JPH0578077B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a beverage vending machine that sells beverages according to data stored on a card.

(b) Summary of the Invention The beverage vending machine according to the present invention dispenses beverages into containers according to data recorded on a card such as a magnetic card carried by the customer, and dispenses with the remaining beverages purchased by the customer. This allows the amount to be controlled and the required amount of beverage to be poured into the container.

(c) Prior Art It is common to purchase beverages such as whiskey by keeping a bottle, and drinking the beverage from the bottle each time you visit a store. When selling beverages in this manner, the work of managing the bottles kept for each customer and the sales volume thereof is complicated at the store.

Therefore, conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-29799, a magnetic card is used to record fixed matters and variable matters, and the fixed matters and variable matters are read from this magnetic card. There was also a system for beverage sales using a processing device for writing new variable information. In a system configured in this way, the remaining amount of the bottle purchased by the customer is weighed and recorded on a magnetic card when the customer leaves the store, and the next time the customer visits the store, the amount of beverage remaining in the bottle is equal to the amount recorded on the magnetic card. Inject into. In this way, you can also drink the remaining amount of beverages at other chained stores.

(d) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional system described above, the beverage is poured into the container by opening a solenoid valve. An error may occur in the amount poured into the container between the time the corresponding amount is measured and the solenoid valve is closed, and the exact amount may not be poured, making it difficult to accurately manage sales volume, etc. Not only was this not done, but there were also problems that created a sense of distrust among customers.

The object of the present invention is to gradually reduce the amount of beverage poured per unit time as the amount approaches the remaining amount when pouring into a container an amount of beverage corresponding to the remaining amount stored in the card. To provide a beverage vending machine capable of accurately reproducing the remaining amount stored in a card in a container, accurately managing sales volume, etc., and preventing customers from feeling distrustful.

(e) Means for Solving the Problems The beverage vending machine of the present invention includes a card that stores data including the remaining amount of drink that can be poured, and a card reader/writer that reads and writes data to the card. , a beverage vending machine that reads the remaining amount stored in the card and injects a drink amount equal to this remaining amount into the container by on/off control of a solenoid valve. a comparison means for comparing the measurement result of the measurement means with the remaining amount, and an on/off switch for the electromagnetic valve in proportion to the magnitude of the comparison result of the comparison means after the comparison result of the comparison means reaches a predetermined value. The present invention is characterized by being provided with an injection amount control means for reducing the utility and gradually shortening the beverage injection time.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the present invention. The remaining amount recorded on the card is read by a card reader/writer, and a drink corresponding to this remaining amount is poured from the tank into the container via the valve. The injection amount at this time is measured by a measuring means. The measured value of the measuring means is compared with the remaining amount in the comparing means. When the comparison result reaches a predetermined value, that is, when the amount poured into the container approaches the remaining amount, the calculation means calculates the injection time based on the comparison result of the comparison means. The injection amount control means opens the valve and injects the beverage into the container while the timer measures the injection time. Measured after this injection time has elapsed.
A new injection time is determined by comparison and calculation, and in this calculation, the on/off duty of the electromagnetic valve is reduced in proportion to the magnitude of the comparison result.
The injection rate control means opens the valve during this injection time.

(f) Effect By the above means, in this invention, the 10th
As shown in the figure, after the injection starts at time t0, the amount of injection into the container increases as time passes. The injection amount is measured by a metering means. When the difference between this measured value and the amount to be injected (remaining amount stored in the card) reaches a predetermined value x at time t1, the on/off duty of the solenoid valve is adjusted in proportion to the magnitude of the comparison result in the comparison means. is getting smaller. That is, the ratio of the injection time to the injection stop time becomes smaller. Injection time calculations and the like are performed between times t2 and t3. Therefore, stopping the injection, calculating the injection time, and starting the injection are repeated, and the on time of the electromagnetic valve gradually becomes shorter, and the injection amount also decreases. Then, the injection amount gradually approaches the amount to be injected and eventually reaches zero.

