JP2774013B2 - Vending machine with multiple buying function - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine with a multiple buying function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional vending machine with a multiple buying function is shown in FIG.
It is configured as shown in FIG. In addition to the selection buttons 1a, 1b, 1c used for inputting the selected brand, a plurality of purchase buttons 2a, 2b, 2c used for inputting the number of purchases are provided. The control unit 3 includes selection buttons 1a, 1b, 1c
And selectively operating the commodity delivery devices 4a, 4b, 4c based on the operation of the multiple purchase buttons 2a, 2b, 2c to pay out the selected commodity.

[0003] Specifically, the commodity delivery devices 4a, 4b, 4
Reference numeral c denotes a direct stacking type tobacco dispenser, which operates the linear reciprocating drive mechanism 5 to move the pusher block 6 from the standby position and dispenses one product. Here, the commodity A is stocked in the commodity dispensing devices 4a and 4b,
The brand B product is stocked in the product delivery device 4c.

When the control unit 3 detects that the selection button 1a has been operated in a state where none of the multiple buying buttons 2a, 2b, 2c is operated, the control unit 3 changes the selected brand "A" in # 1. In step # 2, it is determined whether any of the multiple buying buttons 2a, 2b, 2c has been operated prior to the operation of the selection button 1a. Here, since none of the multiple buy buttons 2a to 2c was operated,
In # 3, the commodity delivery device 4a corresponding to the selection button 1a is operated to pay out one commodity.

[0005] While operating the multiple purchase button 2a among the multiple purchase buttons 2a to 2c, the control unit 3 operates the selection button 1
If it is detected that “a” has been operated, the control unit 3
In step # 2, it is determined that "multiple purchases" are made. In step # 4, the number of multiple purchases is read as "N = 2". In step # 5, the commodity dispensing device 4a is operated to pay out one commodity. # 4
Increments the number of multiple purchases “N” of “N =
In step # 6, it is determined whether or not "N = 0", and # 5 is repeatedly operated until "N = 0". In this case, the same commodity dispensing apparatus 4a is repeatedly operated to select the selected commodity. Pay out.

When the select button 1b is operated, # 3
Alternatively, in # 5, the commodity delivery device 4b is driven to pay out the product, and when the selection button 1c is operated, in # 3 or # 5, the product delivery device 4c is driven to pay out the product.

When the multiple buying button 2b is operated prior to the operation of the selection buttons 1a, 1b, 1c, the commodity delivery devices 4a, 4b, 4c correspond to the selection buttons 1a, 1b, 1c which have detected the operation. Is executed three times in # 5 to pay out the goods.

When the multiple purchase button 2c is operated prior to the operation of the selection buttons 1a, 1b, 1c, the commodity delivery devices 4a, 4b, 4c correspond to the selection buttons 1a, 1b, 1c which have detected the operation. Is executed four times in # 5 to pay out the goods.

In this manner, the multiple purchase buttons 2a, 2
The number of products indicated by b and 2c are paid out one after another by operating the selection button once. In the configuration of FIG. 2, when the selection button 1a is operated, the commodity dispensing apparatus 4a is operated, when the selection button 1b is operated, the commodity dispensing apparatus 4b is operated, and when the selection button 1c is operated. Has operated the product dispensing device 4c, and if the selection button 1a is repeatedly operated to receive the dispensing of the product of the brand A, the products of the product dispensing device 4a are successively dispensed and decrease. However, old products remain without reducing the number of products in the product delivery device 4b.

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3, there are vending machines that perform first-in first-out. Specifically, in the alternate setting storage area 7, the selection button 1a or the selection button 1
It is set in advance that the product of brand A to be paid out when b is operated is stocked in the commodity delivery devices 4a and 4b, and the product is paid out for the product of brand B to be paid out by operating the selection button 1c. Since it is stocked only in the device 4c, it is not set in the alternate setting storage area 7 here.

When any one of the selection buttons 1a, 1b, 1c is operated, the selected brand is read in # 1, and in # 2, it is determined whether or not the column is the alternate setting column by referring to the setting contents of the alternate setting storage area 7. judge.

When the operated selection button is the selection button 1c, it is determined in # 2 that the column is not the alternate setting column, and in # 3, the commodity dispensing apparatus 4c is operated to pay out the commodity of the brand B.

