Intelligent heating and humidifying towel vending machine control method based on Internet of Things and vending machine

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent heating and humidifying towel vending machine control method based on the Internet of Things and a vending machine, and the method comprises the steps that a consumer personalized demand list is obtained, the demand list comprises temperature and humidity parameters of humidified compressed towels needing to be output by the towel vending machine at the current moment, the demand list is set in advance, and the temperature and humidity parameters of the humidified compressed towels need to be output by the towel vending machine at the current moment; the required water quantity and temperature are different, and can be adjusted according to different environments during setting so as to meet the requirements of users in different places; starting a corresponding heating and humidifying program to heat a certain amount of hot water based on the obtained demand list, and synchronously conveying the compressed towel to a towel outlet assembly; the towel outlet assembly outwards conveys the compressed towels out of the towel vending machine along the goods outlet, and the humidifying assembly humidifies the compressed towels in the lateral direction of the compressed towels; when the consumer takes out the humidified compressed towel, the towel outlet assembly is contracted into the towel vending machine. According to the method, the disposable towel with proper temperature and humidity can be provided according to the requirements of customers, and the requirements of users in different places are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of towel vending machine technology, specifically to a control method and vending machine for an intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine based on the Internet of Things. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the sale of disposable wet towels in public places has become a common sight for consumers, and the demand for disposable wet towels is also increasing in private spaces. Disposable wet towels are not only convenient but also hygienic, thus gaining popularity among users. However, current vending machines for disposable wet towels have low levels of intelligence and cannot provide consumers with disposable wet towels of suitable temperature and humidity in real time, especially considering different locations and seasonal environments.

[0003] In hot and humid environments, such as summer, the human body sweats easily and needs a towel to quickly absorb sweat and dissipate heat. However, there are certain requirements for the humidity of the towel. If the humidity is too high, it will not absorb sweat, and if the temperature is too high, it will not dissipate heat.

[0004] In low temperature and low humidity environments, such as winter and air-conditioned environments, the human body needs to keep warm and the skin is prone to dryness, so the temperature of the towel is more important.

[0005] In different usage scenarios, such as in a gym: the primary function is to dry the body, requiring highly absorbent towels. However, it's also necessary to consider that the user's body temperature may be temporarily higher due to exercise, thus requiring towels of a suitable temperature. For home use, such as for women cleansing their face and removing makeup: the skin is delicate, and a warm, damp towel can open pores for a more thorough cleanse; towels that are too cold or too hot can irritate the skin. Another example is baby care: babies have sensitive skin, so temperature and humidity are crucial.

[0006] Seasonal changes also affect the required temperature and humidity for towels: in summer, the goal is to keep them cool and dry, while in winter, the goal is to keep them warm and moisturized. Therefore, adjustments need to be made flexibly according to temperature changes.

[0007] Furthermore, even in the same season, temperature and humidity vary greatly in different regions. Therefore, it is extremely important to provide disposable towels with suitable temperature and humidity in a smart way. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention provides a control method and vending machine for an intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine based on the Internet of Things. It can provide personalized disposable towels with appropriate temperature and humidity according to consumer needs and automatically provide disposable towels with appropriate temperature and humidity, thus solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0009] This invention provides the following technical solution: a control method for an IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine, comprising: Step 1: Obtaining a personalized consumer demand list, which is preset and stored in a control center. The demand list includes the temperature and humidity parameters of the humidified compressed towels required by the vending machine at the current moment. The demand list is pre-set, and the water volume and temperature for each demand are different. The settings can be adjusted according to different environments to meet the needs of users in different locations; Step 2: Based on the demand list obtained in Step 1, starting the corresponding heating and humidification program to heat a certain amount of hot water, simultaneously conveying the compressed towels to the towel dispensing component; Step 3: The towel dispensing component conveys the compressed towels outwards from the dispensing port to the outside of the vending machine, while the humidification component humidifies the compressed towels laterally; Step 4: The consumer removes the humidified compressed towels, and the towel dispensing component retracts back into the vending machine. This IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine control method can provide disposable towels with suitable temperature and humidity according to customer needs, meeting the needs of users in different locations.

