JP7734028B2 - Coin laundry equipment and its operating method - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a coin laundry machine and an operating method thereof that performs processes such as washing and drying of laundry items such as clothes and sheets in response to payment of a usage fee.

In recent years, an increasing number of coin laundry machines in coin laundry stores provide audio guidance and explain operating procedures to users.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that in a coin laundry system where fees are paid with coins or prepaid cards and where washing and drying are carried out automatically, users are notified by voice guidance messages that the laundry has finished and that the lock release number is provided to prevent theft and other damage.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-105501

However, while audio guidance such as that in Patent Document 1 guides users through the operating procedure, if the door is closed to begin with, simply pressing the course button will accept the deposit of the fee, even if no clothes or other items have been placed inside, as there is no error in the operating procedure itself. As such, with conventional technology such as that in Patent Document 1, it is difficult for the coin laundry machine to determine whether clothes or other items have been left inside, and there is a problem in that it may start operating without any clothes or other items being placed inside.

Therefore, the primary objective of this embodiment of the present invention is to provide a coin laundry machine that can prevent operation from starting when there are no laundry items, such as clothes, inside.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a coin laundry device is provided that includes a laundry device housing for storing laundry, etc., an opening/closing door for opening and closing an input port for loading and unloading the laundry, etc. into the housing, a course button for selecting a course for washing, etc. , and a control unit that, triggered by the closing of the opening/closing door, measures the difference between the time when the opening/closing door is closed and the time when an operation to select the course button for washing, etc. is detected, and controls the operation of washing, etc. of the laundry device, and if the control unit determines based on the difference that an operation to select the course button has not been performed within a predetermined time, it prompts the user of the laundry device to confirm the loading of the laundry, etc.

In addition, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for operating a coin laundry machine, comprising the steps of: detecting that a door of the laundry machine, which opens and closes an input port through which laundry, etc. is put into and taken out of the casing, has been closed; detecting that an operation to select a course button for washing, etc. has been performed ; using the closure of the door as a trigger , measuring the time difference between when the door is closed and when the course button is selected; and if it is determined based on the time difference that the course button has not been selected within a predetermined time, prompting a user of the laundry machine to confirm that the laundry, etc. has been put in.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a coin laundry machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a coin laundry machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a control system of a coin laundry machine according to one embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a flowchart showing an operation process using a coin laundry machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is an example of a typical embodiment of the present invention, and should not be construed as narrowing the scope of the present invention.

<Example of coin laundry equipment configuration>
First, an example of the configuration of a coin laundry machine according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a coin laundry machine 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a coin laundry machine according to this embodiment. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the control system of a coin laundry machine according to this embodiment.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, coin laundry device 1, which is a washer/dryer or other device that requires payment of a usage fee, comprises a rectangular parallelepiped housing 2 for storing laundry and other items, and an outer body 3 and drum 4 located inside housing 2. Outer body 3 is a horizontally oriented cylindrical body with a bottom, and is located inside housing 2. Drum 4 is also a horizontally oriented cylindrical body with a bottom, and is located inside outer body 3.

The housing 2 has a circular panel opening 2b approximately in the center of the front panel 2a. The outer body 3 has an opening 6 for inserting and removing laundry such as clothes and sheets into the housing 2, and is fixed so that this opening 6 is exposed to the panel opening 2b.

A door 7 that opens and closes the input port 6 is located on the front panel 2a. The door 7 is disc-shaped and can close the input port 6, with a window in the center. A sealant (not shown) is placed between the door 7 and the edge of the input port 6 to improve airtightness.

The outer body 3 is a horizontally oriented cylindrical body with a bottom, and is placed inside the housing 2. The drum 4 is also a horizontally oriented cylindrical body with a bottom, and is placed inside the outer body 3. Clothes, sheets, etc. are placed in the drum 4, and the clothes, sheets, etc. are stored in the drum 4 while the washing and/or drying processes are carried out.

