JPH04459Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] The present invention is designed to prevent harm to vending machine users caused by external mischief applied to products sold in vending machines, especially food and beverages. This invention relates to a vending machine that has a structure that can prevent this.

[Conventional technology]

Unlike general stores, vending machines have a greater degree of freedom in where they can be installed, and are convenient for users as there are no restrictions on how long they can be used, and the number of vending machines installed is increasing year by year. However, as the number of vending machines increases, the number of vending machines that are left unattended and difficult for people to see increases, and as a result, the possibility of tampering with vending machines also increases. If the product being pranked is a food or drink, there is a risk of harm to the user if the prank is malicious, and this is an important point in maintaining vending machines that are originally characterized by unmanned vending. has become a serious problem.

One solution to this problem is to install a door at the product outlet of the vending machine, keep the door locked at all times, and release the lock only when a legal sale is made, but the lock mechanism is destroyed. This is not a fundamental solution as there is a risk that this may occur. There is also a method of detecting and displaying an object if there is an object at the product outlet of a vending machine, but with this method, even if a product that has been legally sold from inside the machine is taken out to the product outlet, the same applies. Since the display is performed, there is a possibility that troubles may arise in which it becomes difficult to distinguish between items that have been illegally placed in the outlet from the outside.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vending machine that can display externally when an item is illegally placed in the product outlet of the vending machine, and that can distinguish it from products that have been taken out through legitimate sales. There is a particular thing.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the vending machine of the present invention is equipped with a detection switch that detects when an object is placed in the product removal port, a product removal indicator, and an abnormal object indicator. The display device indicates the first condition that the detection switch has been activated and the second condition that the product has been transported out based on a sales signal sent from the control unit or a detection signal detected from a detector installed on the product transport path. The abnormal object indicator operates only when both conditions are satisfied, does not operate when only one of the first or second conditions is satisfied, and the abnormal object indicator operates only when only the first condition is satisfied.
It is configured such that it does not operate when only the second condition or both the first and second conditions are met.

[Effect]

In the present invention, when no object, be it a product or an abnormal object, is placed in the product take-out port, the detection switch does not operate, and therefore neither the product discharge indicator nor the abnormal object indicator operates. If a sale is carried out, the detection switch is activated when the product is carried out to the product take-out port, and a sales signal is sent from the control unit when the product is taken out, or a sales signal is sent from the product take-out port Since a detection signal is sent out from a detector installed in the store, the product delivery indicator operates under these two conditions, indicating that a legitimate product has been delivered. When the product is removed, the detection switch returns to its original state, and the product removal indicator becomes inactive and disappears.

In addition, if an item other than the product to be carried out is illegally placed at the takeout port from outside, the detection switch will be activated, but since the product inside the vending machine will not be taken out, the sales signal from the control unit will also be sent from the detector installed in the product delivery path. Since no detection signal is sent out, the abnormal object indicator operates to indicate that some abnormal object is placed at the outlet. In this case, the product delivery indicator does not operate.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 3 are connection diagrams of different examples of the display circuit according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view of the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a detection switch, which operates upon detecting that something is placed in the product outlet of the vending machine, and is configured as a normally open contact. As a sensor for detecting whether or not an object is placed at the product outlet, a weight type sensor that determines the presence or absence of an object by measuring the weight of the bend stage, or a sensor that has a light source and a light receiving element on the side of the bend stage is used. Various types of sensors can be used, such as an optical sensor that determines the presence or absence of an object between the light source and the light receiving element. Reference numeral 2 denotes a product discharge indicator connected in series to the detection switch 1 via a contact 3 configured as a normally open contact, and is configured, for example, as a blue lamp. Reference numeral 4 denotes an abnormality indicator connected in series to the detection switch 1 via a contact 5 configured as a normally closed contact, and is configured with, for example, a red lamp. Contact 5 interlocks with contact 3. Reference numeral 6 denotes a time-limited contact, which is operated by a product delivery signal, for example, a sales signal sent from the control section 7 of a vending machine, and has a time-limited return characteristic of returning after a set fixed period of time. Reference numeral 8 denotes a relay connected in series to the time limit contact 6, and the contact is constituted by contacts 3 and 5 inserted into the circuit of the product delivery display 2. A second abnormality indicator 9 is connected in parallel to the abnormality indicator 4, and is composed of a buzzer. The series circuit between the detection switch 1 and the circuit of the product discharge indicator 2 or the circuit of the abnormal object indicator 4 is as follows:
It is connected to a drive power source (not shown) through terminals 10 and 11. In Figure 2, 2, 4, 9
1 is a product discharge indicator and an abnormal object indicator, 12 is a product take-out port, 13 is a product selection button, and 14 is a coin slot, respectively, as shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be explained.

