JPH10177673A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a position to arrange the terminal equipment of radio type telephone for exchanging information with a central control center by covering the terminal equipment with a merchandise sample or housing it in the merchandise sample so as to be invisible from the outside. SOLUTION: A prescribed position on the front face of casing 1 for a vending machine becomes a merchandise sample display part 2. Concerning this merchandise sample display part 2, its front face is covered with a transparent panel 3 composed of a transparent acrylic panel or the like and plural merchandise samples from 4-1 to 4-n are respectively arranged at prescribed positions inside. Any ordinary glass acrylic panel or glass panel having no characteristic to shield electromagnetic waves is used for the transparent panel 3. At any position of merchandise samples from 4-1 to 4-n displayed at the merchandise sample display part 2 such as at the position of 4-n, for example, terminal equipment (PHS MODEM, for example,) 5 of radio type telephone is arranged while being covered with the merchandise sample 4-n arranged at that position or being housed in the merchandise sample 4-n so as to be invisible from the outside.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting and receiving various information such as sales data between an individual vending machine and a remote central management center via a telephone line.
The present invention relates to a vending machine characterized by devising the arrangement of a wireless telephone terminal device mounted on each vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various kinds of information such as sales data are exchanged between an individual vending machine and a remote central management center via a telephone line. A terminal device (modem) of a wired telephone is mounted inside each vending machine, and is connected to a telephone line by wire (for example, JP-A-5-95586). Also,
As a prototype, it has been considered that a PHS modem is mounted on a vending machine as a terminal device of a wireless telephone to exchange information with a central management center (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
154135).

[0003]

When a wired telephone is used, it is necessary to connect a telephone line to each vending machine, and the burden of construction costs is large. On the other hand, when using a wireless telephone such as a PHS, there is no burden on construction costs, which is advantageous in terms of cost. Was difficult. For example, if the wireless telephone terminal device is housed inside the housing of the vending machine, the wireless telephone terminal device will be shielded by the iron plate of the housing, so that there is a problem that the transmitted and received radio wave intensity is reduced. is there. On the other hand, if the wireless telephone terminal device is installed outside the housing of the vending machine, there is no problem of a decrease in transmission / reception radio field intensity, but there is a problem that it is easily stolen. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has provided a vending machine having an improved arrangement of a wireless telephone terminal device for exchanging information with a central management center via a telephone line. It is something to offer.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a vending machine provided with a product sample display section on the front side, wherein a telephone line is provided between the vending machine and a remote management center. A terminal device of a wireless telephone for transmitting and receiving information through the terminal, at any position of the product sample displayed in the product sample display unit, the terminal device is mounted on a product sample arranged at the position. It is characterized by being arranged so as to be invisible from the outside by being covered or stored in the product sample.

[0005] The product sample display portion is not shielded by the iron plate constituting the housing of the vending machine, but only has its front surface covered by a transparent plate having electromagnetically non-shielding properties such as an acrylic plate. When a wireless telephone terminal device is arranged here, the problem that the transmission / reception radio field intensity is reduced does not occur, and one of the problems of the related art can be overcome.
Further, the product sample display unit itself is easy to see from the outside, but at any position of the product sample displayed in the product sample display unit, the terminal device is used as a product sample arranged at the position. Since it is arranged so as not to be seen from the outside by covering or storing it in the product sample,
The location of the terminal device cannot be determined only by looking from the outside, and the theft damage can be suppressed beforehand, so that another problem of the prior art can be overcome. In addition, since the arranged terminal device is hidden by a product sample, it has good appearance, and there is no need to newly secure a mounting space for the terminal device, so that the storage efficiency of each component of the vending machine is also good. is there.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an external appearance of a vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the front. As is well known, a predetermined portion on the front surface of a housing 1 of the vending machine is a product sample. The display unit 2 is provided. As is well known, the product sample display unit 2 is shielded by a transparent plate 3 made of a transparent acrylic plate or the like, and a plurality of product samples 4-1 to 4-n are located at predetermined positions inside the product sample display unit 2. Each is arranged. In carrying out the present invention, as the transparent plate 3, a normal acrylic plate, a glass plate, or the like, which does not have a property of shielding electromagnetic waves, is used.
On the front of the vending machine, other, product selection switch,
Although a money slot, a money return port, a commodity payout port, and the like are provided, they are not shown.

