JP7752441B2 - Goods supply device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to technology for supplying a fixed amount of goods.

As shown in Patent Document 1, a system is known that weighs and sells goods such as merchandise.

Publication No. 6-50740

However, the process of weighing and removing a fixed amount of goods from a storage device requires many steps and is a burden for customers. Also, some goods are best purchased without being weighed.

Therefore, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a device that can supply a fixed amount of goods with simple operation.

To achieve the above objective, the item supply device of the present invention comprises a storage section that receives items from an upper storage section, a receiving port for receiving items into the storage section, a first shielding section that openably covers the receiving port, a supply port that supplies items stored in the storage section to the outside, a second shielding section that openably covers the supply port, and an operating section that shields the supply port with the second shielding section when the receiving port is opened with the first shielding section, opens the supply port with the second shielding section when the receiving port is blocked with the first shielding section, and supplies the items to the outside through the supply port.

1 is an external perspective view showing an article supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an article sales device including the article supply device; 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing a storage section constituting an item supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing (a) a state in which the supply of items is stopped, (b) a state in which items are being supplied, and (c) a state in which the supply of items is stopped again. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the weighing device. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a supply unit constituting an article supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which an article can be stored, and FIG. 1B shows a state in which an article is being supplied. An oblique view showing the supply section that constitutes the item supply device of an embodiment of the present invention, (a) in a state where items can be stored, (b) in a state where the storage section is rotating, and (c) in a state where items are being supplied. An oblique view showing the supply section that constitutes the item supply device of an embodiment of the present invention, (a) in a state where items can be stored, (b) in a state where the storage section is rotating, and (c) in a state where items are being supplied. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing functions of an article supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams for explaining the function of the operation detection unit, showing (a) the operation detection unit in a horizontal position, (b) the operation detection unit in a tilted position at a predetermined angle a, and (c) the operation detection unit in a tilted position at a predetermined angle a+b. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a supply section constituting an item supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing (a) a state in which an item can be stored, (b) a state in which an item is being stored, and (c) a state in which an item is being supplied. 1 is a perspective view showing a supply unit constituting an item supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a supply unit that constitutes an article supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which an article can be stored and a state in which an article is being supplied. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a supply section constituting an item supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) an item can be stored, (b) an item is being stored, and (c) an item is being supplied. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the functional configuration of a label issuing device, in which FIG. 1A shows a hardware configuration and FIG. 1B shows a software configuration. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in an item master. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of labels issued by a label issuing device, in which (a) shows a label for a personal container and (b) shows a label for a store container. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing executed when a first unit U1 provides an article to a customer in the article sales device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an example of a product selection screen displayed on the label issuing device. 10 is an example of a product button list display screen displayed on the label issuing device. 10 is an example of a container selection screen displayed on the label issuing device. 10 is an example of a display screen of a weight value and a selling price displayed on a label issuing device. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing executed when a second unit U2 provides an article to a customer in the article sales device according to the embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an article supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 10A and 10B are examples of screens displayed on the display of an electronic shelf label, showing (a) an available for sale state and (b) a sold-out state. 1A and 1B are external perspective views showing an article supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which the top lid is closed, and FIG. 1B shows a state in which the top lid is open. 1 is an external perspective view showing an example of the arrangement of devices constituting a goods sales device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is an external perspective view showing an example of the arrangement of devices constituting a goods sales device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Overview Hereinafter, an article supply device and an article sales device including an article supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The goods selling device 1 according to this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a device for selling goods by weight in response to an operation by a customer.
In this embodiment, the products are food products such as dried fruits, nuts, and beans. However, the product is not limited to these products as long as it is suitable for selling by weight. Furthermore, the product supply device according to this embodiment is not limited to cases where such food products are provided to customers as products, but can also be used when a store receives a predetermined amount of supply. Therefore, the product supply device according to this embodiment will be described as supplying predetermined products including products.

Configuration of the Goods Vending Device 1 The goods vending device 1 is made up of a first unit U1, a second unit U2, and a label issuing device 8.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a label issuing device 8 is installed between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2.
The label issuing device 8 receives data from both the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 and issues labels according to that data. It is up to the customer to decide whether to use the first unit U1 or the second unit U2. Therefore, regardless of whether the first unit U1 or the second unit U2 is used, the label issuing device 8 is installed between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 in a location that is easily accessible to customers.

The configurations of the first unit U1, the second unit U2, and the label issuing device 8 will be described in detail later, but will be briefly explained here.
The first unit U1 is composed of one or more article supply devices 2 for supplying any quantity of articles to customers, and is equipped with a weighing device 3 for weighing any quantity of articles.
The article supply device 2 has an operation unit for supplying any amount of articles. In response to an operation on the operation unit, the article supply device 2 can transmit, to the label issuing device 8, device identification information for identifying the article supply device 2 that supplied the article.
The weighing device 3 can also measure the weight of the goods provided by the goods supply device 2 and transmit the weighing results to the label issuing device 8 .

The second unit U2 is also composed of one or more product supply devices 4 that provide a fixed amount of products to a customer depending on the number of operations.
The item supply device 4 is equipped with an operation unit for performing the operation of supplying a fixed amount of items, and in response to operation by the operation unit, it transmits to the label issuing device 8 device identification information that identifies the item supply device 4 that supplied the items and information regarding the number of times the items have been supplied.

The label issuing device 8 holds a master that associates the device identification information of the item supply device 2 that constitutes the first unit U1 or the device identification information of the item supply device 4 that constitutes the second unit U2 with the item. This allows the label issuing device 8 to identify the items supplied by the item supply devices 2 and 4, calculate the sales price based on the item's weight and number of times it has been supplied, and issue a label for settlement.

●First unit U1
The first unit U1 is a so-called unit for bulk sales, and provides any amount of goods to a customer.
1, the first unit U1 has a plurality of article supply devices 2. The plurality of article supply devices 2 all have similar functions and structures, and are provided for each type of article to be supplied.

●Goods supply device 2
The article supply device 2 is composed of a storage section 21 provided above, a supply section 22 provided below the storage section 21, and a weighing device 3 that measures the amount of supplied articles.
The storage unit 21 and the supply unit 22 are connected, and the items in the storage unit 21 are supplied to the outside via the supply unit 22, thereby providing the items in the storage unit 21 to customers.
The storage unit 21 and the supply unit 22 may be integrally configured, or may be detachably configured using a predetermined attachment mechanism. If they are detachably configured, the storage unit 21 storing the items can be replaced to replenish the items in the item supply device 2. In addition, the expiration date of the items may be managed in accordance with the replacement of the storage unit 21.

The storage section 21 is a hollow container that stores items.
The storage section 21 can store a certain amount of articles therein, and discharges the articles to the supply section 22 from a discharge outlet provided below.

The supply unit 22 supplies the amount of goods to the outside in accordance with the customer's operation.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supply unit 22 includes a receiving port (not shown), a supply port 22 a, a storage unit 221 , an operation unit 222 , and a shielding unit 223 .

The receiving port is provided at a position corresponding to the discharge port of the storage unit 21. The discharge port and the receiving port are connected, and the articles in the storage unit 21 are supplied to the outside from the supply port 22a via the discharge port and the receiving port.
The supply port 22a is an opening provided at the bottom, and the articles are supplied to the outside through this supply port 22a.
The storage section 221 can store a certain amount of items inside.

Operation unit 222 is the part that allows the customer to operate shielding unit 223. This operation unit 222 is linked to shielding unit 223, and shielding unit 223 moves in response to operation by this operation unit 222. Operation unit 222 is, for example, a lever exposed to the outside, and the supply of goods is controlled by shielding unit 223, which moves in response to lever operation.

The shielding portion 223 is a member that releasably shields the space between the storage portion 221 and the supply port 22a.
The shielding portion 223 is linked to a predetermined operating portion, and opens or closes the space between the storage portion 221 and the supply port 22a in response to operation by the operating portion.
2 shows an example of the structure and operation of such a shielding unit 223. The shielding unit 223 is composed of a thin plate-like portion 2231 and a rotation shaft 2232 provided at the center of the plate-like portion 2231, and the plate-like portion 2231 rotates around the rotation shaft 2232.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), when the plate-shaped portion 2231 is in a horizontal position, the storage portion 221 is shielded from the supply port 22a, preventing items from being supplied to the outside through the supply port 22a. In response to operation by the operating portion 222, the plate-shaped portion 2231 rotates around the rotation axis 2232. As shown in FIG. 2(b), when the plate-shaped portion 2231 is no longer horizontal, the storage portion 221 is opened from the supply port 22a, and items from the storage portion 221 are discharged through the supply port 22a. As shown in FIG. 2(c), when the plate-shaped portion 2231 rotates back to a horizontal position or is returned to its original horizontal position by a spring or other biasing means that biases the plate-shaped portion 2231 to the horizontal position, the storage portion 221 is again shielded from the supply port 22a, restricting the supply of items.

The shielding unit 223 may be provided at the receiving port and may be configured to shield or open the receiving port in response to operation by the operating unit 222.

When a customer wishes to receive a desired amount of goods from this goods supply device 2, they place a container such as a cup below the supply port 22b so that the goods supplied from the supply port 22a go directly into the container. Then, by operating the operating unit 222, the goods stored in the storage unit 21 are provided via the outlet of the storage unit 21, the inlet of the supply unit 22, and the supply port 22a.

In addition, like the item supply device 4 described below, the item supply device 2 may be equipped with an operation detection unit that detects the item supply operation, an identification information storage unit that stores device identification information that identifies the item supply device 2, and a communication processing unit 403 that transmits the device identification information to the label issuing device 8 along with information indicating that the item supply operation has been performed. This allows the label issuing device 8 to determine which item supply device 2 supplied the item, and to identify the supplied item by referring to a specified storage unit that associates the device identification information with information related to the item supplied by the item supply device 2.

●Measuring device 3
The weighing device 3 is a device for weighing the articles placed on a predetermined placement surface. The weighing device 3 is provided below the supply port 22a of the article supply device 2.
When a customer receives an item from the item supply device 2, the customer places a container such as a cup for the item on the placement surface. When the customer performs an operation to receive an item from the item supply device 2, the item is supplied from the supply port 22a to the container on the placement surface.

As shown in FIG. 3, the weighing device 3 includes a weighing unit 31, an identification information storage unit 32, a display 33, and a communication processing unit 34.

The weighing unit 31 weighs items (products, containers, etc.) placed on the placement surface 311 using a weight detection method, such as a load cell. This allows the weight of the container placed on the placement surface 311 and the items supplied to that container to be measured.

Here, the weighing unit 311 is specifically composed of a weight detection unit 311 and an AD converter 312 .
The weight detection unit 311 is realized by a load cell, and the A/D converter 312 converts the analog signal input from the weight detection unit 311 into a digital signal. In converting to a digital signal, a range in which the weight value can be appropriately acquired is set, and then the zero point and the maximum weighing value are recorded. The value converted into digital data is displayed on the display 33 as a weighing value (weight).

The identification information storage unit 32 stores device identification information that can identify the weighing device 3 .
Regardless of the configuration shown in Figure 3, instead of identification information that can identify the weighing device 3, converter identification information that can identify the A/D converter 312 can be stored in the A/D converter 31, and the weighing device 3 can be identified by the converter identification information.

The display 33 displays the weighing results from the weighing unit 31.

The communication processing unit 34 is a functional unit that transmits and receives data to and from the label issuing device 8 and higher-level devices, and realizes data communication via, for example, a wireless local area network (LAN) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The weighing device 3 can use this communication processing unit 33 to transmit information related to the weighing results obtained by the weighing unit 31 to the label issuing device 8. At this time, the weighing device 3 can refer to the identification information storage unit 32 and transmit the device identification information to the label issuing device 8 along with information related to the weighing results obtained by the weighing unit 31.

When the label issuing device 8 receives the device identification information or converter identification information and the weight value from the weighing device 3, it displays the weight value and selling price on the display 81. In this way, even without displaying the preset keys, once the weight of the item on the weighing device 3 is stable enough to be measured and the supply amount is determined, the weight value and selling price are displayed on the display 81, making it convenient for customers to adjust the amount of item they purchase while checking the weight value and selling price on the display 81. This is particularly effective if the label issuing device 8 is installed near the operation unit 222 of the item supply device 2, as the display 81 will be closer to the customer operating the operation unit 222.

The weighing device 3 may also have a timing function. A weighing device 3 with a timing function can, for example, manage the current time, the time remaining until a certain time, or the time elapsed since a certain state was reached. Furthermore, information obtained by this timing function may be provided to the label issuing device 8 by the communications processing unit 33.

Furthermore, the weighing device 3 may be provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the item supply device 2, or may be configured integrally with the item supply device 2.

●Second unit U2
The second unit U2 provides a fixed amount of goods to the customer per operation.
The second unit U2 has a plurality of article supply devices 4. The plurality of article supply devices 4 all have similar functions and structures, and are provided for each type of article to be supplied.
In this embodiment, the second unit U2 is described as being configured by the article supply device 4 according to one embodiment. However, the second unit U2 may be configured by article supply devices 5, 6, and 7 according to other embodiments described below, instead of the article supply device 4.

Item supply device 4 according to Example 1
The article supply device 4 is composed of a storage section 41 provided above and a supply section 42 provided below the storage section 41.
The storage unit 41 and the supply unit 42 are connected, and the articles in the storage unit 41 are supplied to the outside via the supply unit 42.
The storage unit 41 and the supply unit 42 may be integrally configured, or may be detachably configured using a predetermined attachment mechanism. If they are detachably configured, the storage unit 41 storing the articles can be replaced to replenish the articles in the article supply device 4.

The storage section 41 is a hollow container that stores items.
The storage section 41 is provided with a discharge port for discharging the articles to the supply section 42. For ease of explanation, the discharge port provided in the storage section 41 will be referred to as "discharge port 41a" below.

The supply unit 42 supplies a predetermined amount of the items stored in the storage unit 41 to the outside in response to an operation by a customer.
As shown in FIG. 4, the supply unit 42 is provided with a receiving port 42 a, a supply port 42 b, a container 43 , and an operation unit 44 .

The receiving port 42a is located at a position corresponding to the discharge port 41a of the storage section 41. The discharge port 41a and receiving port 42a are connected, and items in the storage section 41 are discharged to the supply section 42 via the discharge port 41a and receiving port 42a.

The container 43 is a cylindrical member closed at both ends, and the hollow interior portion forms a container section 431 for storing articles. An opening 43a is provided on the outer circumferential surface to receive articles discharged from the storage section 41 into the container section 431.
As described below, this container 43 is connected to an operating unit 44 and is rotated in the circumferential direction by the operating unit 44. By rotating in the circumferential direction, the opening 43a faces either the discharge port 41a side of the storage unit 41 or the supply port 42b side. Here, when the opening 43a faces the supply port 42b side, the outer peripheral surface of the container 43 faces the discharge port 41a side of the storage unit 41, and the receiving port 42a is shielded. At this time, the outer peripheral surface of the container 43 constitutes a shielding means that shields the receiving port 42a.
The storage section 431 is configured so that the internal space has a volume that can be filled with a fixed amount of goods.

The operating unit 44 constitutes a control means for rotating the container 43 and supplying the articles contained in the container 431 to the outside.
As shown in Figure 4, this operating unit 44 is composed of a lever 441 that moves up and down, a biasing unit such as a spring (not shown) that biases the lever 441 in a predetermined direction, and a rack and pinion (not shown) that converts the up and down movement of the lever 441 into a rotational movement of the container 43.

4(a) and 5(a), when the customer is not operating the lever 441, the lever 441 is lifted upward by the biasing part. At this time, the container 43 linked to the operating part 44 has the opening 43a facing the discharge outlet 41a of the storage part 41, and the articles discharged from the discharge outlet 41a are stored in the storage part 431.
5(b), when a customer presses down on the lever 441 against the biasing force of the biasing portion, the container 43 rotates in the circumferential direction, and the opening 43a is oriented downward toward the supply port 42b, as shown in FIGS. 4(b) and 5(c). As a result, the items stored in the container 431 fall from the opening 43a due to their own weight and are supplied to the outside via the supply port 42b. At this time, since the opening 43a is oriented toward the supply port 42b, the receiving port 42a is blocked by the outer peripheral surface of the container 43, preventing items from being discharged from the storage section 41.

The container 43 in this supply unit 42 may be arranged so that a pair of containers 431 are adjacent to each other, as shown in Figure 6. This allows an article to be supplied every quarter rotation of the container 431.

As shown in FIG. 7, the item supply device 4 having the above-described structure includes an operation detection unit 401, an identification information storage unit 402, and a communication processing unit 403 as functional units for performing information processing.

The operation detection unit 401 is a functional unit that detects the operation of the operation unit 44 by a customer, thereby counting the number of times an item has been supplied based on the customer's operation. The operation detection unit 401 is realized, for example, by a sensor attached to a part that operates in response to the supply of an item, such as the operation unit 44 or the container 43 that is linked to the operation unit 44. The sensor is, for example, a gyro sensor or an acceleration sensor, and detects changes such as tilt, rotation, and displacement based on the operation of the member to which the sensor is attached, such as the operation unit 44. When a change based on the operation is detected, this counts as one supply of an item being executed. Information related to the number of times an item has been supplied is provided to the label issuing device 8 by the communication processing unit 403.
The number of times an item has been supplied can be counted by determining that the same customer has supplied an item multiple times until a certain period of time has passed since the operation to supply an item was performed.

Note that the operation detection unit 401 is composed of functional units, for example, a setting storage unit 4011 and a determination unit 4012, as shown in FIG. 7.

The setting memory unit 4011 stores setting values such as the set angle and displacement value used for determination by the determination unit 4012. The set angle and displacement value are angles set in advance to determine whether the operation unit 44, which is the object of detection for tilt, etc., is in a state to supply an item. Note that these values are values corresponding to the operation unit 44.

The determination unit 4012 uses the tilt angle and displacement of the operation unit 44 to which the operation detection unit 401 is attached as an input value and determines whether the input value exceeds a setting value stored in the setting memory unit 4011. If the input value exceeds the setting value, it can be determined that an item has been supplied, and that an item supply operation has been performed.

Here, if the input value is a tilt angle, as shown in FIG. 8, when the operation detection unit 401 tilts (rotates) from the attitude shown in FIG. 8(a) to the attitude shown in FIG. 8(b), the input value is a degrees (or +a degrees, including the tilt direction). Also, when the operation detection unit 12 tilts (rotates) from the attitude shown in FIG. 8(c) to the attitude shown in FIG. 8(b), the input value is b degrees (or -b degrees, including the tilt direction).

Note that if input values such as the tilt angle and displacement of the operation unit 44 to which the operation detection unit 401 is attached are equal to or greater than the set values stored in the setting memory unit 4011, it can be assumed that an item has been supplied. Therefore, the determination unit 4012 can also be said to be an estimation means for estimating the supply of an item. In other words, the operation detection unit 401 equipped with the determination unit 4012 can also be said to be an estimation device for estimating the supply of an item by the item supply device 2.

In addition, when counting the number of times an item has been supplied, for example, if an item has been supplied in response to a specific customer's operation and no further supply of an item has been made within a certain period of time, the operation of the specific customer may be deemed to have ended, and information regarding the number of times an item has been supplied up to that point may be provided to the label issuing device 8.
Furthermore, after an item has been supplied in response to an operation by a specific customer, any subsequent supply of items within a certain period of time may be deemed to be in response to a request from the specific customer, and when the certain period of time has elapsed, information regarding the number of times the item has been supplied up to that point may be provided to the label issuing device 8.
Furthermore, information relating to the number of times an item has been supplied may be provided to the label issuing device 8 each time the supply of an item is counted.

The identification information storage unit 402 is a storage unit that stores identification information that can identify the item supply device 4.

The communication processing unit 403 is a functional unit that transmits and receives data to and from the label issuing device 8 and higher-level devices, and realizes data communication via, for example, a wireless local area network (LAN) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The communication processing unit 403 enables the item supply device 4 to transmit, to the label issuing device 8, information related to the number of times an item has been supplied, along with identification information for the item supply device 4.

Item supply device 5 according to Example 2
The article supply device 5 is made up of the above-mentioned storage section 41 and a supply section 52 shown in FIG. 9, which is provided below the storage section 41.
As with the article supply device 4 according to the first embodiment, the storage unit 41 and the supply unit 52 may be configured as an integrated unit, or may be configured as detachable units.

The supply unit 52 supplies a predetermined amount of the items stored in the storage unit 41 to the outside in response to an operation by a customer.
The supply unit 52 is provided with a receiving port 52 a , a supply port 52 b , a container 53 , a shielding unit 54 , a support unit 55 , a first operating unit 56 , and a second operating unit 57 .

The receiving port 52a is located at a position corresponding to the discharge port 41a of the storage section 41. The discharge port 41a and receiving port 52a are connected, and items in the storage section 41 are discharged to the supply section 52 via the discharge port 41a and receiving port 52a.

The container 53 is a bowl-shaped member, and the recessed portion on the inside forms a container section 531 for storing items. The top of the container section 531 is open, and the open portion forms an opening for receiving items discharged from the storage section 41 into the container section 531. The container 53 is provided below the receiving port 52a, so that the items discharged from the storage section 41 are stored in the container section 531 via the discharge port 41a and the receiving port 52a.
The storage section 531 is adjusted to have a volume that is just filled with a fixed amount of goods.

A second operating unit 57, which will be described later, is connected to this container 53 near its opening, and the container 53 is rotated by the second operating unit 57. By rotating the container 53, the opening faces the discharge port 41 a of the storage unit 41 or faces the supply port 52 b.
Furthermore, a support portion 55, which will be described later, is connected to the container 53.

The shielding portion 54 constitutes a shielding means for releasably shielding the receiving opening 52a. The shielding portion 54 has a shape in which four semicircular shielding pieces 541 are joined at linear portions to form a cross-shaped cross section, and a core rod 562 constituting the first operating portion 56 passes along the linear portions.
The shielding portion 54 is also provided at the receiving port 52a. The planar shape formed by a pair of shielding pieces 541 provided on the same plane is the same as the planar shape of the receiving port 52a. As a result, when either pair of shielding pieces 541 is horizontal, the receiving port 52a is shielded, and the discharge of articles from the storage section 41 is restricted. On the other hand, when the shielding portion 54 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the core rod 562 from this shielded state and neither of the shielding pieces 541 is horizontal, the receiving port 52a is in an open state. In this state, articles from the storage section 41 are discharged to the supply section 52 via the discharge port 41a and the receiving port 52a.
Here, when the core rod 562 rotates a quarter turn circumferentially from the state in which the receiving port 52a is shielded by the shielding portion 54, and the receiving port 52a is shielded again, the amount of goods discharged into the container 53 through the receiving port 52a is designed to be equal to the specified amount to be provided to the customer in one goods supply operation.

The support part 55 is a rod-shaped member connected to the container 53. A rotation shaft 551 is provided in the center of the support part 55, and both ends of the support part 55 move up and down around the rotation shaft 551 as a fulcrum. The container 53 is connected to one end of the support part 55, and a weight 552 and a restricting part 553 are provided on the other end.
One end of the support portion 55 is connected to the container 53 , but is not rotated in response to the rotation of the container 53 caused by the second operating portion 57 .

The weight 552 has a predetermined weight, and when a certain amount of articles is stored in the storage section 531, the end where the weight 552 is attached is lifted upward with the rotation axis 551 as a fulcrum.
The restricting portion 553 is a portion that restricts the rotation of a gear 563 that constitutes the first operating portion 56, which will be described later. The restricting portion 553 is provided below the gear 563 that constitutes the first operating portion 56, which will be described later, at the end of the support portion 55 on the side where the weight 552 is provided.
When no articles are stored in storage section 531, restricting section 553 is held below gear 563 by weight 552 and is not in contact with gear 563. On the other hand, when a fixed amount of articles is stored in storage section 531, restricting section 553 rises with rotation axis 551 as a fulcrum and engages between gear teeth provided on the outer circumferential surface of gear 563, restricting the rotation of gear 563.

The first operating unit 56 is composed of a handle 561 provided on the outside of the supply unit 52, a core rod 562 that rotates circumferentially in accordance with the rotation of the handle 561, and a gear 563 provided at one end of the core rod 562.

The core rod 562, one end of which is connected to the center of one side of the handle 561, is located within the supply section 52 and extends below the receiving port 52a to the back of the supply section 52. This core rod 562 has a shielding section 54 located below the receiving port 52a. When the core rod 562 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the handle 561, the shielding section 54 rotates, opening or closing the receiving port 52a.

One end of the core rod 562 is connected to the center of one surface of the gear 563. The gear 563 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the core rod 562 and further the handle 561 to which the core rod 562 is connected.
As described above, when the restricting portion 553 fits between the gear teeth, the rotation of the gear 563 is restricted. When the rotation of the gear 563 is restricted, the rotation of the handle 561 connected to the gear 563 by the core rod 562 is also restricted.

The second operating section 57 constitutes a control means for rotating the container 53 and supplying the articles contained in the container section 531 to the outside.
This second operating unit 57 is composed of a lever 571 that moves up and down, a spring or other biasing unit (not shown) that biases the lever 571 in a predetermined direction, and a rack and pinion (not shown) that converts the up and down movement of the lever 571 into a rotational movement of the container 53.

When the customer is not operating lever 571, lever 571 is lifted upward by the biasing unit. At this time, container 53, which is linked to second operating unit 57, faces its opening toward discharge outlet 41a of storage unit 41, and items discharged from discharge outlet 41a are stored in storage unit 531. When the customer presses lever 571 down against the biasing force of the biasing unit, container 53 rotates in the circumferential direction, and the opening of container 53 faces downward toward supply outlet 52b. As a result, the items stored in storage unit 531 fall under their own weight and are supplied to the outside via supply outlet 52b.
When the storage portion 531 becomes empty, the support portion 55 rotates around the rotation shaft 551 as a fulcrum, which causes the restricting portion 553 to separate from the gear 563, making it possible to operate the first operating portion 56 again.

The item supply device 5 having the above-described structure, like the item supply device 4, has an operation detection unit, an identification information storage unit, and a communication processing unit as functional units for performing information processing. These operation detection unit, identification information storage unit, and communication processing unit perform the same functions as the operation detection unit 401, identification information storage unit 402, and communication processing unit 403 described above.

The sensor that realizes the operation detection unit provided in the item supply device 5 is attached, for example, to the first operation unit 56, the second operation unit 57, or the container 53 that rotates in conjunction with the second operation unit 57.

Item supply device 6 according to Example 3
The article supply device 6 is composed of the above-mentioned storage section 41 and a supply section 62 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, which is provided below the storage section 41.
As with the article supply device 4 according to the first embodiment, the storage unit 41 and the supply unit 62 may be configured as an integrated unit, or may be configured as detachable units.

The supply unit 62 supplies a predetermined amount of the items stored in the storage unit 41 to the outside in response to an operation by a customer.
The supply section 62 is provided with a receiving port 62a, a container 63, and a supply port 62b.

The receiving port 62a is located at a position corresponding to the discharge port 41a of the storage section 41. The discharge port 41a and receiving port 62a are connected, and items in the storage section 41 are discharged to the supply section 62 via the discharge port 41a and receiving port 62a.

The container 63 is a rectangular columnar member, one end of which in the longitudinal direction is exposed to the outside, and the other end of which is housed within the supply unit 62. A support part 631 that supports the container 63 from the underside is provided within the supply unit 62. While supported by the support part 631, the container 63 moves forward and backward within the supply unit 62 along the longitudinal direction.
The portion of the container 63 exposed to the outside constitutes an operating portion for carrying out an operation to supply the articles contained in the container 63 to the outside, as will be described later.

An urging portion 632 such as a spring is provided at one end of the container 63 on the side housed in the supply portion 62 .
Of the longitudinal ends of the urging portion 632, the end opposite the end attached to the container 63 is attached to the inner wall of the supply portion 62. As a result, when the container 63 is pushed into the supply portion 62 from the outside, the urging portion 632 is compressed and urges the container 63 outward.

The container 63 is formed with a through-hole 63a that is open at the top and bottom. The cross section of this through-hole 63a is configured to have the same shape as the receiving port 62a, and when the biasing portion 632 is fully extended, the upper opening of the through-hole 63a appears below the receiving port 62a. In this state, the lower opening of the through-hole 63a is blocked by the support portion 631, and the through-hole 63a, together with the support portion 631, constitutes a storage portion that stores items discharged from the storage portion 41. The storage portion formed by the through-hole 63a and the support portion 631 is configured so that the internal space has a volume that is just large enough to be filled with a fixed amount of items.

When the biasing portion 632 is compressed, the opening at the upper end of the through-hole 63a does not appear below the receiving port 62a. In this state, the receiving port 62a is covered by the container 63, and the container 63 constitutes a shielding means for covering the receiving port 62a.
In addition, in this state, the opening at the lower end of the through hole 63a is not blocked by the support portion 631, and if an item was stored inside when it was blocked by the support portion 631, the item would fall under its own weight and be supplied to the outside through the supply port 62b.

When the customer is not pushing in the container 63 exposed to the outside of the item supply device 6, the through-hole 63a appears below the receiving opening 62a, forming a storage section capable of storing items. In this state, items are discharged from the discharge opening 41a into the storage section, and the items are stored in the storage section.

When a customer pushes in the container 63 exposed to the outside against the biasing force of the biasing portion 632, the through-hole 63a moves to the back, and the receiving opening 62a is blocked by the container 63. Meanwhile, the lower part of the through-hole 63a is opened, and as a result, the article is supplied to the outside from the supply opening 62b.
When the customer releases the container 63 after the articles have been supplied to the outside, the container 63 receives the biasing force of the biasing portion 632 and returns from the state where it was deeply pushed into the supply portion 62. As a result, the through-hole 63a appears again below the receiving opening 62a, and the through-hole 63a and the support portion 631 form a storage portion, and the articles discharged from the storage portion 41 are stored therein.

The item supply device 6 having the above-described structure, like the item supply device 4, has an operation detection unit, an identification information storage unit, and a communication processing unit as functional units for performing information processing. These operation detection unit, identification information storage unit, and communication processing unit perform the same functions as the operation detection unit 401, identification information storage unit 402, and communication processing unit 403 described above.

The sensor that realizes the operation detection unit provided in the item supply device 6 is attached, for example, to the container 63, which also serves as the operation unit.

Item supply device 7 according to Example 4
12 is a schematic diagram of a supply unit 72 constituting an article supply device according to Example 4. Above the supply unit 72, the above-mentioned storage unit 41 is provided.
Here, the item supply device configured by the storage unit 41 and the supply unit 72 is referred to as the "item supply device 7."
Furthermore, similar to the article supply device 4 according to the first embodiment, the storage unit 41 and the supply unit 72 may be configured as an integral unit, or may be configured as detachable units.

The supply unit 72 supplies a predetermined amount of the items stored in the storage unit 41 to the outside in response to an operation by a customer.
The supply unit 72 is provided with a receiving port (not shown), a container 73, a shielding portion 74, a supply port 72b, as well as a first operating portion and a second operating portion (not shown).

The receiving port is located at a position corresponding to the discharge port 41a of the storage section 41. The discharge port 41a and the receiving port are connected, and items in the storage section 41 are discharged to the supply section 72 via the discharge port 41a and the receiving port.

The container 73 is a cylindrical member that is open at the top and bottom.
A lid 731 is provided at the opening at the bottom of the container 73, and the opening at the bottom is opened or closed by the lid 731. When the bottom is closed by the lid 731, the inside of the container 73 forms a storage section 732 that stores items.

The upper part of the container 73 is open and can be shielded by a shielding section 74, which will be described later, and the open part forms an opening 73a for receiving the articles discharged from the storage section 41 into the storage section 732. This opening 73a is provided below the receiving port, so that the articles discharged from the storage section 41 are received in the storage section 732 from the opening 73a via the discharge port 41a and the receiving port.
The storage section 732 is adjusted to have a volume that is just filled with a fixed amount of goods.

The shielding portion 74 shields the upper opening 73a of the container 73 in response to operation by the first operating portion.
The shielding section 74 includes six generally fan-shaped shielding pieces 741. The six generally fan-shaped shielding pieces 741 overlap each other at their apex angles to form a circle that matches the shape of the opening 73a, thereby shielding the opening 73a. In this state, the discharge of items from the storage section 41 is restricted.
12, the shielding pieces 741 rotate around one of the base angles of the arc toward the outside of the receiving opening 72a, thereby opening the receiving opening. In this state, the articles in the storage section 41 are discharged into the supply section 72 through the discharge opening 41a and the receiving opening.

The first operating unit is a mechanism for operating the shielding unit 74 and is connected to the shielding unit 74. The first operating unit can be operated by the customer from outside the supply unit 72, and the shielding unit 74 closes or opens the receiving opening 72a in response to the customer's operation.

The second operating unit is a mechanism for operating the lid 731 and is connected to the lid 731. The second operating unit is designed to be operated by the customer from outside the supply unit 72, and in response to the customer's operation, the lid 731 opens or closes the bottom end of the container 73.

In this type of item supply device 7, with the end of the container 73 closed by the lid 731, the shielding section 74 is opened to discharge items from the storage section 41 and store the items in the container 732. When receiving a supply of items, the shielding section 74 is operated with the first operating section to block the receiving port. Then, the lid 731 is operated with the second operating section to open the bottom end of the container 73. This causes the items in the container 732 to fall and be supplied to the outside via the supply port 72b.

The item supply device 7 having the above-described structure, like the item supply device 4, has an operation detection unit, an identification information storage unit, and a communication processing unit as functional units for performing information processing. These operation detection unit, identification information storage unit, and communication processing unit perform the same functions as the operation detection unit 401, identification information storage unit 402, and communication processing unit 403 described above.

The sensor that realizes the operation detection unit provided in the item supply device 7 is attached, for example, to the first operation unit, the second operation unit, or the lid body 731 that is linked to the second operation unit.

Label issuing device 8
The label issuing device 8 is a printer device that issues labels. The label issuing device 8 acquires information about the product provided to the customer from the first unit U1 and the second unit U2, and issues a label on which information for selling the product provided to the customer is printed.

As shown in Figure 13(a), the label issuing device 8 is equipped with hardware resources such as a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for executing information processing, and storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and is connected to a display 81 and issuing unit 82 via an interface circuit.

The display 81 is implemented as a touch panel display, and functions as an input/output processing unit that displays various information to customers and accepts various operational information.

The issuing unit 82 prints print data generated by an information processing unit 804 (described later) on a predetermined medium to generate a label, and ejects the label from the label issuing port 8a.
The label may be a paper receipt or a sticker that can be attached to a container or the like for storing an item.

As shown in FIG. 13(b), the label issuing device 8 includes, as software resources, an item master 801, a container master 802, a setting master 803, an information processing unit 804, and a communication processing unit 805.

The product master 801 stores basic information such as the product name and price.
The data items stored in this item master 801 include, for example, item identification information, item name, measurement category, unit price, and unit weight, as shown in FIG.
The information stored in the item master 801 may be received by the communication processing unit from a management device installed in the store or a cloud server located outside the store.

The measurement category is a category related to measurement.
Measurement category "0" is a measurement category corresponding to "unspecified weight" and is applied when goods are provided to customers by the first unit U1. Unspecified weight is a sales method in which the selling price is determined based on the unit price per preset unit weight ("100g" in this embodiment) and the weight to be sold (measured value). For goods in measurement category "0 (unspecified weight)", the weight to be sold is required when determining the selling price.

When the measurement category is "0 (unspecified weight)," the unit price column stores the unit price per unit weight, and the unit weight column stores the unit weight. For example, for an item with item identification information "SH001" (item name "AAA"), the unit price per 100g is stored as 250 yen. Therefore, for an item with item name "AAA," if the weighing value is 50g, the selling price will be 125 yen, and if the weighing value is 200g, the selling price will be 500 yen.

Measurement category "1" is the measurement category corresponding to "fixed weight" and is applied when goods are provided to customers by the first unit U1. Fixed weight is a sales method in which the sales price is determined based on a preset unit price per unit quantity ("one item" in this embodiment) and the sales quantity converted from the unit weight. For items in measurement category "1 (fixed weight)", the quantity of the item is calculated (estimated) from the unit weight of the item (the weight of one item, which is the unit quantity; already stored) and the measurement value, and the sales price is determined from the calculated quantity of the item and the unit price per unit quantity, so weighing by the weighing device 3 is necessary.
The weight error of an individual may be corrected by using an accuracy correction function provided in a counting scale or the like.

When the measurement category is "1 (fixed weight)," the unit price column stores the unit price per unit weight (i.e., quantity 1), and the unit weight column stores the unit weight equivalent to quantity 1. For example, for an item with item identification information "SH103" (item name "ABC"), it is stored that the unit price per item (weight 80g) is 90. Therefore, for an item with item name "ABC," if the weighing value is approximately 85g, the selling price will be 90 yen for one item, and if the weighing value is approximately 150g, the selling price will be 180 yen for two items.

Measurement category "2" corresponds to "fixed price" and is applied when goods are provided to customers by the second unit U2. Fixed price is a sales method in which the sales price is determined based on a preset unit price per unit quantity ("1" in this embodiment) and the sales quantity entered as the number of items placed. For items in measurement category "2 (fixed price)," the sales quantity is determined by the number of items placed, regardless of weight, so weighing by the weighing device 3 is not required.

When the measurement category is "2 (fixed price)," the unit price field stores the unit price per quantity (nothing is stored in the unit weight field). For example, for an item with item identification information "SH150" (item name "AAAA"), the unit price per item is stored as 120. Therefore, for an item with item name "AAAA," if the quantity input value is 1, the selling price will be 120 yen for one item, and if the quantity input value is 2, the selling price will be 240 yen for two items.

The container master 802 stores information related to the weight of the containers used to hold items. In this embodiment, the containers intended for use include so-called "my containers" owned by customers and containers sold in stores. However, some containers sold in stores can be used as "my containers" after purchase by the customer.

Data items stored in this container master 802 include, for example, store container identification information, store container weight information, and store container price information. Store container identification information includes container identification information related to store containers. Container identification information is identification information that identifies a container. Container identification information is identification information that can identify, for example, my container, container S (one of the store containers), container M (one of the store containers), and container L (one of the store containers). For example, container identification information "10" is my container, container identification information "21" is container S, container identification information "22" is container M, and container identification information "23" is container L. As described above, store container identification information is container identification information related to store containers. Store container weight information is weight information for each store container. Store container price information is price information for each store container.

The setting master 803 stores setting information that associates device identification information that can identify the item supply device 4 with item identification information of items stored in the item supply device 4.
By referring to this setting master 803, it is possible to identify the items stored in a specific item supply device 4 and supplied from that specific item supply device 4.
In addition, in this setting master 803, the device identification information of the item supply device 2 and the item identification information of the items stored in the item supply device 2 may be stored in association with each other.

The information processing unit 804 acquires information necessary for calculating the selling price of the item from the first unit U1 or the second unit U2, and calculates the selling price of the item.
When an item is provided to a customer in the first unit U1, the information processing unit 804 first identifies the item provided to the customer and its unit price by referring to the item master 801. Then, the information processing unit 804 calculates the weight of the item provided to the customer from the measurement value and the weight of the container, and then multiplies the unit price of the item by the calculated weight to calculate the sales price of the item provided to the customer.
In addition, if the customer purchases a container when providing the goods, the purchase cost of the container will be included in the calculation of the sales price.

Furthermore, when an item is provided to a customer in the second unit U2, the information processing unit 804 first references the item master 801 to determine the item provided to the customer and the unit price per supply of the item by the item supply device 4. Then, the unit price per supply of the item is multiplied by the number of supplies to calculate the sales price of the item provided to the customer.

If the customer purchases a container when providing the product, the purchase cost of the container is included in the calculation of the sales price. Information related to the sales price of the product may also be coded, for example, as a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code.

The information on the selling price of the item calculated by the information processing unit 804 is supplied to the issuing unit 82 together with information on the name and quantity of the item, and is issued as a label by the issuing unit 82.
FIG. 15(a) shows an example of a label issued when a customer uses their own container. The label in FIG. 15(a) has "My Bottle" printed on it to indicate that the customer used their own container. The 827 yen on the label in FIG. 15(a) represents the special price for a "My Bottle," which is calculated by subtracting the discount amount (20 yen) for a "My Bottle" from the net amount (847 yen) of the "Original Nut Mix," which has a unit price (yen/100g) of 700 yen. Here, the net amount (121 g) is the value measured by the weighing device 3 when using the first unit U1, and is the fixed amount per supply of the product when using the second unit U2.
Although not printed in the example of Figure 15(a), the discount amount for a personal bottle (20 yen) may also be printed. The barcode on the label in Figure 15(a) is, for example, a coded version of the amount (847 yen). Note that, since a personal bottle (personal container) is priced at 0 yen, 0 yen may be explicitly printed for the personal bottle (personal container).

Figure 15(b) shows a label when a store container is used. Container A is printed on the label in Figure 15(b) to indicate that a store container was used. In this example, the price of container A is 30 yen, so 30 yen is printed. The 877 yen on the label in Figure 15(b) is the amount obtained by adding the 30 yen price of container A to the 847 yen described in Figure 15(a). The barcode on the label in Figure 15(b) is, for example, a coded version of the amount (877 yen).

The communication processing unit 805 is configured to be able to communicate data with the weighing device 3 constituting the first unit U1 and the item supply device 4 constituting the second unit U2.
The communication means is not particularly limited and may be realized by, for example, a wired or wireless LAN. Furthermore, the label issuing device 8 may be configured to be able to communicate with the weighing device 3 and the article supply device 4, as well as with a higher-level server installed in the store, or may be configured to be able to communicate with an external server via a network such as the Internet.

In addition to these functional units, the label issuing device 8 may also be equipped with a scanner unit, audio output unit, tag reader, etc., depending on the type of product being sold.

The scanner unit is a functional unit that optically reads various types of information, and reads one-dimensional or two-dimensional codes that encode predetermined information.
This allows, for example, information regarding the weight of a container for placing an item, or container identification information that identifies the container, to be encoded into a two-dimensional code and printed on the container, and the two-dimensional code to be read to obtain information regarding the weight of the container or the container identification information.

The audio output unit outputs audio, for example, audio guidance.

The tag reader/writer reads and writes information from/to a contactless IC tag. One example of a contactless IC tag is an RFID (radio frequency identifier) tag, and the tag reader/writer reads and writes information between the contactless IC tag and the tag through short-range wireless communication using an electromagnetic field, radio waves, or the like.
For example, information about the weight of a container for storing an item or container identification information for identifying the container can be written to a contactless ID tag, and a label incorporating the contactless ID can be attached to the container.The tag reader/writer can then read the information about the weight of the container for storing the item or the container identification information for identifying the container.

The label issuing device 8 also stores button setting files related to the buttons that are displayed as operable buttons on the display 81.

A separate store terminal is also installed within the store, which processes payments for items based on the label issued by the label issuing device 8. This store terminal is, for example, a POS terminal operated by a store clerk or customer themselves, who inputs information related to the selling price of the item printed on the label into the store terminal and performs payment operations according to the specified payment method.

The software resources possessed by the label issuing device 8 described above can be distributed or consolidated into any of the hardware resources through appropriate design, and the hardware resources can also be configured as physically integrated or separate devices.

Processing flow (when first unit U1 is used)
The flow of processing executed when a customer receives goods using the goods sales device 1 according to this embodiment will be described below.
Before the goods sales device 1 is used, the store associates each goods supply device 2, 4 with the goods identification information of the goods supplied by the goods supply device 2, 4 and stores this information in the setting master 803.

When a customer uses the goods sales device 1, the customer can arbitrarily select and use the first unit U1 or the second unit U2.
First, an example of the flow of processing executed when a customer receives an item from the first unit U1 will be described with reference to FIG.

The customer selects the container to be used from the display 81 of the label issuing device 8 (S101). The container can be a personal container or a store container sold by the store. Store containers sold by the store come in sizes such as S, M, and L, and the customer selects the desired size.
When a user selects a "my container," if the "my container" is registered, the system obtains container identification information identifying the "my container" or information related to the weight of the "my container" from the two-dimensional code on the label attached to the "my container" or the contactless IC tag attached to the "my container." Furthermore, when a store-sold container is selected, if the weight of the store container is registered in association with the container identification information in the container master 802, the weight of the store container is determined based on the container identification information. This allows the weight of the "my container" or the store container to be determined by referring to the container master 802. When a "my container" is selected, the container weight (tare weight) and the weight of the store container sold by the store are automatically obtained by the label issuing device 8, which is useful because it eliminates the need for a tare operation. Even in the case of an unregistered container, an empty container can be used by placing it on the weighing unit 31 and performing a tare operation.

On the other hand, if the container is not registered, the weight of the container is measured as the weight of the container, and the container is registered.
In one example of registering a personal container, a label with an embedded contactless IC tag is first affixed to a container brought by a customer (the container to be registered as personal container). Next, the unregistered personal container is placed on the weighing device 3. The weighing device 3 weighs the unregistered personal container that has been placed on it. The measured value is the weight of the tare (personal container). After weighing the personal container, the weighing device 3 writes the measured value to the contactless IC tag attached to the label affixed to the personal container. This makes the unregistered personal container a registered personal container.
In another example of registering a personal container, a non-contact IC tag storing predetermined container identification information or a label printed with a two-dimensional code encoding the predetermined container identification information is affixed to the personal container, and the predetermined container identification information and the tare weight of the personal container are then registered in the container master 802.

The customer operates the item supply device 2 containing the desired product, places the product in a container, and places the container containing the product on the placement surface 311 of the weighing device 3. Alternatively, the customer may place the container on the placement surface 311 of the weighing device 3 installed below the item supply device 2 containing the desired product, and then operate the item supply device 2 to place the desired amount of product into the container.
The weighing device 3 measures the weight of the container on the placement surface 311 and the items placed in the container by the weighing unit 31 (S102).
The item supply device 2 transmits device identification information for identifying the device itself to the label issuing device 8, and the weighing device 3 transmits information relating to the weight value of the item (S103).

The label issuing device 8 calculates the sales price of the item provided to the customer using the information processing unit 804 (S104). That is, the information processing unit 804 refers to the item master 801 and the setting master 803 to ascertain the item provided to the customer and its unit price. Then, it calculates the weight of the item provided to the customer from the measurement value and the weight of the container, and multiplies the unit price of the item by the calculated weight to calculate the sales price of the item provided to the customer.
When calculating the sales price, if a container is purchased in step S101, the purchase cost of the container is included in the sales price.

The label issuing device 8, when the issuing unit 82 prints information related to the selling price on a medium such as paper to create a label, ejects the label from the label issuing port 8a (S105).
The customer hands the label to a store clerk, who then executes the payment process using a store terminal. Note that the payment process may also be performed by the customer themselves at the store.

When selling goods by the first unit U1, the selection of goods may be accepted. In this case, there is no need to receive device identification information from the goods supply device 2 to identify the goods.

FIG. 17 shows an example of a product selection screen displayed on the label issuing device 8.
This selection screen has an area at the top that displays the weight, unit weight, and price. A virtual keyboard and virtual numeric keypad are displayed at the bottom of the selection screen. An area (product button area) that displays product buttons is provided in the center of the product selection screen.
The product button can also display the product weight. Furthermore, product buttons may be provided not only for each product, but also for each predetermined weight of the same product. In the example shown in FIG. 17, a "90g" button and a "120g" button are provided for the same "Cashew Nuts."

Also, on the selection screen, the product buttons displayed in the button area can be switched using tabs. The tabs "Nuts," "Hot Items," "Fruits," and "Vegetables" are tabs related to the respective products. When the tab "Nuts" is selected, the product button area displays a list of product buttons for all products that contain nuts, as shown in FIG. 18. The same is true when the tab "Hot Items," tab "Fruits," or tab "Vegetables" is selected. The tab "Selected Items" is a tab related to the product selected by the customer.

The customer selects the item to be weighed from this selection screen, and the label issuing device 8 accepts this. The label issuing device 8 calculates the selling price based on the item's weight value obtained from the weighing device 3 and the information about the item selected by the customer on the selection screen, and issues a label.

19 and 20 show examples of screens displayed on the label issuing device 8 when a customer selects a container to put an item into.
19 shows a screen when a store container is selected as the container for putting goods in. On the screen, buttons are displayed to select the size of the store container: S, M, or L. The customer selects the size of their choice on the screen.
Figure 20 shows the screen after the net quantity and selling price of the weighed item have been calculated. The screen displays the name of the item, the tare weight of the store container of the size selected by the customer, the net quantity of the item, the unit price of the item, and the selling price.

The container selection may also be performed after the customer receives the item. For example, when the item is provided to the customer, the weighing device 3 sends the weighing value and device identification information to the label issuing device 8, and the weighing result is displayed on the display 81 of the label issuing device 8. After a certain period of inactivity (e.g., a few seconds) has elapsed, a container selection screen is displayed and the customer's container selection is accepted.

Processing flow (when the second unit U2 is used)
An example of the flow of processing executed when a customer receives a supply of goods from the second unit U2 will be described with reference to FIG.

The customer selects the container to be used from the display 81 of the label issuing device 8, similar to the procedure when using the first unit U1 (S201).

The customer places a container below the product supply device 4 containing the desired product and operates the product supply device 4 to place the desired product into the container. Alternatively, the customer may place the container below the product supply device 4 containing the desired product and then operate the product supply device 4 to place the product into the container. The product supply device 4 is designed to supply a fixed amount of product with each operation, and the customer can operate the product supply device 4 as many times as desired to receive a supply of products.
In response to this, the item supply device 4 detects the operation by the operation detection unit 301 (S202), and counts the number of supplies (S203).

After detecting the customer's operation to supply an item, if a certain period of time passes without any operation (S204), the label issuing device 8 determines that the customer's operation has ended and transmits the device identification information of its own device and information related to the number of times the item has been supplied to the label issuing device 8 (S205).

The label issuing device 8 calculates the sales price of the goods provided to the customer using the information processing unit 804 (S206). That is, the information processing unit 804 refers to the goods master 801 to ascertain the goods provided to the customer and the unit price per supply of the goods by the goods supply device 4. Then, the unit price per supply of the goods is multiplied by the number of supplies to calculate the sales price of the goods provided to the customer.
When calculating the sales price, if a container is purchased in step S201, the purchase cost of the container is included in the sales price.

In the label issuing device 8, the issuing unit 82 prints information about the selling price on a medium such as paper to create a label, and then discharges the label from the label issuing port 8a (S207). At this point, to prevent the label from being left behind, a sensor may be attached to notify the user that the label has been left behind.
The customer hands the label to a store clerk, who then executes the payment process using a store terminal. Note that the payment process may also be performed by the customer themselves at the store.

In the process of providing goods to customers using the second unit U2, it is possible to eliminate the need to select a container if a customer uses a personal cup. Also, store containers can be sold separately from the goods sales device 1, eliminating the need to select a container even if the customer uses a store container. With this configuration, customers can receive goods without having to perform any operations on the label issuing device 8.

●Goods supply device 9
In the article supply device 4 according to the present embodiment described above, a fixed amount of articles is supplied from the storage section 41 to the supply section 42 in a single operation using only a physical mechanism. On the other hand, in an article supply device 9 according to another embodiment, as shown in Figure 22, a hopper scale 91 can be attached to the discharge outlet 41a of the storage section 41, and articles can be provided to customers from the storage section 41 via the hopper scale 91.

As shown in Figure 22, the hopper scale 91 has an inlet 91a for receiving goods from the storage section 41, a supply port 91b for supplying goods to the outside, a storage section 92 capable of storing goods, and a weighing section 93, as well as a first shielding section and a second shielding section (not shown).
The article supply device 9 is also provided with an operation unit 94 for operating the article supply device 9. In Figure 22, the operation unit 94 is provided in the storage unit 41, but it may also be provided in the hopper scale 91.
The article supply device 9 also includes a control unit that controls the first shielding unit and the second shielding unit.

The receiving port 91a is provided at a position corresponding to the discharge port 41a of the storage section 41. The discharge port 41a and the receiving port 91a are connected to each other, and the items in the storage section 41 are discharged to the storage section 92 via the discharge port 41a and the receiving port 91a.
The supply port 91b is an opening that leads from the storage section 92 to the outside, and the articles in the storage section 92 are supplied to the outside via the supply port 91b.

The first shielding portion is a means for releasably shielding the receiving opening 91a, and is formed, for example, by a plate-like member or the like that can block the receiving opening 91a.
The second shielding portion is a means for releasably shielding the supply port 91b, and is formed, for example, of a plate-like member or the like that can close the supply port 91b.
Both the first and second shielding portions open or close the receiving port 91a or the supply port 91b by electrical control.

The storage section 92 receives and stores items discharged from the storage section 41 attached above through the receiving port 91a.

The weighing unit 93 measures the weight of the items in the storage unit 92 by a weight detection method using a load cell. The weighing unit 93 can measure the weight of the items in the storage unit 92.
In detail, the weighing unit 93 is composed of a weight detection unit (load cell) similar to the weighing unit 31 in the weighing device 3, and an AD converter. When analog data is input from the weight detection unit to the AD converter, the analog data is converted into digital data and the weight is determined.

The operating unit 94 is a means for requesting the item supply device 9 to supply items, and in this embodiment is configured as a lever. When the operating unit 94, which is configured as a lever, is pressed down, a signal requesting the supply of items is sent to the control unit, and the control unit executes control to supply items in response. When a signal requesting the supply of items is sent to the control unit, the lever returns to its original position.

When the operation unit 94 is operated and a signal requesting the supply of an item is received, the control unit controls the first and second shielding units to supply a fixed amount of the item to the outside.

Here, the supply control of the articles by the control unit will be described.
In the standby state, the receiving port 91a is covered by the first covering portion, and the supply port 91b may be covered by the second covering portion or may be open.
When the operation unit 94 sends a signal requesting the supply of articles to the control unit, the control unit controls the first shielding unit to open the receiving opening 91a. At this time, if the supply opening 91b is shielded by the second shielding unit, the control unit leaves it shielded. On the other hand, if the supply opening 91b is not shielded by the second shielding unit, the control unit controls the second shielding unit to shield the supply opening 91b with the second shielding unit in accordance with the opening of the receiving opening 91a.

The control unit refers to the weight of the items in the storage unit 92 measured by the weighing unit 93 and appropriately controls the first shielding unit so that the weight of the items in the storage unit 92 becomes a predetermined weight.
When the weight of the items in the storage section 92 reaches a predetermined weight and the weight detection section determines that the weight of the items has stabilized, the control section controls the first shielding section to shield the receiving port 91a and controls the second shielding section to open the supply port 91b.
This allows a fixed amount of product to be provided to the customer in one operation.

In addition, this item supply device 9 can also discharge items from the storage unit 21 in response to operation of the operation unit 94 so that a desired amount of items fits into the storage unit 92. For example, a customer operates the operation unit 94 to discharge items into the storage unit 92 until the amount of items in the storage unit 92 reaches a predetermined amount. At this time, a weighing screen is displayed on the display 81 of the label issuing device 8, which is linked to the item supply device 9, allowing the customer to understand the product name, price per gram, weight, selling price, etc. When the amount of items in the storage unit 92 reaches a predetermined amount, the customer operates the operation unit 94 to stop the discharge of items. The label issuing device 8 issues a payment label when the item discharge operation is stopped, the item weight stabilizes, or a predetermined button is pressed. In this case, any amount of items can be provided to the customer by weight.
In addition, when selling goods by weight in this manner, the first shielding section can be kept open at all times, and the second shielding section can be controlled by the operating section 94 to open or shield the supply port 91b, thereby supplying a predetermined amount of goods.

Furthermore, like the item supply device 4, the item supply device 9 can also transmit device identification information that can identify the item supply device 9 to the label issuing device 8 in response to operation of the operation unit 94, thereby allowing the label issuing device 8 to identify the item supplied by the item supply device 9.

●Electronic shelf label 10
In the goods selling device 1 according to the present embodiment, the storage units 21 and 41 may be fitted with electronic shelf labels 10 each having a built-in sensor, as shown in FIG.
The electronic shelf label 10 is composed of, for example, a sensor, a display, an identification information storage unit, and a communication processing unit.

The sensor constitutes a storage amount detection unit that detects the amount of items in the storage unit to which the electronic shelf label 10 is attached. This sensor is realized by, for example, an optical sensor, and is provided on the rear side where the storage unit 21, 41 is attached.
1, the electronic shelf label 10 is attached below the storage units 21, 41, and a sensor attached to the back side of the electronic shelf label 10 irradiates detection light toward the storage units 21, 41. The storage status in the storage units 21, 41 is determined from changes in the amount of light reflected or blocked by the items in the storage units 21, 41. That is, when the number of items in the storage units 21, 41 decreases and the detection light from the sensor is no longer blocked by the items in the storage units 21, 41, it can be determined that there is a shortage of items.
The information from this sensor is provided to a higher-level terminal or the like by a communication processing unit together with identification information for identifying the electronic shelf label 10 .

The display electronically displays information about the items in the storage units 21 and 41. The information about the items is provided from a higher-level terminal or the like via a network such as a LAN.
An example of the information displayed on the display is shown in FIG.
FIG. 23(a) shows that "Hazel Nuts" is being offered at $14.20 per 200 mL in the item supply devices 2 and 4 to which the electronic shelf label 10 is attached.
23(b) shows that "Roasted salted almonds," which are offered at $34.0 per kg, have sold out in the item supply devices 2 and 4 to which the electronic shelf labels 10 are attached. In this example, "SOLD OUT" is displayed to indicate that the item is sold out, and the item name "Roasted salted almonds" is crossed out.

The identification information storage unit stores identification information for identifying the electronic shelf label 10. In a higher-level terminal or the like, the identification information assigned to the electronic shelf label 10 is associated with the item and registered as setting information in advance, and the electronic shelf label 10 is managed based on the identification information.
This allows, for example, updated information about the item to be provided to the electronic shelf label 10, and the updated information about the item to be displayed on the display. More specifically, when it is determined from the information based on the sensor that the amount of the item stored has fallen below a predetermined threshold, a display request for information indicating that the item is sold out is sent to the electronic shelf label 10, and the information is displayed on the display.

The communications processing unit is realized, for example, by a wired or wireless LAN, and transmits and receives data to and from the label issuing device 8, a higher-level terminal, or other relay devices.

The electronic shelf label 10 may further include a sensor that functions as the above-described operation detection unit 401. Such a sensor may be realized by, for example, an acceleration sensor or a tilt sensor such as a gyro sensor.
By attaching the electronic shelf label 10 to a part that operates in response to the supply of items, such as the operation unit 44 or the container 43 that is linked to the operation unit 44, it is possible to detect behavior based on the operation and count the number of times the items are supplied. However, regardless of this, a sensor that functions as the operation detection unit 401 may be provided separately from the electronic shelf label 10.
Furthermore, if the electronic shelf labels 10 are provided on or near the operation unit 44, the display of the electronic shelf labels 10 is easy to see for customers operating the operation unit 44, and their attention is more likely to be directed to the display. This also enables customers to operate the operation unit 44 while checking on the display the contents of the item supply devices 2, 4 to which the electronic shelf labels 10 are attached, the amount of items supplied, and so on.

Furthermore, if the storage units 21, 41 are detachably attached to the supply units 22, 42, the total weight of the storage units 21, 41 can be determined when they are attached or replaced. Therefore, by subtracting a weight corresponding to the number of items sold from the total weight, the remaining amount of items can be determined. This allows the remaining amount of items in the storage units 21, 41 to be determined as falling below a predetermined amount, and a predetermined alert can be issued, such as displaying this information on the display of the electronic shelf label 10.

●Goods supply device 11
FIG. 24 shows an article supplying device 11 configured as a container with a lid.
This product supply device 11 is provided with a container 101 capable of containing products, an openable and closable top lid 102, and a weighing device 103. A customer can receive products by opening the top lid 102 and scooping up the products contained in the container 101.

An operation detection unit 401 is attached to the top lid 102 of this article supply device 11. When the top lid 102 is lifted from the state shown in Fig. 24(a) to the state shown in Fig. 24(b), the operation detection unit 401 detects a change in the tilt angle of the top lid 102. The opening of the top lid 102 can be considered to indicate that an article has been supplied.
Furthermore, as the articles in the container 101 are scooped up, the weight loss is measured by the weighing device 103, and this loss can be regarded as the amount of articles supplied.
As a result, when the device identification information of the item supply device 11 and the weighing result from the weighing device 103 are sent to the label issuing device 8, the label issuing device 8 identifies the item based on the device identification information and calculates the selling price according to the item and weight. In addition, the customer is not required to perform a tare operation, which is convenient for the customer.

Goods sales device 1A
The above-mentioned goods sales device 1 is composed of a first unit U1, a second unit U2, a weighing device 3, and a label issuing device 8 arranged between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2, but it is possible to adopt an arrangement configuration in which each device, including the above-mentioned goods supply device 11, is grouped together to make it easy to access.

FIG. 25 shows an example of such an arrangement of the devices.
The goods selling device 1A shown in this example has a certain height, and is provided with a space partitioned into a plurality of levels by shelves in the vertical direction.
Above, a first unit U1 and a second unit U2 are arranged adjacent to each other, and a label issuing device 8 is disposed below the boundary between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2, at a position where a customer can operate it without bending over.

In addition, an article supply device 11A having the same functions as the article supply device 11 described above is installed in the space partitioned by the shelf boards.
The weighing device 3 may be provided below the article supply device 2 of the first unit U1, for example, as in the example of FIG.

Goods sales device 1B
FIG. 26 shows a goods vending device 1B according to an example different from the goods vending device 1A.
Like the goods vending device 1A, the goods vending device 1B also has a certain height and is provided with a space divided into multiple levels by shelves in the vertical direction. Also, a first unit U1 and a second unit U2 are arranged adjacent to each other above.

On the other hand, the label issuing device 8 is arranged below the first unit U1 and second unit U2, to one side, and the space to the side of the label issuing device 8 is provided as a work space.

In the lower space separated by shelves, an item supply device 11A is installed, which, like the item sales device A, has the same functions as the item supply device 11 described above.

The configurations of these goods sales devices 1A and 1B are merely examples, and a weighing device 3 may be installed at an appropriate location, or a goods supply device 9 equipped with a hopper scale 91 may be provided in place of either or both of the goods supply device 2 and the goods supply device 4. The goods supply device 9 is equipped with a weighing unit 92 and can function as either the goods supply device 2 or the goods supply device 4.
Furthermore, when installing the goods supply device 9 in place of both the goods supply device 2 and the goods supply device 4, the goods supply device 9 can accommodate both bulk sales like the first unit U1 and fixed quantity sales like the second unit U2, so it is not necessary to divide the goods into bulk sales on the left side of the illustration and fixed quantity sales on the right side of the illustration, as shown in Figure 25 or Figure 26.

● Implementation Summary

The present invention relates to technology for supplying a fixed amount of goods.

As shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-50740, a system is known that weighs and sells goods such as merchandise.

However, weighing and removing a fixed amount of goods from a storage device requires multiple steps and is a burden for customers. Also, some goods are best purchased without weighing.

Therefore, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a device that can supply a fixed amount of goods with simple operation.

To achieve the above objective, the item supply device of the present invention comprises a storage section that receives items from an upper storage section, a receiving port for receiving items into the storage section, a first shielding section that openably covers the receiving port, a supply port that supplies items stored in the storage section to the outside, a second shielding section that openably covers the supply port, and an operating section that shields the supply port with the second shielding section when the receiving port is opened with the first shielding section, opens the supply port with the second shielding section when the receiving port is blocked with the first shielding section, and supplies the items to the outside through the supply port.

The second shielding section may open the supply port in response to a predetermined amount of the item being stored in the storage section from the storage section.

The device may also include a communications processing unit that transmits the device's identification information to a specified terminal in response to an operation performed by the operation unit.

The device may also include an attachment mechanism for detachably attaching the storage section.

The container may further include a storage amount detection unit that detects the storage amount in the storage unit that stores the items so that they can be discharged.

A display unit may also be provided near the operation unit.

The storage section may also be provided with a weight detection unit, and when the weight detection unit determines that the weight is stable, the second shielding section may open the supply port.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a product supply system comprising a product supply device that supplies products and a label issuing device that issues labels related to the supplied products. The product supply device has an operation detection unit that detects the supply operation of the product and counts the number of times the product has been supplied, and an identification information transmission unit that transmits information related to the number of times the product has been supplied to the label issuing device along with the product identification information of the product supply device. The label issuing device has a setting information storage unit that stores the device identification information and information related to the products supplied by the product supply device in association with each other, an information processing unit that identifies the products supplied by the product supply device by referencing the setting information storage unit based on the device identification information, and an issuing unit that issues the label including information related to the selling price based on the information related to the identified product and the information related to the number of times the product has been supplied.

In addition, a label issuing method according to another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: supplying an item using an item supply device that supplies items; counting the number of times the item has been supplied; identifying the item supplied by the item supply device based on the device identification information by referencing a setting information storage unit that stores the device identification information in association with information related to the item supplied by the item supply device; and issuing the label including information related to a sales price based on the information related to the identified item and information related to the number of times the item has been supplied.

The item supply device 4 and item sales device 1 according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention can provide a device that can supply a fixed amount of items with simple operation.

1: Goods vending device 2: Goods supply device 21: Storage section 22: Supply section 22a: Supply port 3: Weighing device 31: Weighing section 311: Weight detection section 312: AD converter 32: Identification information storage section 33: Display 34: Communication processing section 4: Goods supply device 41: Storage section 41a: Discharge port 42: Supply section 42a: Receiving port 42b: Supply port 43: Container 43a: Opening 431: Storage section 44: Operation section 5: Goods supply device 52: Supply section 52a: Receiving port 52b: Supply port 53: Container 531: Storage section 54: Shielding section 55: Support section 56: First operation section 57: Second operation section 6: Goods supply device 62: Supply unit 62a: Receiving port 62b: Supply port 63: Container 63a: Through hole 7: Item supply device 72: Supply unit 72a: Receiving port 72b: Supply port 73: Container 73a: Opening 732: Container unit 74: Shielding unit 8: Label issuing device 81: Display 82: Issuance unit 801: Item master 802: Container master 803: Setting master 804: Information processing unit 805: Communication processing unit 9: Item supply device 91: Hopper scale 91a: Receiving port 91b: Supply port 92: Container unit 93: Weighing unit 94: Operation unit 10: Electronic shelf label U1: First unit U2: Second unit

Claims (2)

a storage section that receives items from an upper storage section;
a receiving port for receiving an item into the storage section;
a first shielding portion that openably shields the receiving port;
a supply port for supplying the articles stored in the storage section to the outside;
a second shielding portion that releasably shields the supply port;
an operating unit that shields the supply port with the second shielding unit when the receiving port is opened with the first shielding unit, and opens the supply port with the second shielding unit when the receiving port is covered with the first shielding unit, and supplies the articles to the outside through the supply port;
a communication processing unit that transmits identification information of the device itself to a predetermined terminal in response to an operation performed by the operation unit ,
When the operation unit is operated to move downward from an initial position, the operation unit opens the supply port with the second shielding portion when the receiving port is shielded with the first shielding portion.
Goods supply device. a storage section that receives items from an upper storage section;
a receiving port for receiving an item into the storage section;
a first shielding portion that openably shields the receiving port;
a supply port for supplying the articles stored in the storage section to the outside;
a second shielding portion that releasably shields the supply port;
an operating unit that shields the supply port with the second shielding unit when the receiving port is opened with the first shielding unit, and opens the supply port with the second shielding unit when the receiving port is covered with the first shielding unit, and supplies the articles to the outside through the supply port;
an operation detection unit that detects that the operation unit has been moved downward from its initial position;
a determination unit that determines that an operation is a customer operation until a no-operation state continues,
When the operation unit is operated to move downward from an initial position, the operation unit opens the supply port with the second shielding portion when the receiving port is shielded with the first shielding portion.
Goods supply device.