JPS6225235B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for controlling the sales order of products in a vending machine having a plurality of product storage columns containing the same product. Prior Art In a vending machine that stores the same product in multiple product storage columns (hereinafter referred to as columns), it is desirable that the products in each column be sold uniformly. However, when having multiple serpentine columns, the number of products that can be stored in the front serpentine column and the number of products that can be stored in the rear serpentine column are not equal, so for example, if the column is , middle, and back three columns, then two items are sold from the previous column, three items are sold from the middle column, and four items are sold from the later column. It is necessary to do so. Hereinafter, the product release ratio between columns will be referred to as the sales ratio. As a device for controlling the sales ratio of such a column, a product sequential feeding device is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 17498/1983. Problems to be Solved However, with conventional sequential feeding devices, the number of bottles accommodated and the delivery mechanism differ depending on the type of vending machine, and the sales ratio of columns differs, so each vending machine has a dedicated mechanism. many. Some machines allow you to change the sales ratio of columns, but for example, in a vending machine equipped with 4 serpentine racks, you can only change the sales ratio of 4 columns sequentially; It cannot be used for selling products, that is, as a two-line sales device, and since there are many switching points such as switches, the operation becomes complicated and may cause errors, and the sales ratio of the columns can be set arbitrarily. Then, there was a problem that made it difficult to operate in the correct sales order. The present invention has been developed in view of the above problems, and allows for sequential sales of up to 8 columns by simple setting operations using a switch, and also enables the sales ratio to be set arbitrarily, and allows handling of multiple series of products. The purpose is to provide a control device that can be set to Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vending machine vending control device of the present invention has a plurality of columns storing the same product, and when a request to sell the corresponding product is made, In a vending machine that sells products in a predetermined order from each column at a predetermined sales ratio, a first setting means for setting independent sales or sales in a predetermined order for each column; a second setting means for setting the series and sales ratio for each column when sales is selected; a sales ratio storage area for storing the sales ratio for each column; and one product from the corresponding column for each column. When a unit is sold, it is added or subtracted by 1, and from the column, the number of units sold is a value corresponding to the sales ratio or 0.
A sales data storage area for storing sales data indicating whether or not the sales column is the same, a next sales column storage area for storing the next sales column after the current sale, and an order storage area for storing the sales order for each column. When a sales request is made, if the data in the sales data storage area for the column stored in the next sales column storage area is a value corresponding to the sales ratio of that column or is not 0, it is determined that the product is available. The present invention is characterized by comprising a control means for selling products from the columns stored in the sales column storage area. Operation With the above-described configuration, the control means reads the storage contents of each storage area of the storage means, and when a sales request is made, the data in the sales data storage area regarding the column stored in the next sales column storage area is stored. If the value corresponds to the sales ratio of that column or is not zero, it is assumed that the product is available and the product is sold from the column stored in the sales column storage area. According to the present invention, for example, 4 columns can be set for 2 series sequential sales, the other 4 columns can be set for independent sales, 2 series of 4 columns each can be set for sequential sale, or all 8 columns can be set for 1 series sequential sale. etc. can be done. Embodiment Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing one embodiment. 1 to 3 are block diagrams showing one embodiment of the sales control device of the present invention. In Figure 1, 1 controls the vending machine.
CPU 2 is an input terminal for a bend signal, end-of-sale signal, and bend relay signal, which are provided as many as the number of columns (N), and photo couplers 3-1, . . .
It is connected to the CPU 1 via 3-N and read using the driver 4 as a gate. Here, the bend signal is a sellable signal output from the coin sorting and counting mechanism 30 (Fig. 2) according to the amount of coins inserted, and the number of bends corresponding to the price of the item sold by the vending machine. Output to the signal line. In addition, the end-of-sale signal is a signal indicating that a sale has taken place.
Corresponding to each column of the vending machine, signals are output from contacts 18-1a to 18-Na shown in FIG. In addition, the bend relay signal is a signal indicating that one of the sequential feed setting columns has been sold, and is the contact 14-1a of the sales column designation (hereinafter referred to as PSD) output relay 14-1,...14-N in Fig. 2. ,...
14-When either Na is turned on, the second
Output from the circuit shown in the figure. 5 is a sold-out signal input terminal, which is provided corresponding to the column of the vending machine, is connected to the CPU 1 via photo couplers 6-1, . . . 6-N, and is read using the driver 7 as a gate. The sold-out signal is generated when the sold-out switch 8 provided for each column detects that the article in the column is sold out. Incidentally, when the sold-out switch 8 detects the sold-out, the sold-out lamp 9 is turned on. Push button switches 10-1, .
The CPU 1 reads the various input signals mentioned above, determines which column of products to sell according to the sales ratio stored in the RAM, which will be described later;
A column designation signal designating the relevant column is output to the bit output terminals _Q1 to _Q4 . 13 is a decoder that converts 4-bit input into ₁₀ outputs _, and output relays 14-1, . N
Outputs a signal to select one of the
Turn on one of 1a,...14-Na.
Reference numeral 15 denotes a driver that inputs a signal from the CPU 1 to operate relays 16-1 and 16-2 for indicating series sold-out when all columns belonging to series 1 or 2 are sold out. 17-1,...17-N are digital switches for setting whether the corresponding column is independent sales or sequential sales, and in the case of sequential sales, the series and sales ratio. O
It is connected to terminals (O ₁ , . . . O ₈ ), and the sales ratio for each column is read from the K terminal of CPU1. Second
18-1,...18-N in the diagram are bend relays,
PSD output relay 14-1 belonging to the same column,
14-2,...14-N normally open contact 14-1a,
...14-Na turns on and when a predetermined amount of money is inserted and a bend signal is generated, the corresponding contacts 18-1a, ...18 of the circuit in Fig. 3 operate.
- Turn on Na and operate solenoids 19-1,...19-N of the corresponding column to transport the product. In order to control sales according to the sales ratio, the RAM of CPU1 has sales ratio storage areas RA1, RA2, RA for each column as shown in Figure 4.
3,...RA8, sales counter RB1, RB2,...
...RB8, sales order storage area RC1, RC2,...
...Equipped with RC8 and next sales column storage area RD. The ROM also stores a program for performing the control shown in FIG. Next, the operation of the above-mentioned control device will be explained. For ease of explanation, a case will be described in which the number of identical product columns is 3 and the sales ratio of the first to third columns is 4:3:2.
In this case, digital switch 17-4 is set to "4".
(0100), 17-2 is set to "3" (0011), and 17-3 is set to "2" (0010). When a predetermined amount of coins is inserted, a bend signal is generated at one of the output terminals of the coin sorting and counting mechanism 30 corresponding to the amount inserted, and the bend signal is output to the CPU 1 via one of the buffers 3-1 to 3-N. be read. Also, each digital switch 17-1 to 17-
The setting values ``4'', ``3'', and ``2'' of 3 are read into CPU1, and the sales ratio storage areas RA1 and RA of RAM are read.
2 and RA3 are written with "4", "3", and "2", respectively (Table 1 a). Similarly, "4", "3", "2" are added to sales counter areas RB1 to RB3.
is memorized. Sales order area RC1, RC2,
Preset orders 1, 2, and 3 are stored in RC3. First, at the time of the first sale, an appropriate push button switch, for example 10-
1 is turned on, the signal from the pushbutton switch 10-1 is read by the CPU 1. At the time of the first sale, "1" is stored in the next sales column storage area RD, and the items to be sold starting from the first column are stored. Then, from the AND logic of the push button switch signal and the bend signal mentioned above, it can be determined that a sales command has occurred.
CPU1 determines the next sales column storage area
Reads the memory content "1" of RD, determines that the content of the sales counter RB1 in the first column is "4", in other words, it is not "0", that is, the product in the first column is not sold out, The CPU 1 outputs "0001" to the output terminals Q ₁ to Q ₄ , and the decoder 13 uses this signal to set the output terminal 13-1 to "1" and turn on the PSD relay 14-1.
Then, the contact 14-1a is turned on, the bend relay 18-1 of the first column is energized, the solenoid 19-1 is turned on, and one product A is ejected from the first column. When the CPU 1 reads that the contact 18-1a of the relay 18-1 is turned on, the first
As shown in table (b), the content of the sales counter area RB1 is set to "3", and the content of the next sales column storage area RD is also set to "2".

[Table] (c)
Next, the predetermined amount is inserted again, and the same product A is used again.
When the pushbutton switch 10-1 for specifying ``2'' is turned on, the content ``2'' of the next sales column storage area RD is read, and the sales of column 2 corresponding to this ``2'' are read in the same way as in the case described above. It is determined whether the content of counter area RB2 is not "0", and if it is not "0", CPU1 is output to the output terminal.
Output “0010” to Q ₁ to Q ₄ and decoder 13
sets the output terminal 13-2 to "1" and excites the relay 14-2 for the second column. Then, relay 18-2 and solenoid 19-2 are turned on, and one product A is released from the second column. During this operation, the content of the next sales column storage area RD is set to "3" as shown in Table 1c,
Then, 1 is subtracted from the contents of the sales counter area RB2 in the second column to make the contents "2". When the same product A is specified as described above, the next sales column is determined from the contents stored in the sales column storage area RD, and the contents of the sales counter area RB of the specified column must be 0. If so, the product in the specified column will be released. Below, repeat the same operation, for example, Table 2
Sales counter area in the third column as shown in (a)
When the contents of RB3 become 0, the sales order storage area RC
The memory content of 3 becomes "0". In this state, the contents of the next sales column storage area RD will never be "3", but after "1" will be "2", and after "2" will be "1" as shown in Table 2 c. Products are sold from the first column and the second column. Furthermore, when product A is sold and the content of the sales counter area RB2 in the second column becomes "0", the content of the sales order storage area RC2 also becomes "0".
Therefore, the content of the next sales column storage area RD becomes "1". When the memory contents of all sales counters RB1, RB2, and RB3 from columns 1 to 3 become 0, it is determined whether the sold-out switch 8a is turned on, and if the sold-out switch 8a is not sold out, the CPU 1 stores the sales ratio setting value storage area RA1. , RA2, RA3 are read and this data is stored in the sales counter areas RB1, RB2, RB3 again as "4", "3",
"2" is written in the sales order storage area again.
"1", "2", and "3" are written in RC1, RC2, and RC3, and the same sales operation as described above is performed for each column in order.

[Table] (c)
If the product in the corresponding column is sold out and the sold out switch in the third column is turned on, the contents of each storage area RB3 and RC3 related to the third column are "0", and as described above. The products are sequentially released from the first column and the second column without being rewritten. Note that if the vending machine is designed to sell products from multiple series, for example, the use A and the use B, and each series is sold at a sales ratio, each storage area RA1 or RA1 for each series is used. It is sufficient to provide RC8 and RD. If you want to set the sales ratio for each series, for example, use digital switch 17-1 or 1.
It is sufficient to set 7-4 as the sales ratio of the first series and 17-5 or 17-8 as the sales ratio of the second series. Therefore, even if the number of series increases or decreases, or the sales ratio of each series changes, the digital switch 17-1
It is only necessary to change the settings of 1 to 17-N, and there is no need to change the circuit configuration. Next, the operation of the CPU in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be explained according to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the power is turned on, the initial state is to turn off all outputs in S1, output a gate signal from driver 7 and read the sold-out signal in S2, and unless all columns are sold out, proceed to the next step S3 and turn off driver 4. Output the gate signal from and check the presence or absence of the bend signal. After confirming that there is no bend signal, output a signal from the O terminal and read the column sales format (series, ratio, independent) set to digital switches 17-1,...17-N (S4,
S5). Here, digital switch 17-1,...17-
Reading of a signal set to N will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. Now, assuming that the number of columns is 8, the O terminal of CPU1 is divided into 4 terminals: O ₀ , ...O ₃ and O ₄ , ...O ₇ .
Output bit by bit in parallel. and O ₀ is the first
Column O ₁ is weighted as the second column, and if we first output 4 bits as 1000, if the digital switch 17-1 is set to "1",
From Fig. 7, the input terminals of K ₀ , ...K ₃ have H, L,
L and L are input. At that time, the weighting is series 1 and the ratio is equivalent to 1. In other words, the first column is series 1 and the sales ratio of that column is 1. Digital switch 17-1,...17-N
If the setting is 1 to 8, the items will be sold sequentially as shown in the table in the same figure, and if it is 0 or 9, the items will be sold independently, that is, the items will be sold from that column by operating the corresponding pushbutton switches 10-1, . . . 10-N. It means that. In this way, the setting conditions up to O ₇ , that is, up to the 8th column, are changed to digital switch 17.
-1,...Read from the setting value of 17-8
Stored in RAM. Next, the bend signal, end-of-sale signal, and bend relay signal are read through the driver 4 and compared with the previously read contents, and then stored in the RAM.
The sold-out signal is read in through the driver 7, and compared and stored in the same way, and the push button switch signal is read in through the gate 12, and compared and stored in the same way (S6). Here, as a result of comparing the push button switch signals with the previous one (S7), the push button switches 10-1, . . .
If none of 10-N are on, the process returns to step S4 and the same reading, comparison, and storage are repeated again. This repetition is repeated at a constant cycle until the push button switch is pressed, that is, while the switch is in the standby state. Now, when a coin is inserted, a bend signal corresponding to the amount is sent from the coin detection mechanism 30,
The CPU 1 reads the bend signal via the driver 4, compares it with the previous data, and if the two data match, stores it in the RAM as valid data. And push button switch 10
-1,...10-N is pressed (S7), the push button switch 10- is pressed in step S8.
1,...10-N - determines whether the column corresponding to the pressed pushbutton switch is series 1 (S9), series 2 (S10), or independent (S11) by AND logic between the input signals of 10-N and the bend signal. and series 1 or series 2
If it belongs to the digital switch 17-1,
. . . The sales counter area RB is set based on the setting data of 17-N, and the sales column is determined by the method described above in step S12. If the specified column is available for sale, the CPU 1 outputs a PSD signal to the decoder 13 (S14), turns on the PSD output relay 14-i of the specified column, and turns on the contact 14-ia. , turn on bend relay 18-i and its contact 18-ia
is turned on, the solenoid 19-i is operated to carry out the goods, and a timer is set (S15). When the product is carried out from the specified column, the CPU 1 turns on the series counter output (S18) by ANDing the sales end signal (S16) from FIG. 3 and the bend relay signal (S17) from FIG. As shown in Table 1 (b), subtract from the relevant column of the sales counter, update the next sales column according to the set order, confirm the end of the timer (S20), and turn off the PSD output relay 14-i ( S21), and also turns off the sequence counter output (S22). Here, if one cycle of the sales operation has not been completed, that is, if all the sales counters in Table 1 (b) have not reached 0, the process returns to step S27 (S23), and the next time the series 1 push button is pressed. When selling from the second column as shown in Table 1 (c), 1 is sold from the sales counter in the second column.
In addition to subtracting , the third column is designated as the next sales column. Such operations are repeated for each series until all the sales counters in each column become 0, and when they all become 0, the process returns from step S23 to step S1. In step S17, if the bend relay signal does not come and the sales end signal does come, it means that a column other than the forward column has been sold, so CPU 1 processes it so that it does not proceed to the next sales order. . Incidentally, control when the sequential column and the independent column are selected at the same time is performed on the main body side. When the independent sales column is selected, in step S11, if the item is not sold out, the CPU 1 outputs a PSD signal to the decoder 13 (S24), the item is sold, and the process proceeds to step S20. In addition, in step S16, if there is no end-of-sale signal, check for the presence or absence of a belt relay signal (S25), and if there is no bend relay signal, return to step 16 again, and if there is a bend relay signal, return to step S1 as an abnormal state ( S26). In order to perform alternating sales, set the digital switches 17-1 and 17- for the first and second columns.
If 2 is set to the same value from 1 to 4, the first and second columns will be alternate sales of series 1. Similarly, if the third and fourth columns are set to the same value of 5 to 8, the third and fourth columns will be alternately sold in series 2. If the remaining fifth to eighth columns are set to 0 or 9, they become independent setting columns. Effects of the Invention As detailed above, the present invention simplifies the setting of sequential feed control for each column, significantly reduces erroneous operations compared to other methods, and allows the operator to complete the setting work in a short time. Effects can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 are circuit diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a RAM used in the above embodiment.
5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment, FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a digital switch, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a setting method for the digital switch shown in FIG. be. 1...CPU, 2...Input terminal for bend signal, end of sale signal and bend relay signal, 5...Output signal input terminal, 10-1,...10-N...Push button switch, 13...Decoder, 14-1,... 14-N...
PSD output relay, 17-1,...17-N...digital switch (first setting means, second setting means),
RA1...RA8...Sales ratio storage area, RB1...RB
8...Sales counter (sales data storage area), RC1
...RC8...Sales order storage area, RD...Next sales column storage area.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Having multiple columns containing the same product,
When a sales request for a corresponding product is received, in a vending machine that sells products in a predetermined order from each column at a predetermined sales ratio, the first step is to set whether each column should be sold independently or in a predetermined order. a setting means; a second setting means for setting the series and sales ratio for each column when predetermined order sales is selected by the first setting means; and a sales ratio storage area for storing the sales ratio for each column. When one product is sold from the corresponding column for each column, it is added or subtracted by 1, and the sales number is calculated from that column to show whether the number of units sold corresponds to the sales ratio or is 0. A storage means comprising a sales data storage area for storing data, a next sales column storage area for storing the next sales column after the current sale, and an order storage area for storing the order of sales for each column; If the data in the sales data storage area for the column stored in the next sales column storage area is a value corresponding to the sales ratio of that column or is not 0, it is stored in the sales column storage area as a product exists. A sales control device for a vending machine, characterized in that it is equipped with a control means for selling products from a column in which a product is sold.