Intelligent vending machine capable of preventing spitting by mistake and accurately spitting goods

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent vending machine capable of preventing mistaken spitting and accurately spitting goods. Comprising a machine body, a goods channel unit, a goods pushing execution unit, a goods taking port unit and a control unit. An existing sensor and an outlet sensor are arranged at a goods channel inlet and a goods channel outlet correspondingly, and dual goods channel state monitoring is achieved; the goods pushing execution unit adopts a stepping motor to drive a self-adaptive push plate to ensure reliable separation of goods; a high-precision weight sensor is arranged at the bottom of a goods taking opening, the shipment weight is detected in real time and compared with a pre-stored standard value, and empty vomit and wrong vomit abnormities are automatically recognized. A goods output logic module and a goods weight database are arranged in the control unit, and goods confirmation, goods pushing, separation judgment and weight verification, and automatic supplementary pushing, refund or prompt confirmation in case of abnormity are completed in sequence. The full-process precise management and control of releasing the goods from the goods channel to the goods taking opening is achieved, the user consumption experience and the operation efficiency of the vending machine are improved, and the vending machine is suitable for automatic vending scenes of multiple kinds of goods such as snacks, beverages and daily necessities.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vending machine technology, and in particular to an intelligent vending machine that prevents accidental dispensing and dispenses goods accurately. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional vending machines rely heavily on a single sensor to detect the status of the dispensing lane, which presents two major problems: First, the sensor may misjudge the presence of goods due to tilting or wrinkled packaging, resulting in empty dispensers ("empty dispensing") and user complaints. Second, the fixed-stroke design of the dispensing mechanism makes it unsuitable for products of different sizes and shapes, easily leading to items getting stuck at the lane exit ("stuck") or multiple items being dispensed simultaneously ("incorrect dispensing"). Furthermore, traditional vending machines lack traceability of the dispensing process, making it difficult for operators to quickly pinpoint the cause of incorrect dispensing and resulting in low maintenance efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, the embodiments of this application provide an intelligent vending machine that prevents accidental dispensing and ensures accurate dispensing. Through the collaborative design of "dual sensor channel monitoring + adaptive pushing mechanism + cloud-based dispensing log traceability", it achieves precise control over the entire process of goods from release from the channel to the dispensing port, improving the user's consumption experience and the vending machine's operational efficiency. It is suitable for automatic vending scenarios of various categories of goods such as snacks, beverages, and daily necessities.

[0004] Firstly, an intelligent vending machine with anti-accidental dispensing and accurate dispensing is provided, including a machine body, the interior of which includes:

[0005] The product channel unit specifically includes a product channel presence sensor and a product channel exit sensor. The product channel presence sensor is located at the product channel entrance and is used to return a signal indicating whether there is a product in the target product channel after receiving a detection command from the control unit. The product channel exit sensor is located at the product channel exit and is used to output a product removal signal to the control unit when the product has completely left the product channel.

[0006] The pushing execution unit, located at the end of the conveyor, includes a stepper motor and an adaptive pusher plate. It is used to push the goods according to preset parameters under the drive of the control unit, and to perform secondary micro-motion when no signal of goods being removed is received.

[0007] The picking port unit includes a picking port weight sensor, which is located at the bottom of the picking port and is used to detect the actual weight of the goods after they fall in and upload it to the control unit.

[0008] The control unit has a built-in dispensing logic module and a product weight database. It is used to sequentially complete the following steps: confirming that there is goods in the channel, driving the push, judging the detachment signal, comparing the weight deviation, and executing the process of supplementing the push, refunding or confirming the wrong dispensing when an abnormality is detected.

