JPH02264392A - Turn-on control method at test sales time of automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the confirmation of vending function from being missed by test sale by distinguishing the presence and absence of execution in test sales operation by columns (by commodity selecting switches) according to the turn-on/turn-off or turn-on/turn-off of a salability display lamp. CONSTITUTION:In a test sale mode, salability display lamps 4 of all the columns are turned on and off. When an ending switch 3 is pushed, the salability display lamp 4 is immediately turned off and operation is returned to a standby state. Next, when any one of commodity selecting switches 51-55 is pushed, the salability display lamp excepting for the test sale objective column is turned off and commodity conveying processing is executed. When the conveyance of a commodity is finished, the salability display lamp 4 of the column, to which a flag is set, is continuously turned on and the salability display lamp 4 of the column, to which the flag is not set, is displayed to be turned on and off. Then, the operation is returned to the monitoring state of the ending switch.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention provides a vending machine (vending machine) equipped with a plurality of product selection switches and a plurality of sales ready display lamps corresponding to each switch and indicating that the product corresponding to the switch is selectable. In the test sales mode (i.e., a mode in which the product selection switch is selectively operated for test purposes to carry out the product in question, and the product sales function of each product selection switch is tested),
In particular, the present invention relates to a method of controlling the lighting of a sellable display lamp in order to clarify whether or not test sales have been conducted for each product selection switch.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of vending machine, in the test waiting state of the test sales mode, sellable display lamps (for example, sellable display lamps) corresponding to all columns in which selling operation is possible
ED) lights up or flashes to indicate that test sales of the relevant column are possible. Note that the column here refers to a product storage shelf combined with each product delivery mechanism, and each column is also provided corresponding to each product selection switch.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned vending machine, once the test sales mode is entered, the sales availability display lamps of all columns in which test sales are possible remain lit or flashing, so it is difficult to see which columns have undergone test sales and which ones. It is not possible to determine whether test sales of columns have not been carried out yet, and when a vending machine has multiple columns, confirmation of sales functions due to test sales is likely to be overlooked. In addition, in order to conduct test sales reliably, it becomes necessary to keep records, which is a problem. Therefore, in the test sales mode, the present invention is configured such that the lighting status of the sellable display lamp of a column where test selling has been carried out at least once and the sellable display lamp of a column where test selling has not been carried out is different. Is it implemented?
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problem by providing a lighting control method during test sales in a vending machine that distinguishes and displays blanks.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the method of the present invention includes a plurality of product selection switches (such as 5), and a display that corresponds to each switch and that the product corresponding to the switch can be selected. Multiple sellable indicator lamps (
(4, etc.) in the test sales mode of a vending machine equipped with
1 so that the lighting state including the non-lighting state is different between the sale-ready display lamp corresponding to the selected product selection switch and the sale-ready lamp corresponding to the same unselected product selection switch. .

[Function 1] Distinguish whether or not a test sale operation is being performed for each column (therefore, for each product selection switch) by lighting/blinking or lighting/extinguishing the sellable indicator lamp. Embodiments The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main part configuration of a vending machine control circuit as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts for explaining different operations from FIG. 1, respectively. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a control section comprised of a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., which controls the entire vending machine. Further, IA is a lighting control means during test sales as a partial functional unit that is considered to share the functions of control block 1. 2 is a test mode switch, and by pressing this switch, the normal sales mode is shifted to the test sales mode. 5 (51-55) are product selection switches for operating and selecting which product to purchase. 4 (41 to 45) are product selection switches 51, respectively.
-55 are sellable indicator lamps made of LEDs and the like provided in correspondence with l:1, and these lamps 41-45 each display whether or not the corresponding product can be sold. The selection information of the product selection switch 5 is sent to the carry-out control unit 6 by the 611m unit 1, and the selected product is carried out from the carry-out control unit 6. Next, the first operation will be explained using FIGS. 2 and 3. The reference numbers for Sl-312 below are shown in FIG. This is the step number in FIG. 3. First, to explain FIG. 2, the control unit 1 monitors the insertion of money and the test mode switch 2 in a standby state, and when money is inserted (31, branch Y), it performs normal sales processing and waits again. The state is restored (S2→S1). If the test mode switch 2 is pressed, the standby state is exited and the test sales mode is entered (Sl. Branch N-33, Branch Y). Next, in the test sales mode, reset the test sold flags of all columns (S4), flash the sales ready indicator lamps 4 of all columns (S5^)'0 Next, monitor the product selection switch 5 and end switch 3, If the end switch 3 is pressed (S61 branch, the sales ready indicator lamp 4 is immediately turned off and the process returns to the standby state (512→S1). Next, one of the product selection switches 51 to 55 is pressed. (S61 branch 437. Branch Y), after turning off the sales enable display lamps other than the test sales target column corresponding to the pressed switch 5 to clarify the test sales column (S8), Carry out the product delivery process (S9). When the product delivery is completed, the test selling method flag for the column in which the test sale was made is set and the column is memorized (SIO). Next, the flag is set based on the information of this flag. The sellable indicator lamp 5 of the column where the flag is set (i.e., there is a memory for carrying out) is lit continuously, and the sellable indicator lamp 4 of the column where the flag is not set (that is, there is no memory for carrying out) is made to flash.5IIA )
, returns to the monitoring state of the end switch 3 in step S6. In the next FIG. 3, step S5A of FIG. S IIA is 35B and 5IIB in Figure 3, respectively.
The only difference from Figure 2 is that . Next, to explain only this difference, in step 35B, by turning on the test mode switch 2, first, the sellable lamps 41 to 45 of all columns are lit continuously. In addition, in step SIIB, based on the test selling method flag, the sellable display lamp 4 of the column where the flag is set (i.e., there is a memory of carrying out) is turned off, and the column where the flag is not set (that is, there is no memory of carrying out) is turned off. ) By continuously lighting the sales availability indicator lamp 4 in the column, the presence/absence of test sales is indicated. Note that the steps S5A, Sll8, S5B,
The operation of 5IIB corresponds to the main operation contents of the test sales/lighting control means 1^ in FIG.

【Effect of the invention】

According to the present invention, in the test sales mode, the test sales implementation/non-execution column is displayed and classified by the lighting/blinking or lighting/unlighting of the sellable arrow lamp, thereby preventing omissions in confirmation due to test sales. becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts for explaining different operations from FIG. 1, respectively. 1: Control unit, lA: Test sales/lighting control means, 2
: Test mode switch, 3: End switch, 4 (41
~45) 2 sellable indicator lamps, 5 (51~55): product selection switch, e: *ratio control unit.ゝ゛−１、Mi! 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A product including a plurality of product selection switches and a plurality of sellable display lamps corresponding to each switch and indicating that the product corresponding to the switch is selectable. In the test sales mode of the vending machine, the sale ready display lamp corresponding to the selected product selection switch and the sale ready lamp corresponding to the unselected product selection switch are in a lighting state including a non-lighting state. A method for controlling lighting during test vending in a vending machine, characterized in that the lighting control method is made to vary.