00, two hours before, it corresponds to the "normal sales time zone". Therefore, in the case of cooling specification, the set temperature is 3
° C. In the case of the heating specification, the set temperature is 59
° C. From 20:00 to 24:00, in order to respond to the “off-sale time zone” again, in the case of the cooling specification, the set temperature is set to 6 ° C. which is higher than the normal 3 ° C. In this case, the set temperature is set to 56 ° C., which is lower than the normal 59 ° C.

In the case where the control is performed by changing the temperature to such a set temperature, the change in temperature of the product to be sold next (next-sale product) is shown by a solid line in FIG. In addition, the change of the temperature of the next sale item when the set temperature is always constant is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

FIG. 10 shows the temperature distribution of the product 7 in the column 6 in the case of the cooling specification, and FIG. 11 shows the temperature distribution of the product 7 in the column 6 in the case of the heating specification. I have. In FIGS. 10 and 11, the vertical axis indicates the number of the products 7 stored in the column 6 from the bottom (the next sale product). In FIG. 10, the solid line shows the case of the control for normal operation (when the set temperature is 3 ° C.), the dashed line shows the case of the control for sales peak time (when the set temperature is 0 ° C.), and FIG. The dashed line indicates the case of off-sales control (when the set temperature is 6 ° C.).

In FIG. 11, the solid line shows the case of the control for normal use (when the set temperature is 59 ° C.), and the one-dot chain line shows the case of the control for sales peak time (when the set temperature is 62 ° C.). , The two-dot chain line shows the case of control for when sales are off (when the set temperature is 56 ° C.).

As is apparent from FIGS. 9 to 11,
“Sale peak hours” when the number of products sold is expected to be high
In the above, by changing the set temperature of each of the chambers 2 to 4 to be lower in the case of cooling and to be higher in the case of heating and controlling the cooling means or the heating means, Since the stored product 7 is cooled or heated more strongly than usual, even if the product 7 is sold in a concentrated manner, the temperature of the sold product 7 should be as stable as possible when drinking. can do.

Further, in this case, since the set temperature is changed in advance before the predetermined time T1 (2 hours) before the “peak sales time zone”, the products 7 sold during the sales peak time zone can be more reliably determined. There is an advantage that it can be sold at the temperature of drinking.

Further, in the “off-sale period” in which the number of products sold is expected to be small, the set temperature is changed to be higher in the case of the cooling specification, and to be lower in the case of the heating specification, and to be cooled. By controlling the means or the heating means, the operating rate of the cooling means or the heating means is reduced. Thereby, useless energy can be prevented from being consumed as much as possible. At this time, there is no problem if the product 7 located in the lower part of each column 6 of each of the rooms 2 to 4 is sold because the temperature at the time of drinking is maintained.

Further, in this case, since the set temperature is changed in advance before the predetermined time T2 (2 hours) before the "off-sale time zone", there is an advantage that wasteful energy is not consumed. Also in this case, each room 2-4
Since the product 7 at the bottom of each column 6 has a temperature just before drinking, there is no problem if it is sold.

On the other hand, the data stored in the memory 45 is transmitted from the microcomputer 41 to the personal computer 42 via the serial bus 43 or to the portable terminal 39 via the infrared communication unit 40 and stored. By transmitting the data to the microcomputer of the new vending machine to be replaced or added and storing the data in the memory, the data stored in the memory 45 can be used for the new vending machine. Thus, for example, it is possible to perform the control of the present embodiment in which the set temperature is changed and the control is performed from the time when a new vending machine is installed.

FIGS. 12 to 16 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the following points. First, FIG. 12 to FIG.
It shows an example of data on the number of units sold per time zone of each day for each of rooms 2 to 4. For example, when looking at the “peak sales hours”, in the case of the left room 2 (in the case of FIG. 12), 8
Although it is continuous for 8 hours from hour to 16:00, in the case of the middle room 3 (in the case of FIG. 13), it is continuous only for 4 hours from 11:00 to 15:00, and in the case of the right room 4 (FIG. 13). 14) is not set as the “peak sales time zone”. As described above, the sales situation may change for each of the rooms 2 to 4.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, in order to correspond to the sales situation of each room 2 to 4, the memory 45 stores the sales data by time zone for each of the three rooms 2 to 4,
The set temperature is set for each of the rooms 2 to 4 based on the time zone sales data, and the same control as in the first embodiment is performed.

More specifically, the microcomputer 41
Executes the sales data processing routine of FIG. 15 every time one hour elapses as a unit time. First, data on the number of units sold for each room 2 to 4 at 1 hour at X hour stored in the memory 45 is read out and calculated for each room 2 to 4, and the number of units sold is calculated according to the time zone sales data at X hour. Is stored in the memory 45 for each of the rooms 2 to 4 (step C1).

