JP2001067545A - Drink automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively prevent drinks from decreasing in quality by stopping the use of raw materials after their vending permission periods such as 'term holding good taste' and date of minimum durability. SOLUTION: The vending permission time T of a raw material A is set to a timer 11a and a control part 100 performs control to stop the vending of a drink using the material A after the set time T. A sensor 12a detects replenishment with a new raw material and the clocking of the vending permission time is automatically restarted at the replenishment time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage vending machine, and more particularly to the management of raw materials for a cup-type beverage vending machine which sells beverages in cups.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a cup-type beverage vending machine of this type, raw materials such as concentrated stock solution (syrup) and powdered raw materials are stored and stored in raw material containers in the machine, and either of the raw materials is used. When the beverage is selected by the user, the raw material is poured out of the container by a predetermined amount using a pump or the like, and processed and cooked together with dilution water or hot water. When the remaining amount in the container is less than a certain amount, the container is replaced with a new container full of raw materials, and replenishment / loading of new raw materials is performed.

[0003] In such vending machines, the following raw material management has conventionally been adopted. A) A container or a raw material whose remaining amount is less than a certain amount is detected by a sensor, and a beverage using the raw material is sold out, thereby preventing the sale of a beverage having a shortage of raw material. B) Subtract the amount of the used raw material from the time of loading the new raw material,
By notifying the operator of the remaining amount, the next raw material loading is performed without interruption.

[0004]

However, in the conventional beverage vending machine, since the time point at which the ingredients are sold out is exclusively managed, if the ingredients remain sufficiently in the container, the expiration date of the ingredients expires. However, if the operator is not careful, there is a problem that a beverage using the raw material is sold.

[0005] In addition, depending on the raw material, even before the expiration date and there is no particular problem in food hygiene, the color, taste and the like are slightly deteriorated with time, and in that case, it is not preferable to use and sell as a beverage. Is also known. However, in a conventional vending machine, the quality keeping period of this kind of raw material is hardly controlled, and there is a high possibility that the raw material is used for a beverage even after the deterioration.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to prevent the use of raw materials whose sales allowance time, such as the expiration date and the quality keeping period, has passed, and to improve the quality of beverages. It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage vending machine capable of effectively preventing a drop.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a beverage vending machine which mixes and cooks a raw material and diluting water or hot water and sells the raw material as a predetermined beverage is set with an allowable sales time of the raw material. It has a structure provided with a timer and a notifying means for notifying the elapse of the allowable sales time when the allowable sales time set in the timer elapses.

Here, the raw materials include main raw materials such as concentrated stock solutions and powdered raw materials (coffee beans, tea leaves, etc.), as well as auxiliary raw materials such as sugar and milk.

[0009] The term "permissible sales time of raw materials" refers to the period or period during which various raw materials are allowed to be used for beverages, and specifically includes the expiration date and the quality keeping period of various raw materials. .

[0010] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the presence of the ingredients whose allowable sales time has elapsed can be notified to the operator by the notification means, so that prompt replenishment of the ingredients is promoted, and the beverage in which the ingredients are used is used. Sales can be prevented.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage vending machine for mixing and cooking an ingredient and dilution water or hot water, and selling the mixture as a predetermined beverage. When the set allowable time has passed,
A control means for controlling so as to stop selling the beverage using the raw material is provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the use of the ingredients whose sales allowance time has elapsed, and to automatically and reliably stop selling the beverage using the ingredients.

[0013] The invention of claim 3 is claim 1 or claim 2.
In the beverage vending machine according to the invention of the present invention, a sensor for detecting the replenishment of the raw material, and control means for controlling the timer to start measuring the allowable sales time based on the raw material replenishment detection signal of the sensor are provided. It has a structure. According to the present invention, when the raw material is newly refilled by exchanging the container or the like, the sensor detects this, and the reset of the allowable sales time already set in the timer and the restart of the time measurement can be automatically performed.

