Vending Machine Commodity Conveyance Mode Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vending machines face challenges in efficiently conveying commodities of varying sizes and shapes without causing damage due to impact noise and requiring extensive memory storage for multiple commodity types, especially with high replacement frequencies.
Innovation Solution
A vending machine design featuring multiple commodity housing units with QR code data recording, a data reading mechanism, mode selecting means, and operation control to optimize the operation mode of the commodity conveying unit based on read data, eliminating the need for prior memory storage of commodity data and allowing easy replacement with new data recording portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If commodity data is stored in a memory for mode selection, then the vending machine can operate efficiently with multiple commodity types, but the memory capacity and input time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts commodity data (size, shape, type) from a centralized memory system and places it directly on data recording portions attached to each commodity housing unit. This allows the commodity conveying unit to read only the necessary data locally without requiring large-scale memory storage for all commodity types, thereby resolving the contradiction between operational efficiency and memory capacity requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The data recording portions serve multiple functions: they store commodity data, enable automatic mode selection, and facilitate quick replacement when commodity types change. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate memory storage systems, reducing overall system complexity and memory requirements while maintaining efficient operation across multiple commodity types
2Device complexity
If a serpentine rack with vent mechanism is used, then the structure is simple, but impact noise and commodity damage occur during conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention reads commodity data from data recording portions before the commodity conveyance operation begins. This preliminary data acquisition allows the system to pre-determine the optimal conveying mode and adjust parameters in advance, preventing impact noise and damage during the actual conveyance process while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic mode selection for the commodity conveying unit based on read commodity data. The conveying mechanism can adapt its operation mode (e.g., conveying speed, acceleration, receiving posture) according to the specific commodity characteristics, reducing impact noise and damage while maintaining structural simplicity through intelligent control rather than complex mechanical design
3Productivity
If the receiving unit operation mode is changed for each commodity type, then the conveyance is optimized, but the data input and storage time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vending machine system automatically reads commodity data from the data recording portions attached to commodity housing units without requiring manual data input. This self-service approach eliminates the time-consuming manual data entry process while maintaining optimized conveyance operations based on the automatically acquired commodity characteristics
Data Source
AI summary
A vending machine reads a commodity data on a commodity from a QR code of a commodity housing unit by a code reader of a commodity receiving unit when the commodity receiving unit receives the commodity from a predetermined commodity housing unit selects an operation mode of the commodity receiving unit in accordance with the read commodity data, and operates the commodity receiving unit in accordance with the selected operation mode.