Next, as in the first embodiment, it is determined whether the number of units sold is large or small for each of the rooms 2 to 4 (steps C2 and C3). When it is determined in step C2 that the number of sales is large (when the number is larger than the number of sales threshold), the number of predicted sales at the next X is set to many and stored in the memory 45 (step C4). Step C
If it is determined in Step 2 that the number of sales is not large (if the number is equal to or less than the threshold for large number of sales), and if the number of sales is determined to be small in Step C3 (in the case where the number is less than the threshold for small number of sales), The predicted sales quantity at the next X time is set to a small number and stored in the memory 45 (step C5). Otherwise, the predicted sales quantity at the next X time is set to normal and stored in the memory 45. (Step C6). When these determinations are made for each of the rooms 2 to 4 (steps C2 to C6), the process returns to the main routine.

Next, the microcomputer 41 operates as shown in FIG.
A set temperature change processing routine of No. 6 is executed. First, predicted sales information for each room 2 to 4 for 24 hours from now (FIG. 12
To the information in FIG. 14) from the memory 45 (step D1), determine the set temperature for each of the rooms 2 to 4 for each of the 24 hours from the present time (step D2), and change the set temperature (step D3). ). Thereafter, the process returns to the main routine.

According to the second embodiment, each of the chambers 2 to 2
Since temperature control suitable for the sales situation can be performed for each of the four items, stabilization of the product temperature at the time of sale and energy saving can be more effectively realized.

FIGS. 17 to 20 show a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the following points. First, FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 show examples in which the number of products sold by day differs depending on the installation location of the vending machine. In the case of FIG. 17, the number of sales is large from Monday to Friday, but is small on Saturday and Sunday. In the case of FIG. 18, the number of sales is small from Monday to Friday, but many on Saturday and Sunday. Has become.

Therefore, in the third embodiment, in order to deal with the sales situation for each day of the week, the sales data for each time zone is stored in the memory 45, and the sales data for each time zone is stored for each day of the week. Set the temperature based on the first
Control similar to that of the embodiment is performed.

More specifically, the microcomputer 41
Executes the sales data processing routine of FIG. 19 every time one hour elapses as a unit time. First, the current day of the week data Y is read (step E1), the data of the number of sales at X hour and one hour stored in the memory 45 is read and calculated, and this sales number is used as the sales data by time zone on X of Y day X. It is stored in the memory 45 (step E2).

Next, it is determined whether the number of sales is large or small (steps E3 and E4). Step E
If it is determined in step 3 that the number of sales is large (when the number of sales is larger than the threshold for large number of sales), the number of sales to be predicted at X on Y day is set to many and stored in the memory 45 (step E).
5). In step E3, it is determined that the number of units sold is not large (in the case where the number of units sold is equal to or smaller than the threshold for large number sales), and
If it is determined in step 4 that the number of units sold is small (the number of units sold is smaller than the minority sales threshold value), the number of units to be sold on X day Y is set to a small number and stored in the memory 45 (step E).
6) In other cases, the predicted sales volume on X days on Y days is set to normal and stored in the memory 45 (step E).
7). After making this determination, the process returns to the main routine.

Next, the microcomputer 41 operates as shown in FIG.
A set temperature change processing routine of 0 is executed. First, the predicted sales information corresponding to the day of the week 24 hours from the present is read from the memory 45 (step F1), the set temperature for each time zone of the current 24 hours is determined (step F2), and the set temperature is changed (step F2). F3). Thereafter, the process returns to the main routine.

According to the third embodiment, temperature control suitable for the sales situation can be performed for each day of the week.
Stabilization of the product temperature at the time of sale and energy saving can be realized more effectively.

FIGS. 21 and 22 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment differs from the first to third embodiments in the following points. That is, the fourth embodiment corresponds to the sales situation of each day of the week and each of rooms 2 to 4, and is a combination of the requirements of the first to third embodiments. .

Specifically, the microcomputer 41
Executes the sales data processing routine of FIG. 21 every time one hour elapses as a unit time. First, the current day of the week data Y is read (step G1), and the data of the number of sales for each of the rooms 2 to 4 for 1 hour at X hour stored in the memory 45 is read out and calculated. Is stored in the memory 45 for each of the rooms 2 to 4 as sales data by time zone (step G2).

Next, it is determined whether the number of units sold is large or small for each of the rooms 2 to 4 (step G3).
G4). If it is determined in step G3 that the number of units sold is large (if the number of units sold is larger than the threshold for large number sales), then
The predicted sales quantity at the time is set to a large number and stored in the memory 45 (step G5). In step G3, it is determined that the number of units sold is not large (in the case where the number of units sold is equal to or smaller than the threshold for large number sales)
If it is determined in step G4 that the number of units sold is small (the number is smaller than the minority sales threshold value), the day X
The predicted sales volume at the time is set to a small number and stored in the memory 45 (step G6). Otherwise, the predicted sales volume at Y day X is set to normal and stored in the memory 45 (step G7). ). When these determinations are made for each of the rooms 2 to 4 (steps G3 to G7), the process returns to the main routine.

Next, the microcomputer 41 operates as shown in FIG.
The second set temperature change processing routine is executed. First, the predicted sales information for each room 2 to 4 corresponding to the day of the week for 24 hours from the present time is read from the memory 45 (step H1), and the set temperature for each room 2 to 4 for the time zone for the current 24 hours is obtained. It is determined (step H2), and the set temperature is changed (step H3). Thereafter, the process returns to the main routine.

