CN111210565A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a vending machine which does not require complicated setting work and takes a plurality of countries of arrival as setting objects. A vending machine is provided with a control unit (40), wherein the control unit (40) is selectively connected with a coin processor (30) configured by legal currency of a country of arrival, controls the discharge of commodities based on amount data of input currency provided from the coin processor (30), displays output data related to the sale of the commodities on a liquid crystal display (25) arranged on a device body (10), stores an identification code corresponding to the country of arrival in the coin processor (30), and the control unit (40) reads the identification code from the connected coin processor (30) and displays the identification code on the liquid crystal display (25) according to an output data set (42) corresponding to the read identification code.

Description

Automatic vending machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a vending machine in which a plurality of countries of fortune are set as objects.

Background

In the automatic vending machine having a plurality of countries of arrival as installation targets, since legal currencies differ from country of arrival, it is necessary to install a settlement processor such as a currency processor or an electronic currency settlement machine in correspondence with each legal currency. Therefore, conventionally, a plurality of settlement processing machines having different legal currencies are prepared in advance in an automatic vending machine, and the corresponding settlement processing machines are operated according to installation locations (see, for example, patent document 1).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2000-285290

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In the above-described vending machine, if the country of arrival increases, the settlement processing machines of a corresponding amount must be prepared, so that the manufacturing cost has to be increased in accordance with the number of countries of arrival. To prevent this, it is conceivable to selectively mount the settlement processor of the corresponding legal currency to the vending machine at a time point determined by the country of transit. However, what needs to be changed according to the country of arrival is not only the settlement processor, but also the output data output from the output unit such as the display device and the speaker needs to be adapted to the country of arrival. For example, when money is input to the money handling machine, guidance such as the amount of input money or guidance for operation after the input money is displayed on a display device provided in an external door. These display data also need to be set in a language corresponding to the country of arrival. In reality, such setting work is performed by a remote controller provided in the vending machine, and there is a possibility that not only the setting work is complicated but also a setting error occurs.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine capable of setting a plurality of countries of arrival as installation targets without requiring a complicated setting operation.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the above object, a vending machine according to the present invention includes a control unit that controls discharge of a product based on settlement information supplied from a settlement processor connected to a device main body and controls output of output data related to sales of the product by an output unit provided in the device main body, wherein the settlement processor stores country data corresponding to a country of arrival, and the control unit reads country of arrival data of the settlement processor connected to the device main body and outputs the output data from the output unit in accordance with the read country of arrival data.

In the vending machine, the control unit may include a storage unit that stores output data prepared for each country of arrival in advance, the country of arrival data of the settlement processor may include an identification code for identifying the country of arrival, and the control unit may read the output data of the country of arrival corresponding to the identification code of the settlement processor from the storage unit.

In the above vending machine, the country of arrival data of the settlement processor includes output data corresponding to a country of arrival, and the control unit reads the output data from the country of arrival data of the settlement processor.

In the vending machine, the main body is provided with a display device as the output unit, and the control unit displays the data on the display device according to the country of arrival data of the settlement processor.

In the vending machine, the settlement processor may include at least a coin processor that inputs coins.

In the vending machine, when the country of arrival data of the settlement processing machines connected to the main body of the vending machine are different from each other, the control unit sets the settlement processing machine to be operated according to a preset selection condition, and outputs the output data from the output unit according to the country of arrival data of the settlement processing machine set to be operated.

In the vending machine, when the settlement processor connected to the apparatus main body is set to be inoperative, the control unit outputs, via the output unit, that the settlement processor connected to the apparatus main body is set to be inoperative.

In the vending machine, the control unit may select a settlement processor to be operated on the basis of a selection condition of a priority of the settlement processor set in advance.

In the vending machine, the control unit may select a settlement processor to be operated according to a selection condition input from the input unit.

