JPH10289356A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively utilize an automatic vending machine as an advertising medium by providing a merit providing means for discounting the sales price of merchandise or the like when a problem related to a publicity advertising means is answered and a correct answer is given. SOLUTION: A customer puts in money from a coin slot 18 or a paper money slot 20 and a quiz related to merchandise is given at a question setting part 30. This quiz is related to contents advertised by an advertising part 28. When the customer pushes an answer button 32 and the answer is correct, a merit is provided to the customer. For example, the price of merchandise to be purchased by the customer is discounted. Then, the client selects any merchandise through a merchandise select button and that merchandise is carried out. Further, the change or the amount discounted by providing the merit is returned. Thus, since the quiz related to the advertising part 28 is set and the client answers it, it can be judged whether the publicity advertised by this advertising part 28 is effectively utilized or not.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

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

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vending machine for cigarettes, canned juices and the like, a poster for advertising a product to be sold and an advertising billboard are provided on the front of the vending machine. However, it is now unclear whether this poster or the like plays a role of advertising. For this reason, manufacturers selling products are seeking more effective use of vending machines as advertising media.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a vending machine that can be more effectively used as an advertising medium.

[0004]

The vending machine of the present invention comprises:
In a vending machine having a product advertising means on the front, a question means for giving a question on the product advertising means, an answer means for answering the question given by the question means, and a correct answer by the answer means. If it comes out, it is a means of providing merit such as discounting the selling price of the product.

[0005] In the vending machine described above, when purchasing a product, a problem relating to an advertisement means is presented by a question means. When the customer answers this question by the answering means, if the answer is correct, the customer can receive the merit of discounting the selling price of the product by the merit providing means. On the other hand, the manufacturer who sells the product can receive the answer from the customer, and thus can determine whether or not the advertising means is utilized.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vending machine for cigarettes 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vending machine 10 according to this embodiment. A display shelf 14 for cigarette samples 12 is provided on the front of the vending machine 10, and a product selection button 16 is provided below each sample 12. Also,
A coin slot 18 for inserting coins and a bill slot 20 for inserting bills are provided on the right side of the display shelf 14, and a return button 22 is provided in the vicinity thereof. Further, a digital display type display 2 is provided on the right side of the display shelf 14.
4 are provided.

[0008] A merchandise outlet 26 is provided at the lower part of the front of the vending machine 10.

Further, on the left side of the middle position on the front of the vending machine 10, there is provided an advertisement section 28 composed of a liquid crystal display panel. On the right side, there is provided a question section 30 for giving a question of a quiz also formed of a liquid crystal display panel.
At the upper part of the advertising section 28, three answer buttons 32 for answering the questions set by the setting section 30 are provided.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the vending machine 10, which will be described below.

A main control unit 34 for controlling the vending machine 10
, A power supply unit 36 is connected, and a coin mech 38, a bill burr 40, and a return button 22 are connected. Also, a product selection unit 42 including the product selection button 16, a product unloading unit 44 for discharging a product from the column to the product outlet 26, and a vending machine administrator for managing the vending machine 10. The operation box 46 is connected. Further, an answer unit 48 including an advertising unit 28, a question unit 30 and an answer button 32 is connected.

The sales state of the vending machine 10 having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in the sales standby state, the advertisement section 28 composed of a liquid crystal panel constantly advertises products.

In step 1, the customer enters the coin slot 18
Alternatively, money is inserted from the bill insertion slot 20. Then, the process proceeds to Step 2.

In step 2, the quiz section 30 sets a quiz regarding the product. This quiz is related to the content advertised by the advertising section 28. Then, the process proceeds to Step 3.

In step 3, the customer enters answer button 32
When the key is pressed, the process proceeds to step 4; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 6.

In step 4, if the answer button 32 pressed is correct, the process proceeds to step 5, and if incorrect, the process proceeds to step 6.

In step 5, since the answer is correct, a benefit is provided to the customer. The advantage is, for example, that the price of a product purchased by a customer is discounted.

In step 6, the customer selects a product using the product selection button 16. Then, it proceeds to step 7.

In step 7, the selected commodity is carried out, and the flow advances to step 8.

In step 8, the amount discounted by providing the change or the merit is returned and the processing is terminated.

As described above, since the quiz regarding the advertising section 28 is set and the customer answers the quiz, it is possible to determine whether or not the advertisement promoted by the advertising section 28 is utilized.

Further, if the customer answers the question, the merchandise price can be reduced, and the use of the question section 30 can be promoted.

In the above embodiment, the merchandise price is discounted as an advantage. Alternatively, for example, when the vending machine 10 is equipped with an IC card reader / writer, a point is given to the IC card. Addition or the like may be performed.

[0025]

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present invention, a person who supplies goods by the vending machine can judge whether or not the advertisement is utilized by the answer given by the customer, and the answer can be given to the customer. In the case of a correct answer, the merchandise can be discounted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vending machine for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart when a product is sold.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Vending machine 16 Product selection button 28 Advertising section 30 Question section 32 Answer button

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine having merchandise advertisement means on the front thereof, wherein: a question means for setting a problem with the advertisement means; an answer means for answering a question set by the question means; A vending machine characterized in that the vending machine serves as a merit providing means for discounting the selling price of a product when a correct answer is obtained by the answering means.