JPH08329323A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enable discount sale which is managed without the trouble to monitor the state of discount sale at all times. CONSTITUTION: Object articles of discount sale, deduction amounts, and a discount total sales amount are set through an input device 12. When a selection switch 10 for selecting an object article of discount sale is pressed, a discount acknowledgement signal is outputted on condition that the difference between the discount total upper limit amount and the discount total amount in a specific period is larger than the discount amount of the object articles of discount sale. When the discount acknowledgement signal is outputted, the amount obtained by subtracting the discount amount from the normal sales price of the object article of discount sale is regarded as an article sales price and the article is sold. In other cases, article are sold at normal sales prices. The discount sale may be limited with the number of times of discount sale instead of the discount total amount.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a specific product,
The present invention relates to a vending machine which can be sold at a discount from a regular price by a predetermined amount.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are cases in which a specific product is sold at a discount from a normal price by a predetermined amount by setting a campaign period or a special sale date for a new product. When making such discounted sales using a vending machine, conventionally, for example,
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 675 (G07F 9/00), when the discount sale is started, the discount sale is started by setting the products to be discounted, the number of bulk purchases to be discounted, the discount amount, etc. After that, when the product set as a discount target product is purchased in bulk at a set number or more, the set price is discounted from the regular price and the product is sold. I was trying to return to normal sale by canceling.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, within the discount period, unlimited discount sales are performed until the discount target product is sold out. Since it is necessary to constantly monitor the sales status of discount sales, there is a problem that it takes a lot of time and effort.

An object of the present invention is to solve such problems and enable managed discount sales without monitoring the sales status of discount sales.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, in the vending machine of the present invention, the discount target product, the discount amount,
When a means for setting a discount sale restriction condition, a means for outputting a product selection signal, and a product selection signal indicating a discount target product are output, and the sales record of the discount target product does not reach the discount sales restriction condition, And a means for outputting a discount permission signal and, when the discount permission signal is output, for outputting an amount obtained by subtracting the discount amount from the normal selling price of the discount target product as a product selling price. And

Further, the discount sales restriction condition is set based on the cumulative discount sales amount. The discount sales restriction condition is set based on the cumulative discount amount. Also, the discount sales restriction condition is set based on the cumulative discount sales number.

Further, it is provided with means for storing the discount sales quantity for each product.

[0008]

[Operation] If the discount target product, the discount amount, and the discount sales restriction condition are set in advance and the product selection signal indicating the discount target product is output, the sales record of the discount target product does not reach the discount sales restriction condition. Sometimes a discount permit signal is output. Then, when the discount permission signal is output, an amount obtained by subtracting the discount amount from the normal selling price of the discount target product is output as the product selling price, and the product is sold at that price.

The discount sales restriction condition is set based on the cumulative discount sales amount, the cumulative discount amount, the cumulative discount sales quantity, and the like.

In this way, the discount sale restriction condition is set in advance and the discount sale is allowed within the range, so that the sales situation of the discount sale is not always monitored. You can make controlled discount sales. Further, if the discount sales quantity for each product is stored in the memory, the discount sales can be effectively managed by reading the discount sales quantity later for reference.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a main control unit and 2 is a CPU
(Central processing unit), 3 is a ROM (Read Only Memor)
y), 4 is a RAM (Random Access Memory), 5 is a coin processing mechanism, 6 is a return switch, 7 is a bill identifying device, 8 is a display control unit, 9 is a display device, 10 is a selection switch, and 11 is a product discharge mechanism. , 12 are input devices.

The main controller 1 controls the entire vending machine, including a CPU 2 for executing a control program,
It has a ROM 3 for storing the program, and a RAM 4 for storing data necessary for executing control, setting data for discount sales, and the like. The RAM 4 is provided with a backup power supply so that various stored data will not be lost even when the power of the vending machine is turned off.