In the above vending machine, when the price setting process at the time of selling the product is performed, the control unit performs a process of storing the set selling price data in the storage unit in association with the country of arrival data of the settlement processor, and when a preset clearing condition is satisfied, the control unit initializes the selling price data.

In the vending machine, when the selling price data is stored in the storage unit at the time of startup, the control unit compares the country of arrival data of the settlement processor connected to the device main body with the country of arrival data corresponding to the selling price data, and determines that the clearing condition is satisfied when the country of arrival data is different and the cancel operation of the initialization is not detected during a period from the startup to the elapse of a preset time limit.

In the vending machine, the control unit may determine that the purge condition is satisfied when an input signal is supplied from a preset operation input unit at the time of power-on.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, since the control unit outputs the output data corresponding to the country of arrival data of the settlement processor, it is possible to set a plurality of countries of arrival as installation targets without setting up a job.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a vending machine as embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control system of the vending machine shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows an output example of the vending machine shown in fig. 1, (a) is a diagram showing a display example of a liquid crystal display of a vending machine whose country of arrival is set in japan, and (b) is a diagram showing a display example of a liquid crystal display of a vending machine whose country of arrival is set in the united states.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a vending machine as embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system of the vending machine shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of the price setting process performed at the time of startup in the control unit of the vending machine.

Fig. 7 is a graph showing a specific example of the selling price data.

Fig. 8 is a graph showing a specific example of the selling price data.

Description of the reference numerals

1: a main body cabinet; 2: an outer door; 10: an apparatus main body; 11: a storage room; 12: a temperature adjustment unit; 21: a coin input port; 22: a coin return port; 23: a commodity outlet; 24: a selection button; 25: a liquid crystal display; 26: a speaker; 27: a discharge mechanism; 28: a paper money insertion opening; 29: withdrawing the rod; 30: a coin processor; 31: an internal memory; 40: a control unit; 41: a memory; 42: outputting the data set; 43: priority data; 44: sales price data; 50: a remote controller; 130: a banknote handling machine; 131: an internal memory.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the automatic vending machine according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(embodiment mode 1)

Fig. 1 shows a vending machine as embodiment 1 of the present invention. The vending machine exemplified here sells beverages contained in containers such as canned beverages and polyester bottled beverages as commodities to be installed in a plurality of countries of arrival. In this vending machine, an outer door 2 is provided on a front surface of a main body cabinet 1 to constitute an apparatus main body 10. Although not shown in the drawings, the main body cabinet 1 includes a storage 11 (see fig. 2) for storing a large number of commodities therein. The storage 11 is provided with a temperature adjustment means 12 such as a cooler and a heater for maintaining the temperature inside at a desired temperature. The outer door 2 is attached to the main body cabinet 1 to open and close the storage 11, and includes a coin insertion opening 21, a coin return opening 22, a commodity discharge opening 23, a selection button 24, a liquid crystal display 25, and a speaker 26 on a front surface of the outer door 2. The coin inlet 21 is used for inputting coins of value as commodities. The coins inserted from the coin inlet 21 are taken into a coin processor (settlement processor) 30 mounted on the outer door 2. The coin handling machine 30 discriminates between the authenticity and the denomination of the inserted coin. When the inserted coin is determined to be a normal coin, the coin processing machine 30 performs the following processes: the coins are stored inside, and the amount data (settlement information) of the coins is transmitted to the control unit 40 described later. The coins judged to be irregular by the coin handling machine 30 are discharged to the coin return opening 22 provided in the outer door 2. When the return lever 29 is operated after the coins are inserted from the coin insertion opening 21, the coins are also discharged to the coin return opening 22.

In embodiment 1, a dedicated coin handling machine 30 corresponding to the country of arrival is prepared in advance, and the coin handling machine 30 corresponding to the country of arrival is selectively attached to the inside of the outer door 2 when the vending machine is assembled. That is, the coin handling machine 30 is equipped with a discrimination sensor capable of discriminating coins of a country of arrival, and is a coin handling machine 30 dedicated to the country of arrival, and a plurality of coin handling machines 30 of types corresponding to the number of countries of arrival to which the vending machine is installed are prepared in advance. Note that, in each coin processing machine 30, country of operation data is stored in an internal memory 31 (see fig. 2). In embodiment 1, as the country of arrival data, a unique identification code for identifying the country of arrival is stored in the internal memory 31.