A handle-type door lock 8 is provided on the edge of the insertion slot 6. The user can use the door lock 8 to open and close the opening and closing door 7, as well as latch and unlatch the opening and closing door 7. The door lock 8 can also control the locking and unlocking of the opening and closing door 7 via the control unit 30, which will be described later.

The control unit 30 can fix the door lock 8 with the door 7 closed and latched. In other words, the control unit 30 can lock the door 7 using the door lock 8 to keep the insertion slot 6 sealed. On the other hand, when the control unit 30 unlocks the door 7, it becomes possible to manually pull the door lock 8 to release the latch, and then open the door 7 to open the insertion slot 6. The door lock 8 can be equipped with an opening/closing sensor 41 that detects the state in which the door 7 is closed and latched. The opening/closing sensor 41 outputs detection data to the control unit 30.

A water supply pipe 15 and a drain pipe 16 (not shown) are connected to the outer body 3. The outer body 3 stores water supplied from the water supply pipe and discharges the stored water to the outside of the coin laundry machine 1 via the drain pipe 16. A water level sensor 42 that detects the water level can be installed on the outer body 3. The water level sensor 42 outputs detection data to the control unit 30.

Furthermore, the outer body 3 is connected to a hot air supply path 20 that supplies hot air for drying, and a hot air exhaust path 21. The hot air supply path 20 is equipped with a heating unit 22, an overheating prevention device, a safety device, etc. The heating unit 22 is a gas burner. The hot air exhaust path 21 is equipped with a filter, a fan 23, an overheating prevention device, a check damper, etc.

When the fan 23 is rotated, the air introduced into the warm air supply path 20 is heated by the heating unit 22, and warm air is supplied to the outer shell 3. This dries the laundry placed in the drum 4. The moist air is then introduced from the outer shell 3 into the warm air discharge path 21 and discharged to the outside.

A temperature sensor 18 is located downstream of the hot air exhaust path 21. The temperature sensor 18 measures the temperature of the air introduced into the hot air exhaust path 21 from the outer body 3. The temperature sensor 18 then outputs the measurement data to the control unit 30.

The drum 4 is positioned with a gap between it and the outer body 3, with its opening coinciding with the outer body 3's insertion port 6. The drum 4 has a rotating shaft (not shown) extending rearward, which is rotatably supported by the outer body 3. A rotary drive unit equipped with a motor 28 and other components is connected to the rear end of the rotating shaft. The rotary drive unit transmits the rotation of the motor 28 to the rotating shaft via a pulley and belt, thereby rotating the drum 4.

The operation input unit 11 is located at the top of the front panel 2a. The operation input unit 11 is connected to the control unit 30, and is used by the user to operate the laundry processing operation. The display unit 31 is located adjacent to the operation input unit 11.

The display unit 31 displays information related to the laundry processing operation. Information related to the laundry processing operation, such as the usage time of the coin laundry machine 1, usage fees (including excess fees and weighted excess fees), and required operating procedures, is displayed on the display unit 31.

To the right of the operation input unit 11 is a fee reception unit 12 that receives the usage fee for processes such as washing. The fee reception unit 12 receives the usage fee before the coin laundry device 1 starts its laundry processing operation. The fee reception unit 12 can also accept payment as a usage fee in cash, as well as by prepaid card, credit card, various points, etc.

When a user deposits money or other charges into the fee acceptance unit 12, the fee acceptance unit 12 outputs to the control unit 30 a notification that money has been deposited. When the user operates the unit in the appropriate procedure, the fee acceptance unit 12 calculates the amount of the deposited money or other charges, and if the usage fee (including the excess charge and weighted excess charge) is met, it outputs fee repayment information to the control unit 30. The fee acceptance unit 12 and the control unit 30 may also work together to determine whether the fee has been repaid.

