JPH0475558B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Object of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a vending machine that sells beverages such as coffee in cups, and more particularly to a vending machine operation check method for checking the operation of the vending machine. (Prior Art) A beverage vending machine has a plurality of raw material storage chambers each equipped with a raw material supply device that is activated by energization, and the raw material is supplied when a selection button for a desired beverage is pressed. There are devices in which two or more of the devices operate to supply raw materials in appropriate amounts and mix these raw materials to prepare a beverage. Such vending machines are equipped with a vending machine operation check function for inspection during manufacturing and periodic inspection during operation. A technique for providing such an operation check function is described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-33494. This technology includes a changeover switch having a contact inserted into the operation circuit of a plurality of raw material supply devices, and the switching operation of this changeover switch allows the operation of other raw material supply devices except for a single desired raw material supply device. It is designed to open the circuit. Therefore, in the operation check, the raw material supply device to be inspected is selected by changing the connection of the changeover switch, and only the selected raw material supply device is operated and adjusted. (Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, as the number of inspection items for raw material supply equipment, etc. increases, the number of contact points of the changeover switch increases accordingly, and one changeover switch is not enough, so multiple changeover switches must be provided. It will stop happening.
Providing such a large number of changeover switches requires a large amount of space, which increases the size of the device and increases the number of parts, making it expensive. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a system for checking the operation of a vending machine, which eliminates the need for a test switch and thereby reduces the size and cost of the device. [Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) The present invention has a plurality of sales switches for selecting the type of beverage liquid, and when these switches are operated, the corresponding raw material is selected and the above-mentioned A vending machine that prepares a beverage liquid and sells the beverage liquid in cups includes a mode specifying switch for specifying at least a normal vending mode and an operation check mode as operating modes of the vending machine, and a plurality of mode specifying switches that operate in the normal vending mode. The load drive control procedure is associated with each sales switch and stored in memory, and when the operation check mode is specified by the mode designation switch, the load drive control procedure corresponding to that switch is performed in response to the selection operation of the sales switch. This is an operation check system for a vending machine that attempts to achieve the above object by including a control circuit that reads a drive control procedure from a memory and selectively operates a load in accordance with the drive control procedure. (Function) With the provision of such a means, the control circuit stores drive control procedures for a plurality of loads operating in the normal sales mode in the memory in association with a plurality of sales switches that have already been provided. When the operation check mode is designated by the mode designation switch, the drive control procedure for the load corresponding to the switch is read from the memory in response to the selection operation of each sales switch, and the load is operated in accordance with this drive control procedure. (Embodiment) Fig. 1 shows the front appearance of a vending machine to which an operation check system is applied in an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is an advertising signboard, 2, 2, ... are selection signs. Switches, 3, 3, ... are function switches, 4 is a sales lamp, 5 is a preparation lamp, 6 is a change lamp, 7 is a digital display, 8 is a money return lever, 9 is a coin slot, 1
0 is a coin return port, and 11 is a beverage sales port. In addition, Fig. 2 shows the items stored inside the vending machine, where 12, 13, and 14 indicate main raw material canisters, 12 indicates A coffee raw material canister,
13 is a B coffee raw material canister, and 14 is a C coffee raw material canister. Also, 15 and 16 are auxiliary raw material canisters, 15 is a sugar canister, 1
6 is a cream canister. Each of the raw material canisters 12, 13, and 14 is provided with a raw material discharge motor, and the operation of the raw material discharge motor supplies the coffee raw materials A, B, and C to the brewer 18 via the shooter 17, respectively. It's summery. Further, raw material discharge motors are provided in each of the sugar and cream canisters 15 and 16, and the sugar and cream are supplied to the mixer 20 via the shooter 19 by the operation of these raw material discharge motors. ing. 21 is a hot water tank with a built-in heater, and hot water is poured into the coffee raw material supply section of the brewer 18 through a pipe 23 by operation of a pump 22. The brewer 18 is provided with a roll-shaped paper filter, and the coffee raw material liquid is extracted by this paper filter. This coffee raw material liquid is temporarily stored in a storage chamber 24. The coffee raw material liquid stored in the stock chamber 24 is once supplied to the mixer 20 at the timing when sugar and cream are supplied to the mixer 20. A cup station 25 is provided below the mixer 20 and above the outlet 11, and is used to set cups discharged from a cup holder (shown in FIG. 3, which will be described later). 26 is a discharge bucket, and this bucket 2
6, the coffee liquid leaking from the sales port 11 is collected. Reference numeral 29 denotes a paper filter winding roller, which winds up the used paper filter from the blower 13. Further, when this paper filter is wound up on a winding roller 29, coffee liquid is collected in a dregs bucket 31 through a chute 30. FIG. 3 schematically shows the configuration of the components of the vending machine of this embodiment. In the figure, a temperature sensor 41 is attached to a hot water tank 21, and a hot water temperature detection signal is generated from this temperature sensor 41. In addition, a cistern 32 is provided in the water supply channel of the hot water tank 21, and this cistern 3
The water level in the hot water tank 21 is detected by a float 46 in the hot water tank 2, and when the water level falls below a predetermined value, a water level switch 42 issues a water shortage signal. In the figure, 33 is a heater for heating the hot water tank 21, and 43 is a temperature fuse. On the other hand, the blower 18 is made into a unit and can be inserted into and removed from the inside of the vending machine, and an insertion state detector (not shown) is installed in the insertion/removal guide section. If the brewer 18 is not fully inserted, this detector will issue an attachment uncertainty signal. Further, the paper filter winding roller 29 (FIG. 2) of the brewer 18 is provided with a paper winding detection cam, which detects the presence or absence of paper. Furthermore, a drainage float 27 is provided in the drainage bucket 26, and this float 27
When a certain amount of liquid has been accumulated, the drain switch 22 is operated and a signal indicating the full state is issued. Further, numeral 34 indicates a cup holder, and this cup holder 34 is composed of three rows of holders, and the cups are ejected in the order of the center holder, the left holder, and the right holder. At this time, each holder is switched by a switching mechanism (not shown), and when the left and right holders are used, a cup switching switch 44,
45 outputs changeover switch signals "left" and "right", respectively. Further, the cup 35 is released from each of the holders by a release mechanism using a coupling solenoid 36. In addition, 3 in the figure
Reference numerals 7 and 38 are a coffee hot water valve and a pinch valve for storing a certain amount of extracted coffee raw material liquid, both of which are electromagnetic valves. On the other hand, Figure 4 shows the configuration of the circuit section.
1 indicates a main control unit (CPU) consisting of a microprocessor. This CPU51 is a ROM
(read-only memory) 52, and RAM (random access memory) based on the program data stored in this ROM 52.
53 and I/O port 54. This I/
The O port 54 is connected to a group of switches such as a mode changeover switch, a selection switch 2, 2, ..., a function switch 3, 3, ..., and each motor such as a coffee raw material motor group, a sugar motor, a cream motor, etc. Each group is connected. Each of these motor groups has a motor drive circuit operated by a control signal from the I/O port 54, and is operated by the output of this drive circuit. Also,
Connected to the I/O port 54 are a group of solenoids such as a coupling solenoid 36, a pinch valve solenoid 33, a cup switching solenoid, and a lamp group. This group of lamps includes a sale indicator lamp, a change lamp 6, an on sale lamp 4, and a change lamp 6, which are provided corresponding to the selection switches 2, 2, . . . and function switches 3, 3, . It consists of a preparation lamp 5. Further, the I/O port 54 is introduced with various abnormality detection signals such as the hot water temperature detection signal and water supply shortage signal, as well as a group of signals such as a reset signal, a cup switching signal, a pump float signal, and a brewer signal. Next, the operation check system in this embodiment will be explained based on the above configuration. First, the control circuit
Write a check program into the ROM52. This program consists of an abnormality inspection program and a load drive control program. The abnormality inspection program judges the status of each part of the vending machine based on detection signals such as an abnormality detection signal group, and associates the results for each item with the display lamps provided for each of the selection switches 2, 2, . . . The relationship between the display lamp and the judgment result is determined as shown in Table 1, for example. In addition, the display lamp numbers in the same table are for each selection switch 2, 2, . . . as shown in Fig. 5.
Corresponds to the number attached to.

