WO2003044749A1

WO2003044749A1 - Dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2003044749A1
Application number: PCT/JP2002/012176
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yuki Yanagisawa; Yoshiaki Kurihara; Hiroshi Ishida
Original assignee: Sanden Corporation
Priority date: 2001-11-22
Filing date: 2002-11-21
Publication date: 2003-05-30

Abstract

A dispenser capable of accurately displaying the samples of any commodities at a specified time, comprising a display monitor (7) capable of displaying only the samples of any commodities, wherein, when the samples of any commodities are set to a non-display mode, the display monitor displays the samples of the commodities set to the non-display mode when a preset time comes, whereby, since the samples of the commodities set to the non-display mode to prevent the samples from being recognized by users can be displayed at the specified time to start the sale thereof to the users, for example, when the sale of new commodities and limited commodities is started at the preset time, the sale of the commodities can be started concurrently by a plurality of dispensers immediately after the start of the sale.

Description

Specification

vending machine

Vending machine technology

The present invention relates to a vending machine that sells products such as beverages in cans, bottles, or bottles.

Conventionally, this type of vending machine includes a vending machine body having a product sample, a product selection switch, a cash slot, a product outlet, etc. on a front surface and a product storage provided in the vending machine body. It is well known that beverages in cans, bottles or plastic bottles are sold as commodities. In the product storage, for example, a product column of a Sardinia evening type is installed, and when an arbitrary product is selected by a product selection switch, the product stored in the product column is carried out to the product outlet. It has become.

By the way, in the vending machine, for example, when selling a new product or a limited product having a predetermined sales start time, the product is displayed in a sellable state by displaying a product sample before the scheduled sales start time is reached. However, since the vending machine always displays a product sample imitating a real product, the product is stored and the display of the product sample is changed at the start of sales. However, such vending machine changes are made manually for each vending machine, so that products from multiple vending machines can be sold simultaneously at the scheduled start of sales. However, there was a problem in that sales were delayed and sales opportunities were lost immediately after the most anticipated launch.

If the product is to be sold after cooling or heating, it is not desirable to sell the product immediately after the product is refilled until the product reaches the set temperature. Until that time elapses, the products are sold out. In this case, the sold-out display lights up near the product sample, but the product sample itself is always in spite of preparation for sale. Due to the time display, it was confusing to users and lacked in serviceability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine capable of accurately displaying a sample of an arbitrary product at a desired time. Disclosure of the invention

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image display unit provided on the front of a vending machine main body, a product sample display unit for displaying a sample of a product for sale on a screen of the image display unit, and a display on the image display unit. Equipped with a control unit that can display some of the possible product samples and hide any other product samples, and can display the hidden product samples at any time It is composed.

This makes it possible to keep any product from being recognized by the user by hiding the product sample, so that the product sample can be displayed at a desired time and sales to the user can be started. Becomes possible. Therefore, the commodity sample set to be hidden is displayed by the control unit when it reaches a predetermined time, or is displayed by remote control from the outside, so that a new product or a new product can be displayed at a predetermined time. When starting to sell limited merchandise, it is possible to start selling at the same time on multiple vending machines immediately after the most anticipated sales, and to surely obtain sales opportunities. Also, for example, when resuming sales after an arbitrary time has elapsed after replenishing the product, it is possible to hide the sample of the product until resumption of sales, so even if it is preparing for sales as in the past, The service to the user can be improved without causing the confusing that the product sample is still displayed.

In this case, by displaying the advertisement of the product set to non-display on the screen of the image display unit, it is more effective to promote the sales of the product.

Further, in the above configuration, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated switch for selecting a product by configuring the product to be purchased by touching the image of the product sample displayed on the screen of the product sample display section. The structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a vending machine showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the vending machine.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a screen of the display monitor.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen of a display monitor.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a screen of the display monitor. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

1 to 8 show one embodiment of the present invention.

