The present invention pertains to a vending machine integrated table, and particularly with regard to a method of selling products, is a vending machine integrated table with a game function attached to automatically dispense product, or to sell product by causing the product to be acquired through manual operations by the user.
Currently as vending machines, for example, vertical type vending machines are known, such as those disclosed in the patent document below. Conventional vending machines have a money insertion slot and product selection buttons located on an upper part of a perpendicular surface of the front surface of the vending machine, and have a product dispensing slot and a change dispensing slot located on a lower part thereof. Moreover, the format of conventional vending machines is such that product is replenished inside the main unit of the vending machine and inside a product stocker provided on a back surface of a door on the front surface of the vending machine. Accordingly, a user trying to purchase product from a vending machine inserts money while standing, selects a product, and next leans over to retrieve product from the lower product dispensing slot and to retrieve change from the change dispensing slot.
As described above, vending machines as described in the prior art are formed with a visual appearance that is vertical for ease of manufacturing and ease of transport. Accordingly, conventional vending machines are often times installed outdoors, and even if installed indoors, the vending machines have to be installed at a wall surface or the like, and are not installed in the center of a room (of course, this is because the machine becomes an obstacle, if a vending machine is installed in the center of a room or the like).
That is, a dedicated area is required in order to install a vending machine, and if a predetermined area (vending machine dedicated area) facing the outdoors, a wall, or such cannot be secured, a conventional vending machine cannot be installed.
Meanwhile, vending machine installers such as beverage manufacturers who want to install vending machines have been requesting that vending machine installation sites be further increased.
In order to solve the above-mentioned issues, the present invention is premised on a vending machine integrated table provided with at least a top plate, and a vending machine beneath the top plate. The top plate is provided with one of either a displaying and accepting means for displaying products that can be sold by the vending machine, and accepting instructions from users, or a window portion through which a product housing section that houses products can be visually confirmed. Moreover, the vending machine is provided with a product conveying means for conveying product contained in the product housing section to a product dispensing slot provided at the product housing section.
By adopting a configuration that integrates a vending machine and a table as described above, a dedicated area for installing a vending machine, which is necessary with conventional technology, is not necessary, and as long as there is an area to install a table, the vending machine integrated table of the present invention can be installed in that area. Accordingly, the vending machine integrated table of the present invention can be installed even in a location where a conventional vending machine cannot be installed if a dedicated area cannot be secured for installing the vending machine along a wall surface or such.
In the above configuration, for a case in which a displaying and accepting means is provided in the top plate, it is desirable that an appearance of a product contained in the product housing section being conveyed to the product dispensing slot is displayed when the displaying and accepting means accepts instructions from a user. Further providing a display instruction means that provides instructions to the displaying and accepting means to display a product that can be sold by the vending machine is desirable in the above configuration.
The present invention can be configured to function as a vending machine when required by a user, by configuring it such that a desired initial screen is displayed or no screen is displayed when not used as a vending machine.
When a window portion is provided in the top plate in the above configuration, providing a shutter in the top plate that can change the product housing section between a visible state and a not visible state from the window portion is desirable. By configuring the table in this manner, the product housing section can be made not visible when the table is not being used as a vending machine, and the table can thereby be used exclusively as a table.
In the above configuration, it is desirable to further provide a rail on the inner circumference of the product housing section, and provide the product conveying means with a support and a holding means. Moreover, the support preferably moves along the rail by operations from the user, and the holding means preferably is provided so as to be moveable on the support, and is configured as suspended to allow movement up and down so as to be able to hold product contained in the product housing section.
If the above configuration is adopted, the user can operate the product conveying means, and first, the support with the suspended holding means is moved along the rail to near the product desired by the user. The holding means is then moved to a position directly above the product on the support. Moreover, the holding means is lowered to hold the product, and the held product is conveyed to the product dispensing slot provided in the product housing section.
In the above configuration, with a vending machine integrated table provided with a window portion in the top plate, it is desirable that the product housing section has a horizontal cross-section shape that is spherical, and is provided with a rail provided on the inner circumference of the product housing section, and that the product conveying means is equipped with a rotatable shaft, support, and holding means. The rotatable shaft is provided at the center of the product housing section, and is rotated by operation by the user. The support moves along the rail axially supported on the shaft, and has a length equivalent to a horizontal distance from the shaft to the rail. Moreover, the holding means preferably is provided so as to be moveable on the support, is suspended to allow movement up and down, and is configured as suspended to allow movement up and down so as to be able to hold product contained in the product housing section.
In the above configuration, the holding means can adopt a configuration that provides a pair of claw shaped members to grip the product. Alternatively, the holding means can adopt a configuration that provides a shovel shaped member to scoop up and grip the product. Moreover, the holding means can adopt a configuration that includes a pump, hose, and suctioning tool. In this case, the pump supplies and discharges air, and the hose is connected at one end to the pump. Moreover, a configuration can be adopted in which a suctioning tool is connected to the other end of the hose such that air can be supplied and discharged from the tip end through the hose by the operation of the pump, and product can be suctioned.
In the above configuration, if a window portion is provided in the top plate, a configuration can be adopted in which the product conveying means is provided with a conveyor lane and a push out means. In this case, the conveyor lane is a lane provided in the product housing section, and an endless conveyor is driven in a circulating manner. When the conveyor of the conveyor lane is driven in a cyclic manner, and product designated by the user from amongst the products arranged on the conveyor is conveyed to a position near the product dispensing slot, the push out means pushes out product near the product dispensing slot to the product dispensing slot.
Moreover, the product conveying means can adopt a configuration including a rotary shaft provided in the product housing section, a rotating plate, and a push out means. In this case, when the rotating plate is rotatably supported on the rotary shaft, the rotating plate rotates, and product designated by the user from amongst the products arranged on the rotating plate is conveyed to a position near the product dispensing slot, and the push out means pushes out product near the product dispensing slot to the product dispensing slot.
If the product targeted for vending is a cake or other dessert, or a food product that could suffer damage to the shape when gripped, scooped up, or suctioned by air by a holding means, the above food products may, for example, be inserted into a box or the like, and the box into which the food product is inserted may be arranged on the rotating plate. If a configuration is adopted that pushes out the box to the product dispensing slot when the rotating plate is rotated, and the box has moved to a position near the product dispensing slot, the product can be conveyed without damaging the shape thereof.
In the above configuration, a seat is preferably provided on a leg part of the table unit, and a configuration may be adopted in which the seat is provided such that it can rotate on the leg part.
As described above, by equipping the table unit with a seat, separation of the table unit and the seat (chair) is eliminated. Accordingly, when a vending machine integrated table of the present invention is used, after a user uses the vending machine integrated table of the present invention, there is no need to straighten up the chair that corresponds to the seat. Therefore, selling of products can be conducted by the vending machine integrated table of the present invention even when there are few service personnel serving users (customers) (may also be an unmanned vending without a service technician present).
According to the vending machine integrated table of the present invention, because a configuration is adopted in which a vending machine and a table are integrated, even if a location is such that a dedicated area cannot be secured for a vending machine, as is necessary with conventional technology, as long as there is an area in which a table can be installed, that area can be used as a dual purpose area, namely as an area for installing a vending machine and as an area for installing a table. Accordingly, even if a location is such that a dedicated area cannot be secured as is necessary with conventional vending machines, a vending machine integrated table of the present invention can be installed in an area in which a table can be installed.
The basic process for conveying a product with a vending machine integrated table 100 of the present invention is described below.
Namely, as shown in
The touch panel provided in the top plate 103 possesses a function to display product contained in a hereinafter described product housing section 111, a product selection button to select the product, characteristics of the product, and advertising related to the product, and a function to accept the pressing of a displayed product selection button. Namely, when a button (for example, the product selection button) in the screen displayed in the touch panel is pressed, the processing conditions associated with the pressed button are input.
A configuration may also be adopted in which, in addition to the product selection button, and the like, a video simulating the appearance of the product being conveyed is displayed in the touch panel. For example, a configuration displaying the appearance of the product being conveyed (described below) can also be adopted.
A configuration providing a window portion in place of the display panel in the top plate 103, as shown in
The top plate 103 of the table unit 101 is not restricted regarding a shape thereof, and the shape may be rectangular, or it may be circular as shown in
As shown in
Moreover, a product dispensing slot 115 for dispensing conveyed product is provided in the product housing section 111. The vending machine 110 provided under the table unit 101 includes the product housing section 111, a hereinafter described product conveying means 550, and the operation unit 300. The product housing section 111 is a container for housing product targeted for vending, and as shown in
As the method to convey a targeted product from the product housing section 111 to the product dispensing slot 115, the vending machine 110 may use a heretofore known vending machine conveying method, and may use a heretofore known method used in arcade game equipment like a method described below. Note that a configuration can be adopted in which a video, simulating the appearance of a product being conveyed by the product conveying means 550 adopted below, is displayed in the above-mentioned display panel 310 provided on the top plate 103 while the user is selecting a product, or the like.
Here, when one of the products contained in the above-mentioned product housing section 111 is selected according to designation by a user, it is the product conveying means 550 that conveys the selected product to the product dispensing slot 115 provided in the vending machine 110.
The product conveying means 550 can use, for example, an arm transfer mechanism for gripping product used in heretofore known arcade game equipment. The vending machine integrated table 100 shown in
A planar positioning operation is implemented by a drive transmission mechanism coupled to both of the above-mentioned transfer motors. First, the arm support 125 is moved in a depth direction of the vending machine integrated table 100 by the arm support transfer motor 126, or is moved along the rail from the right to the left in a lateral direction by the arm support transfer motor 126. Next, positioning of the vertical position of the arm is achieved by the arm transfer motor 121 moving the arm 120 along the arm support 125. Note that of the transfer mechanism of the above-mentioned arm 120, descriptions and illustrations are omitted for the belt member, pulley, and other parts ordinarily provided in the transfer mechanism. Note that a configuration can also be adopted in which a button 350 provided in the operation unit 300 shown in
As shown in
Positioning of the arm support 125 in the circumferential direction of the product housing section 111 without providing the above-described shaft can also be implemented. For example, a driving wheel for moving on the above-mentioned rail is provided on both end portions of the above-mentioned arm support 125 (in this case, the arm support 125 has a length of the diameter portion of the product housing section 111) (the driving wheel is obviously provided at a position arranged on the rail). Moreover, the arm support 125 can be moved along the rail by driving the driving wheel.
