JPH01183799A - Merchandise selecting push-button device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the display and the change of the name of merchandise and a price by incorporating a liquid crystal display device for displaying the name of the merchandise and the price in a push-button. CONSTITUTION:The liquid crystal display device 10 is incorporated in the push- button 5. The display device 10 has a thin construction consisting of a display panel 11, a display part 12 and a solar battery 13 and integrally mounted on the back face side of a push-button main body 51. Thereby, the contents of the display can be displayed on the panel 11 by inputting the name of the merchandise and a set price corresponding to a selection to the control part 12 from an input part 14. When the contents of the display are changed, an instruction is applied from the input part 14 to be simply rewritten.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a product selection push button device for a vending machine.

[Conventional technology]

First, Figure 6 shows the front view of the vending machine.
is the front door of the cabinet, and the front door l has a lighting board 2.
．． Operation panel 3. It is equipped with a product outlet 4, etc., and product selection push buttons 5 corresponding to each selection in the machine are arranged and arranged on the panel surface of the operation panel 3. Note that 6 is a coin slot, and 7 is a change return slot.

The conventional structure of the product selection push button 5 described above is shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. In other words, the push button 5 is swingably mounted with its upper edge locked to the frame 8 of the operation panel. There is a fourth button on the back side of the push button body 51 made of a transparent resin plate.
Two card-type nameplates 52) 53 each displaying the product name and price shown in Figures 5 and 5 are inserted, and furthermore, behind the price nameplates 53 is a light-emitting element 54 that lights up in the form of a wand that can be sold. Prepare and push! The conventional product selection push button device described above has the following difficulties in terms of handling in sales management, namely, changing the products sold in the vending machine or the price settings. When doing this, prepare multiple types of product nameplates with different display contents for one price nameplate to be attached to each push button for each selection, and then attach individual product nameplates to each pushbutton on the operation panel. 1 It is necessary to replace the price name plate and replace it, which is a troublesome and time-consuming process. In particular, this kind of work is performed by the route man, and it takes a huge amount of time to work on each vending machine that is scattered in various places. Furthermore, in terms of the configuration of vending machines, the conventional structure requires a large space to place fluorescent lights etc. behind the push button as shown in Figure 3, and this is a factor that increases the thickness of the front door. It has become.

This idea was created in consideration of the above points, and its purpose is to change the display method of the product name and price of the product for sale displayed on the push button from the conventional nameplate method, thereby making it possible to easily change the display. In addition, we provide a three-push device for product selection in vending machines that can omit conventional fluorescent lights for energy and space savings, and each selection can be displayed on the front operation panel of the cabinet. The vending machine is equipped with a product selection push button that displays the product name and price of the product to be sold in accordance with the above, and is constructed by incorporating a liquid crystal display that displays the product name and price in the push button.

[Effect]

With the above configuration, the product name and price corresponding to each selection on the plane can be displayed on the liquid crystal display, and the input section can be installed inside the vending machine or at a separate location connected to the vending machine by a line. , or by giving commands from a remote control input unit, etc., it becomes possible to freely rewrite and change the display contents of the product name and price.

In addition, the above-mentioned "liquid crystal display" is, for example, equipped with a solar battery power source in addition to a liquid crystal panel and a control section, and is installed and incorporated on the back side of the push button body of a transparent plate. By adopting a push button with a built-in device, there is no need to replace the card-type nameplate like in the conventional structure when changing the display contents, and it also eliminates the need for fluorescent lights for illumination, which was previously required. By omitting this, it is possible to save energy and save space on the operation panel.

In recent years, computer-based electronic control technology for vending machines has advanced, and there is a tendency for not only sales control but also sales information management to be performed using computerized operating systems. A control system that centrally manages a large number of vending machines that are scattered at each location, and a vending machine system that uses cards such as credit cards, can be installed at a management center. Systems that manage information by connecting to a computer via a line are now appearing, and from this point of view, it is desirable to adopt a push button incorporating the above-mentioned liquid crystal display according to the present invention in an information management system of a vending machine. This provides great benefits in terms of vending machine management, such as the ability to collectively change the prices of multiple vending machines selling the same product using the system.

〔Example〕

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the configuration of a product selection push button device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same members corresponding to FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals.

That is, according to the present invention, the pusher i[]5 has a built-in liquid crystal display indicated by the reference numeral 10. This liquid crystal display
O includes a display panel 11, a control unit 12, as shown in FIG.
It has a thin structure consisting of a solar cell 13 used as a power source, and is integrally attached to the back side of the push button body 51, which is a transparent resin plate, as shown in FIG.

Note that 14 in FIG. 2 is a writing input section for writing characters, numbers, etc. to the liquid crystal display lO.

With this configuration, for each push button 5 arranged on the operation panel 3 as shown in FIG. By inputting , the display contents can be displayed on the liquid crystal panel 11. Furthermore, even when changing the displayed content, it can be easily rewritten by giving an instruction from the input section 14. Further, by incorporating a solar cell 13 into the display as a power source for the liquid crystal display 10 for each push button, a separate power supply system is not required.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in a vending machine equipped with a product selection push button that displays the product name and price of the product to be sold corresponding to each selection on the front operation panel of the cabinet, the product selection button is displayed on the push button. By incorporating a liquid crystal display that displays the name and price, compared to the conventional nameplate insertion method, it is easier to display and change the product name and price, and the pushbutton illumination can also be omitted. This allows energy and space savings to be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the structure of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the liquid crystal display shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the structure of a conventional product selection pusher device, Figure 5 shows the product names in Figure 3. Figure 6, which is an external view of the price display nameplate, is a front view of the vending machine. In each figure, 1: Cabinet front door, 3: Operation panel, 5: Product selection push button, 51: Push button body, 10: Liquid crystal display, l
l: Liquid crystal panel, 12: Control unit, 13: Sun diagram 1
Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A vending machine equipped with a product selection push button that displays the product name and price of the product for sale corresponding to each selection on the front operation panel of the cabinet, wherein the push button displays the product name and price. 1. A product selection push button device for a vending machine, characterized in that it is constructed by incorporating a liquid crystal display that displays. 2) In the product selection push button device according to claim 1, the liquid crystal display comprises a liquid crystal panel, a control unit, and a solar battery power source, and the liquid crystal display is a push button on a transparent plate. A push button device for product selection of a vending machine, characterized in that it is installed and built into the back side of the main body.