JPH11161832A - Equipment lending device by prepaid card - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To permit a patient and a person to be cared to borrow necessary equipment at any time by operating a device with a command of CPU to activate a lending unit when a valid prepaid card is received. SOLUTION: Detection signal of an inserted prepaid card 80 is outputted by a card sensor 30, and in response to this detection signal, a card feeding roller 44 is rotated anticlockwise through a motor driven with output current from a motor power circuit 48 and the prepaid card 80 inserted from an insertion port 14a is taken. Recording data of the prepaid card 80 is read and it is transmitted to CPU 20. The lending of equipment 60 is terminated. When an operation switch is operated, the card feeding roller 44 turns clockwise in accordance with the command of a CPU 20, the prepaid car 80 is transmitted toward the insertion port 14a and lending data is recorded in the prepaid card 80.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to equipment for nursing care or recreational use mainly used in hospitals, nursing care facilities, and the like.
The present invention relates to a device for renting various consumer devices for a fee using a prepaid card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in hospitals and nursing homes for the elderly, various devices, such as nursing devices such as air mats and massage devices, recreational devices such as televisions and boomboxes, kitchen appliances, small refrigerators, and other consumer devices. It is becoming more common to rent for a fee. However, the conventional lending method is a method in which a fixed fee is paid in advance, for example, on a weekly basis. There is a problem that lending is troublesome and unprofitable.

[0003] On the other hand, coin-type pay televisions and the like are also used, but when trying to use them, patients and cared persons must always prepare a considerable amount of coins. However, in many cases, these patients and cared persons cannot always manage such money.
In addition, the coin-type lending device has a problem in collecting and securing money. In these facilities, air mats are frequently used to prevent bedridden patients and cared persons from rubbing the floor. This air mat is to be used continuously around the clock until the user is discharged from the hospital, and is used exclusively by rental due to its nature. No facilities were provided for renting out at. It would be extremely advantageous to provide a simple and inexpensive way to rent these devices.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive method for preparing various devices, particularly an air mat, using a prepaid card. An object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be rented. In this specification, the prepaid card includes not only a magnetic recording type card but also all kinds of token money and the like issued for operation of this apparatus in addition to an IC card. Shall be considered.

[0005]

An object of the present invention is to provide a housing having a power supply line connected to a commercial power supply, a front panel provided with a slot for a prepaid card, and a CPU housed in the housing. The card sensor that detects the prepaid card inserted in the housing and transmits the detection signal to the CPU, the inserted prepaid card is picked up, the recorded data is read and transmitted to the CPU, and the lending of the device is completed. A card processor for recording the lending data on a prepaid card and returning or collecting the lending data, an operation switch attached to a front panel of the housing, operated by a user, and an operation signal transmitted to a CPU, and at least one of the operation switches. Part is accommodated in the housing and at least one lending device and, when a valid prepaid card is received, a CP Actuated by a command, it is achieved by equipment rental apparatus comprising a power supply control circuit for operating the equipment for rent.

[0006] The above object is also achieved by lending predetermined equipment, particularly an air mat, with a single-use prepaid card.
This is achieved by an equipment rental device that is used only for a certain period of time. Thus, this equipment lending device includes a housing including a power supply line connected to a commercial power supply, a front panel provided with a slot for a prepaid card, a CPU housed in the housing, and a housing provided in the housing. When the inserted prepaid card is detected and the card sensor for transmitting the detection signal to the CPU, and the inserted prepaid card is picked up, the recorded data is read and transmitted to the CPU, and the validity is confirmed by the CPU. A card processor that records and returns or collects the used card on the prepaid card, at least one lending device at least a part of which is stored in the housing, and when a valid prepaid card is received, And a power supply control circuit that activates the rental equipment for a predetermined time in accordance with a command from the CPU.

Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the lending device is an air mat with an air pump, the air pump is housed in a housing, and the housing has a hose joint for supplying high-pressure air to the air mat. Have. In addition, the device lending device can be configured to lend a single device or a plurality of devices at the same time.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of an air mat lending device using a prepaid card according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an operation switch.

