Vending machine and method for controlling vending machine

Abstract

It improves the applicability of vending machines while reducing production and manufacturing costs. [Solution] A vending machine includes a cabinet, a shelf, and a column, the cabinet includes a plurality of slots inside, the shelf is engaged and fixed in the slots, a sub-control board is provided on the shelf, the sub-control board is electrically or communicatively connected to a general control circuit board, and a column is formed on the shelf. The vending machine can flexibly arrange the number and size of columns, improving the applicability of the vending machine and reducing production and manufacturing costs. In addition, in the vending machine, regardless of the adjustment or change of the shelf in the cabinet, the general control circuit board can directly communicatively control the shelf, and the raw data and detection data in the sub-control board can also be directly fed back to the general control circuit board.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of intelligent devices, and in particular to a vending machine and a method for controlling the vending machine. [Background technology]

[0002] As a smart replacement for traditional stores, the main function of vending machines is to sell products, and their profitability is related to the variety of products they sell. Traditional vending machines usually have multiple shelves, each of which is divided into multiple columns, with different products allocated to each column.

[0003] In the prior art, after the production of a vending machine is completed, the number of shelves inside the vending machine and the number of products on each shelf are both fixed, and only applicable to the sale of products of a specified size and specifications, but in actual applications, product specifications are diverse, and customizing a vending machine with a suitable size for each product would require a large amount of production cost and time cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In response to the above problems, the present invention provides a vending machine and a control method for the vending machine, which allows the vending machine to flexibly configure the number and size of columns, thereby improving the applicability of the vending machine and reducing production and manufacturing costs.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention provides a vending machine including a cabinet, a shelf and a column, the cabinet includes a plurality of slots inside, the shelf is engaged and fixed in the slots, a sub-control board is provided on the shelf, the sub-control board is electrically connected or communicatively connected to a general control circuit board, and the shelf is provided with a column.

[0006] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the columns on the shelf board may be designed in combinations of different numbers and different sizes. For example, a single column means that the entire shelf board is one column, and a multi-column means that the shelf board is divided into multiple columns, and the sizes of the multiple columns may be the same or different. When the above vending machine is in use, based on the size and specifications of the goods to be sold, a shelf board corresponding to the number and size of the columns is selected, and the selected shelf board can be locked in the slot in the cabinet to realize the structural fixation of the shelf board. At the same time, the sub-control circuit board on the shelf board and the overall control circuit board in the vending machine are electrically connected or communicatively connected by means such as interfaces and signal lines, so that the vending machine can grasp the current installation position of the shelf board and the entire cabinet of each column on the shelf board. In the above vending machine, regardless of the adjustment or change of the shelf board in the cabinet, the overall control circuit board can directly control the shelf board communicatively, and the raw data and detection data on the sub-control circuit board can also be directly fed back to the overall control circuit board.

[0007] In the technical solution of the present invention, a plurality of mounts are provided on the side wall of the cabinet of the vending machine, and the slot is fixed to the side wall so as to correspond to one or more mounts.

[0008] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the shelf board can be flexibly fixed to the mounts at different positions by the slots, so that the flexible removal and movement of the shelf board can be realized.

[0009] Preferably, in the technical solution of the present invention, 25 to 30 mounts are provided, and the heights of the plurality of mounts in the height direction of the cabinet are equal, and the height is 4 to 6 cm.

[0010] According to the technical solution of the present invention, different goods are placed on each column of each shelf board, and according to the height direction size when the goods are placed, the corresponding caslot on the shelf board is locked and fixed to the mounts at different heights to adjust the height distance between the shelf boards. Preferably, in the technical solution of the present invention, the mount is an inverted triangle, which is convenient for insertion and removal of the slot.

[0011] In the technical solution of the present invention, the sub-control board on the shelf includes a weighing unit, a coordination unit and a display unit, the weighing unit has a weight sensor, a weighing chip and a calculation unit, the calculation unit calculates the number of products in the current column in response to inputs from the weighing chip and the general control circuit board, the coordination unit sets a row and column address in the cabinet of the column, and the display unit displays the calculation result and / or the row and column address of the calculation unit.

[0012] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the weighing unit can weigh the weight of each column on the shelf, and detect the weight change during the calculation, so as to feedback the loading and unloading of products in the columns. The coordination unit is used to set the row and column addresses, i.e., by setting which row of the cabinet the shelf is located in and which column each column on the shelf is located in, the vending machine can grasp the total number of columns in the cabinet and the row and column addresses of each column through the connected sub-control board, and can be easily and correspondingly set when arranging products later.

[0013] Preferably, in the technical solution of the present invention, the central control circuit board in the vending machine receives data from the coordination unit and sends unit weight information of the product corresponding to the row / queue address to the calculation unit.

[0014] According to the technical solution of the present invention, after each shelf is assembled into a cabinet, the coordination unit sets the row and column addresses of each column, so that the vending machine can grasp the total number of columns in the cabinet and the row and column addresses of each column, and then stores the product names and unit weights of the products stored and sold in each column according to the data preset or input by the user, and the calculation unit can calculate the increase or decrease in the number of products in the column according to the weight changes and unit weights of the products in the column detected by the weighing unit.

[0015] In the technical solution of the present invention, the shelf in the vending machine includes a shelf frame, and the shelf frame has an opening formed on the front surface thereof to expose a display unit, and a film is provided on the front surface thereof.

[0016] According to the present invention, the display unit can display data such as the number and weight of products in each column, and the display unit provides instructions and assistance when a user takes products in and out of the columns. The film contributes to softening the light of the display unit and shielding the mounting structure.

[0017] The technical solution of the present invention provides a control method for a vending machine applicable to the above-mentioned vending machine, the control method including: a detection step of detecting the initial weight and remaining weight of a column corresponding to a weighing unit, respectively; and a calculation step of calculating the number of products in the column based on a preset unit weight and the initial weight and remaining weight of the column.

[0018] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the shelf of the vending machine itself can perform the weighing, calculation and display of the weighing calculation result of the product.

[0019] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a vending machine that is applicable to the above-mentioned vending machine, the vending machine further comprising a command screen communicatively connected to a general control circuit board and an openable and closable cabinet door, the method including a polling step for acquiring data relating to row and column addresses of a column by a polling method, a product information setting step for setting unit weight information of a product in a corresponding column based on an input from the command screen and the data acquired in the polling step, a transmission step for transmitting the unit weight information, and a cabinet door opening and closing step for issuing a signal to open and close the cabinet door and transmitting the cabinet door opening and closing information to a sub-control board.

[0020] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the vending machine opens the cabinet door and assembles the shelves, and after the assembly of the shelves is completed, the shelves are all set with the matrix switches to set the matrix addresses of each column, the vending machine closes the cabinet door, and the central control circuit board in the vending machine performs a polling step to traverse the sub-control board data of each shelf to obtain the total number of shelves in the cabinet, the number of columns in each shelf, and the matrix addresses of each column, and the central control circuit board can then send the unit weight information of the corresponding product in each column to the sub-control board of the shelf where the column is located, so that the number of products taken in and out of the column at each time can be obtained according to the weight change data and unit weight information in the column.

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention further provides a control method for a vending machine applicable to the above-mentioned vending machine, wherein the vending machine further includes a command screen communicatively connected to a master control circuit board and an openable / closable cabinet door, the control method including: a product information acquisition step of receiving product usage information input to the command screen and transmitting the usage information to a sub-control board of a shelf on which the product is located; an instruction step of controlling the master control circuit board to open the cabinet door and controlling the sub-control board to display an instruction signal on a display unit of the column on which the product is located; and a counting step of measuring a weight change in the column and determining whether the weight change in the column is consistent with the usage information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vending machine provided in an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cabinet provided in an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a mounting structure diagram of a slot provided in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a structural view of a shelf board according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a display unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart of a vending machine control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart of another vending machine control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart of another vending machine control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely in accordance with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is clear that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, and are not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments that a person skilled in the art can obtain without creative labor all belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0024] (Vending Machine) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vending machine provided in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention provides a vending machine 1 including a cabinet 2, a shelf 3, and a column 4.

[0025] The cabinet 2 is the main structure of the vending machine 1, and the shelf board 3 is formed with one or more columns 4, and each column 4 may be provided with different types and numbers of products.

[0026] Referring to the vending machine 1 shown in FIG. 1, a total of five shelves 3 are attached to the cabinet 2, and each shelf 3 from bottom to top is provided with four, two, six, ten, and one columns 4, respectively. The shelf 3 including one column 4 is entirely formed as one column 4, and the size of the column 4 is large, and is suitable for arranging products with large length and / or width, such as shafts with a long length, and the shelf 3 including ten columns 4 is entirely divided into ten columns 4, and each column 4 is small and has the same size, and is suitable for arranging small parts such as screws, nuts, etc. Accordingly, the shelf 3 including two, four, and six columns 4 can accommodate products with correspondingly appropriate sizes, and the sizes of the columns 4 of the shelf 3 including multiple columns 4 may be different, and are not limited here.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cabinet provided in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, in the embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet 2 is provided with an openable and closable cabinet door 20, and has a number of slots 21 inside.

[0028] Specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of mounts 22 are provided on the inner side walls of the cabinet 2, and although in Fig. 2 only the mounts 22 on the inner side of the cabinet 2 are shown due to the angle, in actual application, a plurality of mounts 22 with the same number of corresponding positions are formed on the inner walls corresponding to the four sides in the height direction H of the cabinet 2. Preferably, there are 25 to 30 mounts 22 on each of the inner walls corresponding to the four sides along the height direction H of the cabinet 2, the heights h of the plurality of mounts 22 in the height direction H of the cabinet 2 are equal, and the height h between the mounts 22 is 4 to 6 cm, more preferably 5 cm.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a mounting structure diagram of a slot provided in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the mounting structure of a shelf board according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in an embodiment of the present invention, a slot 21 is fixed to the inner side wall of the cabinet 2 to correspond to one or more mounts 22, and the shelf 3 is engaged and fixed within the slot 21 and is engaged and fixed to the cabinet 2 via the slot 21.

[0030] Specifically, the mounts 22 are formed in an inverted triangular structure along the height direction H, and two mounts 22 of the same height form a pair. The slots 21 are formed in a cubic structure as a whole, and locking hook structures 211 are formed on both sides of the end faces of the slots 21 that abut against the mounts 22, and the locking hook structures 211 are locked into the two mounts 22 of the same height, thereby fixing the slots 21 in the pair of mounts 22. The top end of the slots 21 is formed with an end face 210 perpendicular to the height direction H. There are multiple mounts 22 on each of the inner walls corresponding to the four sides along the height direction H of the cabinet 2, and the four slots 21 are inserted into the mounts 22 of the same height on the inner walls corresponding to the four sides of the cabinet 2. The bottom surface of the shelf board 3 is formed in a rectangle that matches the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the height direction H of the cabinet 2, and the four corners of the bottom surface of the shelf board 3 are bridged over the end faces 210 of the four slots 21, thereby realizing the engagement and fixation of the shelf board 3 and the cabinet 2 through the slots 21.

[0031] In other embodiments of the present invention, the shape and engagement of mount 22 and slot 21 may be adaptively adjusted, for example, slot 21 may be formed as part of the structure of shelf 3, and the like, and is not limited thereto.

[0032] In this embodiment, the same or different products are placed on each column 4 on each shelf 3, and the height distance between the shelves 3 can be flexibly adjusted by engaging and fixing the slots 21 corresponding to the shelves 3 to mounts 22 of different heights depending on the dimensions along the height direction H when the products are placed.

[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention, the shelf 3 includes a shelf frame 30 and a sub-control board 31, the sub-control board 31 is installed inside the shelf 3, and the sub-control board 31 is electrically connected or communicatively connected to the general control circuit board of the vending machine 1. The sub-control board 31 includes a weighing unit, a coordination unit, and a display unit 310, and the portion of the sub-control board 31 exposed from the shelf frame 30 is formed as the display unit 310. The shelf frame 30 has an opening formed on the front surface so that the display unit 310 is exposed, and a film is provided on the front surface of the shelf frame 30.

[0034] In this embodiment, the weighing unit includes a weight sensor, a weighing chip, and a calculation unit, one or more weight sensors are provided at the bottom of each column 4 to detect the weight of the corresponding column 4, the weighing chip inputs the measurement result of the weight detection to the calculation unit, and the calculation unit calculates the number of products currently on the column 4 in response to the input from the weighing chip and the general control circuit board. For example, if the initial weight of the current column 4 without products is 100g, the unit weight of the products in column 4 is 10g, and the weight sensor detects the current weight of column 4 to be 500g, the total weight of the products in column 4 is 400g according to the difference between the current weight and the initial weight, and the number of products currently in column 4, i.e., 40, is known according to the ratio between the total weight of the products in column 4 and the unit weight of the products.

[0035] In this embodiment, the coordinate unit is used to set row and column addresses of columns 4 in cabinet 2, and the row and column addresses can be expressed in the form of coordinates (x, y), where x represents the row number and y represents the column number. Preferably, the coordinate unit is configured as a DIP switch.

[0036] Specifically, taking the vending machine 1 shown in Fig. 1 as an example, a total of five shelves 3 are attached to the cabinet 2, and each shelf 3 from bottom to top is provided with 4, 2, 6, 10, and 1 columns 4, respectively. The row and column addresses of the four columns 4 from left to right on the bottom shelf 3 are (1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), and (1, 4), respectively, and the row and column addresses of the two columns 4 from left to right on the second shelf 3 from the bottom are (2, 1) and (2, 2), respectively, and thus the row and column address of one column 4 on the top shelf 3 is (5, 1).

[0037] Each display unit 310 corresponds to one column 4, and the display unit 310 displays the calculation result and / or row and column address of the calculation unit. The display unit 310 may be arranged as one or more combinations of a digital tube, an indicator light, and a liquid crystal screen.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a display unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, in an embodiment of the present invention, the display unit 310 includes one 3-digit digital tube 311, an indicator light 312, and a matrix indicator light 313. The digital tube 311 displays a number value, which may be the current stock number, the number taken, the number remaining, etc. in column 4. The indicator light 312 indicates whether the number currently displayed by the digital tube 311 is the stock number, the number taken, or the number remaining by different lighting methods or lighting colors. For example, when the digital tube 311 displays the stock number, the indicator light 312 emits a green light, and when the digital tube 311 displays the number obtained, the indicator light 312 emits a blue light, etc. The matrix indicator light 313 indicates the current matrix address of column 4 in the entire vending machine 1.

[0039] In an embodiment of the present invention, the general control circuit board in the vending machine 1 preferably receives data from the coordination unit and transmits unit weight information of the product corresponding to the row and column address to the calculation unit. The sub-control board 31 in the shelf 3 can be electrically connected or communicatively connected to the general control circuit board of the vending machine 1 by other wired and wireless methods such as an interface, a communication line, etc. The general control circuit board is installed in the vending machine 1 or an external controller connected to the vending machine 1, and is used for inputting and outputting commands or information. For example, data such as the name and unit weight of the product in each column 4 of each shelf 3, and the initial weight of the shelf 3 is set and displayed.

[0040] In an embodiment of the present invention, after each shelf board 3 with the same or different number of columns 4 is attached to the cabinet 2, the coordination unit sets the row and column addresses of each column 4, and the vending machine 1 can grasp the total number of columns 4 in the cabinet 2 and the row and column addresses of each column 4. Then, the name and unit weight of the product stored and sold in each column 4 are saved according to the data preset in the general control circuit board or input by the user, and the calculation unit calculates the increase or decrease in the number of products in the column 4 based on the weight change and unit weight of the products detected by the weighing unit in the column 4, thereby obtaining the number of products put in and taken out of the column 4. The display unit 310 displays the calculation result to the user, and the display unit 310 provides instructions and assistance when the user puts in or takes out products.

[0041] In the vending machine 1 provided in the embodiment of the present invention, the shelf board 3 may be designed to have a number of different specifications, and the shelf board 3 of each specification has a different number and size of columns 4 arranged thereon. When the vending machine 1 is used, the shelf board 3 according to the number and size of columns 4 is selected according to the size and specifications of the product to be sold, and the selected shelf board 3 is engaged with the slot 21 in the cabinet 2 so as to realize the structural fixation of the shelf board 3. At the same time, the sub-control board 31 on the shelf board 3 and the general control circuit board in the vending machine 1 are electrically connected or communicatively connected by means of an interface, signal line, etc., so that the vending machine 1 can grasp the installation position of the shelf board 3 and each column 4 on the shelf board 3 in the entire cabinet 2. In the vending machine 1, regardless of the adjustment or change of the shelf board 3 in the cabinet 2, the general control circuit board can directly communicatively control the shelf board 3, and the raw data and detection data on the sub-control board 31 can also be directly fed back to the general control circuit board.

[0042] (Method of controlling a vending machine) FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a vending machine control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, an embodiment of the present invention provides a vending machine control method applied to the above-mentioned vending machine 1, the control method being executed by a sub-control board 31 of a shelf 3 in the vending machine 1 and including a detection step S01 for detecting the initial weight and remaining weight of a corresponding column 4, and a calculation step S02 for calculating the number of products in the column 4 based on a preset unit weight and the initial weight and remaining weight of the column 4.

[0043] For example, before a user removes products from a certain column 4, the weighing unit detects the total weight of the column 4 as 1000g, and after the user removes the products, the weighing unit detects the remaining weight of the column 4 as 500g, and the preset unit weight of the products in the column 4 is 50g. Based on the ratio of the weight difference of the column 4 before and after removal (500g) to the unit weight of 50g, it can be calculated that the user has removed 10 products from the column 4.

[0044] In the embodiment of the present invention, the method for controlling the vending machine 1 described above further includes a display step of displaying, on the display unit 310, the calculation result in the calculation step S02.

[0045] Similarly, in the case where the initial weight of column 4 is preset to 200 g, if the number of products in column 4 is 16 before the user removes the product, the display unit 310 will display that the number of products in column 4 is currently 16, and if the number of products in column 4 becomes 6 after the user removes the product, the display unit 310 will display that the number of products in column 4 is currently 6.

[0046] In an embodiment of the present invention, each shelf 3 of the vending machine 1 can itself perform the weighing, calculation and display of the weighing calculation results of the product.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of another vending machine control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a vending machine control method applicable to the above-mentioned vending machine 1, and the vending machine 1 further includes a command screen (not shown) communicatively connected to the general control circuit board. The command screen may be a display control screen directly connected to the vending machine 1, or may be a communicatively connected remote control or network terminal, etc., and is not limited thereto.

[0048] The control method of the vending machine 1 includes a polling step S1 for obtaining data relating to row and column addresses of column 4 by a polling method, a product information setting step S2 for setting unit weight information of the product in the corresponding column 4 based on input from the command screen and the data obtained in the polling step S1, a transmission step S3 for transmitting the unit weight information, and a cabinet door opening / closing step S4 for issuing a signal to open or close the cabinet door 20 and transmitting cabinet door 20 opening / closing information to the sub-control board 31.

[0049] When assembling the vending machine 1, first the cabinet door 20 is opened, and shelves 3 corresponding to the size of the products to be sold are attached to the cabinet 2. The row and column addresses of each column 4 on each of the multiple shelves 3 are set using row and column switches, and the sub-control board 31 on the shelf 3 is connected to the general control circuit board of the vending machine 1.

[0050] After the shelf 3 is fixed and the signal connection is completed, the cabinet door 20 is closed, the cabinet door opening / closing step S4 is executed, and the cabinet door 20 opening / closing information is sent to the sub-control board 31. Next, the general control circuit board in the vending machine 1 performs the polling step S1, traversing the data in the sub-control board 31 for each shelf 3 to grasp the total number of shelves 3 currently attached to the cabinet 2, the number of columns 4 on each shelf 3, and the row and column addresses of each column 4. Taking the vending machine 1 shown in Figure 1 as an example, a total of five shelves 3 are attached to the cabinet 2, and each shelf 3 from bottom to top has four, two, six, ten, and one column 4, respectively.

[0051] Then, the product information setting step S2 is executed, and product information is input or extracted via the command screen, so that the general control circuit board can grasp the product name and unit weight placed in each column 4 whose row and column addresses are (1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (1, 4), ..., (5, 1). For example, a screw A with a unit weight of 5g is placed in column 4 of row and column address (1, 2), and a nut B with a unit weight of 8g is placed in column 4 of row and column address (1, 3).

[0052] Next, by executing the transmission step S3, the central control circuit board can transmit unit weight information of the corresponding products in each column 4 to the sub-control board 31 of the shelf board 3 on which the column 4 is located, thereby enabling the shelf board 3 to grasp the unit weight of the products in each column 4. Then, based on the weight change data and unit weight information in the column 4, the number of products taken in and out of the column 4 each time can be obtained.

[0053] (How to use a vending machine) FIG. 8 is a flowchart of another vending machine control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for controlling a vending machine that is applicable to the above-mentioned vending machine 1, in which the vending machine 1 further includes a command screen communicatively connected to the master control circuit board and an openable / closable cabinet door 20, and the control method further includes a product information acquisition step S5 for receiving product usage information input to the command screen and transmitting the usage information to the sub-control board 31 of the shelf 3 on which the product is located, an instruction step S6 for controlling the master control circuit board to open the cabinet door 20 and controlling the sub-control board 31 to display an instruction signal on the display unit 310 of the column 4 on which the product is located, and a counting step S7 for measuring a change in weight of the column 4 and determining whether the change in weight of the column 4 matches the usage information.

[0054] When a user removes a product from the vending machine 1, the user first inputs or selects the desired product name and number of products, for example, five screws A, on the command screen. The general control circuit board acquires the usage information, i.e., the information indicating five screws A, and executes a product information acquisition step S5 to transmit the information to the sub-control board 31 of the bottom shelf board 3, which is the shelf board 3 corresponding to column 4 of row and column address (1, 2).

[0055] Then, the general control circuit board controls the cabinet door 20 to open, and also controls the sub-control board 31 on the lowest shelf 3 to light up the display unit 310 of column 4 in which the product is located, i.e., column 4 of row and column address (1, 2), thereby executing instruction step S6 to instruct the user to indicate the position of screw A.

[0056] When the user takes out screw A which is a commodity, the counting step S7 is executed to measure the weight change of column 4 and determine whether the weight change of column 4 matches the usage information. Specifically, it is determined whether the column 4 with the changed weight is the column 4 at the matrix addresses (1, 2), that is, whether the type of the commodity taken out by the user is correct, and whether the weight change value in column 4 at the matrix addresses (1, 2) is 5 * 5 = 25 g, that is, whether the number of the commodities taken out by the user is correct.

[0057] Preferably, in the embodiment of the present invention, when there is an error in the type or number of the commodities taken out by the user, the display unit 310 can be presented by means such as the flashing of light. Or it can assist the user in counting the number taken out. For example, when the user needs 100 screws A, the shelf board 3 displays the number taken out by the user on the display unit 310 in real time based on the weight change in column 4, and when the number taken out reaches 100, it can be presented by a flashing mode of light different from the above. This improves the user experience when the user takes out commodities by the vending machine 1.

[0058] So far, the technical solution of the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Without departing from the principle of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the related technical features, and all the aspects after these changes or substitutions are included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0059] 1 Vending machine 2 Cabinet 20 Cabinet door 21 Slot 210 End face 211 Locking hook structure 22 Mount 3 Shelf board 30 Shelf board frame 31 Sub-control board 310 Display unit 311 Digital Tube 312 indicator light 313 Procession indicator light 4. Column

Claims

1. Inside is a cabinet containing multiple slots, a shelf board on which a sub-control board is provided, the sub-control board being engaged and fixed in the slot and electrically connected or communicatively connected to the general control circuit board; A column formed on the shelf; a weighing section including a weight sensor, a weighing chip, and a calculation unit responsive to inputs from the weighing chip and the general control circuit board to calculate the number of items in the current column; A coordination unit that sets row and column addresses in the cabinet of the column; and a display unit that displays the calculation result of the calculation unit and / or the matrix address.

2. 2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein a side wall of the cabinet is provided with a plurality of mounts, and the slot is secured to the side wall to accommodate one or more of the mounts.

3. The vending machine according to claim 2, characterized in that 25 to 30 mounts are provided, the heights of the mounts in the height direction of the cabinet are equal, and the heights are 4 to 6 cm.

4. 3. The vending machine of claim 2, wherein the mount is an inverted triangle.

5. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the general control circuit board receives data from the coordination unit and transmits unit weight information of the product corresponding to the row / queue address to the calculation unit.

6. The vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the shelf includes a shelf frame, the shelf frame having an opening formed on a front surface thereof so that the display unit is exposed, and a film is provided on the front surface.

7. A method for controlling a vending machine, which is applied to the vending machine according to claim 5, comprising the steps of: a detection step in which the weighing unit detects the initial weight and the remaining weight of the corresponding column; and calculating the number of products in the column based on a preset unit weight and the initial and remaining weights of the column.

8. A method for controlling a vending machine, which is applied to the vending machine according to claim 5, comprising the steps of: The vending machine further includes a command screen communicatively connected to the general control circuit board and an openable / closable cabinet door; The control method includes a polling step of obtaining data related to row and column addresses of columns in a polling manner; a product information setting step of setting unit weight information of the product in the corresponding column based on the input from the command screen and the data acquired in the polling step; a transmitting step of transmitting the unit weight information; a cabinet door opening / closing step of issuing a signal to open or close the cabinet door and transmitting cabinet door opening / closing information to a sub-control board.

9. A method for controlling a vending machine, which is applied to the vending machine according to claim 5, comprising the steps of: The vending machine further includes a command screen communicatively connected to the general control circuit board and an openable / closable cabinet door; The control method includes a product information acquisition step of receiving product usage information input to the command screen and transmitting the usage information to a sub-control board of the shelf board on which the product is located; an instruction step of controlling the cabinet door to be opened by the central control circuit board and controlling the sub-control board to display an instruction signal on the display unit of the column in which the product is located; a counting step of measuring a weight change of the column and determining whether the weight change of the column coincides with the usage information.

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