When the selection button 1a or the selection button 1b is operated, it is determined in # 2 that the column is an alternate setting column, and in # 4, the product of the brand A was previously delivered to the product delivery device 4.
The merchandise dispensing device 4b is operated in # 3 to pay out the merchandise of the brand A when the merchandise dispensing device 4a is read in # 4. When it is read as the commodity dispensing device 4b in # 4, the commodity dispensing device 4a is operated and the commodity of the brand A is dispensed in # 3.

When the selection button 1a or 1b is operated as described above, the commodity delivery device 4a and the commodity delivery device 4
It is considered that the products of the same brand are reduced evenly by driving b alternately.

[0015]

In the conventional configuration shown in FIG. 2, when a plurality of purchases are made by operating a plurality of purchase buttons 2a, 2b, 2c, only one of the commodity delivery devices 4a, 4b, 4c is used. Since the required number of selected products is paid out by repeatedly operating one product payout device, it takes too much time to pay out the required number of selected products.

Also, when considering a vending machine having the alternate setting function as shown in FIG. 3 in addition to the configuration of FIG. 2, the commodity dispensing apparatuses 4a and 4b in which commodities of the same brand are stocked are used. Since the required number of selected products are paid out by alternately driving, there is a problem that it takes too much time to pay out the required number of selected products in this case as well.

According to the present invention, a plurality of buy buttons 2a, 2b, 2c are provided.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine with a multi-purchase function capable of shortening the time required for paying out a required number of selected commodities when the user purchases a plurality of products by operating.

[0018]

According to the present invention, there is provided a vending machine having a plurality of purchasing functions, comprising: a plurality of commodity dispensing apparatuses; and a commodity dispensing apparatus in which the same brand of commodities is set among the commodity dispensing apparatuses. In the alternate setting storage area to be set in, the number reading means for reading the input of the purchase number, the brand selecting means for reading the input of the selected brand, the brand selecting means, the number reading means and the alternate setting storage area A control unit for controlling a dispensing operation of the commodity dispensing device based on the control unit, wherein the brand selection unit reads the input of the selected brand before the number reading unit reads the input of the number of purchases. , By referring to the alternate setting storage area, it is determined whether or not there is a plurality of alternate setting columns in which a plurality of commodity dispensing devices stock the selected brand at that time. Instruct the relevant product dispensing device to pay out the product, and if it is an alternate setting column, pay out the product to the product discharging device corresponding to the order of payout among the product discharging devices in which the same product is set. Instruct,
If the brand selecting means reads the input of the selected brand after the quantity reading means has read the input of the purchased quantity, the merchandise payout apparatus which stocks the selected brand at that time with reference to the alternate setting storage area. It is configured to judge whether there is a plurality of alternate setting columns, and if it is an alternate setting column, instruct the simultaneous payout to a plurality of commodity dispensing devices stocking the product of the selected brand. I do.

[0019]

According to this configuration, the control unit determines whether or not the selected brand is a target product of the alternate setting column by referring to the alternate setting storage area in the case of a multiple purchase input, and determines whether the selected brand is a target product of the alternate setting column. If there is, the plurality of commodity payout devices in which the commodity of the selected brand is stocked are simultaneously operated to pay out the commodity.

[0020]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In addition, what has the same effect as FIG. 2 and FIG.
The description is given with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a vending machine with a multiple purchase function according to the present invention.
It is configured as shown in FIG. Select buttons 1a, 1b, 1c and multiple buy buttons 2a, 2
b, 2c and the alternate setting storage area 7 are connected, and commodity output devices 4a, 4b, 4c are connected to the output side. Then, the product delivery device 4a and the product delivery device 4
The product of brand A is stocked in b, and the product of brand B is stocked in the product delivery device 4c. In the alternate setting storage area 7, it is set in advance that the product of the brand A to be paid out when the selection button 1a or the selection button 1b is operated is stocked in the commodity delivery devices 4a and 4b. The goods of the brand B to be paid out when operated are not stocked only in the goods payout device 4c, but are not set in the alternate setting storage area 7 here.

