JP7735832B2 - vending machines - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a vending machine, and more particularly to a vending machine equipped with a conveying unit for conveying selected products to a dispenser.

Conventionally, vending machines equipped with a conveying unit for transporting selected products to an outlet are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Patent Document 1, cited above, discloses a vending machine equipped with a product selection button and a transport tray. In Patent Document 1, multiple products are selected using the product selection button, and the selected products are ejected onto the transport tray, which then transports the multiple products to the take-out port.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-101306

When multiple products are being transported simultaneously, all selected products must be ejected onto the transport section. For this reason, although not disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is conceivable to install a sensor on the transport tray and use the sensor to detect whether all products have been ejected onto the transport tray. However, ejecting multiple products onto the transport tray poses the problem that the sensor's detection light is blocked by products already ejected onto the transport tray, making it difficult to accurately detect that subsequent products have been ejected onto the transport tray. Note that similar problems arise when a magnetic sensor or the like is installed.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one object of this invention is to provide a vending machine that can reliably detect when multiple products have been discharged into the conveying section.

A vending machine according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a storage section in which products are stored and which is arranged in multiple vertical tiers; a transport section that receives multiple products discharged from the storage section and transports the selected multiple products to an outlet; a weight detection section disposed in the transport section that detects the weight within the transport section; and a control section that, when multiple products are selected, controls the transport section to discharge the multiple products from the storage section and transport the multiple products simultaneously to the outlet. The control section is configured to detect the amount of weight change using the weight detection section each time the multiple products are discharged to the transport section, and to control the transport section to move to the outlet based on the detected amount of weight change for each of the selected multiple products.

A vending machine according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a conveying unit, a weight detection unit, and a control unit as described above. The control unit is configured to detect a change in weight using the weight detection unit each time multiple items are discharged onto the conveying unit, and to control the conveying unit to move to the outlet based on the weight change detected for each of the selected items. As a result, the weight inside the conveying unit changes each time an item is discharged onto the conveying unit. If a weight change is detected the same number of times as the number of selected items, it can be assumed that all of the selected items have been discharged onto the conveying unit. This ensures reliable detection of the discharge of multiple items onto the conveying unit. Furthermore, after detecting that the selected items have been discharged, the items can be transported to the outlet all at once. This shortens the time required to discharge all of the items compared to transporting the items one by one to the outlet when purchasing multiple items, allowing for a sale that is quicker and without compromising product quality when multiple items are selected.

In the vending machine according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to either control the discharge of the next product or control the movement of the conveying unit to the take-out port when the change in weight detected by the weight detection unit is a positive value. With this configuration, the weight of the product increases when it is discharged to the conveying unit, so if the change in weight is positive, it can be determined that the product has been normally discharged to the conveying unit, and the next control can be performed.

In the vending machine according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to accept a selection of multiple products to be transported to the outlet, and to rearrange the order in which the multiple products were selected based on predetermined conditions when discharging the multiple products to the transport unit, and then discharge the products to the transport unit. With this configuration, the order in which the multiple products are discharged to the transport unit is rearranged based on predetermined conditions, so that predetermined conditions can be set to make it easier to discharge the products to the transport unit, and the products can be discharged in the order that makes it easier to discharge the products to the transport unit, regardless of the order in which they were selected.

In this case, preferably, the predetermined condition is that the selected multiple products are discharged to the conveying section in order, starting with the products stored in the upper tier of the storage section, and the control unit is configured to rearrange the order in which the multiple products are discharged to the conveying section, starting from the upper tier. With this configuration, multiple products can be discharged to the conveying section while the conveying unit is moving from the upper tier downward, which prevents the distance the conveying unit has to travel from being too long compared to when the conveying unit moves back and forth between the upper and lower tiers in the order the products were selected. As a result, the time required to discharge the products can be reduced.

In a vending machine configured to rearrange the order in which multiple products were selected based on a predetermined condition for discharging the multiple products to the conveying unit, the predetermined condition is preferably to transport multiple products arranged in vertically overlapping positions separately to the outlet, and the control unit is configured to control the conveying unit so that the upper products of the multiple products arranged in vertically overlapping positions are transported to the outlet first, and then the lower products are transported to the outlet. With this configuration, for example, when easily deformed products are arranged in vertically overlapping positions, the control unit is configured to control the conveying unit so that the upper products of the multiple products arranged in vertically overlapping positions are transported to the outlet first, and then the lower products are transported to the outlet. This allows the products to be discharged to the conveying unit and transported to the outlet without overlapping. Furthermore, by discharging the lower products to the conveying unit last, it is possible to prevent the travel distance from becoming too long when transporting one of the overlapping products to the outlet and then transporting the other product to the outlet. As a result, the time required to discharge the products can be shortened.

In a vending machine configured to rearrange the order in which multiple products were selected and discharge them to the conveying unit based on predetermined conditions when discharging the multiple products to the conveying unit, preferably, the predetermined condition is that multiple products arranged in vertically overlapping positions are conveyed to the outlet simultaneously, and the control unit is configured to control the conveying unit to discharge heavier products among the multiple products arranged in vertically overlapping positions first based on weight information for each product. With this configuration, discharging heavier products to the conveying unit first can prevent deformation caused by the weight of upper products on lower products when products are conveyed in a stacked state.

In a vending machine configured to rearrange the order in which multiple products were selected and discharge them to the conveying unit based on predetermined conditions when discharging the multiple products to the conveying unit, preferably, the predetermined conditions are to simultaneously convey multiple products arranged in vertically overlapping positions to the take-out opening, and the control unit is configured to control the conveying unit to discharge first those products among the multiple products arranged in vertically overlapping positions that can have other products placed on top of them. With this configuration, by discharging first to the conveying unit those products that can have other products placed on top of them, deformation of lower products can be prevented when products are transported in an overlapping state, and the upper products can be transported in a stable state.