[0014]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a beverage vending machine according to the present invention. In the vending machine 1, BIB ((Bag in Box) or below, container) 2a as a well-known material container is provided.
As an example, three sets of 2b, 2c and tube pumps 3a, 3b, 3c are installed. Reference numeral 21 denotes the container 2a,
A flexible tube 31 extending from 2b, 2c is a rotor of the pumps 3a, 3b, 3c for squeezing the tube 21. In each of the containers 2a, 2b, and 2c, a concentrated stock solution (hereinafter, referred to as a raw material) as a raw material is accommodated in each type.
a, 2b, and 2c are exchangeably installed in the refrigerator compartment 4 in the machine, and are refrigerated and stored. In the lower part of the refrigerator compartment 4, contact sensors (for example, micro switches) 12a, 12b, and 12c that are always in contact with the installed containers 2a, 2b, and 2c are provided, respectively. Each contact sensor 12a, 12b, 1
2c changes from a contact state (ON state) with each container 2a, 2b, 2c to a non-contact state (OFF state) at the time of individual container exchange.
State) → contact state (ON state) following the completion of material replenishment, and a series of three changes: the containers 2a, 2b,
This is to detect replacement of 2c (supplement of raw materials).

Further, display devices 14a, 14b, 14c as notification means are provided on the left side of the pump body 32 in which the rotor driving sources of the tube pumps 3a, 3b, 3c are built.
Are respectively provided. Each display device 14a, 14b, 1
4c has a blue LED 15 and a red LED 16, respectively.
The red LED 16 lights up to alert the operator when the raw material sales time has expired, and the blue LED otherwise
15 lights up. Another example of the notifying means is an alarm device that sounds an alarm when the allowable sales time expires.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a characteristic structure of the beverage vending machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a structure of a control circuit of the display devices 14a, 14b and 14c. FIG. In this control circuit, each container 2
Timers 11a, 11b, 11c for setting and inputting the allowable sales time of each raw material in a, 2b, 2c, timers 11a, 11b, 11c, and sensors 12a, 12c
and a control unit 10 having a microcomputer configuration for inputting and outputting a time signal and a detection signal to and from the control unit 10b and 12c. The lighting of each of the display devices 14a, 14b, and 14c is controlled by the control unit 10 via the display device driving circuits 13a, 13b, and 13c, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the display device 14a. A method of managing the raw material A stored in the container 2a will be described based on the flowchart (note that the second to fourth embodiments described later). The form is also described by taking the raw material A in the container 2a as an example.) First, a container 2a full of new raw material A is prepared, and when the container 2a is (first) installed, the allowable selling time of the raw material A is set. T is set (hereinafter, set time T), and the operator inputs this to the timer 11a using a remote controller or the like (S
1) The timer 11a starts measuring the set time T (S2). The first timer start is performed by the operation of the operator. Thereby, the display device 14
The blue LED 15a lights (S3), indicating that the use of the raw material A is permitted. Then, replace the container (S
When the set time T elapses without performing 4) (S5), the red LED 16 of the display device 14a is turned on (S6), and the operator is warned that the set time of the raw material A has expired. Next, when the container 2a is replaced and the raw material A is replenished (S7), this is detected by the sensor 12a (S8), the set time T of the timer 11a is reset, and the time measurement is automatically restarted (S9). If the container 2a is replaced before the set time T elapses (elapsed time t <T) because the raw material A is sold out (S4), this is detected by the sensor 12a (S8), and the set time T Is restarted (S
9).

When the type of raw material is changed at the time of container replacement, a new allowable sales time is set.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a characteristic configuration of a beverage vending machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control circuit of the display device 14a. This control circuit includes a control unit 10 ',
0 ′ inputs and outputs a time signal to and from the timer 11a and controls the lighting of the display device 14a via the display drive circuit 13a. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the display device 14a. Based on this flowchart, a method of managing the raw material A in the container 2a according to the present embodiment will be described.