The coin processing mechanism 5 is connected to a return switch 6 for selecting and detecting coins inserted into an automatic vending machine, paying out change and receiving a request to return the remaining amount of coins. The bill validator 7 sorts, detects, and returns the inserted bills. The display control unit 8 notifies the main control unit 1 of the on / off state of the selection switch 10 provided corresponding to the product storage column, and is provided corresponding to each product storage column to display the products that can be sold. The display device 9 such as a display lamp and a balance display of the input amount is controlled. The product unloading mechanism 11 unloads a product from a product storage column designated by a command from the main control unit 1. Input device 1
2 sets various data such as a discount amount for performing discount sales, products to be discounted and product selling prices.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. The processing shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 2 and 3 is executed by the CPU 2 as follows.
It is repeatedly executed at a constant cycle (for example, 0.2 to 0.3 seconds). The input device 12 is used to set in advance the selling price SP of each product to be sold at the vending machine, the product storage column number in which the discount target product is stored, the bulk purchase quantity MC to be discounted, the discount amount SPK, and the discount limit amount SKT, and the RAM 4 is set. To remember.

Step 1 ... The CPU 2 checks the coin processing mechanism 5 and the bill validator 7 to determine whether or not coins have been inserted. Step 2 ... If there is a deposit, in one selling operation, a total deposit balance counter TC that holds an amount obtained by subtracting the total sales amount of the sold products from the total amount inserted into the coin processing mechanism 5 and the bill validator 7 , Add the amount MO that was input at that time.

Step 3 ... The counter M for indicating whether it is in the middle of one selling operation or the beginning of one selling operation is 0.
It is determined whether or not (= the beginning of one selling operation). Step 4 ... If the counter M is 0, the counter MK indicating the sales quantity of the discount target product in one selling operation is reset to 0. Step 5: The cumulative discount amount GKT, which is the cumulative amount of discounts since the start of discount sales, is the discount limit S
It is determined whether or not KT or less.

Step 6 ... If the discount limit amount SKT is less than or equal to the discount limit amount SKT, the display device 9 displays that discount sale is in progress.

Step 7 ... It is determined whether or not the counter MK is a number one before the bulk buying number MC. Step 8 ... If not, the value of the total input money balance counter TC at that time is displayed on the display device 9 and the display lamp of the product storage column of the product whose price is equal to or less than the value of the total input money balance counter TC is displayed. Turn on the light.

Step 9 ... If the number is one before the bulk purchase quantity MC in Step 7, there is a discount target product whose value obtained by adding the discount amount to the cumulative discount amount GKT up to now is less than or equal to the discount limit amount SKT. Whether or not it is determined, and if not, the process proceeds to step 8 and normal display is performed. Step 10 ... If there is such a discount target product, the value of the total deposit balance counter TC at that time is displayed on the display device 9, and the discount target product is the price obtained by subtracting the discount amount from the product price. Deposit balance counter T
The display lamp of the product storage column of the product having the value of C or less is turned on. For products other than the discount target product, the display lamp of the product storage column of the product whose price is less than or equal to the value of the total deposit balance counter TC is turned on.

Step 11 ... It is determined whether or not the return switch 6 is turned on. Step 12 ... If it is turned on, the coin handling mechanism 5,
The banknote discriminating device 7 is caused to return the balance of the total deposit balance counter TC, and the total deposit balance counter TC is reset to zero. Step 13 ... If the return switch 6 is not turned on in step 11, it is determined whether or not the selection switch 10 is turned on.

Step 14 ... If it is turned on, it is determined whether or not the product selected by the selection switch 10 is a discount target product. Step 15 ... If it is a discounted item, the counter MK
Determines whether the number is one before the bulk buying number MC. Step 16 ... If YES, it is determined whether or not a value obtained by adding the discount amount SPK of the product to the cumulative discount amount GKT is less than or equal to the discount limit amount SKT.

Step 17: If the discount limit amount SKT or less, it is determined whether or not the value of the total deposit balance counter TC is equal to or more than the price SP of the product minus the discount amount SPK. Step 18 ... If so, the product carry-out mechanism 11 is instructed to carry out the product.

