JPH061518B2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vending machine having an elevator mechanism built therein.

(Prior Art) FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) show a front view and a side view of an internal mechanism of an elevator type vending machine, respectively.

The vending machine shown in the figure has three columns 10, 11 and 12 arranged side by side in a product storage 1 and each column 10, 1
Three elevators 30, 31, 3 that are rotationally driven in the vertical direction by dedicated motors 20, 21, 22 in 1, 12, respectively.
Two are arranged. Each of the elevators 30, 31, and 32 has a large number of shelves 40 (nine in the figure) for placing products, and each of the shelves 40 has a product 50 such as bottled water.
Is placed. In addition, each elevator 30, 31, 3
In the lower part of 2, conveyors 60, 61, 62 which are driven to rotate in the front-rear direction by respective dedicated motors (not shown) are arranged, and the conveyors 60, 61, 62 are arranged at the bottoms corresponding to the carry-out positions. A pusher 70 that pushes the product 50 placed on the shelf 40 to the front is provided (Actual Publication 59-4).
No. 0699).

FIG. 2 (c) shows a block diagram of the structure of the sales control device relating to the vending machine.

In the figure, 81 is a money processing device that sorts and counts inserted coins, 82 is a product selection device that sends a sales request signal based on button operation, and 83 is a lighting control of a sellable lamp, a sold-out lamp, or the like. A display device for performing the operation, a drive device 84 for performing drive control of the elevator motors 20, 21, 22 and the conveyor motors 30, 31, 32, etc.
Reference numeral 4 is a control circuit that sends a sales signal to the drive device 84 based on the selection signal sent from the product selection device 82.

Below, the selling operation and the selling preparation operation in the above-mentioned conventional vending machine will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. 2 (d).

The coins inserted from the slot of the vending machine are sorted and counted by the money processing device 81, and when the count value exceeds a certain value, the money processing device 81 sends a sell enable signal to the display device 83 for sale. The lamp lights up.

After that, when a sales request signal is sent from the product selection device 82 based on a button operation by the purchaser, the product price is compared with the above-mentioned count value, and when the count value satisfies the product price, A sales operation signal is sent from the control circuit 85 to the drive device 84.

The driving device 84 rotates a predetermined conveyor corresponding to the sales request by a predetermined amount based on the sales operation signal, whereby the product 50 on the shelf 40 at the carry-out position is pushed forward by the pusher 70 to the outlet. Be shipped.

After carrying out the product, that is, after confirming that the product 50 on the shelf 40 at the carry-out position is carried out by the product presence / absence sensor or the like, the control circuit 85 sends a sales preparation operation signal to the drive device 84.

The drive device 84 rotates the elevator 32, which has carried out the goods, by a predetermined amount based on the sales preparation operation signal, and thereby the subsequent (upper) shelf 40 of the current carry-out shelf 40 moves to the carry-out position.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above-described conventional vending machine, while the sales preparation operation is being executed by one elevator, that is, the subsequent shelf is moved to the carry-out position by the rotation of the elevator. Even if there is a sales request (button operation) corresponding to the product of another elevator during the operation, there is a drawback that the product cannot be carried out until the sales preparatory operation in progress is completed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to prioritize products of other elevators in response to a sales request even while the sales preparation operation is being executed by one elevator. The purpose is to provide a vending machine that can be sold on a regular basis.

(Means for Solving Problems) In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of rotatable elevators having a large number of product placing shelves and products on shelves at the carry-out position of each elevator are provided. A plurality of product unloading means for carrying to the take-out port, a sales operation executing means for driving a predetermined product unloading means based on a sales request to carry out the product, and an elevator for which the product has been carried out after carrying out the product a predetermined number of times. A vending machine equipped with a sales preparatory operation executing means for moving the subsequent shelves to the carry-out position receives a sales request for a product of another elevator while the preparatory sales operation is being executed by one elevator. Sales preparatory operation interruption means for interrupting the sales preparatory operation when there is, and forcibly performing the sales operation for unloading the merchandise by driving the merchandise unloading means corresponding to the sales request after the preparatory operation for sale is interrupted When, it is provided and sales preparation operation continues means for continuing the sales preparation operation is interrupted after the article carrying-out has been completed to the end.

(Operation) According to the present invention, when a sales preparation operation is being executed by one elevator and there is a sales request for a product of another elevator, the sales preparation operation interruption means interrupts the sales preparation operation being executed. To be done. After the sale preparation operation is interrupted, the sale operation compulsory execution means drives the article carry-out means corresponding to the sale request to carry out the article. Then, after the delivery of the product is completed, the sales preparation operation interrupted by the sales preparation operation continuing means is continued to the end.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b). It should be noted that in the description of this embodiment, FIG.
Quote (b).