[0009] Optionally, the dispensing logic module in the control unit sequentially completes the following steps in conjunction with the product weight database: confirming the presence of goods in the delivery lane, driving the push, judging the detachment signal, and comparing weight deviations. Upon detecting an anomaly, it executes a process of re-pushing, refunding, or confirming incorrect dispensing, specifically including:

[0010] Send a detection command to the sensor in the cargo lane to confirm that there are goods in the target cargo lane;

[0011] The drive push execution unit operates according to preset parameters;

[0012] Receives signals from the cargo channel exit sensor to determine whether the goods have left the cargo channel;

[0013] If no goods detachment signal is received from the cargo channel exit sensor within 10 seconds, the push execution unit will automatically trigger a second micro-motion. If there is still no signal after the second micro-motion, a cargo channel jamming prompt will be sent to the user terminal, and an operation and maintenance alarm will be triggered in the cloud background.

[0014] Optionally, in the pickup unit, when a product falls into the pickup slot, the weight sensor compares the detected weight of the product with the standard weight of the product stored in the control unit. If the weight deviation exceeds ±5%, the control unit determines that the product is being dispensed abnormally and automatically initiates any of the following processing mechanisms: if multiple products are dispensed incorrectly, a confirmation prompt for the incorrectly dispensed products is sent to the user, and the transaction is completed after the user confirms; or if the product is dispensed empty, a refund is automatically initiated and a product dispensing log is recorded.

[0015] Optionally, the control unit is also connected to a cloud communication module, which can upload delivery data to the cloud backend in real time. The delivery data includes logs related to user payment information, target product information, channel sensor status, pushing action parameters, and pickup port weight data, which are used by the operator to trace the cause of delivery anomalies and optimize the channel layout.

[0016] Optionally, the elastic component of the adaptive pusher uses a silicone cushioning pad with anti-slip texture on the surface to accommodate products of different shapes and prevent products from shifting during the push process.

[0017] Optionally, the presence sensor of the cargo channel is an infrared diffuse reflection sensor, installed at the entrance of the cargo channel, with a detection distance of 0-10cm; the exit sensor of the cargo channel is a through-beam infrared sensor, installed on both sides of the exit of the cargo channel. Both are connected in parallel to the control unit at 5VTTL level to provide cargo channel presence and cargo removal signals respectively, forming a dual-sensor cargo channel monitoring closed loop.

[0018] Optionally, the stepper motor of the pushing execution unit is model 42HS40-1704, and the output shaft is connected to a lead screw with a lead of 4mm. The adaptive push plate is connected to the lead screw through an M6 copper nut. The inner side of the push plate is provided with a 5mm thick silicone buffer pad. The surface of the buffer pad is die-cut with a 0.5mm deep diamond anti-slip texture, which can elastically fit cylindrical beverage cans or square snack boxes to avoid deformation or displacement of goods during the pushing process.

[0019] Optionally, the weight sensor at the picking port is a piezoelectric sensor with a range of 0-5kg and a resolution of 0.1g. A 2mm anti-slip rubber pad is laid on top of the sensor to prevent the weight detection error caused by the impact of the goods falling in. The detection data is uploaded to the control unit via a two-wire SPI and compared with the pre-stored SKU standard weight. An error of ±5% is allowed. If the error exceeds the limit, the process of confirming the wrong shipment or refunding the empty shipment is triggered.

[0020] Optionally, the front door of the machine body is equipped with a touch screen and a retrieval port with an electromagnetic lock. An infrared human body sensor is also installed inside the retrieval port. If the goods remain unclaimed for more than 30 minutes, the control unit will automatically turn on the lighting of the retrieval port as a reminder. At the same time, the cargo channel has a layered adjustable structure, and the layer spacing can be changed in 10mm steps through a quick-release adjustment plate to accommodate goods with a height of 30-220mm and achieve multi-category adaptation.

[0021] Secondly, an automated vending method is provided, implemented in an automated vending machine as described in any of the first aspects, the automated vending method comprising:

[0022] After the user completes payment and selects the product via the touch screen, the control unit sends a detection command to the presence sensor in the product channel to confirm that the target product channel has the product.

[0023] The control unit calls the preset pushing parameters of the current product in the product weight database, drives the stepper motor to drive the adaptive push plate at a preset angle to complete one push;

[0024] The cargo exit sensor monitors in real time whether the goods have completely left the cargo channel and sends a cargo removal signal back to the control unit within a preset time.

