JPH1139554A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic vending machine with which operation can be remarkably simplified when changing the relation of correspondence between a selection button and a column. SOLUTION: A conveying mechanism 13 for conveying merchandise taken out of each column 12 to a take-out port, a bill burr 14, a coin mechanism 15 and an amount display and control panel 16 are connected to a control part 11 of an automatic vending machine 1. The control partel 16 is provided with a mode changeover switch 17 for setting an operating mode of the automatic vending machine 1 from a vending mode to a correspondence change mode for changing the relation of correspondence between a selection button 4 and a column 12 and a function changeover switch 18. A column number area successively storing column numbers set for each column 12 and a button number area storing the button number of the select button 4 corresponding to each column 12 for each column number are set on the memory 22. Thus, a worker changes the relation of correspondence between the selection button 4 and the column 12 by operating the selection button 4 for the destination of a change and the selection button 4 as a change object.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the following description, a vending machine for selling various products such as tobacco and soft drinks will be described.
In such a vending machine, products to be sold are stacked and stored in a plurality of columns provided in the vending machine. A column number is set for each of these columns. A selection button for selecting a product to be purchased is arranged on the front of the vending machine, and is associated with a plurality of product samples displayed on the front of the vending machine. Button numbers are also set for these plurality of selection buttons. A control device such as a microcomputer mounted on a vending machine scans a switch matrix including a selection button, and when a desired one of the selection buttons is pressed, the operated selection button is detected. . Next, the transport mechanism installed in the column associated with the operated selection button is operated, and the product stored in the column is transported to the product outlet of the machine.

Here, the correspondence between each selection button and each column may be changed due to the release of a new product or a change in a hot selling product. In a conventional vending machine, when the change of the correspondence is set, the following operation is performed. First, the front door of the vending machine is opened, and the vending machine is set to the correspondence change mode by operating the operation panel installed inside. At this time, all the button numbers of the plurality of selection buttons are sequentially displayed by the control device, or all the button numbers are sequentially displayed by an operation of an operator. When each button number is displayed, the user inputs the column number of the column in which the product desired to be set is stored in the selection button of the displayed button number using the numeric keypad or the like of the operation panel. In this case, since all the button numbers are sequentially displayed, the operator must input the column number regardless of whether the button needs to be changed or the selection button does not need to be changed. I have to.

[0004]

In the case of such a conventional vending machine, as described above, it is necessary to always enter the column numbers for all the selection buttons regardless of whether or not the correspondence relationship needs to be changed. There is a problem that the operation of changing the correspondence requires a great deal of trouble.

[0005] The invention of claim 1 has been made to solve the above problem, and an object of the invention is to greatly simplify the trouble of changing the correspondence between a selection button and a column. It is to provide a vending machine.

[0006]

In a vending machine according to the present invention, a plurality of types of products to be sold are stored in a plurality of columns, respectively. A plurality of selection buttons for selecting an associated column by operation to select a product for sale are arranged on the front of the machine body, and identification data is set for each of the buttons. In addition, display means is arranged on the front of the body. When the vending machine of the present invention is set to the operation mode for changing the correspondence between the column and the selection button, the worker can change the correspondence already associated with the corresponding column of the selection button to be changed. One or more change destination selection buttons are operated. The control means detects this operation and sequentially displays the identification data of the change destination selection button on the display means. The operator operates the selection button to be changed when displaying one piece of identification data. The control means detects this operation and changes the association destination of the change target selection button to a column already associated with the change destination selection button.

Thus, when the correspondence between the selection button and the column is to be changed, the correspondence can be changed only by operating the change destination selection button and the change target selection button. This eliminates the need to set the correspondence for all of the selection buttons, and greatly reduces the time and effort required to change the correspondence.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments.

1 to 4 show one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a vending machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the contents stored in a memory provided in the vending machine 1, and FIG. Machine 1
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of this embodiment.

Hereinafter, the structure of the vending machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The vending machine 1 of the present embodiment sells products such as drinking water and cigarettes as an example, and a display section 3 for products in a plurality of stages is provided on the front surface of the front door 2.

