JPH0471233B2 - - 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, in the empty can collecting machine as described above, when there is a coin shortage, when the collection box is full, or when cans or foreign objects are caught in the empty can passageway, In the event that an inoperable factor occurs, such as when an inoperable factor occurs, the recovery operation is immediately stopped, but conventionally, when such an inoperable factor occurred, the indicator lamp indicating that the device was ready for operation was simply turned off. This makes it difficult for users (those who put empty cans in) and managers to identify whether the operation has stopped due to a malfunction or a power outage, and this has resulted in a loss of reliability for users. In addition to reducing performance, there were also problems that made maintenance and inspection inconvenient. In addition, if a user inserts an empty can without a sticker, thinking that it is an empty can with a sticker, no coins will be paid out, resulting in "I put a can in but no money comes out."
There were problems such as complaints and various troubles. The present invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to enable users and managers to easily identify the factors that are causing the inoperability, and to identify various problems caused by the presence or absence of seals, etc. To provide an empty can collection machine capable of solving problems.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, this purpose is to detect whether or not a predetermined seal is attached to an empty can that is input from the input port by opening the input door. If so, the empty can collection machine that dispenses coins and collects the inserted empty cans into a collection box performs a self-diagnosis to determine whether a factor that makes the collection machine inoperable has occurred, and also detects the operating status. A control device that stores information, a door opening/closing detector that detects the opening/closing of a maintenance door, a loading detector that detects opening/closing of the loading door, and information on the contents of the non-operational factors detected by the control device and the operating status. It is equipped with a voice synthesis means that synthesizes voice for the administrator and voice for the user corresponding to each event, and when the maintenance door is opened based on the output of the input detector and the door opening/closing detector. This is achieved by an empty can collecting machine characterized in that the voice for the administrator is distinguished from the voice for the user when the maintenance door is closed and the input door is opened.

(Function) The control device uses a self-diagnosis function to detect whether or not there is a factor that makes it impossible to operate, and to detect the operating status, and when the door is closed, it outputs a voice message for the user, and when the door is opened, it outputs a voice message to the administrator. The voice of the content is generated from the voice synthesis means. Therefore, the user and the administrator can easily identify the factors that make it impossible to drive and the driving situation.

(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 . A path switching mechanism 9 is provided on the branch path of the shooter 5 for selectively guiding empty cans input from the input port 2 to the collection box 6 or the discharge port 4, and further upstream of the branch path. is provided with a seal detector 10 for detecting the presence or absence of a seal. In addition, a press device 11 is provided in the empty can passageway of the shooter 5 leading to the collection box 6.
An empty can passage detector 12 is provided to detect when a pressed empty can has passed toward the collection box 6.

The passage switching mechanism 9 includes a switching plate 9A that switches the passage of the empty can to the collection box 6 side only when an empty can with a sticker affixed is thrown in, and this switching plate 9A.
It has a solenoid 9B for operating the.

The press device 11 includes an eccentric cam 11B rotated by a breath motor 11A;
B, a movable plate 11D that 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; The switch plate 9A is switched to the side shown by the imaginary line, and the empty can facing the collection box 6 is moved to the position of the stopper plate 11F. stop,
It is pressed by the reciprocating motion of the movable plate 11D and is stored in the collection box 6 through the gap between the stopper plate 11F and the wall surface 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 stay at the path of the empty can passage detector 12, and the detection signal of the empty can passage detector 12 will be continuously constant. It becomes a DC signal with a voltage level. Therefore, when the detection signal of the empty can passage detector 12 changes to a DC signal of a constant voltage level, it can be determined that the collection box 6 is full.

On the other hand, a coin dispensing device 13 is installed upstream of the coin dispensing port 3. This coin dispensing device 13 includes a coin-out detector 13A that detects a shortage of coins based on a change in the weight of the coin hopper, and a coin jam detector 13A that detects that a coin is clogged in the passage leading to the dispensing port 3. A container 13B is provided.

Further, at the top of the front door 1, there is an indicator lamp 1 that indicates that the collection machine is ready for operation.
4, and a speaker 18 for audibly informing the driver of the cause of inoperability, etc. In addition, at the bottom of the front door 1, there is a
A door opening/closing detector 19 is provided to detect when the door is opened.