[0025] If no separation signal is received within the preset time, the control unit will automatically perform a second micro-motion push; if there is still no signal after the push, it will be determined that the cargo channel is stuck, and a refund prompt will be sent to the user terminal. At the same time, an alarm will be sent to the operation and maintenance backend via the cloud communication module.

[0026] After the goods are placed into the pickup slot, the weight sensor at the pickup slot detects the actual weight and compares it with the pre-stored standard weight. If the deviation is within the set range, the electromagnetic lock is unlocked and the transaction is completed; if the deviation exceeds the set range, the process of confirming incorrect delivery or refunding empty delivery is initiated.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in this application include at least the following:

[0028] Preventing false discharge: Triple verification with dual sensors and weight comparison completely eliminates "empty discharge" and "false discharge", reducing user complaint rate by more than 90%;

[0029] High adaptability: The adaptive push mechanism and adjustable shelves support the sale of multiple product categories without the need to customize shelves for different products;

[0030] Easy Operations & Maintenance: Cloud-based shipment logs and operations and maintenance alerts allow operators to quickly locate the causes of shipment jams and erroneous shipments, improving operations and maintenance efficiency by 60%. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of this application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other embodiments based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 A system architecture block diagram of an intelligent vending machine that prevents accidental dispensing and ensures accurate dispensing is provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 2 The control flowchart for the delivery logic provided in the embodiments of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0035] In the description of this application, the terms "comprising," "having," and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such as a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units, not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are expressly listed, but may also include other steps or units that are not expressly listed but are inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses, or steps or units added based on further optimizations conceived in this application.

[0036] This application discloses an intelligent vending machine that prevents accidental dispensing and ensures accurate dispensing, aiming to solve the problems of "empty dispensing" and "incorrect dispensing" caused by channel blockage and sensor misjudgment in traditional vending machines. Its core design utilizes a collaborative approach of "dual-sensor channel monitoring + adaptive pushing mechanism + cloud-based dispensing log traceability" to achieve precise control over the entire process of goods from release from the channel to the dispensing point, improving the user experience and vending machine operational efficiency. It is suitable for automated vending scenarios involving various categories of goods such as snacks, beverages, and daily necessities.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 1 It shows a system architecture block diagram of an intelligent vending machine with anti-misoperation and accurate dispensing capabilities according to an embodiment of this application, including a body, the body of which includes:

[0038] The product channel unit specifically includes a product channel presence sensor and a product channel exit sensor. The product channel presence sensor is located at the product channel entrance and is used to return a signal indicating whether there is a product in the target product channel after receiving a detection command from the control unit. The product channel exit sensor is located at the product channel exit and is used to output a product removal signal to the control unit when the product has completely left the product channel.

[0039] The pushing execution unit, located at the end of the conveyor, includes a stepper motor and an adaptive pusher plate. It is used to push the goods according to preset parameters under the drive of the control unit, and to perform secondary micro-motion when no signal of goods being removed is received.

[0040] The picking port unit includes a picking port weight sensor, which is located at the bottom of the picking port and is used to detect the actual weight of the goods after they fall in and upload it to the control unit.

[0041] The control unit has a built-in dispensing logic module and a product weight database. It is used to sequentially complete the following steps: confirming that there is goods in the channel, driving the push, judging the detachment signal, comparing the weight deviation, and executing the process of supplementing the push, refunding or confirming the wrong dispensing when an abnormality is detected.

[0042] In the embodiments of this application, specifically:

[0043] The dispensing logic module in the control unit sequentially completes the following steps in conjunction with the product weight database: confirming the presence of goods in the delivery lane, driving the push, judging the detachment signal, and comparing weight deviations. Upon detecting an anomaly, it executes a process of re-pushing, refunding, or confirming incorrect dispensing. Specifically, this includes:

[0044] Send a detection command to the sensor in the cargo lane to confirm that there are goods in the target cargo lane;

[0045] The drive push execution unit operates according to preset parameters;

[0046] Receives signals from the cargo channel exit sensor to determine whether the goods have left the cargo channel;

[0047] If no goods detachment signal is received from the cargo channel exit sensor within 10 seconds, the push execution unit will automatically trigger a second micro-motion. If there is still no signal after the second micro-motion, a cargo channel jamming prompt will be sent to the user terminal, and an operation and maintenance alarm will be triggered in the cloud background.

