Supply device, and food and beverage supply system and method equipped therewith

Abstract

This technology provides a way to automatically and hygienically supply containers for various food and beverage items with high space efficiency. [Solution] The supply device of the present disclosure is a device that supplies storage cups 2 for holding predetermined food and beverages in response to a user's request. The supply device 1 comprises a cup holding section 4 on which a plurality of storage cups 20 stacked so as to be in close contact in the vertical direction are placed; a first motor 61 that operates the cup holding section 4 so as to separate the cup holding section 4 from the storage cups 2; a claw section 51 configured to grip the storage cups 2 placed on the cup holding section 4; a second motor 62 that operates the claw section 51; a supply operating section that supplies the storage cups 2 by separating the storage cup located in the lowest layer of the stacked plurality of storage cups 20 from the plurality of storage cups 20; a third motor 63 that operates the supply operating section; and a control unit 70 that controls the motors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a supply device that supplies a storage material for storing a predetermined food or drink in response to a request from a user, a food and drink providing system including the supply device, and a food and drink providing method using the supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, cup-type vending machines that supply and sell beverages such as coffee and tea into cups are known. In such cup-type vending machines, a large number of cups are stored inside. Also, in stores such as restaurants, a beverage supply device in which cups are manually set by customers or store clerks may be used.

[0003] On the other hand, there is also known a vending machine of a bulk selling method in which products obtained by individually packaging various kinds of confectionery items in small quantities by item are stored in the machine, and customers can freely select and purchase a plurality of items from these products at the time of sale.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vending machine that can continuously send out a plurality of items of products paid out in order from a product storage rack according to a customer's selection without stagnation and collect them in a cup container.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Conventional cup-type vending machines that dispense and sell beverages such as coffee and tea in cups contain a large number of cups, and since these beverage cups are relatively small, it is easy to secure storage space for them. On the other hand, when attempting to accommodate containers for various food and beverages in a vending machine, such containers tend to be relatively large, and securing storage space for them can become a problem.

[0007] Here, according to the technology described in Patent Document 1, a cup supply mechanism is provided that supplies cup containers for product collection from above, making it possible to discharge one cup container at a time from the cup supply mechanism to the bending stage. However, if the cup containers are to be stored inside the machine in a way that makes it easy to supply them one by one, securing storage space can still be a problem. On the other hand, by stacking and arranging containers for food and beverages in a tightly packed manner, the storage space can be made as small as possible, but in this case, it has been found that there is a problem in accurately supplying the containers one by one. On the other hand, if the user takes out one container by hand from among multiple containers stacked in a tightly packed manner, it seems that the space required for installing the containers can be kept small while supplying the containers, but in this case, the hygiene of the containers for food and beverages can be a problem.

[0008] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a technology that can automatically and hygienically supply containers for various food and beverages with high space efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The supply device of this disclosure is a device that supplies a container for storing a predetermined food or beverage in response to a user's request. The supply device comprises a container holding section on which a plurality of the containers stacked so as to be in close contact in the vertical direction are placed; a first drive unit that operates the container holding section so as to separate the container holding section from the containers; a container clamping section configured to be able to clamp the containers placed on the container holding section; a second drive unit that operates the container clamping section; a supply operation unit that supplies the containers by separating the container located in the lowest layer of the stacked plurality of containers from the plurality of containers; a third drive unit that operates the supply operation unit; and a control unit that controls the first drive unit, the second drive unit, and the third drive unit. Then, in response to a request from the user, the control unit operates the second drive unit to cause the storage material placed on the storage material holding unit to be clamped by the storage material clamping unit, and while the storage material is being clamped by the storage material clamping unit, it operates the first drive unit to separate the storage material holding unit from the storage material, and operates the third drive unit to operate the supply operation unit.