(g) Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a control section of a beverage vending machine which is an embodiment of the present invention. Overall control is CPU
The control program is written in the ROM 2 in advance.
RAM3 is a memory used as a working area when executing the control program,
It is used for the content to be displayed, various registers, flags, etc. A card reader/writer is a device that inserts a card received from a customer, reads card data recorded on the card, and writes updated card data. The card controller 5 is a circuit that controls the card reader/writer 4, and the CPU 1 reads and writes data via this controller. The CRT 6 is a display device that displays processing contents, and the display is controlled by the CRT controller 7. The operator checks this display screen and performs a predetermined key operation. The printer 8 is a device used to print the data recorded on the card, and is used when printing the customer's beverage data during payment processing.
The printer controller 9 is a control circuit that controls printing of the printer 8. As shown in FIG. 2, the pump 10 is a device that sends out the beverage stored in a tank 21 in the direction of a nozzle, and is driven by a driver 11. The electromagnetic valve 13 is a valve attached to the tip of the nozzle, and is turned on/off to discharge/stop the beverage from the nozzle. The driver 14 is a circuit that drives the electromagnetic valve 13, and together with the driver 11, the I/O1
Connected to 2. The weight scale 15 is a so-called electronic balance, and is provided at a location where a bottle is placed. This weight scale 15 is used when pouring a drink into a bottle or when measuring the weight of a bottle at the time of payment. The key input device 17 is a key switch operated when executing various processes, and the I/O 18
connected to the bus line via. The floppy disk drive device 19 is a device for reading and writing data regarding each customer's beverages, similar to a card reader/writer, and is used as an auxiliary storage device. FDC20 is its controller.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing data recorded in the recording section of the card that is read and written by the card reader/writer. The data recorded as shown in the figure is a customer code representing the customer distinction, a store code to identify the applicable store, a beverage code representing the type of beverage purchased, bottle weight, i.e. the weight of the empty bottle and filling. The combined weight of the injected amount at the end of the infusion, the remaining amount, i.e. the weight of the injected amount in the bottle at the end of the infusion, the latest date of your visit to the store, the date of purchase of the beverage,
The registration date on which each card was issued is recorded in a predetermined format and with a predetermined number of bytes. Various types of processing can be carried out by inserting a card, on which such data to be managed for each customer is recorded, into the device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control section, and particularly shows the entire processing procedure. Further, FIGS. 6A to 6C and FIGS. 7A and 7B are flowcharts specifically showing some of the processes. Furthermore, FIGS. 4A to 4H are diagrams showing display examples in each operating state of the beverage vending machine. First, when the power is turned on, a menu is displayed and the key is read to determine which process is to be selected (n10→n11). At this time, the menu is displayed on the CRT as a menu with four processes as shown in FIG. 4A. Although not shown, an input device is provided at the bottom of the CRT at a position corresponding to a menu displayed on the CRT, and the menu can be selected by operating a key at the corresponding position.

In the management process, there are two processes, initial setting and data registration, as shown in Figure 6C. In the initial setting, the beverage name, injection amount (drink amount set in new and additional processing), and store name are set. . This setting is usually necessary only when the vending machine is installed, and these data are necessary for displaying on the screen or for new or additional processing.

The new process is the process of issuing a card to a customer who has become a new member and filling a bottle with a drink. By selecting the type of beverage as shown in FIG. 4B, the beverage is poured. At this time, the newly injected amount is set as the bottle weight. After that, write the various data shown in Figure 3 onto the card and issue the card (n15) (Figure 6B
reference). In this case, the customer code is previously stored in the auxiliary storage device, and the code is automatically assigned. Note that after the new process is completed, the customer code to be assigned in the next new process is automatically set in the auxiliary storage device.

The additional process is the same as the new process, in which beverage is poured into the bottle, but if a card has already been issued and the card data is read in the procedure shown in Figure 6A, the additional injection amount is set as the remaining amount. Set (n16→n17). After that, as in the case of new processing, the additional injection amount is injected and the updated bottle weight is written on the card (n18→n19).

By selecting the normal process, the menu shown in FIG. 4C is displayed. The pouring process involves pouring beverage into a bottle and serving the customer.By inserting the card received from the customer, the remaining amount of beverage that can be poured is poured into the bottle. Write the weight of the bottle on the card (n21→n22→n23).

If settlement processing is selected during normal processing,
Weigh the customer's unfilled bottle, calculate the amount the customer drank this time from the difference between the bottle weight written on the card, and calculate the remaining amount on the card and auxiliary storage device as the amount that can be filled next time. Update amount. In addition, in this process, the payment data is
It is displayed and recorded on the printer as shown in . (n24→n25→n26). FIG. 8 shows an example of the recorded results printed out in the payment process. All of this data, such as the date, customer code, customer name, amount consumed this time, and remaining amount, is managed, so it can be automatically printed out, and no special operations are required to issue a receipt. Become. Note that by returning the remaining beverage in the bottle to the tank after the payment process, the remaining amount of beverage can always be ensured in the tank.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are flowcharts showing in detail the injection process performed in the various states described above. First, read the key, and if the key is the confirmation key, read the measured value into the weighing scale (n40→
n41→n42→n43). If the measured value is almost 0, there is no bottle on the scale, and the fourth
As shown in Figure D, a warning is displayed that the bottle is not placed (n44→n45).

If not, add the measured value JY to the remaining amount value to set the injection setting value CH, turn on the electromagnetic valve and pump, and start injection (n46→n47). At the start of dosing, a change in the measured value on the weighing scale is determined, and if it does not increase, the system stops dosing and displays a message to refill the tank if the drink is empty. 4. Perform as shown in Figure F (n50→n51).

If the measured value increases due to injection, as shown in Figure 7B, if the difference from the injection setting value CH is greater than the predetermined value of 50g, there is no need to press the key to stop the injection. Repeat the above process as long as possible (n52→
n53→n54→n48). If the cancel key is operated at this time, the injection is stopped and the series of processing is completed (n54→n40→n41→n55).

If n52 is YES, that is, if the difference between the injected beverage and the injection setting value CH is less than 50g, calculate that value in Batsufua ZAN, and
A value multiplied by a predetermined constant K is obtained from the timer T (n56→n57). Thereafter, the electromagnetic valve is kept on and a wait is made until the value of the timer T becomes 0, and then the electromagnetic valve is turned off and the weight is measured. After that, repeat the above process until the injected amount JYU becomes equal to the injection setting value (n62→n63→
n56). As is clear from the above process, after the measured value obtained by the weighing scale approaches the target value, the beverage is injected in minute amounts by controlling the solenoid valve and the on-time of the pump, and only the desired amount is dispensed. Infuse the beverage.

If you accidentally insert a card from another store,
Since the store codes do not match, the error is determined and a message as shown in FIG. 4H is displayed. Further, when the remaining amount reaches 0 and all the beverages kept in the bottle have been drunk, a message as shown in FIG. 4G is displayed to call for attention.

(h) Effects of the invention According to this invention, when the injection amount approaches the amount to be injected, the subsequent injection is divided into small steps and the divided time is gradually shortened.
The amount of injection per unit time can be gradually reduced. Moreover, since the division time is determined based on the comparison result of the comparison means at that time (difference between the amount to be injected and the amount already injected), the amount to be injected is determined based on the amount to be injected (remaining amount recorded on the card). ), and the remaining amount recorded on the customer's card can be faithfully reproduced.
This has the advantage that sales volume, etc. can be managed accurately, and customers are not made to feel distrustful.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a block diagram of the control section of a beverage vending machine that is an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a diagram showing the relationship among the tank, pump, and electromagnetic valve of the beverage vending machine, and Figure 3 is a diagram showing the relationship among the tank, pump, and electromagnetic valve of the beverage vending machine.
The figure shows data recorded on a magnetic card inserted into the beverage vending machine, Figures 4A to 4H are examples of what is displayed on the display of the beverage vending machine, and Figure 5 shows the processing of the control unit. Flowchart showing the procedure, Figure 6A,
B and C are flowcharts specifically representing the specific processing steps shown in FIG. 5, FIGS. 7A and B are flowcharts showing the processing steps in the beverage pouring process, and FIG. It is a figure showing a printing result. Further, FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a diagram explaining the operation of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A card that stores data including the remaining amount of a pourable beverage, and a card reader/writer that reads and writes data to the card, and reads the remaining amount stored in the card. , in a beverage vending machine that injects a beverage equal to this remaining amount into a container by on/off control of an electromagnetic valve, a measuring means for measuring the beverage in the container when pouring the beverage into the container, and a measurement result of the measuring means as the remaining amount. and after the comparison result of the comparison means reaches a predetermined value, the on-off duty of the electromagnetic valve is reduced in proportion to the magnitude of the comparison result of the comparison means, and the beverage injection time is gradually reduced. A beverage vending machine characterized by being provided with an injection amount control means that shortens the amount of injection.