JPH10289372A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To vend merchandise unexpected for a user by selecting merchandise through a selecting means at random. SOLUTION: When the user puts in money from a coin slot or a paper money slot, a mistery button 30 is turned on and a main control board 34 determines the merchandise, which can be vent within the range of put-in amount, at random. In this case, discounting is performed concerning the merchandise determined at random. Namely, money is returned by subtracting the discounted price of merchandise from the put-in amount. Thus, since the merchandise is selected at random rehgardless of the intention of user when the mistery button 30 is turned on, the user can purchse the merchandise that is not purchased conventionally. In such a case, since the merchandise is discounted rather than purchase in ordinary state, probability for the user to press this mistery button 30 is increased as well.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine for selling a plurality of types of products.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent vending machines for tobacco and the like, many types of tobacco have been sold. A person who purchases a product (hereinafter referred to as a user) can be classified into the following two types of characteristics.

[0003] The first feature user is a person who always purchases a specific product. Such a user is less likely to purchase another product even if a poster for advertisement is attached.

[0004] The user of the second characteristic has no intention to purchase a specific product, and always wants to purchase a different product, but ultimately always purchases the same product. It is a person.

[0005]

Regardless of the user as described above, the same product will eventually be purchased, and as a person managing the vending machine, Opportunity to publicize the product will disappear.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a vending machine which allows a user to purchase a product which the user cannot think of.

[0007]

The vending machine of the present invention comprises:
In a vending machine that sells a plurality of types of products, instructing means for instructing the sale of one product from the plurality of types of products, and when the instructing device is operated, the plurality of types of products And a selling means for selling the goods selected by the selecting means at random.

[0008] In the above vending machine, since the selection means randomly selects a product, it is possible to sell a product that the user cannot think of.

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vending machine 10 according to this embodiment.

At the front of the vending machine 10, a display shelf 14 for displaying cigarettes 12 to be sold is provided.
The display shelf 14 is provided with a product selection button 16, a sold-out lamp 18, and a sellable lamp 20 for each cigarette 12.

On the right side of the display shelf 14, an amount indicator 22 is provided.
A coin slot 24 for inserting coins and a bill slot 26 for inserting bills are provided. A return lever 28 for returning money is also provided. Further, above the price indicator 22, a mystery button 30 is displayed.
Is provided. The mystery button 30 is turned on when a user wants to purchase a product at random regardless of the user's intention.

An outlet 32 for taking out change and merchandise is provided below the display shelf 14.

Next, an electrical configuration of the vending machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

The vending machine 10 is controlled by a main control board 34 to which n selection buttons 16, a sold-out lamp 18, a sellable lamp 20 are connected, and a coin mech 36, The money amount display 22, the bill burr 38 for handling bills, the product transport section 40, and the return lever 28 are connected. Further, a power supply unit 42 for supplying power to the main control board 34 and an operation box 42 for controlling the main control board 34 are connected to the main control board 34. Further, a mystery button 30 is also connected.

Hereinafter, the sales state of the vending machine 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step 1, the user inserts money from the coin slot 24 or the bill slot 26. Then, the process proceeds to Step 2.

In step 2, the mystery button 3
If 0 is in the ON state, the process proceeds to step 3, and if not, the process proceeds to step 5.

In step 3, the mystery button 3
Since 0 is in the ON state, the main control board 34 randomly determines a sellable product within the range of the inserted amount. Then, the process proceeds to Step 4.

In this case, a discount is given to the commodity determined at random. In other words, the price of the discounted product is subtracted from the input amount, and the amount is refunded. As a result, the merchandise randomly selected by the mystery button 30 is sold at a discount compared to the merchandise that is purchased by a normal operation, which is beneficial for the user. This discount rate can be freely determined. For example, a cigarette of 300 yen can be sold at 280 yen. Then, it proceeds to step 7.

In step 5, the user turns on the product selection button 16.

In step 6, the amount corresponding to the selected commodity is subtracted from the input amount, and the change is refunded as change. Then, it proceeds to step 7.

In step 7, the merchandise selected at random or the merchandise selected by the user is sold, and the process ends.

In the vending machine as described above, when the mystery button 30 is turned on, products are randomly selected regardless of the user's intention. Can be purchased. Further, in this case, the merchandise is discounted compared to buying the merchandise in a normal state, so that the probability that the user presses the mystery button 30 increases.

[0025]

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present invention, it is possible to select and purchase a product at random, so that it is possible to purchase a product that has never been purchased before, and vending There is also an effect of sales promotion, since only a specific product is not always sold to the machine administrator.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vending machine showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart in a sales state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Vending machine 16 Product selection button 30 Mystery button

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine that sells a plurality of types of commodities, an instructing means for instructing the sale of one of the plurality of types of commodities; and A vending machine comprising: a selection unit that randomly selects one product from a plurality of types of products; and a sales unit that sells the product selected by the selection unit.