[0010] This invention provides the following technical solution: an intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine based on the Internet of Things, comprising: a shell, a display screen and a dispensing port on one side of the shell, a control center inside the shell, and a water tank, a heating component, a humidifying component, a towel rack, and a towel dispensing component electrically connected to the control center; the display screen is used to display the status of the towel vending machine; the control center is used to acquire and process data and control the operation of the towel vending machine; the heating component includes several heating tubes with built-in heating wires of a certain capacity, one end of the heating tube is connected to the water tank, and the other end is connected to the humidifying component. The water tank is connected to the heating component, and the heating component is connected to the humidifying component. The humidifying component is located on the towel dispensing component, which is located directly below the towel rack. The towel rack contains several disposable compressed towels, which can fall into the towel dispensing component in sequence. Based on the consumer's instruction, the control center starts the heating component to heat a certain amount of hot water, then controls the towel dispensing component to convey the compressed towels out of the towel vending machine along the dispensing port. The humidifying component is then started to humidify the compressed towels laterally. The consumer takes out the humidified compressed towels, and the control center controls the towel dispensing component to retract back into the towel vending machine.

[0011] As an optional solution for the IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine described in this invention, the towel dispensing component includes a movable frame. The movable frame is hollow at the position corresponding to the towel rack, and a towel receiving limiting ring is connected to the top of the hollow position. An annular towel receiving piece is located below the towel receiving limiting ring inside the movable frame. The towel receiving piece has drainage holes. The towel receiving piece and the towel receiving limiting ring form a compressed towel limiting space. The size of the towel receiving piece is smaller than the size of the towel receiving limiting ring. The towel receiving piece and the movable frame are vertically and vertically connected. The vertical height of the compressed towel limiting space matches the vertical height of the compressed towel. The end of the movable frame away from the dispensing port is flat, and the upper surface of the flat surface is flush with the top of the towel receiving limiting ring. The diameter of the limiting space matches the diameter of the compressed towel after it absorbs moisture and expands. After the user selects the temperature and humidity of the towel, the towel dispensing component moves the compressed towel outward along the dispensing port. After it moves to the outside of the towel vending machine, the humidifying component humidifies the compressed towel. A photoelectric sensor is installed in the limiting space. After the user takes the towel, the towel dispensing component retracts into the towel vending machine, and the disposable compressed towel falls into the limiting space, waiting for the next customer to input their needs before continuing operation.

[0012] As an optional solution for the IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine control method and vending machine described in this invention, the humidification component includes water spray nozzles symmetrically arranged inside the towel receiving limiting ring. The nozzles are connected to the heating component via flexible hoses. The lateral water spray nozzles can more comprehensively wet the towels, improving the humidity uniformity of the compressed towels. A drain outlet is provided at the bottom of the outer casing corresponding to the towel receiving limiting ring, which can promptly remove residual moisture and reduce the impact on the heating and humidification of the next compressed towel.

[0013] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0014] 1. This IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine control method can provide disposable towels with suitable temperature and humidity according to customer needs, meeting the needs of users in different locations.

[0015] 2. This IoT-based smart heated and humidified towel vending machine uses tubular heating wires for heating. The amount of water heated per cycle is controllable, and the temperature control is more precise. This effectively reduces the difference between the final temperature and humidity of the heated towels and the set values. The side spray nozzles can wet the towels more comprehensively, improving the humidity uniformity of the compressed towels. By humidifying the towels on the outside of the towel machine, excess water can be directly discharged, reducing the humidity inside the towel machine. Combined with the drain outlet, residual water can be removed in time, reducing the impact on the heating and humidification of the next compressed towel. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a prototype drawing of the towel machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a towel machine according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0018] Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the internal structure of the towel machine according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 .

[0019] Figure 4 This is a side view of the internal structure of a towel machine according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0020] Figure 5 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the internal structure of the towel machine according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 .

