JP2009104370A - Use method of vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a use method of a vending machine, allowing sales of various series of characters with a small space. <P>SOLUTION: In this use method of the vending machine having a plurality of storage parts, a plurality of buttons associated to the respective storage parts, a commodity display part, and a commodity discharge device for discharging a box-shaped commodity from the storage part, a series article is allocated to a section area of the commodity display part, a content commodity of the allocated series article is displayed in the section area, each the button is associated to the section area, and each the button is associated to the series article allocated to the associated section area. The box-shaped commodities each sealed with the content commodity of a different kind constituting the series article corresponding to the associated button are randomly arranged in each the storage part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of using a vending machine.

  There are vending machines that store contents products such as characters, figurines and other toys (hereinafter referred to as “characters”) in capsules at department store toy stores, convenience store stores, game centers, etc. (for example, patents) Reference 1).

  Such a vending machine stores a capsule containing different characters constituting a specific series (type) together in a sales case, and when it is purchased, an unexpected character can be obtained. Can enjoy.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-30732 (see FIGS. 1 and 3)

  By the way, in the vending machine, the content items such as characters are generally unified into one series. This is because a single vending machine has only one handle, so if you put in a series of items that make up multiple series items, you can grab the items in the series that you do not want. This is because they often disappoint. Therefore, in order to sell other series of capsules in the vending machine, another vending machine must be installed side by side, and a large installation space is required.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of using a vending machine that can sell various series of characters in a small space.

The method of using the vending machine according to claim 1 is as follows:
A plurality of storage units for storing box-shaped products side by side;
A plurality of buttons that are associated with each of the plurality of storage units on a one-to-one basis and that select one storage unit associated with the plurality of storage units;
A product display portion provided near the plurality of buttons and formed so as to extend over the entire installation area of the plurality of buttons;
A method of using a vending machine comprising a product discharge device for discharging a box-shaped product from a storage unit selected by a button operation,
Dividing the product display section into a plurality of divided areas, assigning a series item to each of the plurality of divided areas, and assigning two or more types of series items as the whole of the plurality of divided areas,
In each of the plurality of divided areas, a plurality of contents composing the assigned series product are displayed,
Further, associating each of the plurality of buttons with the segmented area adjacent to the button, each of the plurality of buttons is associated with a series object assigned to the associated segmented area,
Further, in each of the plurality of storage units, a box-shaped product in which different types of contents composing a series product corresponding to the associated button are arranged randomly.
It is characterized by that.

  The method of using the vending machine according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, a cigarette vending machine is diverted as the vending machine.

  The method of using the vending machine according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of divided areas is associated with two or more of the plurality of buttons. It is characterized by.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to sell content items such as characters constituting a plurality of series items with one vending machine. In addition, even when the same button is pressed, the content products corresponding to one series are further randomly discharged, so that the gameability at the time of product purchase is enhanced.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the vending machine can be obtained at low cost because the cigarette vending machine can be converted by simply remodeling a part thereof.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the buttons are associated one by one with the storage unit, even if the box-shaped product of one storage unit is sold out, the contents in the same series from other storage units Can be discharged.

  Below, the usage method of the vending machine which concerns on this invention is demonstrated, referring the vending machine shown in drawing.

  The case 1 of this vending machine includes a case main body 2 whose front surface is open, an outer lid 3 that closes the opening 2a of the case main body, and an inner lid 4 that is disposed between the outer lid 3 and the case main body 2. It is constituted by. The outer lid 3 is installed at one side edge of the opening 2a of the case body 2 by a hinge or the like so that it can be opened and closed. The inner lid 4 is also installed at the one side edge of the opening 2a of the case body 2 so as to be rotatable. Yes.

  On the back plate inner surface 2b of the case body 2, as shown in FIG. The column 5 includes a large number (in this embodiment, 8 rows × 5 levels) of product storage units 6. These product storage units 6 have a rectangular opening corresponding to the shape of the box-shaped product A, and can store therein a plurality of box-shaped products A side by side from the back toward the opening.

  The front plate of the outer lid 3 has an opening 3a in the center, and a plurality of operation button mounting bars 7 (five steps in the present embodiment) are installed in the opening as shown in FIG. Yes. The operation button mounting bars 7 at each stage are provided with the number of operation buttons 8 (eight in this embodiment) corresponding to the number of storage portions 6 of the column 5. In addition, a transparent plate 9 such as glass is fitted into the opening 3a of the front plate at a portion excluding the operation button mounting bar 7. On the back side of the transparent plate 9, a product display unit for displaying the content products is configured.