In the vending machine according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to control the order in which products are discharged onto the conveying unit when products are contained within the conveying unit so that the load on the conveying unit, expressed as the product of the number of stages the conveying unit is raised and the number of products in the conveying unit, is minimized. This configuration reduces the load on the conveying unit, thereby preventing its useful life from being shortened and reducing the driving force required to move the conveying unit.

In the vending machine according to the above aspect, preferably, when multiple products placed in the same storage section are selected, the control section is configured to either control the next product to be discharged or control the conveying section to move to the outlet when the change in weight detected by the weight detection section is the same as the total weight of each of the selected multiple products. With this configuration, even when products from the same storage section are discharged together to the conveying section, it is possible to detect that all of the multiple products have been discharged to the conveying section.

In the vending machine according to the above aspect, the vending machine is preferably configured to control the conveyance of products already dispensed into the conveyance section to the take-out opening when the weight change detected by the weight detection section is zero or a negative value. Here, a zero weight change is considered to indicate that no products have been dispensed, and a negative weight change is considered to indicate that a product already dispensed into the conveyance section has fallen. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to detect abnormalities when dispensing products into the conveyance section, and to convey products that were normally dispensed before the abnormality in product dispensing occurred to the take-out opening.

The vending machine according to the above aspect preferably further comprises an operation unit including a first operation unit for selecting a product and a second operation unit for confirming the product selection and enabling the selection of the next product, and the control unit is configured to control the conveying unit to eject products when an operation via the second operation unit is not accepted after an operation via the first operation unit. With this configuration, a purchaser can purchase multiple products consecutively by operating the second operation unit. Furthermore, when the first operation unit is not operated, control is initiated to eject the multiple products selected up to that point into the conveying unit and transport them to the outlet, eliminating the need for the purchaser to perform any further operations.

This invention provides a vending machine that can reliably detect when multiple products have been discharged onto the conveying section.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vending machine. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vending machine. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transport unit in which a weight detection unit is arranged. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which products are stored in the storage section. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining predetermined conditions according to the first embodiment. 10 is a flowchart showing a control flow when selecting a product. 10 is a flow chart showing a control flow when transporting a product. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining predetermined conditions according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining predetermined conditions according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining predetermined conditions according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a load applied to a conveying unit. FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining predetermined conditions according to the sixth embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing a control flow when conveying a product according to the sixth embodiment.

[First embodiment]
First, the configuration of a vending machine 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

(Vending machine configuration)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vending machine 100 includes a storage unit 1, a transport unit 2, a weight detection unit 3, a control unit 4, and a main body unit 5.

Products 10 are stored in the storage section 1. The products 10 include, for example, food such as bread or confectionery, beverages in plastic bottles or cans, and items other than food and beverages. The storage section 1 is arranged in multiple tiers in the vertical direction (Z direction). Multiple products 10 are placed in one storage section 1. The storage section 1 is also provided with a product discharge section 12 for discharging the products 10. The product discharge section 12 may, for example, include a spiral that rotates to push the products 10 out one by one from the rear (Y2 side), or the products 10 may be transported one by one by a conveyor.

The conveying unit 2 includes a bucket 21 and a moving mechanism 22. The bucket 21 is a member with an opening on the Z1 side that can receive the selected products 10, and is, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped container. The bucket 21 moves to the storage unit 1 where the products 10 are discharged, and receives the products 10 discharged by the product discharge unit 12. The moving mechanism 22 is configured to move the bucket 21 in the vertical direction. The moving mechanism 22 is composed of a linear motion mechanism including a motor, etc. After the bucket 21 is moved to the removal opening 11 by the moving mechanism 22, it rotates to discharge the products 10 in the bucket 21 into the removal opening 11.

As shown in FIG. 3, the weight detection unit 3 is placed on the bottom surface inside the bucket 21. The weight detection unit 3 is, for example, sheet-shaped, and measures the weight inside the bucket 21 each time a product 10 is discharged into the bucket 21. The weight detection unit 3 is configured, for example, to detect the weight by generating an electrical change due to the load of the product 10.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the control unit 4 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory. The control unit 4 controls the weight detection unit 3 to detect the amount of change in weight each time multiple products 10 are discharged into the bucket 21 of the conveying unit 2. Specifically, the control unit 4 detects the difference between the weight in the bucket 21 after the products 10 have been discharged from the storage unit 1 and the weight in the bucket 21 before the products 10 were discharged. When multiple products 10 are selected, the control unit 4 controls the product discharge unit 12 to discharge the products 10 one by one from the storage unit 1 to the conveying unit 2. The control unit 4 controls the movement mechanism 22 of the conveying unit 2 to simultaneously transport multiple products 10 to the removal opening 11, and controls the movement of the bucket 21 to the removal opening 11.

The control unit 4 is configured to control the movement of the conveying unit 2 to the take-out opening 11 based on the detected weight change amount for each of the selected multiple products 10. Specifically, if the weight change amount detected by the weight detection unit 3 is a positive value and there is a next product 10, the control unit 4 controls the next product 10 to be discharged, and if there is no next product 10 (when the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged), the control unit 4 controls the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21) to be moved to the take-out opening 11. Furthermore, if the weight change amount detected by the weight detection unit 3 is 0 or a negative value, the control unit 4 controls the conveying unit 2 to transport the products 10 already discharged in the bucket 21 to the take-out opening 11, and also controls the refund of the products 10 that could not be discharged.