[0021] Figure 6 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the towel dispensing component of the towel machine according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 .

[0022] Figure 7 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the towel dispensing component of the towel machine according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 .

[0023] Figure 8 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the towel dispensing component of the towel machine according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 .

[0024] Figure 9 A top view of the internal structure of the towel machine according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Outer shell; 11. Display screen; 12. Outlet; 2. Water tank; 3. Heating component; 4. Humidifying component; 5. Moving rack; 6. Towel rack; 7. Towel receiving limit ring; 8. Towel receiving plate; 9. Water spray nozzle; 10. Drain outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] Please see Figures 1-9One type of IoT-based smart heated and humidified towel vending machine includes a casing 1. A display screen 11 and a dispensing port 12 are located on one side of the casing 1. Inside the casing 1 is a control center, and a water tank 2, heating component 3, humidifying component 4, towel rack 6, and towel dispensing component are electrically connected to the control center. The display screen 11 shows the vending machine's status; users select their needs through the display screen 11. The control center acquires and processes data and controls the operation of the towel vending machine. The heating component 3 includes several heating tubes 31 with built-in heating wires of a certain capacity. One end of each heating tube 31 is connected to the water tank 2, and the other end is connected to the humidifying component 4. This design allows for controllable water volume for each heating cycle and more precise temperature control, effectively reducing the difference between the final humidified towel temperature and humidity and the set value. Water tank 2 is connected to heating component 3, heating component 3 is connected to humidifying component 4, humidifying component 4 is installed on towel dispensing component, towel dispensing component is located directly below towel rack 6, towel rack 6 contains several disposable compressed towels, disposable compressed towels can fall into towel dispensing component in sequence, control center starts heating component 3 to heat a certain amount of hot water based on consumer command, controls towel dispensing component to transport compressed towels outward along dispensing port 12 to outside towel vending machine, starts humidifying component 4 to humidify compressed towels laterally, consumer takes out humidified compressed towels, control center controls towel dispensing component to retract into towel vending machine.

[0028] The towel dispensing assembly includes a movable frame 5, which is hollow at the position corresponding to the towel rack 6. A towel receiving limiting ring 7 is connected to the top of the hollow position. An annular towel receiving piece 8 is located below the towel receiving limiting ring 7 inside the movable frame 5. The towel receiving piece 8 is smaller than the towel receiving limiting ring 7 and can be raised and lowered to the movable frame 5. A drain hole is provided on the towel receiving piece 8. The towel receiving piece 8 and the towel receiving limiting ring 7 form a compressed towel limiting space, the vertical height of which matches the vertical height of the compressed towel. The end of the movable frame 5 away from the dispensing port 12 is flat, and its upper surface is flush with the top of the towel receiving limiting ring 7. The diameter of the limiting space matches the diameter of the compressed towel after it absorbs moisture and expands. A photoelectric sensor is installed within the limiting space. The humidifying assembly 4 includes water spray nozzles 9, which are symmetrically arranged inside the towel receiving limiting ring 7. The water spray nozzles 9 are connected to the heating assembly 3 via flexible hoses. A drain outlet 10 is provided at the bottom of the outer casing corresponding to the towel receiving limiting ring 7. The side spray nozzles allow for more comprehensive wetting of the towels, improving the evenness of humidity in the compressed towels. By wetting the towels on the outside of the towel machine, excess water can be directly discharged, reducing the humidity inside the towel machine. Combined with the drain outlet, residual water can be removed in a timely manner, minimizing the impact on the heating and humidification of the next compressed towel.

[0029] When using this towel vending machine, after the user selects the desired temperature and humidity for the towels, the machine retrieves a personalized request list. This list, pre-set and stored in the control center, contains the required temperature and humidity parameters for the humidified compressed towels to be output by the machine at the current moment. Based on this request list, the machine then initiates the corresponding heating and humidification program to heat a certain amount of hot water. Different heating and humidification programs correspond to different personalized settings for the amount of water and temperature needed to humidify a single compressed towel. The towel dispensing component conveys the compressed towels out of the vending machine through the dispensing port, while the humidification component humidifies the compressed towels laterally. The user then removes the humidified compressed towel, and the dispensing component retracts back into the vending machine.