  Further, around the opening 3a in the front plate of the outer lid 3, a coin insertion slot 10, a coin return lever 11, a change outlet 12, a bill insertion slot 13, an inserted amount display section 14, a product outlet 15, etc. are arranged. Furthermore, a rectangular recess 16 for attaching a poster or the like is formed on the top.

  As shown in FIG. 1, on the back surface of the front plate of the outer lid 3, as shown in FIG. A device 17 is installed. In this control device 17, the total amount of money and bills inserted from the coin insertion slot 10 and the bill insertion slot 13 is summed up, the purchase price of the box-shaped product A is calculated, and the difference is returned to the change outlet 12. . If the purchase of the box-shaped product A is stopped and the coin return lever 11 is operated, the inserted coin is returned to the change outlet 12, and the bill is discharged from the bill insertion slot 13.

  Each operation button 8 is connected to the control device 17 via the wiring cable 18, and when the operation button 8 is operated, the control device 17 performs a product take-out operation described later. Then, when the box-shaped product A is discharged to the product outlet 15, it is detected by a sensor (not shown), and based on the signal of the sensor, the product purchase price is subtracted from the input price, and the difference is the input price display unit 14 Is displayed.

  In addition, a product receiving tray 19 is installed at a position corresponding to the product discharge port 15 on the back surface of the front plate of the outer lid 3. The product receiving tray 19 opens upward and communicates with the product discharge port 15.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a partition plate 20 extends rearward on the back surface of the operation button mounting bar 7 over almost the entire length.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inner lid 4 includes a display plate support means 21 at a position corresponding to the operation button mounting bar 7 on the front surface. As shown in FIG. 4, the display board support means 21 is formed by an L-shaped and / or inverted L-shaped projecting piece 22, and holds the upper side and the lower side of the display board 24 in a groove 23 defined thereby.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the partition plate 20 is in contact with or close to the protruding piece 22 of the inner lid 4 with the outer lid 3 closed, whereby the operation button mounting rails of each stage are arranged. 7 is divided.

  In addition, the inner lid 4 includes a product discharge device 25 on the back surface as shown in FIG. The product discharge device 25 takes out the box-shaped product A stored in the storage unit 6 of the column 5 and conveys it to the product receiving tray 19 of the outer lid 3. The product discharge device 25 includes a product take-out mechanism 26 that takes out the box-shaped product A from the column 5, and a product transport mechanism 27 that transports the product A to the receiving tray 19.

  The product takeout mechanism 26 includes a product pickup board 28 as shown in FIG. The product pick-up board 28 includes a suction pad 30 that is stretchable by a pantograph 29, a screw rod 32 that is rotationally driven by a motor 31, and a suction pump 34 that is connected to the suction pad 30 via a hose 33 (FIG. 2). See).

  In the product take-out mechanism 26, the suction pad 30 is brought into contact with the box-shaped product A in the column 5 by driving the motor 31, and the pump 33 is operated. The air in the hollow portion formed is removed by suction, the box-shaped product A is adsorbed to the suction pad 30, the motor 31 is rotated in the reverse direction, the pantograph 29 is degenerated, and the product A is taken out from the column 5.

  The product transport mechanism 27 is located outward from the side edge of the column 5 and is disposed so as to extend to the vertical guide rail 35 having a length corresponding to the side edge of the column 5 and the vertical guide rail. And a horizontal guide rail 36 that is guided in a vertical direction along a horizontal guide rail 35. A product pickup board 28 is slidably installed on the horizontal guide rail 36.

  A motor 37 is mounted on one end of the lateral guide rail 36, a driving side sprocket 38 a is fixed to the shaft of the motor, and a driven side sprocket 38 b is installed on the other end of the lateral guide rail 36. A chain 39 is wound around the sprockets 38 a and 38 b, and both ends of the chain 39 are connected to the product pickup board 28.

Sprockets 40 a and 40 b are installed on the upper and lower ends of the vertical guide rail 35. A chain 41 is wound around each of the sprockets 40 a and 40 b, and both ends of the chain 41 are connected to the lateral guide rail 36.
A motor 42 is installed on the back surface of the inner lid 4, and a sprocket 43 a is fixed to the motor 42. A sprocket 43 b is coaxially installed on the sprocket 40 a of the vertical guide rail 35. A chain 44 is wound around the sprocket 43b and the sprocket 43b via the sprocket 43a.

  Further, a shooter 45 is installed at the bottom of the back surface of the inner lid 4. The shooter 45 has openings at the upper end and the lower end, and a lower end portion of the shooter 45 passes through the inner lid 4 and protrudes to the front surface. The opening 45 a is disposed at a position facing the product receiving tray 19 of the outer lid 3.

