JP2003141625A - Cup-type beverage vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a vending machine for providing a beverage obtained by diluting syrup with carbonated water or cold water in a cup, and to select a syrup concentration and a carbonic acid strength according to a user's preference. A vending machine is provided with a push button (16) that allows a user to select a syrup concentration or a carbonic acid strength.
The syrup density or carbonic acid strength corresponding to the push button 16 can be set in the RAM 11 from the keyboard 15,
When selling a syrup beverage, the beverage is prepared with a syrup concentration or carbonic acid strength corresponding to the pressed push button 16 and provided in the cup 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cup-type beverage vending machine which provides a beverage prepared by diluting syrup with water or carbonated water in a cup.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of vending machine stores syrup, cold water, carbonated water, ice, etc. inside the machine, and when the beverage selection button is pressed, the selected syrup is diluted with cold water or carbonated water. Serve in a cup.

[0003]

In such a cup type beverage vending machine, conventionally, the mixing ratio of the beverage is predetermined for each syrup, and the amount of the syrup is increased or carbonic acid is changed according to the preference of the user. It cannot be tight. At best, you can only choose with or without ice. However, recently, the tastes desired by users are diversifying, and it is no longer possible to obtain satisfaction with a single recipe. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cup-type beverage vending machine that sells a beverage diluted with syrup,
It is to be able to provide beverages that meet the tastes of users.

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention equips a vending machine with a push button that allows a user to select a syrup concentration or a carbonic acid strength.
When selling syrup beverages so that the syrup concentration or carbonate strength according to this push button can be set, so that the beverage is prepared and provided at the syrup concentration or carbonate strength corresponding to the pushed push button. To do.

[0005]

1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a cup type beverage vending machine capable of selecting a syrup concentration, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a control operation. First, in FIG. 1, 1 is a syrup container that stores syrup, 2 is a carbonator that stores carbonated water, and 3 is a water reservoir that stores tap water. ing.
Carbon dioxide gas pressure is applied to the syrup container 1 and the carbonator 2 from a carbon dioxide gas cylinder 4. Although only one syrup container 1 is shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of syrup containers 1 are actually provided according to the type of syrup. Solenoid valve 5 for syrup and carbonated water
By opening 6 and 6, carbon dioxide gas is extruded and injected into the cup 7. Further, the cold water in the water reservoir 3 is injected into the cup 7 by the operation of the water pump 8. These syrup, carbonated water, and water are mixed in the cup 7 and are provided with the cup 7 as a drink. Depending on the type of syrup, there are beverages that are diluted with cold water only, beverages that are diluted only with carbonated water, and beverages that are diluted with both cold water and carbonated water.

On the other hand, in FIG. 1, the control device is a CPU.
9, a ROM 10 storing a control program, and a RAM 11 storing control data.
A coin mech 13 for selecting and counting inserted coins through 12, a product selection button 14 for selecting a purchased beverage,
A keyboard 15 for setting and inputting the syrup concentration, a syrup concentration button 16 for selecting the syrup concentration, etc. are connected. In the present case, there are two types of syrup density buttons 16: a dark button 16a and a light button 16b.
From the keyboard 15, use the numeric keypad, as shown in FIG.
Double (for syrup: 1, carbonated water or cold water: 4,
The same applies hereinafter), 4.5 times for standard, 5.0 times for thin, and set and input in RAM 11 for each syrup type. In addition,
The syrup concentration button 16 is arranged on the front of the vending machine at a position where the user can operate it.

When the syrup concentration button 16 is pressed and the dilution ratio is determined, the CPU 9 reads the opening time of the solenoid valves 5 and 6 and the operation time of the water pump 8 from the ROM 10 and opens or operates them for a predetermined time. Thereby, the syrup, carbonated water, and cold water in an amount corresponding to the syrup concentration are poured into the cup 7. For beverages in which the syrup is diluted with both carbonated water and cold water, the ratio of carbonated water and cold water is set separately for each syrup. If the product selection button 14 is pressed immediately without pressing the syrup concentration button 16, the CPU 9 prepares the beverage at the standard concentration.

