Abstract: An automatic vending machine includes a cabinet, a plurality of item columns, a pickup port and a delivery apparatus, and the delivery apparatus includes a hopper and a hopper drive mechanism. An item dispensing method of the automatic vending machine includes: determining, according to items to be purchased, all of item combination manners having a lowest number of item dispensing operations as candidate item combination manners; determining all of pickup manners for picking up items in each of the candidate item combination manners; determining all of item dispensing paths in one-to-one correspondence to all of pickup manners of all of the candidate item combination manners; and selecting, from all of the item dispensing paths, an item dispensing path having a highest efficiency as a target item dispensing path, and controlling, based on the target item dispensing path, the hopper to dispense items.

Abstract: Disclosed are a banknote stacking and separation apparatus and a cash recycling and handling device. The banknote stacking and separation apparatus includes a frame provided with a banknote accommodating space. A pickuping roller, a feeding roller and a gate roller are provided in an upper part of the banknote accommodating space, and the feeding roller and the gate roller are oppositely arranged. The banknote stacking and separation apparatus further includes a guiding plate and a guiding plate driving mechanism. The guiding plate is located in the banknote accommodating space and pivoted with the frame, and the guiding plate driving mechanism drives the guiding plate to rotate from a guiding position to a lifting position. The guiding plate shields the pickuping roller when the guiding plate is at the guiding position, and the guiding plate exposes the pickuping roller when the guiding plate is at the lifting position.

Abstract: Provided are a cash box and a cash recycling and handling device. The cash box comprises a box body, a supporting plate and a self-locking assembly, where the self-locking assembly includes a stop plate disposed between a side wall of the box body and the supporting plate, and the stop plate is movably connected to the box body and has a lifted position and a lowered position; in a case where the stop plate is in the lifted position, the stop plate is in fit with the supporting plate to lock a position of the supporting plate; and in a case where the stop plate is in the lowered position, the stop plate is separated from the supporting plate to unlock the position of the supporting plate. The cash recycling and handling device includes at least one above-mentioned cash box.

Abstract: Disclosed are a sheet-type medium conveying device and a cash recycling and handling apparatus. The sheet-type medium conveying device includes a first passage plate, a second passage plate and a driving mechanism. The first passage plate and the second passage plate are oppositely arranged. A passage is formed between the first passage plate and the second passage plate, and configured for a sheet-type medium to pass through. The driving mechanism is configured to drive a first end of the first passage plate and a first end of the second passage plate to get close to or away from each other.

Abstract: Disclosed are a cash box and a cash recycling and handling device; the cash box includes a box body, a first cash storage cavity, a second cash storage cavity, a transfer passage, a first switching member and a linkage assembly; a first lifting platform is provided inside the first cash storage cavity, and the first lifting platform is capable of moving back and forth in the preset direction and can be located at a first dispensing position; when the first lifting platform is in the first dispensing position, it is engaged with the linkage assembly to rotate the first switching member to a first position, and when the first lifting platform moves to a first inlet, the linkage assembly rotates the first switching member to a second position.

Abstract: Provided are a cash storage apparatus and a cash recycling and processing device. The cash storage apparatus includes a cabinet and a banknote box assembly. The cabinet is provided with a first inlet/outlet at a top of the cabinet and two guiding parts inside the cabinet. The two guiding parts are arranged in a first direction at an interval. Each guiding part includes a guiding rail extending in a second direction vertical to the first direction. The guiding rail is provided with a locating part. The banknote box assembly is provided with a second inlet/outlet at a top of the banknote box assembly and two first movable parts. The two first movable parts are arranged in movable fit with the two guiding rails respectively.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a driving device, a bucket and a vending machine. The driving device comprises a base, a motor arranged on the base, a transmission mechanism in transmission connection with the output shaft of the motor and a power output wheel in transmission connection with the transmission mechanism; the transmission mechanism is configured to drive the power output wheel to rotate and to move from a first position to a second position when the output shaft of the motor rotates in a first preset direction; the transmission mechanism is also configured to drive the power output wheel to move from the second position to the first position when the output shaft of the motor rotates in a second preset direction; wherein the first preset direction is opposite to the second preset direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bucket applied in a vending machine, including a bucket body, a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism. The bucket body includes an inner cavity and two ports in communication with the inner cavity respectively. The two ports are arranged at an interval in a first preset direction. The first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are arranged at an interval in the bucket body in a second preset direction, and are respectively configured to detachably mate with a dispensing assembly of a storage column of the vending machine, to provide power to the dispensing assembly. Also disclosed is a vending machine including multiple storage columns and the aforementioned bucket.

Abstract: Disclosed are a vending machine and a method of detecting height of a storage column. The vending machine may determine whether a sensor squarely faces the front end surface of the level plate of a storage column by detecting the type of an output signal of the sensor. When the sensor squarely faces the front end surface of the level plate of the storage column, the height of the level plate of the storage column may be obtained based on a height difference between the sensor and the bearing surface of a bucket and the height of the bucket. Thus, according to the height of the level plate of the storage column, the bearing surface of the bucket and the upper edge of the front end surface of the level plate of the storage column lie in the same level when dispensing an item.

Abstract: A power assembly is configured to detachably mate with the power input member of a storage column of a vending machine, to supply power for the power input member. The driving assembly is connected to the power assembly and is configured to drive the power assembly to move reciprocatively in a width direction of the vending machine. Also disclosed is a vending machine.

Abstract: Provided are a method for detecting quantity of items and a vending machine. The vending machine includes: an item column configured to temporarily store items, where the item column includes an outlet; a shielding member configured to shield or open the outlet of the item column; and a driving device configured to drive the items in the item column to move toward the outlet of the item column. The method includes: controlling the shielding member to shield the outlet of the item column; driving the items in the item column to move until the items in the item column abut against each other; detecting a total length of all items in the item column; and calculating the quantity of items in the item column according to the total length of the all items and a length of a single item in the item column.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vending machine, including a cabinet, a bucket, a bucket drive mechanism, a first shutter mechanism, a second shutter mechanism, a controller and a storage column; a pickup port is arranged at the surface of the cabinet; the storage column stores the commodities; the bucket includes an inlet and an outlet; the inlet receives the commodity to be conveyed from the storage column, and the outlet is butted with the pickup port; the bucket drive mechanism drives the bucket to move in the cabinet; the first shutter mechanism blocks or opens the inlet; the second shutter mechanism blocks or opens the outlet; the controller controls the first shutter mechanism to open the inlet and the second shutter mechanism to block the outlet in the process of commodity to be conveyed entering the bucket. Further disclosed is a commodity conveying method.

Abstract: Disclosed are a vending machine and an item dispensing method of storage column thereof. In the item dispensing method of the storage column of the vending machine, controlling the first motor to start rotating for the first time to convey the target item to the inlet of the bucket; when detecting that the target item reaches the inlet of the bucket, controlling the first motor to stop rotating for the first time to make the target item enter the inside of the bucket under the driving of the second motor.

Abstract: A method and device for controlling an electronic lock are disclosed. The electronic lock includes a lock catch and a lock body that includes a first lock hook and a second lock hook. The first lock hook has a first lock hook locking position where it is engaged with the lock catch and a first lock hook unlocking position where it is separated from the lock catch. The second lock hook has a second lock hook locking position where it locks the first lock hook in the first lock hook locking position and a second lock hook unlocking position where it is separated from the first lock hook. The method includes: detecting whether a locking operation occurs; and when detecting a locking operation, controlling at least one of the first lock hook and the second lock hook to vibrate, allowing the second lock hook to lock the first lock hook in the first lock hook locking position or to be separated from the first lock hook.

Abstract: An automatic teller machine includes a banknote conveyance channel, a banknote recycling channel, and a banknote circulation channel. The banknote conveyance channel includes an annular channel, a first branch channel, a second branch channel, a third branch channel, a fourth branch channel, and a fifth branch channel. A banknote-in mechanism communicates with the annular channel via the first branch channel. A temporary storage mechanism communicates with the annular channel via the second branch channel. A banknote-out mechanism communicates with the annular channel via the third branch channel. Two ends of an identification mechanism communicate with the annular channel via the fourth branch channel and the fifth branch channel, respectively. A recycling box communicates with the banknote conveyance channel via the banknote recycling channel. A circulation box communicates with the banknote circulation channel via the banknote circulation channel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vending machine, including a cabinet, a bucket, a bucket drive mechanism, a first shutter mechanism, a second shutter mechanism, a controller and a storage column; a pickup port is arranged at the surface of the cabinet; the storage column stores the commodities; the bucket includes an inlet and an outlet; the inlet receives the commodity to be conveyed from the storage column, and the outlet is butted with the pickup port; the bucket drive mechanism drives the bucket to move in the cabinet; the first shutter mechanism blocks or opens the inlet; the second shutter mechanism blocks or opens the outlet; the controller controls the first shutter mechanism to open the inlet and the second shutter mechanism to block the outlet in the process of commodity to be conveyed entering the bucket. Further disclosed is a commodity conveying method.

Abstract: Provided are a banknote temporary storage mechanism (400) and a banknote processing device. The banknote temporary storage mechanism (400) is configured to enable the banknote to smoothly fall without getting jammed. The banknote temporary storage mechanism (400) includes a frame (8), a first door (1) pivotally connected to the frame (8), and a banknote pushing mechanism (4). The first door (1) has an open position and a closed position. The banknote pushing mechanism (4) includes a banknote pushing member (44). The banknote pushing member (44) is movably connected to the first door (1), and protrudes from a banknote support surface of the first door (1). The banknote pushing member (44) is configured to, as the first door (1) rotates towards the open position from the closed position, to move relative to the first door (1) along a direction in which a banknote is disengaged from the first door (1), to push the banknote to be disengaged from the first door (1).

Abstract: Disclosed is a banknote processing device and a banknote processing method. The banknote processing device includes an identification mechanism, an in-out mechanism, a loading box, a circulating box, a main passage, an auxiliary passage, an in-out passage, a loading passage, and a circulating passage. The auxiliary passage is of annular shape, and both ends of the main passage are each connected to the auxiliary passage. A banknote is allowed to move in a one-way direction along a preset direction in the auxiliary passage. The identification mechanism is disposed in the main passage. The in-out passage is connected between the main passage and the in-out mechanism. A first end of the circulating passage is connected to the main passage. A second end of the circulating passage is connected to the circulating box. A first end of the loading passage is connected to the auxiliary passage, and a second end of the loading passage is connected to the loading passage.

Abstract: A banknote stacking and separating apparatus includes a frame, and a guide plate and a pressing plate that are disposed on the frame. The frame is provided with an entrance-and-exit for a banknote. One end of the guide plate adjacent to the entrance-and-exit is pivotally connected to the frame, and the guide plate is operative to rotate around an axis of a pivoting shaft and is configured to guide a moving direction of the banknote when the banknote is being collected. The pressing plate is configured to support the collected banknotes and press the banknotes towards the guide plate while the banknotes are being separated. One end of the guide plate far away from the entrance-and-exit is provided with a force-releasing surface configured to support the guide plate when the pressing plate presses the banknotes towards the guide plate.

Abstract: A vending machine and an item dispensing method. The vending machine includes: a storage column used to store items; a bucket used to receive an item from the storage column; a first conveying mechanism disposed at the storage column and used to convey the item in the storage column to the bucket; a second conveying mechanism disposed at the bucket and used to convey the item from the storage column to the inside of the bucket; and a controller. The first and second conveying mechanisms are each electrically connected to the controller. The item dispensing method includes controlling the first conveying mechanism to convey an item to the bucket at a first preset speed and controlling the second conveying mechanism to convey the item to the inside of the bucket at a second preset speed, as the item is entering the bucket, the first preset speed being less than the second preset speed.