On the front face of the front door 2, a selection button 4 for goods, a bill insertion slot 5, a coin insertion slot 6, a money amount indicator 7 for displaying the inserted money amount, and a return lever operated at the time of change refund. 8, a return port 9 for returning change, and a product outlet 10 are provided. The select button 4 has a built-in sellable lamp for identifying whether or not the product selected according to the inserted amount is available for sale and a sold-out lamp for displaying a sold-out state.

Hereinafter, the electrical configuration of the vending machine 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The vending machine 1 is provided with a control unit 11 realized by a microcomputer or the like as an example, and a plurality of columns 12 arranged inside the front door 2 are connected to the control unit 11 and stored therein. The presence or absence of a product and the removal of the product from each column 12 are performed. In the column 12, products such as cigarettes are stacked and stored, for example. A take-out device for taking out the product in the column 12 is provided near each lower end of the column 12, and the connection of the column 12 to the control unit 11 is actually performed by connecting the control unit 11 to the take-out device. Becomes In each column 12, column numbers [1] to [n] are set for each column 12. The selection button 4 on the front surface of the front door 2 is also connected to the control unit 11. Each selection button 4 is arranged at a position corresponding to each product sample on the front surface of the front door 2 of the vending machine 1, and each column 12
Is associated with. Button numbers “1” to “m” are set for each selection button 4. Sold-out lamp 26 built in each select button 4 as described above.
And the sellable lamp 27 is also connected to the control unit 11, respectively.

The control unit 11 includes a transport mechanism 13 for transporting the products taken out from the respective columns 12 to the take-out opening 10, a bill burr 14 for receiving inserted bills, and a receiving process for inserted coins. , A money indicator 15 and an operation panel 16 used for switching the operation mode of the vending machine 1 as will be described later. The operation panel 16 includes a mode changeover switch 17 for setting the operation mode of the vending machine 1 from a vending mode to a corresponding change mode for changing a corresponding relationship between the selection button 4 and the column 12, which will be described later. A function changeover switch 18 is provided to advance the step work step by step. Control unit 11
Is provided with a CPU (Central Control Unit) 19 and an I / O port 20, a timer 21 and a memory 22 for inputting and outputting data and signals with the outside.

The data shown in FIG. 2 is stored in the memory 22 in a freely writable / readable manner. That is, memory 2
2 is a column number area 23 in which the column numbers [1] to [n] set for each column 12 as described above are sequentially stored, and the selection button 4 in which each column 12 is associated with each other. Button numbers “1” to “m” are set in a button number area 24 stored for each column number. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2A, column numbers [1], [1], [2], [2], It is assumed that the columns 12 in [3] correspond to each other.

Hereinafter, an outline of the operation of the vending machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. Using the vending machine 1 of this embodiment, the correspondence between the selection button 4 having the button number “3” and the column 12 having the column number “1” is changed between the correspondences shown in FIG. An operation of changing the correspondence between the selection button 4 having the button number “2” and the column 12 having the column number [3] will be described as an example. An operator who intends to set the correspondence change opens the front door 2 of the vending machine 1 and operates the mode changeover switch 1 of the internal operation panel 16.
7 is operated to switch the vending machine 1 from the vending operation mode to the correspondence change mode. Thereafter, the processing of FIG. 4 is started. In step a1, the selection button 4 to be changed is pressed to press the selection button 4 already associated with the column 12 to be selected. In the case of this example, first, the selection button 4 of one button number “1” of one or a plurality of selection buttons 4 associated with the column 12 of the selection destination column number [1] is operated. I do.
Of course, if the selection button 4 is associated with the column 12 of the column number [1], the selection button 4 of another button number may be operated.

