JPH0129665Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a coin collection control device for a vending machine equipped with a plurality of coin storage tubes.

(b) Prior art In a vending machine, it is necessary to collect coins inserted by a customer and accumulated in a coin storage tube at the time of sale, but in this case, the coin dispensing device of the coin storage tube is activated by operating a collection switch. It is common to collect them. Vending machines equipped with multiple coin storage tubes are equipped with this recovery switch for each coin storage tube, but in recent years, with the advent of 500 yen coins, there are four coin collection switches, including 100 yen, 50 yen, and 10 yen. If there are coin storage tubes and a collection switch is provided for each, the device becomes complicated. In particular, recent trends have seen the emergence of vending machines that collect coins not only from automatically replenishing coin storage cylinders, but also from spare change coin storage cylinders that are pre-filled with coins that are frequently used as change.
In this case, if a collection switch is provided for five or six coin storage cylinders, the apparatus will become complicated and the cost will increase considerably. Therefore, Utsukai Showa 54-49994
The specification of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-81866 discloses that a single recovery switch controls the collection of coins from a plurality of coin storage tubes.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, in the case of the former with the above prior art,
The structure is such that a shift register having a bit corresponding to each coin storage cylinder is provided, and each bit of the shift register is sequentially shifted by the operation of a collection switch to control the payout of stored coins from each coin storage cylinder. The collection order of each coin storage tube is determined, and if you want to change the collection order or collect coins only from a specific storage tube, use the collection switch to set/reset each bit to correspond to that storage tube. The bits must be made to produce an output, making the operation very cumbersome. In the latter case, once the collection switch is operated, each coin storage tube is automatically transferred in sequence, so a specific coin storage tube cannot be designated.

Therefore, the present invention provides a selection switch for specifying the coin storage tube to be collected and an inventory switch for specifying the start of the collection operation,
By configuring the system so that coins are ejected from the target coin storage tube when the inventory switch is activated after specifying a coin storage tube with the selection switch, it is possible to directly specify the coin storage tube to be collected, and also to select a specific coin storage tube. To provide a device that can quickly control coin ejection from the next coin storage cylinder when the selection switch and inventory switch are operated again during coin collection from the coin storage cylinder.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the coin collection control device for a vending machine according to the present invention is capable of controlling the coin collection according to the number of operations in a vending machine equipped with a plurality of coin storage cylinders. a single selection switch that designates any of the coin storage cylinders; an inventory denomination counter that performs a counting operation each time the switch is operated; and a single inventory switch that commands the start or stop of coin collection operation. Then, by operating the selection switch, the timer starts its operation, and by operating the inventory switch within the timer operating period, the inventory flag is set and the timer is made inactive, and with the flag set, the A control means for resetting the flag and the inventory denomination counter when the inventory switch is operated, and a control means for commanding coin dispensing from the coin storage tube according to the count value of the counter when the inventory flag is set. and a dispensing control means for instructing a stop of coin dispensing and resetting the inventory flag when the coin collection from the coin storage tube is completed, and the control means is configured to operate the inventory switch within the operation period of the timer. If not, the inventory denomination counter is reset.

(E) Function The function of the present invention will be explained with reference to the functional block diagram of FIG. 4. The coin storage cylinder to be collected is designated by the number of times the selection switch is operated, and the counter counts the number of times the selection switch is operated. When the selection switch is operated at the same time, the timer starts operating, but if the inventory switch is operated within this timer period, the control means sets the inventory flag, deactivates the timer, and sets the coin collection mode. . When the coin collection mode is entered, the dispensing control means commands coin dispensing from the coin storage cylinder according to the count value of the counter, thereby causing a coin dispensing operation from the selected coin storage cylinder.

When the selection switch is operated while coins are being dispensed from the coin storage cylinder, the contents of the counter are incremented, and the timer also operates in response to the operation of the selection switch. However, when the inventory switch is operated within the timer period after incrementing the value of the counter to the value corresponding to the desired coin storage cylinder, the inventory flag continues to be set, so the operation for dispensing from the new coin storage cylinder is performed. becomes.

When the dispensing control means detects that dispensing of coins from the currently dispensing coin storage cylinder is completed, the dispensing control means resets the inventory flag, thereby canceling the coin collection mode.

Furthermore, if only the inventory switch is operated while the inventory flag is set, the selection switch is not operated and the timer is inactive, so the control means resets the inventory flag and cancels the coin collection mode.

However, if the selection switch is operated to designate the coin storage tube to be collected, but the inventory switch is not operated within the timer operation period, the control means resets the inventory denomination counter.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration diagram of an apparatus according to the present invention, in which 1 is a collection operation control section, which includes an inventory denomination counter 10, a timer 11, a control means 12, shown in FIG. It includes all the functions of the payout control means 13, and 2 is a coin payout section. The collection operation control unit 1 is composed of a microcomputer 3, which stores an inventory denomination counter INV, an inventory flag register IFR, and an inventory timer flag register at predetermined addresses of a RAM 4, respectively.
TFR/Timer counter TC/Payout number counter
POC is assigned. Reference numeral 5 designates a selection switch which designates the coin storage cylinder to be used for collecting according to the number of times the selection switch is operated, and is an automatic return type switch. 6 is an inventory switch that specifies the start or stop of the coin collection operation. The vending machine of this example is equipped with four coin storage tubes corresponding to four types of coins, for example, ¥500, ¥100, ¥50, and ¥10, and two coin storage tubes for spare change. , coin dispensing section 2
There is a motor that drives the coin dispensing plate of each coin storage tube.
These motors are connected to the microcomputer 3 via drivers _{D1 to D6 ,} and are driven by the "L" _level drive signal output from the microcomputer 3. Drive. Carrier switches _C1 to C6 are connected to motors _{M1 to C6} , respectively.
It turns ON and OFF in conjunction with the drive of _M6 , and switches from ON to OFF when the motor starts driving.
When the motor operates the coin dispensing plate and performs the rotation necessary to take out one coin from the coin storage cylinder,
The microcomputer 3 detects the payout of one coin by switching from OFF to ON. In addition, each coin storage cylinder is equipped with coin detection switches S ₁ to _{S 6} that indicate the presence or absence of coins by detecting whether there are 10 coins stored, and these switches are also connected to the microcomputer 3. be done.

In the above configuration, when the selection switch 5 is operated, the microcomputer 3 counts the number of operations using the inventory denomination counter INV, sets a timer flag in the inventory timer flag register TFR, and sets the timer flag using the timer counter TC. Start operation. When the inventory switch 6 is operated during this timer operation (timer flag set state), the microcomputer 3 sets the inventory flag in the inventory flag register IFR and resets the timer flag in the timer flag register TFR.
When the inventory flag is set, the microcomputer 3 applies an "L" level drive signal to one of the motors M ₁ to _{M 6} corresponding to the coin storage tube according to the count value of the counter INV. Coins are collected from the coin storage tube.
When all the coins are collected from the coin storage tube during the collection operation, or when the inventory switch 6 is operated, the microcomputer 3 stops outputting the drive signal and resets the inventory flag. At this time, to confirm the completion of collection of the coin storage cylinder, after the corresponding coin detection switches S ₁ to _{S 6} output a coin out signal, the corresponding carrier switches C ₁ to _{C 6} are also turned from OFF to ON. Collection is considered complete when the change is detected 10 times or more.
On the other hand, if the selection switch 2 is operated while the coin storage cylinder whose inventory flag is set is being collected, the microcomputer 3 increments the counter INV and starts the timer operation using the timer counter TC. Then, when the inventory switch is operated while the timer is operating, an “L” level drive signal is given to the motors M ₁ to _{M 6} corresponding to the next coin storage cylinder based on the counted up contents of the counter INV. . If the inventory switch is not operated during timer operation, the microcomputer 3 resets all of the inventory flag register IFR, inventory timer flag register TFR, and inventory denomination counter INV to cancel the coin collection mode.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts explaining the program of the microcomputer 3, and the input detection flow shown in FIG. 3 is periodically processed by a timer interrupt. When it is detected that the selection switch 5 has been operated at step _n0 of the input detection flow using a timer interrupt, the counter INV is incremented at step _n1 , the timer constant is set in the timer counter TC at step _n2 , and the timer constant is incremented at step n2. In step ₃ , the inventory flag register IFR is reset to release the inventory flag IF, and the timer flag TF is set in the timer flag register TFR, returning to the payout control flow shown in FIG. At this time, when the selection switch 5 is operated several times, the input detection flow increments the counter INV to count the number of operations each time, and sets a timer constant in the timer counter TC.

The inventory flag IF is checked at step _N0 of the payout control flow, but in this case, the flag register IFR is reset at step _n3 of the input detection flow, so it becomes step _N1 . _N1
The step checks the inventory timer flag TF, but in this case, in the _n3 step of the input detection flow, the timer flag register TFR contains the timer flag TF.
is set, the timer is subtracted by subtracting the timer counter TC at the _N2 step, and the end of the timer operation is confirmed by the contents of the timer counter TC at the _N3 step. this
The processing from step _N0 to step _N3 is repeated until step _N3 detects that the timer counter TC has become "0" due to subtraction.
If the inventory switch 6 is operated during such timer operation, this is detected at step _n4 of the input detection flow by timer interrupt, and the process proceeds to step _n5 . Then, in step _n5 , it is determined whether the content of the counter INV is "0" or something other than "0", but in this case, the selection switch 5 is operated before the inventory switch 6, and the content of the counter INV is other than "0". ₆ steps to inventory flag
IF is checked, but since the flag register IFR has been reset, the timer flag TF is checked at step _n7 . In this case, the timer flag TF is set in the flag register TFR, and in step _n8 , the inventory flag IF is set in the flag register IFR, and the flag register TFR is reset. That is, in step _n8 , since the inventory switch 6 was operated normally during the timer operation, the timer flag TF is reset to end the timer operation, and the inventory flag IF is set by starting the coin collection operation. .

Then, returning to the dispensing control flow, in step _N5 , the coin storage cylinder for which the collection operation is specified is determined based on the count value of the counter INV, and a drive signal is output to one of the corresponding motors _M1 to _M6 . . _N6 step gave drive signal to motor _M1
By checking the outputs of the carrier switches C ₁ to _{C 6} corresponding to M ₆ , it waits for one coin to be dispensed from the coin storage tube. For example, when a drive signal is output to motor _M1 , the drive of motor _M1 turns carrier switch _C1 from ON to OFF, the output switches from "H" to "L", and then carrier switch _C1 turns ON again. When the output changes from "L" to "H", it is detected that one coin has been dispensed by the coin dispensing plate driven by motor _M1 , and the output is transferred to motor _M1 at step _N7 . Stop outputting the drive signal. The _N8 step is to determine whether all coins have been dispensed from the coin storage cylinder corresponding to the motor _M1 , and in this example, the "H" level coin out signal generated at the coin detection switches _S1 to _S6 is used. Judgment will be made based on. Therefore, in this case, if a coin out signal is not generated from the coin detection switch _S1 , the process moves directly to step _N0 , while if a coin out signal is generated, "1" is added to the payout number counter POC. Then, on the condition that the count value is less than "10", the process moves to the _N0 step. and
Repeat the series of steps from N ₀ step, N ₆ step to N ₈ step to pay out coins one by one from the coin storage cylinder, and at N ₈ step, the number of coins dispensed is countered.
When it is detected that the POC count value has reached "10", the process goes to step _N4 and resets all the inventory flag register IFR, inventory timer flag register TFR, and inventory denomination counter INV. In this way, in order to collect coins from another coin storage cylinder after all the coins have been paid out and collected from one coin storage cylinder, operate the selection switch 5 in the same manner as described above. In addition to specifying the coin storage tube to be collected, the operation of the inventory switch 6 starts the coin dispensing operation from the coin storage tube.

While repeating the process from step _N0 , step _N6 to step _N8 , and dispensing coins from a certain coin storage cylinder, it is detected by a timer interrupt that the inventory switch 6 has been operated. When detected in step _n4 of the input detection flow, the count content of the inventory denomination counter INV is determined in step _n5 . At this time, the counter INV is other than "0" because it counts a value corresponding to the coin storage cylinder currently in the payout operation, and the process moves to step _n6 to check the inventory flag. Therefore, the inventory flag is set in the flag register IFR, and in step _n9 , the inventory flag register IFR, inventory timer flag register TFR, and inventory denomination counter are set.
After resetting all INVs, return to the payout control flow. Therefore, in the payout control flow, both the inventory flag and the inventory timer flag are reset, so the _N0 step
Exit from the payout control flow through the _N1 step. That is, when the inventory switch 6 is operated while coins are being dispensed from the coin storage cylinder, the coin dispensing is stopped by canceling the inventory flag IF and resetting the counter INV.

In addition, when the selection switch 5 is operated while repeating the process from step _N0 to step _N8 and dispensing coins from a certain coin storage cylinder, _n0 of the input detection flow is detected by a timer interrupt. When detected in a step, the counter INV is incremented in the _n1 step, and a timer constant is set in the counter TC in the _n2 step. Subsequently, in step _n3 , the flag register IFR is reset to cancel the inventory flag IF, and the timer flag TF is set in the timer flag register TFR, after which the process returns to the payout control flow. Therefore, in the payout control flow, the process from _N0 step, _N1 step to _N3 step is repeated to subtract the timer,
n ₄ of the input detection flow using a timer interrupt to detect that the inventory switch 6 has been operated while the timer is operating
When detected in step _n5 , _n6 , _n7 , and _n8 steps are sequentially processed to set the inventory flag IF, cancel the timer flag TF, and return to the payout control flow. Then, in the payout control flow, move from _N0 step to _N5 step,
A drive signal is output to the motors M ₁ to _{M 6} according to the new count content by incrementing the counter INV, and coins are dispensed from another coin storage cylinder. Therefore, by operating the inventory switch 6 immediately after specifying another coin storage cylinder using the selection switch, a new collection operation can be started, and the dispensing operation of the coin storage cylinder currently being dispensed is stopped. There is no need to systematically confirm this.

In addition, if the inventory switch 6 is not operated within the timer operation period that repeats the processing from the _N0 step/ _N1 step to the _N3 step of the payout control flow, the content of the timer counter TC is "0" at the N3 step _. When this is detected, the process moves to step _N4 and all flag registers IFR and TFR and counter INV are reset. That is, if the inventory switch 6 is not operated within a predetermined timer period, the timer flag TF is reset and the counter INV is reset to cancel the coin collection mode and exit from the payout control flow.

(g) Effects of the invention According to the invention, after specifying a coin storage cylinder to be collected using a selection switch, coins are collected by operating an inventory switch to dispense coins from the designated coin storage cylinder. You can directly specify the coin storage tube. In other words, in the configuration of the present invention, since the order of collecting operation of each coin storage tube is not determined by a shift register or the like, in order to collect coins from a desired coin storage tube, it is necessary to adjust the order of the coin storage tubes up to that coin storage tube. It is possible to directly specify the collection of coins from a desired coin storage cylinder without sequentially driving and stopping other coin storage cylinders.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of the device according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing coin payout control, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing input detection, and FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the present invention. 5...Selection switch, 6...Inventory switch, 10...Inventory denomination counter, 11
...Timer, 12...Control means, 13...Payout control means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a vending machine equipped with a plurality of hardened storage tubes, a single selection switch designates one of the coin storage tubes according to the number of operations, and an inventory denomination counter that counts each time the switch is operated. a single inventory switch that commands the start or stop of the curing recovery operation; a timer that starts timer operation by operating the selection switch; and an inventory flag that is set by operating the inventory switch within the timer operation period. control means for setting the timer and disabling the timer, and resetting the flag and the inventory denomination counter when the inventory switch is operated while the flag is set; and a dispensing control means that commands the dispensing of coins from the coin storage tube according to the count value of the coin storage tube, and when the coin collection from the coin storage tube is completed, commands to stop coin dispensing and resets the inventory flag. . A coin collecting device for a vending machine, wherein the control means resets the inventory denomination counter if the inventory switch is not operated within the operating period of the timer.