The control unit 4 is configured to accept the selection of multiple products 10 to be transported to the outlet 11 via the first operation unit 61 and the second operation unit 62 of the operation unit 6. The control unit 4 is configured to rearrange the order in which the multiple products 10 were selected based on predetermined conditions for discharging the multiple products 10 to the transport unit 2, and then discharge the multiple products 10 to the transport unit 2.

In the first embodiment, the predetermined condition is that the selected multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying unit 2 in order, starting with the products 10 stored in the top row of the storage unit 1. The control unit 4 is configured to rearrange the order in which the multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying unit 2, so that they are discharged from the top row first. Specifically, the products 10 in the storage unit 1 are assigned the same number as the number input via the first operation unit 61. The number is set to indicate, for example, which row the product 10 is in when counting from the top of the storage unit 1 and the number in which the product 10 is stored from the left. For example, the hatched product 10 in Figure 5 is the second product 10 from the left on the second row from the top, so the number is set to 0202. The number may be four digits or three digits.

As shown in FIG. 6 , if the products 10 are selected in the order of the third tier, the fifth tier, and the second tier, the control unit 4 rearranges the products 10 based on predetermined conditions to the second tier, the third tier, and the fifth tier. Note that in FIG. 6 , the selected products 10 are hatched. Then, based on the rearranged order, the control unit 4 first moves the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21) to the second tier and discharges the products 10 into the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21). Next, the control unit 4 moves the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21) to the third tier and discharges the products 10 into the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21). Finally, the control unit 4 moves the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21) to the third tier and discharges the products 10 into the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21). Then ... take-out opening 11.

If an operation via the first operation unit 61 is not accepted after an operation via the second operation unit 62, the control unit 4 controls the conveyance unit 2 to eject the product 10. Specifically, if the second operation unit 62 is operated and then a refund lever (not shown) is operated, the control unit 4 controls the conveyance unit 2 to eject the product 10. Furthermore, if the purchase amount reaches the inserted amount after the second operation unit 62 is operated or if it is not possible to purchase additional products 10, the control unit 4 may also control the conveyance unit 2 to eject the product 10.

The main body 5 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The main body 5 includes a door 51 and a housing 52 to which the door 51 is attached at the front. The main body 5 is provided with an access opening 11 on the door 51 and an operation unit 6. The access opening 11 has an openable cover member (flapper) (not shown) on the front side. A purchaser can remove an item 10 by opening the cover member. The access opening 11 is provided with a product detection unit 13. When the product detection unit 13 detects an item 10 in the access opening 11, the locking mechanism 14 of the cover member is released, allowing the cover member to be opened. The bucket 21 is configured not to move while the product detection unit 13 is detecting an item 10. The storage unit 1 and the transport unit 2 are located inside the housing 52.

As shown in FIG. 4, the operation unit 6 includes a first operation unit 61 for selecting a product 10 and a second operation unit 62 for confirming the selection of the product 10 and enabling the selection of the next product 10. In FIG. 4, the first operation unit 61 is surrounded by a dashed line. The first operation unit 61 is a numeric keypad and is configured to input a number assigned to each product. The second operation unit 62 is a purchase button, and operation of the second operation unit 62 confirms the selection of the product 10. Note that the display unit 7 is provided with a correction button 63, and therefore, by pressing the correction button 63 after an operation input via the first operation unit 61, the selection of the product 10 can be canceled.

A display unit 7 is provided near the operation unit 6. The display unit 7 displays the product 10 number entered via the first operation unit 61 when purchasing the product. The display unit 7 also displays an error message if an error occurs in the vending machine 100.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vending machine 100 includes a memory unit 8. The memory unit 8 stores predetermined conditions for discharging the product 10 onto the conveying unit 2, as well as information about the product 10.

(Control of the control unit when selecting a product)
The control of the control unit 4 during product selection will be described with reference to Fig. 7. First, in step S1, the control unit 4 accepts an operation via the first operation unit 61. In step S2, the control unit 4 accepts an operation via the second operation unit 62. This confirms the selection of the product 10 selected in step S1.

In step S3, the step to be followed varies depending on whether the control unit 4 has received further operation via the first operation unit 61. If further operation via the first operation unit 61 has been received, the process returns to step S2, and steps S2 and S3 are repeated until selection of multiple products 10 is complete.

If no operation has been received via the first operation unit 61 in step S3, the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the step to proceed differs depending on whether or not an operation via the return lever has been received. If an operation via the return lever has been received, the process determines that selection of the product 10 has been completed, and starts control to transport the product 10 to the take-out opening 11. At this point, the process proceeds to step S11 in Figure 8.

If no operation via the return lever is received in step S4, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, the control unit 4 determines whether an additional purchase is possible. Specifically, it determines whether the remaining amount, obtained by subtracting the total price of the selected products 10 from the inserted amount, is greater than the price of the cheapest product 10 among the multiple products 10. If the remaining amount is equal to or greater than the price of the cheapest product 10, an additional purchase is possible, and the process returns to step S3. If the remaining amount is less than the price of the cheapest product 10, an additional purchase is not possible, and the selection of products 10 is considered complete, and control to transport the products 10 to the take-out port 11 is initiated. At this point, the process proceeds to step S11 in Figure 8.

The control of the control unit 4 when transporting products 10 will be described with reference to Figure 8. First, in step S11, the selection of products 10 is completed. In step S12, the control unit 4 moves the transport unit 2 based on predetermined conditions and rearranges the order in which the products 10 are discharged. In the first embodiment, products 10 on the top shelf of the storage unit 1 are discharged to the transport unit 2 first.

In step S13, the control unit 4 moves the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21) based on the rearranged order. In step S14, the control unit 4 discharges the products 10 into the moved bucket 21. Then, the process proceeds to step S15, where the step to proceed differs depending on whether the amount of change in weight in the bucket 21 before and after discharge, measured by the weight detection unit 3, is a positive value. If the amount of change is a positive value, the process proceeds to step S16; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S17.

