History of the Development of Beverage
Vending Machine Technology in Japan

2
Yoshihiro Higuchi

 Abstract
Approximately 4.27 million vending machines were operating in Japan at the end of 2006,
with annual sales in excess of 7 trillion yen. We have focused our research on beverage vending
machines, because these account for over half of all the installed machines (at 2.60 million).
The first vending machine is thought to have been introduced at a temple in Alexandria in
215 BC. The machine dispensed holy water in return for a small coin. The oldest extant
machines are cigarette-vending devices that were installed in English pubs and hostels as earlyas 1615. English inventors subsequently devised additional designs to sell books, postage
stamps, and many other products as well, but the devices were not commercially practical. The
first commercially viable vending machines were gum dispensers introduced in the UnitedStates. In Japan, the first viable machines were juice vending machines that appeared during thehigh-growth period following World War II.
While vending machines appear to work without human intervention, an entire support
network is active behind the scenes. Machine makers, product manufacturers, operators, service
personnel, and location owners are just some of the individuals involved in marketing andmanagement efforts. Other individuals are responsible for route systems that carry out collection,
replenishment, and service. When we look back at the history, we see that success rests on
gaining the consumer's trust. In the case of beverage machines, the crucial requirements are to
maintain merchandise in optimal drinking condition and to ensure safety.
Beverage machines fall into two major categories: the original type that pours the beverage
into a cup, and the more recently developed type that delivers prepackaged drinks. The
technologies for these two approaches are quite different. With cup-type machines, the machine
operator is responsible for both preparing a good-tasting drink and maintaining the safety
necessary to attract the consumer. With the prepackaged approach, however, the beverage maker
controls the taste, while the machine operator focuses on how best to load containers into themachine and maintain them at optimal temperature.
As the technologies differ, so do the issues that machine designers and operators have to
face. Cup-type machines are backed by a long history of development and improvement of basic
taste-related components-storing of the ingredients, control of the temperature of the water usedin the mix, manufacture of ice and carbonated water for the mix, mixing methods, coffee and tea
extraction, cup transport, and so on. With container-type machines, efforts have gone into issues
such as effective loading of containers, ease of sales work, design of reliabletemperature-control racks, and the design of fast, reliable, container-friendly delivery systems.
Cash collection equipment for vending machines has been widely standardized, which inturn contributes to effective maintenance. Coin mechanisms have advanced from mechanical toelectronic. Jamming in the coin channel, which was the biggest problem, has been greatly
reduced and the number of supported coins has increased. Where early machines accepted
10-yen coins only, today's machines accept and dispense as change all four main denominations.
Built-in electronics enable a wide range of convenient functions, such as display of the amountinserted, tracking and reporting of total sales, and diagnosis of machine errors.
Early coin mechanisms were driven by sequences of relays, but with the coming of thetransistor age manufacturers began to incorporate various electronic components. The
introduction of ICs and LSIs allowed for multiple functionality, and the subsequent introductionof microprocessors expanded functionality even further. Competition among machine makers
spurred innovation, as machines advanced from full contact type (relays only) to hybrid types
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan1

(with transistors and ICs) and finally to programmed control. The evolution took some time,
however, as manufacturers faced numerous quality issues all along the way.
Because vending devices are industrial machines, development of products andtechnologies in this area has been strongly needs oriented, and has largely been limited to theconcept of cash processing. Japanese makers entered the field through technical tie-ups throughwhich they imported the technologies for coin cradles and other basic components and moved
toward standardization. They purchased patents for basic electronic coin collection technologies,
then implemented various improvements to adapt the technology to the needs of Japanesesociety and environment.
But now that we have fully entered the electronics age, Japan's innovative technologies havepositioned the country as a major vending-machine producer. History suggests that increased
emphasis on elemental research (a "seeds-oriented" approach) can spur a continuous stream ofdevelopment proposals, making it possible to break through current barriers and find new ways
forward.

 Profile
Yoshihiro Higuchi
Chief Survey Officer, Center of the History ofJapanese Industrial Technology, National Museum of
Nature and Science
March 1961:

April 1961:

March 1997:
April 1997:

April 2006:

2

Graduated from Meiji University
Faculty of Engineering Department ofElectrical Engineering
Started working for Sanyo Electric Co.,
Ltd.
Involved in design and development ofelectronic refrigeration equipment andbeverage vending machines for theplanning, sales and quality assurance
departments before being appointed thevice-director of the vending machine
division.
Retired from Sanyo
Appointed as technical supervisor for
the
Japan
Vending
MachineManufacturers Association
Appointed Chief Survey Officer of theCenter of the History of JapaneseIndustrial
Technology,
National
Museum of Nature and Science Contents
1 Introduction .............................................................. 3
2 Overview of Automatic Vending Machines .............5
3 Structure and Function of Beverage Vending
Machines ................................................................ 16
4 Systematization ...................................................... 60
5 Discussion .............................................................. 67
6 Conclusion ............................................................. 69

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.March

1 Introduction
The vending machines that we see atevery street corner, together with the sale andservice of the machines themselves, turned
over in excess of seven trillion yen in the year
2000 [1]. This figure rivals the total sales
figures of all chain convenience stores acrossthe whole of Japan.
Vending machines sell a great variety of
products and appear in every facet of modern
Japanese life, from the thirst-quenching
beverage vending machines on the street or in
the workplace to the ticket vending machinesat transport facilities, coin-operated lockers
for luggage, money-changing machines andticket vending machines at restaurants.
According to the 2006 edition of Vending
Machine Distribution Statistics and Sales
Prices, published by the Japan Vending
Machine Manufacturers Association (JMVA),
there were 5.52 million vending machines,
including automatic service machines, inoperation at the end of 2006, of which 4.27
million were vending machines and 1.24
million were automatic service machines.
This means that there is one vending machineto every 30 people in Japan.
To clarify what exactly constitutes avending machine and what types of vending
machines there are, a vending machine isdefined as “a machine that provides a desired
good or service when money (coins or bills)
or cards are inserted” [2] [Footnote 1]. Japan
Standard Commodity Classification 58 of theStatistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Communications comprises a
middle classification of “vending machines
and automatic service equipment,” made upof three small classifications of “vending
machines,” “automatic service equipment,”“coin, bill, card equipment and parts ofvending machines and automatic service
equipment,” and “other vending machines.”
The small classification “vending machines”
is further divided into “goods vending

machines” and “service vending machines.”
According to this distinction of categories,“goods vending machines” sell products suchas beverages, food and cigarettes, as well as
computer software and other service
information, while “service vending machines”
are machines that sell actual services, such as
coin-operated lockers or coin-operated
laundries, as well as money changing
machines, which do not actually sell
anything.
Thus, vending machines process a great
variety of different products and services.
According to the distribution of vending
machines in operation as shown Fig. 1.1, four
categories of vending machines account foraround 97% of all vending machines inoperation,
namelybeveragevending
machines (48%), tobacco vending machines(10%), other vending machines (16%) andautomatic service machines (23%). Similarly,
three categories of vending machines accountfor over 92% of all vending machine sales
figures, namely beverage vending machines(40%), tobacco vending machines (28%) andticket vending machines (25%).
Accordingly, this survey report focuseson beverage vending machines, which
account for the highest proportion of both
distribution and sales.
The industrialization of beveragevending machines in Japan started with freshjuice vending machines, which boomed in the
rapid economic growth era of the 1950s.
Vending machines then spread rapidly as they
grew in number and product type; theindustry remains closely linked to lifestyle.
This report reviews the products andtechnologies that have contributed to thisgrowth, examines the location of relevant
technology-related historical materials andsystematizes the technology.

[Footnote 1]: With product purchases becoming possible by mobile
phone or Suica card, the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers
Association is considering revising its terminology dictionary.
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

3

Distribution of Vending Machines atthe end of 2006
Total number: 5,515,700
Automatic service
machines

Other
Beverages
Tickets

TobaccoFood

2006 Annual Sales Figures (¥100 million)
Total sales: ¥6.8303 trillion
Automatic service
Other
Tickets
TobaccoFood
Beverages¥100 million

Fig. 1.1 Vending Machine Distribution
and Sales Statistics
Source: Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association

Chapter 3 provides a technical discussion
on beverage vending machines. The chapter
first discusses the fact that there are two typesof beverage vending machine, theprepackaged container-type and the cup-type,which have completely different contributing
technologies, users and operational methods,
and then outlines the history of thetechnology, component by component, frommoney processing and vending control
systems to product storage and vending
equipment, as well as cooling and heating,cooking and processing and displays andservice. Chapter 4 provides a technicaldiscussion on the more intangible issues ofconsumer safety and confidence, touching on
aspects such as improving product quality,
improving maintainability and the war on
crime.
Chapter 5 systematizes the technology
related to money handling equipment andcooking/processing in vending machines.
Bibliography[1] “Vending
MachineDistribution
Statistics and Sales Prices (2000
edition),” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association.
[2] “Dictionary of Vending Machine
Terminology,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 37.

In terms of the structure of this paper,
Chapter 2 provides an overview of vending
machines, with the first half outlining the
emergence of vending machines, from their
origins in the form of a holy water dispenser
before the Common Era to the various
different types of machines that later
appeared, both in Japan and overseas. The
second half discusses businesses related to
the life cycle of a beverage vending machine,such as beverage manufacturers, operatorsand maintenance service providers, so as toprovide an insight into the demand forvending machines. The second half of thechapter also discusses the distribution
revolution of the route service system andother management systems, as well as theregulations that relate to beverage vending
machines.

4

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.March

2 Overview of Automatic Vending Machines
2.1 The Origins of Vending Machines
The history of vending machines can betraced back to ancient Egypt. Pneumatica,
written by the mathematician and engineer
Heron of Alexandria, describes a number ofmachine inventions applying the properties ofair, water and steam. Included among these isan illustrated description of a device that
dispensed water (holy water) when a coin wasinserted. This is held to be the origin of thevending machine [1].
Although the original text has been lost, aLatin manuscript dating to 1587 has survived
and is held in the National Central Library inRome. According to this work, thecoin-operated device was used to sell“sacrificial water” at a temple in Egypt
around 250 BCE. When a five-drachma coin
was placed in the slot on top, the weight ofthe coin would lower the receptacle
underneath, causing a lever to open the lid
covering the spout, thus allowing water topour out until the receptacle returned to its
original position.
The principle behind this is theapplication of levers; it can still be seen today
in our modern-day flush toilets. It is notknown if this holy water dispenser was
Heron’s own invention or that of his
predecessor
Tesibius[1].

Fig. 2.1 Holy Water Vending Machine
From 30-Year History of Vending
Machines, JVMA
The oldest vending machines still inexistence are small tobacco vending machines(24 cm long × 11 cm wide × 10 cm high) thatwere used in English pubs in 1615 [2].
According to G. R. Schreiber’s A
Concise History of Vending in the U.S.,
published in 1961, these tobacco vending
machines were situated in various places inEnglish pubs and inns. When a halfpenny
coin was inserted in the slot on top of the box,
the clasp would release and the lid covering
the top of the box would open, allowing thecustomer to take out a cigarette. However, thecustomer or someone else would have toclose the lid again after use so that the next
customer could use it. In many cases, theproprietor or an employee would close the lid
before giving it to the next customer. Thus, asa vending machine it was less advanced thanthe holy water dispenser. It was nicknamed
the “honesty box,” as it often depended on the“conscience
of
the
user”
[2].

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan5

Fig. 2.2 The “Honesty Box”
“History of the Vending Machine Industry inEurope” [2]There were machines that sold products
other than tobacco. Richard Carlile, afreethinking bookseller, devised a bookvending machine in 1822 to evade the policeand public security agencies. This device wasdescribed as “selling books by a clockwork
mechanism, whereby users put money in andturned the dial to make the desired bookcome out” [3].
In 1857, Simeon Denham of the United
Kingdom invented and patented a stamp
vending machine. This is the earliest known
vending machine patent [4]. In 1884, William
H. Fruen of USA invented an “automatic
drawer device” and was granted the first US
patent for a vending machine [5]. The firstpatent application filed in Japan was in March
1888 for an “automatic vending machine”
invented by Shuzo Ono of Tokyo, although
there is no evidence that it was ever put topractical use [6].
Thus, while vending machine technology
started out in the United Kingdom, it spreadthrough Germany, France and Scandinavia,
among other places. Inventors interested in
the principles of vending machines designed
coin-operated metering devices and manydifferent machines selling tobacco, gum,
confectionery and other products. Very few
were put into practical use; this was an era ofinventors rushing to get their ideas patented[7]. For example, although Denham’s patent
was granted in 1857, it was not until 1907
that a stamp vending machine operating on
the same principles was actually installed at apost office [8]. Getting patent rights and6selling on the market are two different issues
entirely.
Although he was later granted several
patents, the application documentation
recorded that “the machine functioned
properly if not deliberately used wrongly, butwould easily be damaged if paper, orange
peel or other miscellaneous material wereinserted into the slot” [9].
A patent by Frederick C. Lynde mentions
magnets for checking for false coins anddevices for checking dimensions, thickness,weight, outer rim pattern or the presence of ahole [10]. Thus, as it became clear that
defective coin mechanisms were the number
one reason for being unable to supply
products, counterfeit detectors became a
specialized field in the vending machineindustry [11].
In the 1880s, a shift began from a wave
of patents to a wave of implementation. One
notable machine in vending machine
implementation and development is theAmerican gum vending machine of 1888.
The first time a vending machine was put
into actual use in USA was in 1888, when avending machine developed by Thomas
Adams, founder of Adams Gum, was used tosell Adams gum on train station platforms[12]. This format has continued to the presentday, successfully developing and expanding
the chewing gum vending machine market.
In Germany, a vending machine
restaurant that appeared in Berlin in 1895 issaid to have been extremely popular. The
restaurant comprised only vending machines,
allowing customers to dine by putting money
into the machines and getting their own meals
out. This “fast, hassle-free and tip-free”
vending machine concept has continued tothe present day [13].

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.MarchFig. 2.3 Automatic Vending Restaurant
Vending Machine Guidebook ‘76
In 1890, a law was passed in Paris,
France, to ban the use of charcoal burners towarm the feet of carriage passengers. Instead,
hot water vending machines were placed instores along the way. Since these dispensed
boiling water when a coin was inserted, they
benefitted not only the rich people riding in
the carriages, but also the poor, who would
not normally have access to hot water, thus
creating a growing interest in vending
machines [14].
In 1891, a barrel-type vending machine
appeared in a number of bars. This was thefirst beverage vending machine to be
widespread throughout society and can besaid to have influenced later developments.
The machine is described as an “alcohol
vending machine designed to dispense asmall glass of wine or a large glass of beer
through a tube under the coin box when afive-centcoin
wasinserted”[15].

Fig. 2.4 Wine Vending Machine
Vending Machine Guidebook ‘76
The oldest vending machine in Japan isbelieved to be an automatic weighing
machine installed at the newspaper reading
room in Ueno Park in 1876, although it is notknown who made this machine or how long it
remained in place [16].
In March 1888, Shuzo Ono filed a patentapplication for an “automatic goods vending
machine.” The patent specifications state that“the present invention relates to a machine
mounted within a box, wherein the operationof said machine is to sell goods according to a
determined amount of copper coins, andwherein the aim of said machine is tomechanically send the goods outside of thebox according to the automatic operation of
the machine when the copper coins are of theappropriate weight and size.” Vending
machine patent application no. 964, filed in
December the same year by Takashichi
Tawaraya, states that “the aim of the present
invention is to sell tobacco or other goods
automatically by receiving money, andwherein said machine will firstly not dispense
the goods if the money is counterfeit anddiffers from genuine currency by weight ordimensions, and secondly return the money if
the goods have run out.”

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

7

8

Fig. 2.5 Tawaraya Patent Specification
Drawing
30-Year History of Vending Machines

Fig. 2.6 Automatic Postage Stamp Machine
Postal Museum Japan collection

In other words, Ono’s patent defined avending machine as a “machine that sells
goods when coins are inserted to theappropriate weight and size,” while
Tawaraya’s patent goes as far as to “firstly
not dispense the goods if counterfeit moneythat differs in dimensions or weight fromgenuine currency is inserted” and to“secondly return the money inserted if thegoods are sold out,” even detecting sold-out
products and returning the money. While
there are no extant examples of either
invention or any indication of their practicalimplementation,
thedrawings
andexplanations that appear in the Tawaraya
patent (no. 964) show that it even had acounterfeit money rejection function and amoney return function if the goods were soldout. Other mechanisms are thought to beoriginal Japanese technology based on thetechnology used in the mechanized puppetsthat were substantially developed from the17th to the 19th century.
Postal Museum Japan has an exhibitfeaturing the oldest extant vending machinein Japan, an “automatic postage stamp
machine” made by Tawaraya in 1904 to sellstamps and postcards. The outer casing of thismachine is made of wood and stands 72 cm
high, 40 cm wide and 24 cm deep. Viewed
from front on, there is a sold-out display
window and a coin intake slot on top, with aproduct vending outlet underneath that,
followed by a handle underneath that. At thebottom, there is a returns outlet and a
postbox.

Specifications of this machine:(1) Selling price: stamps - 3 sen (1 sen + 2sen), postcards - 1 sen 5 rin (one postcard
for 1 sen + 5 rin, two postcards for 1sen
+ 2 sen)(2) Operation: Manual (product dispensed byinserting coins and pulling the handle)(3) Change: Change prepared in advance; if
3 sen was inserted but one postcard wassold out, then 1 sen 5 rin would be given
in change(4) Sold-out display: If there was no moreproduct, the sold-out display would show
and the coin intake slot would be blockedoff(5) Validation mechanism: Coins that were
too large in diameter would not fit in theintake slot, while coins that were too
small in diameter or too thin would beejected by the coin chute. Thismechanism was the same as that in the
Tawaraya patent no. 964; the same
principle was applied to coin validation
devices used in the ¥10 juice vending
machines that became popular in the late
1950s and early 1960s.
Japan’s earliest beverage vending
machine was rediscovered in 1987 in astorage room at the residence of the directorof brewing company Kuji Shuzo in Ninohe,
Iwate. This sake vending machine is now
held in the Ninohe Museum of History and
Folklore.
Standing 124 cm tall, 45 cm wide and45 cm deep, the machine has an outer casingof wood and a “5 sen nickel coin intake slot,”

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.March“sake outlet” and “rinsing water outlet”
displayed on the front. On the right hand side,a handwritten inscription reads, “Distributor:
Kojosha, 1-chome, Ueno-machi, Shitaya-ku,
Tokyo.” When a coin was inserted, aclockwork motor would start a timer thatwould open a metal cap covering the tube
between the sake tank and the outlet for a set
time (35 seconds), allowing one go (180 mL)
of sake to pour out. Since there were nodisposable cups at that time, drinking cups
were provided, along with “rinsing water” towash these cups.

Fig. 2.7 Sake Vending Machine
Ninohe Museum of History and Folklore
collection
While the date of manufacture remains
unknown, it can be estimated based on thefact that it was at a time when 5 sen nickel
coins were being minted and the price of 1 goof sake was 5 sen, as well as the condition of
the tube and other parts [17]. Since 5 sen
nickel coins were minted from 1889 to 1905,
the machine obviously could not have been
made before 1889. In terms of price value,sources indicate that in 1912 the price of 1
sho of sake was ¥1 for premium grade and 48
sen for medium grade (source unknown), so it
is plausible that the machine was from aroundthis time [Footnote 1]. Museum director
Kohei Sugawara is hopeful that new research
will make it possible to determine that thismachine is not only the oldest vending[Footnote 1]: While materials from the Ninohe Museum of History
and Folklore also refer to the price of one sho of refined sake as 18
sen in 1895, 73 sen in 1912, 1 yen 24 sen in 1916 and 1 yen 70 sen
in 1921 (according to Ishidoriya Nambu Toji Brewers’ Museum),
this is a record of “price fluctuation” (source unknown).

machine in Japan, but also possibly the oldest
alcohol vending machine in the world.
Although over 90% of beveragemachines currently on the market sell
beverages prepackaged in cans, bottles, boxes
and other containers, the holy water dispenser,
which was the forerunner to all beveragevending machines, as well as the wine
vending machines in France and the sakevending machine in Japan, all sold measured
amounts by the cupful and provided metal or
porcelain cups to use.
Today’s paper cups can be traced back to
USA in the early 20th century, where avending machine using paper cups wasdeveloped in 1908. The development of apaper cup for hot drinks in 1946 led to thecreation of hot coffee vending machines [18].
Production of paper drinking cups inJapan started in 1954, with Tokan Kogyo
supplying cold drinks cups to the Allied
Occupation forces, followed by cups for beer,
juice and other beverages.
The first vending machine to become
more widespread in Japan was theconfectionery vending machine of the 1920s.
This machine from 1924, featuring the
popular newspaper cartoon character “Nonkina Tosan” (“Daddy Happy-go-Lucky”), had amechanism
that
would
dispense
confectionery with a jingle when a 1 sen coin
was inserted [19]. Inside, as shown in theimage on the right in Fig. 2.8, it had a productstorage structure that could be classed as achain rack system, still used today for boxed
beverages, ice creams and other products.
Around 1,000 of these machines arethought to have been produced and placed incandy stores and tea houses. Extant models
were collected and held by the Irie Child
Culture Research Institute in Himeji and thenlater donated to the Hyogo Prefectural
Museum of History [20].
The developer of this machine, Koichiro
Nakayama, established a specialized vending
machine company and went on to develop a
succession of new models, including aplatform ticket vending machine, agame-and-confectionery
machine,achange-dispensing caramel vending machine
and a milk vending machine. He was laterawarded a Medal of Honor with Purple
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan9

Ribbon and a Fourth Class Order of the
Sacred Treasure for his contribution tovending machine improvement research andhis various inventive ideas.
The same year, another confectionery
vending machine besides Nakayama’s“Nonki na Tosan” machine was put into
practical use. Featuring the young journalist
Shochan and his squirrel sidekick Risu fromthe popular cartoon “Shochan no Boken”(“Adventures of Shochan”), this machinedispensed caramels and made car sounds
when a 1 sen coin was inserted. Produced by
Kaichi Endou of Osaka, at least five of thesemachines were purchased by Ezaki Glico.
The “Shochan and Risu” machine was not thefirst to be used by Ezaki Glico; in 1922, thecompany had operated a vending machine
they called the “public conscience vending
machine.” As this machine dispensed
products even without any money inserted, it
relied on the conscience of the buyer, similar
to the “honesty box” tobacco vending
machines used in the United Kingdom in1615 [21].

Fig. 2.8 Taisho-Era Confectionery Vending
MachineHyogo Prefectural Museum of History
collection
Although vending machine development
was suspended in Japan leading up to andduring the war to give priority to the military,
as it had in the United Kingdom, it started
again after the war with the economic boom
from the Korean War. In 1953, following theissuance of a ¥10 bronze coin, a remodeled,10

manually-operated platform ticket (train
ticket) vending machine was installed atevery station on the Yamanote Line after atrial run at Tokyo Station. This machine
would dispense a dated platform ticket whena coin was inserted and a lever pressed. As it
only issued one type of ticket, it was known
as a single-function machine. Since the solefunction of the platform ticket vending
machine was to stamp a date for a set facevalue, it was not only very easy to develop,
but it is also thought to have been wellreceived by passengers, who were
unaccustomed to vending machines [22].
The ¥10 platform ticket vending machine
prompted the development of other vending
machines selling juice, gum, tobacco andother products, all riding on the wave of rapid
economic growth, and the vending machine
market steadily took shape.
In October 1957, a cup-type juice
vending machine developed and sold by
Hoshizaki
Electric(now
Hoshizaki
Corporation) became the first in Japan to be
fitted with a refrigeration device. It had afountain display on top and sold fresh juiceby the cup for ¥10, with cups pulled out byhand [23]. Widely adopted as a strategic toolby small and medium juice companies trying
to stand apart from the crowd, this machine
triggered a beverage vending machine boom.
Following this, a succession of new
vending machine manufacturers entered themarket. In 1961, the “Oasis,” a fountain-type
vending machine produced and sold by
Hoshizaki Electric, drove the boom into afrenzy. Consumers became familiar with the“Oasis” and other cup-type vending machines,
as well as the aforementioned platform ticket
machines and passenger ticket machines.
These were epoch-making machines thatturned people’s attention to other beverages
as well as lemon and fruit soda. This “¥10
juice” era is generally considered to be thestarting point for the high popularity of
beverage vending machines seen today.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.MarchFig. 2.9 Juice Vending Machine “Oasis”
Hoshizaki Electric collection

2.2 Structure of the Vending Machine
Industry
Although vending machines can be
defined as machines that supply goods andservices without human intervention, they infact have an entire network at work behindthe scenes to keep them operating properly
without human intervention, as well as thebusiness operators that use them as tools of
business. Figure 2.10 shows the main
business operators (industries) related tovending machines. The solid arrows indicate
the route by which vending machines are
installed, while the dotted arrows indicate theroute by which waste is disposed. Beverage
manufacturers either manage their own
purchased machines using maintenance(3) Container
supplier(7) Industrial waste
disposal contractor

According to Hoshizaki Electric company
records on the development of theepoch-making “Oasis” vending machine, thecompany president noticed the popularity ofwater coolers and juice coolers on a trip to
USA and started working on a small-scaleversion of a water cooler. The company
trialed putting juice into one of the earlywater coolers at a lottery club in Nagoya andit was very well received. The company thendiscussed whether it was possible to have amechanism that would dispense a cup of juice
when ¥10 was inserted, deciding that if itwere possible, they would like to have it at
the Hirokooji Festival, only a week away.
Many other such anecdotes on the creation of
the juice vending machine are recorded in thecompany’s history.

service providers (5) or lease their purchasedmachines to operators (4) to manage. The
specialized operators (4) are business
operators who purchase and manage theirown machines.
While improving user-friendliness forusers (consumers) and other functional
developments are an obvious challenge invending machine development, anothersignificant challenge is increasing the
profitability of vending machines as a tool ofindustry for each of the related business
operators.

waste(1) Vending machine
manufacturer(2) Beverage
manufacturer(5) Maintenanceprovider(4) Operator (4) Operator(6) Place of installation (location owner)

Fig. 2.10 Main Vending Machine-Related
Business Operators
These challenges have changed with thetimes. For example, consumers in the late1960s and early 1970s demanded greater
dependability from their machines, withfrequent complaints of machines being out of
product or out of change. More recently, thedemand has shifted towards asking for afriendlier “universal design” instead of the“convenient square box,” and even to energy
conservation and other environmental issues.
The main development task for beverage
manufacturers has traditionally been related
to providing “differentiated functions” due tolocation competition. Now, however,“differentiated functions” have taken abackseat position, with the main challenge
now “functions that contribute to improved
sales per machine.”
There was traditionally a strong demandfor operators to “provide tasty products” andtobecome“more
informationallysophisticatedtoimprove
operational
efficiency.” In recent years, this has been
joined by the demand for “functions that dobetter than canned beverage machines.”
Maintenance service providers have seen a
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan11

shift in demand from “decreased callouts(fault repairs)” to “improved workability
throughstandardizationandeasierdisassembly.” Although they have no directcontact with vending machine manufacturers,
there has also been increased demand fromwaste disposal operators from around the year
2000 under the extended producer
responsibility system.
Even the structure of the industry shownin the previous figure is beginning to change
as society ushers in a “mobile phone culture,”
having become more informationallysophisticated.
This is due to the fact that the so-called
IT industry must now play a part in theindustry, with vending machines becomingsocial facilities and terminals of information
culture.

hygiene management and sales management.
This aggressive introduction of vending
machines by the Coca-Cola Group[Footnote 3] began in 1962 and soon took upmost of the demand for beverage vending
machines.
Prepackaged
beverages
Canned/bottled
beverages
Boxed beverages

Cup-type beverages(raw materials)
Instant coffee, sugar,
syrup, other, cream,
CO2 gas, coffee beans

Full service

Regular service Full service

Beverage
Beverage
manufacturers (F)manufacturers
Specialized operators(R)

Operator

Installation location:
mostly outdoors

Installation location:
mostly outdoors

Street corners, stores, parking
lots, stations, etc.

Workplaces, stores,
schools, stations, etc.

Fig. 2.11 Regular Service and Full Service

2.3 Operational Format of Beverage
Vending Machines
The ¥10 juice boom fell into rapid
decline with a cold summer in 1963. While
20-Year History of Vending Machinesattributes this decline to pricing policies andchanges in consumer tastes, the fact cannot beignored that consumers may have also been
put off by vending machine troubles (such as
breakdowns) or by issues with beverage
quality.
With the spread of the ¥10 juicemachines and national railway ticket
machines giving consumers the chance to get
acquainted
withvending
machines,
Coca-Cola Japan [Footnote 2] entered themarket armed with a route sales system using
its own vending machines. The company
installed tens of thousands of vending
machines per year, offering two systematic
services: the “regular service,” which entailed
leasing machines to retail stores to manage,and the “full service,” which involved taking
offers for vending machine locations and thenhandling everything from product stocking to[Footnote 2]: Nihon Inryo Kogyo was established in 1957 as theJapanese base for The Coca-Cola Company of USA, later changing
its name to Coca-Cola Japan in 1958. The company became the coreof the Coca-Cola Group, in charge of planning, research anddevelopment and concentrate manufacturing, while bottlers aroundthe country were responsible for product manufacture, distribution
and sales.

12

Figure 2.11 shows the sales model for
prepackaged and cup-type beverage vending
machines. Many beverage manufacturers had
their own sales channels offering both aregular service and a full service. With the
emergence of specialized prepackaged
beverages operators, manufacturers also
actively promoted the consignment of sales tothese operators as well.
The first specialized operators were
established in Japan in 1963. They installed
vending machines mostly in indoor locations
in workplaces, in stores, schools and stations.
This business developed into a full service
format, covering everything from product(ingredient) stocking to managing chains ofvending machines. The main machines in thistype of system were cup-type coffee vending
machines. This was because cup-type
beverages had a greater profit margin andindividual effort in areas like taste andhygiene management paid off.
Meanwhile,
vending
machinedevelopment and production moved on fromthe fountain-type vending machines. A
succession of technology partnerships,
starting in 1961 with Shin Mitsubishi Heavy[Footnote 3]: Coca-Cola had a unique means of expanding its
business, known as the bottling system. Seventeen partner outlets
were established across Japan between 1956 and 1972 (however, thishas merged to 14 as at 2006). This network of bottlers is known as
the Coca-Cola Group.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.MarchIndustries (now Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)
and Tsugami Manufacturing (now Tsugami
Corporation) forming technology partnerships
withAmericanvending
machinemanufacturers, gradually led to the domestic
production based on imported technology.
Since this initiative focused on the
aforementioned vending machine strategy of
the Coca-Cola Group, Shin Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries teamed up with The Vendo Co., themost successful American company in the
Coca-Cola market. The first two machines
produced through this partnership were bottle
vending machines for the Coca-Cola Group.
Much of the technology in these
American-made vending machines still forms
the basis for the technology used in vending
machines today, both in tangible technology,
such as slanted-shelf and stack-shelf storage
structures and standard coin mechanisms, andin intangible technology, such as maintenancesystems. However, as some of the larger
players and key manufacturers started
entering the market and becoming
increasingly active, more of the technology
started being produced domestically. Thus,
the vending machine strategy of the beverage
manufacturers and the introduction ofoverseas technology became the driving force
behind the industry. In the seven-year period
from 1967 to 1973, beverage vending
machines showed an astounding averageannual growth rate of 48%.
Production Volume Trends (1967-1972)
Other
Ticket machines
Tobacco machines
Drink machines

Vending machine statistics (METI)

Fig. 2.12 Shipment Volumes using Imported
Technology

2.4 The Mission of the Vending
Machine
Vending machines moved from novel topractical, and then on to the widespread
distribution we see today, aided by countlesstechnological innovations. These innovations
were the result of cultural and societal
changes in Japan being met by the uniquenature of vending machines. The uniquestrengths of vending machines were that they
were “machines for people” and could
provide “unmanned vending.” Since they
were coming into contact with immeasurablylarge numbers of people, they had to beconspicuous, straightforward to use, strong,secure, offer quick and easy vending andoperate 24 hours a day. These and otherfeatures had to be improved. However, as thetimes changed, so did the expectations on
vending machines. The ¥10 bronze coin was
issued in 1953, followed by the ¥100 coin in
1957. In 1959, the ¥100, ¥50 and ¥10 coins
were all re-minted, ushering in a “coin age.”This triggered a greater social interest in
vending machines, as evidenced byderegulation and new vending machine
related legislation, as well as increased social
value. This laid the structure for the vending
machine industry (Section 2.2). The
technological innovations now had to aim fora target far greater than mere functions andperformance of “machines for people” and“unmanned vending.”
Consumers want vending machines toprovide high quality products and services ina timely manner, while vending machine
owners and operators want a product-selling
tool. Thus, the combined overall mission ofvending machines is to:1) be a machine that economized on labor;
2) provide products of uniform quality and in
optimum condition;3) provide advertising space;4) be a tactical tool in product development;5) provide convenience to consumers.
Furthermore, in recent years there has also
been a growing consumer interest inenvironmental conservation, which has also
had to be taken into account accordingly. For
example, 24-hour operation has come up for
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan13

reconsideration, because this provision of
convenience has resulted in greater energy
consumption. “On-the-spot” consumption has
also resulted in increased waste, while
excessive illumination and the use of vending
machines for advertising have made theminto a blot on the landscape. Optimum
producttemperature
controlandenergy-conserving
operationarenotcompatible.
These
once-sought-after
functions and roles are now being
re-examined for the sake of the environment
and new demands need to be met.

2.5 SafetyofMachines

Beverage

Vending

One of the reasons that beverage vending
machines have become so widespread is thelevel of trust that has been built up between
the consumers and the machines. Consumers
know that they can safely use these machines,that they can put their money into them withconfidence, that the product they receive fromthe machine will be fresh and at theappropriate temperature and that any issues
will be resolved. If you cannot gain consumer
trust, you cannot gain their business.
Various legislations have served as
guidelines in establishing these safety
standards.
Under the Electrical Appliance andMaterial Safety Act passed in 1961, vending
machines that have heating or cooling devices
are classed as Class A electrical appliancesand must have guaranteed electrical safety
based on specified technical standards.
A notification was issued based on
Article 7 (standards for cooking) and Article
10 (standards for containers and packaging)of the Food Sanitation Act of 1961.
According to this notification, cup-type
beverage vending machines are designated as
devices “having structures with componentsthat come into direct contact with food.”Compliance standards were established,giving peace of mind to consumers[Footnote4].
These
standards
are[Footnote 4]: The first regulation to be enacted in relation to vending
machines was the Ministry of Health and Welfare Notification
Specifications and Standards for Food and Food Additives, etc.,
based on the Food Sanitation Act of June 1961, which specified the
production standards and storage standards for drinking water, in

14wide-ranging, including:(1) regulations on structure and functions;(2) regulations on cooking;(3) regulations on operational management;(4) regulations on installation locations;(5) regulations on operating permits.
(1) specifies such things as component
material, cleaning- and sterilization-capablestructures, food storage structures and thehandling of cups for sale; (2) specifies suchthings as cooking at sale, temperatures used
for cooking and sales cancel functions; (5)means that café business permits are requiredfor vending machines selling soft drink orcoffee that is not prepackaged. Since many of
the cup-type beverage vending machines taketheir water directly from a water supply, they
are also obliged to comply with the standards
under the Water Supply Act as well as the
Food Sanitation Act. Furthermore, allvending machine installations have to comply
with road usage regulations based on the
Road Act and the Road Traffic Act;installations at gas stations must be permitted
under the Fire Service Act; money and card
handling must comply with the Penal Code,the Law Concerning the Regulation ofCounterfeit Currency and Securities and the
Act on Control of Damaging and Other Acts
Related to Coins.
Bibliography[1] “20-Year
HistoryofVending
Machines,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 6.
[2] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in Europe,” Vending Machines,
Vending Machine News, p. 6.
[3] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in Europe,” Vending Machines,
Vending Machine News, p. 7.
[4] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in Europe,” Vending Machines,
Vending Machine News, p. 7.
[5] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in the United States ofAmerica,” Vending Machine News, p.
5.
[6] T. Washizu, “Cultural History oforder to ensure the food hygiene of cup-type beverage vending
machines, which started rapidly growing in popularity from the late
1950s.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.MarchVending Machines,” p. 23.
[7] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in the United States ofAmerica,” Vending Machine News, p.
4.
[8] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in Europe,” Vending Machines,
Vending Machine News, p. 7.
[9] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in Europe,” Vending Machines,
Vending Machine News, p. 8.
[10] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in Europe,” Vending Machines,
Vending Machine News, p. 9.
[11] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in Europe,” Vending Machines,
Vending Machine News, p. 9.
[12] G. R. Schreiber, “A Concise History of
Vending in the U.S.,” p. 13.
[13] T. Washizu, “Cultural History of
Vending Machines,” p. 41.
[14] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in the United States ofAmerica,” Vending Machine News, p.
6.

[15] “History of the Vending Machine
Industry in the United States ofAmerica,” Vending Machine News, p.
6.
[16] T. Washizu, “Cultural History of
Vending Machines,” p. 72.
[17] T. Washizu, “Cultural History of
Vending Machines,” pp. 84-86.
[18] Tokan Kogyo Co., Ltd. website.
[19] “30-Year
HistoryofVending
Machines,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 5.
[20] “30-Year
HistoryofVending
Machines,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 5.
[21] “30-Year
HistoryofVending
Machines,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 5.
[22] “20-Year
HistoryofVending
Machines,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 115.
[23] “50-Year History of Hoshizaki,”
Hoshizaki Corporation, p. 92

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan15

and Function of Beverage Vending
3 Structure
Machines
3.1 Typesof
Machines

Beverage

Vending

Beverage vending machines can bebroadly grouped into two categories: cup-type
vending machines, such as early Japanesesake vending machines and Heron’s holywater dispenser, considered to be the oldest
vending machine in the world, andprepackaged beverage vending machines,
selling beverages in bottles, cans and boxes.
Table 3.1 shows the main differences
between the two types. In terms oftechnology development, since the functionsof the former cover everything from cooking
or processing the ingredients to produce thebeverage through to pouring the beverage
into its container (Fig. 3.1), the technology
has been aimed at “providing good taste” and“managing food hygiene.” By contrast, since
the functions of the latter are geared towards
efficiently storing (Fig. 3.2) beverages
produced and packaged by beverage
manufacturers and selling those beverages attheir optimum temperature, development has
been aimed at “handling a variety of
beverages” and “control technology toprovide beverages at their optimum
temperature.”

Table 3.1 Types and Features of Beverage
Vending Machines
Cup-type Beverage
Vending Machine

Prepackaged
Beverage Vending
MachineEquipped with coolingtank, hot water tank, ice
Heats/cools
maker, water/ingredientscontainers
tank, CO2 gas, cup(beverages)
Structure dispenser, etc.
according to their
Cooks/processes
type and sells themingredients to produce andone at a time.
sell beverages one cup at
a time.
Beverage
Machine Specialized operators
manufacturers
purchaser Non-specialized operators
Sake brewers
Main
Workplaces/stores/schools in storesinstallation
On the street/public facilities
locations
Compliance with Food
Regulated
Sanitation Act
byBusiness permits
cannister(1) Beans drop
into mill fromcannistermillscrew rotates
brewerto extrude
ingredients cannister
filterDistilled
while mixed
with air
water
spill
spill valve

spill tank(3) Ingredients
drop fromcannister into
mixing bowl

mixing bowl
(4) Distilledcoffee and sugar,
etc. stirred withstirring blades(2) Powder and hot
water poured into
brewer and distilledwith air added

Coffee grounds
drop into
bucketstirring blades
vending outlet(5) Poured
into cup

Fig. 3.1 Example Cup-Type Beverage
Machine Beverage Production(Source: Kaitai Shinsho, Nikkan Kogyo
Shimbun)16

heaterair

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchmachines. There are also two types of cold
beverage machines: the post-mix type, inwhich the beverage is prepared from syrup orother raw ingredients and mixed with chilledwater at the time of sale, and the pre-mix type,in which the beverage is produced in advanceby the beverage manufacturer, stored chilledin the machine and then poured into the cup
in predetermined amounts at the time of sale.
The distinguishing features of these two types
are shown in Table 3.2.
Nowadays, there are hardly any pre-mix
machines on the market due to difficulties
with hygiene management and other issues.
Fig. 3.2 Storage Example(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

3.2 HistoryofTechnology

Developments
3.2.1 Cup-Type Vending Machines
The fresh juice vending machines thatwere developed in the late 1950s, triggering amajor boom and playing a significant part inlater vending machine industrialization, were
cup-type vending machines. Since themachines in those days had no cup dispensers(devices that automatically place a cup into
the vending outlet), the procedure forpurchasing juice was to first take a cup by
hand from a cup storage cylinder mounted on
the side or the front of the machine, place it in
the designated space in the vending outlet andthen insert ¥10. Although an improved model
did emerge in this “manual cup” era with an
optical cup detector built in to the vending
outlet as a countermeasure against forgetting
to place the cup, cup dispensers were
eventually either imported from overseas or
producedthroughlicensedoverseas
technology, while regulation by the Food
Sanitation Act ultimately spelled the end of
the “manual cup” method. The optical cup
detector that had been developed was aswitching circuit using newly-implemented
transistors and it drew some attention as thefirst such electronic circuit to be used in theindustry.
Structurally, cup-type beverage vending
machines can be categorized into cold
beverage machines and hot beverage

Table 3.2 Types and Features of Beverage
Vending Machines
Post-mix (stored as
raw ingredients andthen made into
beverage at the time ofsale)

The ratio of syrup to water isaround 1:4–5, reducing
transportation costs per weight orvolume by 5 to 6 times; syrup has
superior bacteria resistance due toits high acidity and high sugarconcentration.

Pre-mix (stored andsold in beverage state)

These machines are simple instructure as they do not require
any beverage producing
equipment; however,theyrequire very frequent cleaning athigh temperature, since
beverages are lessbacteria-resistant.

While cold beverage vending machines
mostly use syrup as a raw ingredient, theyvary in structure depending on the syrup
storage system used (Table 3.3). A system inwhich syrup is stored in refillable open tanks
and then pumped out and diluted with chilled
or carbonated water (the pump system) has
primarily been adopted by the operator
industry. The Coca-Cola Group, which as abeverage manufacturer produces syrup,
introduced a system in which the syrup is
produced at the factory and transported insealed tanks, which are then stored within thevending machine pressurized with CO2 gas,
which is also used to extract the syrup at thetime of sale (the pressure system). A third
system was introduced, in which the tankused in the pump system is replaced by adisposable Bag-in-Box (BiB), thus making
three syrup storage and delivery systems.
Hot beverage vending machines are
inseparably linked to instant coffee. Instant
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan17

coffee hit the Japanese market in 1960 andthe taste of coffee steadily spread to every
home with rapidly expanding quantities
consumed.
In 1962, coffee vending machines beganwith the HB-10 developed by Shin Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries. Produced using technology
licensed from the Vendo Company of theUnited States, this machine sold four instantbeverages (black, sugar added, milk/sugar
added, cocoa) and had a 300-cup cup
dispenser, ¥50/¥10 two-coin capability and achange payout function. It made steadyinroads into the market, adopted as a key
machine by the specialized operator systemthat had come into play in 1960 (mentioned
later). The reason that specialized operators
primarily used coffee machines was that they
offered a greater profit margin than
prepackaged drinks, as well as the fact thatthe operators could promote their own
business independently without competingwith the beverage manufacturers, as was thecase with cold beverages [1].
Operators were able to carry out businessyear round by selling cold beverages insummer and hot beverages in winter; thisencouraged many specialized operators toenter the industry.

The active efforts of these specialized
operators led to the formation of an indoor
hot coffee vending machine market, in which
many vending machine manufacturers andbeverage manufacturers became involved.
Even in the indoor market, vending
machinemanufacturers
startedoutdeveloping floor-standing machines designed
for high-sales locations requiring high sales
volumes. However, from 1972 onwards there
was a flurry of activity in the development oftabletop machines.
These smaller, cheaper machines weresuited to smaller-scale offices and other suchlocations. Thus, the tabletop market, aimed atlower numbers of consumers, came alongside
the existing floor-standing market anddevelopment in the hot coffee market
continued to progress in two directions:
floor-standing and tabletop. The emergenceof regular coffee vending machines in theearly 1970s provided instant coffee machineswith some competition. Regular coffee
steadily gained ground due to a preference fortaste over price in workplaces and other mainmarket areas, thus polarizing the industry in
yet another direction.

Table 3.3 Syrup Ingredients and Vending Machine Structure(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
Syrup Tank
Syrup Tank

Refill-type Open Tank
Refill-type Open Tank

Container-type Sealed Tank
Container-type Sealed Tank

Bag in Box (BIB)
Bag in Box (BIB)

Pump-typePump-type
pump
pump

Pressurized-type
Pressurized-typeconnector
connector

BIB-type
BIB-type

FormatFormatsyrup bagsyrup bag

MachineMachine
CO
2
CO
2
gas
gas
syrup tanksyrup tankwater bathwater bath

The market for cup-type beveragevending machines also expanded in two
directions: cold beverage machines largely

18

Box
Box
(cardboard)(cardboard)syrup container
syrup container

connector
connector
pump
pump

managed by beverage manufacturers and hot
beverage machines largely managed by
specialized operators.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.March

The emergence of a hot and cold regularcoffee machine in 1974 made it possible forcoffee machines to be used all year round.
Once Fuji Denki developed a hot and cold
multi-flavor cup-type vending machine in1976 [2], it became possible for bothbeverage manufacturers and specialized
operators to have hot and cold machines byfitting previously primarily syrup-based cold
beverage machines with a hot coffee function.
Following the transition to combined hot
and cold machines, food manufacturers andvending machine manufacturers turned theirefforts to developing flavors, resulting infurther expansion into the multi-flavor arena,
including leaf tea and soups. One suchdevelopment by Sanden in 1981 was avending machine with an attached mill(coffee grinder) [3], which gained muchattention for its complete devotion to taste.
Cup-type vending machines were increasing
in quality, diversity and scale.
As well as the basic functions of
producing the beverage by means ofequipment such as a raw ingredient storage
device, a water bath for chilling drinking
water, a hot water tank for heating hot water,a carbonation device or an ice maker, placing
the cup into the vending outlet at the time ofsale and pouring a fixed amount of thebeverage into the cup, it was also a very
essential function for cup-type vending
machines to undergo regular hygiene
management, whether daily, weekly ormonthly, thus making them extremelycomplex to manage.
Consequently,
thetransition
toelectronics has been a long one. A cold
beverage machine developed by Sanyo
Electric in 1973 contained a transistor
sequence circuit; the same machine was mademore multifunctional with the adoption of ICs,
LSI and microcomputers [4].
Not only has microcomputer technology
in particular been very successful incontrolling the internal functions of vending
machines, such as cup detection, sold-out
detection and other sensing functions, raw
ingredient mixing sequence control, various
test functions, sanitation functions andmonitor display functions, it has also played asignificant part in improving operational

efficiency through computerization, such as
maintenance information systems and sales
information systems for new productdevelopment or route sales efficiency.
3.2.2

Prepackaged Beverage Vending
Machines
While cup-type beverage vending
machines selling fresh juice for ¥10 per cup
performed very well around the country as a
strategic sales tool by small-to-medium
beverage manufacturers producing lemon or
fruit sodas, this came to an end within aroundfive years with the appearance of
prepackaged cola beverage vending machines.
Nihon Inryo Kogyo, established in 1957
(name changed to Coca-Cola Japan thefollowing year), actively expanded on its
vending machine strategy, armed with its own
franchise system and route sales system.
One distinguishing characteristic of thissystem was that all of the vending machines
and parts used by the bottling companies had
to be “certified” by Coca-Cola Japan, just as
they were in the American market [5]. In
order to quickly adapt to this system,companies in Japan were prompt to form
technology partnerships with high-performing
manufacturers in the United States. In 1961,
Shin Mitsubishi Heavy Industries partneredwith the Vendo Company of the United States
to prepare a supply system using technology
from the country with the most advanced
vending machine technology in the world atthat time. Two bottle vending machines (theV-63 and the V-144) were produced
commercially in 1962, initially using
knock-down assembly and later using a
gradually-increasing number of parts
produced in Japan. Although the success in
the United States is due a certain amount ofcredit from the perspective of the bottlingcompanies purchasing the machines, thequality and functions were not suitable forJapan and there was a growing expectation
for products to be developed for use in Japan
using Japanese technology. The market began
to change, with Japanese electronics
manufacturers taking center stage as they
developed products using their own
technology.
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

19

The system of “certification” by machinebuyers was a process in which buyers set
standards for vending machine functions andspecifications and then checked to certify
whether or not those standards had been met.
Although this system meant that it wasdifficult for machine manufacturers to gain amonopoly using their own technology, it hadrecognizable benefits in that it promoted thestandardization of parts and functions, which
improved operational technology andmaintainability. Even today, there aremechanisms for component development
within the framework of the “independent
beverage manufacturer specification andcertification” system.
The development of prepackaged
beverage vending machines is of course
closely linked to changes in packaging.
With changes in beverage containers
prompting various different technologicaldevelopments, glass bottles were the firstcontainers used for soft drinks; accordingly,
the first soft drink machine was a glass bottle
vending machine. The transition to cansbegan around 1965; by the early 1970s,
almost all glass bottle vending machines had
been replaced by canned beverage vending
machines.
Although an amendment to the Food
Sanitation Law in 1982 allowed the use of
PET bottles for soft drinks, these 500 mL andother small drink bottles did not gain
popularity until the Japan Soft Drink
Association abolished self-regulation in 1996.
As soft drink containers changed materiallyfrom glass bottles to cans to PET bottles,
various different types of containers andshapes appeared with each material.
Accordingly, developments in prepackaged
beverage vending machines revolved arounddeveloping various different types of storage
and vending equipment compatible with eachnew container.
Milk packaging dates back to around
1881, when milk started being homedelivered to customers on foot, packed into
small tin cans (1 go: 180 mL) [6].
However, the demand for hygiene
management grew as civilization progressed.
Easily washable “narrow mouthed glass
bottles” appeared in Tokyo in 1889, followed

20

by the emergence of “milk-only glass bottles”
in 1899. Thus, the traditional tin cans were
replaced by glass bottles that were hygienic
and easy to carry.
Overseas, the Swedish government
proposedthedevelopmentofatetrahedron-shaped cardboard carton called
the Tetra Pak in the mid-20th century, while
the United States developed the Pure-Pak, asimilar cardboard rectangular carton with aroof-shaped top. These grew in popularity as
milk containers.
Dairy cooperatives in Japan introduced
the Swedish-developed Tetra Pak (Tetra
Classic) in 1956 and it spread rapidly in use,being adopted for use in school lunches andat the 1964 Tokyo Olympics [7]. However, it
was gradually replaced by the rectangular
Pure Pak due to difficulties with transporting,storing and displaying the characteristic
tetrahedron-shaped packages.
Various types of storage were developed
to keep up with changes in containers for softdrink, milk and other beverages; some main
examples are shown in Fig. 3.3.
One such storage device was theserpentine-type system (Fig. 3.3, far left),which first appeared in milk vending
machines in 1968 and later spread to canvending machines. Due to factors such as its
ease of product refilling and the greater
amount of storage capacity it allows, thissystem is still used today as a standard
specification in many canned beveragevending machines.
The prepackaged beverage vending
machine market continued to see active
growth, such as the development of machines
capable of selling warm canned coffee, aproduct that appeared in 1972.
The beverage vending machine market,
which had traditionally seen a sharp decreasein sales over winter due to primarily
revolving around soft drinks, milk and othercold beverages, saw business expand to allyear round with the appearance of hot coffee
vending machines. The emergence of hot andcold machines provided a new setting again,
with increased interest in the vending
machine business resulting in a very highdistribution of beverage vending machines inoperation.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.March

3.3 Structure

and Functions
Beverage Vending MachinesofFigure 3.4 shows the structure andfunctions of beverage vending machines. As
previously mentioned, cup-type beveragevending machines are machines that are
equipped to prepare a beverage and then fill acontainer (cup) with that beverage and sell it,
while prepackaged beverage vending
machines are machines that sell containers(filled with beverage). Specifically, thefunctions of cup-type beverage vending
machines up until the “place the cup into thevending outlet” stage are equivalent to thoseof prepackaged beverage vending machines,
but the difference with cup-type beveragevending machines is that the following step of
producing the beverage is considered to be
the main function. To use Fig. 3.4 as anillustration, the money handling mechanismis the only part that overlaps between the twomachines; the product storage and vending
mechanisms are completely different.
Cup-type beverage vending machines require
additional displays on their information andservice mechanisms to show selection options
for cup size and sugar amounts, as well as
additional mechanisms for the beverage
making process and health and safety
management, thus making the control
information processing mechanism several
times larger in size. This section provides anoutline of the structural elements of bothmachines, while Section 3.4 onwards
discusses the distinguishing characteristics
and technical details of those elements.

Control information
processing
mechanism
Storing/sellingmechanism

Fig. 3.3 Storage Examples(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)･Coin validation･Banknote identification･Card reading･Writing･Cashless capability･Giving change･Temporary･Banknote storing

Information/service
mechanism

Money handlingmechanism･Calculate amounts･Determine selling
availability･Change payout display･Infer sales behavior･Price setting･Sales information･Energy-saving setting･Process･Temperature control･Product display･Sold-out display･Selection buttons･Price display･Money intake slot
･Vending outlet･Return outlet･Money safe
･Product ingredient storage･Cooling/heating･Sold-out detection･Selling device･Transporting device･Sale information･Energy-saving setting･Temperature detection･Water storage tank･Hot water tank･Cooling water bath･Ice making･Other devices

Fig. 3.4 Beverage Vending Machine
Configuration
3.3.1 Prepackaged Beverage Vending
Machine Structure
Figure 3.5 shows a typical can or bottle
beverage vending machine structure. Thesemechanisms can be summarized by function
as follows.
(a) Product display / service mechanism
 product display, price display, operating
instructions
 sold-out, change shortage and inserted
amount displays product selection buttons, return lever coin intake slot, note intake slot,
vending outlet, change return outlet(b) Money handling mechanism
 coin validation, change payout device
 bill checking, bill stacker(c) Control / information processing
mechanism counting inserted money, recording,paying out change
 communicating product information,
receiving selection information
 controlling vending device
 controlling illumination device
 recording
variousinformation,
processing calculations(d) Storing/selling mechanism
 product storage, detecting sold-out
products
 vending device
 internal temperature detector
 cooling unit heating unit
 fanHistory of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan21

(e) Outer casing
inner door
(upper)main controlbox

bet rackmain door

inner door
(lower)clamp
display door
display door
lock
remotecontroller
bill validator
data
coin
mechanism
total counter

serpentine
rack
inner
door lockproduct
chuteevaporation
tray
condenser

cash box
power supply /inverter box

product inlet
columnlabel

power resetswitchmain door
stopper

electrical box
residual current circuit
breakerfuseslave box

Fig. 3.5 Interior of a Can or Bottle Vending
Machine(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
3.3.2 Cup-Type
Beverage
Vending
Machine Structure
Figure 3.6 shows the internal structure ofa typical floor-standing cup-type beveragevending machine. Like prepackaged beveragevending machines, the mechanisms can besummarized as follows.
(a) Product display / service mechanism
 beverage type display (including cup
size and price options) sold-out, change shortage and inserted
amount displays product selection buttons, return lever coin intake slot, note intake slot,
vending outlet, change return outlet(b) Money handling mechanism
 sameasprepackaged
beveragemachines(c) Control / information processing
mechanism same functions as prepackaged
beverage machines
 cup dispenser control
 cooling unit control (cooling bath / icemaker switching, etc.)
 hot water tank temperature control(management compliant with Food
Sanitation Act etc.)
 beverage mixing etc. process control
 sanitation management(d) Product/ingredient storage mechanism

22







raw ingredient canister
water reservoir (water tank)
CO2 gascup dispenser
syrup (sealed container, various
packaging), BiB(e) Hot water system hot water tank
 hot water valve
 hot water plumbing
 rinse valve(f) Cold water system cooling water bath
 carbonator (carbonated water producing
device) flow regulator syrup circuit
 ice maker(h) Cooking/processing
 hot mixing device (mixing bowl, cupmoving) cold mixing device (mixing valve) coffee brewer leaf tea distilling unit
ice maker
ice maker

canister (powder)canister (powder)water
ice shooterwater
fan
ice
ingredientshooter fan
ingredientmixingbowl
mixing
bowl
water
water
inlet filter
inletfilterwater
water
cooling unit

ventilation fanventilation fan
hot water
hot water

exhaust fan
exhaust fan
regulator box
regulator box
syrup pumpsyrup pumpcooling unit

Fig. 3.6 Interior of a Cup-Type Vending
Machine(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

3.4 Product Storage and Vending
Devices
3.4.1 Prepackaged Beverage Vending
Machine Product Storage andVending Devices
Figure 3.7 shows a Coca-Cola Company
vending machine introduced to the Japanesemarket
in
1962.
This
small-scale,semi-automatic vending machine (the V-63)
was made by Shin Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries. Viewed from inside the main door,

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchthere were seven rows of product racks
sloping from right to left, allowing product(such as Coca-Cola) loaded onto the racks toroll down the slope towards the vending
outlet.

Fig. 3.7 V-63
Tokyo Coca-Cola Holdings collection
Consumers would insert a coin, open thevending outlet door on the left and take out
their desired product. This type of rack is
known as a slanted shelf, due to the fact that
it is slanted. The V-63 had seven slanted shelfracks capable of holding nine beverages each,enabling the machine to sell seven different
types of beverage. Given the range of
products made by Coca-Cola at the time, thiswas sufficient.
Shin Mitsubishi Heavy Industries also
developed the V-144, a fully-automatic
vending machine, at almost the same time as
the V-63. As shown in Fig. 3.8, this machine
stored products stacked up from underneathand sold them one at a time by means of a
motor-driven vending device mounted at thebottom.

Although thestack-type
rack
had the advantageofbeing
compatible with avariety of different
containers,
including bottles,
cans and boxes, it
was disadvantagedby the fact that it
Fig. 3.8 Stack-Type was not very deep
structurally and sooften had another similar internal rack, which
took a long time to load.
Anothersemi-automatic
vending
machine was developed to compete with theslanted-shelf V-63, this one having ahorizontal rack structure in which bottles
could be hung by the neck (Fig. 3.9). Thismachine was widely adopted as a Coca-Colavending machine. Acting like a kind of
showcase, the structure allowed all of the
products to be seen once the door was opened,
enabling consumers to view and purchasetheir desired product. Although it did notoffer much storage, it was well liked for thefact that it was compact and simple [8].

1965Fig. 3.9 Horizontal Vending Machine
Sanyo Electric collection
This horizontal rack was prototyped in
the United States. The American version had
a manually-operated vending mechanism inwhich an inserted coin (quarter dollar) served
as a key to open the lock. While various
Japanese companies developed various types
of fully-automatic vending machines after the
V-144, the storage system always resembled
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan23

the American prototype while using a geared
motor used for the vending device.
While the geared-motor-driven vending
devices had the advantage over solenoid-type
vending devices in that they were quieter andhad a lower impact when dispensing product,
they also took longer to dispense products
and cost more.
Figure 3.10 shows the SVN-172 machine,which had a solenoid-type vending device
built into it and could sell a product in lessthan one second. This almost “instant sale”
vending time is still accepted as the norm bytoday’s consumers using can or bottle
vending machines. Machines that take longer
than this to dispense the product are
sometimes thought to be faulty.

Fig. 3.10 The SVM-172
Tokyo Coca-Cola Holdings collection
In the late 1990s, people were dissatisfied
that “vending machines make users bow as
they sell products,” so manufacturers worked
to develop and market a machine to address
this issue.
This machine used an internal endlessbelt to carry products dropping down fromthe vending device up to a vending outlet atthe top, where users would not have to “bow.”
However, this lift took 2–3 seconds, which
was not well received by users at the time.
More than a decade later, these machines
have made a comeback as “people-friendly
vending machines” and a JVMA voluntary“universal design” standard has come into
being.
The development of a stack-type rack
180 mL milk bottle vending machine in 1963
was followed by the launch of a milk bottle

24

vending machine in 1965 combining aserpentine-type rack with a solenoid-driven
vending device by Sankyo Denki (nowSanden). This serpentine-type rack is stillused as the standard storage system in today’s
can and bottle vending machines, although it
was pioneered in milk bottle vending
machines [9].
Mechanisms for storing and selling
prepackaged beverages such as cans, bottles
and boxes use a “first in first out” principle,with a column for each product type andusing gravity to dispense products one at atime.
Using a stack-type rack to illustrate (Fig.
3.11), the weight of the products in thecolumn is applied to the product at thebottom; the vending device must support thisweight until a purchase is made. If thevending device had to take the full weight of
all the products in the column, it would
amount to more than 10 kg, as a standard
column holds around 30 cans or bottles.
However, the frictional resistance between
the surface of the products (containers) andthe column wall alleviates this load by
distributing that force. Naturally, thenarrower the space between the column walls,
the greater the downward force (A); if thespace between the column walls is madewider to alleviate the load, a bridge forms
between the walls and the adjacent products,
thereby preventing products from dropping
down (B).

Fig. 3.11 Product and Rack
As shall be discussed later, vending
device mechanisms have two protruding
moving structures. At the time of sale, theupper structure first projects out to hold all of
the products in place in order to support the

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchproduct that is one above the bottommost
product (the next product to be sold). Next,
the lower structure that had been holding thebottommost product (the product being sold)retracts, allowing the bottommost product todrop down. Finally, the two structures returnto their original positions, allowing the
product above the bottommost product todrop down into the bottommost position andplacing the machine back into vending-readymode, thereby completing one vending cycle.
Thus, because the vending device absorbs theweight of the product and controls the releaseof the product, different manufacturers haveeach developed their own technology for the
shape of the column that controls the weight.
For example, the gravity force operatingon the vending device is affected by the shape,
structure and material of the column in thevending machine, as well as the container
shape and weight of the product, even down
to the characteristics of the printed area,
whether there is condensation on the productand the amount of dust on the product.
Although cans could generally be considered
to be much the same as each other, there aredifferences in materials, structure (three-piececans, two-piece cans, etc.), shape (indented,
rippled, etc.) and metal thickness, all ofwhich affect how they act within a vending
machine. Accordingly, much time has been
devoted to evaluating these factors.
Bottle vending machines have been in decline
after peaking in number around 1971; thetime since then has been the age of canvending machines.
Can vending machine storage systems
started out being capable of dispensing bothcans and bottles. A model using aserpentine-type rack developed by Sanyo
Electric emerged in 1971; this serpentine-type
rack is still in use today, having had
successive improvements added since.
Figure 3.12 shows the side view of avending machine fitted with a serpentine-type
rack. As it has four serpentine columns
running from the left to the right (in the depth
direction), this is called a four-track
serpentine-type rack and can stock four
product types.

can

path

vend
mechanism

Fig. 3.12 Serpentine Structure(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
The first serpentine column to emerge
was a gently-sloping single-track serpentine
column made of stainless steel wire. The
following year and later saw the emergenceof two- and three-track racks, to the
maximum-depth vending machines of todaywith seven-track serpentine racks. These
racks can store a diverse line up of products,
varying from small coffee cans to 500 mL
PET bottles; some vending machines caneven sell as many as 42 types of beverages,
with six seven-track racks alongside eachother. Serpentine racks are characterized bytheir high storage volume and extreme ease ofloading; no rival product has been developed
to date.
It was not long into the canned beverages
era that warm canned coffee emerged,
necessitating the development of a vending
machine capable of dispensing warm canned
coffee. In 1972, Sankyo Denki (now Sanden)
developed a single vending machine thatcooled its interior to sell both cold soft drinks
in summer and heated its interior to sell hot
canned coffee in winter. This was the first of
the “hot and cold” type vending machines,
which could serve as both hot beveragevending machines and cold beverage vending
machines.
This development spurred on theemergence of other later “hot and cold”
vending machines, thus making a significant
contribution to the current widespread
expansion of the beverage vending machineindustry.
It was a truly epoch-making development.
The heat cycle was tested using lifetime
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan25

acceleration testing to ensure the motor,
solenoid, switches and other functional
components, as well as the insulation,
lubricant and resin components, could
withstand the extreme usage conditions,
ranging from low temperatures near 0˚C tohigh temperatures of 60–70˚C.
In 1974, a new hot and cold can vending
machine appeared: one that could sell both
hot drinks and cold drinks at the same time.
The interior of this machine was divided into
two chambers and was configured to be ableto (1) warm both chambers, (2) cool bothchambers and (3) warm one chamber while
cooling the other chamber. By performing
operation (1) in winter, operation (2) insummer and operation (3) in spring and fall,
this machine could operate optimally all year
round. As vending machines began toincrease in size, greater variations werepossible, increasing from two chambers to
three or four chambers.
Figure 3.13 uses an example of athree-chamber machine with six five-track
serpentine racks selling 30 kinds of beverage
to demonstrate seasonal usage. In thisexample, the machine switches chambers as
follows: in summer everything is cold; in
spring there are two hot racks selling ten
kinds of hot beverage and four cold racks
selling 20 kinds of cold beverage; in fall there
are three hot racks and three cold racks eachselling 15 kinds of beverage; in winter there
are four hot racks selling 20 kinds ofbeverage and two cold racks selling 10 kindsof beverage (the grid-pattern area in the
figure represents the hot chamber).

summerspringfall

vending
machines.
Largertakeawaycontainers (such as 1 or 2 liter containers)
started being sold in vending machines;
vending machines started being used year
round with the advent of hot beveragecapability; beverage manufacturers started
diversifying product containers for branding
tactics; intensified product (beverage)
competition meant an increased variety of
beverage content; the use of PET bottles andother types of containers meant that vending
machines had to increase the number ofstocked products (multi-selection capability);
product content volume increased (larger
sizes); special shaped containers had to beaccommodated. These changes resulted insuccessive new developments in racks andvending devices.
The main storage/vending devices
developed included the chain elevator system(also called a chain rack), the conveyor
system, the boxed container stack system andthe spiral system.
Figure 3.14 shows the storage method
and vending mechanism for the chain
elevator system. The products are storedindividually on a product shelf that moves up
and down along the column wall; at the timeof sale, the upper vend motor moves the
product shelf attached to the chain to thelower drum, which then slowly rotates todrop the product into the vending outlet. Thissystem is characterized in that it can be used
to dispense large, heavy products without any
Impact shock.

winterFig. 3.13 Example of Chamber Switching
The late 1970s ushered in an era ofdiversification in prepackaged beverage

26

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchstandbysale
vend motor

self-holdswitchvend motor
chain
side
plate
productshelfsold-out
switchbottlechain

middleplatebottleproduct
shelf
shaft
side
plate
rollerdrum(tray)
rollerslide

Fig. 3.14 Chain Rack
(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
Figure 3.15 shows a conveyor rack used
to store and sell larger products, primarily
developed by beer manufacturers, such as 2 L
bottles and large beer cans. The products areloaded in order from the front towards theback. At the time of sale, the conveyor motor
carries the product to the elevator, which has
an attached bucket to carry the product down
to the dispensing conveyor, which in turndispenses the product into the vending outlet.
upper standby
positionstop switch

small flap
supportcam
half-mooncamlarge flap

Fig. 3.16 Stacked Rack
(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
vend motor

spiralFig. 3.17 Spiral Rack
(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

stop switch

conveyor

bucketbucketinclineelevatorbottomstop switch

anti-theftswitchdoor switch

stop switch
lower switch

product detection
switchelevator motor
sale

slide

Fig. 3.15 Conveyor Rack
(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

Figure 3.16 shows the stacked-type rack
for storing and selling Brik Paks and otherboxed containers. The boxed container
stacked-type rack is characterized in that the
motor-driven vending device dispenses
products from the left and the right stacks
alternately. Two types of vending device havebeen developed for this system: one rotates ahalf-moon-shaped flap to allow products todrop down, while the other uses a slide shelf
to drop products down, as in the Japanesechildren’s game of daruma otoshi.
Figure 3.17 shows a spiral rack, which
sells
products
withunusualor
unevenly-shaped containers. Products are
stored in between the spirals; the vend motor
rotates to allow the next product to drop into
the vending outlet. Although it offers poor
product storage efficiency, it has theadvantage of being able to dispense any shapeof product.

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan27

sprayed into a carbonator and then stored in
the form of carbonated water.
The carbon dioxide gas is stored in a bomb;
some of it is (1) used to pressurize the syrup
container, while some of it is (2) sent to thecarbonator to create carbonated water. The
syrup is kept within the machine in a sealedcontainer and pressurized with the carbon
dioxide gas. The paper cups are stored in acup dispenser.
automatic watersupply valve

water supply
reservoir

sale
sale

coolersyrup
carbonated water container
syrupvending outlet
drainage

low pressure carbon dioxide gas

water
water
carbonated
water

ice
maker

syrup

carbon dioxide gas bomb

high pressure carbon
dioxide gas

ice

cup
storagecup

stand
standbywater pump

water

water
cooling water bath

Operation of the vending device
Figure 3.18 shows the operation of thevending device for a serpentine rack (forexample). In standby mode, the bottommost
product is supported by a pedal. In sale mode,a current passes through a solenoid, pullingup the solenoid plunger and retracting thepedal attached to it, allowing the productsupported by the pedal to drop down; at thesame time, the upper pedal protrudes out into
the pathway to support the next product.
When the current is switched off, a springcauses the solenoid plunger to return to its
former position in standby mode for the next
product.
The current passes through the solenoid
for around 0.3–0.5 seconds; during this time,
the product is dispensed into the vending
outlet.

returnreturndrainage container

Fig. 3.18 Vending Device(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
Cup-Type
Beverage
Vending
Machine Ingredient Storage andVending Mechanisms
As previously discussed, cup-type
beverage vending machines prepare thebeverage internally and pour it into a
container. They are fitted with ingredientstorage, hot water system circuits,
refrigeration circuits, distillation equipment,
mixing equipment and other equipment toensure hygienic operation.
(1) Cold beverages
Figure 3.19 shows a preparation process
for carbonated drinks with ice. The product(cold beverage) is made up of tap water,
carbon dioxide gas, syrup and a paper cup.
The following provides an outline of how
these constituent materials are stored. The tap
water is stored in a primary water reservoir;
some of it is then (1) passed through a
cooling water bath into an ice maker and thenstored in an ice box in the form of ice, whilesome of it is (2) pressurized with a pump andFig. 3.19 Carbonated Beverage
Manufacturing Process(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

3.4.2

28

The beverage vending process involves
the cup being dropped onto the stage (thevending outlet), then the ice dropping into thecup from the ice box, followed by the pouringof the syrup and the carbonated water andfinishing with the beverage being mixed in
the cup by means of the force of the water
flow. Everything in the carbonator, the syrup
and the diluting water are cooled in thecooling tank by means of a heat exchanger(cooling coil) and poured into the cup. The
following provides an outline of eachelement.
1 Water reservoir○
Also called the cistern, the water
reservoir is the primary storage tank forthe tap water. This mechanism invending machines that are directly
connected to a water supply satisfies thecriteria imposed by the Water Supply Act
as a countermeasure against backflow.
Figure 3.20 shows a cistern with the

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchcover open; the water supply iscontrolled by a water-level-detecting
float with a valve attached.
reservoir cover

hooks
water reservoir

Fig. 3.20 Cistern(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
2 Water bath○
The water bath cools the syrup andcarbonated water and keeps them cool.
The water bath has a built-in coolingcycle evaporator that forms ice around it;
the cooling water is maintained at around0˚C using an agitator.

water circuits. An agitator agitates thecooling water for rapid heat exchange.
The circuit shown in bold lines is thecoolant circuit for the cooling cycle. As
the coolant changes from liquid to gas in
the evaporator, ice is created as the heatis taken out of the surrounding area. The
thickness of this ice is regulated tomaintain the temperature of the coolant
at around 0˚C.
3○ Carbonator
The carbonator is a pressure vesselthat produces carbonated water by
mixing carbon dioxide gas with water.
When high-pressure water is injected
through the water pump into thehigh-pressure gas from the gas bomb, thecarbon dioxide gas dissolves in the water
to form carbonated water. The carbonatorhas a water level switch, a check valve
and a safety valve (see Fig. 3.23).

couplerring nut
float switch
safety valve

outlet pipe

Fig. 3.21 Ice Bank
Control(Source: Vending
Machine Technical
Review)

Fig. 3.22 Water Bath
Structure(Source: Vending
Machine Technical
Review)

When ice levels are low in the waterbath, the cold beverage vending capacity
reduces; when ice levels are too high, thesyrup and the diluting water in the water
bath will also freeze. The ice bankcontrol operation prevents this. This
control mechanism uses a switchingcircuit acting on the difference inelectricalresistance(conductivity)
between the ice and the water when there
is too much ice. Figure 3.21 shows anexample of how the electrodes can bearranged in the water bath.
As shown in Fig. 3.22, the coolingwater bath is fitted with the carbonatorand the piping for the syrup and diluting

check valve

plate

Fig. 3.23 Carbonator(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
4 Cup dispenser○
A general term for cup storing anddispensing devices [10].
There are six types of cups used in
vending machines: 5, 6.5, 7, 9, 12 and 16
ounces. Cup dispensers normally offer up
to three of these types.

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

29

cam
cup
start of operationcup detaching

Fig. 3.24 Cup Dispenser Fig. 3.25 Cup Drop
(Source: Vending
Operation
Machine Technical(Source: Vending
Review)
Machine Technical
Review)
Figure 3.24 shows an example of
how two types of cups are dispensed.
The upper cylinder is divided into fiveparts, with cup storage columns below.
Below that is a device (cup drop) to
detach and drop individual cups. The
cups are stacked up in the columns andguided into the cup drop. In standby
mode, the bottommost cup is supported
by a curled section on the drop-ring cam.
In sale mode, the cam inserted between
the bottommost cup and the cup directly
above it, allowing the bottommost cup to
detach and drop down; the machine thenreturns to standby mode (see Fig. 3.25).
stockeragitator
ice

grate
fixed
blade
auger

coolant outlet

heatexchanger

flake icewater
coolant inlet

mechanical
seal

water
supply5 Vending machine ice maker○
An integrated ice box and ice
making device. Figure 3.26 shows the
structure of the ice-making part of an ice
maker.
The ice making device is made up ofa cooling cycle evaporator wrappedaround a cylindrical metal pipe, allowing
ice to form inside the cylinder; the ice isthen scraped out using a screw blade
called an auger, pushed against a fixed
blade at the top and pressed into columnsof ice. The columns of ice are broken
into pieces around 10 mm in size by anagitator and then stored in the ice box. At
the time of sale, the ice from the ice box
slides down a chute and drops into thecup.
The drinking water used to make theice is supplied by the cistern. The watersupply is connected directly between thecistern and the ice maker, with a system
in place to ensure that the water level inthe cistern remains the same as the waterlevel in the metal cylinder of the ice
maker.
6 Flow control○
Beverages are prepared by mixing
syrup, carbonated water and diluting
water. These ingredients are quantified
into measured amounts by controlling theflow rate and the opening interval of thevalve each time. It is therefore essential
to maintain a consistent flow rate evenwhen there are fluctuations in pressure.
This is achieved by flow regulators, flow
washers and other devices.
Further
explanationofflow
regulators and flow washers has been
omitted here. In many cases, syrup or
carbonated water sold-out detection isachieved using electrodes.

housing

Fig. 3.26 Ice Maker(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
The cup drop has a sold-out
detection sensor. When there are no morecups in a column, a signal is given toeither switch to the next column or tostop vending.

30(2) Hot beverages
Hot beverage systems can be categorized into
beverages made by mixing powders, such as
instant coffee, and beverages made bydistillation devices, such as regular coffee andleaf tea, as shall be mentioned later. There are
two structurally completely different methodsof mixing powdered beverages: “mixing bowl”

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchand “in-cup mixing.”
1 Mixing bowl method○
The machine has mixing bowls(agitation devices) below the canisters inwhich the beverage ingredients are
stored; the beverage is mixed in thesemixing bowls and then poured throughthe beverage pipes into the cup. The
structural diagram in Fig. 3.27 shows thetemperature of the hot water from the hotwater tank maintained at around 95˚C,with the water plumbed to each mixing
bowl. As shown in the diagram, thecoffee, sugar and cream have a combined
bowl, while the other ingredients havetheir own separate bowls.
hot water
pipes

hot water
valve

ingredientcanisters
ingredientslide
mixingbowls

hot watertankbeverage
pipe/nozzle

hot water
pipe
ingredientcanisters

hot water
valve
hot
water
tank

ingredientslidespaddlepreparationarea

Fig. 3.28 In-Cup Mixing(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
3 Regular coffee○
While tabletop and other small-scale
dedicated regular coffee machines doexist, most machines serve both regularand instant coffee.
Figure 3.29 shows the exterior viewof a typical regular coffee distillation
device, while Fig. 3.30 shows the
structure of a regular coffee system using
the mixing bowl method.
valve

Fig. 3.27 Mixing Bowl System Structure(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
2 Cup mixing method○
The beverage is made and sold byadding ingredients and hot water to thecup and agitating them with a paddle(shaped like a ship propeller).
This method requires no mixing
bowl, beverage pipe or nozzle, as the cup
is moved to directly receive theingredients and hot water; however, it
does have a conveying mechanism toshift the cup and a paddle mechanism tostir the contents of the cup, as well as an
automatic door mechanism for theconveying mechanism.

lever
paper filter
cylinderrollerfilter blockdrum

Fig. 3.29 Regular Coffee Distillation Device(external view)(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan31

mixing
bowl
beverage pipe,
beverage nozzle

hot water tankregularhot waterpipe
coffee brewer

regular beveragepipe

The instant coffee system shown to
the left of the figure has a ground beans
canister and a coffee brewer, as well as a
mixing mechanism inside the mixing
bowl.
Some machines also add a coffee
mill to grind the coffee beans in order toincrease the freshness of the ingredients.
4○ Leaf tea distillation device
An important factor in determining
the taste of leaf tea is the transparency ofthe beverage.
If leaf tea, particularly when served
black, is distilled through the cream
circuit, the resulting beverage can appear
cloudy. In order to maintain beveragetransparency, vending machines have aseparating device to sort beverages
between two different mixing bowls after
distillation. Leaf tea served black or
black with sugar is poured through a
dedicated mixing bowl, while tea withcream added is poured through the
instant coffee mixing bowl.
Consequently, the distilled beverages
are poured through the separating device
and into their respective canisters (seeFig. 3.31).

instant
coffee hotwater pipe

leaf tea

ingredientcanisters

Fig. 3.30 Regular Coffee Structure(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

32

sugar
sorting
slide

sugar

hot
water
valvesinstant coffee
cream

ingredientslide

regular 1
regular 2

ingredientcanisters

instant coffee
cream
sugar

instant hot
water pipe

hot watertankleaf tea hot water pipe
leaf tea brewer

ingredientslide
mixing
bowl

hot
water
valvesleaf tea separation nozzle
leaf tea separation mechanism① with cream / cream and sugar② pipe for serving black / black withsugar

Fig. 3.31 Leaf Tea System Structure(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

3.5 Preparing and Processing
3.5.1 Syrup Beverages
The
main
preparing/processing
technologies for syrup beverages control thesugar content and the carbonated water gas
solubility.
The unit for measuring the weightpercentage of sugar (soluble solid content)
dissolved in a beverage is called the Brix [11],represented as the weight of the solid content(sucrose) contained in 100 g of the solution.
While syrup beverages are prepared froma mix of syrup solution, carbonated water andchilled water, the Brix of the beverage isdetermined by the Brix of the syrup solution
and the dilution ratio. The dilution ratio isexpressed as the volume ratio of diluting
water to syrup solution and is an importantfactor in determining the quality (taste) of thebeverage. The dilution ratio is normallycheck-managed and set differently for eachdifferent beverage sold.
Carbonated water is produced by the
carbonator; the effectiveness of the
carbonation is managed using a gas volume
tester.
The gas volume refers to the amount ofcarbon dioxide gas dissolved in the
carbonated water [12]. Usually, 1 liter ofcarbon dioxide gas dissolved in 1 liter ofbeverage at 15˚C and 1 atm is called “1 gas
volume.”
The carbonator yields a high volume
ratio that produces a highly carbonatedbeverage when mixed with solution and a lesshighly carbonated beverage when diluted

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchwith chilled water. The carbonatorpressurizes gas from the gas bomb at apressure of 5 kg/cm2; when water from thewater pump is injected in at a high pressure of
10–12 kg/cm2, the carbon dioxide gas
dissolves in the water. Normally, the gas
volume increases the higher the pressure of
the carbon dioxide gas or the lower thetemperature of the water. Controlling the sizeof the gas molecules dissolved in the water
can also affect the taste. All kinds ofimprovements have been made to thecarbonator structure. Consideration also
needs to be given to ways to prevent foamingin the cup at the time of sale, when the syrup
solution and diluting water are mixed by theforce of flow of thediluting water.
motor
rinse
valve

hot waterheatermotor
automatic watersupply valve

cups

water supply
automatic watersupply valve

thermometer
temperature
heating
control devicetank
ice boxcanisters
ice

hot
water

ice

water
ice maker
water
ingredient slide

mixing bowl

drainagevendingoutletdrainagecontainer

Fig. 3.32 Powdered Beverage Vending
System(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
3.5.2 Powdered Beverages
1○
Powdered beverages are made into
beverages by mixing the powdered
ingredients with hot water and stirring.
Figure 3.32 shows an example of apowdered beverage vending system.
Ingredient powders or granules such as
instant coffee, sugar, cocoa and soup arestored in canisters. At the time of sale, ameasured amount of powder drops into
the mixing bowl. The hot water tank isused for heating and has mechanisms forwater supply control, temperature control
and safety (protection). The drainage
container catches the drainage water used
for rinsing (hygiene management) as wellas any beverage spilled onto the cup
stage (vending outlet). The ingredientpowder is mixed in the mixing bowl with
hot water for a hot beverage or has a little
more water and ice added for a cold
beverage such as “iced coffee,” forinstance. According to the criteria in theprovisions of the Food Sanitation Act, if
the temperature of the hot water from the
hot water tank is less than 85˚C
[Footnote 1], or if the distilled beverage
is not maintained at a temperature of
63˚C or higher, the machine should
automatically stop vending.
Figure 3.33 shows the structure of acanister.
Instant coffee, sugar, cream or otherpowdered ingredients stored in thecanister are released from the canister at
the time of sale by means of a rotatingscrew at the bottom of the canister.
The amount of ingredients released
is determined by the rotation interval of
the screw, although the amount released
within a fixed interval also varies
according to the relative weight ofdifferent types of ingredients. The
canister also has a wheel inside it thatturns a stirring spring or gear to agitate
the contents at the time of sale in order torelease consistent amounts and to prevent
ingredients from sticking or clumping
due to humidity. To this end, the canister
also has a drying heater attached near theoutlet where the powder is released.

[Footnote 1] According to the provisions of the Food Sanitation Act,the temperature of the water used for distilling regular coffee or leaf
tea in cup-type vending machines must be 85˚C or higher; themachine must be equipped with a function to automatically stop
selling if the temperature is under 85˚C. The distilled beverage
should also maintain a temperature of 63˚C or higher; the machine
should also have a function to automatically stop selling if thetemperature is not maintained.
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan33

covercup mixing method, the sugar and cream
are added to the cup first, followed by thedistilled beverage and stirred with thepaddle.
cylinderstirring springgasketwheel

exhaust
duct

valve

canisteringredient
chutepaper-out
detection
paper filterbase

air switching
valve
check valvepresser roller
paper feed
drum
filter block

cover

cap

air pump

screw

Fig. 3.33 Canister(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)As previously mentioned, there are
two methods for mixing the ingredientswith the hot water, the “mixing bowl”
method and the “in-cup mixing” method.
The former involves the ingredientsreleased from the canister and the hotwater from the hot water tank being
mixed together in the mixing bowl,
shown in Fig. 3.34, and then poured into
the cup. The latter involves the cup itself
moving to receive the ingredients andthen a stirring blade called a paddle being
inserted into the cup and rotated to stir
the contents into a beverage (see Fig.
3.35).
ingredients
motor

hot water

Fig. 3.34 Mixing Bowl Fig. 3.35 Cup Mixing(Source: Vending(Source: Vending
Machine Technical
Machine Technical
Review)
Review)
2○
Regular coffee and leaf tea mixing
Sugar and cream can be added to distilledcoffee or leaf tea according to consumer
taste, but the way these are added differs
according to the mixing method. With
the mixing bowl method, the sugar andcream are added to the bowl at the sametime as the beverage and stirred. With the34

hot water
pipe

position
detection

cam

Fig. 3.36 Example of Regular Coffee
Distillation Device(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
3○
Regular coffee distillation
Since vending machines need to dispense
beverages within a very short space oftime, distillation is carried out bypressurizing with air. Figure 3.36 showsa distillation device that uses a paper
filter.
Figure 3.37 illustrates the coffee
distillation system.
1) First, the open filter block comes up
and attaches to the cylinder. Hot
water is piped in from the hot watertank while the ground coffee beans
are fed down the chute into thecylinder with the hot water.
2) Next, compressed air from the air
pump is pumped into the cylinder
through the hose underneath to stir
the ingredients and the hot water.
3) After a set amount of time, more air
is sent in from the hose at the top,
increasing the pressure in thecylinder to distill the coffee out
through the paper filter.
4) Following distillation, the filter
block lowers and the paper feeder
feeds out another fixed length ofpaper filter, while the coffee grounds
are discarded into the waste bucket.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchingredientscylinder

hot
water

4 Leaf tea distillation○
Figure 3.38 illustrates the leaf tea
distillation process.

First, the ingredients and a small
amount of hot water are poured into themixing bowl and stirred by naturalconvection. More hot water is then addedfor distillation. Following distillation, ascraper is used to discard the tea leaves
into the waste bucket.

filterblock

hot water and ingredients incylinderhot water

valve

mixing bowl
scraper assembly(standby position)

switching valve

air
air pump

plate

ingredient stirring
ingredientscylindervalve

mixing bowl

hot water

air
scraper assembly
air pump
plate
paper filter

filter blockleaf teapressurized distillation

mixing bowl

scraper
assembly

paper feeder

paper filter

tea leaves
plate

filter block
grounds
final process

Fig. 3.38 Leaf Tea Distillation(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)Fig. 3.37 Coffee Distillation(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

35

3.6.1

CoolingandHeatinginPrepackaged Beverage Vending
Machines
Figure 3.39 shows a compression
refrigeration cycle. The refrigeration cycle
circuit comprises repeated evaporation,
compression, condensation and expansion.
Cooling is achieved by the evaporator taking
heat from the surrounding air as the liquidturns to gas.
While this cycle is used similarly in bothrefrigerators and air conditioners, they differ
in terms of temperature range. Refrigerator

36

heat

capillary
tube

dryer

condenser

Company history records held by
Hoshizaki Electric mention that the freshjuice vending machine, which triggered theindustrialization of beverage vending
machines, came into being by chance when
the Nagoya Rotary Club served juice in awater cooler. After that, all beverage vending
machines except small-scale, cup-type hotcoffee vending machines were equipped witha cooling function. Cooling technology
became indispensable to vending machine
manufacturers.
Most of the cooling devices used in theindustry to date have been compression
refrigerators; in some cases, absorption
refrigerators such as those used in some hotel
rooms have been used. More recently,
Stirling engine cooling systems have beentrialed in order to promote energy
conservation.
Joule heating (resistive heating) has
generally been the heating method used inbeverage vending machines. The heating
medium used to warm the product in can,bottle and box vending machines is air, whilein cup-type beverage vending machines aheater is used to warm the beverage in thetank. In both cases, sheathed heaters are used
for the sake of safety (electrical insulation),ease of installation and service life longevity.
However, with a growing concern forenergy conservation in recent years,
prototypes for other heating methods havebeen announced, such as warming cans by
induction heating or heating water using a
CO2 coolant heat pump.

temperatures range as low as –20˚C, while air
conditioners operate in the range of around20˚C. By contrast, prepackaged beveragevending machines operate at around 0˚C andcup-type vending machines operate at around10˚C. The technical expertise differs withseparate technologies for each system.
The
underlying
technologies
forrefrigeration include different types ofrefrigerants, heat exchanger technology andcontrol technology; each of these has
undergone successive improvements.

evaporator

3.6 Cooling and Heating

compr
essor

accumulator○
A low temperature
low pressure liquid○
B low temperature
low pressure gas○
C high temperaturehigh pressure gas○
D high temperaturehigh pressure liquidheatflow ofrefrigerant

Fig. 3.39 Refrigeration Cycle
1○
Type of refrigerant: While CFC (R-12)[Footnote 2] was initially used as arefrigerant, the industry switched to R-22
in 1995 due to its lower ozone depletion
potential (ODP) in an effort to curbozone layer depletion. In 2000, when theindustry had switched again to zero-ODP
HFC (R-407C), HFCs were designated as
substances with high global warming
potential (GWP) under the Kyoto
Protocol and subjected to reductions. The
industry is now in the process ofswitching to natural refrigerants; as partof this endeavor, the implementation ofheat pumps [Footnote 3] is being trialed.
2○ Heat exchanger technology: Hot and cold
vending machines are divided internally
into separate storage chambers, which[Footnote 2] CFCs (R-12, etc.) released into the atmosphere break
down in UV light and produce chlorine atoms. Since these chlorine
atoms destroy ozone, the manufacture and sale of CFC products wasbanned by the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Although alternative CFCs
(HCFCs) emerged with a lower ozone-depletion factor, these alsocame to be regulated. The use of HFCs as substances that would notfurther damage the ozone layer was promoted; however, the issue of
global warming magnified and HFCs were designated as substances
for regulation.
[Footnote 3] Since heat pumps draw (transfer) heat rather than use
electricity as the heat source, they can harness nearly twice as muchheat as the power they use. Initiatives are being undertaken todevelop a number of other devices using this technology, including
air conditioners and water heaters.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchcan store different volumes and types of
products according to the season, as
shown in Fig. 3.14 (shown previously).
In order to implement such a system,
machines with three internal storage
chambers were conventionally fitted withheat exchangers in two chambers, while
the chamber in between was cooled bycold air coming in from the chamber tothe left (see Fig. 3.40, left). However,withthe promotion of energy
conservation in recent years, it has
become standard to have heat exchangers
fitted to all chambers, with no shutter
allowing cold air between chambers (seeFig. 3.40, right).
refrigerated
chamberrefrigerated
chamberrefrigerated
chamberrefrigerated
chamberrefrigerated
chamberrefrigerated
chamber

insulation

coolercondenser

compressor

Fig. 3.40 Improved Heat Exchange System
From around 1999, AC-powered
motors for heat exchanger fans started
being replaced by DC-powered motors.
These not only reduced the amount ofelectricity used by the motor, but also
made it easier to control the airflow
volume,makingasignificant
contribution to energy conservation invending machines.
3
Refrigerator
control
technology:○
Conventionally, the internal temperature
was controlled by a mechanicalthermostat that operated by the
expanding and contracting of bellows as
the gas in the sensor expanded andcontracted.
In
recentyears,
microcomputer
controlhas
been
implemented using electronic sensors
that work on temperature-electric
resistance characteristics, such as thoseof thermistors. Heat exchangers are fitted

into each chamber as required, usuallyusing one compressor.
Hot and cold vending machines sellhot beverages heated to around 55˚C.
The cooling heat exchangers fitted ineach chamber are usually incorporated
with a sheathed heater unit, which heats
the products stored in the machine bymeans of a heat exchanger blower (fan).
Temperature control uses various
measures to ensure the product is at theappropriate temperature at the time of
sale.
3.6.2

Cooling and Heating in Cup-Type
Beverage Vending Machines
There are two types of ice makers incup-type beverage vending machines: one has
separate compressors and refrigeration cycles
for ice making and cooling, while the otherhas a single compressor and refrigeration
cycle for both ice making and cooling.
However, one major issue with concurrent ice
making and cooling operations is that this canexceed the maximum starting current
designated by power companies, requiring
countermeasures to be taken. As a result,methods are used that do not involve
concurrent operation of ice making andcooling, thereby resolving the issue. In lightof this, as well as energy conservation andcost reduction, the single-compressor type is
now the main system used.
The cooling of the cooling water bath iscontrolled by ice bank control. The ice makerhas an ice level switch mounted at the top of
the ice box, which detects and controls theamount of ice.
While the hot water tank in cup-type
beverage vending machines initially had a far
simpler structure, having started out indedicated hot beverage machines, it has
undergone improvements in recent years tomake it more energy efficient. The structure
is now similar to that shown in Fig. 3.41.

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan37

high water levelswitchlow waterlevel switch

boil prevention
thermofloat
mainheateroverflowpipe

hot water
valvessub heater

water
inlet

rinse valve

Fig. 3.41 Hot Water Tank Structure(provided by Fuji Electric Retail Systems)
The tank has two heaters and is divided
into a high-temperature section and apreheating section. Water feeding in from thecistern enters at the bottom and flows out
from the hot water valve at the top.
3.6.3

Beverage Vending Machine
Energy Conservation Initiatives
Can and bottle vending machines were
designated as specified devices [Footnote 4]
under the Energy Conservation Law in 2001,
achieving an energy saving of around 37%
within five years.
The following outlines the developments
in energy-conservation-related technologies
over the past decade.
1○
Main improvements to prepackaged
beverage vending machines(1) Heat exchanger: enlarged heatdissipation
area
with
internally-grooved pipes(2) Countermeasures to prevent radiator
clogging(3) Adoption of DC motors(4) Internal airflow rectification(5) Vacuum insulation in partitions
between hot and cold chambers(6) Inner doors for loading(7) Fluorescent inverter lighting, 50%
reduction in illumination(8) Separate base plate structure[Footnote 4] The Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy (theEnergy Conservation Law for short) was enacted in 1979 to promoteenergy conservation in factories, buildings and machinery andequipment. Vending machines were designated as specified devices
in 2001. Anticipating further improvements in power consumption
by leading products in the base year, improvement initiatives were
undertaken with these as target values, resulting in a 37% reductionin power consumption against the base year.

38

2 Main improvements to cup-type beverage○vending machines(1) Smaller hot water tank (capacity)(2) Adoption of instant heating methods(partial)(3) Adoption of DC motors(4) Fluorescent
inverterlighting,
dimming(5) Motion
detector
illumination(partial)(6) Learned
energyconservation(conserving energy based on sales
information)

3.7 Money Handling Mechanisms andControls
In the beverage and tobacco vending
machine market, devices that process coins
are called coin mechanisms (Fig. 3.42, right),
while devices that process bills are called billvalidators (Fig. 3.42, left).
Coin mechanisms are integrated units
combining (1) a coin validation device and(2) a change storage/payout device. Similarly,
bill validators are integrated units combining(1) a bill validation device and (2) a bill
storage device. A major feature of thesemoney handling devices is their progress
towards industry standardization; these units
are the focus of technology competition
between manufacturers, with plans forstandardization at manufacturer level.

Fig. 3.42 Standardized Coin Mechanism andBill Validator(provided by Nippon Conlux)

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.March

The importance of standardization started
in the bottle vending machine era of the late
1950s and early 1960s, in which mostmachines were produced through technology
partnerships with overseas manufacturers.
Although the structural components of the
products imported from overseas were fromdifferent product series and from different
vending machine manufacturers, the parts andunits were often compatible. Coinmechanisms were a typical example of this.
This emphasis on compatibility has continued
to the present, undergoing a number ofchanges in technology along the way. Whileadvancesintechnology
can
limit
compatibility conditions, dimensions are still
being standardized, such as the size of theouter casing, the mounting position, theintake slot, the returns slot and the position in
relation to the money storage safe.
Generally speaking, vending machines
are machines used by a countless number ofconsumers and are frequently the recipient ofconsumer complaints when they fail todemonstrate their promised function due to“fault with the machine itself” or“non-conformity to human society.” Onetypical issue can be summed up as “putting
money in but being unable to buy a product.”
On this information alone, maintenancepersonnel must quickly determine if it is an
issue with the money mechanism, the vending
mechanism, the control system or acompletely different issue and then rectify it.
To resolve this, the forerunners in theindustry seem to have taken the approach ofearly repair by “replacing units with dubious
parts.”
Although it is unclear how the industry
came to the point of standardization to makethis “unit replacement” easier, it is thoughtthat there was some “user demand” on early
manufacturers to use the same specifications.
It is conjectured that these specifications thenbecame the de facto standard, with
manufacturers then encouraging other toadopt this standard, which then developed
into an industry standard as that became
necessary.
The scope of coin mechanism and billvalidator standardization encompasses not
only the various physical elements such as theintake slot, the returns slot and the mounting
method, but also the electrical connectors andinterface for communicating with vending
control. The single-price coin mechanisms
used in the late 1950s and early 1960s paidout the necessary change when the amountinserted was more than the set price, at thesame time sending out a vending-permitted
signal and resetting. This was the de facto
standard that originated with the American
manufacturers. Later, industry standards were
established with the advent of microcomputer
distributed control.
(1) Validation
Generally speaking, validation means
distinguishing between genuine currency andcounterfeit currency. Validation mechanisms,
structures and functions have different
characteristics in each device in which they
are installed. For example, a validation device
for a passenger ticket vending machine at atransportation facility is not the same
technology as a validation device for abeverage vending machine, although bothmachines are used by a countless number ofpeople. If we calculate the amount of money
handled per machine per year based on the
Vending Machine Popularization Statistics
and Annual Sales Prices [13], the former
amounts to around ¥72 million per machine
per year, while the latter amounts to around¥1 million per machine per year. In otherwords, passenger ticket vending machines
handle 70 times the amount of money thatbeverage vending machines do. Handlingsuch large amounts, passenger ticket vending
machines must be able to process money very
quickly and also be extremely durable due tothe high amount of wear on moving parts.
Meanwhile, since there are around 2.7 million
beverage vending machines in operation,
more than 100 times more than theapproximately 20,000 passenger ticket
vending machines in operation, the main
demands are for savings costs as much as
possible and maintainability so as to not losecustomers.
The cradle technology conventionallyused in many beverage vending machines is
not suitable for passenger ticket vending
machines, which require an emphasis on fast
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan39

processing and wear resistance. However,
although fast processing difficult using thisvalidation method in which the inserted coindrops down by gravity and is validated as it
rolls in the coin chute, it is economical
technology and suitable for use in beverageand tobacco vending machines.
Incidentally, coin selecting devices are
known by various names in the industry, suchas “acceptors,” “selectors” and “rejecters.”
There are specialist manufacturers overseas(technology partners) with names such as“Coin Acceptors Co.” and “National
Rejecters, Inc.”
Each of these terms has a separate
meaning. Acceptors can be understood as“accepting legitimate currency”; rejecters canbe understood as “rejecting slugs”; selectors
can be understood as “selecting between
legitimate currency and slugs.”
There are various chapters in the historyof legitimate currency and slugs. In the early
vending machine industrialization days of thelate 1950s, coins in circulation were often
damaged or misshapen. Validation devices
would often reject these coins as non-genuine,
despite being “still genuine” as far as theconsumer was concerned. In those days,
forged or counterfeit money was made bycasting lead or pewter in a simple mold or bystamping readily-available pieces of metal;
the characteristics of these were sufficiently
different from those of genuine coins.
Consequently, coin mechanisms were
tailored to accept as wide a range of genuine
currency as possible. Although this meantthat they sometimes accepted carefully
crafted forgeries, at least they were able toaccept most of the abovementioned “still
genuine” coins. This is probably the idea
behind the “acceptor.”
However, the quality of the currency incirculation today has vastly improved, with
far fewer variations in shape or weight andvery few instances of damaged or misshapencoins. Meanwhile, the technology for
fabricating forged or counterfeit money thatshould be detected and rejected has also
improved and more elaborate fakes are
emerging.
As a result, the properties anddistribution of forged or counterfeit coins are40

now almost the same as those of genuine
coins. As interaction with other countries has
increased, there is also an increasing amountof foreign coins coming into the country thatare similar to local currency. Table 3.4 showssome examples of similar foreign coins usedin Japanese vending machines in the early
1990s.
The coins listed here are almost
impossible to distinguish by material,
diameter or thickness alone. Manufacturers
had to pick out the slightest “differences” andthen adjust their validation devices to reject
non-genuine coins, sometimes sacrificing theacceptance rate of genuine coins to do so.
The validation devices of this era were
probably called “rejecters.”
Table 3.4 Foreign-Currency Coins Similar tothe ¥500 Coin
Value

Material

DiameterThickness

Japanese
¥500

¥500

Nickel26.5

1.80

Myanmar1 kyat~¥17

Nickel

26.5

1.76

Iranian
50 rials~¥3

Nickel26.3

1.80

Korean₩500~¥63

Nickel26.5

1.90

A large number of Korean ₩500 coins
started being used in place of ¥500 coins,around eight times the value, in the following
way. While the ₩500 coin is almost identicalto the ¥500 coin in diameter and thickness, aswell as both coins being made of the samematerial, nickel, it is slightly heavier.
Accordingly, simply drilling a hole in thecoin made it lighter, thus allowing it to slip
through vending machine validation devices.
Since similar foreign coins could beobtained at low cost, this kind of forgery
rapidly increased, while counterfeiting all but
disappeared. In light of this situation, in 2000
the Japanese government implemented anumber of countermeasures, such as changing
the material (composition) of the coins, aswell as adding a latent image and the world’s
first diagonal edge reeding.
Up until around the 1970s, forged orcounterfeit money could not be manufacturedinlarge
quantities
withuniform

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchcharacteristics such as size, thickness andweight, as mentioned above, and did notcause significant amounts of damage.
However, other very damaging methods offraudulence emerged, such as “thread fishing,”
in which a small hole was drilled in a genuine
coin and a length of fishing line or similar
threaded through it to pull the coin back outof the machine once the sales signal had been
given. In response, mechanical validation
devices were fitted with cutters to cut “thread
fishing” threads.
The adoption of electronic validation in1980 made it possible for machines to accept
the new ¥500 coins that were issued in 1982.
Other advantages included improved productquality, as it was possible to measure theproperties of coins without touching them,
thereby reducing jamming in the coin chute,easier to fine tuning of coin accepting
mechanisms in the production process andduring maintenance and better protection
against counterfeit money in circulation.
(2) Change processing
Units that store and pay out change arecalled changers. Units made up of avalidation device and a changer are usuallycalled “changer-type coin mechanisms” orsimply coin mechanisms.
Since vending machines in the late 1950s
and early 1960s sold beverages (fresh juice)for ¥10, a dedicated ¥10 coin mechanism was
adequate. This mechanism had a simple
structure in which a validated genuine coin
activated a micro switch actuator that sent a
sales signal.
However, with the advent of the
prepackaged beverage era, typified by
Coca-Cola, the sales price increased to ¥30,
thus requiring a mechanism that could
calculate ¥30. At the time, the coinmechanisms in the simple and widely-popularhorizontal vending machines were dedicated¥10 coin devices and could count up to ¥50.
This mechanism stacked coins from thevalidation device in a chute in stacks of one
or two; when a third coin entered, it would hit
the second coin in the stack and be diverted
into a separate chute with a switch attached,thus generating a sales signal, while thestacked coins would be collected into a safe(see Fig. 3.43).

Fig. 3.43 Example of the Simplest Counting
MethodTokyo Coca-Cola collection
Although coin mechanisms usually had
validation devices and change devices,
dedicated ¥10 coin devices such as theexample above did not need a change device.
This type of coin mechanism is called a“channel-type coin mechanism.”
Mechanisms of this type are physicalcounting devices. Empire Boeki (now Nippon
Conlux) partnered with US company Coin
Acceptors Co. in 1967 to produce achanger-type coin mechanism (SE-9130) witha two-way coin validation device that could
validate ¥50 and ¥10 coins and a changepayout function. This machine incorporated ahigh-speed counting unit operated by a cam
and ratchet mechanism called a stepper.
Stepper-type counting devices underwent a
number of improvements and remained thestandard type until the emergence ofelectronic counting devices. The validationand counting devices alone served adequately
for ¥10 one-way devices, which only needed
to be able to count up to several multiples often. Change was of course required whenusing two or more types of coins, such as ¥10and ¥50 coins. The two-way type and latermodels ushered in the age of “changer-type
coin mechanisms” which were equipped withchange payout devices. The changer-typemechanisms could re-use inserted coins aschange. To achieve this, the validation device
was mounted at the top with a change tube
connected underneath to receive coins fromthe validation device. When the ¥10, ¥50 and¥100 three-way type emerged, change could
be paid out in two denominations of coins,
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan41

¥10 and ¥50. Later models with an escrow
function, which then became the norm, had
structures capable of paying out ¥100 coins as
well. The escrow or “temporary hold”
function, which allows users to request to
have their money returned, appeared on themarket in soft drink vending machines from1973 onwards.
In the early bottle vending machine era,
all products sold by a machine had one set
price; accordingly a single price system was
sufficient. In 1968, Nippon Coinco (nowNippon Conlux) launched the dual-priceN-9130 to cater for product diversification. In
1973, the company started selling themulti-price EK-101 [14].
In the 1980s, vending machine control
systems entered an age of electronic control
by microcomputer.
In the preceding relay control era, thecoin mechanism was responsible for all
functions related to money handling. It had tocount the money inserted, transfer that
information to the vending machine control
unit. It then had to receive the money (price)
information selected by the customer,
compare this to the amount inserted anddetermine whether or not the sale could
proceed. If the sale could proceed, it returneda “vending-permitted signal” to the vending
machine and paid out the change at the sametime. However, early in the electronic control
era there was a debate as to whether the“vending permitted” decision should continue
to be the responsibility of the coin mechanism
or if it should be the responsibility of thevending machine control unit. In 1984, agroup in favor of the former option developedand implemented a “coin mechanism with avending machine control function” fortobacco vending machines and small-scale
beverage vending machines, which had
relatively simple control systems.
However, as vending machines grewincreasingly
sophisticatedaided
bymicrocomputers, this cut-price type of
mechanism fell into decline. Coinmechanisms were simply used to send
information on the inserted money to thecontroller and then to activate the change
device on receiving a change payout signal
from the controller. In other words, they42

migrated to the end of the line of the vending
machine control system.
Meanwhile, in terms of technologies forstoring and paying out change, early changers
stored coins dropping from the validation
device in two pipes; any overflowing coins
dropped into the vending machine safe. Coinmechanisms had special “auxiliary change
machines” mounted on them in case there
was not enough change stored in the pipes.
Before long, change mechanisms underwent a
number of improvements. The number ofstorage pipes was increased to four; aremovable cassette-type system made it
possible to store more coin denominations forchange as well as making it easier to refill;
temporary hold mechanisms were installed tohandle money return requests.
The escrow (temporary hold) function
started out as a means of returning anequivalent amount of money, for instance if¥100 was inserted. Nowadays, it serves as ameans of returning “inserted items” from theperspective of tamper-proofing.
3.7.1

Coin Mechanism Validation andChange Devices
Validation refers to sorting genuine coinsby denomination and rejecting forged,
counterfeit or other bad coins. Validation iseither achieved by detecting the properties ofcoins as they roll down by weight, or by
detecting their properties as they areconveyed along on a belt or other means.
Validation units used in beverage andtobacco vending machine coin mechanisms
use the former system, while those in ATMs
and passenger ticket vending machines often
use the latter.
Coin validation devices developed forbeverage vending machines in Japan from theoldest postage stamp vending machine
through to the early vending machines of thelate 1950s were the rail-type (or slit-type)devices, shown in Fig. 3.44.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchslitobjects thatare too smallor thin fall
down