When the vending machine is not operated or tampered with, and therefore there are no products or other abnormal objects in the product outlet, the detection switch 1 is inactive and open, and the contact 3 is open. , the contact 5 is closed, the time limit contact 6 is open, and the relay 8 is not energized, which is the initial state shown in FIG. When a user of the vending machine inserts a coin into the coin slot 14 and operates one of the product selection buttons 13, the control unit 7 of the vending machine determines whether or not the product can be sold. If so, a sales signal is sent and the selected product is carried out. This sales signal is sent to the time limit contact 6, and the time limit contact 6 is closed. On the other hand, the detection switch 1 is closed when the product is carried out, and current flows through the circuit of the detection switch 1, the time limit contact 6, and the relay 8 from the drive power source connected to the terminals 10 and 11, and the relay 8 is energized. Contact 3 is closed by energizing relay 8, and contact 5 is closed.
opens, and as a result, current flows from the drive power supply 10 through the circuit of the detection switch 1, the contact 3, and the product delivery indicator 2, and the product delivery indicator 2 displays an indication, for example, a blue lamp lights up. The user can recognize from the display on the product removal display 2 that the product present at the product take-out port is a legitimate product, and can take out the product with confidence. When the user takes out the product, the detection switch 1 is opened again, the current flowing to the product removal indicator 2 is cut off and the display disappears, the relay 8 is also demagnetized, the contact 3 returns to the open position, and the contact 5 is closed. Return to closed position. Since the time-limited contact 6 has a time-limited return characteristic, it opens again after a predetermined period of time has passed after operation, and all elements return to their initial states.

Suppose now that a prank is committed and an item that is not a genuine product is placed in the product outlet. As a result, the detection switch 1 is operated and closed. In this case, since no sales signal is issued from the control section 7 of the vending machine, the time limit contact 6 does not operate, and therefore the relay 8 is not energized, so the contacts 5 and 3 are held in their initial states. Therefore, detection switch 1, contact 5,
A current flows through the circuits of the abnormal object indicators 4 and 9, and the abnormal object indicators 4 and 9 display an indication, for example, a red lamp lights up and a buzzer sounds. This display makes the vending machine user aware that the product at the outlet is not a genuine product and may be dangerous.

Moreover, after the product is taken out to the exit through the normal purchase operation of inserting a coin and pressing the product selection button, the product may be tampered with and left as is without being taken out. Although it is possible, in this case, even if the product delivery indicator 2 operates at the time of product delivery, the time limit contact 6 will eventually turn off.
is returned for a limited time, so relay 8 is demagnetized and contact 3
is open, the contact 5 returns to the initial closed position, and the abnormal object indicator 4 is activated this time.

Even though the abnormality indicators 4 to 9 are displaying that an item that is not a genuine product is placed in the product outlet, the vending machine user ignores this and inserts a coin and presses the product selection button. When pressed, the product is carried out, the displays on the abnormal object indicators 3 to 9 disappear, and the product carried out display 2 is displayed. As a result, a user may take out and use both the product taken out to the takeout port and the item intentionally placed there, leading to an accident. In order to prevent such accidents, it is desirable to provide a locking mechanism for coin insertion so that coin insertion is impossible if something is present at the output opening.

In the above embodiment, a red lamp and a buzzer were provided as abnormal object indicators, but either one of them may be used, or other types of objects, such as objects currently in the outlet, should not be removed because they are dangerous. It is also possible to display a warning in text such as "please".

Further, in the above embodiment, the relay 8 is excited by the operation of the time limit contact 6, and the contact of this relay 8 is also used to open and close the circuit of the product delivery indicator 2 or the abnormal object indicator 4. By separating the circuit from the time-limit contact circuit, the power required for the display can be obtained independently of the time-limit contact, allowing the use of a large power display.Also, by returning the operating signal of relay 8 to the control section, the display It has the advantage of being able to check the circuit of the device, but the time-limited contact 6 and relay 8 are omitted, and the contact 3 is a time-limited return type time-limited contact, which is operated by directly inputting the sales signal from the control section 7. It is also possible to do so.

