RO128785B1 - Automatic dispenser for water canisters - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a vending machine for the delivery / sale of large volume containers, of the type of mineral / flat water cans with various volumes (minimum 1 liter) or with any other liquid content, of bottles / containers used for the sale of various liquid products non-food (gas cylinders), as well as any other products whose volume and geometric shape fall into the category covered by the products listed above.

In practice, a multitude of types of vending machines are known, generally specialized in packaged food products (snacks, drinks, etc.), with standard dimensions and a weight not exceeding 500 g - 1 kg. These types of vending machines generally use specialized brewing systems (in the case of brewed coffee, or fresh fruit juices) or devices with spiral delivery devices, which generally sell standard products with a maximum volume of 1 kg (sandwich, snacks, juices, etc.).

There is currently an explosion in the use of bottled water in the world, which has largely led to the widespread sale of vending machines for all categories of containers containing water, whether pure or mineral.

Consumer demand for bottled water is met in a variety of ways. One way is through services that provide dispensers ("water coolers") and that also provide delivery and maintenance services. This mode of delivery and service is expensive, as the consumer has to pay for the dispenser, the pick-up / delivery service, as well as for the bottled water itself. This has led to the sale of bottled water available in containers, to the retail purchase, from the retail markets. However, bottled water is only available when the market is open and the water is generally not made available in a cold, drinkable, invigorating state.

An alternative way to supply bottled water is through water supply machines, which allow consumers to bring large empty water bottles to be refilled. While these recharging stations may be convenient, the water filters inside the machines may not always cleanly provide pure water. There is also a risk of contamination if the consumer has not cleaned his filling bottle sufficiently. It is therefore desirable to provide an automatic vending machine for the supply of large, heavy containers of fluid-containing products, such as water, which can be accessed at any time of the day or night.

Numerous vending machines of different types of products and product containers are known. However, relatively few existing vending machines are intended for use with large containers of heavy products, such as larger than 1 liter. The maintenance and distribution of such products in large containers presents problems due to their considerable weight, when these containers are full. If this heavy container is placed at the end, all the pressure is borne by the hold-off mechanism. Moreover, when the lowest placed glass is distributed, the remaining bottles simply fall due to the heavy weight.

However, there are specialized delivery / sales machines on large, heavy containers. In this respect, an automaton is known which can be adapted for use with large containers, which is the subject of patent application US 5967364. The described system contains an oscillating element which allows the release of a container. However, there is no damping mechanism to reduce or slow down the movement of the containers when the lowest container is delivered, so that even the oscillating hold could be easily damaged under the weight of the containers above.

RO 128785 Β1

There is also known a machine for selling large water containers, which is the subject of US patent application 2006/0263188, and which has a support structure for a large capacity water bottle. This invention uses one or more 3 support pistons, but is not designed for use with multiple bottles.

There is also known a machine for selling large containers of water 5 (US 2011/0060693), which contains an internal damping mechanism, as part of the means of supporting heavy containers of products, to allow slowing down the movement of 7 containers off the road. Each damping mechanism includes a pivoting end panel attached to the frame, one or more springs to support the 9 end panel in an extended position, and a compressible support member such as a piston with air, gas or filled with oil, to slow down the circulation of the panel when 11 supports the heavy container. This slows down the downward movement of the container, avoiding breaking or damaging the container. Also, the machine according to 13 US 2011/0060693 is provided with a frame that supports a multitude of pairs of adjustable rails, for holding large containers of products of different sizes. 15

The disadvantage of this solution is that the delivery mechanism does not simultaneously present the product to the customer in a shape / position so that it 17 (the product) can be easily picked up automatically, nor does it provide such a remote control. in terms of mechanical, electronic operation, diagnosis, as well as in terms of the management of stocks entered / delivered through the vending machine.

