Vending machine

• US 6,980,886 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Harada, Takashi, Shimoda, Toru, Hakoda, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/667,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 700/232, 700/231, 700/240, 700/242, 221/92, 221/93, 221/94, 221/130, 221/131, 221/155
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A vending machine capable of selecting any one of a first of a fourth mode which make it possible to carry out a commodity and a prize and a fifth mode which makes it possible to carry out only a commodity by a mode selecting device. In a state in which the fifth mode is selected, an ordinary commodity sale in which a selected commodity is executed based on insertion of coins or paper money, and pushing a commodity selecting button 4 is executed. In a state in which any one of the first to the fourth mode is selected, carrying-out of the prize from a prize carrying-out unit is executed in parallel with carrying-out of the commodity or independently.

Claims

1. A vending machine, comprising:

commodity carrying-out means for storing commodities and carrying out a commodity;

commodity carrying-out control means for executing carrying-out of the commodity from the commodity carrying-out means based on insertion of coins or a paper money and pushing a commodity selecting button;

prize carrying-out means for storing prizes different from the commodities and carrying out a prize;

prize carrying-out control means for executing carrying out of the prizes from the prize carrying-out means when a predetermined condition is satisfied; and

mode selecting means for selecting any one of a mode which makes it possible to carry out the commodity and the prize and a mode which makes it possible to carry out only the commodity,

wherein the prize carrying-out means has a transparent plate, which is capable of making an inside of a prize housing chamber visible, at a front face, and the prize carrying-out means is mounted inside a main door so that the transparent plate is exposed outside through an opening of the main door.

2. The vending machine according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined condition related to carrying-out of the prize is any one of selecting a special commodity at a time of selection of a commodity, and winning a prize in the lottery at a time of selection of the commodity other than the special commodity, and

when any one of said conditions is satisfied in a state in which the mode which makes it possible to carry out the commodity and the prize is selected, the prize is carried out with the selected commodity.

3. The vending machine according to claim 1,

wherein the prize carrying-out means has a prize output port at the front face, and

the prize carrying-out means is mounted inside the main door so that the prize output port is exposed outside through an opening of the main door.

4. The vending machine according to claim 1,

wherein the prize carrying-out means has a prize selecting button at a part exposed from the main door.

5. The vending machine according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined condition related to carrying-out of the prize is winning a prize in the lottery at a time of selection of the commodity, and

when said condition is satisfied in a state in which the mode which makes it possible to carry out the commodity and the prize is selected, the prize is carried out with the selected commodity.

6. The vending machine according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined condition related to carrying-out of the prize is selecting of a special commodity at a time of selection of the commodity, and

when said condition is satisfied in a state in which the mode which makes it possible to carrying out the commodity and the prize is selected, the prize is carried out with the selected commodity.

7. The vending machine according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined condition related to carrying-out of the prize is an inserted amount of money greater than or equal to a prize price, and pushing a prize selecting button;

when said condition is satisfied in a state in which the mode which makes it possible to carry out the commodity and the prize is selected, only the prize is carried out; and

when a condition of the inserted amount of money greater than or equal to a commodity price and pushing the commodity selecting button is satisfied, only the commodity is carried out.