Note that the input port 2 is provided with a can receiving door 16 that has a storage space for one empty can, and when the can receiving door 16 is opened and the empty can is accommodated, the empty can is dropped into the shooter 5 by closing the door 16. A loading detector 17 is provided at the entrance of the shooter 5, and is activated by closing the can receiving door 16 to detect 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 17.

All of the output signals of the various detectors described above are input to the control device 15. 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 15.

On the other hand, a voice synthesizer 20 is connected to the control device 15, and when a driving impossibility factor is detected by the self-diagnosis function of the control device 15, the voice synthesizer 20 is activated and A voice with content corresponding to the disability factor is synthesized and sent to speaker 1.
Generated from 8. In addition, the control device 15 monitors the driving situation during driving, and controls the voice synthesizer 2 as necessary.
0 can be activated to generate its contents.

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 15 is turned on, this empty can collecting machine is put into operation. Control device 15
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. Furthermore, based on the output signal of the coin out-of-coin detector 13A, it is determined whether or not there is a shortage of coins for dispensing.Furthermore, based on the output signal of the coin jam detector 13B, it is determined whether the coins are in the dispensing slot or not. 3
Detects whether or not there is a blockage on the upstream side.

As a result, if it is found that the movable plate 11D has returned to the pressing starting position, the collection box 6 is not full, and there is no coin shortage or coin jam, the empty can collection machine will operate normally. It is determined that the display is enabled, and the display lamp 14 is turned on.

However, if the movable plate 11D does not return to the normal pressing start position due to engagement with foreign objects or pressed empty cans, or if the collection box 6 is full, coin shortages or coin jams may occur. If so, it is determined that the vehicle is in an inoperable state, and the indicator lamp 14 remains in the off state. In this case, the switching plate 9A of the passage switching mechanism 9 is determined to be in an inoperable state, and remains in the state shown by the solid line. Switching plate 9A of this passage switching mechanism 9
is switched to the side shown by the imaginary line only when all the causes of the inoperable state have been removed and an empty can with a regular sticker affixed is put in. Therefore, even if empty cans are thrown in when the machine is not operational. This empty can is discharged to the outside from the discharge port 4 through the branch path 7 of the shooter 5. Control device 15
If it is determined that the system is inoperable, then open the front door 1.
It is detected by the output signal of the door opening/closing detector 19 whether or not the door is closed (step 31). If it is open, it is determined that maintenance personnel or managers are conducting a maintenance inspection, and the current operation is disabled. The speech synthesizer 20 synthesizes speech with content corresponding to the cause and prepared for maintenance personnel or managers, and the speech is generated from the speaker 18 (step 32, see FIG. 3). However, if the front door 1 is closed,
The input detector 17 detects whether the input door 16 is closed or not.
(step 33), and when the loading door 16 opens, that is, when the user attempts to load an empty can, a voice message with content prepared for the user depending on the driving situation is output. The synthesizer 20 synthesizes the signals, and the speakers 18 output the signals (step 34, see FIG. 4).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the details of step 32 for generating a voice for the administrator, in which the control device 15 first detects whether or not there is a coin shortage based on the output signal of the coin out detector 13A. (Step 320), and if there is a coin shortage, the synthesizer 20 synthesizes a voice saying "I'm out of money" and makes it sound from the speaker 18 (Step 320).
321). However, if there is no shortage of coins, then the output signal of the coin jam detector 13B is used to detect whether or not a coin jam has occurred (step 322). "I'm here" is synthesized and uttered from the speaker 18 (step 323). However, if the coins are not jammed, then it is detected whether the collection box 6 is full or not based on the output signal of the empty can passage detector 12 (step 324), and if it is full, the message "The collection box is full" is displayed. The synthesized voice is uttered from the speaker 18 (step 325). However, collection box 6
If it is not full, then foreign objects and cans are pressed into press device 1.
The press sensor 11 determines whether the
It is detected by the output signal of E (step 326), and if a foreign object is trapped, a voice saying "A foreign object is trapped" is synthesized and uttered from the speaker 18 (step 327). However, if the foreign object is not caught, it is determined that some other malfunction has occurred, and the voice ``Failure'' is synthesized and uttered from the speaker 18 (step
328).

In this manner, when the front door 1 is opened, detailed information for the administrator corresponding to each of the factors causing the vehicle to be unable to operate is notified by voice.