The technical problem solved by the invention consists in the delivery / sale of products 21 with large volumes without their deterioration, with a remote control both in terms of mechanical operation, electronics, diagnosis, and in terms of management of 23 incoming stocks / delivered through the vending machine, in conditions of low energy consumption. 25

The vending machine for the delivery / sale of large volume containers according to the invention comprises one or more warehouses in which one or more large volume containers are stored for sale, a mechanism for extracting the product requested by the customer from the warehouse , a delivery mechanism that simultaneously performs the presentation 29 of the product to the customer in a shape / position so that it can be easily taken over automatically, a computerized management and control system, through which the distributor is 31 remotely managed both in terms of mechanical, electronic operation, diagnosis, as well as in terms of management of stocks entered / delivered through it, and an assembly of automatic collection of the price of the product, and some servomechanisms for operating the product extraction mechanism, the mechanism of 35 delivery, the computerized system and the collection assembly, all of which can be powered you with solar energy. 37

By applying the invention the following advantages are obtained:

- product delivery services are provided (eg mineral water cans 39 payment of at least 5 I) under very low operating cost conditions;

- through the centralized remote control system, orders can be issued and 41 data can be transferred in real time, so as to achieve a significant saving of maintenance and operating costs (respectively, an operator can thus manage an unlimited number 43 vending machines);

- the delivered / sold products are presented in the natural position of taking over and lifting the product, as if they were delivered by a seller - natural person;

- the positioning of the products in the vending machine warehouse leads to 47 maximizing the storage capacity;

RO 128785 Β1

- solves the problem of the distribution of basic necessities and regular consumption, in areas and locations where this would be possible only at very high costs. For example, deliveries of plain mineral water cans in the vicinity of homes, in poorly supplied rural areas, or where the groundwater does not provide drinking water, or there is no possibility of digging wells, in desertified areas or in the process of desertification, etc., but and deliveries of gas cylinders to rural / suburban areas, and deliveries of any other products packaged in other forms (boxes, bags), necessary for household consumption (eg cereals, detergents, building materials, etc.).

An embodiment of the invention is given below in connection with FIG. 1 ... 17, which represents:

- fig. 1 - block diagram of the vending machine for delivery / sale of large volume containers, according to the invention;

- fig. 2 ... 4 - overview of the distributor for the delivery / sale of large volume containers, in 3 constructive variants, made particularly for flat mineral water cans of minimum 5 I;

- fig. 5 a, b, c - overview of the internal mechanisms of the distributor, according to the invention, in various working positions;

- fig. 6 a, b, c, d - overview of constructive types of warehouses A;

- fig. 7 a, b, c, d - overview of extraction mechanism produced in various functional positions;

- fig. 8 - delivery mechanism;

- fig. 9 - overview of the delivery room;

- fig. 10 - block diagram of the computerized management and control system;

- fig. 11 ... 17 - software organization chart implemented on the computerized management and control system.

The vending / delivery vending machine that is the object of the present invention consists of a metal structure / housing 1 (fig. 2, 3,4) which has the role of mechanical protection and thermal insulation of all internal mechanisms that make up the vending machine.

In essence, this distributor - fig. 1 - has in its composition one or more warehouses A in which one or more types of products are kept for sale (for example, 4 ... 6 types of flat mineral water cans, for current domestic consumption); it also consists of: a mechanism for extracting B from the warehouse A of the product requested by the customer; a delivery mechanism C which simultaneously performs the presentation of the product to the customer in a form / position so that it (the product) can be easily taken over automatically, and a computerized management and control system D, whereby the distributor according to the invention is managed remotely both in terms of mechanical, electronic operation, diagnosis, and in terms of management of stocks entered / delivered through it; and, last but not least, the vending machine also contains all the automatic E-collection systems of the product price (banknotes, coins, cards, meal vouchers) and / or cashless systems.

The delivery / sales distributor includes servomechanisms S for operating the product extraction mechanism B and the delivery mechanism C, which can only be supplied with solar energy. Thus, the distributor is energy independent, which gives it greater flexibility in terms of location and operating costs.