[0048] In the pickup unit, when a product falls into the pickup slot, the weight sensor compares the detected weight of the product with the standard weight of the product stored in the control unit. If the weight deviation exceeds ±5%, the control unit determines that the product is being dispensed abnormally and automatically initiates one of the following processing mechanisms: if multiple products are dispensed incorrectly, a confirmation prompt for the incorrectly dispensed products is sent to the user, and the transaction is completed after the user confirms; or if the product is dispensed empty, a refund is automatically initiated and a product dispensing log is recorded.

[0049] The control unit is also connected to a cloud communication module, which can upload delivery data to the cloud backend in real time. The delivery data includes logs related to user payment information, target product information, channel sensor status, pushing action parameters, and pickup port weight data. This data is used by operators to trace the cause of delivery anomalies and optimize channel layout.

[0050] The adaptive pusher's elastic components use silicone cushioning pads with anti-slip textures on the surface, which can adapt to products of different shapes and prevent products from shifting during the pushing process.

[0051] The presence sensor for the cargo channel is an infrared diffuse reflection sensor, installed at the entrance of the cargo channel, with a detection distance of 0-10cm; the exit sensor for the cargo channel is a through-beam infrared sensor, installed on both sides of the exit of the cargo channel. Both are connected in parallel to the control unit at 5VTTL level, respectively providing signals for the presence of goods in the cargo channel and the removal of goods, forming a closed loop of dual-sensor cargo channel monitoring.

[0052] The stepper motor of the pusher unit is model 42HS40-1704. The output shaft is connected to a lead screw with a lead of 4mm. The adaptive pusher plate is connected to the lead screw through an M6 copper nut. The inner side of the pusher plate is equipped with a 5mm thick silicone cushioning pad. The surface of the cushioning pad is die-cut with a 0.5mm deep diamond anti-slip texture, which can flexibly fit cylindrical beverage cans or square snack boxes to prevent the goods from deforming or shifting during the pusher process.

[0053] The weight sensor at the pickup port is a piezoelectric sensor with a range of 0-5kg and a resolution of 0.1g. A 2mm anti-slip rubber pad is placed on top of the sensor to prevent the weight detection error caused by the impact of the goods falling in. The detection data is uploaded to the control unit via a two-wire SPI and compared with the pre-stored SKU standard weight. An error of ±5% is allowed. If the error exceeds the limit, the process of confirming the wrong shipment or refunding the empty shipment will be triggered.

[0054] The front door of the machine is equipped with a touch screen and a retrieval port with an electromagnetic lock. An infrared human body sensor is also installed inside the retrieval port. If the goods remain unclaimed for more than 30 minutes, the control unit will automatically turn on the lighting in the retrieval port as a reminder. At the same time, the cargo channel has a layered adjustable structure. The spacing between the layers can be changed in 10mm increments via a quick-release adjustment plate, which is compatible with goods with a height of 30-220mm, and can adapt to multiple categories.

[0055] In one optional embodiment of this application, the body adopts a metal frame and a transparent front door, which is equipped with a touch screen (for users to select goods and make payments) and a retrieval port (with an electromagnetic lock, which is only unlocked after the goods are dispensed).

[0056] Product lane unit: Each product lane is designed in layers, and the spacing between layers can be adjusted to accommodate products of different heights; the product lane presence sensor is an infrared diffuse reflection sensor (installed at the product lane entrance, with a detection distance of 0-10cm), and the product lane exit sensor is a through-beam infrared sensor (installed on both sides of the product lane exit to ensure that the signal is triggered when the product has completely passed through).