A control unit 30 that controls the coin laundry machine 1 is located inside the housing 2. The control unit (laundry processing completion determination unit, operating procedure determination unit, usage fee determination unit) 30 is configured, for example, by a microcomputer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The housing 2 also has a speaker 40 that generates audio. The speaker 40 outputs audio guidance such as usage instructions to the user.

The control unit 30 measures the difference between the time when the process of closing the door 7 is detected and the time when a process other than the process of putting in laundry, etc. is detected, and controls the operation process, such as washing. For example, the control unit 30 measures the difference between the time when the process of closing the door 7 is detected and the time when the process of selecting a course, such as washing, is detected, and if the difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined time (for example, approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute), it controls the system to prompt the user to confirm putting in laundry, etc.

The control unit 30 also detects when the user has made a payment to the fee reception unit 12 and controls the operation of the washing machine, etc. For example, the control unit 30 detects when the user is about to pay a fee, and if guidance is needed in the event of an incorrect operation, the control unit 30 controls the machine to guide the user through the appropriate operating procedures using voice or other means.

Furthermore, the control unit 30 controls the laundry processing operation (washing process, drying process) for the laundry placed in the drum 4 through multiple pre-set operating steps.

In conventional coin laundry machines with voice guidance, the door opening and closing operation is used as a trigger to provide audio guidance to the user on the operating procedure and what to do next.

Here, an example of the operating procedure for a conventional coin laundry machine is as follows: (1) place the clothes to be washed, etc., into the drum and close the door; (2) select the desired washing or other course and press the course button for that process; and (3) insert the fee for the selected course or pay using a prepaid card, IC card, credit card, etc.

When performing this operation, it is not a problem if steps (1) and (2) above are reversed. However, if either step (1) or (2) above is not performed, the coin laundry machine will not be able to accept payment due to an error in the operating procedure.

This is because if (1) above is not performed, the door will be open and operation cannot begin, and if (2) above is not performed, the fee varies depending on the course, so the coin laundry machine cannot determine the fee to be collected unless a course is selected first.

However, it is difficult for the coin laundry machine 1 to determine whether clothes or other items have been placed in the drum 4 and whether the door 7 should be closed. Therefore, if the door 7 is already closed, simply pressing the course button may result in the machine accepting payment and starting operation, even if no clothes or other items have been placed inside.

The coin laundry machine 1 according to this embodiment therefore provides guidance to users about leaving clothes or other items in the machine, as described below, preventing it from operating without any clothes or other items being inserted. Guidance on the operating procedure is not limited to audio, and may also be displayed on a display screen, etc.

<Example of operation processing method>
Next, an example of an operation processing method using the coin laundry machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation processing using the coin laundry machine 1 according to this embodiment.

First, the control unit 30 detects that the process of closing the door 7 has been performed and that a process other than the process of loading laundry, such as a washing course, has been selected.

Then, when the control unit 30 measures the difference between the time when it detects the process of closing the door 7 and the time when it detects that the course button, which is the process of selecting the course, has been pressed, the operation process shown in Figure 4 is started. As an example, the difference represents the time between the closing of the door 7 and the pressing of the course button.

In Step 1, the control unit 30 determines whether the difference is within a predetermined time. If the course button has not been pressed within the predetermined time (No), the process proceeds to Step 2; if the course button has been pressed within the predetermined time (Yes), the process proceeds to Step 3.

In Step 2, if the difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined time, the control unit 30 prompts the user to confirm whether laundry, etc. has been inserted. That is, the control unit 30 instructs the user to confirm whether laundry, etc. has been inserted into the drum 4, and then issues a command to guide the user to open the door 7 and then close the door 7 again.

For example, if the course button is pressed 30 minutes after the door 7 is closed without the door 7 being opened or closed, it will not be determined that clothes, etc. have been placed in the drum 4. Therefore, if it is determined that there are no clothes, etc. in the drum, the control unit 30 will provide guidance such as, "Please check that clothes, etc. are in the drum, close the door again, and then insert a coin."

