DE102020108082A1 - Device for purchasing different products at the same time - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the simultaneous purchase of different products with a first vending machine and a second vending machine, each of the vending machines having a product receiving compartment and a product dispenser and the first vending machine having an input terminal for selecting and / or paying for the products, the first vending machine and the second vending machine are connected by means of a communication device and the device is set up in such a way that a product from the first vending machine and / or a product from the second vending machine is or will be dispensed through a payment process at the input terminal.

Description

The invention relates to a device for the simultaneous acquisition of different products according to the preamble of claim 1.

A vending machine, also known as a vending machine, is a device that dispenses self-service goods against payment or enables access to locked rooms or services.

Vending machines are mainly used in the sale of items with a low unit price. For example, machines for paying at petrol stations are in use in many countries. Such a machine saves staff and works around the clock. Thus, a vending machine enables sale to anyone and thus generates sales.

In particular, if vending machines are to offer a large number of different products, several vending machines are set up in parallel. Each of these vending machines completes a sales process independently of the other vending machines and must therefore provide the infrastructure for product selection and the payment process. This requires a large number of components, each of which must be maintained separately.

The object of the invention is to improve the state of the art.

The object is achieved by a device for the simultaneous acquisition of different products according to the main claim. Advantageous refinements result from the subclaims.

With the present device it is thus possible to dispense with one input terminal in each case in one or more vending machines. For example, with six vending machines connected to one another via a bus system, only one can have the central input fields and the others can only implement the goods issue function. A display that shows the available goods can also be provided on the input terminal. These can be selected at the input terminal and after completing a payment process, the goods are given out in the output compartments of the individual vending machines. Thus, with this invention, multiple structures can be avoided and corresponding computer services and input terminals only have to be provided once.

For example, each of the vending machines can have a code reader which, in particular, dispenses goods on the basis of a manually entered code or a QR code. This means that goods can be issued in parallel, since customers who collect them at the same time “block” at most one vending machine.

Furthermore, a device can be provided which, for example, ensures that the local population is supplied in places with limited availability of grocery stores. In addition, payment can of course be made with cash by inserting gel notes and coins as well as by means of a credit card and, accordingly, via contactless payment.

It is also possible to purchase a list of goods, for example via the Internet, and to trigger this list, for example by means of a QR code, on-site at the vending machine and receive the goods.

A core of the invention is to connect several vending machines and to do without infrastructure for some. This reduces the maintenance effort and the number of components.

Due to the internet connection, a product selection can also be made in advance and, for example, paid for directly online. You then receive an input code, for example, and the corresponding groceries or products are stored until they are picked up.

• 1 eine stark schematische Darstellung vierer nebeneinander angeordneter Verkaufsautomaten.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment. It shows

• 1 a highly schematic representation of four vending machines arranged side by side.

An association of vending machines has a snack machine 101 with an input terminal 109 as well as a coin slot 111 , a food vending machine 103 for refrigerated products, a food vending machine 105 for vegetables and a food vending machine 107 for canned food. The input terminal 109 is designed as a 32 "touch screen and is assigned to a control unit (not shown).

The snack machine 101 is via a bus line 117 exchanging data and energy with the other food vending machines 103 , 105 , 107 tied together. The connection by means of the bus line 117 also exists between the food vending machine 103 , the food vending machine 105 and the food vending machine 107 .

In the lower area are the snack vending machine 101 , the food vending machine 103 , the food vending machine 105 and the food vending machine 107 one output tray each 113 on. Above the respective output tray 113 is a product area 115 separated from a user by means of a pane of glass. The products can be viewed by a user through the glass pane.

With the present merger, the following operating scenarios can be implemented:

A customer goes to the input terminal 109 and selects all the products that he would like to purchase. The input is supported by a hierarchical structure and filter options for quick product identification. A “product basket” is then displayed, which the customer pays for by paying with a customer card, cash deposit or credit card.

If the customer has paid with a customer card, he steps through the individual machines 101 , 103 , 105 , 107 and activates his order at each machine using the card, in which case each machine 101 , 103 , 105 , 107 has a card reader which can read out the data from the customer card. Every single machine 101 , 103 , 105 , 107 outputs the respective products in the "product basket".

Alternatively, instead of the customer card, the “product basket” is displayed using a QR code. The QR code can be printed out or sent to a smartphone. In this case, the machines show 101 , 103 , 105 , 107 a QR code reader, which outputs the products stored on the QR code accordingly.

In other alternatives, the products are placed directly in the output tray of the individual machines after the payment process 101 , 103 , 105 , 107 issued.

Finally, the customer fetches the selected products from the snack machine 101 or one or more of the food machines 103 , 105 , 107 .

In another case is the merger of the snack vending machine 101 and the food vending machine 103 , 105 , 107 connected to the internet. The control unit of the snack machine 101 holds data on which products are available. These can be queried on the Internet by means of an Internet query on a homepage and a database behind it and ordered accordingly by customers. In addition, the goods are paid for on the Internet by credit card. After completing the payment process, the customer receives a code word or a QR code. This QR code or the corresponding code word is saved or noted and then the customer goes to the merger of the machines 101 , 103 , 105 , 107 . There he enters the code word into the input terminal 109 or holds the QR code in front of a QR code reader on each of the machines 101 , 103 , 105 , 107 and its products are in the output trays 113 filed according to his order.

In a further alternative, a customer scans a product on site with his mobile phone and creates his “shopping list”. This shopping list is summarized in a QR code and is scanned through the input terminal 109 at the snack machine 101 triggered with input terminal. Payment can be made in cash, by credit card, or online, which completes the sale. The products are then made available by the respective food vending machines.

List of reference symbols

101

Snack machine with input terminal

103

Food dispenser for refrigerated products

105

Food vending machine for vegetables

107

Food vending machine for canned food

109

Input terminal

111

Coin slot

113

Output tray

115

Product area

117

Bus line

Claims (8)

Device for the simultaneous purchase of different products with a first vending machine (101) and a second vending machine (103), each of the vending machines having a product receiving compartment and a product dispenser (113) and the first vending machine having an input terminal (109, 111) for selection and / or for Having to pay for the products, characterized in that the first vending machine and the second vending machine are connected by means of a communication device (117) and the device is set up in such a way that a product from the first vending machine and / or a product is delivered through a payment process at the input terminal the second vending machine is or will be issued. Device according to Claim 1 , characterized by a third vending machine (105), a fourth vending machine (107), a fifth vending machine or further vending machines, the third vending machine, the fourth vending machine, the fifth vending machine or the others The vending machine is or are in each case with the first vending machine by means of the communication device and the device is set up in such a way that a product from the first vending machine, the second vending machine, the third vending machine, the fourth vending machine, the fifth vending machine and / or the other vending machine is or will be issued. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the communication device has a bus system. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the input terminal is set up in such a way that payment by means of cash or by means of an electronic means of payment can be realized. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an internet connection. Device according to Claim 5 , characterized in that the device is set up in such a way that an ordering process can be carried out on the Internet and, after authentication at the input terminal, the product or products of the ordering process are output. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the vending machines is a spiral machine or a drum machine. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first vending machine, the second vending machine, the third vending machine, the fourth vending machine, the fifth vending machine and / or the further vending machines have a code input device and / or a code reading device, so that goods according to a code can be issued by the respective vendig machine.

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