JPH1153628A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the excess work of an operator in the case of exchanging products inside a vending machine with products of a new kind, and in the case of adding new products into the vending machine. SOLUTION: This vending machine is provided with a touch panel display device 17 composed of display part and a touch key arranged on the upper surface and a memory 12 for storing the image data of products, wherein the touch panel display device 17 is provided with a beverage can image display part 17a of displaying the image of a beverage can to be sold for isntance, and a suitable drinking time information display part 17b for displaying an appropriate time for drinking the beverage can on the lower part of the display part 17a. In this case, when an operator exchanges products inside the vending machine with products of a new kind or adds new products into the vending machine, and finishes the work and presses a replenishing completion switch 21, the product image data of the memory 12 are rewritten to new data from a center 10 for instance and the new product image is displayed at the corresponding beverage can image display part 17a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vending machine for selling goods.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a vending machine for selling products such as cigarettes and soft drinks, a full-sized product of each product to be sold is displayed on the front of the device, and each product to be displayed corresponds to each product to be displayed. Operation buttons are provided at the lower part of the box. Then, after the user inputs an amount corresponding to a desired purchased product while looking at each displayed product, and presses an operation button below the displayed product corresponding to the purchased product, the relevant product is discharged. It has become.

[0003]

In such a conventional vending machine, a full-size product to be sold is displayed on the front of the device and displayed. For this reason, when replacing products for sale such as beverage cans in vending machines with new types of beverage cans,
Alternatively, when a new type of beverage can is added as a new product in a vending machine, the worker who replenishes the product, for example, replaces the product for sale or adds a new product for sale, and also displays a new product in the display section. In such a case, extra work such as replacement of the corresponding display item or addition of a display item corresponding to a new type of product in the display section is required, and as a result, there is a problem that the burden on the operator increases. Therefore, the present invention
An object of the present invention is to eliminate extra work of a worker when exchanging a product for sale in a vending machine for a new product and to add a new product for sale in a vending machine, and to reduce a burden on the worker.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides a touch panel comprising a product image display unit for displaying an image of a product to be sold and touch keys for selecting the product image display unit. There is provided a display and a memory for storing product image data displayed on the product image display section. Further, a display area for displaying sales-related information is provided on the touch panel display. Further, the sold product is a beverage. Further, when the product to be sold is a beverage, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the beverage storage unit in which the beverage is stored is provided, and the output of the temperature sensor and the time when the beverage is refilled in the beverage storage unit are provided. Is displayed as the sales-related information. Further, the sales-related information is replenishment time information indicating the replenishment time of the sold product.
Further, a human body detection sensor is provided, and when the user approaches a predetermined range of the vending machine and the human body detection sensor is turned on, the touch panel display is turned on. Further, the sales-related information is advertising information indicating advertising of a product to be sold.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a vending machine according to the present invention. In the figure, the operation of the vending machine is entirely controlled by a CPU 11. C
The PU 11 has a memory 12 for storing product image data to be described later, a communication interface 13 for communicating with the center 10 via a line L, and a beverage can, such as soft drink, taken out of a beverage can storage unit to be drained and discharged. A beverage can selling mechanism 14 that performs operations such as discharging to an outlet, a refrigeration unit 15 that chills a beverage can in the beverage can storage unit, and a temperature sensor 16 that detects a temperature in the beverage can storage unit are connected.

Further, the CPU 11 carries out a touch panel display 17 comprising a display section and touch keys arranged on the upper surface thereof, and carries a card inserted for purchasing a beverage can and records / reproduces card information. Card reader 1
8 and a human body detection sensor 1 for detecting a user of a vending machine
9 and a replenishment sensor 20 for detecting the replenishment status of the beverage can.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the appearance of a vending machine.
In addition to the touch panel display 17 and the human body detection sensor 19 provided on the front surface of the vending machine 1, the card insertion slot 2 for the user to insert a card, and a drain for discharging the sold beverage cans. An outlet 3 is provided.