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The delivery / selling distributor according to the invention, as shown in 1 fig. 2 ... 4 (in 3 constructive variants), from the point of view of the external aspect, it consists of a metal housing 1 which has the role of supporting the other interior subassemblies, which, 3 also has the role of mechanical protection and thermal, and, last but not least, it represents a considerable surface of external exposure for the communication of different commercial visual messages.

in the front of the vending machine there is a fixed panel 2, on which is located the computer display 3, the control buttons 4, the cash registers and the rest 5, as well as the access doors 6 to the delivery module C. also, in the front part 9 there is one or more ULD, ULS doors to the warehouse / warehouses A of the distributor. 11

According to fig. 5a, subassemblies inside the housing 1 which ensures the functionality of the delivery / sales distributor consist of a warehouse A consisting of a metal structure 13, made of stamped sheet, in which the products offered for sale (water cans, for example) - fig. 5b - are placed lying horizontally and vertically in the geometric limit 15 of the warehouse A. The extraction mechanism B from the warehouse A of the product requested by the customer is located at the bottom of it, and consists - fig. 5a, b, c - from an exit area 7 for 17 the product sold, and in its continuation there is a movable frame 8 that completes the total surface in the lower area of the warehouse A, fig. 7a. The products are extracted one by one 19 from warehouse A by means of a push-plate trolley assembly 9 which, by a rectilinear movement in a horizontal plane, extracts the products from the warehouse one by one (fig. 7 b, c, d) 21 and introduces into the delivery mechanism C. the whole process is computerized and controlled in real time remotely. 2. 3

Warehouse A consists of a metal structure made of stamped sheet and, depending on the desired capacity for the delivery / sales distributor, can be made in 25 more constructive variants, as seen in fig. 6 a, b, c, d. If it is desired to deliver / sell several products and / or products of higher capacity, 27 either a single metal structure of different sizes is used - fig. 6a, 6b - or a larger number of warehouses A - fig. 6c, 6d. 29

The delivery mechanism C, fig. 5a, 8, 9, is located at the exit of the warehouse A where the product arrives, and consists of a tilting system 10 which, by lifting, turns the product 31 (for example, the water bottle), it reaching the natural vertical position in - a delivery chamber 11, to be taken over by the buyer - fig. 9. When the (tipped) tipper 33 of the tipping system 10 brings the product into an upright position, from a geometric point of view a delivery chamber 11 is formed - closed box type, which allows the buyer to take over the product without even having access visually to the other mechanisms and subassemblies of the device. when the product reaches an upright position and is ready to be delivered, 37 the system automatically opens, by sliding sideways, the two doors 6 of the delivery area (fig. 2 ... 4), doors 6 which are close automatically after the product has been picked up by the buyer within a scheduled interval of 2 ... 3 s.

when the stock of products (cans of flat mineral water) fell below 41 a certain programmed minimum threshold, the movable frame 8 at the bottom of warehouse A rises progressively, changing the geometry of warehouse A from a rectangle to a trapezoid with the small base 43 downwards, thus helping the push-plate carriage 9 to take over all the products from the warehouse to the last (fig. 4c). All movements, displacements, rectilinear or rotating, of the assemblies and 45 subassemblies presented above are made with servomechanisms and servomotors S (not shown) supplied with current and low voltages, 14 ... 24 v, the device being in this way extremely 47

RO 128785 Β1 friendly, with virtually no danger to the safety of the vending machine operator. When removing a product from the warehouse A, the trolley 9 moves under the movable frame 8, thus allowing a single product (can) to descend into the free area created by the movement of the trolley 9. By moving the trolley back to the initial position - fig. 7b - it performs two movements simultaneously, namely: with the push-plate side it pushes the product (flat mineral water can) on the plate of the tipping system 10, and with the help of the rollers 12, which are mounted at the top of the trolley 8, it separates the selected product from the following, which it isolates. By repeating the movements listed above, the next product is delivered and so on, until the warehouse is emptied.

The tilting system 10 can also be made in the double version if a large number of warehouses are used (at least 4).

