JPS6129107Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a coin return control device for a vending machine.

<Prior Art> There are two types of vending machines: one whose front panel can be opened when replenishing goods or for inspection, and the other whose rear panel can be opened. The latter type is
It is mainly found in vending machines that are built into the walls of buildings (for example, ticket vending machines at stations). With this type of machine, when the administrator opens the back panel, he or she cannot clearly see the purchase status on the front, so he or she may open the back panel while inserting coins, which may cause unexpected inconvenience. For example, if the back panel is opened while a coin is being inserted, or if a coin is inserted after the back panel is opened, there is a risk that the inserted coin will be taken out.

Conventionally, the coin slot was shut off by turning off the power when the back panel was opened, or a signal was generated when the back panel was opened, and this signal was used to prevent coins from being inserted. The opening is blocked off so that coins cannot be accepted when the back panel is opened.

<Problem to be solved by the invention> However, in the former case, when the back panel is opened while coins are being inserted, the counting memory of the coins inserted before the panel is opened is erased by turning off the power. As a result, it becomes impossible to refund the coins you put in. In addition, in the latter case, it is necessary to install wiring to transmit signals, which not only causes the problem of increasing the number of wirings, but also in this case, if the return button is not operated, the inserted coins will not be refunded. It took a lot of trouble.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages. Another purpose of the present invention is that if a sales start signal is issued due to a failure in the interface, etc. even though there is no sales ready signal (even though sales are not possible), the amount invested up to that point can be reduced. The purpose is to prevent any inconvenience caused by refunding everything.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a circuit for detecting that a sales start signal has been generated for a certain period of time or more when a sales ready signal has not been sent. Based on this detection, the coin slot is shut off (coins enter through the slot, but the sorting unit may treat them as counterfeit coins and return them to the return slot).
The same applies hereafter), and coins corresponding to the current count of the input amount addition/subtraction counter are automatically dispensed.

<Operation> The fact that a sales start signal is generated for a certain period of time or longer when no sales enable signal is being sent means that this sales start signal is a fake. That is, in a normal sales operation, a sales start signal is generated after a sales enable signal indicating that sales are possible within the input amount is generated, so when this normal sales operation condition is not met, If a sales start signal is generated, it can be considered as an abnormal sales start signal. According to the present invention, when such an abnormal sales start signal is generated, the coin slot is shut off and the coins accepted up to that point are automatically returned. By generating a sales start signal using the existing sales start signal sending wiring when the back panel is opened, a false sales start signal can be generated. In this way, when the back panel is opened, the coin slot can be automatically shut off and the amount deposited up to that point can be automatically returned, and no special signal wiring is required. According to the present invention, the coin slot is automatically shut off not only when the back panel is opened in this way, but also when a false sales start signal is issued due to a failure of the interface, etc. In addition, the amount invested is automatically returned to prevent trouble.

<Embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the figure, the gist of the present invention is shown in the automatic return control circuit 10, but first, the operation of the entire control device of the vending machine will be briefly explained.

The inserted coins (or banknotes) are detected by denomination by the banknote/coin detection unit 12, and are detected by the addition/subtraction counter 1.
In step 3, the input amount is added and counted. Initially, the signal on the addition/subtraction control line 14 is "0", and the counter 13
is set to add. In the price setting unit 15, selling prices for all products that can be sold by this vending machine are set, and selling price setting signals P ₁ to _{P o} for each product are applied to one comparison input of the comparison circuit 16. The count output of the addition/subtraction counter 13 is added to the other comparison input of the comparison circuit 16.
The comparison circuit 16 compares the amount of coins inserted and the sales price, and outputs a bend signal (sellable signal) corresponding to a product that can be sold (products whose sales price is less than the amount of coins inserted).
V ₁ to V _o are generated. The bend signals V ₁ to _{V o} are generated by the AND circuits 18-1 to 18-n and the signal conversion circuit 17.
-1 to 17-n are supplied to the article discharge device 19. In addition, the AND circuits 18-1 to 18-n
is normally operational.

The article discharge device 19 includes a selection switch (not shown) corresponding to each article, and a bend signal V ₁
~ When you select and press one of the selection switches corresponding to the product where V _o is occurring, the motor for dispensing the selected product is driven, and the selected product is directed toward the product takeout port. Sent out. At the same time, the signal conversion circuit 11 is sent from the article delivery device 19 only in response to the article selected by the selection switch.
-1 to 11-n, product selection signals S ₁ to _{S o}
is supplied and added to AND circuits 20-1 to 20-n. Furthermore, when some selection switch is pressed on the article delivery device 19 and the article is ready to be dispensed, a sales start signal VS is supplied. This sales start signal VS indicates that a sales operation (dispensing operation) of some kind of product is being performed.