In step S16, the next step depends on whether there are any other selected products 10 that have not been discharged into the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21). If there are any other products 10, the process returns to step S12, and steps S12 to S16 are repeated until all products 10 have been discharged into the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21). If there are no other selected products 10, the process proceeds to step S17.

In step S17, the bucket 21 is moved to the take-out opening 11. Then, in step S18, the products 10 are discharged to the take-out opening 11. Note that if the change in weight within the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21) is not a positive value in step S15, the products 10 that had been discharged to the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21) up to that point are discharged to the take-out opening 11, and the price of the products 10 that could not be discharged to the conveying unit 2 and the change are refunded. Also, if all products 10 have been discharged to the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21) in step S16 (if NO in step S7), the products 10 that had been discharged to the conveying unit 2 are discharged to the take-out opening 11, and the change is refunded.

[Effects of the first embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

In the first embodiment, the system includes a storage section 1 in which products 10 are stored and which is arranged in multiple vertical tiers; a conveying section 2 that receives multiple products 10 discharged from the storage section 1 and transports the selected multiple products 10 to the removal opening 11; a weight detection section 3 disposed in the conveying section 2 that detects the weight within the conveying section 2; and a control section 4 that, when multiple products 10 are selected, controls the conveying section 2 to discharge the multiple products 10 from the storage section 1 and transport the multiple products 10 simultaneously to the removal opening 11. The control section 4 is configured to detect the amount of weight change using the weight detection section 3 each time multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying section 2, and to control the conveying section 2 to move to the removal opening 11 based on the detected weight change for each of the selected multiple products 10. As a result, the weight within the conveying section 2 changes each time a product 10 is discharged to the conveying section 2. Therefore, if a number of weight changes equal to the number of selected products 10 are detected, it can be assumed that all of the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying section 2. This makes it possible to reliably detect when multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying unit 2. Furthermore, after detecting that the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged, the products 10 can be conveyed together to the take-out opening 11. This shortens the time required to discharge all of the products 10 compared to conveying the products 10 one by one to the take-out opening 11 when purchasing multiple products 10, so when multiple products 10 are selected, sales can be carried out in the shortest time possible without compromising product quality.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the control unit 4 is configured to either control the ejection of the next product 10 or control the movement of the conveying unit 2 to the take-out opening 11 when the change in weight detected by the weight detection unit 3 is a positive value. As a result, since the weight of the product 10 increases when it is ejected onto the conveying unit 2, if the change is positive it can be determined that the product 10 has been ejected onto the conveying unit 2 normally, and the next control can be carried out.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the control unit 4 is configured to accept the selection of multiple products 10 to be transported to the removal opening 11, and is configured to rearrange the order in which the multiple products 10 were selected and discharge them onto the transport unit 2 based on predetermined conditions when discharging the multiple products 10 onto the transport unit 2. As a result, since the order in which the multiple products 10 are discharged onto the transport unit 2 is rearranged based on predetermined conditions, it is possible to set conditions that make it easier to discharge the products 10 onto the transport unit 2 as predetermined conditions, and to discharge the products 10 into the order that makes it easier to discharge them onto the transport unit 2, regardless of the order in which they were selected.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the predetermined condition is that the selected plurality of products 10 are discharged to the conveying unit 2 in order, starting with the products 10 stored in the upper tier of the storage unit 1, and the control unit 4 is configured to rearrange the order in which the multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying unit 2, starting from the top tier. This allows all of the multiple products 10 to be discharged to the conveying unit 2 while the conveying unit 2 is moving from the upper tier downward, thereby preventing the distance traveled by the conveying unit 2 from becoming too long compared to when the conveying unit 2 moves back and forth between the upper and lower tiers in the order in which the products 10 were selected. As a result, the time required to discharge the products 10 can be shortened.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the weight change detected by the weight detection unit 3 is 0 or a negative value, control is performed to transport the product 10 that has already been discharged to the conveying unit 2 to the take-out opening 11. As a result, when the weight change is 0, it is considered that the product 10 has not been discharged, and when the weight change is a negative value, it is considered that the product 10 that has already been discharged to the conveying unit 2 has fallen. Therefore, this makes it possible to detect abnormalities when discharging the product 10 to the conveying unit 2, and to transport to the take-out opening 11 the product 10 that was normally discharged before the abnormality in the discharge of the product 10 occurred.

The first embodiment also includes an operation unit 6 including a first operation unit 61 for selecting a product 10 and a second operation unit 62 for confirming the selection of the product 10 and enabling the selection of the next product 10. The control unit 4 is configured to control the conveyance unit 2 to eject the product 10 if an operation via the first operation unit 61 is not accepted after an operation via the second operation unit 62. This allows a purchaser to purchase multiple products 10 consecutively by operating the second operation unit 62. Furthermore, if the first operation unit 61 is not operated, control is initiated to eject the multiple products 10 selected up to that point onto the conveyance unit 2 and transport them to the removal port 11, eliminating the need for the purchaser to perform any further operations.

Second Embodiment
Next, the configuration of a vending machine 200 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 9. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the vending machine 200 according to the second embodiment, the predetermined condition is that multiple products 10 arranged in overlapping positions in the vertical direction (Z direction) are transported separately to the take-out opening 11. Specifically, this is the case when multiple products 10 arranged in positions where at least a portion of the products 10 overlap in the vertical direction are transported.

