JPH03231398A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify an input operation and to reduce cost by constituting the automatic vending machine so that when control information for commodity for commodity sales is read, a sales control means sets the read control information as the control information for commodity sales. CONSTITUTION:When an initial condition is set at the time when the automatic vending machine is installed newly in plural parts, and when the kinds of sales commodities of the automatic vending machine are changed and the sales price changes are executed simultaneously, etc., control information stored in a storage device 15 can be set and changed by inserting a seller's exclusive magnetic card in which control information for commodity sales is written in advance into a card insertion port for inserting a commodity purchaser's card and allowing it to read stored information.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention provides a reading means for reading information from a storage medium, information for purchasing a product read by the reading means, and information for selling the product set in advance. The present invention relates to a vending machine equipped with a sales control means that controls sales based on control information.

[Conventional technology]

The above-described vending machine is configured to sell products based on product sales information read from a storage medium and preset product sales control information.

When there is a change in the so-called product sales conditions, such as a change in the product to be sold or a change in the product price, the seller can do so by operating the keyboard attached to the control device inside the vending machine, or by After connecting the dedicated connector of the handy terminal, the settings of control information for product sales can be changed by operating the keyboard of the handy terminal.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional vending machines, when setting or changing product sales conditions, it is necessary to input product sales control information using a keyboard or the like each time. The operation was cumbersome.

Particularly when changing the product sales conditions for a large number of vending machines installed in a city area or in a building, it is troublesome and inconvenient to have to perform the same operation many times. Ta.

In addition, with conventional models, it is necessary to provide a dedicated keyboard for inputting control information for product sales and a dedicated connector for connecting to a handy terminal, which not only complicates the structure but also increases costs. There were drawbacks.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to simplify the input operation of control information for product sales and to reduce the cost of a vending machine.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve this object, the characteristic configuration of the vending machine according to the present invention is such that, when the control information for product sales is read by the reading means, the sales control means controls the read product sales control information. The point is that the control information is configured to be set as control information for product sales.

[For production]

As mentioned above, when the control information for product sales is read by the reading means that reads information from the storage medium, it is configured to be set as new control information for product sales. A person can set and change product sales conditions by simply storing desired product sales control information in the storage medium in advance, and by simply having the storage medium read by the reading means. I can do it.

Further, the reading means serves both of reading product purchase information stored in a storage medium used by a user and reading control information for product sales stored in a storage medium used by a seller. Therefore, there is no need to provide a control information input means exclusively for the seller.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, it is possible to simplify the input operation of control information for product sales, and to reduce the cost of the vending machine.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

As shown in Fig. 3, this vending machine includes a product sample display section (1), a product selection button (2), a product price display device (3),
It consists of a card insertion slot (4) and a product removal slot (5).

In the product sample display section (1), product samples (S) of multiple types of products such as cans and bottles are arranged and can be recognized through the front panel made of transparent plastic.

The product selection button (2) is provided at the bottom of each product in the product sample display area (1), and by pressing and operating this button, the corresponding product can be selected and purchased. It has become.

The product price display device (3) is provided near the top of the product selection button (2), and is constituted by an LED display so as to display the selling price of the corresponding product.

The product sample display section W (3) and the product selection button (2) are integrally attached within one block, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. These signal lines are then connected to each other by a connector (6) provided on the block.
The block is configured to be connected to the main body, and the block is configured to be easily attached to and removed from the main body using a dedicated removal tool.

The card insertion slot (4) is an opening for inserting a magnetic card (8) as a storage medium, and the inserted magnetic card is introduced into a card R/W device (7) to be described later.

In addition, near the top of the card insertion slot (4), there are a sales mode display lamp (9), a sales management mode display lamp (10), and a control information manual mode display lamp (1), which will be described later.
1), each of which is configured to display each control mode based on information read from the inserted magnetic card (8).

The product take-out port (5) is for taking out the products that have been carried out, and is provided with a door that can be opened and closed in one motion to close the opening.

The control block of the vending machine in this embodiment will be explained based on FIG. 1.

The control device (12) as the sales control means is constituted by a microcomputer, and the control device (12) serves as the sales control means, and is configured by a microcomputer, and controls the product selection button (2).
, the card R/W device (7), the product price display device (3), a product delivery device (13), a sales management device (14), and a storage device (15), which will be described later, are connected.

The product delivery device (13) is for delivering the product selected by the product selection button (2) to the product takeout port (5).

The sales management device <14) is for managing sales management information such as product sales volume and failure history,
This management information is configured to be stored in a storage device (15).

The storage device (15) stores a control program for operating the control device (12), the control information for product sales read by the card R/W device (7) as the reading means, and the Sales management device (14)
It is used to store various information such as sales management information compiled by the system, and is composed of an IC memory.

The card R/W device (7) as the reading means reads the stored information stored in the magnetic card (8) as the storage medium, and reads the information stored in the magnetic card (8) as the storage medium, and reads the information stored on the user card. A single card R/W device is used to read the product sales information and the product sales control information stored in the seller card.

Based on the flowchart in FIG.
The control operation associated with card insertion in 2) will be explained. In the figure, each step is indicated by a # symbol.

First, in step 1, it is determined whether or not the magnetic card (8) is inserted into the card insertion slot (4), and if the card is inserted, the card is stored in the card by the card R/W device (7). The card information is read (step #2). It is determined whether the card is valid or not (step #
3) If the card is not valid, proceed to step 15 and return the card from the card insertion slot (4).

If the card is determined to be valid, based on the read information, the mode is either a sales mode where the product is sold or a sales management mode where the sales management information stored in the storage device (15) is stored on the card. It is determined whether or not there is, or whether the control information manual mode is in which the control information for product sales stored on the card is stored in the storage device (15) (step 4.16).

If it is determined that the mode is the sales mode, the sales mode display lamp (9) is turned on (step 5), and the balance is read from the card (step 6).

It is determined whether the read balance is greater than or equal to the product price (step 7), and if it is not greater than or equal to the product price,
The card is returned and the process ends (step 15).

If the price is equal to or higher than the product price, a sellable display lamp is lit on the product selection button (2) (step 8), and then it is determined whether or not the product selection button (2) has been pressed (step 9).

When the product selection button (2) is pressed, the product carrying out device (13) is operated to carry out the selected product (step 10).

Once it is confirmed that the product has been delivered (Step 11)
, calculate a new card balance by subtracting the price of the sold product from the card balance (step 12), and store this calculated new balance in the card by the card R/W device (7) (step 12). 13).

When the above product sales are completed, the sales mode display lamp (9) is turned off (step 14), and the card is returned from the card insertion slot (4) to end the process (step 15).

Next, the sales management mode will be explained.

If it is determined that the sales management mode is selected based on the information read by the card R/W device (7) (step 16), the sales management mode display lamp (1) is turned on.
0) (step 17), the storage device (
15), the sales information is read out (step 18).

Then, the read sales information is transferred to the card R/'v.
Stored on the card by the V device (7) (step 19)
), notes on this card 1. Once α is completed (step 2
0), the process proceeds to step 14, and after the sales management mode display lamp is turned off (step 14), the card is returned and the process ends (step 15).

Next, the control information input mode will be explained.

When it is determined that the control information input mode is selected based on the information read by the card R/W device (7) (step 1), the control information input mode display lamp (11) is turned on. 21), said card R/W
Step 22) of reading out the control information for product sales from the card by the device (7);
15) (step 23).

When the storage of the control information for product sales is completed, the control information manual mode display lamp (11) is turned off, the card is returned, and the process ends (step 24).
14.15).

The control information for product sales includes product price information to be displayed by the product price display device (3), and information regarding sale time slots for each product. This product sales control information is written in advance by the seller on a magnetic card exclusively for the seller using a card writing device (not shown).

When setting the initial conditions when newly installing vending machines in multiple locations, or when changing the seed stones of products sold by vending machines in various places in the city and changing the sales price accordingly. In some cases, a magnetic card exclusively for sellers on which control information for product sales has been written in advance is inserted into the card insertion slot (which is also configured to be used for inserting a card for product purchasers).
4) Just insert it into the memory device and read the memory information! (15) It is possible to change the settings of the control information stored in (15).

[Another example]

In the above embodiment, the product price, etc. is used as the control information for product sales, but it can also be used as information on so-called time service, where the sales price of a specific product is sold at a discount depending on the season or time of day, for example. good.

When this time service information is input using the card, it is stored in the storage device (15) as described above, and when the set time comes, it becomes applicable to the product set as the time service product. The product price displayed by the product price display device (3) is changed, and the control device (12) is operated based on the changed control information to sell the product.

As mentioned above, the contents of control information for product sales can be changed in various ways.

Further, in this embodiment, a magnetic card is exemplified as the storage medium, but the specific structure can be modified in various ways, such as an IC card or an optical card.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where price information is stored as product purchase information in the storage medium (8) was exemplified. You may.

Further, in this embodiment, drinking water is exemplified as a product to be sold, but the present invention can also be applied to vending machines that sell other products such as cigarettes and cup noodles.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenient comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the vending machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a control block diagram, FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining control operations, FIG. 3 is a front view, and FIGS. 4 and 5. is an enlarged view of the main part. (7)--reading means, (12)...
Sales control means, (8)...Storage medium.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Reading means (7) for reading information from the storage medium (8)
In a vending machine equipped with a sales control means (12) that controls sales based on the product purchase information read by the reading means (7) and preset product sales control information, When the control information for product sales is read by the reading device (7), the sales control means (12) sets the read control information for product sales as the control information for product sales. A vending machine configured as follows.