[0010] In the above-described supply device, the containers are arranged as multiple containers stacked tightly together in the vertical direction. Therefore, a large number of containers can be supplied with high space efficiency. Furthermore, since the containers for various food and beverages are supplied automatically without the user touching them, the containers can be supplied hygienically.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above-described supply device, the container gripping portion has a claw portion that contacts the container, and the container may be gripped by the operation of the second drive unit, which inserts the claw portion into the boundary between the container located in the lowest layer of the stacked containers and the container located directly above it. In this case, the claw portion may further function as the supply operating portion by being rotated vertically by the operation of the third drive unit while it is inserted horizontally into the boundary. According to this, when containers for storing various food and beverages are stacked in close contact in the vertical direction to allow for high space efficiency, there is a challenge in accurately supplying the containers one by one, but even if the containers are in close contact with each other, the claw portion makes it possible to accurately supply one container at a time. Furthermore, the claw portion not only functions as a container gripping portion that grips the container placed on the container holding portion, but also functions as a supply operating portion that supplies the containers, making it possible to supply the containers from the supply device more smoothly. More specifically, when the claw portion is inserted horizontally into the boundary, it is rotated vertically by the operation of the third drive unit, allowing the claw portion to hold the stacked storage materials and subsequently drop the storage material located at the bottom layer downwards, thereby enabling smooth supply of storage materials from the supply device.

[0012] Furthermore, this disclosure provides a food and beverage supply system equipped with a supply device, comprising a vending machine that accepts the user's selection of food and beverages and dispenses the selected food and beverages. The control unit of the supply device detects the user's selection of food and beverages received by the vending machine as a request from the user and operates the first drive unit, the second drive unit, and the third drive unit. As a result, when a user selects food and beverages at the vending machine, not only are the food and beverages dispensed from the vending machine, but a container for holding the food and beverages is also supplied from the supply device that detected the selection. This allows the user to store the food and beverages dispensed from the vending machine in the dedicated container and easily and hygienically prepare them on the spot, for example, by pouring hot water over dried noodles or heating frozen food in a microwave oven.

[0013] Furthermore, this disclosure provides a food and beverage supply system equipped with a supply device, comprising: an interface device that accepts the user's selection of food and beverages; and an automatic dispensing machine that dispenses the food and beverages selected by the user. The interface device transmits information regarding the user's selection of food and beverages to the automatic dispensing machine, the automatic dispensing machine dispenses the food and beverages based on the information transmitted from the interface device, and the control unit of the supply device detects the user's selection of food and beverages accepted by the interface device as a request from the user and operates the first drive unit, the second drive unit, and the third drive unit. In this case, the interface device may further include a guidance device for guiding the user to the automatic dispensing machine and the supply device, wherein the interface device assigns a different identification to each user who has selected the food or beverage, and the guidance device guides the user to the automatic dispensing machine that dispenses the food or beverage selected by the user to whom the identification has been assigned, and to the supply device that supplies the container capable of holding the food or beverage dispensed by the automatic dispensing machine.

[0014] Furthermore, this disclosure relates to a method for providing food and beverages using a supply device, comprising: a reception step of receiving the user's selection of the food and beverages; a dispensing step of dispensing the food and beverages selected by the user; and a supply step of detecting the user's selection of the food and beverages as a request from the user and supplying a container capable of holding the food and beverages. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to this disclosure, containers for storing various food and beverages can be supplied automatically, hygienically, and with high space efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This figure shows the schematic configuration of the supply device in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the operation of supplying storage cups using the supply device according to the first embodiment, from receiving a request from a user to dispensing the storage cups. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the standby operation between dispensing one storage cup and dispensing the next, in a supply mode of storage cups using the supply device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the processing flow of a food and beverage serving method in a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows the schematic configuration of the food and beverage serving system in the second embodiment. [Figure 6] This is the first figure showing the schematic configuration of a food and beverage serving system in a modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is the second figure, showing a schematic configuration of a food and beverage serving system in a modified example of the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments.

[0018] <First Embodiment> Regarding the overview of the supply device in the first embodiment, it will be described while referring to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the supply device in this embodiment. The supply device 1 according to this embodiment is a device that supplies a storage cup 2 for storing a predetermined food or drink in response to a request from a user. Here, the above-mentioned food or drink is, for example, instant noodles that can be easily cooked by simply pouring hot water, or frozen foods that can be easily cooked by simply heating in a microwave oven.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the storage cup 2 supplied by the supply device 1 and each component of the supply device 1 are included in the housing 3. Here, the housing 3 forms a closed space by being surrounded by panels on six sides, and by including the storage cup 2 in the closed space, the storage cup 2 can be hygienically stored. In FIG. 1, for the sake of explanation, the illustration of the front panel of the housing 3 is omitted.

[0020] And the supply device 1 includes a cup holding part 4. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the storage cup 2 included in the closed space formed by the housing 3 is stored as a plurality of storage cups 20 stacked so as to be in close contact in the vertical direction. Then, by placing a plurality of storage cups 20 on the cup holding part 4, the cup holding part 4 holds the plurality of storage cups 20. Note that such a cup holding part 4 functions as a storage material holding part of the present disclosure.

[0021] Here, for example, when trying to store a storage cup for storing food or drink such as instant noodles or frozen foods in the aircraft, since such a storage cup tends to be relatively large in size, ensuring its storage space can be a problem.

[0022] Therefore, in this embodiment, the storage cups 2 are stored as a plurality of storage cups 20 stacked so as to be in close contact in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to hygienically store the storage cups 2 for various food and beverages in the enclosed space within the housing 3 with high space efficiency.

[0023] The cup holder 4 on which multiple storage cups 20 are placed is made of a flat plate, and one end is fixed so as to be rotatable, allowing it to open and close in a gate-like manner in the vertical direction.

[0024] More specifically, one end of the cup holder 4 is connected to the first motor 61, thereby fixing the cup holder 4 in a rotatable manner. Here, the first motor 61 is a drive unit that operates the cup holder 4, and the operation of the first motor 61 causes the flat plate constituting the cup holder 4 to open and close in a gate-like manner so that it separates downward from the cup 2. The supply device 1 also includes a control unit 70 that controls the operation of the first motor 61, as will be described later.

[0025] Furthermore, the supply device 1 includes a claw portion 51 configured to grip the storage cup 2 placed on the cup holding portion 4. This claw portion 51 is held by a bracket 52. When the storage cup 2 placed on the cup holding portion 4 is gripped using these claw portions 51 and bracket 52, the claw portion 51 and bracket 52 function as the storage material gripping portion of this disclosure.

[0026] The claw portion 51 and the bracket 52 are cantilevered by the second motor 62 and fixed so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. Here, the second motor 62 is a drive unit that operates the claw portion 51 and the bracket 52, and its operation is controlled by the control unit 70, as will be described later.

[0027] Furthermore, the supply device 1 includes a supply operating unit that supplies the storage cup 2 by separating the storage cup 2 located in the lowest layer of the stacked storage cups 20 from the other storage cups 20. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the claw portion 51 also functions as a supply operating unit. When the claw portion 51 functions as a supply operating unit in this way, it is operated by the third motor 63.

[0028] The supply device 1 includes a control unit 70 that controls the first motor 61, the second motor 62, and the third motor 63 described above.

[0029] Here, the control unit 70 is implemented by, for example, a microcontroller, which in this case may consist of a processor such as a CPU and a storage device such as RAM or ROM.

[0030] Furthermore, the control unit 70 may include a communication interface. In this case, the communication interface for connecting to a network may consist of, for example, a network interface board or a communication circuit for communication.

[0031] Next, the method of supplying the storage cup 2 using the supply device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0032] Figure 2 shows the operation of supplying a storage cup 2 using the supply device 1 according to this embodiment, from receiving a request from the user to dispensing the storage cup 2. Note that the housing 3 is omitted from Figure 2 for illustrative purposes.

[0033] Figure 2(a) shows how the claw portion 51 and bracket 52, which are cantilevered by the second motor 62, rotate horizontally due to the operation of the second motor 62. As shown in Figure 2(a), for example, the claw portion 51 and bracket 52 rotate around the second motor 62 as the axis of rotation, as indicated by the arrows shown.

[0034] Here, the control unit 70 operates the second motor 62 as described above in response to a request from a user using the supply device 1. At this time, the control unit 70 detects, for example, the user's selection of food or beverages received by the vending machine that dispenses food or beverages as a request from the user, and operates the second motor 62. In this case, the control unit 70 may acquire the information entered into the vending machine as the user's selection of food or beverages via a communication interface and detect it as a request from the user, or it may acquire the operation of the vending machine that has been operated to dispense food or beverages via a signal from a sensor or switch, etc., and detect it as a request from the user.

[0035] Furthermore, the second motor 62 that rotates the claw portion 51 and bracket 52 in this manner is, for example, a gear motor or a stepping motor, and rotates the claw portion 51 and bracket 52 within a predetermined range of angles according to a command from the control unit 70 in response to a request from the user.

[0036] Then, when the second motor 62 rotates the claw portion 51 and the bracket 52, as shown in Figure 2(b), the claw portion 51 is inserted into the boundary between the bottommost storage cup 2 and the storage cup 2 directly above it among the stacked storage cups 20. This creates a state in which the storage cup 2 is held between the claw portion 51.

[0037] Furthermore, the positional relationship between the cup holding portion 4 and the multiple storage cups 20 placed on the cup holding portion 4 is pre-adjusted so that when the claw portion 51 and bracket 52 rotate horizontally, the claw portion 51 is inserted into the boundary between the storage cup 2 located in the lowest layer of the stacked multiple storage cups 20 and the storage cup 2 located directly above it.

[0038] Then, with the claw portion 51 inserted horizontally into the boundary mentioned above, and the storage cup 2 being held in place, the cup holding portion 4 is operated with the first motor 61 as the axis of rotation, as shown by the arrow in Figure 2(b). In other words, the control unit 70 detects that the second motor 62 has rotated by a predetermined angle, and then operates the first motor 61 while the storage cup 2 is being held in place by the claw portion 51.

[0039] As a result, as shown in Figure 2(c), the cup holder 4 is opened vertically in a gate-like manner while the cup holder 2 remains held by the claw portion 51. In other words, after detecting that the second motor 62 has rotated by a predetermined angle, the control unit 70 operates the first motor 61 so that the cup holder 4 separates from the cup holder 2 while the cup holder 2 remains held by the claw portion 51. Here, the first motor 61 is, for example, a gear motor or a stepping motor, and operates within a predetermined range of angles so that the cup holder 4 is opened vertically in a gate-like manner.

[0040] In this state, the claw portion 51 is operated with the third motor 63 as the axis of rotation, as shown by the arrow in Figure 2(c). In other words, the control unit 70 operates the third motor 63. The control unit 70 operates the third motor 63 after detecting that the first motor 61 has rotated by a predetermined angle. The third motor 63 is, for example, a gear motor or a stepping motor, and operates within a predetermined range of angles so that the vertical rotation of the claw portion 51 can sufficiently apply vertical force to the boundary.

[0041] More specifically, when the claw portion 51 is inserted horizontally into the boundary, it is rotated vertically by the operation of the third motor 63. This vertical rotation of the claw portion 51 acts an upward force on the boundary, causing a downward force to act on the bottommost storage cup 2 of the stacked storage cups 20, and an upward force to act on the storage cup 2 directly above it. As a result, as shown in Figure 2(d), the stacked storage cups 20 are lifted upward while being held by the claw portion 51. The bottommost storage cup 2 then falls downward, separating from the stacked storage cups 20, as shown by the arrow in Figure 2(d). This allows the storage cups 2 to be supplied from the supply device 1.

[0042] According to this, when multiple storage cups 20, stacked tightly in the vertical direction, are placed in a closed space within the housing 3 to accommodate various food and beverages in a highly space-efficient manner, a challenge arises in accurately dispensing each storage cup 2 one by one. However, even when the storage cups 2 are tightly packed together in this way, the claw portion 51 makes it possible to accurately dispense one storage cup 2 at a time. Furthermore, since one storage cup 2 is dispensed automatically without the user touching it, the storage cups 2 can be dispensed hygienically.

[0043] As described above, the claw portion 51 not only functions as a material-holding portion that grips the storage cup 2 placed on top of the cup-holding portion 4, but also functions as a supply operating portion that supplies the storage cup 2, thereby enabling smoother supply of the storage cup 2 from the supply device 1. Specifically, when the claw portion 51 is inserted horizontally into the boundary, it is rotated vertically by the operation of the third motor 63, so that the claw portion 51 can continue to grip the stacked storage cups 20 and drop the storage cup 2 located at the bottom layer downwards, thereby enabling smooth supply of the storage cup 2 from the supply device 1.

[0044] Next, we will explain the operations performed by the supply device 1 after it has supplied the storage cups 2 as described above. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the standby operations from the time the storage cups 2 are dispensed until the next one is dispensed, in the supply mode of the storage cups 2 using the supply device 1 according to this embodiment. Note that in Figure 3, the housing 3 is omitted from the illustration for explanatory purposes.

[0045] Figure 3(a) shows a state in which the storage cup 2 is held by the claw portion 51 after the bottommost storage cup 2 of the stacked storage cups 20 has been dispensed by the rotation of the claw portion 51, and the control unit 70 operates the third motor 63 in the opposite direction (to the state shown in Figure 2 above) to rotate the claw portion 51 back to its original position. As shown in Figure 3(a), the stacked storage cups 20 are held by the claw portion 51 while being lifted upwards.

[0046] Here, the control unit 70 detects that the third motor 63 has rotated by a predetermined angle during the dispensing operation of the storage cup 2, and after a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed, it operates the third motor 63 in the opposite direction (to the dispensing operation shown in Figure 2 above).

[0047] In this embodiment, the supply device 1 may have a contact sensor or a weight sensor placed on the lower surface of the housing 3, which is the part that receives the storage cups 2 that have fallen downwards, separated from the stacked storage cups 20, to detect contact with the storage cups 2. This allows the supply of storage cups 2 from the supply device 1 to be detected by signals from these sensors.

[0048] Furthermore, in this case, if the supply of the storage cup 2 from the supply device 1 is not detected, the control unit 70 may, after a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed, operate the third motor 63 in the reverse direction (from the dispensing operation shown in Figure 2 above), and then operate the third motor 63 again so that the dispensing operation shown in Figure 2 above is performed again. If, despite repeating such operations, the supply of the storage cup 2 from the supply device 1 is not detected, the supply device 1 may output an alert indicating a supply failure in the supply device 1.

[0049] Then, as shown in Figure 3(a), with the claw portion 51 returned to its original position by the third motor 63, the cup holding portion 4 is operated with the first motor 61 as the axis of rotation, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3(a). In other words, the control unit 70 operates the first motor 61 after detecting that the third motor 63 has rotated in the opposite direction (to the dispensing operation shown in Figure 2 above). The control unit 70 operates the first motor 61 in the opposite direction (to the configuration shown in Figure 2 above).

[0050] As a result, the cup holder 4 is closed, as shown in Figure 3(b).

[0051] In this state, the claw portion 51 and bracket 52 are rotated around the second motor 62 as shown by the arrow in Figure 3(b). In other words, the control unit 70 operates the second motor 62 after detecting that the first motor 61 has rotated by a predetermined angle. At this time, the control unit 70 operates the second motor 62 in the opposite direction (to the configuration shown in Figure 2 above).

[0052] As a result, the claw portion 51 and the bracket 52 rotate so as to move away from the storage cup 2, and the state in which the storage cup 2 is gripped by the claw portion 51 is released. Consequently, the multiple storage cups 20 that were being gripped by the claw portion 51 fall downward.

[0053] Then, when the multiple storage cups 20 that have fallen downward are caught by the cup holding part 4, as shown in Figure 3(c), the multiple storage cups 20 are placed on top of the cup holding part 4, that is, a standby state is formed for dispensing the next storage cup 2. At this time, since the multiple storage cups 20 are placed on top of the cup holding part 4, the vertical position of the claw part 51 is arranged so that it can be inserted into the boundary between the storage cup 2 located in the lowest layer of the stacked multiple storage cups 20 and the storage cup 2 located directly above it.

[0054] In the above embodiment, a storage cup 2 for storing food and beverages such as dried noodles and frozen foods was used as an example, but the storage material supplied by the supply device of this disclosure may be, for example, a cone-shaped pastry (ice cream cone), waffle cone, or cake cone for storing ice cream.

[0055] According to the supply device described above, containers for holding various food and beverages can be supplied automatically, hygienically, and with high space efficiency.

[0056] <Modified form of the first embodiment> A modified version of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. This modified version is a method of providing food and beverages using the supply device 1 described in the above description of the first embodiment.

[0057] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the food and beverage serving method in this modified example.

[0058] In this flow, the reception step is first executed in S101. In the process of S101, for example, a vending machine that dispenses food and beverages receives the user's selection of food and beverages.

[0059] Next, in S102, the dispensing step is executed. In the process of S102, for example, if the vending machine has received a selection of food or beverage from the user in the process of S101, the vending machine dispenses the food or beverage selected by the user.

[0060] Next, in S103, the supply step is executed. In the process of S103, for example, if the vending machine has received a selection of food or beverage from the user in the process of S101, the selection of food or beverage from the user is detected as a request from the user, and the control unit 70 of the supply device 1 operates the first motor 61, the second motor 62, and the third motor 63 as described in the first embodiment above. As a result, the storage cup 2 is supplied from the supply device 1. In this case, the control unit 70 may acquire the information input to the vending machine as a selection of food or beverage from the user via a communication interface and detect it as a request from the user, or it may acquire the operation of the vending machine that has been operated to dispense food or beverage from a signal from a sensor or switch, etc. and detect it as a request from the user.

[0061] <Second Embodiment> A second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5. This embodiment is a food and beverage serving system equipped with the supply device 1 described in the first embodiment above.

[0062] Figure 5 shows a schematic configuration of the food and beverage dispensing system in this embodiment. The food and beverage dispensing system according to this embodiment includes a vending machine 10 that accepts the user's selection of food and beverages and dispenses the selected food and beverages. The food and beverages dispensed by the vending machine 10 are, for example, dried noodles that can be easily prepared by simply adding hot water, or frozen foods that can be easily prepared by simply heating them in a microwave oven.

[0063] As shown in Figure 5, the vending machine 10 is configured to include a food and beverage selection button 11 and a food and beverage dispensing outlet 12. The vending machine 10 also includes a well-known money processing unit (not shown) that accepts money from the user.

[0064] In such a food and beverage dispensing system, when a user presses a food or beverage selection button 11 on the vending machine 10, and the user's selection of food or beverage is input, the control unit 70 of the supply device 1 detects the user's selection of food or beverage as a request from the user. At this time, the control unit 70 may also acquire the information input to the vending machine 10 as the user's selection of food or beverage via a communication interface and detect it as a request from the user.

[0065] Then, the vending machine 10 dispenses the food or beverage selected by the user from the food or beverage dispensing opening 12. At this time, the control unit 70 of the supply device 1 may acquire the operation of the vending machine 10 that has been operated to dispense the food or beverage using signals from sensors or switches, etc., and detect this as the above-mentioned request from the user.

[0066] On the other hand, in the supply device 1, when the control unit 70 detects the user's selection of food or drink as a request from the user, the control unit 70 operates the first motor 61, the second motor 62, and the third motor 63 as described in the first embodiment above. As a result, the container cup 2 is supplied from the supply device 1.

[0067] In this way, when a user selects food or drink from the vending machine 10, not only is the food or drink dispensed from the vending machine 10, but a storage cup 2 for holding the food or drink is also supplied from the supply device 1, which detects the selection. This allows the user to place the food or drink dispensed from the vending machine 10 into the dedicated storage cup 2 and easily and hygienically prepare the food or drink on the spot, for example, by pouring hot water over dried noodles or heating frozen food in a microwave oven.

[0068] Furthermore, the food and beverage supply system described above allows for the automatic, hygienic, and highly space-efficient supply of containers for various food and beverages.

[0069] <Modified form of the second embodiment> A modified example of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. This modified example is a food and beverage serving system equipped with the supply device 1 described in the first embodiment above.

[0070] Figure 6 is the first diagram showing the schematic configuration of the food and beverage dispensing system in this modified example. The food and beverage dispensing system in this modified example comprises an information processing device 100 that accepts the user's selection of food and beverages, and an automatic dispensing machine 10 that dispenses the food and beverages selected by the user. Here, the food and beverages dispensed by the automatic dispensing machine 10 are, for example, dried noodles that can be easily prepared by simply adding hot water, or frozen foods that can be easily prepared by simply heating them in a microwave oven. In this modified example, the information processing device 100 transmits information regarding the user's selection of food and beverages to the automatic dispensing machine 10. Unlike the vending machine 10 described in the second embodiment, the automatic dispensing machine 10 does not have food and beverage selection buttons or a money processing unit, and dispenses food and beverages based on the information transmitted from the information processing device 100.

[0071] Here, the information processing device 100 can be any electronic computer device with processing capabilities for arithmetic and processing operations such as data acquisition, generation, and updating, for example, a personal computer. The information processing device 100 has a communication unit, a storage unit, and a control unit as functional units. It loads a program stored in the auxiliary storage device into the working area of ​​the main memory and executes it, and through the execution of the program, each functional unit is controlled, thereby realizing each function that matches the predetermined purpose of each functional unit. Here, the communication unit is a communication interface for connecting the information processing device 100 to a network. The communication unit is composed of, for example, a network interface board and a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The information processing device 100 is connected to an external device so as to be able to communicate via the communication unit.

[0072] Furthermore, the information processing device 100 has an input / output unit, which is a functional unit for displaying information transmitted from the outside via the communication unit, and for inputting information when transmitting information to the outside via the communication unit. The input / output unit further includes a display unit, an operation input unit, and an image / audio input / output unit. The display unit has the function of displaying various types of information and is implemented by, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) display, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display, or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display. The operation input unit has the function of receiving operation input from the user and is specifically implemented by soft keys or hard keys such as a touch panel. The image / audio input / output unit has the function of receiving image input such as still images and videos and is specifically implemented by a camera using an image sensor such as Charged-Coupled Devices (CCD), Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS), or Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS). Furthermore, the image and audio input / output unit has the function of accepting audio input and output, which is specifically implemented using a microphone and speaker.

[0073] The user can input their food and beverage selections using the information processing device 100 configured in this way. Alternatively, an interface for inputting food and beverage selections may be provided by, for example, a server device managing the food and beverage provision system in this modified example. In this case, the user can transmit information regarding their food and beverage selections to the automatic dispensing machine 10 by inputting information into the interface.

[0074] Furthermore, in this modified example, the information regarding the selection of food and beverages is transmitted to the control unit 70 of the supply device 1. The control unit 70 then detects the user's selection of food and beverages transmitted in this manner as a request from the user.

[0075] In the supply device 1, the control unit 70 operates the first motor 61, the second motor 62, and the third motor 63 as described in the first embodiment above. As a result, the storage cup 2 is supplied from the supply device 1.

[0076] In this way, when a user selects food or beverages on the information processing device 100, the food or beverages are not only dispensed from the automatic dispensing machine 10, but a container cup 2 for holding the food or beverages is also supplied from the supply device 1, which detects the selection. This makes it possible for users to select food or beverages remotely. Furthermore, by giving the information processing device 100 a monetary processing function, the fees charged by users for using this system can be managed in one place, thereby improving convenience for the business operator providing the system.

[0077] In this modified example, the food and beverage dispensing system may further include a guidance device 110 that guides the user to the automatic dispensing machine 10 and the supply device 1.

[0078] Here, Figure 7 is a second diagram showing the schematic configuration of the food and beverage serving system in this modified example.

[0079] In the example shown in Figure 7, the information processing device 100 assigns a different identification to each user who has selected food or beverages. Here, the identification is, for example, a reception number (No. 3 in the example shown in Figure 7).

[0080] The guidance device 110 then guides the user to an automatic dispensing machine 10 that dispenses food and beverages selected by the user to whom the identification was assigned, and to a supply device 1 that supplies a container cup 2 capable of holding the food and beverages dispensed by the automatic dispensing machine 10, based on the identification assigned by the information processing device 100. In the example shown in Figure 7, the guidance device 110 is composed of indicator lights, and these indicator lights display the same identification number as displayed on the display unit of the information processing device 100.

[0081] Furthermore, the food and beverage supply system described above allows for the automatic, hygienic, and highly space-efficient supply of containers for various food and beverages. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 1...Feeding device 2. Storage cups 20... Multiple storage cups 3.... Cabinet 4. Cup holding section 51... Nail area 52...bracket 61.. First motor 62...Second motor 63.. Third motor 70... Control Unit

Claims

1. A supply device that provides containers for storing specified food and beverages in response to a user's request, A storage material holding section on which multiple storage materials, stacked so as to be in close contact in the vertical direction, are placed, A first drive unit that operates the material storage holder so that the material storage holder is separated from the material storage, A material holding portion configured to hold the material placed on the material holding portion, A second drive unit that operates the material-holding section, A supply operation unit that supplies the storage material by separating the storage material located in the lowest layer of the stacked storage material from the other storage materials, A third drive unit that operates the supply operation unit, The system comprises a control unit that controls the first drive unit, the second drive unit, and the third drive unit. The control unit, In response to a request from the user, the second drive unit is operated to clamp the material placed on the material holding unit into the material clamping unit, and while the material is clamped by the material clamping unit, the first drive unit is operated to separate the material holding unit from the material, and the third drive unit is operated to operate the supply operation unit. Feeding device.

2. The aforementioned material-holding portion has a claw portion that contacts the material, and the claw portion is inserted into the boundary between the lowest layer of stacked material and the material directly above it by the operation of the second drive unit, thereby holding the material. The supply device according to claim 1.

3. The claw portion, when inserted horizontally into the boundary, is rotated vertically by the operation of the third drive unit, thereby further functioning as the supply operation unit. The supply device according to claim 2.

4. A food and beverage serving system comprising the supply device described in claim 1, The system includes a vending machine that accepts the user's selection of food and beverages and dispenses the selected food and beverages, The control unit of the supply device is The selection of food and beverages by the user, received by the vending machine, is detected as a request from the user, and the first drive unit, the second drive unit, and the third drive unit are operated accordingly. Food and beverage service system.

5. A food and beverage serving system comprising the supply device described in claim 1, An interface device that accepts the user's selection of food and beverages, The system includes an automatic dispensing machine that dispenses the food and beverages selected by the user, The aforementioned interface device The information regarding the user's selection of food and beverages is transmitted to the automatic dispensing machine. The aforementioned automatic dispensing machine is Based on the information transmitted from the interface device, the food and beverages are dispensed. The control unit of the supply device is The interface device detects the user's selection of food and beverages as a request from the user and operates the first drive unit, the second drive unit, and the third drive unit. Food and beverage service system.

6. The system further includes a guidance device for guiding the user to the automatic dispensing machine and the supply device, The aforementioned interface device A different identification is assigned to each user who has made a selection of food and beverages. The induction device is, Based on the identification, the user is guided to the automatic dispensing machine that dispenses the food and beverages selected by the user to whom the identification has been assigned, and to the supplying device that supplies the container capable of holding the food and beverages dispensed by the automatic dispensing machine. The food and beverage serving system according to claim 5.

7. A method for providing food and beverages using the supply device described in claim 1, A reception step for accepting the user's selection of food and beverages, A dispensing step of dispensing the food and beverage selected by the user, The process includes detecting the user's selection of food and beverages as a request from the user, and supplying a container capable of holding the food and beverages. How to serve food and drinks.

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