JPH1186130A - Cup-type vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate cup-mounting job and also to facilitate management of hit cup carry-out probability with respect to a cup-type vending machine having a hit function. SOLUTION: Hit cups 9 and ordinary cups 10 are stored in a hit cup-storing mechanism 13 and an ordinary cup storing mechanism 14 of a cup discharge means 8 respectively. When the coins are inserted into a coin discriminating control means 1 and a commodity is selected by a push-button input means 2, a CPU 6 instructs a random number generation means 3 to generate a random number to decide a hit or miss. When a hit or miss is decided, the cups are discharged from the mechanisms 13 and 14 respectively. Then beverage is supplied into the cup as a commodity 11 via a beverage sales means 12. In this way, cup-mounting jobs are facilitated, since both hit and ordinary cups can be mounted together as compared with conventional case where both types of cups bad to be stored in the same cup-storing mechanism and accordingly the hit cups and ordinary cups can be mixed among themselves respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cup-type vending machine with a winning function (hereinafter referred to as a vending machine).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, there has been known a so-called cup vending machine with a hit function, which provides another drink or cashback when a hit cup is carried out. Note that the winning cup is a cup that can be recognized as a winning by means of a hit display or a seal for sales promotion or the like.

In such a vending machine, two types of cups, a normal cup and a winning cup, are prepared, mixed with the normal cup in a cup storage device, and the winning cups are inserted at appropriate intervals. I am carrying it out. The hit cup is mounted on the cup storage device manually by an operator or the like. Therefore, the winning probability was determined by the mounting order of the winning cups that were initially mounted.

[0004]

The conventional cup vending machine with a hit function has the following problems. As described above, the installation of the winning cup is a manual operation, but usually, the cup is packed in units of, for example, 100 pieces. The hit cup must be inserted between the stored normal cups. For this reason, the cup mounting operation was troublesome and time-consuming.

[0005] Further, since the winning is determined by the order in which the cups are mounted, it is not possible to change the probability of taking out the winning cup, or to manage such that the hit is made at least once every predetermined number of times. For this reason, the winning cup may be dispensed too much or the winning cup may not be dispensed, which may give a user distrust, and it is difficult to control the timing of refilling the winning cup.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to facilitate a cup mounting operation in a cup vending machine with a winning function, and to facilitate management of a winning cup unloading probability.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A cup-type vending machine according to the first aspect of the present invention is a cup-type vending machine having a winning function, which discharges a beverage into a cup or a regular cup every time a product is sold and sells the product. Selection means, random number setting means for setting a random number generation probability, cup storage means for storing the winning cup and the normal cup in separate storage mechanisms, and random number generation for determining a hit based on the random number generation probability by the random number setting means Means, when selecting a product,
Based on the random number generation means, the hit cup is carried out when the hit is made, and the normal cup is carried out when the hit is not made.

[0008] Thus, since the winning cup and the normal cup are stored separately, the cup mounting operation is facilitated.
A cup-type vending machine according to a second aspect of the present invention is the cup-type vending machine according to the first aspect, wherein the cup-type vending machine includes sales number counting means for counting the number of sales and hit history counting means for storing whether or not a hit has occurred. Exceeds the predetermined number of times, if there is no hit history, the hit cup is taken out, if there is a hit history, the normal cup is carried out, and if the number of sales is less than the predetermined number and there is a hit history, the normal cup is taken out. Take it out.

[0009] Thus, the winning and non-winning sales are performed every predetermined number of sales, so that the management of the winning probability of the winning cup is easily performed. A cup-type vending machine according to a third aspect of the present invention is the cup-type vending machine according to the first or second aspect, further comprising a prize providing means for providing a winning prize according to the winning cup, and a prize, a voucher, Offer at least one of the lottery.

[0010] This facilitates the cup mounting work and the management of the probability of taking out the winning cup, and promotes the sale by the prize.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (1) Regarding Invention 1 FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of Invention 1. 6
Is a CPU that controls the entire vending machine, and is connected to the next device. That is, a ROM for storing a control program
5. RAM for storing various data related to vending machine control
7. Money discriminating control means 1 for accepting the insertion of money such as coins for cash processing, push button input control means 2 for accepting product selection, random number generating means 3 for deciding winning probability, hitting probability setting for setting and inputting the hitting probability with ten keys The means 4 is a cup discharging means 8 for storing the hit cup 9 and the normal cup 10. Here, the hit cup 9 and the normal cup 10 can be individually discharged according to a command of the CPU 6, unlike the conventional cup storage method described above.
The winning cup storage mechanism 13 and the normal cup storage mechanism 14 are separately stored. In addition, the hit cup 9 discharged
Alternatively, the beverage is poured into the normal cup 10 by the beverage selling means 12 and is carried out as the commodity 11.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the control device according to the present invention. The operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, the hit cup 9 is mounted on the hit cup storage mechanism 13 in the cup discharge means 8, and the normal cup 10 is mounted on the normal cup storage mechanism 14, respectively. When money is inserted into the money discriminating control means 1 (step S1) and a push button of a desired product is pressed by the push button input control means 2 (step S2), the CPU 6 detects this, and
Instructs the random number generation means 3 to generate a random number,
Is, for example, between 1 and 100 if the probability is 1/100,
If the probability is 1/50, generate a random number between 1 and 50,
The result is passed to PU6 (step S3). The probability is set in advance by the operator from the hit probability setting means 4 and is stored in the RAM 7 by the CPU 6. Based on the data from the random number generation means 3, the CPU 6 determines that the hit is, for example, "1", and that the hit is otherwise, (step S4). If it is a win (branch Y), the hit cup 9 is discharged from the cup storage mechanism 13 to the cup discharging means 8, and the beverage is discharged to the beverage selling means 12 (step S5). If it is not a hit (branch N), the normal cup 10 is discharged from the normal cup storage mechanism 14, and the beverage is discharged to the beverage selling means 12 (step S6). Then, the process returns to step 1 and waits for the next sale.

According to the above operation, in a cup vending machine with a hit function, the conventional cup and the hit cup are mixed and mounted in a single cup storage mechanism, but are now collectively stored in separate cup storage mechanisms. As a result, the work of mounting the cup is facilitated and the labor is not required. (2) Regarding Invention 2 FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of Invention 2.

In the configuration of FIG. 3, in the configuration of the invention 1 (FIG. 1), instead of the random number generating means 3, a hit counter means 15 having a counter for counting the hit occurrence history and the number of sales in addition to random number generation is provided. Configuration. The hit counter means 15 counts the hit occurrence history and the number of sales at the timing described below, and stores them as a hit counter (CA) and a sales counter (CH). In this case, a hit occurs once for every 100 sales.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the control device according to the present invention. The operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, similarly to the first aspect, the hit cup 9 and the normal cup 10 are respectively inserted into the hit cup storage mechanism 13.
And the normal cup storage mechanism 14. At the beginning of sales, the hit counter (CA) and sales counter (C
H) are respectively cleared to zero. Furthermore, the winning probability setting means 4 sets and inputs the winning probability and the maximum number of sales up to the hit (here, 100 times),
To be stored.

When money is inserted into the money discriminating control means 1 (step S1), and a push button of a desired product is pushed by the push button input control means 2 (step S2), this is changed to C.
The PU 6 detects and determines whether or not the number of sales is 100 or less by the sales counter CH (step S7). 10
If it is 0 or less (branch Y), then it is determined by the hit counter (CA) whether a hit has already been made (step S8). If the hit has not yet been made (branch N), as in the first invention, the CPU 6 commands the generation of a random number (step S3), and if it has hit (step 4, branch Y).
The winning cup 9 is discharged from the winning cup storage mechanism 13 and the beverage is discharged to the beverage selling means 12 (step S).
5) The hit counter CA is set to 1 (step S9), and the process proceeds to step 10. If it is not a hit (step 4, branch N), the normal cup 10 is discharged from the normal cup storage mechanism 14, and the beverage is discharged to the beverage selling means 12 (step S6), and the process proceeds to step 10. Next, in step 10, the sales counter CH is increased by 1 (step 1).
0), return to step 1 and wait for the next sale.

If the number of sales exceeds 100 in step S7 (branch N), it is determined by the hit counter (CA) whether or not a hit has already been made (step S11). If it is not hit (branch N), the hit cup 9 is discharged in the same manner as described above to sell the beverage (step S12), and if it is hit (branch Y), the normal cup is discharged to sell the drink (step S13). ), The winning counter and the sales counter are cleared to zero (step S14), and the process returns to step S1.

By the above operation, in the cup vending machine with the hit function, the cup mounting work can be facilitated similarly to the first aspect, and the hit control can be easily performed without changing the cup mounting. In the above-described invention, the winning cup may be, for example, a winning-displayed cup or a cup with a sticker or the like attached thereon so that the user can recognize that the winning is a winning. In addition, as a bonus prize, in exchange for a predetermined number of winning cups,
Prizes, vouchers and lotteries can be offered.

[0019]

According to the present invention, the winning cup and the normal cup are stored in different storing mechanisms, respectively, and when a product is selected, the random cup is taken out by the random number generating means, and the winning cup is carried out. If not, usually remove the cup. Therefore, since the hit cup and the normal cup may be stored separately, the cup mounting operation is facilitated and the labor is reduced.

The number of sales and the hit history are stored, and when a product is selected, a winning cup is given if the number of sales exceeds a predetermined number of sales and there is no hit history, and a normal cup is given if there is a hit history. If the number of carry-outs and sales is equal to or less than the predetermined number and there is a hit history, the normal cup is carried out. Therefore, the management of the hit probability can be easily performed without human intervention. As a result, the user is not distrusted due to too much or no hit cup. In addition, it becomes possible to predict the timing of refilling the winning cup from the set number of sales, thereby facilitating cup supply management.

Further, if at least one of a prize, a voucher, and a lottery is provided for a predetermined number of winning cups, sales are promoted by the prize.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation based on the invention of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment 2 of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation based on the invention of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Money discrimination control means, 2 ... Push button input control means, 3
... random number generating means, 4 ... probability setting means, 5 ... RO
M, 6 CPU, 7 RAM, 8 cup discharging means, 9
... per cup, 10 ... normal cup, 11 ... product, 12
... beverage sales means, 13 ... per cup storage mechanism, 14 ...
Normal cup storage mechanism, 15 ... hit counter means.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cup-type vending machine with a hit function that discharges a beverage into a hit cup or a normal cup every time a product is sold, and a product selection means for selecting a product, and a random number setting for setting a random number generation probability. Means, a cup storage means for storing the winning cup and the normal cup in separate storage mechanisms, and random number generating means for determining a hit based on a random number generation probability by the random number setting means. A cup-type vending machine characterized in that a hit cup is carried out when a hit occurs and a normal cup is carried out when no hit occurs. 2. A cup-type vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a sales number counting means for counting the number of sales; and a hit history counting means for storing whether or not a hit has occurred. If the number of hits has exceeded the predetermined number of times, there is no hit history, and if there is a hit history, the normal cup is carried out.If the number of sales is less than the predetermined number and there is a hit history, the normal cup is carried out. A cup-type vending machine characterized by: 3. The cup-type vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a prize providing means for providing a prize according to the winning cup, wherein a prize, a voucher, a lottery are provided for a predetermined number of the winning cups. A cup-type vending machine characterized by providing at least one of the following.