According to the third embodiment, it is possible to perform temperature control suitable for the sales situation for each day of the week and for each of the rooms 2 to 4, thereby stabilizing the product temperature at the time of sale and saving energy. Can be realized more effectively.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be modified or expanded as follows. For example, each of the chambers 2 to 4 does not need to be configured to be able to switch between cooling and heating, and may be dedicated to cooling or heating.

The coolers 21 to 23 constituting a part of the cooling means for cooling the respective chambers 2 to 4 are constituted by one even if they are not divided so as to correspond to the respective chambers 2 to 4. Is also good. In this case, means for switching the passage for sending the cool air cooled by one cooler to the chambers 2 to 4 requiring the cool air is required.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The following effects can be obtained. According to the vending machine of the first aspect, in the time zone in which the number of products sold is expected to be large, the products stored in the product storage room are cooled or heated more than usual, The temperature of the product to be sold can be kept as stable as possible before drinking, and the operating rate of the cooling means or heating means should be reduced during the time when the number of products sold is expected to be small. Therefore, wasteful energy can be prevented from being consumed as much as possible. In addition, since these controls are automatically performed by the control means, it is possible to automatically realize the stabilization of the product temperature at the time of sale and the energy saving without manual intervention.

According to the vending machine of the third aspect, it is possible to perform temperature control suitable for the sales situation for each day of the week.
Stabilization of the product temperature at the time of sale and energy saving can be realized more effectively.

According to the vending machine of the fourth aspect, the temperature control suitable for the sales situation can be performed for each of the plurality of product accommodation rooms, so that the product temperature at the time of sale and energy saving can be further improved. It can be realized effectively.

According to the vending machine of the fifth aspect, by controlling the temperature by changing the set temperature before the time zone in which the number of products sold is predicted to be large, the products sold in that time zone can be controlled. It will be possible to sell more reliably at the temperature of drinking.

According to the vending machine of the sixth aspect, by controlling the temperature by changing the set temperature before the time period in which the number of products sold is predicted to be small, it is possible to prevent wasteful energy consumption. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example in which a set temperature is changed according to a time zone.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a front view without the main door.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional side view.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a sales data processing routine.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a setting temperature change processing routine;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the number of merchandise sold by time of day.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a temperature change of a product to be sold next.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a temperature distribution of a product in a column in the case of a cooling specification.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a temperature distribution of a product in a column in a case of a heating specification.

FIG. 12 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing an example of the number of products sold per day of the day in the left ventricle.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the number of products sold per day in the middle room.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the number of products sold by time of day in a right room.

FIG. 15 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 6;

FIG. 16 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 7;

FIG. 17 shows the third embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example of the number of merchandise sold by day of the week.

FIG. 18 is a view showing an example of the number of products sold by day of week of another vending machine different from FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 6;

FIG. 20 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 7;

FIG. 21 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a main body, 2 is a left room (product storage room), 3 is a middle room (product storage room), 4 is a right room (product storage room), 6 is a column, 7 is a product, and 12, 13, and 14 are product temperatures. Sensor (temperature detecting means),
16 is a compressor (cooling means), 18 is a condenser (cooling means), 21, 22, 23 are coolers (cooling means), 24, 25, 26 are solenoid valves (cooling means), 27,
Reference numerals 28 and 29 denote heaters (heating means), 30, 31, and 32 fan devices (cooling means and heating means), 41 a microcomputer (control means), and 45 a memory (sales data storage means).

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine which sells a product stored in a product storage room by cooling it by a cooling means or heating it by a heating means, and stores the number of products sold per unit time as sales data by time zone. Sales data storage means, and control means for controlling the cooling means or the heating means so that the temperature of the product storage room becomes a set temperature, wherein the control means stores the sales data in the sales data storage means. Based on the stored time-slot-based sales data, for a time zone in which it is predicted that the number of products sold is large, the set temperature of the product storage room is set to be lower in the case of cooling and higher in the case of heating. For the time zone in which the number of products sold is predicted to be small, the set temperature is controlled to be higher in the case of cooling and to be lower in the case of heating. Toss Vending machine. 2. The sales data storage means stores the hourly sales data of the previous day, and the control means sets and controls the set temperature based on the hourly sales data of the previous day. Claim 1
The vending machine described. 3. The sales data storage means stores time-of-day sales data by day of the week, and the control means sets and controls a set temperature based on the time-of-day sales data by day of the week. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein: 4. A sales data storage means having a plurality of product accommodation rooms, and sales data by time zone for each of the product accommodation rooms, and a control means: a time zone for each of the product accommodation rooms. The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a set temperature is set and controlled for each product storage room based on separate sales data. 5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the set temperature from a predetermined time before the time zone when the number of products sold is expected to be large. 4. The vending machine according to any one of 4. 6. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the set temperature from a predetermined time before the time zone when the number of products sold is predicted to be small. 5. The vending machine according to any one of 5.