The control operation of the CPU 9 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. That is, in FIG. 2, it is checked whether a coin has been inserted into the coin mech 13 (S1).
Whether or not the product can be sold is determined based on whether or not the product is sold out (S2), and a sellable lamp (not shown) of the product selection button 14 is turned on for the product that can be sold (S3). Here, when selecting the syrup concentration, the user presses the syrup concentration button 16 before pressing the product selection button 14. When the syrup density button 16 is pressed, the flag indicating that is RA
Recorded in M11. Therefore, the CPU 9 checks whether or not the product selection button 14 has been pressed (S4), and then checks whether or not the syrup concentration button 16 has been pressed (S5). Then, if pressed, the beverage is prepared at the selected concentration (S6), and if not pressed, it is prepared at the standard concentration (S7).

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment in which the carbonic acid strength can be selected. The difference from the embodiment of FIG. 1 is that a carbonate strength button 17 is provided instead of the syrup concentration button (FIG. 1). There are two types of weak button 17b. As shown in FIG. 3, using the numeric keypad from the keyboard 15, if the carbonated water ratio (carbonation value) is strong, 4.0 times (for syrup: 1, carbonated water: 4, the same applies below), if standard 3.
RA for each syrup type, such as 5 times, 3.0 times if weak
The setting is input to M11. Other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those in FIG.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which only the syrup concentration can be selected (FIG. 1) and an example in which only the carbonic acid intensity can be selected (FIG. 3) have been shown. It is, of course, possible to select both the carbon dioxide strength and the carbonate strength. Further, the system configuration of the vending machine is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and the present invention is a cup-type beverage automatic device that dilutes syrup with water (carbonated water, cold water and hot water) to prepare a beverage. It is applicable to vending machines.

[0011]

As described above, according to the present invention, the syrup concentration and the carbonic acid strength can be freely selected according to the user's preference, and the user's satisfaction including the presence or absence of ice can be further improved. As a result, the operating rate of the cup type beverage vending machine can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a cup type beverage vending machine showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the vending machine of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram of a cup type beverage vending machine showing a different embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 syrup container 2 carbonator 3 water reservoir 4 carbon dioxide cylinder 5 Solenoid valve 6 Solenoid valve 7 cups 8 water pump 13 coin mech 14 Product selection button 15 keyboard 16 Syrup concentration button 17 Carbonate strength button

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cup-type beverage vending machine that provides a beverage prepared by diluting syrup with water in a cup, and a push button for selecting the syrup concentration of the beverage, and a dilution of the syrup corresponding to the push button. A cup-type beverage vending machine, which is provided with a means for setting a ratio and a control means for diluting the syrup at the dilution ratio corresponding to the push button when the push button is pressed during beverage sale. . 2. A cup-type beverage vending machine that provides a beverage prepared by diluting syrup with carbonated water in a cup, and a push button for selecting the carbonate strength of the beverage, and the carbonated water corresponding to the push button. A cup-type beverage automatic, characterized in that it is provided with a means for setting the ratio of the above and a control means for diluting the syrup with the carbonated water ratio according to the push button when the push button is pressed at the time of selling the beverage. Vending machine. 3. A cup-type beverage vending machine that provides a beverage prepared by diluting syrup with carbonated water and water in a cup, wherein a push button for selecting the syrup concentration of the beverage and the push button corresponding to the push button are provided. A cup-type beverage characterized by being provided with a means for setting a dilution ratio of syrup and a control means for diluting the syrup at the dilution ratio corresponding to the push button when the push button is pressed at the time of selling the beverage. vending machine. 4. A cup-type beverage vending machine which provides carbonated water and a beverage diluted with water in a cup in a cup type beverage vending machine, and a push button for selecting the carbonate strength of the beverage, and the push button corresponding to the push button. A cup type which is provided with means for setting a ratio of carbonated water and control means for diluting the syrup with the carbonated water ratio according to the push button when the push button is pressed at the time of selling the beverage. Beverage vending machine. 5. A push button for selecting the carbonate strength of the beverage, means for setting the ratio of the carbonated water corresponding to the push button, and when the push button is pressed at the time of selling the beverage,
The cup type beverage vending machine according to claim 3, further comprising: a control unit that dilutes the syrup at the dilution ratio or the carbonated water ratio according to the push button. 6. A standard syrup concentration or carbonic acid strength is set, and when the push button is not pressed at the time of selling a beverage,
The cup type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the syrup is diluted with the standard concentration.