【table】

[Table] On the other hand, in the load drive control program, the drive control procedure for each load that operates in the normal sales mode is set to the selection switch number (shown in Figure 5).
, and the corresponding loads are driven and controlled by selecting the selection switches 2, 2, . . . Table 2 shows the correspondence between selection switch numbers and operating loads. Now, when the power is turned on, the CPU51 of the control circuit
According to the flowchart of FIG. 6a, first, the designated output of the mode designation switch is inputted to determine whether or not it is the hard check mode. And if in hard check mode,

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, the present invention is provided with a mode designation switch that selectively specifies the normal vending mode and the operation check mode as the operating mode of the vending machine, and a control circuit. Drive control procedures for multiple operating loads are stored in memory in association with existing sales switches, and when the operation check mode is designated by the mode designation switch, the procedures are performed in response to the selection operation of each sales switch. The load control procedure corresponding to the switch is read from the memory, and the load is operated according to this drive control procedure. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a system for checking the operation of a vending machine that eliminates the need for a switch for testing, thereby making the device more compact and inexpensive.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 4 show the configuration of a vending machine to which an operation check system is applied according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the external appearance, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the mechanical structure, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of the circuit, and FIGS. 5 and 6 a to 6 c illustrate the operation check method of this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the selection switch numbers, and FIGS. 6 a to 6 c are flowcharts showing the control procedure. 2, 2...Selection switch, 3, 3...
Function switch, 12, 13, 14, 1
5, 16...Raw material canister, 18...Brewer,
21...Hot water tank, 22...Pump, 26...
Drain bucket, 27...Float, 28...Drain switch, 29...Paper filter take-up roller,
32... Cistern, 33... Heater, 34...
Cup holder, 36...Cup ring solenoid, 37...Coffee hot water valve, 38...Pinch valve, 41...Temperature sensor, 42...Water level switch, 44, 45...Cup changeover switch, 46...
...Float, 51...CPU, 52...ROM, 5
3...RAM, 54...I/O port.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine that has a plurality of vending switches for selecting the type of beverage liquid, and when these switches are operated, selects the corresponding raw material to create the beverage liquid and sells the beverage liquid in cups. , a mode designation switch for specifying at least a normal vending mode and an operation check mode as the operating mode of the vending machine, and a drive control procedure for a plurality of loads operating in the normal vending mode are stored in a memory in association with each of the vending switches. When the operation check mode is designated by the mode designation switch, the drive control procedure for the load corresponding to that switch is read out from the memory in response to the selection operation of the sales switch, and the drive control procedure is followed. 1. A vending machine operation check system characterized by comprising a control circuit for selectively operating a load.