In Step 3, the control unit 30 determines whether the process to close the opening and closing door 7 has been performed. If the door 7 is open (No), the process proceeds to Step 4; if the door 7 is closed (Yes), the process proceeds to End and no guidance is provided.

In Step 4, the control unit 30 issues a command to provide guidance to the user on how to close the door 7. For example, guidance such as "Put your clothes in the drum, close the door, and then insert a coin" may be given.

The above-mentioned operation processing method can also be applied by using the difference in time between pressing the course button and closing the door 7. In this case, if the door 7 is opened, closed, or closed within a predetermined time after pressing the course button, it can be assumed that clothes, etc. have been placed in the drum 4.

When the control unit 30 detects that the user has followed the guidance instructions to close the door 7 and press the course button, the operation process ends and the coin laundry machine 1 accepts payment. Payment can be made by inserting coins into the payment acceptance unit 12, such as a coin mechanism, or by using a prepaid card, IC card, credit card, etc.

In the coin laundry machine 1 according to this embodiment, the closing of the door 7 is used as a trigger to measure the difference, and if the course button is not pressed within a specified time, it is not considered that clothes or other items have been placed in the drum 4. This makes it possible to easily determine whether the door 7 was opened or closed within several tens of seconds before or after the course button was pressed.

This allows the coin laundry device 1 to determine whether or not there is laundry or other items inside the drum 4 before providing advice on appropriate operating procedures, preventing users from forgetting to put in laundry or other items, and preventing the device from starting operation when there are no laundry or other items inside.

In this embodiment, a coin laundry machine 1 capable of performing both washing and drying processes has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a washing machine that only performs washing on laundry, or to a dryer that only performs drying on laundry.

In the above embodiment, a water-washing type machine that uses water to perform laundry was described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may also be applied to a dry-cleaning type washing machine (washer-dryer) that performs laundry using solvents such as petroleum-based solvents.

Furthermore, while the case where the operation input unit 11 and fee reception unit 12 are located on the housing 2 has been described, this is not limited to this. The operation input unit 11 and fee reception unit 12 may also be located separately from the housing 2. In other words, it is not limited to a separate type in which one coin laundry machine is equipped with a fee reception unit 12, etc., but may also be a case in which operation of one or multiple coin laundry machines and payment of fees are accepted using a so-called centralized payment system via a mobile terminal such as a smartphone.

This embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The present invention can be embodied in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as well as within the scope of the inventions set forth in the claims and their equivalents.

1 Coin laundry machine 2 Housing 2a Front panel 2b Panel opening 3 Outer body 4 Drum 6 Insertion port 7 Opening and closing door 8 Door lock 11 Operation input unit 12 Fee acceptance unit 30 Control unit 31 Display unit

Claims (2)

a housing of a laundry device that accommodates laundry, etc.;
an opening/closing door that opens and closes an input port through which the laundry or the like is put into and taken out of the housing;
A course button to select a course such as washing,
a control unit that , triggered by the closing of the door, measures a difference between a time when the door is closed and a time when an operation to select a course button for washing or the like is detected, and controls an operation of the laundry machine for washing or the like;
Equipped with
The coin laundry device is characterized in that if the control unit determines based on the difference that no operation to select the course button has been performed within a predetermined time, it prompts the user of the laundry device to confirm that the laundry, etc. has been inserted. detecting whether a door of the laundry apparatus that opens and closes an opening for putting laundry or the like into and taking out the laundry from the housing is closed;
a step of detecting that an operation for selecting a course button such as washing has been performed;
a step of measuring a time difference between when the door is closed and when the course button is selected , using the closing of the door as a trigger ;
a step of instructing a user of the laundry machine to check whether the laundry or the like has been inserted when it is determined based on the time difference that the course button has not been selected within a predetermined time;
A method for operating a coin laundry machine, comprising: