JPS5814716B2 - Vending machine coin control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a coin control device for a vending machine that prevents running out of change by efficiently utilizing input coins and coins stored in a change coin storage tube.

One of the important issues for improving the sales efficiency of vending machines is to prevent the occurrence of "out of change" as much as possible, and to keep the vending machine always in a state where it can sell.

Therefore, a method of providing an auxiliary coin storage tube exclusively for coin dispensing has recently been proposed in order to reserve extra coins for change.

In addition to the conventional coin storage tube (hereinafter referred to as the main tube) that is automatically refilled with coins inserted, there is also an auxiliary tube dedicated to coin dispensing (hereinafter referred to as the auxiliary tube) that is manually refilled with coins by the vending machine manager. ), the aim is to ensure a sufficient supply of coins for change.

By the way, the problem here is how to detect emptiness regarding the main tube and the auxiliary tube, and whether to switch from the main tube to the auxiliary tube or from the auxiliary tube to the main tube at a certain point.

This is not only to prevent unforeseen situations such as running out of change while dispensing change and making it impossible to fully pay change to the purchaser, but also to ensure that the main tube and auxiliary tube It is also important to efficiently use all the change until the last one, and to avoid an inefficient situation where sales are prohibited even though there is enough change to pay out.

Conventionally, a device for detecting an empty change coin storage tube has been used to detect an empty change coin storage tube at a predetermined position (
There was a device that installed a coin detection switch (empty switch) at the position corresponding to the maximum amount of change (for example, 90 yen) and used the output of this switch to detect when the change was out. If a device is installed for each main tube and auxiliary tube to detect empty for each tube, the number of empty switches will have to increase as the number of main tubes and auxiliary tubes increases, which will increase the cost. In addition to being expensive, the large number of switches occupies a large amount of switch mounting space, resulting in an increase in the size of the coin accepting device of the vending machine, making it unsuitable for practical use.

In addition, if the amount of coins stored falls below the position of each switch, dispensing coins from each tube will be prohibited, so even if there are less than a predetermined amount of coins left in each tube, change will not be given. All necessary vending machines will be prohibited from operating.

The number of coins left in each of these tubes can be quite large (more than enough coins to pay out change) when the main tube and auxiliary tubes are combined, and the coins are sold even though there is change to be paid out. This resulted in an inefficient situation in which the government was banned.

Regarding switching between main tube and auxiliary tube,
A device has been proposed in which a switch for detecting a switching position is further provided in the main tube or the auxiliary tube, in addition to the empty switch.

However, this device has a drawback in that it requires space for mounting a switching position detection switch in addition to the empty switch.

The present invention was made in order to solve the various problems mentioned above, and aims to provide a coin control device for a vending machine that minimizes the occurrence of "out of change".

For this reason, in the present invention, an empty switch is provided only in the main tube, and when the empty switch detects that the amount of coins held in the main tube has become less than a predetermined value, the change is replaced with the inserted coins. The low denomination coins used are counted, and when change is dispensed, switching between the main tube and the auxiliary tube is controlled based on this counted value, so that the inserted coins and the coins held in the main tube and the auxiliary tube can be efficiently used for change. I have to.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The figure shows an embodiment of the coin control device for a vending machine according to the present invention.

The inserted coins are sorted into genuine coins, counterfeit coins, and denominations of 10 yen, 50 yen, and 100 yen by a coin sorting device (not shown), and genuine coins of 10 yen, 50 yen, and 100 yen are inserted. Signals indicative of this are applied to terminals T10, T50, and T100, respectively.

Note that various types of mechanical or electric type coin sorting devices have been proposed, but these devices are not the subject matter of the present invention and will not be described in detail.

Signals indicating the insertion of 50 yen and 100 yen added to terminals T50 and T100 are added to pulse conversion circuit 1, and the amount of money 5 is added to the pulse conversion circuit 1.
It is converted into a pulse signal representing 0 yen and 100 yen and added to the counter 3.

Further, a signal indicating the insertion of 10 yen applied to the terminal T1o is applied to the pulse conversion circuit 1 via the OR circuit 2,
Similarly, it is converted into a pulse signal representing 10 yen and added to the counter 3.

The counter 3 has a vendor signal V which is the output of the AND circuit 4.
E (described in detail later) and a payment signal MU (described in detail later) that is applied from the terminal TMU when the payment button (not shown) is pressed is added as an addition/subtraction command signal via the OR circuit 5. At the start, this signal is normally "0", so the counter 3 is in an addition mode, and sequentially adds up the pulses representing the amount of coins inserted from the pulse conversion circuit 1, thereby counting the total amount of coins inserted.

The counted value K of the counter 3 is added to a subtraction circuit 8.

On the other hand, when a product selection button (not shown) is pressed, a sales price signal indicating the sales set price SP of the selected product is transmitted to the terminal T.
It is added to the temporary storage circuit 7 via SP.

This signal indicating the set sales price SP is temporarily stored in the temporary storage circuit 7 and also applied to the subtraction circuit 8.

A signal indicating the count value K1 of the counter 3, that is, the total input amount, is added to the subtraction circuit 8.
The selling price sp is subtracted from the counted value K (total input amount), and if the subtracted value a (=K-SP) is a≧0, the signal is “1”.
is output, and if a<0, is it a signal? +0 11 is output.

Here, when the output of the subtraction circuit 8 is "0", that is, when a < 0, it means that the total input amount is smaller than the set price of the selected sales product, and the sales conditions are not met and the product cannot be sold. Furthermore, when the output of the subtraction circuit 4 is ``0'', that is, when a≧0, it indicates that the total input amount is more than the set price of the sold product, and the change is not paid out. Even in the case of necessity (a\0), it is shown that sales are possible if the condition that the amount of change coins held is sufficient for dispensing change is satisfied.

By the way, as mentioned above, the vending machine to which the present invention is applied has two coin tubes: a main tube that is automatically refilled with coins inserted as a change coin tube, and an auxiliary change tube that is manually refilled by the administrator of the vending machine (both of which are shown in the figure). (not shown)
In this embodiment, an empty switch SWE is provided at a predetermined location on the main tube to detect when the amount of coins held in the main tube becomes less than a predetermined number.

Furthermore, the auxiliary tube is equipped with an empty switch, and does not directly detect when the auxiliary tube is empty (the amount of coins held has fallen below the maximum amount of change).

Now, if the amount of coins held in the main tube is less than the predetermined number and the empty switch SWE is switched to the contact P1 side as shown in the figure, the signal at the contact P2 is "0",
This signal is inverted by inverter 9, applied to AND circuit 10, and opens AND circuit 10.

As a result, a signal indicating the insertion of a 10 yen coin applied to the terminal T1o is transmitted via the OR circuit 11 and the AND circuit 10.
The number of coins of the minimum denomination (10 yen coins) that are added to the change counter 12 and used as change is counted.

The addition/subtraction command signal for the change counter 12 is obtained by performing an AND condition on the settlement signal MU generated when the settlement button is pressed and the output of the counter 3 in the AND circuit 13, and in this case, "0". and is poised to add.

Furthermore, if the amount of coins held in the main tube exceeds a predetermined number, the entry point E is switched to contact P2 opposite to that shown in the figure, thereby closing the AND circuit 10 and stopping the counting operation of the change counter 12. The change counter 12 is set to the initial value (a predetermined number of change coins corresponding to the position of the empty switch SWB) due to the signal from the line 100.
has been reset to .

In other words, the count value of the change counter 12 indicates that the amount of coins held in the main tube exceeds a predetermined number and the empty switch SWE is activated.
When is switched to the contact P2 side opposite to that shown in the figure, the above initial value is indicated, and when the amount of coins held in the main tube is less than a predetermined number, the empty switch SWB is switched to the contact P1 side as shown in the figure. The value corresponds to the amount of coins held in the main tube.

The output b of the change counter 12 is sent to a comparison circuit 15 via an AND circuit 14 which is opened by the output of the inverter 9.
added to.

The comparison circuit 15 compares the count value a of the subtraction circuit 8 and the count value b of the change counter 12, and if a<b, that is, if the inserted 10 yen coin is equal to or greater than the change equivalent amount a, a signal " 1” to the AND circuit 4, and the AND circuit 4 is opened.
Vendor signal V commanding the start of product sales from terminal TVE
Outputs E.

If the amount of coins held in the main tube is not empty and the empty switch SWE is switched to the contact P2 side,
The output of the inverter 9 is "0", and this signal is applied to the comparator circuit 15 via the line 101, so the comparator circuit 15 does not perform any comparison operation, and sets the output to "1" to indicate that change can be dispensed. show.

The vendor signal VE is sent to the vendor section (not shown) to control the sending out of sales products, and this signal is also sent to the OR circuit 5.
is added to the counter 3 via the addition/subtraction command signal '1'.
'' and set counter 3 to subtraction mode.

Further, the vendor signal VE is applied to the AND circuit 16, thereby opening the AND circuit 16.

As a result, the selling price signal SP stored in the temporary storage circuit 7 is applied to the pulse conversion circuit 1, a pulse signal representing the selling price is added to the counter 3, and the selling price SP is subtracted from the counted value K of the counter 3.

As a result, if the count value K of the counter 3 becomes K=0, it is not necessary to pay out change and the sales operation ends.

However, if the counted value K of the counter 3 is not K≠0, it is necessary to pay out change, and when the settlement button is pressed and a settlement signal is applied from terminal TMU, change is paid out.

Next, the operation of dispensing change will be explained.

The settlement signal MU applied to the terminal TMU and the output K of the counter 3 are applied to the AND circuit 13, and the output K of the counter 3 is applied to the AND circuit 13.
If ≠0, the AND condition of the AND circuit 13 is satisfied, and the signal "1" is added to the change counter 12 to set it to a subtraction mode, and the AND circuit 17 and the AND circuit 18
Add to.

On the other hand, the count value b of the change counter 12 is added to the determination circuit 19, and the determination circuit 19 outputs ``1'' if the count value b is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (for example, the number corresponding to the maximum amount of change).
is output, and when it is below, ``0'' is output.

Further, if the balance switch SwE is switched to the contact P2 side and there is a predetermined number or more of change in the main tube, the determination circuit 19 does not perform the above determination and outputs a signal "1" due to the signal "1" on the line 100. .

Therefore, if the amount of change held in the main tube exceeds the predetermined number, the output of the determination circuit 19 becomes "1'', and this signal is applied to the AND circuit 17.

The output of the inverter 20 is also added to the AND circuit 17, and since this is "1" (this will be explained later), the AND condition of the AND circuit 17 is satisfied, and the signal "
1'' is applied to the main tube coin dispensing control device 22 via the OR circuit 21, and a carrier motor (not shown) is rotated to control the dispensing of coins from the main tube.

Note that a well-known device can be used as the coin dispensing control device 22, and will not be described in detail.

A signal “1” indicating coin dispensing control from the main tube coin dispensing control device 22 is applied to the flip-flop 23;
Set this.

The set output "1" of the flip-flop 23 is applied to an AND circuit 24.

A signal from the carrier switch SW that confirms the payout of coins is applied to the AND circuit 24 via the inverter 25. When one coin is paid out and the carrier switch SW is switched from the position shown in the figure, this signal becomes ``1''. '', the AND condition of the AND circuit 24 is satisfied, and the signal "1" is sent to the change counter 1 via the OR circuit 11 and the AND circuit 10.
In addition to 2, 1 is subtracted from the count value b of the change counter 12.

At the same time, the output "1" of the AND circuit 24 is output from the OR circuit 2.
6 and 2 to the pulse conversion circuit 1, and subtracts a value equivalent to 10 yen from the counted value K of the counter 3.

Further, when one coin is dispensed and the carrier switch SW is switched again as shown in the figure, and the output of the OR circuit 26 falls, this is detected by the falling detection circuit 27, and the detection output "1" causes the flip-flop 23 is reset,
The payout of one coin ends.

Similarly, coins continue to be paid out until the count value of the counter 3 becomes "0" and the AND condition of the AND circuit 13 is no longer satisfied.

In addition, the set output of the flip-flop 23 is the OR circuit 1.
0-2 is applied to the AND circuit 17 via the inverter 20, and the AND condition of the AND circuit 17 is not satisfied while the flip-flop 23 is set, that is, until the payout of one coin is completed. This prevents two or more coins from being paid out at the same time and making it impossible to count them.

In this way, if the amount of coins held in the main tube exceeds a predetermined number and the output of the determination circuit 19 is "1", the AND condition of the AND circuit 17 is satisfied and coins are dispensed only from the main tube. However, when the amount of coins held in the main tube becomes less than a predetermined value (reaches the predetermined value set in the judgment circuit 19), the output of the judgment circuit 19 becomes "0", and this signal is sent to the AND circuit via the inverter 28. Added to 18.

As a result, the AND condition of the AND circuit 18 is satisfied, and a signal "1" is applied to the auxiliary tube coin dispensing control circuit 30 via the OR circuit 29, thereby dispensing coins from the auxiliary tube.

Coin dispensing control from the auxiliary tube is performed in the same manner as the coin dispensing control from the main tube.

That is, the flip-flop 31 is set by a coin dispensing signal from the auxiliary tube coin dispensing control circuit 30, and this set output is applied to an AND circuit 32 to which a signal from the carrier switch SW for confirming the coin dispensing is added. When the AND condition is satisfied, this signal "1" is applied to the pulse conversion circuit 1 via the OR circuits 26 and 2, and a value corresponding to 10 yen is subtracted from the count value of the counter 3.

Incidentally, the flip-flop 31 is reset by the output of the fall detection circuit 27 which detects the fall of the carrier switch SW.

Further, the set output "1" of the flip-flop 31 is applied to the AND circuit 18 via the OR circuit 102 and the inverter 20, so that the AND condition of the AND circuit 18 is not satisfied during the coin dispensing operation.

Note that while change is being paid out from the auxiliary tube, the count value of the change counter 12 does not change, and the amount of coins held in the main tube is the number corresponding to a predetermined value set in the determination circuit 19.

When the coin is empty, even if the coin dispensing signal is output from the auxiliary tube coin detection control device 30 and the flip-flop 31 is set, the carrier switch SW does not operate because the coin is not actually dispensed, and the flip-flop 31 remains set. Become.

The set output "1" of the flip-flop 31 is applied to the timer circuit 33.

The timer circuit 33 is configured to output a signal "1" if the signal "1" continues to be applied for a predetermined time or more, and if the flip-flop 31 is not reset even after a predetermined time elapses after being set, the signal "1" is output. '' is applied to the main tube coin dispensing control device 22 via the OR circuit 21, and coins are dispensed from the main tube in the same manner as described above.

That is, when the amount of coins held in the main tube reaches a predetermined number corresponding to a predetermined value set in the predetermined number determination circuit 19, the change is switched to be dispensed from the auxiliary tube.
Only when the auxiliary tube becomes empty does it return to the main tube and the remaining change is dispensed from the main tube.

Note that when the count value K of the counter 3 reaches O, the payout of change ends.

Also, at the next sale, by inserting a coin, the change counter 12
If the content exceeds the set value of the determination circuit 19, change will of course be dispensed from the main tube.

Further, if the user inserts coins but does not have the intention to sell and presses the checkout button without pressing the product selection button, the inserted coins will be refunded.

This refund operation is performed at the counter 3 in the same way as the change dispensing operation described above.
This is done by paying out coins until the count value K becomes 0.

Furthermore, if a coin gets stuck in the dispensing passage while dispensing change or refund coins from the main tube, or due to a malfunction of the device, the coins are not dispensed and the flip-flop 23 remains set for a predetermined period of time. This is detected by the coin counter 34 (same configuration as the timer 33), and a signal "1" is applied to the auxiliary tube coin dispensing control device 30 via the OR circuit 29, thereby dispensing coins from the auxiliary tube.

Furthermore, if no coins are dispensed from both the main tube and the auxiliary tube and both flip-flops 23 and 31 remain set, the outputs of timers 33 and 34 both become "1", and the AND condition of AND circuit 35 is set. In this case, a signal S indicating a failure is output from the terminal T.

In addition, in the example described in -H, the coin for change is 10
Although only yen coins are used, the same configuration can be made even if 50 yen or other denominations are used as change coins.

For example, change can be paid out using a plurality of denominations by dispensing money from the above denomination and sequentially transferring it to a lower denomination when the amount of change held for this higher denomination becomes empty.

As explained above, according to the present invention, there is an advantage that not only the coins held in the main tube and the auxiliary tube but also the inserted coins can be efficiently used as change, and the occurrence of running out of change can be minimized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a coin control device for a vending machine according to the present invention. 3... Counter, 8... Subtraction circuit, 12... Change counter, 22... Main tube coin dispensing control circuit, 27...
Fall detection circuit, 30... Auxiliary tube coin dispensing control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a vending machine that has a main tube that is automatically refilled with coins inserted and at least one auxiliary tube that is manually refilled, and that determines whether sales with change is possible based on the number of coins held in the main tube. , an empty switch that is arranged at a predetermined height position of the main tube and detects when the number of coins in the main tube is less than a predetermined number; A first predetermined value (■) corresponding to the placement position is reset to 1, and if there is one, the first predetermined value (■) is used as the initial value to add and count the input coins stored in the main tube and to pay out the coins from the main tube. a change counter that subtracts and counts the number of coins; a determination circuit that determines whether the count value of the change counter exceeds a second predetermined value ■2 (■2 <■1); and the determination circuit. When it is determined that the count value of the change counter exceeds the second predetermined value (■2), a main tube coin dispensing control circuit that controls change dispensing from the main tube, and a main tube coin dispensing control circuit that controls the change dispensing from the main tube; When it is determined that the count value of the counter is less than or equal to the second predetermined value ■2, a coin dispensing signal is generated from the auxiliary tube coin dispensing control circuit and the main tube coin dispensing control circuit that control coin dispensing from the auxiliary tube. a first timer that operates the auxiliary tube coin dispensing control circuit in place of the main tube coin dispensing control circuit if the output of a switch for detecting coin dispensing does not occur even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the coin dispensing; and the auxiliary tube. If a switch for detecting coin dispensing does not generate an output even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the coin dispensing signal is generated by the coin dispensing control circuit, the main tube coin dispensing control circuit is activated in place of the auxiliary tube coin dispensing control circuit. and a second timer for operation.