The selection button 24 outputs a selection signal to a control unit 40 described later when pressed, and a plurality of selection buttons 24 are provided corresponding to the sales products. The liquid crystal display 25 displays output data supplied from a control unit 40 described later, and is provided, for example, above the coin slot 21. Similarly, the speaker 26 outputs sound in accordance with output data supplied from a control unit 40 described later, and is provided, for example, in an upper portion of the outer door 2.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the control system of the vending machine described above. The control unit 40 shown in fig. 2 controls the driving of the liquid crystal display 25, the speaker 26, the ejection mechanism 27, and the temperature adjustment unit 12 in accordance with the amount data supplied from the coin processing machine 30, the selection signal supplied from the selection button 24, the return signal supplied from the return lever 29, and the program and data stored in the memory 41. The discharge mechanism 27 is used to discharge the commodities stored in the storage 11 individually when driven. The control Unit 40 can be realized by causing a Processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a program, that is, by software, or by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or by using both software and hardware.

The memory 41 stores a plurality of types of output data sets (sets) 42 prepared for each country of arrival in association with the identification codes, the output data sets 42 are output data mainly used as guidance for selling commodities to users (commodity purchasers) of the automatic vending machine, such as character data displayed on the liquid crystal display 25, legal currency symbols such as ￥, $, the number of digits of the amount, the decimal point position of the amount, and audio data output from the speaker 26, and the output data sets 42 are collectively stored for each country of arrival.

In this vending machine, the coin handling machine 30 corresponding to the country of arrival is installed inside the outer door 2, and when the power is turned on after the coin handling machine is connected to the control unit 40 via a signal line such as a cable, the control unit 40 first reads the identification code stored in the internal memory 31 of the coin handling machine 30. The control unit 40 that reads the identification code reads the output data set 42 corresponding to the identification code from the plurality of types of output data sets 42 stored in the memory 41, and associates the read output data set 42 as a set value.

For example, when the coin processor 30 corresponding to a coin of Japan is installed in the outer door 2, the specification of the vending machine corresponds to Japan, that is, in the vending machine, the control section 40 corresponds the output data set 42 prepared for Japan as a set value based on the identification code A stored in the coin processor 30, whereby, as shown in (a) of FIG. 3, in the case where the vending machine is in a standby state, guidance display of Japanese such as "product を"/"でください (please select product)" is performed on the liquid crystal display 25, and the total amount of money when a coin of Japan is inserted is displayed in units of 1 yen (no decimal point or less) as in "￥ 100", and further, guidance sound for properly selling the product in Japanese is outputted from the speaker 26.

When the amount of money data supplied from the coin processing machine 30 is equal to or more than the selling price of the product selected by the selection button 24, the control unit 40 drives the discharge mechanism 27 corresponding to the product in the storage 11. As a result, the commodity is discharged from the storage 11, and the commodity can be taken out from the commodity outlet 23 of the outer door 2.

In contrast, when the coin handling machine 30 corresponding to the american coin is installed inside the outer door 2, the specification of the vending machine corresponds to the united states. That is, in the vending machine, the control unit 40 associates the output data set 42 prepared for the united states as a set value based on the identification code B stored in the coin processing machine 30. Thus, as shown in fig. 3 (b), when the vending machine is in a standby state, a guide display in english such as "great select Products" is displayed on the liquid crystal display 25, and when coins in the united states are inserted, the total amount is displayed in units of $ 1/100 (2 decimal places or less) as "$ 5.00". Further, the speaker 26 outputs a sound for appropriately providing guidance on sales of the product in english.