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an internal damping mechanism (not shown) for supporting heavy products, to allow them to slow down their movement on the running track: trolley 8 - tilting delivery system 10. Each damping mechanism includes a panel with a pivoting end attached to the movable frame 8, one or more springs, and a compressible support element, such as an air, gas or oil-filled piston, shock absorbers or spring mechanisms attached under the movable frame 8, for to slow down its movement when in contact with the container of the heavy product. This slows the downward movement of the container to avoid breaking or damaging the container.

The computerized system D, shown in FIG. 10, contains four sensors 13, 14, 15, 16 arranged in height, in the storage A, sensors that transmit data, regarding the loading of the storage A on all its parts, to the computer D1 of the system D, from which, through a software, performs the rough control of the stocks and activates the collection mechanism E and the delivery mechanism C only on the basis of the existence of a stock. Sensors 13,14,15, 16 are of the laser barrier type, but are not limited to them. Also, the computerized system D also contains positioning sensors 17, 18, 19 of the trolley 9, mounted at the bottom of it -19 being the sensor for the presence of the can after it was removed from the warehouse, tipping sensors down 20, respectively , tipping top 21, mounted on the tipping system 10. The system D further comprises a sensor 22 for the presence of the can, mounted in the delivery chamber 11. When the signal value of this sensor is zero, the delivery cycle ends, considering that the can a was picked up by the buyer. The open and closed delivery door sensors 23.24 are also provided. The main sensor 25 of the appliance door detects when the door has been opened.

From a constructive point of view, the computerized system D of the delivery / sales distributor has in its composition, besides the classic systems / components of such a system, also the following specific components of this vending machine, respectively: DMT control interfaces and control blocks for the servomotors and servomechanisms S of the distributor, the IS reading interfaces of the sensors 13-25, the internal keyboard T for the report - it is a PAD keyboard - numerical, through which the operator reports the activities he carried out during the visit to the vending machine. delivery / sale (for example, the number of products (drums) loaded or unloaded from the warehouse, the amounts withdrawn from the appliance, various service activities), all of which are transmitted in real time by the vending machine to a central computer the entire chain of remote distributors.

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At the top of the housing 1 there is a weather protection structure 1 (rain, snow, wind), and within this structure is mounted the panel P for capturing solar / photovoltaic energy, which charges a buffer battery during the day. AT, 3 this in turn being the energy source of the vending machine according to the invention. Both the solar panel P and the battery AT are controlled by the computer D1 of the system D. 5 Payment collection assembly E - fig. 1,10- contains cash registers, BANC banknotes and MON coins, as well as the RFID (radio frequency 7 identification) reader, specific to any sales system, and will not be detailed in this description.

The mode of operation / operation of the computerized system D is shown below in connection with fig. 10, but also with fig. 11 ... 17 presenting the organizational chart of a software implemented on the computerized system D of management and control. 11

The vending machine according to the invention is provided with a central computer D1, which manages both stock information and information from sensors, and 13 controls to motors and servomechanisms. It also has a P photovoltaic cell that charges an AT battery during the day. The AT battery supplies all circuits 15 and distributor systems according to the invention. The central computer D1 is connected to the sensors inside the machine, via a parallel IS interface. Also, 17 S servomechanisms are also controlled by the central computer D1, via a DMT driver. The vending machine has 4 motor servomechanisms, namely 19: the servomechanism that moves the movable frame up and down 8; the servomechanism that performs the translational movement of the trolley 9, extracting the water bottle from the warehouse; 21 the servomechanism that lifts the tilting system 10 simultaneously with the opening of the delivery doors 6; the main door closing / opening servomechanism. As can be seen from FIG. 11, also at the central computer D1, through a specialized interface I, are corrected the cash registers, banknotes and coins, and also 25 the RFID reader (radio frequency identification), as well as the panel with buttons from where the buyer orders delivery of the product, which is part of the set of27 collection of payments E, and the display of the device 3.

