JP2647836B2 - Article providing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article providing apparatus having an article lending function and a selling function.

(B) Conventional technology As described above, there is no prior example of an article providing apparatus having both functions of selling and renting articles. However, as an automatic lending apparatus for articles, there is an apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-8120. This is to lend special shoes used for bowling games, exchange coins for gamers' regular shoes by lending coins, lend game exclusive shoes, and give back regular shoes when returning game exclusive shoes Configuration. Japanese Patent Publication No. 41-7094 discloses a tape cartridge container, which is provided with a tape cartridge insertion hole, a tape cartridge selection button, and a coin insertion hole. 1 shows a tape cartridge automatic lending machine configured to take out a desired cartridge by operating a button.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, according to the former conventional example, it is necessary to deposit articles instead of rental articles, and it is difficult to use other than rental shoes. Also, according to the latter example, since the next cartridge is taken out only by returning the borrowed tape cartridge to its original state, in this case, if it is not returned, a tape cartridge can be obtained at a relatively low rent fee. Abuse can also occur.

As described above, the use of any of the conventional lending apparatuses is limited because the article is used as an operation medium, and fraud is likely to occur. Therefore, the present invention provides a lending system using money as an operation medium, and according to such a device, both sales and lending are achieved.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems The configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. When coins or bills are inserted into the coin sorting processing device (6) or the bill discrimination processing device (5) and an inserted money signal is generated, the arithmetic device (1) calculates the inserted amount based on the signal. Then, the arithmetic unit (1) compares the input amount with the set amount for each type of article set in the price setting unit (7) to determine the type of article that can be provided for sale or lending. The selection unit (8) has a selection switch for each type of article, and the article delivery device (2) operates when the selection switch corresponding to the article determined to be available by the arithmetic unit (1) is operated. Then, the article is sent out. A recognition unit is set for each of the articles transmitted by the article transmission device (2), and identification information for discriminating whether the article is a sale article or a rental article is written in the recognition unit. I have. When the article is returned to the returned article receiving section (3), the identification device (4) reads the recognition information of the article, and when it is determined that the article is sent by the machine, the coin sorting processing apparatus according to the guarantee amount. (6) and bill sorting device (5)
It controls each money dispensing device (6A) (5A) attached to and pays out the guaranteed amount.

(E) Function Lending of goods becomes possible by inputting money in the same way as sales. And for lending, part of the input amount becomes a deposit,
It will be refunded by returning the goods.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 2 shows an external view of an article providing apparatus (10). In this example, a video cassette which has been recorded is provided. A coin is inserted into the coin slot (11) or the bill insertion slot (12). For example, a display device (15) using a CRT display is used to check the inserted amount and a sold-out video cassette, and a cassette display shelf (14) and a display panel ( 13) by a look at the cassette titles and prices to selected by the operation of the select the desired video cassette switch _{(S 1) ... (S n} ). Then, the selected video cassette is discharged to the outlet (16) by driving the cassette delivery device. A receipt is issued from the receipt issuing port (17) at the same time as the discharge, and it is preferable that the receipt describe the amount of money received, the date and time of provision, the cassette title No., the registration number of the product providing device, and the like. A recognition section is provided on the side of the video cassette, and various kinds of recognition information are recorded by optical recognition marks such as bar codes or recorded on a magnetic tape. The recognition information includes identification information of the video cassette and information on the amount of the deposit to be refunded when the cassette is returned.
If the content recorded on the video cassette is, for example, the latest movie or music scene, lending is inappropriate and selling is preferable. Therefore, sales information indicating whether the video cassette is exclusively for sale is also added to the identification information. When the lending period is particularly defined, the date and time information must be recorded in the recognition unit as one of the recognition information when the video cassette is provided. When information is recorded each time, it is easier to magnetically record date and time information.

In order for the customer to return the provided cassette, that is, to return the rented video cassette and return the security deposit, the customer inserts the cassette into the return receiving unit (18). The article providing device (10) inspects the recognition unit of the returned video cassette, and determines whether the cassette is appropriate based on the presence or absence of the identification information. In a device that handles a video cassette exclusively for sale and a video cassette that can be sold and rented, the type of the cassette is determined by detecting sales information. If there is a loan period,
The date and time information is read, and it is determined whether it is within the period. Further, the quality check of the returned video cassette is performed by, for example, reproducing the cassette at a high speed and changing the reproducibility of the recording signal or a change in mechanism. As a result, if the returned video cassette is not exclusively for sale and the lending period is protected, and there is no problem in quality, the goods providing apparatus (10) returns coins to the coin return slot ( Payment is made from 19), and if it is a bill, it is refunded from the bill insertion slot (12) which also serves as a return of the bill. Considering the most efficient apparatus for the returned video cassette, if the video cassette returned to the return receiving section (18) satisfies various return conditions, the cassette storing section is automatically set. To be sent to the next delivery, but this requires a very complicated mechanism. Therefore, as a simple method, if the video cassette returned to the return receiving section (18) satisfies the return conditions, the cassette by the customer is returned to the original cassette display shelf (14). There is a configuration to refund the deposit.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of the article providing apparatus (10), in which a control unit (20) is a control board mainly composed of a CPU (21) and a ROM (22) and a RAM (23) storing a control program. Consists of Coin sorting processor (24), banknote recognition processor (2
5), a selection device (26), a display device (15), a cassette sending device (27), a cassette loading device (28), and a receipt issuing device having a selection switch (S ₁ ) (S _n ). A printer (29), a magnetic signal recording device (30) for recording a magnetic signal on the recognition unit and a magnetic signal reading device (31) for reading the magnetic signal of the recognition unit are connected to the I / O interface (32), I / O interface (32) is ROM (22) or RAM (2
3) Address bus (33) and data bus (34)
Connected to the CPU (21). In the RAM (23), the amount of money for each title of each video cassette is set in advance by an input device such as a keyboard. In this case, the set amount of money corresponds to the sales amount of the video cassette, and the rental fee, the guarantee amount, Is the total amount. Coin sorting equipment (2
4) is connected to the coin slot (11) and has a coin switch,
Includes change detector and coin dispenser, coin slot (11)
It sorts the coins inserted into the coin and outputs a coin signal generated on the coin switch when a proper coin is inserted and a signal indicating the presence or absence of a change coin generated on the change detector to the CPU (21) through the I / O interface (32). The CPU (21) supplies a signal for paying out necessary coins to the coin sorting processor (24) through the I / O interface (32). The bill identification processing device (25) is in communication with the bill insertion slot (12), and when a bill is inserted, determines the appropriateness of the bill and outputs a bill signal if the bill is appropriate.
Output to CPU (21) through I / O interface (32),
The CPU (21) sends a signal to the bill identification processing device (25) through the I / O interface (32) for dispensing necessary bills. The banknote recognition processing device (25) has a banknote stack unit, and when a banknote payout signal is input, takes out the banknote from the banknote stack unit, transports the banknote in the direction opposite to the take-in direction, and transfers the banknote from the banknote insertion slot (12). Pay out. The selection device (26) is a selection switch (S ₁ )... (S _n ) provided for each title of the video cassette.
Including one of the selection switches (S ₁ ) depending on the customer
When (S _n ) is operated, a corresponding selection signal is output to the CPU (21) through the I / O interface (32). The display device (15) displays the amount of money inserted and cassettes that are out of stock on the CRT display, and receives a signal from the CPU (21) through the I / O interface (32). The cassette delivery device (27) includes a drive motor for delivery for each cassette storage unit provided inside the device according to the title of the video cassette.

The operation of the control unit (20) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Control unit (20) first the introduction of video cassette of return receiving portion in S ₁ step to (18) detected by the sensor (35), when not turned on coin signal or a bill signal S ₂ step is input Is determined. When the coin sorting apparatus (24) or banknote recognition processing device proper coins and bills are deposited coin signal or a bill signal (25) occurs, by performing the calculation operation according to the signals in the S ₃ step-up The amount is calculated, and the amount is displayed on the display device (15). And in S ₄ step determines the possible video cassette provided by the paid amount is compared with the set amount for each title of video cassettes are stored in advance in RAM (23) and inserted amount. At this time, if the input amount exceeds the set amount, the control unit (20)
The cassette that can be provided is determined according to the presence or absence of the change indicated by the coin sorting device (24). The S ₅ selection switch corresponding to a possible video cassette provided in step (S ₁₎ ... When the operation of the (S _n) is detected at S ₅ step, the control unit (20) cassette delivery device in subsequent S ₆ step (27 ) Is supplied with a drive signal to take out the selected video cassette from the cassette storage section. Control unit in S ₇ step (20) outputs the provision date and time information magnetic signal recording device (30), and records the information in the magnetic signal to the recognition unit of the extracted video cassette. The control unit (20) is sent to the outlet (16) collected by the video cassette taken out in S ₈ step, the print information indicating receipt amount, providing date and provides a video cassette kind in S ₉ Step printer (17) And drives it, and issues a receipt with these information printed.

Next, when the customer inserts a video cassette to the return receiving portion (18) for the return, the control unit in S ₁₀ step (20) checks the recognition unit by operating the magnetic signal reader (31), S
_In step ₁₁ , the control unit (20) determines whether the recognition unit includes identification information. When a video cassette or similar video cassette unrelated to this apparatus is improperly inserted into the return receiving section (18), the identification information is not detected by the magnetic signal reader (31) and is reliably discriminated. . When the proper video cassette is inserted into the return receiving portion (18), the control unit (20) determines whether the identification to sell dedicated cassette sales information of the confirmation information in S ₁₂ step, S _In step ₁₃ , similarly, the provision date and time information of the recognition information is read to determine whether or not the return time limit has been met. Then S ₁₄ to check the quality of the returned video cassette in step flight the inserted cassette to the return receiving portion by applying a drive signal to the cassette loading device (28) in the S ₁₅ step is normal (18) Take in. Next, the control unit (20) outputs the amount information deposit of recognition information in S ₁₆ Step coin sorting apparatus (24) or the banknote recognition processing device (25), the coin dispensing device included in the device Drive and pay out the security deposit to the coin return slot (19).

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, lending by depositing a security deposit becomes possible, so that the invention can be applied to various article lending devices. In addition, since both sales and lending are achieved, an efficient article providing device is provided. In addition, since the recognition unit is provided on the article and the control is performed in accordance with the recognition information, the operation is not only reliable, but also it is possible to sufficiently cope with improper use or incorrect use.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a video cassette providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart explaining the operation of a control unit. (1)… arithmetic device, (2)… article sending device, (3)
…… Returned goods receiving section, (4) …… Identifier, (5A) (6
A) Money dispensing device, (8) Selection section.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A device for calculating an input amount, an article delivery device for providing an item selected by a customer to a selection section when the input amount reaches a set amount, and a sales item provided for each item to be provided. Or a recognition unit in which recognition information for discriminating whether the item is a loan item or a loan item, a return item reception unit into which a return item is inserted by a customer, and the recognition of the item returned to the return item reception unit An article providing apparatus comprising: an identification device that reads a part; and a coin payout device that pays out a predetermined amount when the identification device detects the recognition information and indicates that the item is a loaned item.