The sales start signal VS is applied to the memory circuit 22 via the AND circuit 21. The other input of the AND circuit 21 is the bend signal V ₁ output from the comparison circuit 16.
A circuit is added in which V _o is summarized by an OR circuit 23, and a sales start signal VS generated when the bend circuits V ₁ to _{V o} are generated, that is, when the sales are possible, is selected by the AND circuit 21. , are stored in the storage circuit 22. The sales start signal VS' stored in the memory circuit 22 is input to the AND circuits 20-1 to 20.
-n and the AND circuits 20-1 to 20-n
is enabled, and is applied to the addition/subtraction counter 13 from the OR circuit 24 via the addition/subtraction control line 14 to put the counter 13 in a subtraction mode. Also,
The sales start signal VS' is applied to the comparator circuit 16 and eliminates the bend signals V ₁ -V _o . This is to prevent the comparator circuit 16 from outputting an output while the addition/subtraction counter 13 is performing a subtraction operation.

As described above, when a product selected by one operation of the product selection switch is dispensed, the product selection signal (one of S ₁ to S _o ) corresponding to the product is dispensed.
) is added to the price setting section 15 via an AND circuit (one of 20-1 to 20-n). The price setting unit 15 sets the selling price (P ₁ -S o ) of the selected (currently on sale) product based on the product selection signals (S ₁ -S _o ) given via the AND circuits 20-1 to 20-n. Pulse SP representing one of P _o )
is input to the addition/subtraction counter 13. Since the addition/subtraction counter 13 is ready to add, the price of the sold product is subtracted from the currently stored count value (the input amount or its remaining amount). When dispensing of the selected product is completed (when one operation of the product delivery motor is completed), the sales start signal VS is erased. Accordingly, a reset signal is applied from the inverter 31 to the storage circuit 22 via the OR circuit 32, and the stored signal VS' is erased.

Therefore, the comparator circuit 16 becomes operational again.
Bend signals V ₁ -V _o are generated in accordance with the comparison result between the contents of the addition/subtraction counter 13 representing the remaining amount of coins inserted and the sales price setting signals P ₁ -P _o . In response to the generation of the bend signals V ₁ -V _o , purchasable products are displayed using lamps or the like, and the purchaser operates the desired product selection switch again. Then, in the same manner as described above, the selected product is delivered to the product outlet, and the selling price is subtracted.

A plurality of articles are successively sold by repeating the operation of the article selection switch and the sales operation based thereon as described above. To end the purchase, the purchaser operates the payment switch 25 and operates the change payout control section 26. That is, when the settlement switch 25 is turned on, "1" is stored in the memory circuit 27, and a change payout command is given from the AND circuit 28 to the control section 26 via the OR circuit 29. Other inputs of the AND circuit 28 include a sales start signal.
A signal obtained by inverting VS' by an inverter 30 is given, and even if the settlement switch 25 is turned on during a sales operation, it does not immediately enter the change payout mode, but after the sale ends (VS' goes to "0"). I try to be ready to pay out change when the machine goes down. In addition, the memory circuit 27
The output "1" is inverted by the inverter 33, making all the AND circuits 18-1 to 18-n inoperable and inhibiting the bend signals _V1 to _Vo . The change payout control unit 26 receives the count contents (change amount) of the addition/subtraction counter 13, and pays out coins corresponding to the amount based on the change payout command from the OR circuit 29. A signal representing the coins dispensed is applied to the addition/subtraction counter 13 via line 34. In addition, the change payout control unit 26 outputs a signal “1” instructing the subtraction mode.
is applied to the OR circuit 24 and supplied to the addition/subtraction counter 13 via the addition/subtraction control line 14. Therefore,
The coin payout amount is sequentially subtracted in the counter 13, and coins are paid out until the contents of the addition/subtraction counter 13 become zero. When the contents of the counter 13 become zero, a reset signal _R0 is generated.

Incidentally, the change payout command or the sales start signal VS' outputted from the OR circuit 29 is applied to the coin rejection electromagnetic control unit (CREM) 36 via the OR circuit 35, and at the time of starting the sale or paying out the change (the counter 13 is in a decrement state). the control unit 36)
The insertion of coins for sale is prohibited by blocking the coin input port or by blocking the passage within the coin sorting device and guiding the inserted coins to the return port.

Next, the automatic return control circuit 10 will be explained.
The automatic return control circuit 10 uses the AND circuit 37 and the timer 38 to confirm that the sales start signal VS has been generated for a certain period of time or more when the bend signals V ₁ to V _o have not been generated, and then automatically returns the product. signal
Generate ART. The AND circuit 37 receives the sales start signal VS sent from the article delivery device 19, a signal obtained by inverting the bend signal (sale enable signal) output from the OR circuit 23 by an inverter 39, and the output VS' of the storage circuit 22. The signals inverted by the inverter 40 are respectively input. When the bend signals V ₁ to V _o are not generated, the output of the inverter 39 is "1", and when the sales start signal VS is generated at that time, the condition of the AND circuit 37 is satisfied, and the SD flip-flop 41 and the OR circuit are A sales start signal VS is stored in a storage circuit consisting of 42 and an AND circuit 43.