  According to the product transport mechanism 27 configured as described above, the product pickup board 28 is moved along the horizontal guide rail 36 by driving the motor 37, and the horizontal guide rail 36 is moved by driving the motor 42. It is moved along the vertical guide rail 35 in the vertical direction.

  These motors 37 and 42 are controlled by the control device 17 and move the product pickup board 28 to the product storage section 6 of the column 5 specified by the operation of the operation button 8, and the product pickup board moves the box-shaped product A. After taking out, the product pickup board 28 is conveyed to the shooter 45, and the suction of the suction pad 30 of the product pickup board 28 is released. Then, the product A falls on the shooter 45.

  The box-shaped product A sold by the vending machine 1 has a plurality of series, for example, various items such as cartoon characters, miniature cars, etc. (in the case of the miniature car series, the contents of the products are different) ( Character, etc.) are enclosed.

  In the vending machine 1, the products A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5 of each series are randomly stored in the product storage portions 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, and 6e of each column.

  In the vending machine 1, various characters of the products A <b> 1 to A <b> 5 corresponding to the stage are fixedly placed on the partition plate 20. The character or the like is fixed to the partition plate 20 by, for example, forming the partition plate 20 from an iron plate, attaching a magnet to the bottom of the character or the like, and fixing the character or the like by magnetic force, or fixing the character or the like by an adhesive. Further, a character or the like may be hung on a hook attached to the display board 24.

  In the vending machine 1, the display board 24 depicting various characters of the products A1 to A5 corresponding to the stage is inserted into the upper and lower grooves 23 of the display board support means 21.

  In this vending machine 1, the product purchaser selects a series item to be purchased, and presses an arbitrary operation button 8 in the row of the item. Then, the box-shaped product A positioned in front of the product storage unit 6 corresponding to the operation button is selected, and the box-shaped product A is discharged to the product outlet 15. The product purchaser takes out the box-shaped product A from the product outlet 15.

  In the vending machine 1, the partition plate 20 is disposed on each stage of the operation button mounting bar 7, and the partition plate 20 defines five different upper and lower series regions. The partition plate 20 is disposed only on some of the operation button mounting bars 7, for example, the second and fifth operation button mounting bars 7, and two series object areas are defined vertically. The box-shaped product A corresponding to the series product region may be stored in the product storage unit 6 corresponding to those regions, and a plurality of series product regions are formed by dividing the steps of the same operation button mounting bar 7 in the horizontal direction. It may be defined.

  In these cases, the position of the projecting piece 22 may be set in correspondence with the position of the partition plate 20 or the series object region in the position of the display plate support means 25 formed on the inner lid 4.

  In the vending machine according to the present invention, for example, the arrangement state of the column 5, the position and shape of the partition plate 20, the structure of the display plate support means 25, the shape of the protruding piece 22, the structure of the product take-out mechanism 26, and the product transport mechanism The structure, the arrangement of products, and the like can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the claims.

It is the perspective view which showed the vending machine for enforcing the usage method of the vending machine which concerns on this invention. It is the perspective view which showed the inner cover and case main body of the vending machine shown in FIG. It is a front view of the vending machine shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing an operation button mounting bar for an outer lid and a protruding piece of an inner lid in the vending machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a product takeout mechanism and a column in the vending machine shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

8 Operation button 15 Product outlet 25 Product discharge device A Box-shaped product

Claims (3)

A plurality of storage units for storing box-shaped products side by side;
A plurality of buttons that are associated with each of the plurality of storage units on a one-to-one basis and that select one storage unit associated with the plurality of storage units;
A product display portion provided near the plurality of buttons and formed so as to extend over the entire installation area of the plurality of buttons;
A method of using a vending machine comprising a product discharge device for discharging a box-shaped product from a storage unit selected by a button operation,
Dividing the product display section into a plurality of divided areas, assigning a series item to each of the plurality of divided areas, and assigning two or more types of series items as the whole of the plurality of divided areas,
In each of the plurality of divided areas, a plurality of contents composing the assigned series product are displayed,
Further, associating each of the plurality of buttons with the segmented area adjacent to the button, each of the plurality of buttons is associated with a series object assigned to the associated segmented area,
Further, in each of the plurality of storage units, a box-shaped product in which different types of contents composing a series product corresponding to the associated button are arranged randomly.
How to use a vending machine characterized by this.   The method of using a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a cigarette vending machine is used as the vending machine.   The method of using a vending machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of divided areas is associated with two or more of the plurality of buttons.

Images