JPS61282991A - Residue detector for liquid of automatic beverage vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for detecting remaining snow in a liquid in a storage container for storing liquid such as syrup in a beverage vending machine.

Conventional technology In a vending machine, a pair of electrodes is provided in a reservoir for storing syrup as a device for detecting the remaining amount of liquid such as syrup to be sold, and the device detects whether the stored amount of liquid has fallen below a specified amount or not. That is, a device that detects whether a product is sold out or not is common.

An example of the above-mentioned conventional liquid level detection device will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows an electrical circuit diagram of a conventional liquid level detection device. In Fig. 3, a pair of electrodes 2 and 3 for detecting the amount of syrup stored is provided at an appropriate height level in the reservoir 1 for storing syrup, and when the amount of syrup stored is more than a predetermined amount. When both electrodes 2 and 3 are immersed in syrup, the electrical resistance between them becomes low, while when the syrup decreases and one electrode 2 is exposed from the syrup, the resistance between both 2 and 3 decreases. is designed to be high.

One electrode 2 is connected via a resistor 8 to a secondary winding 6 of a power transformer 7 connected to a commercial AC power source 4 . Further, Zener diodes 9 and 10 connected in series in opposite directions are connected to the electrode 2, and a voltage obtained by shaping the output voltage of the secondary winding 6 into a rectangular waveform is connected to the electrode 2, as shown in FIG. 4a. is applied.

A differentiating circuit 14 made up of a capacitor 12 and a resistor 13 is connected to the other lotus 3, and the output terminal 14 & of this differentiating circuit 14 is connected to the resistor 1 through a rectifying diode 16.
An integrating circuit 19 configured using 6 and 17 and a capacitor 18 is connected.

With this configuration, when there is a predetermined amount or more of the syrup 11, the electrode 2
When the zero resistance between and 3 is low, a high voltage rectangular wave is obtained at the electrode 3. This rectangular wave is differentiated by the differentiating circuit 14 and outputs a differential signal S2 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4d, a large DC signal S4 representing the level of the syrup is generated.
(hereinafter referred to as liquid level signal) is obtained.

When the amount of syrup 11 becomes lower than that of electrode 2, the resistance between electrodes 2 and 3 increases, the voltage appearing at electrode 3 decreases, and the liquid level signal S4 obtained from the integrating circuit 19 decreases. The output terminal 19a is connected to one input terminal 20a of a level detector 20 constituted by a comparison circuit using an operational amplifier. The other input terminal of the level detector 2o receives a voltage of V from the reference power supply 21. A constant reference signal is applied at The level detector 2o is connected to the top 2. The liquid level signal S4 applied from the integrating circuit 19 with a large amount of liquid is the reference signal V. 9, the output goes to low level °L# and the relay 23 is turned off via the output circuit 22, while the syrup amount becomes a level lower than the electrode 2 and the liquid level signal S4 becomes the reference signal v. ,.

When it becomes lower than , the output of the level detector 20 becomes a level "H'", which turns on the relay 23 and generates a sell-out signal.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the method described above, it is only possible to determine whether the syrup has sold out or not, and the sales situation of the syrup is not good. In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a liquid remaining amount detection device that can clearly determine the remaining amount of syrup in a storage container. I'll go.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the liquid remaining amount detection device in the liquid beverage vending machine of the present invention includes a sales signal generating means for generating a sales signal when a sale is made. The monitoring counter is equipped with a monitoring counter for monitoring the remaining amount of liquid, a display means for displaying the contents of the monitoring counter, and an input means for inputting an initial value into the monitoring counter. Each time a sales signal obtained from the sales signal generating means is generated, one unit is subtracted from the value of the monitoring counter, and the contents of the monitoring counter are displayed on the display means. Monitor the remaining amount of
By monitoring, you can ensure that liquid beverage sales are unsatisfactory.
When replacing the storage container, the number of cups of liquid remaining in the previously installed storage container is displayed on the display means, making it possible to clearly indicate the remaining amount of liquid.

Example Below, regarding a liquid remaining amount detection device according to an example of the present invention,
2 is a schematic diagram of a general beverage circuit, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electric circuit according to the present invention.

