Patent ID: 6019246
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
A vending machine, comprising:a plurality of article column groups each comprising one or more article columns and at least one said group comprising plural article columns, each of said one or more article columns comprising a shelf which is inclined to store one kind of article and to cause said one kind of article to flow to a lower end thereof, each of said plurality of article column groups being stored with said one kind of article different from another kind of article stored in another article column group, and comprising said one or more article columns which are approximately proportional in number to a number of said one kind of article to be presumably purchased by customers;a plurality of vending mechanisms each provided at said lower end of each said shelf to pass said articles towards an article passageway in accordance with a vending instruction and stop said articles in absence of a vending instruction;a plurality of article selection buttons each assigned to a corresponding one of said plurality of article column groups; anda controller for assigning each of said plurality of article selection buttons to said corresponding one of said plurality of article column groups;wherein, when one of said customers presses one of said plurality of article selection buttons, said controller controls one of said plurality of vending mechanisms to pass one of said one kind of articles towards said article passageway, said one of said plurality of vending mechanisms being a vending mechanism among one or more vending mechanisms which belong to one of said plurality of article column groups to which said one of said plurality of article selection buttons thus pressed is assigned.