The control unit 4 controls the conveyance unit 2 so that, among multiple products 10 arranged in positions that overlap in the vertical direction, the upper product 10 is conveyed to the take-out opening 11 first, and then the lower product 10 is conveyed to the take-out opening 11. At this time, the conveyance unit 2 controls the conveyance unit 2 so that the upper product 10 and the product 10 that does not overlap in the vertical direction are conveyed to the take-out opening 11 first.

As shown in FIG. 9, the selected products 10 are products 10 on the second tier, products 10 on the third tier, products 10 on the fourth tier, and products 10 on the fifth tier, and the products 10 on the third tier and the fifth tier overlap vertically. In FIG. 9, the selected products 10 are hatched. In this case, the control unit 4 controls the conveying unit 2 to transport the product 10 on the third tier, which is located above the products 10 on the third tier and the fifth tier, to the outlet 11 first, and then transport the product 10 on the fifth tier to the outlet 11 later. The control unit 4 also controls the conveying unit 2 to simultaneously transport the products 10 on the second tier, the third tier, and the fourth tier to the outlet 11. Other configurations of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Effects of the second embodiment]
In the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

As described above, the second embodiment includes a storage section 1 in which products 10 are stored and which is arranged in multiple vertical tiers; a conveying section 2 that receives multiple products 10 discharged from the storage section 1 and transports the selected multiple products 10 to the removal opening 11; a weight detection section 3 disposed in the conveying section 2 that detects the weight within the conveying section 2; and a control section 4 that, when multiple products 10 are selected, controls the conveying section 2 to discharge the multiple products 10 from the storage section 1 and transport the multiple products 10 simultaneously to the removal opening 11. The control section 4 is configured to detect the amount of weight change using the weight detection section 3 each time multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying section 2, and to control the conveying section 2 to move to the removal opening 11 based on the detected weight change for each of the selected multiple products 10. As a result, the weight within the conveying section 2 changes each time a product 10 is discharged to the conveying section 2. Therefore, if a number of weight changes equal to the number of selected products 10 are detected, it can be assumed that all of the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying section 2. This makes it possible to reliably detect when multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying unit 2. Furthermore, after detecting that the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged, the products 10 can be conveyed together to the take-out opening 11. This shortens the time required to discharge all of the products 10 compared to conveying the products 10 one by one to the take-out opening 11 when purchasing multiple products 10, so when multiple products 10 are selected, sales can be carried out in the shortest time possible without compromising product quality.

In the second embodiment, as described above, the predetermined condition is that multiple products 10 arranged in vertically overlapping positions are transported separately to the outlet 11. The control unit 4 is configured to control the transport of the upper products 10 of the multiple products 10 arranged in vertically overlapping positions to the outlet 11 first, and then the lower products 10 to the outlet 11. As a result, for example, when deformable products 10 are arranged in vertically overlapping positions, the control unit 4 is configured to control the transport of the upper products 10 of the multiple products 10 arranged in vertically overlapping positions to the outlet 11 first, and then the lower products 10 to the outlet 11. This allows the products 10 to be discharged to the conveying unit 2 without overlapping and then transported to the outlet 11. Furthermore, by discharging the lower products 10 to the conveying unit 2 later, it is possible to prevent the travel distance from becoming too long when one of the overlapping products 10 is transported to the outlet 11 and then the other product 10 is transported to the outlet 11. As a result, the time required to discharge the product 10 can be reduced.

Furthermore, other effects of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Third embodiment]
Next, the configuration of a vending machine 300 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 10. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The specified condition is that multiple products 10 arranged in a vertically overlapping position are simultaneously transported to the take-out opening 11. Specifically, this is the case when products 10 arranged in a vertically overlapping position at least partially are transported.

The control unit 4 controls the conveying unit 2 to discharge the heaviest product 10 first among multiple products 10 arranged in a vertically overlapping position based on information on the weight of each product 10. The weight of each product 10 is stored in advance in the memory unit 8.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the selected products 10 are the products 10 on the second tier, the products 10 on the third tier, the products 10 on the fourth tier, and the products 10 on the fifth tier, and the products 10 on the third tier and the products 10 on the fifth tier overlap vertically. In FIG. 10 , the selected products 10 are hatched. Assume also that the products 10 on the fifth tier are heavier than the products 10 on the third tier. In this case, the control unit 4 controls the conveying unit 2 to eject the products 10 on the fifth tier, which are heavier than the products 10 on the third tier. Note that because the products 10 on the second tier and the products 10 on the fourth tier do not overlap vertically with the products 10 on the third tier and the products 10 on the fifth tier, the order in which they are ejected is not particularly limited. Other configurations of the third embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Effects of the third embodiment]
In the third embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

In the third embodiment, as described above, the system includes a storage section 1 in which products 10 are stored and which is arranged in multiple vertical tiers; a conveying section 2 which receives multiple products 10 discharged from the storage section 1 and transports the selected multiple products 10 to the removal opening 11; a weight detection section 3 disposed in the conveying section 2 which detects the weight within the conveying section 2; and a control section 4 which, when multiple products 10 are selected, controls the discharge of the multiple products 10 from the storage section 1 to the conveying section 2 and the simultaneous transport of the multiple products 10 to the removal opening 11. The control section 4 is configured to detect the amount of change in weight using the weight detection section 3 each time multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying section 2, and to control the movement of the conveying section 2 to the removal opening 11 based on the detection results of the amount of change in weight detected for all of the selected multiple products 10. As a result, the weight inside the conveying section 2 changes each time an item 10 is discharged onto the conveying section 2, and if weight changes are detected the same number of times as the number of selected items 10, it can be assumed that all of the selected items 10 have been discharged onto the conveying section 2. This makes it possible to reliably detect that multiple items 10 have been discharged onto the conveying section 2. Furthermore, after detecting that the selected items 10 have been discharged, the items 10 can be transported together to the removal opening 11. This shortens the time required to discharge all of the items 10 compared to transporting the items 10 one by one to the removal opening 11 when purchasing multiple items 10, allowing for sales to be carried out in the shortest time possible without compromising product quality when multiple items 10 are selected.

