JPH02210595A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a trouble that a customer has to receive a commodity not to be the object of purchase by the push error of a select button or the erroneous loading of the commodity once returning the commodity into an automatic vending machine when the commodity is erroneously designated and permitting the new selection of the commodity. CONSTITUTION:When the customer pushes down a push button 12 for commodity selection and the commodity is guided to a pick-up port after coins, etc., is put in, the customer pushes down a re-select button 16 without taking the commodity out in case that the commodity different from the object desired to be bought comes out. A control means confirms it by the pushing-down of the re-select button that the commodity is not taken out and further, the lapse of a prescribed time is measured by a timer 17. When the lapse of the time does not exceed the prescribed time, the re-selection is permitted. The commodity in the pick-up port is taken into the machine again by a carrying means 22 for commodity return and operation is kept in a state before the commodity select button is pushed after the customer puts the coins in. Thus, the customer can select again the desired commodity by the push button for commodity selection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a vending machine, and more particularly to a vending machine that is controlled to allow a customer to reselect a product for sale.

[Prior Art] In a conventional vending machine, when a customer wants to sell a product from the vending machine, when the customer inserts money or a cart, a lamp displays the name of the product that can be sold for the corresponding amount. The customer selects the product he or she wishes to purchase from the displayed product sample pictures, etc., and by pressing the selection button, the selected product is delivered and the customer receives it. It is configured.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in such conventional vending machines, once the customer selects a product by pressing the selection button, the product is sent out and the product cannot be changed after that. . Therefore, if a customer is in a hurry and presses the wrong button, or if a product that is different from the product sample is delivered due to incorrect loading, the customer may be forced to buy a product that is not what they intended. It turns out.

An object of the present invention is to focus on the above-mentioned conventional problems, and in order to solve the problems, provide a vending machine that can give a customer an opportunity to select a product again before the customer takes the product out of the outlet. It's about doing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a selection push button for selecting a product, a product delivery means for guiding the product selected by the selection push button to a product takeout port, and a time measuring means that measures the time since the product is guided to the product takeout port, and is cleared after a predetermined time has elapsed; a product takeout detection device that detects that the product has been taken out from the product takeout port; and a product takeout port. A product carrying means returns the product to the aircraft from the machine, and when the product removal detection means does not detect the removal of the product within a predetermined time, the product carrying means returns the product to the aircraft and allows the product to be reselected, and the sales operation is performed. The invention is characterized by comprising means for controlling the process to continue.

[Function] According to the present invention, when the customer presses the product selection push button after inserting money or the like and the product is guided to the takeout port, a product different from the product desired to purchase is sent to the takeout port. If the item has been selected, the customer can press the reselection button without taking out the item. Thereby, the control means confirms that the product has not been taken out, and also measures the passage of a predetermined time using a timer, and allows reselection if the time is within that time. Then, the product at the take-out port is taken into the machine again by the product return carry-in means, and the product is kept in the state before the customer presses the product selection button after inserting money. In this way, the customer can reselect the desired product by pressing the product selection push button.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below in detail and specifically based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention. The iron 1 is a vending machine, and in this example, only the part of the vending machine 1 that includes the erroneously selected product return mechanism related to the present invention is shown. is not shown. 2 is a product storage section where products 3 are stored by type; 4 is a product takeout port; 5 is a transparent lid for product takeout; This is a product removal detection switch that detects when the lid 5 is opened and closed in order to take out the product. Furthermore, a swingable product return flapper 7, a solenoid 8 for driving the flapper 7, and a return product storage section 9 are provided below the product takeout port 4.

Further, FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a circuit according to the present invention for canceling an incorrectly selected product. Here, IO is a central processing unit (CPII) having a storage device (RAM) 11 as a sales control means, 12 is a plurality of product selection push buttons,
Reference numeral 13 denotes a sellable display means for displaying a range of products that can be sold in accordance with the amount of money when money is inserted from an input slot (not shown); 14 is a driver thereof; and 15 is for returning products. A driver for the solenoid 8 that drives the flapper 7, 16 is a product reselection operation button that can be operated by the customer to request reselection of the product when the product is selected incorrectly, and 17 is a product reselection operation button that allows the customer to request reselection of the product when the product is selected incorrectly. This is a timer that measures the time until a predetermined period of time has elapsed after being guided.

Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a circuit for controlling the vending machine of the present invention. Here, reference numeral 21 denotes a black goods transport head for guiding the product 3 selected by the customer from the product storage section 2) shown in FIG. 1 to the product takeout port 4. When you press the button to specify product 3, the product transport means 21
The product 3 is transported to the product takeout port 4. Reference numeral 22 denotes a product return carry-in means consisting of a product return flapper 7, a solenoid 8, a return path 9, etc., and 23 a reselection unit that determines the conditions when a customer requests reselection of a product, as will be described later. It is a means of judgment.

The procedure of the control operation by the vending control means IO of the vending machine 1 configured as above will be explained with reference to FIG. 4.

First, in a standby state, it is determined in step S1 whether or not money has been inserted, and after waiting for the insertion of the money, the process proceeds to step S2, where the driver 14 is driven and sales are made according to the amount of the inserted money. Lamp 13 displaying possible products 3
Displayed by Then, in step S3, it is determined whether or not the product selection push button 12 has been pressed, and after waiting for the push button, the process proceeds to step S4, and the product 3 corresponding to the pressed push button is delivered to the product takeout port 4 by the product delivery device 21. Carry it out.

The product 3 guided to the product outlet 4 is temporarily stopped there, and in step S5, time is measured by the timer 17, and it is determined whether the time has elapsed for a predetermined time.

When the time has expired, the process returns to the standby state, and if it is determined that the time has not expired, the process proceeds to step S6, where it is checked whether the product 3 has been taken out from the product take-out port 4 or not, that is, the product take-out lid 5 It is judged based on the signal from the product removal detection means (switch) 6 whether or not the product removal detection means (switch) 6 could not be opened.

In step S6, if it is determined that the product 3 has not been taken out yet, the process advances to step S7, and if it is determined that the product 3 has been taken out, the process returns to the standby state. Step S7
At , it is determined whether or not the reselection push button 16 has been operated. If it is determined that it has not been operated, the process returns to step S5, and if it is determined that it has been operated, the process proceeds to step S8.

Here, it is determined whether or not the number of times of re-selection is the first time. If it is not the first time, the process returns to the standby state, and if it is determined that the re-selection is the first time, the process proceeds to step S9 and the product return flapper 7 is opened by being driven by the solenoid 8, and the product 3 that had been retained in the product outlet 4 is returned and guided to the grade shaft section 9, and then the process returns to step S2.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the customer only has to check whether the product guided to the product takeout port is the product he or she has selected and then take out the product. If the item is incorrectly specified, the item will be returned to the cabin and a new item will be allowed to be selected.If the customer presses the wrong selection button or loads the item incorrectly, the customer may end up purchasing an item that is not eligible for purchase. It is possible to provide a vending machine that provides attentive service and prevents you from having to pick up the item.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a sales control circuit according to the present invention, Fig. 3 is a diagram corresponding to claims of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a bookmark diagram. It is a flowchart showing the procedure of sales control operation according to the invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Vending machine, 3...Product, 4...Product takeout port, 5...Takeout circumference difference, 6...Product takeout detection switch, 7...Product return flapper, 8. ...Solenoid, IO...Sales control means (CPU), 12...Push button for product selection, 13...Sellable display lamp, 16...Push button for product reselection, 23...Reselection judgment Circuit, 24... Time measuring means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) a selection push button for selecting a product; a product delivery means for guiding the product selected by the selection push button to a product takeout port; A time measuring device that measures time and is cleared after a predetermined time has elapsed; A product removal detection device that detects that the product has been removed from the product removal port; and a product removal detection device that returns the product from the product removal port into the aircraft. a product carry-in means, and when the product removal detection means does not detect removal of the product within the predetermined time, the product carry-in means returns the product to the aircraft, permits reselection of the product, and performs a sales operation; A vending machine characterized by comprising: means for controlling the vending machine to continue.