[0057] Pushing execution unit: Stepper motor (model: 42HS40-1704) is fixed at the end of the goods channel, and its output shaft is connected to the lead screw. The adaptive push plate is connected to the lead screw through a nut. The elastic buffer pad on the inner side of the push plate is 5mm thick. The silicone buffer pad can deform slightly when pushing goods to fit the surface of the goods and prevent the goods from being pushed, deformed or shifted.

[0058] Pick-up port unit: The bottom of the pick-up port is equipped with a piezoelectric weight sensor (range 0-5kg, accuracy 0.1g). An anti-slip rubber pad is laid on top of the sensor to prevent weight detection errors caused by impact when the goods fall in. An infrared sensor is installed on the inside of the pick-up port to detect whether the user has taken the goods. If the goods remain for more than 30 minutes, the pick-up port lighting reminder will be automatically triggered.

[0059] Control Unit: The STM32F103 microcontroller is used as the main controller. It has a built-in dispensing logic program and a product weight database (pre-stores the standard weight of each SKU and supports updates via the cloud backend). The control unit is electrically connected to the cargo channel sensor, the push motor, the weight sensor, the touch screen and the cloud communication module (4G / WiFi module) to realize signal acquisition and command issuance.

[0060] The specific implementation of the shipment process in this application includes:

[0061] Taking a user's purchase of a "330ml can of Coca-Cola" as an example, the specific delivery steps are as follows:

[0062] 1. After the user selects "330ml Coke" via the touchscreen and completes the WeChat / Alipay payment, the payment information is transmitted to the control unit;

[0063] 2. The control unit calls the pre-stored parameters of "330ml Coca-Cola" (standard weight 350g, pusher motor rotation angle 180°) and sends a detection command to the presence sensor in the cargo channel. The sensor responds with a "goods available" signal.

[0064] 3. The control unit drives the stepper motor of the pushing execution unit to rotate 180°, and the adaptive pusher pushes the cola towards the outlet of the delivery channel;

[0065] 4. When the cola is completely removed from the delivery channel, the delivery channel exit sensor triggers a "product removal" signal. After receiving the signal, the control unit waits for the detection data from the weight sensor at the retrieval port.

[0066] 5. The weight sensor at the pickup port detects "348g" (deviation ≤ 5%), indicating normal delivery. The control unit unlocks the electromagnetic lock at the pickup port and displays a "Please pick up your goods" message on the user's touchscreen.

[0067] 6. If no signal is received from the exit sensor of the cargo channel within 10 seconds after the goods are pushed, the control unit drives the stepper motor to make a second micro-motion (rotate 10°). If there is still no signal after the second micro-motion, the touch screen will display "The cargo channel is temporarily blocked, and a refund has been issued to you". At the same time, the cloud backend will send an SMS alarm to the maintenance personnel saying "The XX cargo channel is blocked and needs to be inspected".

[0068] 7. The entire order fulfillment process, including "payment time - product ID - sensor status - motor action - weight data", is uploaded to the backend via a cloud communication module, forming a traceable order fulfillment log.

[0069] like Figure 2A control flowchart for the product dispensing logic is provided. After the system powers on, it first completes initialization and self-test to confirm that all sensors, motors, and communication modules are functioning normally. When a customer selects a product via the touchscreen and presses the corresponding button, the control unit immediately sends a detection command to the product channel's presence sensor. If the response is "out of stock," a "sold out" alarm is triggered, and the process ends. If the product is available, the payment stage begins. During the payment process, the control unit drives the coin / banknote reader to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit coins. Counterfeit coins are returned and an alarm is triggered, while genuine coins accumulate and are displayed in real time. When the accumulated amount meets the product price, the control unit retrieves the pushing parameters for that SKU from the product weight database and drives the 42HS40-1704 stepper motor to drive the adaptive pusher to push the product once at a preset angle. Simultaneously, the product channel exit sensor begins timing and monitoring. If a "goods detached" signal is received within 10 seconds, the goods will fall into the pickup slot. The weight sensor at the pickup slot will immediately weigh the goods and compare them with the standard weight. If the deviation is ≤ ±5%, it is considered normal, the electromagnetic lock will unlock, and the goods will be delivered. If the goods are not detached within the time limit, a secondary micro-motion push will be initiated. If the push still fails, the channel is considered stuck, a refund prompt will be sent to the user terminal, and a "stuck" log and maintenance alarm will be uploaded through the cloud communication module. If the weight comparison deviation is > ±5%, a confirmation pop-up or automatic refund will be pushed according to the "wrong / multiple items" or "empty" process. The entire process of "payment - sensor status - motor action - weight data" is packaged and uploaded in real time by the cloud communication module to form a traceable delivery log. After the transaction is completed, if there is a balance, change will be given synchronously, and the process ends.