FIG. 3A shows the touch panel display 17.
As shown in the figure, the image is displayed in a portion 17a indicated by A to I in the figure for each type A to I of each beverage can, and each beverage can A to Corresponding to I, a drinking time information display section 17b for displaying information such as "drinking time", "drinking time after 30 minutes", and "sold out" is provided. Each product image data displayed on the product image display section 17a is stored in the memory 12 in advance, read out by the CPU 11, and displayed. In addition, a display area other than the beverage can image display area of the touch panel display 17 (FIG. 3)
In (a), an advertisement information display section 17c for displaying advertisement information about each beverage can, and a replenishment time information display section 17d for displaying replenishment time information for sold-out beverage cans. Have been. Here, when the user inserts the card and presses, for example, the image display portion 17a of the beverage can A, the amount corresponding to the beverage can A is reduced from the card, and the beverage can A is taken out from the beverage can storage portion and discharged. It is discharged to outlet 3.

[0009] When each beverage can is sold in this way and the beverage cans in the beverage can storage section are exhausted, new beverage cans are replenished by the operator. Here, when the worker puts the beverage can into the beverage can storage section to replenish the beverage can, FIG. 3 (b)
As shown in (2), this beverage can is detected by the above-described replenishment sensor 20 provided at the beverage can inlet of the beverage can storage part 5. The CPU 11 shown in FIG. 1 can recognize how many beverage cans have been refilled in the beverage can storage unit 5 by counting the detection output. That is, the replenishment sensor 20 is provided for each beverage can storage part 5 for storing each beverage can. For example, the replenishment sensor 20A detects this every time the beverage can A is stored in the beverage can storage part 5A. The replenishment sensor 20B detects and outputs the beverage can B each time it is stored in the beverage can storage section 5B. The CPU 11 recognizes the stock status of each beverage can from the count value of the detection output of each replenishment sensor and the count value of the sales output (discharge output) of each beverage can. In addition, when the inventory of the beverage can storage unit 5 is “0”, the maximum storage number of the beverage can storage unit 5 can be recognized by counting the number of drink can storage units at the time of replenishment. Incidentally, the replenishment sensor 20, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), composed of the light emitting diode 20 ₁ and the phototransistor 20 _2.

Next, the operation of the main part of the vending machine constructed as above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When a user inserts a card in order to purchase a beverage can of a vending machine, the CPU 11 detects that the card has been inserted via the card reader 18 and determines "Card insertion" in step S1 to be "Y". I do. In this case, the CPU
Numeral 11 denotes the input of the remaining amount of the card read by the card reader 18 and each of the beverage can image display sections 17 already displayed on the touch panel display 17 described with reference to FIG.
It is determined in step S2 whether or not the sales button corresponding to a has been pressed.

Here, the sale button is depressed and step S
If the determination in step 2 is "Y", the CPU 11 determines in step S3 whether the remaining amount of the read card is equal to or more than the selected product amount and whether or not the selected product is in stock. When it is determined that there is a stock of the selected product and that the product can be sold, the beverage can sales mechanism 14 is controlled in step S4 to take out the selected beverage can in the corresponding beverage can storage unit 5 and to the outlet 3. Perform sales processing to discharge. Thereafter, the CPU 11 controls the card reader 18 to update the balance of the card in step S5, and returns the card to the insertion slot 2 in step S6. At this time, the CPU 11 subtracts one from the number of beverage cans in the corresponding beverage can storage unit 5.

If the sale button is pressed and it is determined that the card cannot be sold due to a shortage of the remaining amount of the card,
In step S7, a card remaining amount shortage display is performed in a predetermined display area of the touch panel display 17 to notify the user of this, and the card reader 18 is controlled to perform step S8.
To return the card to the slot.

[0013] In this manner, the sales of the beverage cans are sequentially performed, and the number of the beverage cans in the beverage can storage unit 5 is decremented by one. Then, as a result of the subtraction, when the number of beverage cans in the corresponding beverage can storage unit 5 becomes “0”, the CPU 11 determines that the beverage can has run out of stock, and
Is displayed on the drinking time information display section 17b below the corresponding beverage can image display section 17a.

Thereafter, when the beverage can is replenished by an operator who periodically replenishes the installed vending machines, for example, once a day, the beverage can is replenished. 20 and is transmitted to the CPU 11. In this case, the CPU 11 determines “Y” as “refill” in step S9, counts the output of the sensor 20, and stores the number of refilled beverage cans in the memory 12 for each beverage can storage unit. Then, when the refilled beverage can is sold, the value of the memory 12 is subtracted when the refilled beverage can is sold, so that the stock status of the beverage can storage unit 5 can be confirmed from the value of the memory 12.