Similarly, when the coin handling machine 30 corresponding to a chinese coin is installed, the specification of the vending machine corresponds to china, and the output data set 42 prepared for china is associated as a set value. When the coin processing machine 30 corresponding to the korean coin is installed, the specification of the vending machine corresponds to korea, the output data set 42 prepared for korea is associated as a set value, and guidance display and voice output corresponding to each place of arrival can be performed from the liquid crystal display 25 and the speaker 26.

In this way, according to the vending machine described above, if the coin processing machine 30 of the desired country of arrival is mounted, the control unit 40 sets the output data corresponding to the country of arrival in accordance with the identification code stored in the coin processing machine 30. Therefore, it is possible to set a plurality of countries to be shipped without requiring a complicated setting operation and without causing a setting error.

In embodiment 1, the coin processing machine 30 is exemplified as the settlement processing machine, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, if the vending machine is provided with a bill handling machine, the country of arrival data may be stored in the bill handling machine, and if the vending machine is provided with an electronic money settlement machine that handles electronic money stored in a portable terminal device or an IC card, the country of arrival data may be stored in the electronic money settlement machine.

(embodiment mode 2)

Fig. 4 shows a vending machine as embodiment 2 of the present invention. As in embodiment 1, the vending machine exemplified here sells, as a commodity, a beverage contained in a container such as a canned beverage or a polyester bottled beverage to be set in a plurality of countries of arrival. In embodiment 1, a vending machine in which 1 settlement processor is provided to the apparatus main body 10 is exemplified, but in embodiment 2, a vending machine in which a plurality of settlement processors having different settlement methods are provided to the apparatus main body 10 is exemplified. That is, in the vending machine according to embodiment 2, the banknote handling machine 130 is connected to the apparatus main body 10 in addition to the coin handling machine 30. Hereinafter, the differences from embodiment 1 will be mainly described, and the same configurations as embodiment 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the vending machine according to embodiment 2, a coin insertion opening 21, a coin return opening 22, a commodity discharge opening 23, a selection button (operation input unit) 24, a liquid crystal display 25, a speaker 26, a bill insertion opening 28, and a return lever (operation input unit) 29 are provided on the front surface of the outer door 2. The bill insertion slot 28 is used for inserting bills of value as merchandise. The banknotes inserted from the banknote insertion slot 28 are taken into the banknote handling machine 130 attached to the outer door 2. The bill handling machine 130 discriminates between the genuineness and denomination of the inserted bill. When the inserted bill is determined to be a legitimate bill, the bill handling machine 130 performs the following processes: the banknotes are stored inside, and the amount data (settlement information) of the banknotes is transmitted to the control unit 40 described later. Note that the banknotes judged to be irregular by the banknote handling machine 130 are discharged to the outside from the banknote insertion slot 28. Note that, when the return lever 29 is operated after the banknotes are inserted from the banknote insertion slot 28, the banknotes are also discharged from the banknote insertion slot 28.

In embodiment 2, a plurality of dedicated coin processing machines 30 and coin processing machines 130 corresponding to the countries of arrival are prepared in advance, and the coin processing machines 30 and the coin processing machines 130 corresponding to the countries of arrival are selectively installed inside the outer door 2 when the vending machine is assembled. In each of the coin processing machine 30 and the banknote processing machine 130, a unique identification code for identifying the country of arrival is stored in the internal memories 31 and 131 as country of arrival data.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the control system of the vending machine described above. The control unit 40 shown in fig. 5 controls the driving of the liquid crystal display 25, the speaker 26, the discharge mechanism 27, and the temperature adjustment unit 12 in accordance with the amount data supplied from the coin processing machine 30, the amount data supplied from the bill processing machine 130, the selection signal supplied from the selection button 24, the return signal supplied from the return lever 29, the setting data supplied from the remote controller 50, and the program and data stored in the memory 41. The remote controller 50 is an input means for inputting to the control unit 40. The control unit 40 of the vending machine may be realized by causing a processing device such as a CPU to execute a program, that is, by software, or by hardware such as an IC, or by using both software and hardware.