In the above-described embodiment, a sales signal from the control unit is used as the product delivery signal, but a detector may be provided in the middle of the delivery path and a signal generated by directly detecting product delivery may be used.

Next, the circuit of the display shown in FIG. 3 will be explained.

15 is a detection switch, which, like the one in Fig. 1, operates by detecting that something is placed in the product outlet of the vending machine, but unlike Fig. 1, it is configured as a normally closed contact. There is. 16 is a relay connected in series to the detection switch 15. 17 and 18 are contacts of the relay 16, connected in parallel to the detection switch 15, configured as normally open contacts, and interlocked with each other. 19 and 20 are contact 1 respectively
7 and 18 in series, and is a time-limited return type time-limited contact that is operated by a product delivery signal of the vending machine, for example, a sales signal sent from the control unit 23.
20 is a normally open contact, and 20 is a normally closed contact, which are interlocked with each other. 21 is a product discharge indicator inserted in series with the contact 17 and time limit contact 19; 22 is a contact 18;
This is an abnormality indicator inserted in series with the time limit contact 20. 24 and 25 are terminals connected to a drive power source (not shown).

When the vending machine is not operated or tampered with, and therefore there is nothing at the product outlet, the detection switch 15 does not operate and remains closed, and the relay 16 remains energized. 3, the contacts 17 and 18 are open, the time limit contact 19 is open, and the time limit contact 20 is closed, as shown in FIG. When a user of the vending machine inserts a coin into the coin slot and operates the product selection button, the control section 23 sends out a sales signal if the product is available for sale and takes out the selected product. This sales signal is sent to time limit contacts 19, 20, time limit contact 19 is closed and time limit contact 20 is open. On the other hand, when the product is removed, the detection switch 15 operates and opens, and the relay 16
is de-energized, so both contacts 17 and 18 are closed. As a result, contact 1 from terminals 24 and 25
7. Current flows through the circuit of the time limit contact 19 and the product delivery indicator 21, and the product delivery indicator 21 displays an indication, for example, a blue lamp lights up. In this case, even though the contact 18 of the circuit on the abnormal object indicator side is closed, the time limit contact 20 is open, so the abnormal object indicator 22
is not displayed. When the user takes out the product,
The detection switch 15 is closed again, the relay 16 is energized, the contacts 17 and 18 are opened, and the display on the product delivery indicator 21 disappears. Time-limited contacts 19, 20
Due to its time-limited return characteristic, it returns to its initial state after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

If a mischief is committed and an item that is not an official product is placed in the product outlet, the detection switch 1 will be activated.
5 is operated and opened, the relay 16 is de-energized and the contacts 17 and 18 are closed. In this case, since no sales signal is sent from the control unit 23, the time-limited contact 1
9 and 20 do not operate, and the time-limiting contact 19 remains open and the time-limiting contact 20 remains in its initial state of being closed. Therefore terminal 2
4 and 25, current flows only through the circuits of the contact 18, the time limit contact 20, and the abnormal object indicator 22, and the abnormal object indicator 22 displays an indication, for example, a red lamp lights up.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 3, the contacts are shown as mechanical contacts, but of course the contacts are not limited to mechanical contacts, and electronic switching elements using transistors or the like may be used.

[Effect of idea]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to clearly identify whether the item present at the product outlet is a product that has been legally taken out from inside the vending machine, or whether it has been intentionally placed as a result of tampering from the outside. Since the vending machine can be determined in advance, danger to the user can be prevented, and the user can use the vending machine with peace of mind.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 3 are connection diagrams of different examples of the display circuit according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view of the embodiment of the present invention. 1, 15...Detection switch, 2,21...Product delivery indicator, 4,9,22...Abnormal object indicator,
3, 5, 17, 18... Contact, 6, 19, 20...
...Time limit contact, 8, 16...Relay, 12...Product outlet, 13...Product selection button, 14...Coin slot.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It is equipped with a detection switch that detects that an object is placed in the product removal port, a product removal indicator, and an abnormal object indicator. It operates only when both the second condition that the product is carried out according to the sales signal sent out or the detection signal sent out from the detector provided on the product carry-out path are satisfied, and the first condition is satisfied.
or the abnormal object indicator will not operate when only one of the second conditions is satisfied, and the abnormal object indicator will operate only when only the first condition is satisfied, and only the second condition, or the first and A vending machine characterized in that it does not operate when both conditions 2 are satisfied.