The vending machine includes a vending machine main body 1 having an open front, first and second product storages 2 and 3 provided in the vending machine main body 1, and each of the product storages 2 and 3. A plurality of product columns 4 provided therein, a cooling device 5 for cooling the inside of each product storage 2 and 3, a heating device 6 as a heating means for heating the inside of the first product storage 2, and A display monitor する for displaying a sample of a commercial product and a control unit 8 for controlling the display of the display monitor 7 are provided.

The vending machine main body 1 has an outer door 1a for opening and closing the front surface thereof, and a display monitor 7 is arranged on the front surface of the outer door 1a. In this case, the display monitor 7 is attached to the center of the decorative panel 1b covering almost the upper half of the outer door 1a, and an advertisement display section 1c is provided on the upper part of the decorative panel 1b. In front of the outer door 1a, a coin slot 1d, a bill slot 1e, a coin return slot 1: f, and a product outlet 1g are provided.

Each of the commodity storages 2 and 3 is surrounded by a heat insulating wall 10 having an open front, and the front is opened and closed by a heat insulating inner door 10a. The product storages 2 and 3 are separated from each other in the width direction by a heat-insulating partition wall 10b, and the first product storage 2 accommodates a total of two product columns 4 in the width direction. The second product storage 3 houses a total of three product columns 4 in the width direction. In addition, in each product storage 2, 3 Are provided with in-chamber temperature sensors 2a and 3a, respectively.

Each product column 4 is composed of a so-called Sartine type well-known product storage device, and is provided in each of the product storages 2 and 3 in two rows in the front-rear direction. That is, in these commodity columns 4, the commodities 11 introduced from the commodity introduction port 4a on the upper end side are vertically stacked and stored in the meandering commodity passage 4b, and the commodity carry-out mechanism on the lower end side. By 4c, the products are dropped and carried one by one in order from the lower product 11. ·

The cooling device 5 has a cooler 5a disposed at a lower part in each of the product storages 2 and 3, and each cooler 5a is connected to a refrigeration circuit (not shown). Blowers 2b and 3b are provided at the lower part of each product storage 2 so that the air cooled by the cooler 5a is circulated into the product storages 2 and 3 by the blowers 2b and 3b. Has become. The heater 6 is formed of an electric heating element, and is arranged near the cooler 5 a in the first product storage 2. In this case, the air heated by the heater 6 is circulated into the product storage 2 by the blower 2b. .

The display monitor 7 is formed of a so-called touch panel, and has a well-known structure that outputs a signal corresponding to a pressed portion when the specified portion of the liquid crystal display screen is pressed with a fingertip. The display monitor 7 can display all or only an arbitrary product sample among a plurality of types of product samples A to G (A to F are displayed in FIG. 5). It is composed of the same image as the real drink. In this case, some product samples A to E are products sold only as cold products such as soft drinks, and other product samples F and G are products such as coffee beverages, black tea, Japanese tea, etc. It is a product sold as a cold product or a hot product. Further, the display monitor 7 has a function as a product selecting means. When any one of the product samples A to G on the screen is pressed, the product corresponding to the output signal is carried out from the product column 4. ing. Further, the display monitor 7 includes first to third sample display sections 7a, 7b, and 7c arranged in three rows above and below as shown in FIG. Each sample display section 7a, 7b, 7c displays an arbitrary product sample and a cold / hot display section 7d, and the cold / hot display section 7d indicates a cooled product. Either “COLD” or “HOT” indicating the heated product is displayed.

The control unit 8 is composed of a microcomputer, and each product column 4 and Connected to spray monitor 7. The control unit 8 includes a communication control unit 8a for transmitting information input by the display monitor 7 to the outside of the vending machine. The communication control unit 8a calls a management center 12 for managing the vending machine. It is connected via a communication line 12a such as a line. Further, a timer 8 b and a setting operation unit 8 c are connected to the control unit 8.

In the vending machine configured as described above, products corresponding to the product samples F and G, that is, products such as coffee beverages, are stored in the first product storage 2, and the inside of the product storage 2 is provided with a cooler. By cooling at 5a, these products are sold as cold products, and the inside of the product storage 2 is heated by the heater 6 to be sold as hot products. Also, the second product storage 3 stores products corresponding to the product samples A to E, that is, products such as soft drinks, and the inside of the product storage 3 is cooled by the cooler 5a, so that these are stored. Products are always sold as cold products.