If the control unit 3 detects that the select button 1c has been operated in a state where none of the multiple buy buttons 2a, 2b, 2c has been operated, the control unit 3 changes the selected brand "B" in # 1. In step # 2, it is determined whether any of the multiple buying buttons 2a, 2b, 2c has been operated prior to the operation of the selection button 1c. Here, since none of the multiple buy buttons 2a to 2c was operated,
The number “N” of multiple purchases is set to N = 1, and in # 3, it is determined whether or not the column is the alternate setting column with reference to the setting contents of the alternate setting storage area 7. Here, it is determined that the column is not the alternate setting column, and the commodity delivery device 4 corresponding to the selection button 1c
In step # 4, the commodity delivery device 4c is operated to pay out one commodity, and the number "N" of a plurality of purchases is incremented and updated to "N = 0".
In this case, in # 5, it is determined that N = 0, and one selling operation is completed.

When the control unit 3 detects that the selection button 1a or the selection button 1b has been operated in a state where none of the multiple buying buttons 2a, 2b, 2c is operated, #
If it is determined in 3 that the column is an alternate setting column, and in # 6, the last time the merchandise of brand A was paid out from either of the merchandise dispensing devices 4a or 4b, and if it was read in # 6 that the merchandise was paid out, it was read. In step # 4, the product payout device 4b is operated to pay out the brand A product. When it is read as the commodity dispensing device 4b in # 4, the commodity dispensing device 4a is operated and the commodity of the brand A is dispensed in # 3.

While operating the multiple buy button 2a among the multiple buy buttons 2a to 2c, the controller 3
When it is detected that c has been operated, the control unit 3
In step # 7, it is determined that the number of multiple purchases is "N = 2", and in step # 8, it is determined whether the number of multiple purchases is "N = 2". Determine whether Here, it is determined that the column is not the alternate setting column, and the commodity dispensing device 4c is operated in # 4 to pay out one commodity, and the number of multiple purchases "N" in # 7 is incremented and updated to "N = 1". Then, in # 5, "N =
It is determined whether or not the number is "0", and # 4 is repeatedly operated until "N = 0". In this case, the same merchandise payout device 4c is repeatedly operated to pay out the selected merchandise.

After operating the multiple buy button 2a among the multiple buy buttons 2a to 2c, the control unit 3 next operates the selection button 1a.
Alternatively, if it is detected that the select button 1b has been operated, it is determined in # 8 that the column is an alternate setting column, and # 9 is selected.
Then, it is read from which of the commodity dispensing devices 4a and 4b the commodity of the brand A was dispensed last time. Here, since the number of multiple purchases is N = 2 and the goods of brand A are stocked in the commodity dispensing apparatuses 4a and 4b, in step # 10, the commodity dispensing apparatus 4a and the commodity dispensing apparatus 4b are operated simultaneously to issue the brand A. , And two products can be paid out in one time required for the payout.

When the number of multiple purchases is N = 3 and the goods of brand A are stocked in the commodity dispensing apparatuses 4a and 4b, and the commodity is read as the commodity dispensing apparatus 4a in # 9,
In step # 10, the commodity dispensing apparatus 4a and the commodity dispensing apparatus 4b are operated at the same time to pay out two commodities of brand A, and then the commodity dispensing apparatus 4b is repeatedly operated based on the reading in step # 9 to renew the commodity. Pay out one item and pay out three items in two delivery times. If the number of multiple purchases is N = 4, in # 10, the commodity dispensing device 4a and the commodity dispensing device 4b are operated twice at the same time, and four commodities of brand A are dispensed.

As described above, in # 10, the payout is carried out by simultaneously operating the commodity payout devices 4a and 4b based on the alternate setting column in which the same brand of commodity is stocked.
The time required for selling a plurality of purchases can be reduced as compared with the conventional case.

In the above embodiment, the multiple purchase buttons 2a, 2
b and 2c correspond to the number reading means in the claims, but read the data of the number of plural purchases previously written on the card used for the fee payment processing without depending on the input from such a push button switch. Can also be processed.

In the above embodiment, the arrangement of the commodity dispensing devices 4a, 4b and 4c in the vending machine and the passage for transporting the dispensed commodities to the commodity outlet are described without considering the commodities dispensing. When the device 4a and the product delivery device 4b are transporting the product to the product outlet through a common path,
That fact is set in advance as restriction data in the case of multiple purchases, and when simultaneously operating the product dispensing devices 4a and 4b, the timing of starting the dispensing of the two product dispensing devices is delayed by a specified time compared to the other one. To operate the two commodity delivery devices 4a and 4b simultaneously. Specifically, the commodity of the brand A is stocked in the commodity dispensing apparatuses 4a, 4b, and 4c, and the time difference between the operation start timings of the specified time T is required for the operation of the commodity dispensing apparatus 4a and the commodity dispensing apparatus 4b as restriction data. If it is set that there is a payout in which the multiple purchase quantity N = 3 is selected, the control unit 3
Pays out three products by one of the following operations.