In FIG. 1, 10 is a housing, 20 is a CPU, 30
Is a card sensor, 40 is a card processor, 50 is an operation switch, 60 is a lending device such as an air mat device, 70 is a power control circuit, and 80 is a prepaid card. The housing 10 has a cubic shape, and a front panel 14 provided with a prepaid card insertion port 14a, an operation switch 50, a label indicating a usage method, precautions for use, and the like is provided on a front surface thereof. On the rear side, a connection portion with the power supply line 12, an air hose joint 15 for an air mat 60 for lending, and the like are provided.

The CPU 20 is a central control unit that manages information on the entire apparatus and controls the operation of the apparatus. The card sensor 30 is provided near the insertion port 14 a provided on the front surface of the housing 10, detects the prepaid card 80 inserted and removed from the insertion port 14 a, and transmits a detection signal to the CPU 20. It is recommended that the card sensor 30 directly detect the card, for example, a limit switch or a photoelectric sensor, but it is an indirect type that detects displacement or shock of the card feed roller 44 on the insertion port side. Is also good.

The card processor 40 is controlled by the CPU 20 and is started when the card sensor 30 outputs a detection signal of the inserted prepaid card, and is driven by an output current from the motor power supply circuit 48 (not shown). The card feed rollers 44, 44 are rotated counterclockwise in the drawing via a motor to pick up the inserted prepaid card 80 from the insertion slot 14a, and in the process, read the recorded data of the prepaid card 80 and transmit it to the CPU 20. When the operation of the operation switch 50 is completed and the operation of the operation switch 50 is completed, the card feed rollers 44, 44 are operated in accordance with a command from the CPU 20.
Rotate clockwise to insert the prepaid card 80 into the slot 14.
a, and the lending data is recorded on the prepaid card 80 during the process.

The rental device 60 includes an air pump 62 and an air mat 64, and the air pump 62 is housed in the housing 10. The air mat 64 has a multiplicity of elongated air chambers, and air supply and exhaust from the intake air pump 62 are alternately and rotationally performed in these air chambers, so that the shape of the air mat constantly changes. The pressure ulcer of a patient lying on it is prevented. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the operation switch 50 includes one automatic reset type push button switch 52, a two-position type push button switch 54, a blue lamp 56 indicating that the apparatus is in a standby state,
It consists of a red lamp 58 indicating that equipment is being lent.

The push button switch 52 is pressed by a user who has been using the apparatus when the user stops using the apparatus and tries to collect the prepaid card 80. When the user presses the button, the card is used as described above. The feed rollers 44, 44 are reversed, and the prepaid card 80 is sent out toward the insertion slot 14a. The push button switch 54 is turned on when the user presses it once when the user borrows the device, the power control circuit 70 generates an output current, operates the air pump 62, and supplies compressed air to the air mat 64. .
When the user wants to interrupt or stop using the air mat, the user presses the push button switch 54 again. At that time, the switch is turned off, the output current of the power supply control circuit 70 is cut off, the air pump 62 stops operating, and the air mat
The supply of compressed air to 64 is cut off.

In the above description, the lending device has an operation switch, whereby the lending can be interrupted or stopped at any time. However, the lending device is, for example, an air mat. If the equipment is to be used without interruption all the time, it is recommended that the following arrangement be made in order to simplify the equipment and reduce its cost. That is, the prepaid card to be used is a timer card which is used up at one time, and the operation switch is eliminated.

For this reason, the prepaid card is, for example,
When the card is inserted into the device for one day, one week, etc., the card processor reads the validity and available time, and after transmitting the data to the CPU, returns the prepaid card immediately or Then, the air pump is operated for a predetermined time continuously. To prevent the operation of the air pump from being interrupted due to time out, the device is provided with a credit indicator to display the remaining time and to allow continuous insertion of a plurality of prepaid cards. With this configuration, it is possible to rationalize both the cost of the device and the cost of management, the air mat can be rented at low cost, and the user can use the loan with peace of mind. . This air mat lending device can be combined with the above-described device shown in FIG. 1 so that the air mat can be continuously used and other devices can be lent at any time.

