Coin rice mill

Abstract

To provide a coin rice mill capable of suppressing increase of an extra input coin amount.SOLUTION: This coin rice mill comprises: a coin collector that selects / receives / returns a coin; a control unit; and an operation unit, and performs a plurality of kinds of rice milling process. The control unit includes charge reception means for receiving setting input from the operation unit regarding a rice milling charge composed of a basic charge and an additional charge corresponding to the amount of brown rice to be milled for each kind of a rice milling process, reception upper limit amount setting means for setting an amount obtained by adding a prescribed extra amount to an amount when a prescribed amount of brown rice is milled with the highest rice milling charge among the rice milling charges of the kinds of the rice milling processes as a reception upper limit amount, and excess return means for returning coins when the coins of an amount exceeding the reception upper limit amount are input to the coin selector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a coin-operated rice polisher in which a user inserts paddy rice and the corresponding fee according to the amount of the paddy rice, and then polishes the rice.

Background Art

[0002] To use a coin-operated rice polisher, the user inserts paddy rice and the fee corresponding to the amount of the paddy rice. Then, each device of the coin-operated rice polisher operates for a time corresponding to the inserted fee, and the rice polishing is performed. Here, for some reason, the user may insert too many coins. However, many coin-operated rice polishers do not have a change return function in order to reduce costs. In that case, the extra inserted coins are not returned, so the user will feel dissatisfied. Therefore, as shown in Patent Document 1, a rice polisher provided with a dedicated device for returning the extra inserted coins has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the device of Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the manufacturing cost becomes high due to the provision of a dedicated device. In addition, it is necessary to prepare coins for return, which is also a problem in that it takes time and effort in operation.

[0005] The present invention is made in view of such circumstances, and aims to prevent the dissatisfaction of users from increasing as much as possible without returning the extra inserted coins. That is, since the dissatisfaction of users due to the non-return of the extra inserted coins increases as the amount of the extra inserted coins increases, the present invention aims to provide a coin rice polisher that can suppress an increase in the amount of coins inserted extra.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The present invention is a coin rice polisher including a coin selector that selects, accepts, and returns coins, a control unit, and an operation unit, and capable of performing a plurality of types of rice polishing processes. The control unit includes: a fee acceptance means for accepting a setting input from the operation unit for a rice polishing fee composed of a basic fee and an additional fee according to the amount of unpolished rice to be polished for each type of rice polishing process; an acceptance upper limit amount setting means for setting, as an acceptance upper limit amount, an amount obtained by adding a predetermined margin amount to the amount when a predetermined amount of unpolished rice is polished with the rice polishing fee having the highest amount among the rice polishing fees for each type of rice polishing process; and an over-time return means for causing the coin selector to return a coin when a coin with an amount exceeding the acceptance upper limit amount is inserted. The coin selector selects the inserted coin and accepts or returns it. The case of returning is, for example, a case of a coin that is not an acceptance target or a damaged coin. Also, it is possible to set so as not to accept all coins and return them. Once a coin is accepted, it cannot be returned. Regarding the setting of the additional fee, it may be to set the fee for a unit amount of unpolished rice, or it may be to set the amount of unpolished rice for a unit fee.

[0007] Further, the present invention may have a margin amount acceptance means for the control unit to accept a setting input from the operation unit for the margin amount.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, since the acceptance upper limit amount is set, it is possible to suppress an increase in the amount of coins additionally inserted. Further, since the acceptance upper limit amount is set according to a plurality of types of polished rice charges set, the acceptance upper limit amount can be set to an appropriate amount that does not deviate from the amount used for polished rice.

[0009] Moreover, if it has a surplus amount reception means for receiving an input for setting a surplus amount, the acceptance upper limit amount can be set according to the intention of the installer of the rice polishing machine.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, specific details of the coin-operated rice polishing machine of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, this coin-operated rice polishing machine 100 is installed in a building 200. The inside of the building 200 is partitioned into a guest room 201, a machine room 202, and a bran room 203. The guest room 201 and the machine room 202 are partitioned by a first partition wall 204. The machine room 202 and the bran room 203 are partitioned by a second partition wall 205. The guest room 201 is a room where users enter and perform various operations. The machine room 202 is a room where most of the devices constituting the coin-operated rice polishing machine 100 are installed. The bran room 203 is a room where bran generated by rice polishing is stored.