In the third embodiment, as described above, the predetermined condition is that multiple products 10 arranged in a vertically overlapping position are simultaneously transported to the take-out opening 11, and the control unit 4 is configured to control the conveying unit 2 to discharge the heavier products 10 out of the multiple products 10 arranged in a vertically overlapping position based on weight information for each product 10. In this way, by discharging the heavier products 10 out of the multiple products 10 arranged in a vertically overlapping position to the conveying unit 2 first, it is possible to prevent deformation of lower products 10 due to the weight of upper products 10 being applied to the lower products 10 when conveying them in a stacked state.

Furthermore, the other effects of the third embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Fourth embodiment]
Next, the configuration of a vending machine 400 according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 11. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The specified condition is that multiple products 10 arranged in a vertically overlapping position are simultaneously transported to the take-out opening 11. Specifically, this is the case when products 10 arranged in a vertically overlapping position at least partially are transported.

As shown in FIG. 11 , the control unit 4 controls the conveying unit 2 to discharge first, among multiple products 10 arranged in overlapping positions in the vertical direction, products 10 that can have other products 10 placed on top of them. Information on whether or not a product 10 can have other products 10 placed on top of it is stored in advance in the memory unit 8. Whether or not a product 10 can have other products 10 placed on top of it is determined, for example, by information about its shape, such as whether or not the top surface is flat, and information about whether or not it is made of a durable material.

This example will be described assuming that the selected products 10 are products 10 on the second tier, products 10 on the third tier, products 10 on the fourth tier, and products 10 on the fifth tier, and that the products 10 on the third tier and the fourth tier overlap vertically. Furthermore, the product 10 on the fourth tier is a product 10 that can have other products 10 placed on top of it. In this case, the control unit 4 controls the product 10 on the fourth tier to be ejected onto the conveying unit 2 first, and then the product 10 on the third tier to be ejected onto the conveying unit 2. Note that, because the products 10 on the second tier and the fifth tier do not overlap with the products 10 on the third tier and the fourth tier, the order in which they are ejected is not particularly limited. Other configurations of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Effects of the Fourth Embodiment]
In the fourth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

As described above, the fourth embodiment includes a storage section 1 in which products 10 are stored and which is arranged in multiple vertical tiers; a conveying section 2 that receives multiple products 10 discharged from the storage section 1 and transports the selected multiple products 10 to the removal opening 11; a weight detection section 3 disposed in the conveying section 2 that detects the weight within the conveying section 2; and a control section 4 that, when multiple products 10 are selected, controls the conveying section 2 to discharge the multiple products 10 from the storage section 1 and transport the multiple products 10 simultaneously to the removal opening 11. The control section 4 is configured to detect the amount of weight change using the weight detection section 3 each time multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying section 2, and to control the conveying section 2 to move to the removal opening 11 based on the detected weight change for each of the selected multiple products 10. As a result, the weight within the conveying section 2 changes each time a product 10 is discharged to the conveying section 2. Therefore, if a number of weight changes equal to the number of selected products 10 are detected, it can be assumed that all of the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying section 2. This makes it possible to reliably detect when multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying unit 2. Furthermore, after detecting that the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged, the products 10 can be conveyed together to the take-out opening 11. This shortens the time required to discharge all of the products 10 compared to conveying the products 10 one by one to the take-out opening 11 when purchasing multiple products 10, so when multiple products 10 are selected, sales can be carried out in the shortest time possible without compromising product quality.

In the fourth embodiment, as described above, the predetermined condition is that multiple products 10 arranged in vertically overlapping positions are simultaneously transported to the take-out opening 11, and the control unit 4 is configured to control the conveying unit 2 to discharge first those products 10 that can have other products 10 placed on top of them, among the multiple products 10 arranged in vertically overlapping positions. In this way, by discharging first to the conveying unit 2 those products 10 that can have other products 10 placed on top of them, when products 10 are transported in a stacked state, it is possible to suppress deformation of the products 10 located below, while allowing the products 10 located above to be transported in a stable state.

Furthermore, other effects of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

Fifth Embodiment
Next, the configuration of a vending machine 500 according to a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 12. Note that the same components as those in the third embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the fifth embodiment, unlike the third embodiment, the control unit 4 controls the order in which the products 10 are discharged from the conveying unit 2 when the conveying unit 2 contains products 10, so as to minimize the load on the conveying unit 2, which is expressed as the product of the number of stages the conveying unit 2 is raised to and the number of products 10 in the conveying unit 2. The load on the conveying unit 2 is the load on the motor when the bucket 21 is raised. Specifically, as the number of products 10 increases or as the number of stages raised increases, the amount of power consumed increases, placing a load on the motor. Note that there is no load, or it is negligible, when the conveying unit 2 is lowered.

As shown in FIG. 10, the selected products 10 are products 10 on the second tier, products 10 on the third tier, products 10 on the fourth tier, and products 10 on the fifth tier, and the products 10 on the third tier and the fifth tier overlap vertically. The product 10 on the fifth tier is also assumed to be heavier than the product 10 on the third tier. The control unit 4 controls the conveying unit 2 to eject the product 10 on the fifth tier, which is heavier than the product 10 on the third tier, first.

Furthermore, in addition to the order in which the products 10 on the third tier and the products 10 on the fifth tier are discharged, the control unit 4 also sets the order in which the products 10 on the second tier and the products 10 on the fourth tier are discharged so as to minimize the load value. As shown in FIG. 12 , for example, in a comparative example in which products 10 on the fifth tier, products 10 on the fourth tier, products 10 on the third tier, and products 10 on the second tier are discharged in this order, the load rising from the fifth tier to the fourth tier after the fifth tier is discharged to the conveying unit 2 is 1, which is the number of products 10 multiplied by the number of tiers (1). Furthermore, the load rising from the fourth tier to the third tier after the fourth tier is discharged to the conveying unit 2 is 2, which is the number of products 10 multiplied by the number of tiers (2). Furthermore, the load rising from the third tier to the second tier after the third tier is discharged to the conveying unit 2 is 3, which is the number of products 10 multiplied by the number of tiers (1). Note that the load decreases from that point onward, so the load is 0. In this case, the total load is 6. On the other hand, in an example where products 10 are discharged in the order of the fifth tier, then the second tier, then the third tier, and then the fourth tier, the load rising from the fifth tier to the second tier is 3 (the number of products 10, 1, multiplied by the number of tiers, 3), and the load decreases from that point onwards, so it is 0. In this case, the total load is 3. Therefore, the control unit 4 discharges products 10 onto the conveying unit 2 in the order shown in the example with the least load. Note that, to simplify the explanation, the number of products 10 is described, but it is also possible to multiply by the weight of each product instead of the number of products 10. Furthermore, other configurations of the fifth embodiment are the same as those of the third embodiment.

[Effects of the Fifth Embodiment]
In the fifth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

As described above, the fifth embodiment includes a storage section 1 in which products 10 are stored and which is arranged in multiple vertical tiers; a conveying section 2 that receives multiple products 10 discharged from the storage section 1 and transports the selected multiple products 10 to the removal opening 11; a weight detection section 3 disposed in the conveying section 2 that detects the weight within the conveying section 2; and a control section 4 that, when multiple products 10 are selected, controls the conveying section 2 to discharge the multiple products 10 from the storage section 1 and transport the multiple products 10 simultaneously to the removal opening 11. The control section 4 is configured to detect the amount of weight change using the weight detection section 3 each time multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying section 2, and to control the conveying section 2 to move to the removal opening 11 based on the detected weight change for each of the selected multiple products 10. As a result, the weight within the conveying section 2 changes each time a product 10 is discharged to the conveying section 2. Therefore, if a number of weight changes equal to the number of selected products 10 are detected, it can be assumed that all of the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying section 2. This makes it possible to reliably detect when multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying unit 2. Furthermore, after detecting that the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged, the products 10 can be conveyed together to the take-out opening 11. This shortens the time required to discharge all of the products 10 compared to conveying the products 10 one by one to the take-out opening 11 when purchasing multiple products 10, so when multiple products 10 are selected, sales can be carried out in the shortest time possible without compromising product quality.

In the fifth embodiment, as described above, the control unit 4 is configured to control the order in which the products 10 are discharged onto the conveying unit 2 when the conveying unit 2 contains products 10, so as to minimize the load on the conveying unit 2, which is expressed as the product of the number of steps to which the conveying unit 2 is raised and the number of products 10 in the conveying unit 2. This reduces the load on the conveying unit 2, thereby preventing its useful life from becoming shorter and reducing the driving force required to move the conveying unit 2.

Furthermore, other effects of the fifth embodiment are the same as those of the third embodiment.

Sixth Embodiment
Next, the configuration of a vending machine 600 according to a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 13, and 14. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the sixth embodiment, when multiple products 10 placed in the same storage unit 1 are selected, the control unit 4 performs the following control if the amount of change in weight detected by the weight detection unit 3 is the same as the total weight of each of the selected multiple products 10.

For example, if all three selected products 10 are on the third tier, the control unit 4 raises the conveying unit 2 to the second tier and then ejects all three products 10 on the third tier onto the conveying unit 2. At this time, the products 10 may be ejected simultaneously or sequentially.

The control for discharging products 10 in the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 14. In Figure 14, step S24 is performed instead of step S14 in Figure 8, and step S25 is performed instead of step S15. In step S24, the control unit 4 discharges all of the products 10 in the same number of storage units 1 into the conveying unit 2 (bucket 21). In step S25, the control unit 4 proceeds to different steps depending on whether the weight change detected by the weight detection unit 3 is the same as the total weight of the selected products 10. The weights of the multiple products 10 are stored in the memory unit 8. For example, if the total weight of three products 10 is 150 g and the change is 150 g, the control unit 4 proceeds to step S16 and controls the discharge of the next product 10. If the weight is not 150 g, the control unit 4 proceeds to step S17 and controls the transport of the product 10 to the removal port 11. Other configurations of the sixth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Effects of the Sixth Embodiment]
In the sixth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

As described above, the sixth embodiment includes a storage section 1 in which products 10 are stored and which is arranged in multiple vertical tiers; a conveying section 2 that receives multiple products 10 discharged from the storage section 1 and transports the selected multiple products 10 to the outlet 11; a weight detection section 3 disposed in the conveying section 2 that detects the weight within the conveying section 2; and a control section 4 that, when multiple products 10 are selected, controls the conveying section 2 to discharge the multiple products 10 from the storage section 1 and transport the multiple products 10 simultaneously to the outlet 11. The control section 4 is configured to detect the amount of weight change using the weight detection section 3 each time multiple products 10 are discharged to the conveying section 2, and to control the conveying section 2 to move to the outlet 11 based on the detected amount of weight change for all of the selected multiple products 10. As a result, the weight within the conveying section 2 changes each time a product 10 is discharged to the conveying section 2. Therefore, if a number of weight changes equal to the number of selected products 10 are detected, it can be assumed that all of the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying section 2. This makes it possible to reliably detect when multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying unit 2. Furthermore, after detecting that the selected multiple products 10 have been discharged, the products 10 can be conveyed together to the take-out opening 11. This shortens the time required to discharge all of the products 10 compared to conveying the products 10 one by one to the take-out opening 11 when purchasing multiple products 10, so when multiple products 10 are selected, sales can be carried out in the shortest time possible without compromising product quality.

In the sixth embodiment, as described above, when multiple products 10 placed in the same storage unit 1 are selected, the control unit 4 is configured to either control the next product 10 to be discharged or control the conveying unit 2 to move to the removal opening 11 if the amount of weight change detected by the weight detection unit 3 is the same as the total weight of each of the selected multiple products 10. This makes it possible to detect that multiple products 10 have been discharged to the conveying unit 2, even when products 10 from the same storage unit 1 are discharged together to the conveying unit 2.

Furthermore, the other effects of the sixth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Modification]
The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the description of the above embodiments, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

For example, in the first to sixth embodiments described above, the first operation unit 61 is a numeric keypad and the second operation unit 62 is a purchase button, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the first operation unit 61 and the second operation unit 62 may be touch panels. In this case, the number of the selected product 10 is input by making a selection on the touch panel. The product 10 may also be selected via a smartphone.

Furthermore, in the above first to sixth embodiments, an example was shown in which a number was assigned to each product 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, a number is not necessarily required as long as the product 10 can be identified.

In addition, in the first embodiment, an example was shown in which products 10 stored in the upper tier of the storage unit 1 are sequentially discharged to the conveying unit 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, products 10 stored in the lower tier of the storage unit 1 may also be sequentially discharged to the conveying unit 2.

In addition, in the second embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the upper product 10 among multiple products 10 arranged in overlapping positions in the vertical direction is transported to the take-out opening 11 first, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the lower product 10 may also be transported to the take-out opening 11 first.

Furthermore, in the second to fifth embodiments described above, an example was shown in which there were two products 10 arranged in positions that overlap in the vertical direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, there may be three or more products 10 arranged in positions that overlap in the downward direction.

Furthermore, while the fifth embodiment described above is an example having the configuration of the third embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the fifth embodiment may also have the configuration of the second or fourth embodiment.

Furthermore, while the sixth embodiment described above is an example having the configuration of the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the sixth embodiment may have the configuration of any of the second to fifth embodiments. In this case, it is not necessary for all of the multiple products 10 placed in the same storage section 1 to overlap in the vertical direction with products 10 placed in other storage sections 1; it is sufficient that at least one product 10 overlaps.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 storage section 2 transport section 3 weight detection section 4 control section 6 operation section 10 product 11 take-out opening 61 first operation section 62 second operation section 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 vending machine

Claims (11)

a storage section in which products are stored and which is provided with a plurality of vertically arranged stages;
a conveying unit for receiving the plurality of products discharged from the storage unit and conveying the plurality of selected products to an outlet;
a weight detection unit disposed in the conveying unit and configured to detect a weight within the conveying unit;
a control unit that controls, when the plurality of products are selected, to eject the plurality of products from the storage unit to the transport unit and transport the plurality of products to the take-out opening simultaneously,
The control unit is configured to detect the amount of change in weight using the weight detection unit each time the multiple products are discharged to the conveying unit, and to control the conveying unit to move to the outlet based on the detection results of the amount of change in weight detected for each of the multiple selected products. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to either control the ejection of the next product or control the transport unit to move to the outlet when the change in weight detected by the weight detection unit is a positive value. The vending machine of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit is configured to accept a selection of the multiple products to be transported to the outlet, and to rearrange the order in which the multiple products were selected based on predetermined conditions when discharging the multiple products to the transport unit, and then discharge the multiple products to the transport unit. the predetermined condition is that the selected products are discharged to the conveying section in order from the products stored in the uppermost level of the storage section,
The vending machine according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit is configured to rearrange the order in which the plurality of products are discharged to the conveying unit in order from the top row to the bottom row. the predetermined condition is that the plurality of products arranged in a vertically overlapping position are separately conveyed to the take-out opening;
4. The vending machine according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to control the conveyance of the upper product among the plurality of products arranged in overlapping positions in the vertical direction to the take-out opening first, and then the lower product to the take-out opening. the predetermined condition is that the plurality of products arranged in a vertically overlapping position are simultaneously transported to the take-out opening;
4. The vending machine according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to control the conveying unit to discharge a heavier product first among the plurality of products arranged in overlapping positions in the vertical direction based on weight information for each product. the predetermined condition is that the plurality of products arranged in a vertically overlapping position are simultaneously conveyed to the take-out opening;
The vending machine according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to control the conveying unit to discharge a product that can be placed on top of other products among the plurality of products arranged in overlapping positions in the vertical direction first. The vending machine of claim 6 or 7, wherein the control unit is configured to control the order in which the products are discharged from the conveying unit when the products are contained in the conveying unit so that the load on the conveying unit, expressed as the product of the number of stages the conveying unit is raised and the number of products in the conveying unit, is minimized. The vending machine of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein when multiple products placed in the same storage unit are selected, the control unit is configured to either control the ejection of the next product or control the transport unit to move to the take-out port if the change in weight detected by the weight detection unit is the same as the total weight of each of the selected multiple products. The vending machine described in any one of claims 1 to 9 is configured to control the conveyance of the product already discharged to the conveyance section to the outlet when the change in weight detected by the weight detection section is 0 or a negative value. further comprising an operation unit including a first operation unit for selecting the product and a second operation unit for confirming the selection of the product and enabling the next selection of the product;
The control unit is configured to control the conveying unit to discharge the commodity when no operation via the first operation unit is accepted after an operation via the second operation unit. The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10,