In the memory 41, as in embodiment 1, a plurality of types of output data sets 42 prepared for each country of arrival are stored in association with the identification code, and in addition, priority data 43 for handling an error (error) is stored. The priority data 43 sets the priority of the coin handling machine 30 and the banknote handling machine 130. In embodiment 2, the priority of the coin handling machine 30 is set higher than the priority of the banknote handling machine 130.

In this vending machine, the coin handling machine 30 and the bill handling machine 130 corresponding to the country of transit are installed inside the outer door 2, connected to the control unit 40 via a signal line such as a cable, and then powered on. When the power is turned on, first, the identification code stored in the internal memory 31 of the coin handling machine 30 and the identification code stored in the internal memory 131 of the coin handling machine 130 are read by the control unit 40. The control unit 40, which reads the identification codes from the coin handling machine 30 and the banknote handling machine 130, determines whether or not they match, and if they match, performs the following processing: the output data set 42 corresponding to the identification code is read from the plurality of types of output data sets 42 stored in the memory 41, and the read output data set 42 is associated as a set value.

For example, when the coin processor 30 corresponding to coins in japan and the bill processor 130 corresponding to bills in japan are installed in the outer door 2, the specifications of the vending machine correspond to those in japan. That is, in this vending machine, the control unit 40 associates the output data set 42 prepared for japan as a set value based on the identification code a stored in the coin handling machine 30 and the coin handling machine 130. Thus, when the vending machine is in the standby state, the liquid crystal display 25 displays guidance for japanese language "product を chip でください (please select the product)", and when coins and banknotes of japan are inserted, the total amount thereof is displayed in units of 1 yen (no decimal point or less). Further, the speaker 26 outputs a voice of guidance for commodity sales in japanese as appropriate.

When the sum of the amount data supplied from the coin handling machine 30 and the banknote handling machine 130 is equal to or more than the selling price of the commodity selected by the selection button 24, the control unit 40 drives the discharge mechanism 27 corresponding to the commodity in the storage 11. As a result, the commodity is discharged from the storage 11, and the commodity can be taken out from the commodity outlet 23 of the outer door 2.

In contrast, when the coin handling machine 30 and the bill handling machine 130 corresponding to the american coin are installed, the specification of the vending machine corresponds to the american coin. That is, in the vending machine, the control unit 40 associates the output data set 42 prepared for the united states as a set value based on the identification code B stored in the coin processing machine 30. Thus, when the vending machine is in a standby state, a guide display in english such as "great select Products" is displayed on the liquid crystal display 25, and when coins in the united states are inserted, the total amount is displayed in units of $ 1/100 (2 decimal places or less) as in "$ 5.00". Further, the speaker 26 outputs a sound for appropriately providing guidance on sales of the product in english.

Similarly, when the coin handling machine 30 and the bill handling machine 130 corresponding to the money of china are installed, the specification of the vending machine corresponds to china and the output data set 42 prepared for china is associated as a set value, and when the coin handling machine 30 and the bill handling machine 130 corresponding to the money of korea are installed, the specification of the vending machine corresponds to korea and the output data set 42 prepared for korea is associated as a set value. Thus, when the vending machine is operated, guidance display and audio output are performed in languages corresponding to the respective destinations from the liquid crystal display 25 and the speaker 26.

On the other hand, in the above determination, when the identification code of the coin handling machine 30 attached to the outer door 2 does not match the identification code of the banknote handling machine 130, the control unit 40 reads the priority data 43 stored in the memory 41, and sets only one of the coin handling machine 30 and the banknote handling machine 130 to be active and the other to be inactive according to the priority data 43. As described above, in embodiment 2, since the priority of the coin handling machine 30 is set higher than the priority of the banknote handling machine 130, the control unit 40 sets the coin handling machine 30 to be active and the banknote handling machine 130 to be inactive.

The control unit 40 performs the following processes: the output data set 42 corresponding to the identification code of the coin handling machine 30 set to operate is read out from the output data sets 42 of the plurality of types stored in the memory 41, and the read output data set 42 is associated as a set value. For example, when the coin processor 30 corresponding to a coin in japan and the bill processor 130 corresponding to a bill in the united states are connected to the apparatus main body 10 of the vending machine, the control unit 40 sets the coin processor 30 to be active, sets the bill processor 130 to be inactive, and associates the output data set 42 for japan corresponding to the identification code of the coin processor 30 as a set value. Thus, the argument できませ was used by the user of "" via LCD 25 using "130 は. (note processor 130 cannot be used), "and the error display and audio output of japanese language can prevent a user (commodity purchaser) from using the banknotes in advance. Further, since the banknote handling machine 130 which is not operating is in a state in which the banknotes cannot be inserted, there is no possibility that the user may erroneously insert the banknotes.

In this way, according to the vending machine described above, if the coin handling machine 30 and the banknote handling machine 130 of the desired country of arrival are installed, the control unit 40 sets the output data corresponding to the country of arrival in accordance with the identification codes stored in the coin handling machine 30 and the banknote handling machine 130. Further, even when the coin handling machine 30 and the coin handling machine 130 corresponding to different countries of arrival are installed, only one is operated and the other is not operated, so that only legal currencies of the countries of arrival can be used, and there is no concern that a problem arises in sales of commodities. Therefore, it is possible to set a plurality of countries to be shipped without requiring a complicated setting operation and without causing a setting error.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of the price setting process executed at the time of startup in the control unit 40 of the vending machine described above. Next, the price setting process of the vending machine will be described with reference to the flowchart. In the illustrated example, the vending machine is connected only to the coin processing machine 30.

In the price setting process, when the power is turned on, the control unit 40 first determines whether or not the selling price data 44 is stored in the memory 41 (step S101). The selling price data 44 is data indicating the association between each selection button 24 and the selling price, and is stored in the memory 41 in association with the identification code of the coin processing machine 30 subjected to the price setting processing. For example, in the example of fig. 7, the corresponding identification code is indonesia, and the selling price set for the selection button 24a is "90". Similarly, the selection button 24b is set to "130" as the selling price, "the selection button 24c is set to" 50 "as the selling price," the selection button 24d is set to "100" as the selling price, and the selection button 24e is set to "130" as the selling price.

Here, the control unit 40 is supplied with information indicating the absolute value of the amount of money to be inserted and the number of digits of the amount of money, which is the ratio of the legal money (japanese: レート), from the coin handling machine 30 of the vending machine. In the case of indonesia described above, the number of digits of the amount is set to 2 digits. Therefore, when 9000 lux is input to coin processing machine 30, selection button 24a becomes effective.

If the selling price data 44 is not stored in the memory 41 (step S101: no), the vending machine performs a price setting process (step S102). In this price setting process, for example, when a selling price is input to the selection button 24 from the remote controller 50, the selling price is set to the corresponding selection button 24. When the selling price is set for all the selection buttons 24 and the setting is completed, the inputted data of the selling price for the selection buttons 24 is stored in the memory 41 in a form corresponding to the identification code of the coin handling machine 30 currently connected, as shown in fig. 7.

On the other hand, when the selling price data 44 is stored in the memory 41 (step S101: YES), the control unit 40 performs a process of reading the identification code of the coin processing machine 30 currently connected (step S103), and compares the read identification code of the coin processing machine 30 with the identification code corresponding to the selling price data 44 (step S104). When the identification codes match each other (step S104: "YES"), coin processing machine 30 is not changed from the state in which the price setting process is performed. Therefore, the control unit 40 performs a process of directly reading the selling price data 44 stored in the memory 41 (step S105). Thus, for example, when 9000 lux is input to the coin processing machine 30, the selection button 24a and the selection button 24c become effective, and the corresponding product can be purchased by pressing either one of the selection buttons 24a and 24 c.

On the other hand, if the identification code of the currently connected coin processing machine 30 does not match the identification code corresponding to the selling price data 44 (no in step S104), the coin processing machine 30 is changed after the price setting process is performed. Therefore, the control unit 40 monitors the cancel operation from the remote controller 50 until a preset hesitation time, for example, 3 seconds, elapses (step S106, step S107, step S108), determines that the clear condition is satisfied when the cancel operation is not performed (step S107: "yes"), initializes the selling price data 44 stored in the memory 41 (step S109), and shifts the process to the price setting process (step S102). In this way, since the price setting process is performed with reference to the newly connected coin processing machine 30, it is possible to prevent the product from being sold at a price setting that is not intended by the manager of the vending machine. When the identification code of the currently connected coin processing machine 30 does not match the identification code corresponding to the selling price data 44, it is preferable that the liquid crystal display 25 and the speaker 26 output the meaning of the mismatch and output the meaning of initializing the selling price data 44 after the elapse of the hesitation time.

On the other hand, in the vending machine described above, when the cancel operation is performed from the remote controller 50 before the elapse of the preset hesitation time (yes in step S108), the selling price data 44 stored in the memory 41 becomes valid (step S105), and the product is sold in accordance with the setting content of the selling price data 44. That is, by performing the cancel operation, even when the identification code of the selling price data 44 does not match the identification code of the coin handling machine 30 currently connected, the product can be sold using the selling price data 44 stored in the memory 41.

Therefore, for example, even when the coin processing machine 30 of country a is not prepared at the factory shipment, if the price setting processing that is assumed to be the selling price of country a is performed in a state where the coin processing machine 30 of country B is connected, the commodity can be sold at the desired price setting by connecting the normal coin processing machine 30 corresponding to country a thereafter, and there is no need to newly perform the price setting processing. For example, even in a situation where only the coin handling machine 30 in indonesia as described above is prepared in the factory, if the coin handling machine 30 in thailand as a country of arrival is connected when the vending machine is actually set in thailand after the price setting process is performed in indonesia lubi in the normal thailand of arrival as shown in fig. 8 (the number of digits of the money is 1), the product can be sold at the price setting corresponding to the tai coin.

In embodiment 2 described above, the vending machine including the coin handling machine 30 and the coin handling machine 130 is exemplified, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the present invention may be a vending machine including a coin processing machine and an electronic money settlement machine, a vending machine including a bill processing machine and an electronic money settlement machine, or a vending machine including a coin processing machine, a bill processing machine, and an electronic money settlement machine.

In embodiment 2 described above, the settlement processing machine to be operated is selected in accordance with the priority data 43 set in advance, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the settlement processing machine to be operated may be selected from the remote controller 50 in accordance with the situation of the country of arrival, for example. When selecting a settlement processor to be operated from the remote controller 50, it is preferable that the output from the liquid crystal display 25 and the speaker 26 be made to prompt the input from the remote controller 50 at a point in time when the control unit 40 determines that the country of arrival data of the plurality of settlement processors do not match.

In embodiment 2, although the hesitation time is set before initializing the selling price data 44, it is not always necessary to set the hesitation time, and the selling price data 44 may be immediately initialized when it is determined that the erasing condition is satisfied when the identification code of the currently connected settlement processor does not match the identification code corresponding to the selling price data.

In embodiment 2 described above, the selling price data 44 stored in the memory 41 is maintained when the cancel operation is input from the remote controller 50 during a period until the elapse of the hesitation time, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the selling price data 44 stored in the memory 41 may be maintained by using the operation input from the selection button 24 and the return lever 29 during the period before the elapse of the hesitation time as the cancel operation. Further, as the cancel operation, not only the operation after the power-on, but also, for example, when the power is turned on while the select button 24 or the return lever 29 is operated, that is, when the select button 24 or the return lever 29 is operated at the time of the power-on, it may be determined that the cancel operation is performed, and the selling price data 44 stored in the memory 41 may be maintained. In this case, the selling price data 44 may be initialized immediately when it is determined that the clear condition is satisfied at a time point when the selection button 24 or the return lever 29 is not operated at the time of power-on, or the selling price data 44 may be initialized when it is determined that the clear condition is satisfied at a time point when a dead time without a cancel operation is passed.