[0012] This coin-operated rice milling machine 100 includes a feed hopper 10 into which paddy rice is loaded, a first elevator 20 that raises the paddy rice sent out from the feed hopper 10, a stone removing device 30 that performs a stone removing process on the paddy rice sent out from the first elevator 20, a second elevator 40 that raises the paddy rice after the stone removing process, a rice milling device 50 that performs a rice milling process on the paddy rice sent out from the second elevator 40, a cyclone 60 that collects the bran generated by the rice milling process, a white rice tank 70 for storing the milled white rice, and an operation control panel 80. As shown in FIG. 1, the operation control panel 80 has an operation unit 81 for the user to perform operations and a control unit 82 for controlling each device. This coin-operated rice milling machine 100 operates each device only for a time corresponding to the charged amount.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, among the above-mentioned devices, the feed hopper 10, the white rice tank 70, and the operation control panel 80 are arranged so as to straddle the passenger compartment 201 and the machine room 202 in a form fitted into the openings formed in the first partition wall 204. The cyclone 60 is arranged in the bran chamber 203. The other devices (the first elevator 20, the stone removing device 30, the second elevator 40, and the rice milling device 50) are arranged in the machine room 202. As shown in FIG. 3, in the passenger compartment 201, the operation unit 81 of the operation control panel 80 is arranged on the right side, the feed hopper 10 (the charging port 14, the opening / closing door 15, and the mounting table 17 described later) is arranged in the center, and the white rice tank 70 is arranged on the left side. At this time, the back side of the first partition wall 204 is the machine room 202.

[0014] The input hopper 10 includes a hopper main body 11, a wire mesh 12, a hopper detection unit 13, an input port 14, an opening / closing door 15, a delivery device 16, and a mounting table 17. The hopper main body 11 has a funnel shape that tapers downward. The wire mesh 12 is stretched over the upper part of the hopper main body 11 to allow brown rice to pass through and prevent the input of large foreign objects. The hopper detection unit 13 is provided at the lower part of the hopper main body 11 and is a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of brown rice in the hopper main body 11. The input port 14 is provided above the hopper main body 11 and opens toward the passenger compartment 201. The opening / closing door 15 is provided to close the input port 14, is freely openable and closable, and allows the input of brown rice when the opening / closing door 15 is opened. The delivery device 16 has a delivery valve 161 housed in a casing 162 and rotates the delivery valve 161 in one direction by a motor (not shown). The delivery valve 161 has a plurality of blades protruding radially around a rotation axis, and a fixed amount of brown rice is accommodated in a region partitioned by two adjacent blades. A predetermined amount of brown rice is delivered from the rotating delivery valve 161. The mounting table 17 is located below the input port 14 and protrudes into the passenger compartment 201. When a user inputs brown rice into the input port 14, a rice bag can be placed on the mounting table 17.

[0015] The first elevator 20 includes a bucket conveyor 21, a receiving port 22, and a discharge port 23. The bucket conveyor 21 extends vertically. The receiving port 22 is provided at the lower end, and the discharge port 23 is provided at the upper end. The brown rice delivered from the delivery device 16 of the input hopper 10 is input into the receiving port 22, lifted by the bucket conveyor 21, and discharged from the discharge port 23.

[0016] The stone removal device 30 includes a stone removal hopper 31, a sorting plate 32, a fan 33, a normal discharge port 34, a residual rice discharge port 35, a chaffy rice discharge port 36, a first switching shutter 37, a second switching shutter 38, and a brown rice dust discharge port 39. The stone removal hopper 31 is located at the upper part of the stone removal device 30, has a funnel shape that tapers downward, and receives the brown rice discharged from the discharge port 23 of the first elevator 20. The sorting plate 32 is located below the stone removal hopper 31, has a large number of small holes formed therein, and is supported so as to be swingable in an inclined state. The fan 33 is located below the sorting plate 32 and blows air toward the sorting plate 32. The normal discharge port 34 is located at the lower end side of the inclined sorting plate 32. The residual rice discharge port 35 and the chaffy rice discharge port 36 are located at the upper end side of the inclined sorting plate 32. The first switching shutter 37 is located at the upper end of the sorting plate 32, is a rotatable plate, and opens and closes the path from the upper end of the sorting plate 32 to the residual rice discharge port 35 and the chaffy rice discharge port 36 (normally in a closed state). The second switching shutter 38 is located above the residual rice discharge port 35 and the chaffy rice discharge port 36, is a rotatable plate, and guides the brown rice passing through the first switching shutter 37 from the upper end of the sorting plate 32 to either one side of the residual rice discharge port 35 and the chaffy rice discharge port 36 (normally in a state of guiding it to the chaffy rice discharge port 36). The brown rice dust discharge port 39 is located between the discharge port 23 of the first elevator 20 and the stone removal hopper 31, and is connected to the milling chamber 54 of the rice milling device 50 described later.

