JPH04340185A - Commodity carry-out controller for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the set work of columns for continuously carrying commodities out. CONSTITUTION:The setting of a continuous carry-out column for continuously carrying commodities out in a RAM 3a is manually inputted through a keyboard 2 by depressing a continuous carry-out start switch 1 and a column whose cooling/heating switching is judged from a change in the status of a cooling/ heating reading switch 4 is automatically set up to the commodity continuous carry-out status. Consequently the handling time for setting up the continuous carry-out at the time of replacing commodities following the change in seasons can be saved and the generation of missetting can also be prevented. When the switching of cooling/heating is independent of the replacing of commodities, automatically set continuous carry-out data are canceled by an input from the keyboard 2.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to a vending machine that sells products such as canned drinks and bottled drinks after cooling or heating them.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a product delivery control device for a vending machine that facilitates replacing products in a column.

0002

[Prior Art] In the above-mentioned vending machine, a product discharging mechanism such as a product discharging solenoid is turned on and off at high speed for convenience when replacing products in columns (storage and discharging unit for each product type). It is generally equipped with a "continuous product delivery" function that allows products to be delivered continuously. In that case,
In conventional control devices, the continuous delivery column is manually set using a keyboard or the like, and the products are delivered by pressing the continuous delivery start switch.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such conventional devices, the operator has to consider and set which columns to continuously output when replacing products, which is time-consuming and time-consuming. Mistakes were often made. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a product delivery control device for a vending machine that solves the above-mentioned problems by reducing the need for manual setting of the continuous delivery column as much as possible.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a means for automatically setting a column in which cooling and heating have been mutually switched as a continuous product column, and a means for canceling data of the automatically set continuous product column. By providing this, the above objectives shall be achieved.

[0005]

[Operation] Vending machines that can switch between cooling and heating products in the same column often dispense products in succession when switching hot products (for example, soup) and cold products (for example, cola) depending on the season. The present invention focuses on this point, and a control device determines the cooling/heating state of each column, and automatically sets a column in which there is a change from cooling to heating or from heating to cooling as a continuous product delivery column. Automatically set columns continuously carry out products in response to a signal from a start switch, just as in the case of manually set columns. However, since there are some products (for example, coffee) that do not need to be replaced even if cooling and heating are switched, the data in the automatically set continuous product column can be changed, and it can be canceled manually from the keyboard etc. put.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing its control operation. First, in FIG. 1, 1 is a continuous delivery start switch that starts continuous product delivery, 2 is a keyboard for setting and inputting various data, 3 is a CPU that controls the system by a program stored in a ROM (not shown), and 3a is a The RAM, 4 is a cooling/heating read switch that works in conjunction with the cooling/heating switch of each column, 5 is a product delivery relay that turns ON/OFF in response to a product delivery signal from the CPU 3 to each column, and 6 is a product that stores products. It's a shelf.

[0007] Here, the product shelf 6 is partitioned into four rooms on the left and right,
Furthermore, each room is divided into four columns, front and back. Each column has article unloading solenoids S1, S2, . . . that are driven via contacts x1, x2, . Further, each compartment of the product shelf 6 is provided with both a cooler and a heater, and these can be switched and operated at any time by setting.

FIG. 2 shows the operation of such a control device.
This will be explained below using a flowchart. Step S1
Then, the CPU 3 determines whether there is an input from the keyboard 2 to set or change continuous output column data, and if there is an input, the column in which the data has been input is stored in the RAM 3a as a continuous output column in step S7. If there is no data input, check the state of the cooling/heating read switch 4 in step S2, and if there is a change from the previous time, step S2.
3, if there is none, the process advances to step S4.

[0009] In step S3, cooling/
The column of the chamber in which the heating has changed is stored in the RAM 3a as a continuous column. Then, in step S4, it is determined whether the continuous discharge starting switch 1 has been pressed, and if it has been pressed, in step S5, the corresponding discharge relay 5 is continuously turned on and off according to the continuous discharge column data in the RAM 3. As a result, the product delivery solenoid 7 continuously opens and closes a product delivery valve (not shown) to continuously deliver products. This continuous output is performed sequentially in the order of column numbers for all columns set as continuous output columns.

If the activation switch 1 is not pressed in step S4, the process returns to step S1 and waits for data input from the keyboard 2. Here, even if the column is set as a continuous column in step S3, if the continuous column is canceled and input for a column that does not require replacement of products, the RA is set in step S7.
Erase the data on M3a. When the continuous output is completed for all columns in step S5, the process advances to step S6, where the continuous output column data in the RAM 3a is cleared, and the process returns to step S1.

As described above, according to the configuration shown in the drawings, a column whose cooling/heating has been switched is automatically set as a continuous column in principle, so that a chamber having a common cooling/heating device is connected to a plurality of columns. Even when the columns are divided into columns, there is no need to set the consecutive columns one by one, which saves time and eliminates setting errors. Furthermore, for products such as coffee that do not need to be replaced even if cooling/heating is switched, the automatic setting can be canceled, so there is no problem. Furthermore, continuous output unrelated to cooling/heating switching can be handled manually as before.

0012

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, continuous dispensing is automatically set for columns that have been switched between cooling and heating, and this can be canceled if unnecessary, which eliminates the need to replace products particularly frequently. Product replacement work at the change of seasons can be done quickly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device in FIG. 1; 1 Continuous delivery start switch 2 Keyboard 3 CPU 3a RAM 4 Cooling/heating reading switch 5 Product delivery relay 6 Product shelf 7 Product delivery solenoid

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of columns capable of switching between cooling and heating of products, means for setting these columns as continuous product delivery columns, and means for setting the columns as continuous product delivery columns in response to a start signal. a means for continuously dispensing products from a column; a means for automatically setting a column in which cooling and heating have been mutually switched as a continuous product dispensing column; and a means for automatically dispensing products continuously. A product delivery control device for a vending machine, characterized in that it is provided with means for canceling column data.