Further, in both of embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 described above, an example of a vending machine that sells a beverage contained in a container is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can of course be applied to vending machines that sell other products. Further, since only the identification code is stored as the country of arrival data in the settlement processor 30 or 130, the internal memory 31 or 131 having a large capacity is not required, and the increase in the manufacturing cost of the settlement processor 30 or 130 can be prevented. However, the output data set 42 may be stored in the internal memory 31, 131 of the settlement processor 30, 130. That is, when the settlement processing machines 30 and 130 are mounted on the apparatus main body 10, the control unit 40 can output the data corresponding to the country of arrival by reading the output data set 42 stored in the settlement processing machines 30 and 130 and storing the read output data set in the memory 41 of the control unit as a set value.

The liquid crystal display 25 and the speaker 26 are exemplified as the output device for outputting data, but both are not necessarily required, and other output devices may be used.

Claims (12)

1. A vending machine comprising a control unit for performing discharge control of a commodity based on settlement information supplied from a settlement processor connected to an apparatus main body and for performing output control of output data related to commodity sales by an output unit provided in the apparatus main body, the vending machine being characterized in that,

the settlement processor stores the country of fortune data corresponding to the country of fortune,

the control unit reads the country of arrival data of the settlement processor connected to the device main body, and outputs output data from the output unit in accordance with the read country of arrival data.

2. The vending machine of claim 1,

the control unit has a storage unit that stores output data prepared in advance for each country of arrival,

the country of fortune data of the settlement processor includes an identification code for determining the country of fortune,

the control unit reads out, from the storage unit, output data of a country of arrival corresponding to the identification code of the settlement processor.

3. The vending machine of claim 1,

the country of fortune data of the settlement processor includes output data corresponding to the country of fortune,

the control unit reads output data from the country of arrival data of the settlement processor.

4. The vending machine of claim 1,

a display device is provided as the output section in the apparatus main body,

the control unit displays the state data on the display device according to the state of arrival of the settlement processor.

5. The vending machine of claim 1,

the settlement processor includes at least a coin processor for inputting coins.

6. The vending machine of claim 1,

when the country of arrival data of the settlement processing machines connected to the apparatus main body are different from each other, the control unit sets the settlement processing machine to be operated according to a preset selection condition, and outputs the output data from the output unit according to the country of arrival data of the settlement processing machine set to be operated.

7. The vending machine of claim 6,

when the settlement processor connected to the apparatus main body is set to be inoperative, the control unit outputs, via the output unit, that the settlement processor connected to the apparatus main body is set to be inoperative.

8. The vending machine of claim 6,

the control unit selects a settlement processor to be operated under a selection condition of a priority of the settlement processor set in advance.

9. The vending machine of claim 6,

the control unit selects a settlement processor to be operated according to a selection condition input from the input unit.

10. The vending machine of claim 1,

when the price setting process for selling the commodity is performed, the control unit stores the set selling price data in the storage unit in association with the country of arrival data of the settlement processor, and when a preset clearing condition is satisfied, the control unit initializes the selling price data.

11. The vending machine of claim 10,

when selling price data is stored in the storage unit at the time of startup, the control unit compares country of arrival data of a settlement processor connected to the device main body with country of arrival data corresponding to the selling price data, and determines that the clearing condition is satisfied when the country of arrival data is different and a cancel operation of initialization is not detected during a period from startup until a preset hesitation time elapses.

12. The vending machine of claim 10,

the control unit determines that the clear condition is satisfied when an input signal is not supplied from a preset operation input unit at the time of power-on.

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