In this manner, the beverage cans are replenished to the respective beverage can storage sections 5, and the depression of the replenishment completion switch 21 by the operation of the worker is detected, and the "replenishment completed" of step S10 is performed.
Is determined to be “Y”, the beverage can image display section 17 displayed on the touch panel display 17 at step S11
The above-mentioned "drinking time" is displayed on the drinking time information display section 17b below "a".

The control of the "drinking time" display is specifically performed as follows. That is, for example, the CPU 11 inputs the time when the beverage can A is replenished when the stock of the beverage can storage unit 5A is “0” from the clock IC (not shown) and stores it in the memory 12. And the beverage can storage section 5A
A temperature output (output of a low temperature at which a beverage can can be refrigerated) from a temperature sensor 16 disposed therein is input. here,
At the time of the replenishment, "30 minutes later" is displayed on the drinking time information display section 17b corresponding to the image display section 17a of the beverage can A. Thereafter, the CPU 11 constantly monitors the temperature output of the temperature sensor 16 to confirm that there is no change in the chillable temperature and monitors the output of the clock IC,
When, for example, 30 minutes have elapsed from the time stored in the memory 12, “drinking time” is displayed on the drinking time information display unit 17 b corresponding to the image display unit 17 a of the beverage can A.
The display of “drinking time” is continued until the inventory of the beverage can A displayed “drinking time” becomes “0”. That is, even if a new beverage can A is replenished before the inventory of the beverage can A becomes “0”, the “drink time” display is continued.

When refilling a beverage can, the beverage can may be replaced with a newly sold beverage can in place of a previously sold beverage can. In addition, when a certain beverage can storage part has not been used, a newly sold beverage can may be added to the beverage can storage part. In such a case, the beverage can replenishment operator similarly puts a new beverage can into the corresponding beverage can storage section and stores it. In this case, the CPU 11 of the vending machine 1 reads out the image data including the corresponding new product image data from the memory 12 and displays it on the corresponding product image display section 17a of the touch panel display 17. That is, when the beverage can replenishment operator finishes the replenishment operation and presses the replenishment completion switch 21 described above, the CPU 11
Inputs, via the line L and the communication interface 13, product image data including the new product image data from the center 10 in which the product image data is stored in advance, and stores it in the memory 12. Then, the product image data of the memory 12 is displayed on the corresponding product image display section 17 of the touch panel display 17.
Display in a. In this case, the operator may replace the new memory storing the image data including the new product image data with the memory 12. Alternatively, image data including new product image data may be loaded and stored in the memory 12 via the CPU 11 using a handy terminal or the like.

The vending machine 1 can also receive and display the refill information of each beverage can downloaded from the center 10 via the line L. That is, the CPU 11
Is the center 1 via the line L and the communication interface 13.
When the supplementary information downloaded from 0 is input, "download" in step S12 is determined to be "Y". In this case, the reception of the download information is completed and step S
13 is “Y”, the touch panel display 17
In the replenishment time information display section 17d, a replenishment time display process of displaying a replenishment time indicating that "beverage cans G and H are scheduled to be replenished in one hour" for the sold out beverage cans G and H in step S14. Execute. After 1 hour, the beverage cans G and H are replenished by the worker as scheduled.

When the refill time information is downloaded from the center 10, for example, if the advertisement information of the beverage can A is downloaded, the advertisement information display section 17c of the touch panel display 17 displays, for example, "Beverage can A". Is vitamin C
Advertisement information to the effect "Plenty of lemon juice" is displayed.
As a result, the user can obtain prior knowledge about each product before purchasing the product, and thus can select an appropriate product. In this way, the touch panel display 17 that displays images of each sales product on the vending machine 1 and allows selection of sales products by pressing the corresponding image display portion, and the memory 12 that stores product image data When the vending machine is replaced with a new product or a new vending machine is added to the vending machine, after these operations are completed, the operator can operate the refill switch 21. By simply pressing, the product image data in the memory can be rewritten with new data and the corresponding product image can be displayed. As a result, the worker does not need to perform extra work such as exchanging display items in the display unit of the vending machine or displaying new display items when exchanging sales merchandise, so that the burden on the operator is reduced. Can be reduced.

Further, the display space of the vending machine can be reduced, and the user can select a desired product accurately and easily. Further, since many products can be displayed in a small display space, the use efficiency of the display unit is improved. Further, by displaying the advertisement information and the replenishment time of the product in other display areas of the touch panel display 17, the display unit can be used more efficiently. Further, if the display unit of the touch panel display 17 is configured by a color LCD,
Further, convenience is improved.

The vending machine 1 is provided with the human body detection sensor 19 as described above, and when a user approaches a predetermined range of the vending machine 1, the human body detection sensor 19 is provided.
Turns on. In this case, the CPU 11
By detecting ON / OFF of the touch panel 9 and turning on / off the touch panel display 17, wasteful power consumption of the vending machine 1 can be suppressed. Note that the touch panel display 17 may be in an off state in which power is not always supplied. In addition, the touch panel display 17 has a clock I
According to the time information from C, for example, the time zone from 1:00 am to 4:00 am is off, the other time zones are on, and if the human body detection sensor 19 is turned on during the off time zone, it is turned off. Is also good.

Further, for example, an advertisement information display section 17c and a replenishment time information display section 17d of the touch panel display 17 are provided.
It is possible to use the vending machine as a sales promotion tool by performing a lottery and a game for a product to be sold using each of the display areas and the touch keys on the upper surface thereof. In the present embodiment, an example of a vending machine that sells beverage cans has been described. However, for example, beverages that need to be refrigerated, such as beer and soft drinks, that are put in bottles or plastic bottles and the like are sold. The same effect can be obtained when applied to a vending machine. Further, the present invention may be applied to a vending machine such as a cigarette vending machine.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, a touch panel display comprising a product image display section for displaying an image of a product to be sold and a touch key for selecting the product image display section is provided in a vending machine. Since it is provided as a display unit and an operation unit, and a memory for storing product image data displayed on the product image display unit is provided, the sales product in the vending machine is replaced with a new type of product, or When a new type of product for sale is added to the vending machine, after these operations are completed, the operator replaces the memory, for example, or simply presses the replenishment completion switch, and the product image data in the memory is updated. The data is rewritten into data and displayed as a new product image. As a result, the worker does not need to perform extra work such as exchanging a display item displayed on the display unit of the vending machine or displaying a new display item on the display unit when exchanging goods. Burden can be reduced. Further, since the display area for displaying the sales-related information is provided on the touch panel display, the user can obtain knowledge of a desired product in advance before purchasing the product. Further, when the product to be sold is a beverage, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the beverage storage unit in which the beverage is stored is provided, and the output of the temperature sensor and the time when the beverage is refilled in the beverage storage unit are provided. Is displayed as the sales-related information, so that the user can select an appropriate product. In addition, since the sales-related information is replenishment time information indicating the replenishment time of the sold product, the user can recognize the replenishment time of the sold-out product. Further, a human body detection sensor is provided, and when the user approaches a predetermined range of the vending machine and the human body detection sensor is turned on, the touch panel display is turned on, so that wasteful power consumption of the vending machine can be suppressed. In addition, since the sales-related information is advertising information indicating the advertising of the product to be sold, the user can obtain prior knowledge of the product in advance, and thus can select an appropriate product.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the appearance of a vending machine.

FIG. 3 shows the display status of the display unit of the vending machine (FIG. 3)
(A)) and the state of beverage can replenishment in the beverage can storage section (FIG. 3)
It is a figure showing (b) and (c)).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of a main part of the vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Vending machine, 5: beverage can storage unit, 10: center, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CPU, 12 ... Memory, 13 ... Communication interface, 14 ... Beverage can sales organization, 15 ... Refrigerator part, 16 ... Temperature sensor, 17 ... Touch panel display, 17a ... Beverage can image display part, 17b ... Display section, 17c: advertisement information display section, 17d: replenishment time information display section, 19
... human body detection sensor, 20 ... replenishment sensor, 21 ... replenishment completion switch, AI: beverage can, L ... line.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine for selling a product, a touch panel display comprising a product image display section for displaying an image of the product to be sold and touch keys for selecting the product image display section; A memory for storing product image data displayed on the image display unit. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a display area for displaying sales-related information is provided on the touch panel display. 3. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the sold product is a beverage. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of a beverage storage unit in which the beverage is stored, and an output of the temperature sensor and a time when the beverage is refilled in the beverage storage unit. Vending machine displaying the drinking time information calculated on the basis of the above as sales related information. 5. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the sales-related information is replenishment time information of a product to be sold. 6. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a human body detection sensor, wherein the touch panel display is turned on when a user approaches a predetermined range of the vending machine and the human body detection sensor is turned on. Machine. 7. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the sales-related information is advertisement information indicating advertisement of a product to be sold.