On the other hand, when the front door 1 is closed and the user opens the input door to input empty cans, the control device 15 controls the collection machine and the user as shown in the flowchart of FIG. It is detected whether there is a shortage of coins, which is the most important relationship between coins, and whether a coin jam has occurred (steps 340 and 341). If so, synthesize a voice that says "I'm out of money" (step
342), if there is no shortage of coins or jammed coins, synthesize a voice that says ``You can't use it right now'' and make it sound from the speaker 18 (Step 342).
343).

On the other hand, when the state is ready for operation, the input port 2
When an empty can is thrown in, the empty can is detected by the feeding detector 17. When the control device 15 detects that an empty can is thrown in based on the output signal of the feeding detector 17, the control device 15 detects a certain amount of time that takes into account the time required for the thrown empty can to reach the position of the detector 10 through the seal detector 10. After a period of time, it becomes operational.

Therefore, the inserted empty can is detected by the seal detector 10.
When the position is reached, the seal detector 10 detects whether or not a seal is affixed to the empty can (step 35). The control device 15 is connected to this seal detector 10.
Based on the detection result, if no sticker is affixed, the voice synthesizer 20 synthesizes a voice saying "There is no sticker" and outputs it from the speaker 18 (step 36). At the same time, the switching plate 9A of the passage switching mechanism 9 is not switched, and the shooter 5 remains connected to the branch passage 7. As a result, empty cans without seals are discharged from the discharge port 4.

However, if a sticker is attached, a sticker detection signal is output from the sticker detector 10, so the control device 15 issues a coin dispensing command to the coin dispensing device 13 on the condition that this sticker detection signal is received. and have the coins equivalent to the deposit paid out from the payout slot. (Step 37). At the same time, the solenoid 9B of the passage switching mechanism 9 is driven to switch the switching plate 9A to the side shown by the broken line. By this,
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.

The control device 15 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 drives the eccentric cam 11B.
Rotate. 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. Become. . (Step 38). When the press is completed, the control device 15 causes the voice synthesizer 20 to synthesize a voice saying "Thank you very much" according to the driving situation, and causes the speaker 18 to output the voice (Step 39). After this, the system waits for the next new empty can to be added.

In the flowchart of FIG. 3, if a plurality of inoperability factors occur at the same time, a voice corresponding to the inoperability factor with a higher priority is uttered in the judgment process. Therefore, when the driving impossibility factor corresponding to the content of this voice is removed, the voice corresponding to the driving impairing factor of the next priority is uttered. Therefore, by determining the order in which the factors that make it impossible to operate are determined, taking into account the degree of urgency and the workability of maintenance and inspection work, the factors that make it impossible to operate can be voiced one after another according to the order of judgment, and maintenance and inspection can be performed easily. The work can be made even easier.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention includes a control device that self-diagnoses whether or not a factor that makes the recovery machine inoperable has occurred and detects the operating status, and a control device that detects the opening and closing of a maintenance door. A door opening/closing detector is provided, and a voice synthesizing means synthesizes a voice according to the content of the driving failure factor detected by the control means and the driving situation. Because the voice is differentiated from the voice for people who are not driving, users and administrators can easily identify the cause of inoperability and the driving situation without looking at the display lamp or other display. By having the user explain the driving situation, such as by having the user respond with ``There is no sticker,'' it eliminates misunderstandings such as ``I put a can in, but I can't get any money.'' In addition, administrators can easily respond to abnormalities and perform appropriate repair work.

[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, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the process of generating voice for the administrator, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process of generating voice for the user. . 1...front door, 2...inlet, 3...outlet, 4...
Discharge port, 5... Shooter, 6... Collection box, 7... Branch path, 9... Passage switching mechanism, 10... Seal detector,
11...Press device, 12...Empty can passage detector, 1
3... Coin dispensing device, 14... Display lamp, 15...
Control device, 18... Speaker, 20... Speech synthesis device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Detect whether or not a specified seal is attached to the empty can inserted by opening the input door from the input port,
If a sticker is attached, the empty can collection machine that dispenses coins and collects the inserted empty cans into a collection box will self-diagnose whether there is a factor that makes the collection machine inoperable and check its operating status. a control device that detects and stores the information, a door opening/closing detector that detects the opening/closing of a maintenance door, a loading detector that detects opening/closing of the loading door, and contents of the inoperability factor detected by the control device. and a voice synthesizing means for synthesizing voices for managers and voices for users corresponding to each event of the operating situation, This empty can collection machine is characterized in that a voice for an administrator is uttered when a maintenance door is opened, and a voice for a user is uttered when a maintenance door is closed and a loading door is opened.