JP3805464B2 - Vending machines that can be sold together - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vending machine having a function of selling a plurality of commodities and collecting a sum of money.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In this type of vending machine, the customer operates the selection button or the operator who manages the vending machine operates the setting remote control button in advance, so that either the single item sales mode or the collective sales mode is selected. Can be selected. In the single item sales mode, when a customer selects a product after inserting money, the amount is settled for each selected product, and change is paid out as necessary. Further, in the collective sales mode, when a customer selects a plurality of products after inputting money, the amounts of the selected plurality of products are settled together, and change is paid out as necessary.
[0003]
In this way, the customer can arbitrarily select the sales mode collectively or the vending machine operator can select the sales mode by operating the remote control button in advance, which is convenient when you want to purchase multiple products at the same time It is.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the collective sales mode, if there is a problem in carrying out the product for some reason, there is a possibility that a serious inconvenience may occur when the change stock is out (hereinafter referred to as “out of change”). The inconvenience will be described below by taking as an example a case in which change of money occurs only at 10 yen.
[0005]
Now, when a customer inserts a thousand yen bill and performs an operation of selecting one 110-yen product and one 890-yen product, if the product is normal, those products are carried out and change is required. The sales work is finished without. On the other hand, even if a similar operation is performed, for example, when a defective delivery occurs in a 110-yen product, change must be paid out. However, since the change of 10 yen has run out, the change cannot be paid out. However, since it is assumed that the product of 890 yen has already been carried out, it is not appropriate to return the customer's input, that is, 1000 yen to the customer. Eventually, the sales operation is completed only by carrying out the product of 890 yen, and a financial disadvantage is given to the customer. Therefore, when the product selection operation as described above is performed when the change of 10 yen is out, it is necessary to adopt a design that automatically disables the sales in the collective sales mode.
[0006]
In addition, when the customer inserts a thousand yen bill and performs an operation of selecting two 500 yen products, two 500 yen products are taken out if it is normal, and sales work can be performed without requiring change. finish. On the other hand, even if the same operation is performed, if only one item of 500 yen is unloaded due to the unsuccessful unloading, if 500 yen change is paid out and the sales operation is terminated, It is possible to prevent the customer from being given a financial disadvantage. Therefore, even if the change of goods is 10 yen, if the product selection operation as described above is performed, it is not necessary to perform the non-saleable process, so that the state that can be sold in the collective sales mode is continued. The usual design is adopted.
[0007]
However, if the vending machine designed as described above becomes out of change in the collective sales mode, the product may be sold or unsaleable depending on the price and quantity of the product selected by the customer. To confuse customers when selecting products. In the end, you miss a sales opportunity.
[0008]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine that can automatically sell to a single item sales mode when the change of money is out of order and thereby expands sales opportunities, and can be sold together.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, one sales mode is selected between a single item sales mode in which the amount is settled every time one product is sold and a collective sales mode in which a plurality of products are sold and the amount can be settled together. The sales control means for controlling the sales in the selected sales mode, the change storage means for storing the change when the amount is settled, the change storage state of the change in the change storage means is judged, and the change is insufficient Stock sales state judgment means that sometimes generates a change shortage signal, and a mode automatic forcing means for forcing the sales control means to the single item sales mode in response to the change shortage signal A machine is obtained.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a vending machine capable of bulk sales according to an embodiment of the present invention. This vending machine can select either single item sales mode in which the amount is settled each time a product is sold or a collective sales mode in which a plurality of products are sold and the amount is settled together. The CPU 11 includes a product selection device 12, a display device 13, a product unloader 14, a money management device 15, a selection memory 16, and a sales mode memory 17 connected thereto.
[0011]
The product selection device 12, the product unloader 14, and the money management device 15 generate an abnormal signal when they are not normal. The CPU 11 performs a predetermined sales stop process according to the abnormality signal and generates a sales stop signal. The display device 13 displays a sale stop message in response to the sale stop signal.
[0012]
The money management device 15 generates a change stock signal indicating the stock reserve state of the change stock storage means (not shown). The CPU 11 collectively sets the vending machine in the sales mode when the change stock signal indicates that there is change, but sets the vending machine in the single item sales mode when the change stock signal indicates a lack of change. The sales mode is recorded in the sales mode memory 17 according to these sets. Whether the sales mode is the collective sales mode or the single item sales mode is displayed on the display device 13.
[0013]
The CPU 11 acquires the presence / absence of an operation start by operating the product selection device 12. Further, the CPU 11 acquires the sales mode from the sales mode memory 17. If the sales mode is the collective sales mode, the CPU 11 acquires product selection information suitable for the collective sales mode from the product selection device 12 and records it in the selection memory 16. If the sales mode is the single item sales mode, the CPU 11 acquires product selection information that matches the single item sales mode from the product selection device 12 and records it in the selection memory 16 as reserved product information.
[0014]
Further, the CPU 11 obtains deposit information from the money management apparatus 15 and waits for the completion of deposit. When the payment is completed, the CPU 11 reads the reserved product information from the selection memory 16 and notifies the product unloader 14 of the reservation product information. In accordance with the reserved product information, the product unloader 14 carries out the product.
[0015]
Next, the operation of the CPU 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This flowchart shows the operation from the sales standby state until the carry-out operation starts.
[0016]
In step 21 following the start, it is determined whether or not sales are possible. If the sale is not possible, the display device 13 is displayed in step 22 to indicate that the sale is stopped, and the process returns to step 21.
[0017]
When the sale is possible in step 21, the process proceeds to step 23, and it is determined whether or not the change is out according to the change stock signal. If it is not out of change, the process proceeds to step 24 and the sales mode of this vending machine is set to the collective sales mode. Further, in step 25, the display device 13 is caused to display normal sales standby. In addition, when performing step 23, CPU11 works as a stockpiling state judgment means.
[0018]
If it is determined in step 23 that the change has been exhausted, the process proceeds to step 26 to set the sales mode to the single item sales mode. Further, in step 27, the display device 13 is displayed to the effect that only single item sales are possible.
[0019]
In both steps 25 and 27, the process proceeds to step 28, and it is determined whether or not a product selection operation by the product selection device 12 is started. If the product selection operation has not been started, the process returns to step 21. If the product selection operation is started, the process proceeds to step 29 to determine whether or not the sales mode is the collective sales mode. In the bulk sales mode, the process proceeds to step 30. The case when the mode is not the bulk sales mode, that is, the single item sales mode will be described later.
[0020]
In step 30, it is determined whether or not one product is selected by the product selection device 12. When one item has been selected, reserved item information representing the item is recorded in the selection memory 16 in step 31. That is, the carry-out merchandise is reserved. After the carry-out merchandise is reserved in step 31 or when no merchandise is selected in step 30, it is determined in step 32 whether or not the merchandise selection is completed. When the selection of the product is not completed, the process returns to step 30. When it is determined that the selection of the product has been completed, the process proceeds to step 33, where it is determined whether or not a deposit with an amount equal to or greater than the total price of the reserved product has been received. When the deposit amount is equal to or greater than the total price of the reserved product, the process proceeds to step 34, the product unloader 14 carries out the reserved product, and the operation ends.
[0021]
If it is determined in the above-described step 29 that the product is in the single item sales mode, the process proceeds to step 35, where the product selection device 12 waits for one product to be selected, and when one product is selected, the carry-out product is reserved in step 36. Next, in step 37, it is determined whether or not a deposit having an amount equal to the price of the reserved product has been received. When the deposit amount is equal to the price of the reserved product, the process proceeds to step 34, where the product unloader 14 carries out the reserved product, and the operation ends.
[0022]
When executing Steps 29 to 37, the CPU 11 functions as a sales control unit that selects any one of the single-item sales mode and the collective sales mode and controls the sales in the selected sales mode. When executing step 26, the CPU 11 functions as a mode automatic forcing means for forcing the sales control means to the single item sales mode in response to the change shortage signal.
[0023]
In addition, although the specific example was demonstrated above, it cannot be overemphasized that various deformation | transformation are possible.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vending machine that can automatically sell to a single item sales mode when the change is out of order, thereby increasing sales opportunities, and can be sold together. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a vending machine capable of bulk sales according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a CPU included in the vending machine of FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
11 CPU
12 Product Selection Device 13 Display Device 14 Product Unloader 15 Money Management Device 16 Selection Memory 17 Sales Mode Memory

Claims (2)

Select one of the two sales modes: single item sales mode that settles the amount of money each time a product is sold, and summary sales mode that sells multiple products and settles the amount of money together. Sales control means for controlling sales in the mode, change change storage means for storing change when adjusting the amount of money, judgment of change storage state of the change change storage means, and when change is insufficient, a change change signal is generated A vending machine capable of collective selling, comprising: stockpiling state judging means for performing and mode automatic forcing means for forcing the sales control means into the single item sales mode in response to the change shortage signal. The vending machine which can be collectively sold according to claim 1, further comprising: a display device; and a display control device which causes the display device to display the single item sales mode in response to the change shortage signal.

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