Power saving apparatus of an automatic vending machine and method thereof

• US 5,868,274 A
• Filed: 06/26/1997
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Kwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hee-Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US08/883,270
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 221/1, 221/2, 221/7, 221/9, 221/13, 221/15, 364/479.01, 364/479.06
• US Class Current: 221/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/00 Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus coin inlet arrangements G07F1/00; coin-actuated mechanisms, interlocks G07F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

A power saving apparatus of an automatic vending machine and method thereof is provided to reduce an electric power consumed therein when it is not necessary as much power as a normal operating state of inner loads, such as a heater and a compressor, of the automatic vending machine. The power saving apparatus of the automatic vending machine includes a timer for counting time; a control part for generating a control signal for storing selling times of goods corresponding to each predetermined time counted by the timer and generating a control signal for reducing an operating time of inner loads of the automatic vending machine by comparing the selling times corresponding to a present time counted by the timer with a predetermined selling times; a memory for storing the selling times corresponding to each predetermined time counted by the timer; and a driving control part for controlling and driving an operation time of the inner loads of the automatic vending machine by a control signal from the control part.

Claims

1. A power saving apparatus for an automatic vending machine comprising:

a timer for counting time;

a control part for generating a control signal for storing selling times of goods corresponding to each predetermined time counted by the timer and generating a control signal for reducing an operating time of inner loads of the automatic vending machine by comparing the selling times corresponding to a present time counted by the timer with a predetermined selling times;

a memory for storing the selling times corresponding to each predetermined time counted by the timer; and

a driving control part for controlling and driving an operation time of the inner loads of the automatic vending machine by a control signal from the control part.

2. A power saving method for an automatic vending method comprising the steps of:

initializing the automatic vending machine and counting selling times during a predetermined period so as to store the selling times corresponding to each predetermined time counted by a timer;

comparing the selling times of goods corresponding to a present time counted by the timer with a predetermined selling times of goods after the predetermined period has passed;

driving inner loads of the automatic vending machine with a normal state when the selling times corresponding to the present time is more than the predetermined selling times; and

reducing and driving an operating time of the inner loads of the automatic vending machine to a predetermined ratio when the selling times corresponding to the present time is less than the predetermined selling times.