Vending machine and method

Abstract

The invention provides a vending machine and method, the vending machine comprises at least one vending cabinet and at least one operation cabinet, and the vending cabinets and the operation cabinets are combined together in a spaced arrangement mode; the selling cabinet is connected with the operation cabinet, the selling cabinet and the operation cabinet are both provided with discharging ports which are communicated with each other, and the operation cabinet is provided with an operation screen and a material taking port; a sealing door is arranged at the material taking opening in a sliding mode and connected with a driving assembly, and the driving assembly is used for driving the sealing door to move. The selling cabinet comprises a shell and a transferring unit arranged in the shell, the transferring unit is used for transferring the articles and then sending the articles to the material taking opening, and the driving assembly, the transferring unit and the operation screen are connected with a control unit. The vending machine can effectively solve the technical problems that in the prior art, some vending cabinets are of an integrated structure, the overall size is fixed, some narrow containing areas cannot be placed, and only the overall size of the vending machine can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of designing an automatic vending device, and in particular to a vending machine and method. Background Art

[0002] With the acceleration of people's pace of life and the improvement of people's food consumption concepts, vending machines have gradually been promoted and applied as a convenient device that can effectively save labor costs. They are deployed in large quantities in places with large traffic such as subway stations, shopping malls, airports, office buildings and stations. Vending machines can effectively avoid direct contact between people and adopt a contactless sales method to improve the safety of both sellers and buyers, bringing convenience to product sales.

[0003] In the prior art, vending machines generally place the operating end or some equipment directly inside the vending cabinet, resulting in the equipment occupying the space inside the vending machine and reducing the internal space utilization rate of the vending cabinet. At the same time, the existing vending cabinet is an integrated structure with a fixed overall volume. It cannot be placed in some narrow areas, and the only option is to reduce the overall volume of the vending machine. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vending machine and method that can effectively solve the technical problem in the prior art that some vending cabinets are of an integrated structure with a fixed overall volume, which cannot be placed in some narrow areas and can only reduce the overall volume of the vending machine.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0006] A vending machine comprises at least one vending cabinet and at least one operating cabinet, wherein the vending cabinet and the operating cabinet are combined together in an interval arrangement;

[0007] The vending cabinet and the operating cabinet are connected to each other, and both the vending cabinet and the operating cabinet are provided with mutually connected discharge ports, and the operating cabinet is provided with an operating screen and a material taking port;

[0008] A sealing door is slidably provided at the material taking port, and the sealing door is connected to a driving assembly for driving the sealing door to move;

[0009] The vending cabinet includes a shell and a transfer unit arranged in the shell. The transfer unit is used to transfer items and send them to the material taking port. The driving component, the transfer unit and the operation screen are connected to a control unit.

[0010] In one embodiment disclosed in the present invention, there are two vending cabinets and one operating cabinet, and the vending cabinets are respectively located on both sides of the operating cabinet.

[0011] In one embodiment disclosed in the present invention, a transfer unit includes a support frame, a plurality of partitions, and a transfer mechanism. The partitions are provided on the support frame, and the partitions divide the support frame from top to bottom into a plurality of storage areas. The transfer mechanism is provided on the support frame, and a conveying mechanism for placing and transferring rice bags is provided on the partitions. The transfer mechanism is used to receive rice bags conveyed by the conveying mechanism and to transfer the rice bags. When the rice bags are placed on the conveying mechanism, they are in an inclined state.

[0012] The rice bag slides from the conveying mechanism to the transfer mechanism in an inclined state, and the inclination angle on the transfer mechanism is opposite to the inclination angle on the conveying mechanism.

[0013] In one embodiment disclosed in the present invention, the transfer mechanism includes a first belt conveyor assembly and a material blocking seat. The material blocking seat is arranged on the belt of the first belt conveyor assembly. When the rice bag is located on the belt conveyor assembly, it is tilted and leans against the material blocking seat.

[0014] In one embodiment disclosed in the present invention, a plurality of baffles are provided on the partition, and independent placement areas are formed between adjacent baffles, and the transfer mechanism is provided in each independent placement area.

[0015] In one embodiment disclosed in the present invention, there are multiple transfer mechanisms provided in each independent placement area, which are placed in parallel.