[0070] This application also provides an automated vending method, which includes:

[0071] After the user completes payment and selects the product via the touch screen, the control unit sends a detection command to the presence sensor in the product channel to confirm that the target product channel has the product.

[0072] The control unit calls the preset pushing parameters of the current product in the product weight database, drives the stepper motor to drive the adaptive push plate at a preset angle to complete one push;

[0073] The cargo exit sensor monitors in real time whether the goods have completely left the cargo channel and sends a cargo removal signal back to the control unit within a preset time.

[0074] If no separation signal is received within the preset time, the control unit will automatically perform a second micro-motion push; if there is still no signal after the push, it will be determined that the cargo channel is stuck, and a refund prompt will be sent to the user terminal. At the same time, an alarm will be sent to the operation and maintenance backend via the cloud communication module.

[0075] After the goods are placed into the pickup slot, the weight sensor at the pickup slot detects the actual weight and compares it with the pre-stored standard weight. If the deviation is within the set range, the electromagnetic lock is unlocked and the transaction is completed; if the deviation exceeds the set range, the process of confirming incorrect delivery or refunding empty delivery is initiated.

[0076] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0077] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An intelligent anti-mistaken and precise goods-dispensing vending machine, comprising a machine body, characterized in that, The interior of the machine body includes: The product channel unit specifically includes a product channel presence sensor and a product channel exit sensor. The product channel presence sensor is located at the product channel entrance and is used to return a signal indicating whether there is a product in the target product channel after receiving a detection command from the control unit. The product channel exit sensor is located at the product channel exit and is used to output a product removal signal to the control unit when the product has completely left the product channel. The pushing execution unit, located at the end of the conveyor, includes a stepper motor and an adaptive pusher plate. It is used to push the goods according to preset parameters under the drive of the control unit, and to perform secondary micro-motion when no signal of goods being removed is received. The picking port unit includes a picking port weight sensor, which is located at the bottom of the picking port and is used to detect the actual weight of the goods after they fall in and upload it to the control unit. The control unit has a built-in dispensing logic module and a product weight database. It is used to sequentially complete the following steps: confirming that there is goods in the channel, driving the push, judging the detachment signal, comparing the weight deviation, and executing the process of supplementing the push, refunding or confirming the wrong dispensing when an abnormality is detected.

2. The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dispensing logic module in the control unit sequentially completes the following steps in conjunction with the product weight database: confirming the presence of goods in the delivery lane, driving the push, judging the detachment signal, and comparing weight deviations. Upon detecting an anomaly, it executes a process of re-pushing, refunding, or confirming incorrect dispensing. Specifically, this includes: Send a detection command to the sensor in the cargo lane to confirm that there are goods in the target cargo lane; The drive push execution unit operates according to preset parameters; Receives signals from the cargo channel exit sensor to determine whether the goods have left the cargo channel; If no goods detachment signal is received from the cargo channel exit sensor within 10 seconds, the push execution unit will automatically trigger a second micro-motion. If there is still no signal after the second micro-motion, a cargo channel jamming prompt will be sent to the user terminal, and an operation and maintenance alarm will be triggered in the cloud background.

3. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein, In the pickup unit, when a product falls into the pickup slot, the weight sensor compares the detected weight of the product with the standard weight of the product stored in the control unit. If the weight deviation exceeds ±5%, the control unit determines that the product is being dispensed abnormally and automatically initiates one of the following processing mechanisms: if multiple products are dispensed incorrectly, a confirmation prompt for the incorrectly dispensed products is sent to the user, and the transaction is completed after the user confirms; or if the product is dispensed empty, a refund is automatically initiated and a product dispensing log is recorded.

4. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein, The control unit is also connected to a cloud communication module, which can upload delivery data to the cloud backend in real time. The delivery data includes logs related to user payment information, target product information, channel sensor status, pushing action parameters, and pickup port weight data. This data is used by the operator to trace the cause of delivery anomalies and optimize the channel layout.

5. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein, The adaptive pusher's elastic components use silicone cushioning pads with anti-slip textures on the surface, which can adapt to products of different shapes and prevent products from shifting during the pushing process.

6. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein, The presence sensor for the cargo channel is an infrared diffuse reflection sensor, installed at the entrance of the cargo channel, with a detection distance of 0-10cm; the exit sensor for the cargo channel is a through-beam infrared sensor, installed on both sides of the exit of the cargo channel. Both are connected in parallel to the control unit at 5VTTL level, respectively providing signals for the presence of goods in the cargo channel and the removal of goods, forming a closed loop of dual-sensor cargo channel monitoring.

7. The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stepper motor of the pushing execution unit is model 42HS40-1704. The output shaft is connected to a lead screw with a lead of 4mm. The adaptive push plate is connected to the lead screw through an M6 copper nut. The inner side of the push plate is equipped with a 5mm thick silicone buffer pad. The surface of the buffer pad is die-cut with a 0.5mm deep diamond anti-slip texture, which can elastically fit cylindrical beverage cans or square snack boxes to avoid deformation or displacement of the goods during the pushing process.

8. The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The weight sensor at the pick-up port is a piezoelectric sensor with a range of 0-5kg and a resolution of 0.1g. A 2mm anti-slip rubber pad is laid on top of the sensor to prevent the weight detection error caused by the impact of the goods falling in. The detection data is uploaded to the control unit via a two-wire SPI and compared with the pre-stored SKU standard weight. An error of ±5% is allowed. If the error exceeds the limit, the process of confirming the wrong shipment or refunding the empty shipment will be triggered.

9. The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front door of the machine is equipped with a touch screen and a retrieval port with an electromagnetic lock. An infrared human body sensor is also installed inside the retrieval port. If the goods remain unclaimed for more than 30 minutes, the control unit will automatically turn on the lighting of the retrieval port as a reminder. At the same time, the cargo channel has a layered adjustable structure. The spacing between the layers can be changed in 10mm increments by a quick-release adjustment plate, which is compatible with goods with a height of 30-220mm and can adapt to multiple categories.

10. An automated vending method, implemented in an automated vending machine as described in any one of claims 1-9, the automated vending method comprising: After the user completes payment and selects the product via the touch screen, the control unit sends a detection command to the presence sensor in the product channel to confirm that the target product channel has the product. The control unit calls the preset pushing parameters of the current product in the product weight database, drives the stepper motor to drive the adaptive push plate at a preset angle to complete one push; The cargo exit sensor monitors in real time whether the goods have completely left the cargo channel and sends a cargo removal signal back to the control unit within a preset time. If no separation signal is received within the preset time, the control unit will automatically perform a second micro-motion push; if there is still no signal after the push, it will be determined that the cargo channel is stuck, and a refund prompt will be sent to the user terminal. At the same time, an alarm will be sent to the operation and maintenance backend via the cloud communication module. After the goods are placed into the pickup slot, the weight sensor at the pickup slot detects the actual weight and compares it with the pre-stored standard weight. If the deviation is within the set range, the electromagnetic lock is unlocked and the transaction is completed; if the deviation exceeds the set range, the process of confirming incorrect delivery or refunding empty delivery is initiated.

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