FIG. 1 (a) is a block diagram of the configuration of the sales control device. In FIG. 1, 91 is a money processing device for sorting and counting inserted coins, and 92 is a product selection for sending a sales request signal based on button operation. A device, 93 is a display device for performing lighting control of a salable lamp, a sold-out lamp, and the like, and 93 is an elevator motor 20, 21, 22 and a conveyor motor 3.
This is a drive device that controls drive of 0, 31, 32, and the like.

Reference numeral 94 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) 9 capable of interrupt processing.
5 and a read-only memory (ROM) for storing a sales operation program, a sales preparation operation program, etc., which will be described later.
96 is a control means including a readable / writable memory (RAM) 97.

The CPU 95 program-controls a series of sales operations by the drive device 93 based on the selection signal sent from the product selection device 92, and programs a series of sales preparation operations by the drive device 93 based on the start signal of the sales preparation operation. Control.

Further, the CPU 95 sends a stop signal to the driving device 84 to interrupt the sales preparation operation when a selection signal for the products stored in another column is sent from the product selection means 92 during the sales preparation operation. Interrupt the sales operation of the products in other columns.

Further, the CPU 95 stores the interruption information of the sales preparation operation in the RAM 9
7, and after the interruption processing (sales operation of another column) is completed, the sales preparation operation after interruption is continued.

Next, the sales operation and the sales preparation operation will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.

The coins inserted from the insertion slot of the vending machine are sorted and counted by the money processing device 91, and when the count value exceeds a certain value, the money processing device 91 sends a sale enable signal to the display device 93 through the control means 94. The sent-for-sale lamp lights up.

After that, when a sales request signal is sent from the product selection device 92 based on a button operation by the purchaser, the product price and the count value are compared. If the count value satisfies the product price, The sales operation program stored in the ROM 96 is read, and the sales operation is executed according to the program. That is, the predetermined conveyor corresponding to the sales request signal is rotated by a predetermined amount, and the product 5 on the shelf 40 at the carry-out position is moved.
0 is pushed forward by the pusher 70 and carried out to the outlet.

After carrying out the product, that is, after confirming the carrying-out of the product 50 on the shelf 40 at the carry-out position by the product presence sensor or the like, the ROM
The sales preparation operation program stored in 96 is read, and the sales preparation operation is executed according to the program.
That is, the elevator that has carried out the product is rotated by a predetermined amount, and the subsequent (upper) shelf 40 of the current carry-out shelf 40 moves to the carry-out position.

During the execution of the sales preparation operation, it is monitored whether or not there is a sales request for a product of another elevator, that is, whether or not a sales request signal is transmitted from the product selection device 92, and if there is no sales request, the sales preparation operation is performed. Is performed to the end, and returns to the standby state.

On the other hand, when there is a sales request for a product of another elevator during the execution of the sales preparation operation, the sales preparation operation (program) being executed is interrupted at the timing when the sales request signal is sent from the product selection device 9, The interruption information is stored in the RAM 9
Store in 7.

After the sales preparation operation is interrupted, the sales operation program stored in the ROM 96 is read and executed in the same manner as above.
The products of other elevators that were requested to be sold are unloaded.

After the unloading of other elevators for which a sales request has been made is completed, the interruption information stored in the RAM 97 is read out, the sales preparation operation (program) after the interruption is continued to the end, and the operation returns to the standby state.

(Effect of the Invention) According to the present invention, when a sales request for a product of another elevator is made while the sales preparation operation is being executed by one elevator, the sales preparation operation being executed is temporarily suspended. It is possible to preferentially carry out a product for which a sales request has been made, and it is possible to significantly reduce the waiting time for sales and significantly improve the sales efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (a) and 1 (b) show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a configuration block diagram of a sales control device, and FIG. 1 (b) is a sales operation and a sales preparation operation. It is a flowchart concerning. 2 (a) to (d) show a conventional example, FIG. 2 (a) is a front view of an internal mechanism of an elevator type vending machine, FIG. 2 (b) is a side view of the internal mechanism, and FIG. 2 (c) is a configuration block diagram of the sales control device, and FIG. 2 (d) is a flowchart relating to the sales operation and the sales preparation operation. In the figure, 10, 11, 12 ... Columns, 30, 31, 32 ...
Elevators, 60, 61, 62 ... Conveyors, 92 ... Product selection device, 94 ... Control means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of rotatable elevators having a large number of product loading shelves, a plurality of product unloading means for unloading the products on the shelves at the unloading position of each elevator to an outlet, and a sales request. Sales operation executing means for driving a predetermined product unloading means to carry out a product, and sales preparatory operation for moving a subsequent shelf to a carry-out position by rotating a predetermined amount of an elevator after the product is carried out. A vending machine including a means, and a sales preparatory operation interrupting means for interrupting the sales preparatory operation when a sales request for a product of another elevator is made while the preparatory operation is being executed by one elevator. , A sales operation compulsory execution means for driving the product unloading means corresponding to the above-mentioned sales request to carry out the product after suspending the sale preparation operation, and the sale interrupted after the product unloading is completed The 備動 work provided a sales preparation operation continues means for continuing to the end, a vending machine, characterized in that.