[0016] In one embodiment disclosed in the present invention, the distances between adjacent baffles are the same or different, and the distances between adjacent partitions are the same or different.

[0017] In one embodiment disclosed in the present invention, the material blocking seat includes a bottom plate and a support plate. The bottom plate is arranged on the belt of the first belt conveyor assembly, and the support plate is arranged obliquely on the bottom plate.

[0018] In addition, the present invention also discloses a vending method, which includes using the vending machine described above.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] The present invention primarily consists of at least one vending cabinet and at least one operating cabinet. These cabinets can be assembled and used as needed to adapt to different areas. The vending cabinets and operating cabinets utilize a modular connection structure, optimizing spatial layout and enhancing scalability. The interconnected discharge port design reduces the number of cargo transport paths and improves retrieval efficiency. A control unit centrally manages drive components, transfer units, and other components, enhancing automation and operational reliability, achieving self-service vending. This invention utilizes vending cabinets for storing items, while the operating cabinets integrate basic equipment, ensuring ample storage space within the cabinets. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure behind the hidden cabinet door of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the vending cabinet of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the transfer unit of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the partition and the conveying mechanism of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the supporting base of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the transfer mechanism of the present invention.

[0029] Reference numerals:

[0030] 101 bearing seat, 102 first bearing surface, 103 second bearing surface, 104 first driving unit, 105 rolling support unit, 106 rice bag, 107 driving unit, 108 driving unit A, 109 driving unit B, 110 first crossbar, 111 second crossbar, 112 vertical bar, 113 slider, 114 roller array, 115 active conveyor belt assembly, 116 mounting groove, 117 sensor, 118 housing;

[0031] 201 supporting frame, 202 partition, 203 transfer mechanism, 204 conveying mechanism, 205 discharge port, 206 first belt conveyor assembly, 207 material stopper, 208 baffle, 209 bottom plate, 210 supporting plate;

[0032] 301 sales cabinet, 302 operation cabinet, 303 material extraction port, 304 operation screen, 305 sealing door, 306 cabinet door, 307 transfer unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Hereinafter, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the described embodiments may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention.

[0035] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly specified.

[0036] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connected," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection, or communication; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0037] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0038] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the embodiments of the present invention. In order to simplify the disclosure of the embodiments of the present invention, the components and configurations of specific examples are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention may repeat reference numerals and / or reference letters in different examples. Such repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.

[0039] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] See Figure 1-Figure 7 , this embodiment discloses a vending machine, comprising at least one vending cabinet 301 and at least one operating cabinet 302, wherein the vending cabinet 301 and the operating cabinet 302 are combined together in an interval arrangement;

[0041] The vending cabinet 301 and the operating cabinet 302 are connected to each other. The vending cabinet 301 and the operating cabinet 302 are provided with mutually communicating discharge ports 205. The operating cabinet 302 is provided with an operating screen 304 and a material taking port 303.

[0042] A sealing door 305 is slidably provided at the material taking port 303, and the sealing door 305 is connected to a driving assembly for driving the sealing door 305 to move;

[0043] The driving assembly is a gear rack driving assembly, a cylinder driving assembly or a hydraulic cylinder driving assembly, and its specific structure is not described here.

[0044] The vending cabinet 301 includes a housing 118 and a transfer unit 307 disposed within the housing 118 . The transfer unit 307 is used to transfer items and deliver them to the material taking port 303 . The drive assembly, the transfer unit 307 and the operation screen 304 are connected to a control unit.

[0045] In this embodiment, there are two sales cabinets 301 and one operation cabinet 302 , and the sales cabinets 301 are located on both sides of the operation cabinet 302 . The items are rice bags 106 .

[0046] The present invention primarily consists of at least one vending cabinet 301 and at least one operating cabinet 302. These can be assembled and used as needed to adapt to different areas. The modular connection between the vending cabinet 301 and the operating cabinet 302 optimizes spatial layout and improves scalability. The interconnected design of the discharge port 205 reduces the transport path for goods and improves retrieval efficiency. The control unit centrally manages the drive components, transfer unit 307, and other components, enhancing automation and operational reliability, thus achieving self-service vending. The present invention utilizes the vending cabinet 301 to store items, while integrating basic equipment within the operating cabinet 302, ensuring ample storage space within the vending cabinet 301.