[0030] It should be noted that a photoelectric sensor is installed in the limiting space. After the user takes the towel, the towel dispensing component retracts into the towel vending machine, and the one-time compressed towel falls into the limiting space, waiting for the next customer to input their request before continuing operation.

[0031] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0032] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for an intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine based on the Internet of Things, characterized in that, include: Step 1: Obtain a list of personalized consumer needs, which is preset and stored in the control center; Step 2: Based on the demand list obtained in Step 1, start the corresponding heating and humidification program to heat a certain amount of hot water, and simultaneously deliver the compressed towel to the towel dispensing component; Step 3: The towel dispensing component conveys the compressed towels outward along the dispensing port to the outside of the towel vending machine, and the humidifying component humidifies the compressed towels along the side; Step 4: The consumer takes out the humidified compressed towel, and the towel dispensing component retracts into the towel vending machine.

2. The control method for an IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The requirement list contains the temperature and humidity parameters of the humidified compressed towels that the towel vending machine needs to output at the current moment.

3. The control method for an IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Different heating and humidification programs cater to different personalized needs by setting the amount of water and water temperature required for a single humidification of a compressed towel.

4. An IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine, used to implement the IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine control method as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: include: The outer casing (1) and towel rack (6) are provided. A display screen (11) and a dispensing port (12) are provided on one side of the outer casing (1). The control center is provided inside the outer casing (1), and a water tank (2), heating component (3), humidifying component (4) and towel dispensing component are electrically connected to the control center. The display screen (11) is used to show the status of the towel vending machine; The control center is used to acquire and process data and control the operation of the towel vending machines; Water tank (2) is connected to heating component (3), heating component (3) is connected to humidification component (4), humidification component (4) is set on towel dispensing component, towel dispensing component is set directly below towel rack (6), towel rack (6) contains several disposable compressed towels, disposable compressed towels can fall into towel dispensing component in sequence, control center starts heating component (3) to heat a certain amount of hot water based on consumer instructions, controls towel dispensing component to transport compressed towels outward along dispensing port (12) to outside towel vending machine, starts humidification component (4) to humidify compressed towels laterally, consumer takes out humidified compressed towels, control center controls towel dispensing component to retract into towel vending machine.

5. The IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The heating component (3) includes several heating tubes (31) with built-in heating wires of a certain capacity. One end of the heating tube (31) is connected to the water tank (2), and the other end is connected to the humidification component (4).

6. The IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The towel dispensing assembly includes a movable frame (5), which is hollow at the position corresponding to the towel rack (6). A towel receiving limiting ring (7) is connected to the top of the hollow position. An annular towel receiving piece (8) is provided below the towel receiving limiting ring (7) inside the movable frame (5). A drain hole is provided on the towel receiving piece (8). The towel receiving piece (8) and the towel receiving limiting ring (7) form a compressed towel limiting space. The longitudinal height of the compressed towel limiting space matches the longitudinal height of the compressed towel. The end of the movable frame (5) away from the outlet (12) is set as a plane. The upper surface of the plane is flush with the top of the towel receiving limiting ring (7).

7. The IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The diameter of the limiting space matches the diameter of the compressed towel after it absorbs moisture and expands. A photoelectric sensor is installed inside the limiting space.

8. The IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The humidification component (4) includes a water spray nozzle (9), which is symmetrically arranged inside the towel receiving limiting ring (7). The water spray nozzle (9) is connected to the heating component (3) through a hose.

9. The IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom of the outer shell (1) is provided with a drain outlet (10) corresponding to the retaining ring (7).

10. The IoT-based intelligent heated and humidified towel vending machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The size of the towel receiving piece (8) is smaller than that of the towel receiving limiting ring (7), and the towel receiving piece (8) and the movable frame (5) can be raised and lowered.

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