Selection button 4 to be changed in step a1
Is operated, the controller 11 turns on the sold-out lamp 13 of the selection button 4 having the button number "1" in step a2. In step a3, for example, it is determined whether or not the operation of the change destination selection button 4 by the operation of the function changeover switch 18 of the operation panel 16 has been completed. If this determination is negative, the process returns to step a1 and the operator
The selection button 4 of the button number "5" associated with the column 12 of the selection destination column number [3] is operated. Also in this case, the corresponding sold-out lamp 13 is turned on in step a2. When all the pressing operations of the selection button 4 to be changed are completed, the operator operates the function changeover switch 18 of the operation panel 16 to instruct the end of the operation of the change destination selection button 4.

At this time, the control unit 11 determines in step a4 that
The button numbers “1” and “5” of the selection button 4 operated as the change destination are sequentially displayed on the money amount display 7. In this example, the button number “1” is displayed first. At this time, the control unit 11 turns on the sellable lamp 14 corresponding to the selection button 4 already associated with the column number [1] in step a5. In step a6, the operator operates the selection button 4 to be changed. In this example, the selection button 4 of the button number “3” is operated. Step a7
Then, the control unit 11 makes the column number area 2 of the memory 22
In 3, the column number corresponding to the button number "3" is rewritten to the column number [1] of the change destination. The contents of the memory 22 after the rewriting are as shown in FIG. In step a8, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the mode change switch 17 is operated again to end the correspondence change mode.

If the correspondence change mode has not ended, the process returns to step a4, and the button number "5" is displayed.
At this time, the control unit 11 turns on the sellable lamp 14 corresponding to the selection button 4 already associated with the column number [3] in step a5. In step a6, the operator operates the selection button 4 to be changed.
In this example, the selection button 4 of the button number “2” is operated. At step a7, the control unit 11 rewrites the column number corresponding to the button number "2" in the column number area 23 of the memory 22 with the column number [3] to be changed. The stored contents of the memory 22 after rewriting are shown in FIG.
As shown in (3). In step a8, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the mode change switch 17 is operated again to end the correspondence change mode. In this example, since all the operations have been completed, as an example, the mode change switch 17 is operated to return the operation mode of the vending machine 1 from the correspondence change mode to the normal sales mode.

Thus, in the vending machine 1 of this embodiment, when the correspondence between the selection button 4 and the column 12 is to be changed, the selection button 4 to be changed and the selection button 4 to be changed are The change of the correspondence is realized only by pressing the. This eliminates the need to set the correspondence relations for all the selection buttons 4 as in the related art, and greatly reduces the trouble of the correspondence change operation.

The embodiments described above are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. The present invention
The present invention has a wide variety of modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0021]

According to the vending machine of the present invention, the operator selects one or a plurality of change destinations to which the correspondence already associated with the association column of the selection button to be changed is to be changed. When the button is operated, the control means detects this operation and sequentially displays the identification data of the change destination selection button on the display means, and when displaying one piece of identification data, the operator selects the selection button to be changed. Was operated. The control means detects this operation and changes the association destination of the change target selection button to a column already associated with the change destination selection button.

Thus, when the correspondence between the selection button and the column is to be changed, the correspondence can be changed only by operating the change destination selection button and the change target selection button. This eliminates the need to set the correspondence for all of the selection buttons, and greatly reduces the time and effort required to change the correspondence.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vending machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing storage contents of a memory 22;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the vending machine 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vending machine 4 Selection button 11 Control part 12 Column 16 Operation panel 17 Mode switch 18 Input end switch 22 Memory 23 Column number area 24 Button number area 25 Group data area

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of columns in which a plurality of products are stored, respectively, identification data are set, and the associated columns are selected by an operation to select a product to be sold. A plurality of selection buttons, display means disposed on the front of the aircraft, and an operation mode for changing the correspondence between the column and the selection button, which is already associated with a column to which the selection button to be changed is associated. The operation of one or more change destination selection buttons is detected, the identification data of the change destination selection button is sequentially displayed on the display means, and the change target selection button is displayed when one identification data is displayed. A vending machine comprising: control means for detecting an operation and changing a correspondence destination of a change target selection button to a column already associated with the change target selection button.