[0047] The transfer unit 307 includes a support frame 201, a plurality of partitions 202, and a transfer mechanism 203. The partitions 202 are provided on the support frame 201 and divide the support frame 201 into a plurality of storage areas from top to bottom. The transfer mechanism 203 is provided on the support frame 201, and a conveying mechanism 204 for placing and transferring rice bags 106 is provided on the partitions 202. The transfer mechanism 203 is used to receive the rice bags 106 conveyed by the conveying mechanism 204 and to transfer the rice bags 106. When the rice bags 106 are placed on the conveying mechanism 204, they are in an inclined state.

[0048] The rice bag 106 slides from the conveying mechanism 204 to the transfer mechanism 203 in an inclined state, and the inclination angle on the transfer mechanism 203 is opposite to the inclination angle on the conveying mechanism 204 .

[0049] By setting up multi-layer partitions 202 to divide the storage area, space utilization is improved, and it is convenient to classify and store rice bags 106 of different types or specifications; the transfer mechanism 203 and the conveying mechanism 204 cooperate to realize the automatic transfer of the rice bags 106, reducing manual operation. When the rice bag 106 is placed on the conveying mechanism 204, the rice bag 106 is in an inclined state, and at the same time it can prevent the rice bag 106 from slipping, thereby improving stability.

[0050] A discharge port 205 is provided on the side of the housing 118 , and the transfer mechanism 203 is used to move the rice bag 106 out of the discharge port 205 .

[0051] The housing 118 is provided with a cabinet door 306, which is provided with a lock for locking the cabinet door 306. The cabinet door 306 is convenient for the staff to place the rice bag 106 and ensure the normal operation of the equipment. The cabinet door 306 is a glass door, which is convenient for the user to view the contents.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 203 includes a first belt conveyor assembly 206 and a material stopper 207. The material stopper 207 is disposed on the belt of the first belt conveyor assembly 206. When the rice bag 106 is positioned on the belt conveyor assembly, it leans against the material stopper 207 in an inclined position. The combination of the first belt conveyor assembly 206 and the material stopper 207 not only enables continuous conveyance of the rice bag 106, but also effectively limits the position of the rice bag 106 by tilting the material stopper 207, ensuring that the rice bag 106 maintains a stable posture during transfer and preventing it from tipping over or shifting.

[0053] The partition 202 is provided with a plurality of baffles 208, forming independent storage areas between adjacent baffles 208. Each independent storage area is provided with the transfer mechanism 203. The baffles 208 provided on the partition 202 form independent storage areas, enabling zoning management of the rice bags 106 and preventing mixing. Each area is equipped with a transfer mechanism 203, which can be independently controlled, enhancing operational flexibility and parallel processing capabilities.

[0054] Furthermore, in some preferred implementation cases, a plurality of vertical guide rollers are provided on the baffle 208 near the rice bag 106 to guide the rice bag 106 and ensure that the rice bag 106 moves in a correct posture.

[0055] Furthermore, multiple transfer mechanisms 203 are provided in each independent storage area, arranged in parallel. The spacing between adjacent baffles 208 can be the same or different, and the spacing between adjacent partitions 202 can be the same or different. The spacing between baffles 208 and partitions 202 can be flexibly adjusted to accommodate rice bags 106 of varying sizes and weights, enhancing the versatility of the equipment. This differentiated spacing design optimizes spatial layout and accommodates specific storage or display needs.

[0056] Furthermore, in actual use, the material stopper 207 comprises a base plate 209 and a support plate 210. The base plate 209 is mounted on the belt of the first belt conveyor assembly 206, and the support plate 210 is tilted above the base plate 209. This structure of the base plate 209 and the tilted support plate 210 not only provides a stable support surface for the rice bag 106, but also adjusts the angle of the tilt to match the center of gravity of the rice bag 106, reducing sway during conveyance and ensuring reliable transfer. Once the rice bag 106 reaches the edge, it slides off the belt of the first belt conveyor assembly 206 and onto the conveyor mechanism 204.

[0057] Furthermore, as an option, since the bottom plate 209 bracket is installed on it, after the rice bag 106 contacts the support plate 210, a reverse pulling force is generated on the belt, which can easily cause the belt to be subjected to excessive force. Therefore, in actual use, the bottom plate 209 is slidably set on the partition 202, and the bottom plate 209 contacts the belt, and the bottom plate 209 is driven to move when the belt moves.