Step 19 ... Total input money balance counter T
The total deposit balance counter T is a value obtained by subtracting the price SP of the delivered product from the value of C and adding the discount amount SPK.
Rewrite C. Step 20: The counter M is incremented by 1 and the counter MK is reset to 0 in order to count the number of sales of the discount target product in one sales operation from the beginning.

Step 21 ... The cumulative discount amount GKT is rewritten with an amount obtained by adding the discount amount SPK to the cumulative discount amount GKT.

Step 22 ... Counter M in step 15
If K is not one before the bulk purchase quantity MC or is not less than or equal to the discount limit amount SKT in step 16, the value of the total deposit balance counter TC is the price of the product selected by the selection switch 10. It is determined whether it is SP or more. Step 23 ... If so, the product unloading mechanism 11 is instructed to unload the product.

Step 24 ... Total input money balance counter T
At the price obtained by subtracting the price SP of the shipped product from C,
The total deposit balance counter TC is rewritten. Step 25 ... Add 1 to the counter M and the counter MK.

Step 26 ... If it is not a discount target product at step 14, it is determined whether or not the total deposit balance counter TC is equal to or more than the price SP of the product selected by the selection switch 10. Step 27 ... If so, the product carry-out mechanism 11 is instructed to carry out the product.

Step 28 ... Total input money balance counter T
At the price obtained by subtracting the price SP of the shipped product from C,
The total deposit balance counter TC is rewritten. Step 29 ... Add 1 to the counter M.

Step 30 ... Total input money balance counter T
It is determined whether C has become 0 or not. Step 31 ... When the counter reaches 0, the counter M and the counter M
Reset K to 0 to return to the initial state.

The cumulative discount amount GKT is the discount limit amount SK.
Even after T is reached and the discount sale is stopped, the discount sale can be resumed by pressing the reset button to set the cumulative discount amount GKT to 0.

Further, in the above embodiment, the predetermined discount is first performed when the discount bulk purchase quantity MC sale of the discount target products is performed in one selling operation. Can also be applied to. In that case, step 3, step 4, step 7, step 15, step 20, step 25, and steps 29 to 31 in the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are unnecessary. Further, in the above embodiment, the discount is limited by the cumulative discount amount. However, the discount may be limited by the cumulative discount selling amount, or the same discount amount is set for all the discount target products. If so, it can be limited by the cumulative discount sales quantity.

Further, the discounted sales quantity may be counted for each product and stored in the RAM 4 (FIG. 1) or an external storage device such as a floppy disk.
Then, by reading the data stored after the discount period has passed, and by knowing which product has the most discount sales or the few discount sales, effective management of the subsequent discount sales can be performed. You can

[0033]

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present invention, the discount sales restriction condition is preset based on the total discount sales amount, the total discount amount, the total discount sales number, etc., and within the range. As a result of allowing discount sales, managed discount sales can be made without the need to constantly monitor the sales status of discount sales, and unlimited discount sales can be performed. It can be lost.

Further, if the discount sales quantity for each product is stored in the memory, the discount sales can be effectively managed by reading out the discount sales quantity later for reference.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a former part of a processing procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a latter part of a processing procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main Control Unit 2 CPU 3 ROM 4 RAM 5 Coin Processing Mechanism 6 Return Switch 7 Banknote Identification Device 8 Display Control Unit 9 Display Device 10 Selection Switch 11 Commodity Unloading Mechanism 12 Input Device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A means for setting a discount target product, a discount amount, and a discount sale restriction condition, and means for outputting a product selection signal,
A means for outputting a discount permission signal when a product selection signal indicating a discount target product is output and the sales record of the discount target product does not reach the discount sale restriction condition; and when the discount permission signal is output, And a means for outputting an amount obtained by subtracting the discount amount from the normal selling price of the discount target product as a product selling price. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the discount sales restriction condition is set based on a cumulative discount sales amount. 3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the discount sale restriction condition is set based on a cumulative discount amount. 4. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the discount sale restriction condition is set based on a cumulative discount sale number. 5. The vending machine according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, further comprising means for storing a discount sales quantity for each product.