In the above description, only the air mat device is shown as the renting device. However, this is a variety of devices, such as an electric massage device, an electric blanket, a television, a radio cassette player, an electric heating device, It may be a water heater, a small refrigerator, etc., and it is also recommended that these are not limited to a single unit, and that the power supply units of a large number of devices be accommodated and the corresponding power supply control circuits and operation pushbutton switches be provided. It is.

[0017]

According to the present invention, since the present invention is constructed as described above, it is possible for the patient or the cared person to borrow necessary equipment at any time. Since the necessary equipment can be rented out with little manpower for management and no risk of money theft, there is a great benefit in implementing this.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing one embodiment of an air mat lending device using a prepaid card according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of an operation switch.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ・ ・ ・ Housing 12 ・ ・ ・ Power supply line 14 ・ ・ ・ Front panel 14a ・ ・ Inlet 16 ・ ・ ・ Air hose joint 20 ・ ・ ・ CPU 30 ・ ・ ・ Card sensor 40 ・ ・ ・ Card processor 42 ・ ・・ Base plate 44 ・ ・ ・ Card feed roller 46 ・ ・ ・ Magnetic head 48 ・ ・ ・ Motor power circuit 50 ・ ・ ・ Operation switch 52 ・ ・ ・ Automatic return type push button switch 54 ・ ・ ・ Two-position type push button switch 56・ ・ ・ Blue lamp 58 ・ ・ ・ Red lamp 60 ・ ・ ・ Lending equipment 62 ・ ・ ・ Air pump 64 ・ ・ ・ Air mat 70 ・ ・ ・ Power supply control circuit 80 ・ ・ ・ Prepaid card

Claims (4)

[Claims] An apparatus for renting out equipment using a prepaid card, comprising: (1) A power supply line (12) connected to a commercial power supply and a front panel (1) provided with a slot (14a) for a prepaid card
4) and a housing (10) comprising: (2) CPU (20) housed in housing (10). (3) A card sensor (30) for detecting a prepaid card inserted into the housing (10) and transmitting a detection signal to the CPU (20). (4) A card processor that picks up the inserted prepaid card, reads the recorded data and transmits it to the CPU (20), and when the lending of the device is completed, records the lending data on the prepaid card and returns or collects the card. Four
0). (5) It is attached to the front panel (14) of the housing (10) and operated by the user, and the operation signal is transmitted to the CPU (2).
Operation switch (50) transmitted to 0). (6) At least one lending device (60) at least a part of which is accommodated in the housing (10). (7) When a valid prepaid card is accepted, the CP
A power supply control circuit (70) for operating the rental equipment (60) according to the command of U (20). 2. An operation switch (50) and a rental device (60).
The device lending device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of devices are provided. 3. An apparatus for renting a device using a prepaid card, comprising: (1) A power supply line (12) connected to a commercial power supply and a front panel (1) provided with a slot (14a) for a prepaid card
4) and a housing (10) comprising: (2) CPU (20) housed in housing (10). (3) A card sensor (30) for detecting a prepaid card inserted into the housing (10) and transmitting a detection signal to the CPU (20). (4) The inserted prepaid card is picked up, the recorded data is read and transmitted to the CPU (20).
If the validity is confirmed by (20), a card processor (40) that records the used card on the prepaid card (80) and returns or collects it. (5) At least one lending device (60) at least a part of which is accommodated in the housing (10). (6) When a valid prepaid card is accepted, the CP
A power supply control circuit (70) that activates the rental equipment (60) for a certain period of time according to a command from U (20). 4. An air pump (62) for renting equipment (60).
An air mat (64) with an air pump (62) housed in a housing (10), the housing (10) comprising a hose joint (16) for supplying high pressure air to the air mat (64). 3. A device lending device using the prepaid card according to 3.