In addition, during normal sales operation (i.e. bend signal
If the sales start signal VS is generated while V ₁ to V _o is being generated, the sales start signal is also stored in the storage circuit 22.
When VS' is stored, the bend signals V ₁ to V _o are erased and the output of the inverter 39 becomes "1".
Since the inverted signal "0" is applied to the AND circuit 37, the condition of the AND circuit 37 is not satisfied.

Therefore, the condition of the AND circuit 37 is satisfied only when the sales start signal VS is generated even though the sales conditions are not actually established.

The output "1" of the AND circuit 37 is input to the SD flip-flop 41 via the OR circuit 42, where it is delayed by one bit time and output. SD
The flip-flop 41 is a circuit that delays an input signal by one bit time (one period of a clock pulse) and outputs the delayed signal. SD flip-flop 41
The output of is input to the timer 38 and also to the AND circuit 43 for self-holding. AND circuit 4
Other inputs of 3 include the output of timer 38 and counter 1.
Reset signal that becomes “1” when the content of 3 is zero
A signal obtained by inverting R ₀ by the inverter 44 is added,
The output is returned to the SD flip-flop 41 via the OR circuit 42.

The timer 38 delays the input signal for a predetermined period of time and outputs it. If the input signal falls before the delay time elapses, no output is generated. Time 3
Reference numeral 8 is provided to remove noise, and its delay time is set to an appropriate time suitable for noise removal. When the output of the timer 38 is "0", the AND circuit 43 is inactive and the SD flip-flop 41 is not held.

Therefore, the noise may temporarily cause a sales start signal.
When VS occurs, the output of the timer 38 does not become "1" and the automatic return signal ART is not generated.

When the back panel is opened by the vending machine manager, a vending start signal VS is generated. Since this sales start signal VS is not generated by a normal sales operation, the bend signals V ₁ to V _o are generated at that time.
has not occurred, and the condition of the AND circuit 21 is not satisfied, but the condition of the AND circuit 37 is satisfied. Signal VS
occurs for a longer time than the delay time of the timer 38, the output of the timer 38 becomes “1” and an automatic return signal is generated.
Joins OR circuit 29 as ART. OR circuit 2
With the output "1" of 9, the change dispensing control section 26 becomes ready for changing change dispensing, and the coin rejection electromagnetic control section 36 is activated via the OR circuit 35, thereby blocking the coin slot. Further, the output "1" of the timer 38 enables the self-holding AND circuit 43, and the signal VS is self-held by the SD flip-flop 41. Note that when the content of the counter 13 is zero, the reset signal _R0 is "1" and the output of the inverter 44 is "0", so the AND circuit 4
3 does not operate, and the SD flip-flop 41 does not enter a self-holding state.

If no coins have been inserted when the back panel is opened and the sales start signal VS is generated, the contents of the counter 13 will be zero. Therefore, even if the automatic return signal ART is generated, the coins will not be dispensed and the coin slot will only be blocked.

If the back panel is opened and the sales start signal VS is generated when a small amount of coin is inserted that is not enough to generate the head signals V ₁ to V _o , the counter 13 shows the amount of money inserted so far. Content is retained. Therefore, when the automatic return signal ART is given, the change payout control unit 26 performs control to return the coins that have been inserted so far based on the contents of the counter 13. Of course, the coin slot is also blocked at the same time. When all the inserted coins are returned, the contents of the counter 13 become zero and a reset signal _R0 is generated. This reset signal _R0 releases the self-holding of the SD flip-flop 41 and erases the automatic return signal ART.

<Effects of the invention> As explained above, according to the invention, if a sales start signal is generated when a bend signal (sale ready signal) is not generated, the coins that have been inserted up to that point are automatically returned. Therefore, if the back panel is opened while coins are being inserted, or if an abnormal sales start signal is issued before the amount inserted reaches the sellable amount, the coins inserted so far will be automatically returned. This will prevent any damage to the purchaser.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figure is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a vending machine to which the present invention is applied. 10... Automatic return control circuit, 36... Coin rejection electromagnetic control unit, 38... Timer, 41... SD flip-flop.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It has an addition/subtraction counter that adds and counts the input amount and subtracts the sales price and the amount of change paid out or returned, and sells when it is possible to sell based on the comparison of the contents of this counter and the sales price. In a vending machine that sends out a sales enable signal and also generates a sales start signal when selling a product, a circuit that detects that the sales start signal has been generated for a certain period of time or more when the sales enable signal is not being sent out. A coin return control device for a vending machine, which shuts off a coin slot based on this detection and automatically dispenses coins corresponding to the current count of the counter.