Note that for the method for the arm 120 to grab the targeted product as well, a configuration in which an arm used in the heretofore known arcade game equipment mentioned above grabs a prize (corresponding to a targeted product of the present embodiment) can be adopted. For example, as shown in
Moreover, as a configuration other than the arm 120, a configuration providing a shovel shaped member like that shown in
Moreover, for example, if a targeted product is attached to a magnet, a configuration can be adopted in which an electromagnet is adopted in place of the arm 120, and as a result, after positioning of the electromagnet is performed as described above, the targeted product sticks to the electromagnet by passing an electric current through the electromagnet. In addition, when conveying a targeted product for which the shape thereof could easily be damaged by gripping or hooking the product, as is the case with cake or the like (of course, the product housing section contains a box in which the cake or the like is inserted (referred to hereafter as merely box)), a measure such as the following is implemented, and the box can be conveyed from the product housing section to the product dispensing slot.
Namely, as shown in
Moreover,
Moreover, the push out means 720 is provided near the center of the rotating plate 710. When the above-mentioned box (needless to say, a box specified by the user) is conveyed from its pre-determined position to a position near the product dispensing slot 115, this push out means 720 moves the box to the product dispensing slot 115 by pushing out the box. The above-mentioned push out means 720 may adopt a configuration that provides push out means 720 at each position facing each product dispensing slot 115 (position corresponding to near the center of the rotating plate 710) such that a box conveyed to the front of the product dispensing slot 115 can be moved to the product dispensing slot 115. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the above-mentioned push out means 720 is configured such that the above-mentioned rotary shaft 701 is rotatable as a shaft, and when a box is conveyed to a position near one of the product dispensing slots 115, the push out means 720 rotates about the rotary shaft 701, and moves to a position facing the given product dispensing slot 115.
As described above, when a push out means 720 is configured, the above-mentioned rotating plate 710 rotates, and when a product specified by a user from amongst the products arranged on the rotating plate 710 is conveyed to a position near one of the product dispensing slots 115 (for example, a product dispensing slot 115 nearest the operation unit 300 operated by the user), the product near the product dispensing slot 115 can be pushed out to the product dispensing slot 115.
Next, the architecture of the control system hardware of the vending machine integrated table 100 of the present invention is described using
Processing Flow 1 when Product is Conveyed
Next, the processing that occurs during product conveyance of the vending machine integrated table 100 of the present invention is described while referencing the figures.
First, a displaying and accepting means 900 displays an initial screen 1100 in the display panel 310 provided in the top plate 103 (
As described above, when the display instruction means 910 provides notification to display the product selection screen 1200, the displaying and accepting means 900 switches the currently displayed initial screen 1100 to the product selection screen 1200 that enables the purchase of products (
When the user decides on the product he or she wants to purchase from the product selection screen 1200, and then inserts money (in place of money, may also be a predetermined type of coin or the like stipulated by the installer of the vending machine integrated table 100) into the above-mentioned money insertion slot (
Next, when the user presses a product image 1205 corresponding to a product he or she wants to purchase, the displaying and accepting means 900 receives this input (
Note that when the product selection screen 1200 is displayed, and money or the like is not inserted even after a predetermined amount of time has passed, the displaying and accepting means 900 switches the above-mentioned product selection screen 1200 to the initial screen 1100 (
Processing Flow 2 when Product is Conveyed
In the above processing flow 1, a configuration that automatically conveys a targeted product 10 contained in the product housing section 111 to the product dispensing slot 115 was adopted. In contrast, a configuration can also be adopted in which product 10 is conveyed to the product dispensing slot 115 by user operations (manual operations).
The vending machine integrated table 100 of the present embodiment is provided with a window portion that enables visible confirmation of the product housing section from the top plate 103. When a user wanting to purchase a product inserts money into a money insertion slot similar to Embodiment 1 (
Others
Because the present invention is configured as a vending machine integrated with a table unit, a dedicated area for installing a vending machine is not necessary. An area for only installation of a table unit can also be used as an area to install a vending machine. Therefore, if area only for installation of a table unit can be secured, the vending machine can be installed, and thus the present invention is beneficial to users wanting to install a vending machine. Accordingly, the industrial applicability thereof is large.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-198944 | Aug 2009 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2010/002657 | 4/13/2010 | WO | 00 | 2/2/2012 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2011/016164 | 2/10/2011 | WO | A |
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5513772 | Glaser | May 1996 | A |
6791575 | Abboud | Sep 2004 | B2 |
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3-149006 | Jun 1991 | JP |
7-036707 | Aug 1995 | JP |
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2002-269626 | Sep 2002 | JP |
2004-105470 | Apr 2004 | JP |
2007-004480 | Jan 2007 | JP |
Entry |
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International Search Report of PCT/JP2010/002657, mailing date Jul. 20, 2010. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120118907 A1 | May 2012 | US |