That is, in the vending machine, when a user inserts money and presses any of the product samples A to G displayed on the screen of the display monitor 7, the product 11 corresponding to the product sample is issued. It is carried out to the product outlet 1 g.

The control unit 8 is configured to display some product samples among the product samples that can be displayed on the screen of the display monitor 7 and to set any other product sample to non-display, and to be set in advance. When a certain time is reached, a sample of a product set to be hidden is displayed.

That is, the control unit 8 operates as follows according to the flowchart shown in FIG. For example, when selling a new product or a limited product for which the sales start time is determined, the product (for example, the product G) is stored in the product storage 2 before the sales start time. Next, the product sample of the product G is set to non-display (S1), and an arbitrary display time is set (S2). The display time in this case is set, for example, at midnight on the sales start date. Thereafter, when the display time has been reached (S3), as shown in FIG. 6, the product sample G of the product G set to be hidden is displayed on the screen of the display monitor 7 (S4). In this case, the setting of the non-display product and the setting of the display time may be performed by the setting operation unit 8c. For example, the setting may be performed remotely from the management center 12 or the interface. Even if you do it from any terminal through one net network Good. In the above, when the set time is reached, the product sample of the product G set to be non-display is automatically displayed by the control unit 8, but it can be arbitrarily operated by remote control from the management center 12. You may make it display.

After replenishing the product, the product immediately after replenishment has not reached the predetermined set temperature (for example, 60 ° G for a hot product), so a product sample of the product (for example, product G) is collected. A non-display is set (S 1), and an arbitrary display timing is set (S 2). The display time in this case is set, for example, one hour after the replenishment. Thereafter, when the display time has been reached (S3), as shown in FIG. 7, a product sample of the product G which has been set to be hidden is displayed on the screen of the display monitor 7 (S4).

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present embodiment, the display monitor 7 capable of displaying only an arbitrary product sample is provided, and the display time of the product set to be hidden can be controlled. By doing so, it is possible to display a sample of a product that is not recognized by the user at a desired time and start selling the product to the user.

Therefore, for example, when starting sales of new or limited products at a predetermined time, sales can be started simultaneously at multiple vending machines immediately after the most anticipated sale. Opportunities can be definitely acquired. At that time, as shown in FIG. 8, if the advertisement display part 7e displaying the advertisement of the product G set to be hidden is displayed on the display monitor 7 before the sale of the product G, the product The sales of G can be advertised to users in advance, and good sales at the start of sales can be expected. In addition, if the advertisement display section 7e is displayed together with the product sample of the product G after the product G is started to be sold, it is possible to emphasize the start of the product G to the user, and to promote the sales of the product G. It is even more effective.

When resuming sales after a certain period of time after replenishing the product, it is possible to hide the sample of the product until sales are resumed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the service for the user without confusing that the product sample is still displayed. Furthermore, since the user can select a purchased product by touching the image of the product sample displayed on the screen of the display monitor 7, a dedicated switch for product selection is separately provided. There is no need to provide a switch, and the structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. In the above-described embodiment, the case of selling a new product or the like and the time of refilling the product have been exemplified. It is also possible to hide only.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. An image display section provided on the front of the vending machine body,

A product sample display that displays a sample of products for sale on the screen of the image display unit, and some of the product samples that can be displayed on the image display are displayed, and any other product sample is set to non-display With a possible control unit,

A vending machine characterized in that a product sample set to be hidden can be displayed at any time.

2. The control unit is configured to display a commodity sample set to be hidden when a preset time is reached.

The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that:

3. The control unit is configured to display a product sample set to be hidden by external remote control.

The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: -

4. A promotional advertisement display unit capable of displaying the advertisement of the product set to be hidden on the screen of the image display unit

The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that:

5. The product to be purchased can be selected by touching the image of the product sample displayed on the screen of the product sample display means.

The vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: