JPH0468678B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an empty can collecting machine for collecting empty cans of canned products such as canned coffee, canned coffee, and canned beer.

(Prior Art) Recently, empty can collection machines using a deposit method (temporary deposit method) have been used to improve the effectiveness of collecting empty cans of canned products such as canned coffee, canned coffee, and canned beer. What is the deposit method?
The canned product is sold at a fixed amount, e.g.
In this system, cans are sold with yen added as a deposit and a sticker attached to the bottom of the can to mark the deposit, and the deposit is returned for empty cans with the sticker attached.

Empty can collection machines used in such deposit methods conventionally detect whether or not an empty can inserted through an input slot has a sticker, and if a sticker is attached, the coins equivalent to the deposit are collected as coins. The empty cans dispensed from the dispensing port and placed therein are collected as they are or are pressed and collected in a collection box.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, even if the sticker is cut into 1/2 or 1/3 and affixed to empty cans that are not participating in the deposit system, and the stickers are inserted, the empty cans still have a sticker. As a result, a problem has arisen in which coins are unfairly dispensed. In addition, coins may also be unfairly dispensed if an empty can with a seal is tied with a string so that the seal detector detects it as an empty can with a seal, and then the can is pulled out of the slot. This problem has occurred. Furthermore, even if you cut the sticker into 1/2 or 1/3, etc. and pasted it on a foreign object that is roughly the same shape as an empty can, and then put it in, there is still a sticker, and there is no possibility that the object went to the collection box. Since the coins are detected, a problem arises in which coins are unfairly dispensed in this case as well.

The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and provides an empty can collection machine that can prevent coins from being unfairly dispensed due to the various unfair acts described above. The purpose is to

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a can loading door provided at a loading opening to hold one empty can in an open state and drop the held empty can with the closing operation. Then, there is an input detector that detects when the can input door is closed, a seal detector that detects whether or not a specified seal is attached to the loaded empty can, and a detector that detects whether the loaded empty can is headed toward the collection box. Equipped with an empty can passage detector that detects when the empty can has been guided, and a coin dispensing device that dispenses coins to the empty can with a seal detected by the seal detector on the condition that the empty can is guided to the collection box. In the empty can collecting machine, the output time of the seal detection signal of the seal detector, the time from the detection of empty can input by the input detector to the seal detection by the seal detector, and the time from the seal detection of the seal detector to the A time monitoring means is provided for detecting the time until the passage of an empty can is detected by an empty can passage detector, and coins are dispensed from the coin dispensing device only when the total detected time is within a predetermined tolerance range. This is achieved by an empty can collection machine.

(Operation) If all of the above time conditions are not satisfied, coins will not be dispensed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent coins from being illegally dispensed due to fraudulent acts.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on the illustrated example.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, in which a front door 1 of the collection machine body is provided with an empty can input port 2, a coin payout port 3, and an empty can discharge port 4. .

The input port 2 communicates with a collection box 6 via a shutter 5 that guides the loaded empty cans downward.
It communicates with the discharge port 4 via a branch path 7 provided in the middle of the shooter 5 . The branch path 7 of the shooter 5 is provided with a path switching mechanism 9 for selectively guiding empty cans input from the input port 2 to the collection box 6 or the discharge port 4. Furthermore, a seal detector 10 is provided on the upstream side of the branch path 7 to detect the presence or absence of a seal. Further, in the empty can passageway of the shooter 5 leading to the collection box 6, there is a press device 11 and an empty can passage detector 1 for detecting that pressed empty cans have passed toward the collection box 6.
2 is provided.

The passage switching mechanism 9 includes a switching plate 9A and a solenoid 9B for operating the switching plate 9A.

The press device 11 includes an eccentric cam 11B rotated by a press motor 11A;
A movable plate 11D contacts the cam 11B, advances into the empty can passage of the shooter 5 as the cam 11B rotates, and retreats from the can passage of the shooter 5 after a certain rotation by the biasing force of the tension spring 11C; and a press sensor 11E that detects when the press has advanced the distance required for pressing. Then, with the switching plate 9A switched to the side shown by the imaginary line, the empty can heading towards the collection box 6 stops at the position of the swingable stopper 11F, is pressed by the reciprocating movement of the movable plate 11D, and is pressed against the stopper plate. The items are stored in the collection box 6 through the gap between the 11F and the wall of the shooter 5. At this time, the empty cans stored in the collection box 6 are detected by the empty can passage detector 12. In this case, when the collection box 6 is full of pressed empty cans, the pressed empty cans will accumulate in the path of the empty can passage detector 12.
The second detection signal is a DC signal having a constant voltage level. Therefore, when the detection signal of the empty can passage detector 12 changes to a DC signal at a constant voltage level, it can be determined that the collection box 6 is full.

The stopper plate 11F has a weight fixed to one end about the fulcrum, and the other end extends into the can passage. Therefore, when an empty can or the like that is heavier than a predetermined weight enters the can passage, the stopper plate 11F rotates against the restoring force of the weight and drops the heavy empty can or the like into the collection box 6.

On the other hand, a coin dispensing device 13 is installed upstream of the coin dispensing port 3. Furthermore, an indicator lamp 14 is provided at the top of the front door 1 to indicate that the collection machine is ready for operation.

Note that the input port 2 is provided with a can input door 15 having a storage space for one empty can, and empty cans stored by opening the can input door 15 fall into the shooter 5 by closing the door 15. configured to do so. Moreover, this can loading door 15 has a can loading door 15.
A loading detector 16 is provided which is activated when the can is closed and detects when an empty can is loaded. The seal detector 10 is configured to start a seal detection operation after a certain period of time on condition that a detection signal is generated from the input detector 16.

All the output signals of the various detectors described above are input to the control device 17. The passage switching mechanism 9, the press device 11, the coin dispensing device 13, and the display lamp 14 are controlled by this control device 17.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an overview of the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. The operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described below with reference to this flowchart.

First, when the power of the control device 17 is turned on, this empty can collecting machine is put into operation. Control device 17
When the power is turned on, it is first determined whether the empty can collecting machine can be operated normally or not (step 30).
That is, based on the output signal of the press sensor 11E, it is detected whether the movable plate 11D of the press device 11 has returned to the press start position, and based on the output signal of the empty can passage detector 12, it is detected whether the collection box 6 is full. Detect whether it is familiar or not.

As a result, if it is determined that the movable plate 11D has returned to the press start position, the collection box 6 is not full, and the empty can collection machine is in a state where normal operation is possible, the display will be displayed. Turn on the lamp 14.

However, if the movable plate 11D does not return to the normal pressing starting position due to engagement with foreign objects or pressed empty cans, or if the collection box 6 is full, it is determined that the operation is not possible, and the display lamp 14 remains in the off state. In this case, the switching plate 9A of the passage switching mechanism 9 is held at the position shown by the solid line in the figure until all causes of the inoperable state are removed. Once the machine is ready for operation, the switching plate 9A is immediately switched to the side shown by the imaginary line when an empty can with a regular seal is inserted. Therefore, even if an empty can is thrown in when the system is in an inoperable state, the empty can is discharged to the outside from the discharge port 4 through the branch path 7 of the shooter 5.

On the other hand, when the state is ready for operation, one empty can is put into the can loading door 15.
Close. Then, this empty can falls into the shooter 5. When the can loading door 15 is closed, the loading detector 16 is activated to detect the closing operation of the can loading door 15, that is, the loading of an empty can (step 31). When the control device 17 detects that an empty can is thrown in based on the output signal of the feeding detector 16, the control device 17 detects a seal detector after a certain period of time considering the time required for the thrown empty can to reach the position of the detector 10. 10
is activated.

Therefore, the inserted empty can is detected by the seal detector 10.
When the position is reached, the seal detector 10 detects whether a seal is affixed to the empty can (step 32). The control device 17 is connected to this seal detector 10.
Based on the detection signal of , the output time of the detection signal is t ₁
If it is not within the tolerance range of ±α, it is determined that there is no seal and the switching plate 9A of the passage switching mechanism 9 is not switched.
It is assumed that the computer 5 remains connected to the branch road 7. As a result, empty cans without seals or empty cans without proper seals are discharged from the discharge port 4.

However, if the seal is attached in a normal condition, the seal detector 10 outputs a seal detection signal for a time within the allowable range, so the control device 1
7 is determined to be a normal seal. Then, it is determined whether the time from when the input detector 16 detects the input of the can to when the seal detector 10 detects the seal is within the allowable range of t ₂ ±β (step 34). If it is within the range, the solenoid 9B of the passage switching mechanism 9 is driven to switch the switching plate 9A to the side shown by the imaginary line (step 35). As a result, the empty can with the seal falls to the position of the stopper plate 11F of the press device 11 via the switching plate 9A.

If the empty can is heavier than a predetermined weight, the stopper plate 11F rotates to collect the heavy empty can without pressing it into the collection box.

The control device 17 drives the press motor 11A after a certain period of time, taking into consideration the time it takes for the empty can to fall to the position of the stopper plate 11F, and rotates the eccentric cam 11B once. As a result, the movable plate 11D reciprocates, the empty can located at the stopper plate 11F is pressed, and the can falls towards the collection box 6 through between the stopper plate 11F and the wall of the shooter 5, and the pressing is completed. (Step 36).

When the pressed empty can falls toward the collection box 6, this is detected by the empty can passage detector 12, so the control device 17 detects the seal detector 1.
After 0 detects the seal, the empty can passage detector 12
It is determined whether the time required for detecting the passage of an empty can is within the allowable range of t ₃ ±γ (step 38).
If it is within the allowable range, a coin dispensing command is sent to the coin dispensing device 13, and coins corresponding to the deposit are dispensed from the dispensing port 3 (step 39). After this, the system waits for the next new empty can to be added.

Therefore, coins are dispensed only when all of (a) seal detection time, (b) time from insertion detection to seal detection, and (c) time from seal detection to empty can passage detection are within permissible ranges. become.

Therefore, if an empty can with a sticker cut into 1/2 or 1/3 and pasted thereon is thrown in, the condition (a) above will no longer be met, and no coins will be dispensed.

In addition, if a sticker is pasted on an object other than an empty can and it is thrown in, the time it takes for it to fall through the shooter 5 is different from the time it takes for a normal empty can to pass, so (b) above.
Or, the condition (c) is no longer met and the coins are not paid out.

Furthermore, in the event of a string hanging act, the can loading door 1
When the string is closed, the string is caught in the closed door 15, and the empty can with the string attached is restricted from falling or its falling speed is slowed down. Therefore, in this case, the above (b)
Or, condition (c) is no longer met and no coins are paid out.

As a result, it is possible to prevent coins from being improperly dispensed due to various fraudulent acts.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, one empty can is dropped into the input port by closing the can input door, while (a) seal detection time, (b) from input detection to seal detection. (c) The time from the detection of the seal to the detection of the passing of an empty can is detected, and if the total detected time is not within the respective allowable range, coins are not dispensed, so the seal is halved or halved. / Put in an empty can that has been cut and pasted into a size 3, etc.
Do not hang the string or place stickers on anything other than cans.
It is possible to prevent various fraudulent acts such as cutting and pasting into 2 or 1/3 pieces and inserting them to illegally dispense coins.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an overview of the operation of the embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Front door, 2...Input port, 3...Discharge port, 4...Discharge port, 5...Shooter, 6...Collection box, 7...Diversion path, 9...Aisle switching mechanism, 10
...Seal detector, 11...Press device, 12...
...Empty can passage detector, 13...Coin dispensing device,
14...Indication lamp, 15...Can loading door, 16...
...Insertion detector, 17...Control device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A can loading door provided at the loading opening to hold one empty can in an open state and dropping the held empty can upon closing operation, and detecting that the can loading door is closed. a sticker detector that detects whether or not a predetermined seal is attached to the inserted empty can; and an empty can passage detector that detects that the inserted empty can is guided toward the collection box. and a coin dispensing device that dispenses coins for empty cans with a seal detected by the seal detector on the condition that the empty can is guided to a collection box, wherein: The output time of a seal detection signal, the time from the input detection of an empty can by the input detector to the seal detection by the seal detector, and the time from the seal detection of the seal detector to the detection of empty can passage by the empty can passage detector. An empty can collecting machine characterized in that it is provided with a time monitoring means for detecting the time, and dispenses coins from the coin dispensing device only when the total detected time is within a predetermined tolerance range.