Inside the dispenser there is also a numeric keypad T and an alphanumeric display29, used for the function of refilling the vending machine with cans, and declaring stocks.31

Description of the software of an operating cycle (fig. 11 ... 17)

The first stage is the initialization of the automatic delivery-sale device, and the activation of the central computer D1 and of the communication lines - fig. 11, 12, 13. When starting the appliance, first check the existence of the supply voltage, then check whether the vending machine has the door closed. if the door is closed, the system is initialized, all servomechanisms are set to the initial position 0, after which the stock of drums is checked, and the resulting data is entered in the database, which is connected in real time with a dispatcher. If all operations have been completed successfully, and no errors have been reported, the machine goes into standby, waiting for the introduction of sums of money, or waiting to recognize the presence of a customer by using the RFID card. A customer can use his card to check his account automatically, to pick up cans or to pay some amounts of money. All customers who hold RFID cards have opened a credit account 43 in which they can operate through purchases or deposits, depending on the needs of each, and within the ceiling. If, after the delivery of one or more 45 cans, unused amounts remain, they are automatically uploaded to the customer's account.

RO 128785 Β1 respectively, to be used later. The software system transmits in real time to the dispatcher all the errors that may occur, so that at a certain moment, in the event of a malfunction, the operator knows exactly what the malfunction of the device is, thus making the troubleshooting much faster. Also, all the management data, stocks collected and collected by the operator, the name of the operator and the time he stayed at the vending machine are sent to the dispatcher.

The second stage of the software - fig. 14, 15, 16, 17 - after installing the vending machine and activating the communications between it and the central computer, there is an initialization of the positioning of all mechanisms in the “zero” position. After that, the storage compartment A of the appliance is loaded with products which lie on top of each other, within its available space. before closing the access doors, the operator reports, via the keypad in the internal system, the quantity of products (drums) loaded, and after that the vending machine is active to be used.

when a buyer arrives in front of the vending machine, he can enter the minimum amount for the purchase of a can (according to the displayed price), or enter his card ID, following that, after being recognized by the system, to be able to pick up the ordered products.

After the credit / price of the product has been loaded on the display of the machine, the push-plate trolley 9 extracts a product (water can) from the warehouse by a translational movement under the movable frame 8, and by the movement of returning to the initial position, the mobile trolley push the product (water bottle) on the delivery system scale 10 and, at the same time, separate / block / isolate the other products (water cans) from the warehouse. The carriage is moved between the positioning sensors 17 and 18. The presence sensor is used to detect the presence / descent of a can 19.

After the product (the flat mineral water bottle) reaches the rocker of the rocker system 10, activating the sensor 22, the rocker is ordered which lifts and returns the product to the vertical position, thus closing the delivery chamber 11, at which moment the opening mechanism is triggered. of doors 6 of the delivery mechanism C, and the buyer can pick up the purchased product.

After lifting the product (the flat mineral water bottle) from the delivery chamber 11, system D detects its absence and triggers the closing of the delivery doors.

6. This moment also corresponds to the decrease on the display as well as in the software system of a credit equal to the price of the product that the vending machine delivered.

A peculiarity of the vending machine, if it is used without price collection systems, is that it obtains equipment that, integrated into a manufacturing line, can distribute products from the categories shown above. For example, the vending machine can be used to distribute flour bags in a mill, to distribute lime bags in a concrete mixer, to distribute sugar, rice or similar bags in a packaging factory, for the general distribution of any products. which are subsequently included in manufacturing recipes on the production chain. This machine can, for example, distribute gas cylinders at CEEC stations, based on the order given by the cash register operator.

The vending machine can be mounted on a means of transport, resulting in a mobile unit that can serve bottled water to drums people in various areas with drinking water shortages. The mobile unit can be located in stadiums, parks, construction sites, markets or any other place where there is a temporary need for drinking water.

Claims (9)

Claims 1 1. Vending machine for the delivery / sale of large volume containers, 3 characterized in that it has in its composition one or more warehouses (A) in which one or more large volume containers are kept for sale, a 5 extraction mechanism (B) from the warehouse (A) of the product requested by the customer, a delivery mechanism (C) that simultaneously performs the presentation of the product to the customer in a form / position so that it can be easily taken over automatically, a system computerized (D) management and control, through which the distributor is remotely managed both in terms of mechanical, electronic operation, diagnosis and in terms of management of stocks entered / delivered through it, and a collection assembly (E) automatic price of the product 11, as well as some servomechanisms (S) for actuating the product extraction mechanism (B), the delivery mechanism (C), the computerized system (D) and 13 years the collection assembly (E), all of which can be supplied with solar energy. Distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that the magazine (A) is formed of a metal structure, made of stamped sheet, in which the products offered for sale are placed lying horizontally and vertically, within its geometric limit. 17 Distributor according to claim 2, characterized in that, if more than one product is to be delivered / sold, a structure made of a larger number of warehouses (A) is used. Distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanism for extracting (B) from the warehouse (A) the product requested by the customer is located at the bottom thereof, and consists of an exit area (7) for the product sold, from a mobile frame 23 (8) below the area (7), thus completing the total area in the lower part of the warehouse (A), a push-plate trolley (9) through which the products are extracted one by one from the warehouse (A), by a horizontal rectilinear movement extracting the products from the warehouse one by one, and introducing them into the delivery mechanism (C). 27 Distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that the delivery mechanism (C) consists of a tilting system (10) which, by lifting, turns the product, 29 it reaching the natural vertical position in a delivery chamber (11). ) closed box type, which allows the buyer to take over the product by automatically opening, by sliding 31 sideways, two doors (6) of the delivery area, doors (6) that close automatically after the product has been picked up by the buyer, within a programmed interval of 2 ... 3 seconds. 33 Distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that the tilting system (10) can also be made in the double version, in case a large number of warehouses (A) are used. Distributor according to Claim 1, characterized in that the computerized system 37 (D) contains four load sensors (13, 14, 15, 16) arranged in height in the warehouse (A), positioning sensors (17, 18, 19). ) of the trolley (9), mounted in its lower part 39, the sensor (19) being the one for the presence of the can after it was extracted from the warehouse, some sensors for tilting down (20), respectively, tilting up (21) , 41 mounted on the tilting system (10), a sensor (22) for the presence of the can, mounted in the delivery chamber (11), some sensors (23, 24) of the open and closed delivery door, respectively, and a 43 sensor (25) of the appliance door detects when the door has been opened, all these sensors transmitting data to a main computer (D1) which, through an implemented software, 45 performs the management and control through which the distributor is managed remotely, both in regarding mechanical, electronic operation, diagnosis, as well as î regarding the management of stocks entered / delivered through it. RO 128785 Β1 Distributor according to Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a photovoltaic panel (P) is used for the supply of solar energy, which charges a battery (AT) during the day which supplies all the circuits and systems of the distributor, the panel (P) as well as the battery (AT) being controlled by the computer (D1) of the system (D). Distributor according to Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the software implemented on the computerized system (D) consists of: - initializing the automatic delivery-selling device, and activating the central computer (D1) by checking the supply voltage, checking the closing / opening of the door, checking the stock of cans and entering the resulting data in a database (BD) which is connected in real time with a dispatcher; - entering sums of money on a card (RFID); - the transmission in real time to the dispatcher of all errors that may occur and of the management data, stocks amounts collected and collected by the operator, the name of the operator and the time he stayed at the vending machine; - initializing the positioning of all mechanisms in the 'zero' position; - loading the warehouse with products (A); - removing a product from a warehouse (A) with a trolley (9) by activating the positioning sensors (17 and 18) and the presence sensor (19); - activating the container presence sensor (22), and controlling the tilting of the tilting system (10), lifting and turning the product in a vertical position thus closing the delivery chamber (11), and triggering the door opening mechanism (6), the mechanism delivery (C), and the buyer can pick up the purchased product; - after lifting the product from the delivery chamber (11), detecting its absence by a system (D) by means of sensors (23, 24, 25), and triggering the closing of the delivery doors (6).