Claims
- 1. A self-service merchandise vending machine comprising a plurality of vending items (1) displayed for selection, and an item-selector (2); wherein the item-selector (2) is moveable across the vending items (1) so that the item-selector (2) can ‘walk’ with customer (3) while the customer (3) walks up and down in his effort to select an item among the vending items (1).
- 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the item-selector (2) is designed to be moved manually by the customer (3).
- 3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the item-selector (2) is designed to be moved by a machine power.
- 4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein a money-box (5B) is located near the item-selector (2) and moves together with the item-selector (2).
- 5. The invention according to claim 1, wherein a shopping basket or the like (8) is located near the item-selector (2) and moves together with the item-selector (2).
- 6. The invention according to claim 1, wherein a wireless communication means (9) is located near the item-selector (2) so as to relay the signals between the item-selector (2) and other vending processing hardware.
- 7. The invention according to claim 1, wherein a video camera (6) is located near the item-selector (2) and moves together with the item-selector (2).
- 8. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the video camera (6) is linked to a remote site by communication means for monitoring of the vending machine.
- 9. The invention according to claim 8, wherein the communication means is capable of two-way communication so that the customer (3) and an attendant in the remote site can communicate to each other.
- 10. The invention according to claim 9, wherein the two-way communication means is used to determine whether the customer (3) is eligible to buy a controlled item such as cigarettes.
- 11. The invention according to claim I, wherein only the items (1A) in the vicinity of the moveable item-selector (2) are available for sale through the vending process at a given moment.
- 12. The invention according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of items (1A) share a same item-code number (A5) when they do not belong to a same vicinity of the moveable item-selector (2).
- 13. The invention according to claim 11, wherein indication lights (10) are used to indicate the items that are eligible for vending at a given moment.
- 14. The invention according to claim 1, wherein ‘active components’ such as motor, electromagnet, or the likes for retrieving items for the vending process are provided on the side of the item-selector 2.
- 15. A method of using a vending machine in which a customer (3) can walk with a moveable item-selector (2). during the item-selection process so that the customer (3) does not have to walk back and forth between the displayed items (1) and the item-selector (2).
- 16. A method according to claim 15, in which a video camera (6) moves together with the item-selector (2) to view the immediate vicinity of the item-selector (2) for monitoring purpose.
- 17. A method according to claim 16, in which the video camera (6) is monitored by an attendant stationed in a remote location through a communication link.
- 18. A method according to claim 17, in which the remote communication capability is used to determine the eligibility of the customer (3) who wants to buy a controlled item such as cigarettes.
- 19. A method according to claim 15, in which the customer (3) is allowed to buy only those items in the vicinity of the item-selector (2) at a given moment.
NOTE
[0001] This invention disclosure is related to a patent application Ser. No. 10/299,502, titled, “Means of Item-Retrieving from a Display Hook, and Methods of Using it”, and another patent application Ser. No. 10/348,660, titled, “Method of Selling Controlled Items Through Vending Machines” filed on Jan. 21, 2003.