Remote CO2 Cylinder Vending for Contactless Exchange Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for swapping CO2 cylinders in sparkling water makers are inconvenient, time-consuming, and prone to human error, hygiene risks, and theft, with the sparkling water maker lacking real-time knowledge of cylinder collection and requiring direct customer interaction.
Innovation Solution
A CO2 gas cylinder vending machine system with a contactless user interface, payment system, and bin assemblies that allow users to exchange, purchase, or return cylinders remotely through a user device, minimizing human interaction and ensuring secure collection and accurate stock management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a remote control system is implemented, then customer convenience and hygiene are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A remote control system serves as an intermediary between the customer and the vending machine. The system includes a remote control device that communicates with the vending machine via wireless communication, allowing customers to initiate cylinder exchange operations from a distance without physically touching the machine surfaces, thereby maintaining convenience while managing complexity through modular communication protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical contact-based operation with electronic and wireless communication systems. Instead of physically inserting coins or pressing buttons on the machine, customers use remote control devices to send electronic signals, substituting mechanical interactions with electronic control systems that manage the cylinder exchange process
2Object-affected harmful factors
If direct customer interaction is eliminated, then hygiene risks are reduced, but operational reliability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces multiple intermediary layers including wireless communication protocols, electronic authentication systems, and automated control algorithms that mediate between customer intent and machine action. These intermediaries ensure accurate transmission of exchange requests while maintaining physical distance, thus reducing hygiene risks without compromising operational reliability through robust error handling and verification mechanisms
3Loss of information
If real-time stock monitoring is implemented, then inventory management is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vending machine incorporates sensors and detectors that continuously monitor cylinder stock levels and provide real-time feedback to both the machine's control system and remote servers. This feedback mechanism automatically tracks inventory changes, notifies administrators of low stock situations, and updates available cylinder information, thereby eliminating information loss while managing complexity through automated monitoring protocols
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for remotely controlling a CO2 gas cylinder vending machine system, the method including: displaying a remote vending machine user interface on a display of a user device; receiving on the user device user input indicating a desire to engage with the vending machine system to perform at least one of the following operations: (a) return a CO2 cylinder; (b) purchase a CO2 cylinder; or (c) exchange a CO2 cylinder; transmitting the user input over a communications network to a communications interface of the vending machine system; receiving the user input at the communication interface of the vending machine system; and controlling the vending machine system, by a controller, based on the received user input.