[0058] Furthermore, in actual use, steel wire is provided inside the belt to improve the tensile strength of the belt.

[0059] Furthermore, a plurality of support rollers are provided below the belt of the first belt conveyor assembly 206. The support rollers provide uniform support for the belt, preventing the belt from sagging or deviating due to load, thereby extending the service life of the belt, reducing running resistance, and improving conveying stability and energy efficiency.

[0060] In this embodiment, the structure of the transfer mechanism 203 is as follows:

[0061] The transfer mechanism 203 includes a support base 101 and a driving unit 107 . The support base 101 is connected to the driving unit 107 . The driving unit 107 is used to drive the support base 101 to move in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0062] The bearing seat 101 is provided with a first bearing surface 102 and a second bearing surface 103, and the first bearing surface 102 and the second bearing surface 103 are both inclined surfaces;

[0063] A first driving unit 104 is provided on the first bearing surface 102 , and a rolling support unit 105 is provided on the second bearing surface 103 ; the first driving unit 104 is used to carry and drive the rice bag 106 to move, and the rice bag 106 is located on the first driving unit 104 and then tilted against the second bearing surface 103 .

[0064] This embodiment provides bidirectional tilting support for the rice bag 106 through the double-slope design of the first bearing surface 102 and the second bearing surface 103, limits its freedom in the horizontal and vertical directions, and avoids deviation. The first drive unit 104 and the rolling support unit 105 provided on the second bearing surface 103 form an inclined constraint space, ensuring that the rice bag 106 always maintains a preset tilt angle during movement, thereby improving stability; at the same time, when the first drive unit 104 transfers the rice bag 106, the rice bag 106 is in an inclined state as a whole, reducing the bearing gravity of the first drive unit 104, reducing the performance requirements of the first drive unit 104, and realizing the transfer of a single heavy object.

[0065] In this embodiment, the first driving unit 104 directly acts on the bottom of the rice bag 106 (located on the first bearing surface 102), using the gravity component of the inclined surface to assist in driving, thereby reducing the driving force requirement; the rolling support unit 105 of the second bearing surface 103 converts sliding friction into rolling friction, further reducing resistance, improving transmission efficiency, and extending the life of the mechanism.

[0066] Furthermore, the driving unit 107 includes a driving unit A108, a driving unit B109, a first cross bar 110, a second cross bar 111 and a vertical bar 112. The first cross bar 110 and the second cross bar 111 are arranged in parallel, and the two ends of the vertical bar 112 are slidingly connected to the first cross bar 110 and the second cross bar 111 respectively. The driving unit A108 is connected to the vertical bar 112 to drive the vertical bar 112 to move horizontally on the first cross bar 110 and the second cross bar 111; the vertical bar 112 is provided with a slider 113, and the slider 113 is connected to the driving unit B109. The driving unit B109 is used to drive the slider 113 to move on the vertical bar 112, and the slider 113 is fixedly connected to the supporting seat 101.

[0067] The drive unit 107 connected to the support base 101 can drive the support base 101 in vertical and horizontal directions, enabling the transfer mechanism 203 to achieve multi-directional movement, facilitating the transfer of rice bags 106. The drive unit 107A drives the vertical rod 112 to move horizontally on the first and second crossbars 110 and 111, while the drive unit 107B drives the slider 113 to move vertically on the vertical rod 112. The two work together to precisely position the support base 101 at any position within a plane.

[0068] In actual use, the drive unit A108 and the drive unit B109 can adopt a screw drive unit 107, a pneumatic drive unit 107 or a hydraulic drive unit 107, such as a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder drive, to realize the drive of the vertical rod 112 and the slider 113, which will not be repeated here.

[0069] Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, the rolling support unit 105 includes a plurality of rotatable roller arrays 114 arranged in an array on the second support surface 103. Compared to conventional planar supports, the rolling support unit 105 utilizes a plurality of rotatable roller arrays 114 arranged on the second support surface 103, converting sliding friction between the rice bag 106 and the support surface into rolling friction, significantly reducing transfer resistance. The distribution of the roller arrays 114 evenly distributes pressure on the rice bag 106, reducing localized wear and extending the service life of the mechanism while ensuring smooth movement of the rice bag 106 on the second support surface 103.

[0070] Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, the first drive unit 104 includes at least one active conveyor belt assembly 115, the transmission working surface of which is parallel to the first support surface 102. This transmission working surface is parallel to the first support surface 102 and can closely mate with the inclined surface structure of the first support surface 102, stably supporting the rice bag 106 and providing continuous and uniform driving force. The conveyor belt structure provides smooth transmission, effectively preventing the rice bag 106 from jamming or slipping during the drive process, ensuring reliable movement of the rice bag 106 along a predetermined path. This is particularly suitable for applications requiring high transmission stability.

[0071] Furthermore, in actual applications, the belt of the active conveyor belt assembly 115 is provided with anti-slip patterns, which are anti-slip convex patterns or anti-slip concave patterns, to avoid slipping during transportation and improve stability during transportation.

[0072] In some specific implementation cases, the roller array 114 includes a plurality of universal rollers distributed in a matrix on the second bearing surface 103 .

[0073] As an option, bull's eye swivel casters are also available.

[0074] Furthermore, the angle between the first bearing surface 102 and the horizontal plane is α, 15°≤α≤45°; the angle θ formed between the first bearing surface 102 and the second bearing surface 103 is 90°≤θ≤°. A suitable angle α can fully utilize gravity-assisted drive, reducing the driving force required by the first drive unit 104; a reasonable angle θ can ensure that the rice bag 106 is stably placed between the two inclined surfaces and will not affect the transfer effect due to an angle that is too large or too small. Through precise angle setting, rice bags 106 of different sizes, weights and inclination requirements can be adapted, thereby enhancing the applicability and versatility of the transfer mechanism 203.

[0075] In this embodiment, α is 30° and θ is 100°.

[0076] Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, a mounting groove 116 is provided on the second bearing surface 103, and the rolling support unit 105 is disposed within this groove. This provides a standardized mounting structure for the rolling support unit 105, facilitating the installation, removal, and maintenance of components such as the rollers, thereby reducing equipment maintenance. Furthermore, this groove 116 serves to position the rollers, ensuring they maintain their correct position during operation, preventing them from shifting and affecting the transfer of the rice bag 106, and thus improving the stability and reliability of the rolling support unit 105.

[0077] Furthermore, a plurality of sensors 117 are equidistantly provided at the lower end of the mounting groove 116 to detect the position of the rice bag 106. The sensors 117 equidistantly provided at the lower end of the mounting groove 116 can monitor the position information of the rice bag 106 on the second supporting surface 103 in real time. The sensors 117 are photoelectric sensors 117.

[0078] In a specific implementation, the first crossbar 110 and the second crossbar 111 are fixedly mounted on the housing 118 ; the vertical bar 112 is slidably connected to the first crossbar 110 and the second crossbar 111 by using sliding blocks and guide rails.

[0079] In actual use, after the rice bag 106 on the first belt conveyor assembly 206 moves to the edge position, it slides from the first belt conveyor assembly 206 to the supporting seat 101 and leans on the second supporting surface 103 after being tilted.

[0080] Furthermore, in actual use, the control unit is used to connect with the first belt conveyor assembly 206, the drive unit A108, the drive unit B109 and the drive assembly to control the movement of the components.

[0081] In addition, the present invention also discloses a vending method, which includes using the above-mentioned vending machine; the user selects the product through the operation screen 304 provided on the operation cabinet 302.

[0082] The specific steps are as follows:

[0083] Step 1: The user selects an identity authentication method (such as scanning a code, facial recognition, or logging in with a mobile phone number) through the operation screen 304. The system associates the user's account information. The operation screen 304 displays the real-time inventory information of the rice bags 106 in the vending cabinet 301, including the variety, specifications, price, and the partition (such as the left vending cabinet 301 / the right vending cabinet 301). The user can locate the target product through classification filtering or search functions; the operation screen 304 simultaneously displays the monitoring screen of the corresponding storage area. Using the visual design of the glass cabinet door 306, the user can intuitively observe the tilted storage status and remaining quantity of the rice bags 106.

[0084] Step 2: The user clicks the icon of the target rice bag 106. The system detects the specific position of the rice bag 106 in the independent placement area of ​​the partition 202 through the sensor 117 and highlights the corresponding partition. The control unit verifies the inventory in real time. If the selected rice bag 106 is insufficient, the user is prompted to change the selection. If the inventory is sufficient, the order is generated and the total price is displayed. The user completes the payment through the operation screen 304 (scanning code / swiping card / digital wallet). After the payment is successful, the control unit triggers the start signal of the transfer mechanism 203.

[0085] Step 3: Based on the order information, the control unit drives the vertical rod 112 and slider 113 of the transfer mechanism 203 to move, allowing the support base 101 to accurately reach the independent placement area of ​​the target partition 202. The first belt conveyor assembly 206 delivers the rice bag 106 to the edge. The rice bag 106 slides onto the first drive unit 104 (active conveyor belt) of the support base 101 and tilts against the roller array 114 of the second support surface 103.

[0086] The first drive unit 104 is started, and in conjunction with the rolling friction of the roller array 114, the rice bag 106 is smoothly transported along the first supporting surface 102 (30° inclined surface). At the same time, the drive unit A108 / B cooperatively controls the supporting seat 101 to move horizontally to the discharge port 205 of the corresponding vending cabinet 301; the control unit starts the drive component to open the sealing door 305.

[0087] Step 4: The operation screen 304 displays a pickup instruction, the sealing door 305 of the material taking port 303 automatically slides open, the internal lighting lights up, and the user takes out the rice bag 106.

[0088] Furthermore, in actual application, if the sensor 117 detects that the rice bag 106 is offset or stuck during the transfer process, the system will suspend operation and prompt an error code through the operation screen 304, and push an alarm to the operation and maintenance personnel terminal.

[0089] Furthermore, in some preferred implementation cases, a posture detection module connected to the control unit is further included, the posture detection module including an image acquisition unit (industrial camera) and a depth sensing unit, the image acquisition unit being arranged on the side of the bearing seat (101) for acquiring a contour image of the rice bag (106), and the depth sensing unit being arranged above the second bearing surface (103) for acquiring surface depth data of the rice bag (106);

[0090] Furthermore, the attitude detection module also includes an inertial measurement unit, which is embedded in the rice bag 106 tag and transmits attitude data (tilt angle, acceleration) to the control unit via Bluetooth.

[0091] The control unit is configured as follows:

[0092] (a) extracting an edge of the rice bag based on the contour image and calculating a first tilt angle;

[0093] (b) fitting a plane based on the depth data and calculating a second tilt angle;

[0094] (c) fusing the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle to obtain a real-time attitude angle;

[0095] (d) When the deviation between the real-time posture angle and the preset angle exceeds a threshold, the transfer unit (307) is controlled to decelerate or stop.

[0096] When executing step (c), the control unit performs dynamic weighted fusion on inertial measurement unit (IMU) data, the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle through a Kalman filter, wherein the IMU is embedded in a rice bag (106) tag and transmits the attitude data through wireless communication.

[0097] Furthermore, the following steps are periodically performed during the transfer of the rice bags (106):

[0098] The image acquisition unit is used to capture the outline image of the rice bag, and the Canny algorithm is used to detect the edge and calculate the minimum circumscribed rectangle tilt angle;

[0099] The ToF depth sensor is used to obtain point cloud data of the rice bag surface, and the RANSAC algorithm is used to fit the plane and calculate the normal vector inclination.

[0100] Dynamically adjust the abnormal posture threshold. The heavier the rice bag, the smaller the allowed angle deviation.

[0101] When a posture anomaly is detected, at least one of the following actions is triggered based on the deviation level:

[0102] (i) reducing the operating speed of the transfer mechanism (203) to 50% of the rated value;

[0103] (ii) activating the E101 error code display on the operation screen (304);

[0104] (iii) Push alarm information containing real-time attitude angle to the operation and maintenance terminal.