[0007] Product sample 4 displayed in the product sample display section 2
Any position of -1 to 4-n, for example, the position of 4-n,
, The terminal device (for example, a PHS modem) 5 of the wireless telephone is arranged so as to be invisible from the outside by covering it with the product sample 4-n arranged at the position or storing it in the product sample 4-n. . When the product is a canned beverage, it is preferable to use a sample called a dummy can instead of using a real beverage can as the product sample 4-n. That is,
The dummy can is preferably made of a non-metal so as not to shield electromagnetic waves. Of course, a part (for example, a side surface) of the dummy can, that is, the product sample 4-n may be made of the same aluminum or tin as the genuine product, and the upper surface may be made of an electromagnetic wave non-shielding property such as plastic or paper.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a product sample 4-n containing the wireless telephone terminal device 5. As shown in FIG. In this case, the product sample 4-n is placed on the display shelf 2a, and the wireless telephone terminal device 5 is housed inside the product sample 4-n. An appropriate opening 2b is opened in the display shelf 2a, and an appropriate opening is also provided in the bottom surface 4b of the product sample 4-n, and the data wiring of the terminal device 5 housed inside the product sample 4-n. (For example, a serial communication line) 5a passes under the display shelf 2a through these openings 2b and communicates with the inside of the vending machine casing 1, and the control device provided inside the casing 1 It is to be connected. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing another storage example of the wireless telephone terminal device 5, in which there is substantially no rear half of the product sample 4-n and covers the front surface of the terminal device 5 placed on the display shelf 2a. It is dressed and hidden.

FIG. 4 exemplifies a configuration example of a control device inside a vending machine. A wireless telephone terminal device (for example, a PHS modem) 5 is connected to a communication interface 10 in the control device via a data line 5a and communicates with a main control unit 11 via a bus 15. Various devices and control mechanisms necessary for the vending machine, such as a coin mechanism 12, a product selection panel control unit 13, and a product transport control unit 14, are connected to the bus 15. Under the control of the main control unit 11, sales of vending machines and the like are managed, and such information is transmitted to the wireless telephone terminal device (P
An HS modem 5 transmits the data to a remote central management center 21 via a public communication network 20. Also, information provided from the central management center 21 via the communication line network 20 is received by the wireless telephone terminal device (PHS modem) 5 and provided to the main controller 11 via the communication interface 10. The individual vending machines according to the present invention having such a configuration are provided in various places, and the central management center 21 performs the above-described communication with each vending machine to obtain necessary information such as sales information. Collect and centrally manage information.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, when arranging a wireless telephone terminal device for exchanging information via a public telephone line in an individual vending machine, a product sample on the front is provided. In any position of the product sample displayed in the display unit, the terminal device is arranged so as to be invisible from the outside by covering the terminal device with the product sample arranged at the position or storing the terminal device in the product sample. It is a feature. Therefore, the product sample display section is not shielded by the iron plate constituting the housing of the vending machine, but is merely shielded by the electromagnetically non-shielding transparent plate such as an acrylic plate. In the case where a wireless telephone terminal device is arranged in the system, there is no problem that the transmitted / received radio wave intensity is reduced, and one of the problems of the prior art can be overcome. Further, the product sample display unit itself is easy to see from the outside, but at any position of the product sample displayed in the product sample display unit, the terminal device is used as a product sample arranged at the position. By concealing or storing it in the product sample, it is arranged so as not to be seen from the outside, so it is not possible to know just where the terminal device is from the outside, it is possible to prevent theft damage of the terminal device beforehand. Therefore, there is an excellent effect that another problem of the related art can be overcome. Furthermore, since the arranged terminal device is hidden by the product sample, it is good in appearance, and there is no need to secure a new mounting space for the terminal device, so that the storage efficiency of each component of the vending machine is good. is there.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an external appearance of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed obliquely from the front.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a part of a product sample in which the wireless telephone terminal device is stored in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing another example of storing a wireless telephone terminal device in a product sample.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a control system in the vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vending machine housing 2 Product sample display section 2a Product sample display shelf 3 Transparent plate on front of product sample display section 4-1 to 4-n Product sample 5 Wireless telephone terminal device 5a Data wiring 10 Communication interface 11 Main control unit 20 Public communication network 21 Central management center

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine provided with a product sample display section on the front side thereof, a wireless telephone for exchanging information via a telephone line between the vending machine and a remote management center. Equipped with a terminal device, at any position of the product sample displayed in the product sample display section, by externally covering or storing the terminal device with a product sample arranged at the position. A vending machine characterized by being placed out of sight.