A product delivery device 4a and a product delivery device 4c
Is started at the same time, and the product delivery device 4b is operated with a delay of the specified time T from now. -The dispensing device 4b and the dispensing device 4c start dispensing at the same time, and the dispensing device 4a is operated with a delay of a specified time T from now.

The commodity delivery device 4a and the commodity delivery device 4
c, or the payout of the goods payout device 4b and the goods payout device 4c is started simultaneously, and after the completion of one payout, one of the goods payout devices 4a, 4b, 4c is operated again.

Further, in the case where the number of the commodity dispensing apparatuses stocking the commodity of the selected brand is larger than the number of plural purchases, and it is not necessary to simultaneously operate the commodity dispensing apparatuses specified by the limit data. Is configured such that the control unit 3 removes at least one of the commodity dispensing apparatuses specified by the restriction data and simultaneously drives the dispensing start timing to operate the plurality of commodity dispensing apparatuses.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, an alternate setting storage area for setting, for each brand, a plurality of product payout devices and a product payout device in which the same brand of product is set among the product payout devices. A number reading means for reading the input of the number of purchases; a brand selecting means for reading the input of the selected brand; and the commodity payout device based on the brand selecting means, the number reading means, and the alternate setting storage area. And a control unit for controlling the payout operation of the, the control unit,
If the brand selection means reads the input of the selected brand before the quantity reading means reads the input of the number of purchases, a plurality of commodity dispensing apparatuses stocking the selected brand at that time with reference to the alternate setting storage area. Judge whether the column is a certain alternate setting column, if it is not the alternate setting column, instruct the corresponding product payout device to pay out the product, and if it is the alternate setting column, the same product is set If the product payout device corresponding to the order of payout of the payout devices is instructed to pay out the product, and the brand selecting means reads the input of the selected brand after the quantity reading means reads the input of the number of purchases, It is determined whether or not there is a plurality of alternate setting columns in which there are a plurality of commodity dispensing devices stocking the selected brand at that time by referring to the alternate setting storage area of In such a case, the system is configured to simultaneously instruct the dispensing to multiple product dispensing devices that stock the product of the selected brand, so the time required for selling multiple products can be shortened than before, and the time required for Many customers can be handled. Further, since the control unit does not operate the product payout device by referring to the alternate setting area only in the case of alternate sales, but also drives the product payout device by referring to the same alternate setting area in the case of multiple purchases. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately perform the setting for the alternate selling function and the setting for the simultaneous payment, and the operability is good for the side managing the operation of the vending machine.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of a vending machine with a multiple purchase function of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conventional vending machine with a multiple buying function.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional vending machine with an alternate selling function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b, 1c selection buttons 2a, 2b, 2c multiple buying buttons [quantity reading means] 3 control units 4a, 4b, 4c commodity dispensing device 7 alternate setting storage area

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G07F 9/00 G07F 5/22

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An alternating setting storage area for setting, for each brand, a plurality of merchandise dispensing devices, a merchandise dispensing device on which the same brand of merchandise is set among the merchandise dispensing devices, and a number for reading an input of the number of purchases. A reading unit, a brand selecting unit that reads an input of a selected brand, a control unit that controls a payout operation of the commodity payout device based on the brand selecting unit, the number reading unit, and the alternate setting storage area. If the brand selecting means reads the input of the selected brand before the quantity reading means reads the input of the purchased quantity, the control section refers to the alternate setting storage area and stocks the selected brand at that time. It is determined whether there are a plurality of alternate setting columns for the product dispensing device, and if not, an instruction is given to the corresponding product dispensing device to pay out the product, and the alternate setting column is set. In the case of the column, after instructing the dispensing of the goods to the dispensing device corresponding to the order of dispensing among the dispensing devices in which the same commodities are set, after the number reading means reads the input of the purchased number, When the brand selecting means reads the input of the selected brand, it is determined whether or not the plurality of commodity dispensing apparatuses stocking the selected brand at that time by referring to the aforementioned alternate setting storage area, and whether the column is the alternate setting column. A vending machine with a multi-buy function configured to simultaneously instruct a plurality of merchandise payout devices that stock the selected brand of merchandise in the case of an alternate setting column.