When the container 2a is installed (first), the set time T of the raw material A is input to the timer 11a (S1 '), and the timer 11a starts measuring the set time T (S1).
2 '). As a result, the blue LED 15 of the display device 14a is turned on (S3 '), indicating that the use of the raw material A is permitted. Then, when the set time T elapses without performing the container replacement (S4 ') (S5'), the red LED 16 of the display device 14a is turned on (S6 '), and the expiration of the set time of the raw material A is displayed to the operator. When the new raw material A is replenished accordingly (S7 '), the operator resets the set time T of the timer 11a (S1') and restarts the time measurement (S2 '). If the container is replaced before the time-up (S5 ') (S4'), the set time T is newly set.
Reset and restart timing.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a characteristic configuration of a beverage vending machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a sales suspension control circuit. In this control circuit, a timer 11a and a sensor 12a are a control unit 10 having a microcomputer configuration as control means.
Input and output of the time signal and the detection signal between 0. Further, the control unit 100 outputs a required control signal to a well-known sales control unit 101 and a customer service control unit 102 conventionally provided in the beverage vending machine. Note that the sales control unit 101 controls a mechanism for cooking and unloading beverages, and the customer service control unit 102 controls a mechanism for displaying the amount of money inserted, change out, selling out, and the like. Hereinafter, the control operation of the sales suspension will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

First, at the time of (first) installation of the container 2a, the set time T of the raw material A is inputted to the timer 11a (S1).
01), the timer 11a manually starts measuring the set time T (S102). Thus, the use of the raw material A is allowed (S103). Then, when the set time T elapses without performing the container replacement (S104) (S105), the control unit 100, via the sales control unit 101 and the customer service control unit 102, sets the beverage using the raw material A to the sold-out state. (S106). At this time, all operations for cooking and selling the beverage using the raw material A are stopped by the sales control unit 101, and the sold-out display of the beverage is turned on by the customer service control unit 102, and it is determined that the beverage cannot be selected. Become. When the container 2a is replaced from this state (S107), this is detected by the sensor 12a (S10).
8), the set time T of the timer 11a is reset, and the counting is automatically restarted (S109).

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a characteristic configuration of a beverage vending machine according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a sales suspension control circuit. The control circuit includes a control unit 100 '.
Performs input and output of a time signal with the timer 11a, and outputs a required control signal to the sales control unit 101 and the customer service control unit 102. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the sales suspension control according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the control operation of the sales suspension will be described based on this flowchart.

When the container 2a is installed (first), the set time T of the raw material A is input to the timer 11a (S10).
1 '), the timer 11a starts measuring the set time T (S102'). As a result, the use and sale of the raw material A is permitted (S103 '). Then, when the set time T has elapsed without performing container replacement (S104 ′) (S105 ′), the control unit 100 ′ causes the sales control unit 10
1 and the drink using the raw material A is sold out via the customer service control unit 102 (S106 '). Thereafter, when the raw material A is supplemented by exchanging the container (S107 '), the operator resets the set time T of the timer 11a (S1).
01 '), and restart the timing (S10).
2 ').

[0026]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the use of the raw material whose sales allowance time has elapsed, and to effectively prevent the deterioration of the quality of the beverage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a beverage vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control circuit of the display device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the display device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control circuit of a display device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the display device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a sales suspension control circuit according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of suspending sales in the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a sales suspension control circuit according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of a sales suspension according to a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Beverage vending machine, 2a, 2b, 2c ... BIB (raw material container), 3a, 3b, 3c ... Tube pump, 4 ... Refrigeration room, 10, 10 ', 100, 100' ... Control part, 11
a, 11b, 11c... timer, 12a, 12b, 12c
... contact sensors, 14a, 14b, 14c ... display devices.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. Mixing and cooking raw materials and dilution water or hot water,
In a beverage vending machine that sells as a predetermined beverage, a timer for setting an allowable selling time of raw materials, and a notifying means for notifying the elapse of the allowable selling time when the allowable selling time set in the timer has elapsed. A beverage vending machine characterized by having a vending machine. 2. Mixing and cooking raw materials and dilution water or hot water,
In a beverage vending machine that sells as a predetermined beverage, a timer for setting an allowable selling time of a raw material, and when the allowable selling time set in the timer elapses, stop selling a beverage using the raw material. A beverage vending machine comprising a control means for controlling. 3. A sensor for detecting replacement of the raw material, and control means for controlling the timer to start measuring an allowable sales time based on a raw material replacement detection signal of the sensor. A beverage vending machine according to claim 1 or 2.