[0105] Traditional vending machines lack real-time posture monitoring when transferring bagged goods (such as rice bags). This can easily lead to problems such as bag tilting or tipping, including jamming of the transfer mechanism and damage to the equipment, bag slippage, and loss of goods or safety hazards. Failure to promptly detect abnormal posture can lead to subsequent sorting and shipping failures. This embodiment uses an industrial camera to extract contour edges to calculate a first tilt angle, and then combines this with a time-of-flight depth sensor to fit a plane to calculate a second tilt angle. These two methods cross-validate the posture from both a two-dimensional contour and three-dimensional perspective, reducing single-sensor errors. Furthermore, the angle deviation threshold is dynamically adjusted based on the weight of the rice bag (the greater the weight, the smaller the allowable deviation), preventing false alarms from light bags due to slight shaking, or loss of control from heavier bags due to loose thresholds. This improves the system's adaptability to different goods. Different actions (such as speed reduction, error reporting, and remote alarming) are triggered based on the level of posture deviation, enabling full-process control through fault prevention, real-time warnings, and remote operation and maintenance, reducing manual inspection costs and shortening troubleshooting time. When an abnormal posture is detected, the transfer unit is controlled to slow down or stop, so that damage can be stopped in time before the rice bag falls over, reducing the risk of equipment damage and cargo loss.

[0106] In actual application, for example, a 5kg rice bag is allowed to have an angle of ±15°, while a 20kg bag is only allowed to have an angle of ±5°, thus reducing unnecessary downtime.

[0107] Rice bag weight (kg) Allowable angular deviation (°) ≤5 15 5-10 10 >10 5

[0108] In actual testing, after deploying this solution on 30 devices, the average monthly failure rate dropped from 42 to 6, and the user complaint rate due to failed pickup dropped from 7.3% to 0.5%.

[0109] In practical applications, the present invention calculates the tilt angle in real time through an image acquisition unit (industrial camera) and a depth sensing unit, and immediately slows down / stops the machine when the deviation exceeds the threshold, reducing the mechanical jam failure rate to less than 2%. The transfer speed is dynamically adjusted based on the attitude angle (such as reducing the speed by 50% when the deviation is small) to avoid complete shutdown, thereby improving the transfer efficiency by 18%.

[0110] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art may make additional changes and modifications to these embodiments once they have learned the basic creative concept. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments and all changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0111] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. It should be pointed out that any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vending machine, characterized in that: It includes at least one vending cabinet and at least one operating cabinet, and the vending cabinet and the operating cabinet are combined together in an interval arrangement; The vending cabinet and the operating cabinet are connected to each other, and both the vending cabinet and the operating cabinet are provided with mutually connected discharge ports, and the operating cabinet is provided with an operating screen and a material taking port; A sealing door is slidably provided at the material taking port, and the sealing door is connected to a driving assembly for driving the sealing door to move; The vending cabinet includes a shell and a transfer unit arranged in the shell. The transfer unit is used to transfer items and send them to the material taking port. The driving component, the transfer unit and the operation screen are connected to a control unit.

2. The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two sales cabinets and one operation cabinet, and the sales cabinets are located on both sides of the operation cabinet.

3. The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transfer unit includes a support frame, a plurality of partitions, and a transfer mechanism. The partitions are arranged on the support frame and divide the support frame from top to bottom into a plurality of storage areas. The transfer mechanism is arranged on the support frame, and a conveying mechanism for placing and transferring rice bags is arranged on the partitions. The transfer mechanism is used to receive the rice bags conveyed by the conveying mechanism and to transfer the rice bags. When the rice bags are placed on the conveying mechanism, they are in an inclined state. The rice bag slides from the conveying mechanism to the transfer mechanism in an inclined state, and the inclination angle on the transfer mechanism is opposite to the inclination angle on the conveying mechanism.

4. A vending machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The transfer mechanism includes a first belt conveyor assembly and a material blocking seat. The material blocking seat is arranged on the belt of the first belt conveyor assembly. When the rice bag is located on the belt conveyor assembly, it leans against the material blocking seat in an inclined state.

5. The vending machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: A plurality of baffles are arranged on the partition, and independent placement areas are formed between adjacent baffles. The transfer mechanism is arranged in each independent placement area.

6. The vending machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: There are multiple transfer mechanisms arranged in each independent placement area, which are placed in parallel.

7. The vending machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The distances between adjacent baffles are the same or different, and the distances between adjacent partitions are the same or different.

8. The vending machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The material blocking seat comprises a bottom plate and a support plate. The bottom plate is arranged on the belt of the first belt conveyor assembly, and the support plate is arranged obliquely on the bottom plate.

9. A selling method, characterized in that: The method comprises using the vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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