In FIG. 2, 26 is an ice maker, 2e is a syrup reservoir, 27 is a syrup storage container, 28 is a pair of electrodes for detecting the syrup level in the syrup reservoir, 2
9 is a syrup valve that opens and closes the discharge of syrup; in FIG. 1, 3o is a product selection switch; 31 is a sales signal generating means that generates a sales signal for a predetermined time when the product selection switch 30 is pressed; During product sales, no sales signal is generated even if the product selection switch 3o is pressed.
32 is a keyboard for inputting the initial value of the monitoring counter; 33 is a monitoring counter for monitoring the remaining amount of syrup in the storage container; and 34 is a display means for displaying the contents of the monitoring counter.

The operation of the method for detecting the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid beverage vending machine configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a general beverage circuit, and when the product selection switch 3O (FIG. 2) is pressed, the ice maker 2
5. After the ice is discharged, the syrup drink 29 is opened for a predetermined period of time, and a certain amount of syrup is discharged. After that, it is diluted with dilution water and sold as one serving of syrup drink.

In 202 vending machines, syrup storage container 2
Explain 7! At this time, the amount of liquid in the storage container 27 installed on the monitoring counter 33, that is, the number of cups that can be sold, is input using the keyboard 32. For example, suppose that CO is input at this time. This input value is displayed on the display means 34. and,
When a sale is performed, that is, when the product selection switch is pressed, "H" is input to the sales signal generating means 31, and the "H" signal is output from the sales signal generating means 31.

Then, by supplying the @H# signal to the do%'/n terminal of the monitoring counter 33 for a predetermined period of time, one unit is subtracted from the content of the monitoring counter 33, and at this time, the content of the monitoring counter 33 is -Co-1 ”. Then, this content is displayed on the display means 34, so that every time a sale is made, the pick-up product selection switch 3o is pressed, and the down terminal of the monitoring counter 33 is sent from the sales signal generation means 31. Each time "H'H" is supplied for a predetermined period of time, the contents of the monitoring counter 33 are decremented by one unit, and the contents of the monitoring counter 33 are displayed on the display means 34.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when a sale is made,
A sales signal generation means 31 that generates a sales signal; and a monitoring counter 33 that monitors the remaining amount of liquid in the installed storage container.
, a display means 34 for displaying the contents of the monitoring counter 33, and an input means 32 for inputting an initial value into the monitoring counter 33; 33, and when the "H" signal is output from the sales signal generating means 31, the monitoring counter 3
By subtracting 1 unit from the value of 3 and displaying the contents of the monitoring counter 33 on the display means 34 to monitor the remaining amount of liquid in the storage container, if the sales of liquid beverages are unsatisfactory and the storage container needs to be replaced, The display means makes it clear how many cups of liquid remain in the storage container that has been installed so far.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention provides a sales signal generation means for generating a sales signal when a sale is made, a monitoring counter for monitoring the remaining amount of liquid, a display means for displaying the contents of the monitoring counter, and a monitoring system. an input means for inputting an initial value into the counter, the input means inputs the amount of liquid in the installed storage container to the monitoring counter, and the sales signal obtained from the sales signal generation means is By subtracting one unit from the value of the monitoring counter each time a liquid beverage occurs and displaying the content on the display means to monitor the remaining amount of liquid in the storage container, if the storage container is replaced due to unsatisfactory liquid beverage storage. Now, you can clearly see how many cups of liquid are left in the storage container that you have installed so far.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electric circuit in a liquid remaining amount detection device in a beverage vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a schematic diagram of the beverage circuit in Figure 1, Figure 3 is an electric circuit diagram of a conventional liquid level detection device, and Figures 4a to 4d are the output voltage signals s of the detection device in Figure 3, respectively. s2. s3. s4
FIG. 31...Means for generating a sales signal, 32...
- Input means, 33...Monitoring counter, 34...
...Display means. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person
11!1 31-11 shellfish and 11 carp departure from Ushi 1 2 Figure + Higashigi

Claims (1)

[Claims] a sales signal generating means for generating a sales signal when a sale is made; a monitoring counter for monitoring the remaining amount of liquid; a display means for displaying the contents of the monitoring counter; and inputting an initial value into the monitoring counter. input means, the input means inputs the amount of liquid in the installed storage container to the monitoring counter, and each time a sales signal obtained from the sales signal generation means is generated, one unit is input from the value of the monitoring counter. A liquid remaining amount detection device for a beverage vending machine, characterized in that the remaining amount of liquid in the storage container is monitored by subtraction, and the contents of the monitoring counter are displayed on a display means.