[0017] In the stone removal device 30 configured as described above, the paddy rice introduced into the stone removal hopper 31 falls onto the sorting plate 32. Then, stones are sorted from the paddy rice on the sorting plate 32 by the oscillation of the sorting plate 32 and specific gravity sorting by the air passing through the small holes from the fan 33. More specifically, due to the oscillation and the air, the light paddy rice floats up and the heavy stones sink. The floating paddy rice is washed away by the subsequent paddy rice and moves downward, and is discharged from the normal discharge port 34 (Fig. 2(A)). The sunk stones move upward on the sorting plate 32 along with the oscillation of the sorting plate 32. At the upper end of the sorting plate 32, the first switching shutter 37 is opened at predetermined time intervals, and the stones fall from the upper end of the sorting plate 32. At this time, some paddy rice also falls together. This paddy rice containing stones is called stone-containing rice. Then, the fallen stone-containing rice is guided by the second switching shutter 38 and discharged from the stone-containing rice discharge port 36 (Fig. 2(B)). This is the stone removal process by the stone removal device 30. At the end of the rice milling process, since there is no subsequent paddy rice, paddy rice remains on the sorting plate 32. Therefore, at the end of the rice milling process, the first switching shutter 37 is opened and the second switching shutter 38 is switched to the side guiding to the residual rice discharge port 35. Then, the paddy rice on the sorting plate 32 moves upward by the oscillation, falls from the upper end of the sorting plate 32, is guided by the second switching shutter 38, and is discharged from the residual rice discharge port 35 (Fig. 2(C)). This is the residual rice discharge process by the stone removal device 30.

[0018] The second elevator 40 has the same structure as the first elevator 20 and includes a bucket conveyor 41, a receiving port 42, and a discharge port 43. The bucket conveyor 41 extends vertically. The receiving port 42 is provided at the lower end, and the discharge port 43 is provided at the upper end. The paddy rice discharged from the normal discharge port 34 and the residual rice discharge port 35 of the stone removal device 30 is introduced into the receiving port 42, lifted by the bucket conveyor 41, and discharged from the discharge port 43.

[0019] The rice milling device 50 includes a rice milling tank 51, a lower detection unit 52, an upper detection unit 53, a milling chamber 54, and a bran removing fan 55. The rice milling tank 51 is located at the upper part of the rice milling device 50 and has a funnel shape that tapers downward, and it receives the paddy rice discharged from the discharge port 43 of the second elevator 40. The lower detection unit 52 is provided at the lower part of the rice milling tank 51. The upper detection unit 53 is provided at the upper part of the rice milling tank 51. The milling chamber 54 is located below the rice milling tank 51. The milling chamber 54 is cylindrical and is equipped with a milling roll (not shown) provided inside. When the milling roll rotates, the surface of the paddy rice is rubbed by frictional resistance to become polished rice. The polished rice is discharged from the outlet of the milling chamber 54. Note that a resistance plate 56 that closes the outlet is provided at the outlet of the milling chamber 54. The resistance plate 56 is pressed against the outlet by the force of a spring, and the pressing force can be adjusted. The stronger the pressing force, the higher the pressure inside the milling chamber 54 and the higher the degree of rice milling. Conversely, if the pressing force is set to zero and the outlet of the milling chamber 54 is completely opened, the paddy rice will not be milled at all. The bran removing fan 55 is connected to the milling chamber 54. Further, the bran removing fan 55 is connected to a cyclone 60 described later. When the bran removing fan 55 rotates, the bran scraped off from the paddy rice is sucked from the milling chamber 54 and conveyed to the cyclone 60. Also, when the bran removing fan 55 rotates, rice dust is sucked from the rice dust discharge port 39 of the rice dust removing device 30 connected to the milling chamber 54.

[0020] The cyclone 60 separates the bran conveyed from the bran removing fan 55 from the air. The bran is stored in the bran chamber 203.

[0021] The white rice tank 70 has a funnel shape that tapers downward. The inlet at the upper part of the white rice tank 70 faces the machine room 202, and the rice discharged from the outlet of the milling chamber 54 of the rice milling device 50 is input. A discharge port 71 is provided at the lower part of the white rice tank 70. The discharge port 71 faces the passenger compartment 201 and is opened by stepping on a pedal 72 provided below the discharge port 71. By opening the discharge port 71, the rice in the white rice tank 70 is discharged.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the operation control panel 80 is box-shaped and houses a control unit 82 for controlling this coin rice polisher 100 and a coin selector 90 for sorting, receiving, returning, and counting the received coins. One outer surface is in the form of a lid and is openable and closable, and this surface serves as the operation unit 81 and faces the passenger compartment 201. A part of the coin selector 90 also faces the passenger compartment 201 in a manner embedded in the operation unit 81.

[0023] The operation unit 81 has a rice polishing type selection button 83, a touch panel display 84, and a speaker (sound emitting device) 85. Also, as part of the coin selector 90, it has a coin insertion slot 91, a cancel lever 92, and a coin return slot 93. The selection button 83 is for the user to select the desired rice polishing type and consists of a plurality of buttons. Each button has a built-in lamp. The rice polishing type will be described later. The touch panel display 84 is for displaying various information and allowing the user to make various inputs according to the situation. Also, the installer of the coin rice polisher 100 can perform various setting operations through the touch panel display 84. The speaker 85 is for notifying various information by voice, warning sounds, etc. The coin insertion slot 91 is for the user to insert coins. The cancel lever 92 is for eliminating jams when the inserted coins get stuck. The coin return slot 93 is for returning coins of types not eligible for acceptance, damaged coins, etc. when they are inserted.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4, in addition to the above-mentioned coin insertion slot 91, cancel lever 92, and coin return slot 93, the coin selector 90 has a cradle 94, a magnet 95, a reflector 96, a return passage 97a, a receiving passage 97b, a blocker 98, and a counter 99 disposed inside the operation control panel 80. Further, a coin box 901 for storing the received coins is provided below the coin selector 90. In FIG. 4, the path of the coin (genuine coin) to be received is indicated by a broken line, and the path of the coin (counterfeit coin) not to be received is indicated by a dashed-dotted line. The cradle 94 is in the shape of a pendulum and discriminates the weight and outer shape of the inserted coin. The magnet 95 discriminates the material of the inserted coin. The reflector 96 bounces back the coin that has passed through the magnet 95. The return passage 97a is a coin passage that leads to the coin return slot 93. The receiving passage 97b is a coin passage that leads to the coin box 901. In the cradle 94, the genuine coin proceeds to the magnet 95, and the counterfeit coin drops and proceeds to the return passage 97a. In the magnet 95, the genuine coin passes through, and the counterfeit coin is braked by the magnetic force. In the reflector 96, since the genuine coin passes through the magnet 95 and collides at high speed, it strongly bounces back and proceeds to the receiving passage 97b. The counterfeit coin is braked by the magnet 95 and collides at low speed, so it weakly bounces back and proceeds to the return passage 97a. Thus, the coin determined not to be a receiving target by the cradle 94 or the magnet 95 proceeds to the return passage 97a and is sent to the coin return slot 93. The coin determined to be a receiving target by both the cradle 94 and the magnet 95 proceeds to the receiving passage 97b and is sent to the coin box 901. The blocker 98 can be switched between a blocking state in which it closes the receiving passage 97b and always guides the coin to the return passage 97a, and a non-blocking state in which it is not involved in the coin's path. The blocker 98 becomes the blocking state when not energized and becomes the non-blocking state when energized. The counter 99 is provided in the receiving passage 97b, counts the coins passing through the receiving passage 97b, and transmits the information to the control unit 82. The coin to be received can be set. For example, when only 100-yen coins are to be received, the other coins proceed from the cradle 94 to the return passage 97a. Damaged coins also proceed from the cradle 94 to the return passage 97a.By setting the blocker 98 to the blocked state, for example, when it is outside business hours or during a malfunction, all the inserted coins can be returned. It is not possible to return the coins stored in the coin receptacle 901.

[0025] The control unit 82 consists of hardware (computer) such as a PLC in which a control program for controlling each device is executed, and includes a CPU that sequentially executes the instructions of the program, and a storage device for storing the program, data necessary for the execution of the program, and processing results, etc. It can be said that the control program causes the hardware to function as the control unit 82. Then, various steps are executed by the control program, and the control unit 82 functions as various means to operate each device in various ways. In other words, the control unit 82 has various means, and each device is operated in various ways by these various means. That is, the control unit 82 functions as various means to operate each device of the coin rice mill 100 of the present invention to mill paddy rice.

[0026] Next, the operation during rice milling by the coin-operated rice mill 100 configured as described above will be explained. When the user inserts a coin into the coin insertion slot 91 of the operation unit 81, the opening / closing door 15 of the inlet 14 opens, enabling the insertion of paddy rice. When the paddy rice is inserted, it accumulates in the hopper body 11 of the inlet hopper 10, and the hopper detection unit 13 detects the paddy rice. Then, when the hopper detection unit 13 detects the paddy rice and any one of the selection buttons 83 of the operation unit 81 is pressed, the control unit 82 drives the delivery device 16, the first elevator 20, the stone removal device 30, and the second elevator 40. The paddy rice in the hopper body 11 is delivered by the delivery device 16, rises by the first elevator 20, and the stones are removed by the stone removal device 30. Further, the paddy rice rises by the second elevator 40 and accumulates in the rice milling tank 51 of the rice milling device 50. When the lower detection unit 52 of the rice milling tank 51 detects the paddy rice, the control unit 82 drives the milling roller in the milling chamber 54 and the bran removal fan 55. Then, rice milling corresponding to the type of rice milling selected by the selection button 83 is performed. Also, when the rice milling tank 51 is filled with paddy rice and the upper detection unit 53 detects the paddy rice, the control unit 82 stops the delivery device 16 to stop the supply of paddy rice. Then, when the upper detection unit 53 no longer detects the paddy rice, the control unit 82 drives the delivery device 16 again to resume the supply of paddy rice. The rice milled by the rice milling device 50 is put into the white rice tank 70, and the bran is sent by the bran removal fan 55 to the cyclone 60 in the bran chamber 203 and accumulates in the bran chamber 203. When the lower detection unit 52 of the rice milling tank 51 no longer detects the paddy rice, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 82 stops all the devices, and the rice milling is completed. Then, the user places a rice bag below the discharge port 71 and steps on the pedal 72. Then, the discharge port 71 is opened, and the rice in the white rice tank 70 is discharged and put into the rice bag.

[0027] This rice milling device 50 can perform multiple types of rice milling processes, namely normal rice milling and special rice milling. Among the normal rice milling processes, there are multiple types of rice milling processes with different degrees of rice milling (whiteness). For example, there are rice milling processes such as 1-minute rice, 3-minute rice, 5-minute rice, 7-minute rice, white rice, and superior white rice. The later the process, the higher the whiteness (that is, the more bran is removed from the brown rice). On the other hand, for special rice milling, there is, for example, pre-washed rice. The pre-washed rice process performs further rice milling than the superior white rice process of normal rice milling and completely removes the bran. Also, for special rice milling, there are, for example, special white rice and special superior white rice. These have the same whiteness as the white rice and superior white rice of normal rice milling, but by taking more time for the rice milling process than normal rice milling, the temperature rise of the rice is suppressed and the quality is further improved. The selection buttons 83 of the operation unit 81 include buttons corresponding to each whiteness of normal rice milling and buttons corresponding to various types of special rice milling.

[0028] The rice obtained by these special rice milling processes has a higher added value than the rice obtained by normal rice milling. Also, special rice milling takes more time for the rice milling process than normal rice milling. Therefore, in this coin-operated rice milling machine 100, for special rice milling, a different fee setting from normal rice milling can be made. The rice milling fee consists of a basic fee and an additional fee according to the amount of brown rice to be milled for each type of rice milling process. Here, the additional fee is the fee added for every 10 kg of brown rice. The setting is performed by the touch panel display 84 of the operation unit 81. Hereinafter, the control by the control unit 82 regarding this fee setting will be described.

[0029] By performing a predetermined operation input from the touch panel display 84, the control program executes a fee reception step, and the control unit 82 functions as a fee reception means. The fee reception means displays, on the touch panel display 84, a screen for setting the respective fees for normal polishing and special polishing. For example, FIG. 5(a) shows a screen for setting the basic fee for normal polishing, and a basic fee selection button 844 for selecting the basic fee is displayed. The basic fee may be none (0 yen). Also, FIG. 5(b) shows a screen for setting the additional fee for normal polishing, and a unit polished rice amount selection button 845 for selecting the unit polished rice amount is displayed. Here, the unit polished rice amount is the amount of paddy rice that can be polished at a unit fee (here, 100 yen). For example, if the unit polished rice amount is set to 10 kg, the additional fee is 100 yen. If the unit polished rice amount is set to 5 kg, the additional fee is 200 yen. Note that, instead of selecting from the options, arbitrary numerical values may be input for the basic fee and the unit polished rice amount. Also, for the additional fee, instead of the unit polished rice amount, the fee for a unit amount of paddy rice may be set. Similar screens are also displayed for special polishing. Thus, the fee reception means accepts setting inputs from the touch panel display 84 of the operation unit 81 for the polishing fee consisting of the basic fee and the additional fee according to the amount of paddy rice to be polished, for each type of polishing process.

[0030] Here, a specific example of fee setting is shown based on Table 1 below. Here, it is assumed that normal polishing and three types of special polishing (A, B, C) are performed. For normal polishing, the basic fee is none (0 yen) and the additional fee is 100 yen / 10 kg (unit polished rice amount 10 kg / 100 yen). For special polishing A, the basic fee is 100 yen and the additional fee is 100 yen / 10 kg. For special polishing B, the basic fee is 200 yen and the additional fee is 100 yen / 10 kg. For special polishing C, the basic fee is 200 yen and the additional fee is 200 yen / 10 kg (unit polished rice amount 5 kg / 100 yen). When the respective polishing fees are set in this way, the fees when polishing 10 kg or 30 kg of paddy rice are as shown in the table.

Table 1

[0031] When the milling fees for normal milling rice and special milling rice are set, the control program executes the acceptance upper limit amount setting step, and the control unit 82 functions as the acceptance upper limit amount setting means. The acceptance upper limit amount setting means sets, as the acceptance upper limit amount, an amount obtained by adding a predetermined margin amount to the amount when a predetermined amount of paddy rice is milled at the milling fee with the highest amount among the milling fees for each type of rice milling process. In the example of Table 1, the milling fee with the highest amount is for special milling rice C. Here, the above-mentioned predetermined amount of paddy rice is set to 30 kg, and the margin amount is set to 200 yen. That is, the acceptance upper limit amount setting means sets 1000 yen, which is obtained by adding the margin amount of 200 yen to the amount of 800 yen when 30 kg of paddy rice is milled at the milling fee for special milling rice C with the highest amount, as the acceptance upper limit amount. Note that this margin amount is set by the margin amount acceptance means described later.

[0032] When the milling fees for normal milling rice and special milling rice are set, the control program executes the minimum fee setting step, and the control unit 82 functions as the minimum fee setting means. The minimum fee setting means sets the minimum fee that can start each rice milling process as the minimum fee. Here, the fee for milling 10 kg of paddy rice is set as the minimum fee. In the example of Table 1, the minimum fee for normal milling rice is 100 yen, the minimum fee for special milling rice A is 200 yen, the minimum fee for special milling rice B is 300 yen, and the minimum fee for special milling rice C is 400 yen.

[0033] After the polished rice price is set as described above, when the user inserts coins of a predetermined amount into the coin insertion slot 91, the control program executes the button lighting step, and the control unit 82 functions as button lighting means. When the minimum price of the polished rice price of each polished rice means is inserted, the button lighting means lights the selection button 83 corresponding to that polished rice means. In the example of Table 1, when 100 yen is inserted, each selection button 83 for normal polished rice lights up. When 200 yen is inserted, the selection button 83 for special polished rice A lights up further. When 300 yen is inserted, the selection button 83 for special polished rice B lights up further. When 400 yen is inserted, the selection button 83 for special polished rice C lights up further. The button lighting means may blink the selection button 83.

[0034] After the polished rice price is set as described above, when the user inserts coins of the acceptance upper limit amount into the coin insertion slot 91, the control program executes the over-time return step, and the control unit 82 functions as over-time return means. The over-time return means sets the blocker 98 of the coin selector 90 to the blocked state. Then, even if the user inserts more coins into the coin insertion slot 91, the coins are returned to the coin return slot 93. That is, the over-time return means returns the coins when coins of an amount exceeding the acceptance upper limit amount are inserted into the coin selector 90. In the example of Table 1, since the acceptance upper limit amount is 1000 yen, coins can be inserted up to 1000 yen, but coins exceeding that amount are returned.

[0035] Also, by performing a predetermined operation input from the touch panel display 84, a control program executes a surplus amount reception step, and the control unit 82 functions as a surplus amount reception means. The surplus amount reception means displays a screen for setting a surplus amount on the touch panel display 84. In the example shown in FIG. 5(c), surplus amount selection buttons 846 indicating a plurality of types of surplus amounts are displayed, and the installer selects and presses any one of the surplus amount selection buttons 846. Then, the surplus amount reception means receives the input and sets the surplus amount. The surplus amount may be none (0 yen). Also, the amount may be input numerically. In this way, the surplus amount reception means receives a setting input from the operation unit 81 regarding the surplus amount. Then, based on the surplus amount set by the surplus amount reception means, the acceptance upper limit amount setting means sets the acceptance upper limit amount.

[0036] According to the coin rice polisher 100 of the present invention configured as described above, since the acceptance upper limit amount is set, it is possible to suppress an increase in the amount of coins inserted in excess. Although it is not possible to return the coins inserted in excess, by suppressing the amount, it is possible to prevent the dissatisfaction of the user from increasing. Also, since the acceptance upper limit amount is set according to the plurality of types of rice polishing fees set, the acceptance upper limit amount can be set to an appropriate amount that does not deviate from the amount used for rice polishing. Further, since it has a surplus amount reception means for receiving a setting input of the surplus amount, the acceptance upper limit amount can be set according to the intention of the installer of the coin rice polisher 100. Also, when the minimum fee of the rice polishing fee of each rice polishing means is inserted, the selection button corresponding to that rice polishing means lights up, which is easy for the user to understand and has high convenience.

[0037] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and within the scope of the gist of the invention, the shape and structure of each part can be appropriately changed. For example, the overall configuration of the coin rice mill is shown as an example, and it may be a configuration in which some devices are changed or omitted, or other devices are added. The structure of the coin selector is shown as an example, and the operations by the control unit are shown as an example. It may be a configuration in which some steps or means are changed or omitted, the order of the steps or means is switched, or other steps or means are added. For example, it may not have the spare amount receiving means, and the spare amount may be predetermined.

Explanation of Signs

[0038] 81 Operation unit 82 Control unit 90 Coin selector 100 Coin rice mill

Claims

1. A coin rice mill comprising a coin selector for sorting, receiving, and returning coins, an operation unit, and a control unit, capable of performing multiple types of polished rice processing, wherein the control unit, for each type of polished rice processing, has a fee receiving means for receiving a setting input from the operation unit regarding a polishing fee consisting of a basic fee and an additional fee according to the amount of paddy rice to be polished, a reception upper limit amount setting means for setting, as a reception upper limit amount, an amount obtained by adding a predetermined margin amount to the amount when a predetermined amount of paddy rice is polished with the polishing fee having the highest amount among the polishing fees for each type of polished rice processing, and an over-time return means for returning a coin when a coin with an amount exceeding the reception upper limit amount is inserted into the coin selector characterizing the coin rice mill.

2. The control unit, has a margin amount receiving means for receiving a setting input from the operation unit regarding the margin amount characterizing the coin rice mill according to Claim 1.

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