Fig. 3.44 Rail-Type(Source: Vending
Machine Technical
Review)

rail

coin

arm
rotation
axis center
cradlelarge outer
diameterweightsmall outer diameter

Fig. 3.45 Cradle-Type(provided by Nippon Conlux)
With the influx of overseas technology inthe early 1960s, the cradle type shown in Fig.
3.45 and the carrier arm type came todominate the market. The advent of theelectronics age in the 1970s saw
manufacturers
implementing
electronic
validation systems. Mechanical validation has
now disappeared from the present-day
beverage vending machine market.
Mechanical validation devices directly
measure the size, thickness and other physicalproperties of the coin, while electronic
validation devices detect the properties of thecoin without coming into contact with it.
Regardless, coins in circulation will
inevitably be subject to wear and damage.
Accordingly, jamming frequently occurred in
the age of mechanical validation due to worn,
damaged or misshapen coins and the majorityof vending machine callouts were due tojamming.
Consequently,
theemergenceofcontactless electronic validation device was a
dream come true for manufacturers.
New bronze ¥10 coins were issued in
1953, followed by nickel ¥50 coins in 1955.
Beverage vending machines in the “¥10 freshjuice” era had dedicated ¥10 validation
devices. Even with the advent of the ¥30 cola
beverage era, one-way devices that only
accepted ¥10 coins were still adequate for themarket initially. Later, ticket vending
machines on Japan National Railways started

being fitted with two-way change devices that
could handle ¥10 and ¥50 coins. The ¥100
coin was issued in 1967 and spread incirculation, prompting the development of
three-way devices that could handle threedenominations of coins, thus allowing greater
convenience and product diversity. In 1982,
the issuance of the ¥500 coin then prompted
the development and implementation of
four-way coin mechanisms. When coins were
re-minted, there was also a need to accept
both new and old coins during the changeover
period. For example, two-way coinmechanisms actually had to validate three
types of coins: ¥10 coins, new ¥50 coins andold ¥50 coins.
(1) Validation Mechanisms
1 Mechanical validation○(a) Rail-type
Known as the slit-type or rail-type,this validation device found in old vending
machines such as postage stamp machines
would block any slugs that were bigger
than genuine coins, while anything smaller
would roll along an internal rail throughthe validator, which would drop anythingsmaller or thinner than regulation size
down to the lower left section (see Fig.
3.44).
The rail-type mechanism measured
the external size and thickness of the coins.
It also had other validation devices added
for material screening, such as magnets or
by using the coefficient of restitution.
(b) Cradle-type
New systems for screening theexternal size and weight of coins wereintroduced through overseas technology
using a cradle or carrier arm. Thesesystems were adopted by coin mechanism
manufacturers.
The movement of the cradle isillustrated in Fig. 3.45. If anything
dropping down from the upper left area issmaller in external size than a genuine coin,it slips through the two arms and drops
down. Items that are too light are stopped
on the arm, while anything with a specificsize and weight or larger drop down to theright by the rotating motion of the cradle,
where anything that is too large is stopped
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan43

by the protuberance in the upper right area.
Anything at this point or anything on thearm is then removed by a separately
mounted returns lever. In other words,
only genuine coins are able to drop down
into the lower right area.
(c) Material screening
When a piece metal rolls into themagnetic field of a permanent magnet, an
eddy current is generated in the metal,
producing a braking effect on the rolling of
the metal. Since this braking effect varies
according to the conductivity, thickness
and other properties of the metal and alsochanges depending on the rolling speed,
this phenomenon can be used to ascertain
the material and shape of the piece of
metal. Coins rolling in on the rail areaffected by the eddy current braking effect,
bounce off a surface called a deflector anddrop down. The path taken after droppingis determined by the material and shape;
accordingly the drop position can be used
for screening (Fig. 3.46).
coin

magnetdeflector

rail

cradleseparator

coin Acoin

coin B

Fig. 3.46 Material Screening(provided by Nippon Conlux)(d) Thickness screening
Thickness screening screens out
anything thicker than a certain thickness;anything thinner is screened by the cradleor rail system.
The screening mechanism has athickness gauge mounted on the rail thatthe coins roll on; this gauge stops anything
thicker than a given value and allows
anything thinner through.
(e) Screening multiple denominations
To take an example, slit-type
validation mechanisms have two stages ofvalidation to validate ¥10 coins and ¥50
coins. Coins or slugs inserted that pass

44

through the first validator are accepted as“larger genuine currency (¥10).” Coins(¥50) and slugs that drop out of the slit on
this validator enter the second validator.
Anything that passes through the second
validator is accepted as “smaller genuine
currency (¥50),” while anything else drops
out as a slug. This concept has also been
adopted for gauging thickness.
2 Electronic validation○
Mechanical coin validation devices are
fitted with slits and cradles to screen external
diameter, thickness gauges to screen
thickness and eddy current braking tracks anddeflectors that check the coefficient ofrestitution to screen material. Where two
denominations of coins need to be validated,the mechanism requires two sets of thesecomponents; where three denominations ofcoins need to be validated, the mechanism
requires three sets of these components(although this may differ in practice). This
resulted in issues with tracks becoming
increasingly complicated and paths becoming
increasingly larger.
The issuance of the ¥500 coin in 1982
meant that coin mechanisms had to transition
from three denominations to four. This
ushered in the age of electronic validation.
Electronic validation detects changes inthe electrical charge generated by the coinpassing between several high-frequency coils
mounted on the track and then determines thematerial, diameter and thickness bycomparing this to templates from genuine
coins.
Despitebeing
termedelectronic
validation, the technology is more thansimple electronics and requires a number ofsystems in the track structure to ensure thecoin passes through the magnetic field at aconstant velocity. Many creative ideas havebeen put to use in the placement of sensors
and other means in order to take fulladvantage of the characteristic flexibility
offered by electronic validation, such asadding upgrade functions and planning for
redundancy.
Consequently, devices varied bymanufacturer,
each
with
different
specifications, such as the number, shape andNational Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchlayout of the sensors (high-frequency coils)
and the oscillating frequency.
As the transition to electronic systems
progressed,
tampering
methods
also
diversified. A typical method of tampering in
the late 1980s involved pouring laundry
detergent or other surfactant into the coin slot,
thereby damaging the electronic components
and disrupting the control process, making it
possible to defraud the amount of change
given. Since even children could do this, it
spread throughout the whole country and agreat amount of effort was spent incountermeasures against losing change aswell as countermeasures against damage tovalidators.
Figure 3.47 shows a typical electronic
validation mechanism. Several coils of
various shapes are usually mounted along the
track. Following a simple mechanicalscreening of shape and thickness, the coinpasses near the coils at a constant velocity
while the device reads the variations infrequency and phase, compares these toreference values (values from a genuine coinprocessed to provide the statistics), makes adetermination and opens or closes the gate.
The principle of electronic validation canbe explained by referring to a description in
Vending Machine Technical Review. The
excitation coil and receiving coil shown in
Fig. 3.48 are placed on either side of the cointrack so as to be electromagnetically coupled.
The excitation coil is connected to theoscillation circuit, while the receiving coil isconnected to the parameter detector,
comparison unit, reference values unit and thedetermination unit. The excitation coilgenerates a certain high-frequency magnetic
field by means of the oscillation circuit andan induced current is generated in thereceiving coil by electromagnetic induction.

amplifieramplitudechangeamplitudechange・sensor placement

・sensorFig. 3.47 Electronic Validation
excitation coil

oscillation
circuitcoin

receiving coilparameter
extraction

Comparison

DeterminationreferencevaluesFig. 3.48 Electronic Validation Principle
When a coin comes between the twocoils at this point, an eddy current isgenerated within the coin. The magnetic fieldof the eddy current acts in a direction
contrary to the magnetic field generated when
the coin is not present, thereby altering theimpedance and inductance of the coils. The
electromotive force induced in the receiving
coil changes with the changes in the magnetic
flux according to the specific properties of thecoin. The most suitable frequencies are used
for screening the coin material and form
(diameter and thickness) in order to observe
these changes in electromotive force.
Changes in voltage, frequency and phase areused as parameters for identifying thesechanges. The data extracted using theseparameters are then compared withpredetermined reference values (taken bymeasuring and processing the statistics from agenuine coin) in the comparison unit and adetermination is made as to whether the coinis genuine or counterfeit.
Developments in this technology werelargely pioneered by overseas manufacturers.
Later manufacturers spent substantial time indevelopment to avoid patent disputes over thebasic technology. Overseas manufacturers,
such as those in Europe, had to ensure theirmachines could accurately validate an
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

45

extremely
diverse
range
of
coin
denominations, as each country had issued
many different denominations of coins and all
the countries neighbored on each other. Thissituation meant that mechanical validation
soon reached its limits, leading to early
efforts towards electronic systems.
Mechanical validation technology varied
little between manufacturers; accordingly, allmanufacturers suffered a similar level ofattack from counterfeit coins. However,electronic validation technology enabledmanufacturers
toestablish
uniquedistinguishing characteristics, both in termsof tangible factors, such as the placement,
shaped and number of sensors, and intangible
factors, such as transmission frequency, phaseshift and statistical processing methods fordata. This led to a situation in whichmechanisms from some manufacturers would
reject forged or counterfeit coins, whileothers would accept them.
Ultimately,
althoughmechanicalvalidation products developed without a basic
patent,
there
were
no
substantial
developments to the technology. By contrast,
the basic technology for electronic validation
was developed by overseas manufacturers
and then acquired, improved and expanded by
Japanese engineers.
Coin validation technology advanced
from slit-type to cradle/carrier arm-type andthen on to electronics. In industries outside ofbeverage or tobacco vending machines,
moving parts such as cradles that require
some time to reset could not be used due tothe processing speed factor. The advent ofelectronic
validation
successfully
significantly reduced the occurrence of
jamming in the coin chute, reduced theamount of fine tuning needed by mechanicalsystems and made it easier to handle multiple
denominations by using a templatecomparison system. It was also possible toprovide post-sales counterfeit prevention
through the use of electronic circuit memory(P-ROM) exchange, which had the advantage
in that it could easily be performed by anyone
in the industry, not just the specializedengineers.

46(2) Change Payout
1 Change devices
○
With
the
adventofthethree-denomination era of ¥10, ¥50 and ¥100
coins, change devices began to spread in
earnest. They started out as a stepper systemusing a solenoid coil, cam and gear wheel tocount the money inserted. However, these
had certain drawbacks, such as being unable
to pay back exact change depending on the
combination of denominations, or not
returning inserted money even if the machine
was sold out or not enough money wasinserted.
Meanwhile, the principle of the changepayout method, storing money in a change
tube
anddropping
it
down
daruma-otoshi-style by means of a motor or
solenoid, has not changed to the present day.
The structures have simply grown more
complex as the number of denominations hasgrown, using multiple motors or solenoid
coils to perform a “select denomination andpayout in the selected denomination”
operation.
Figure 3.49 shows a cross-section of atypical change device change payout unit
found in the latest type of coin mechanism.
Coins are stacked into four holes laid out
side by side, with the leftmost pipe shown
paying out ¥100. The ¥100 change solenoid
activates the change lever (which controls the
movement of the change slide), while themovement of the payout link moves thechange slide. The ¥100 coin is carried into the
payout link, drops down and is ejected by thewiper connected to the payout link.
Figure 3.50 shows the complete change
device structure, comprising the motor,
solenoids and precision parts made fromengineering plastics.
2 Coin counting devices○
Early counting devices used a stepper
system to count the inserted coins and control
the amount paid out. An electronic logicalcalculation counting system was developed in1968 using integrated circuits, which werevery advanced technology at the time. These
circuits
becamesmallerandmorefunctionally diverse as advances were madein ICs and custom LSIs, leading on to the

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchadoption of microcomputers, which made it
possible to have shorter development periods.
¥100 change slide
payout link Assy¥100 change lever

payout cam

payout slide

payoutFig. 3.49 Coin Payout Mechanism(provided by Nippon Conlux)¥500 solenoid

motor

carrier camchange solenoidchange levergear case Assy
empty SW Assy
¥500 cam¥500 slide

payout cam
cashbox jamming SW Assy
(optional)change slide¥500 coin basepayout slide
payout link Assywiper
¥500 pulse switch

bottom coverFig. 3.50 Change Machine Structure(provided by Nippon Conlux)
Although the early electronic systems
used higher logic than the stepper system,
there were frequent instances of miscounting
and other unwanted operation, requiring large
amounts of expenditure to resolve. However,this experience was drawn upon insubsequent applications of electronics,
ultimately contributing to a large number offunctional developments and to the expansionof the industry.

The following is a discussion of sometypical mistakes made during the time oftransition to electronics. Although thecounting of coins had at least outwardlytransitioned from mechanical (stepper
systems) to electronic, for some time thetechnology was still electromechanical andcould not fully transition to electronic
technology.
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

47

The switch-type electrical contacts usedin steppers handled current in amperes andwere developed for wear resistance and melt
resistance, with the working speed dependent
on mechanical movement. By contrast,electronic systems operated on energy
measured in microamperes and had a fasterworking speed by far.
Counting in the mechanical validation
era was performed as coins entered thevalidation device and activated a micro
switch actuator positioned on the rolling track.
The opening and closing of the switch sent
current to the relays, motor, solenoids andother components, thereby activating the
stepper. With the advent of the early
electronics age of transistors and ICs, thestepper system was replaced by transistor
logic circuits. However, since the input stillcame from the micro switch contacts as it hadfor the stepper system, the miscounting
continued. Whereas the relays, motor,
solenoids and other electromagnetic devices
had not really been affected by contact
chattering (bouncing) [Footnote 5] from themicro switch and other components, theelectronic circuits could not count a single
ON-OFF of the contacts, as they received all
chattering (bouncing) oscillation [Footnote 5]
as a signal and kept counting. This was
finally resolved by the development of aproximity switch, which made the input
contactless.
With the industry revolving aroundelectromechanical technology, manufacturers
and users combined their concentrated efforts
to master electromagnetic technology.
Initiatives to transition to electronics
undertaking ahead of other industries such ashome appliances resulted in high vending
machine functionality.
Functions made possible by electronics
included multiple price setting (multi-price)
to accommodate diversification of tobacco or
beverage products, an escrow (temporaryhold) function to allow users to request theirmoney to be returned, a payout verification[Footnote 5] Contact chattering refers to repeated electricalswitching on and off due to bouncing or rolling when the contacts
touch. Since this can become a signal in a circuit with a highoperating speed, various countermeasures have been devised.

48

function to monitor missed payments by thechange payout mechanism, a sum display
function to show the amount inserted on amonitor, a fault diagnosis function andrecordingofsales
summaries
andwithdrawals/deposits by denomination, as
well as the previously mentioned “unit with abuilt-in control function,” making it easy todevelop low-cost vending machines withsimple functions.
While vending machine function
development started out being adjusted to suitvarious stakeholder “needs,” for coinmechanisms it was possible to incorporate
new technologies based on relatively
volitional ideas. Accordingly, active efforts todevelop electronic coin mechanisms played amajor role in the transition to electronic
vending machines, while efforts tostandardize the industry also enabledcompatibility between manufacturers.
Such active initiatives took vending
machines from being “machines that takemoney and dispense products” to being anactive part of a social network geared towards
an information-driven society. Specifically,
this started in the standalone era with thedigitization of coin and bill systems and theacceptance of prepaid cards; vending
machines have continued to be closely linked
to networked society in various ways, such asincorporating various payment methods byacting as terminals for ID card network
systems, adding information media functions
to vending machines and having security
systems linked with mobile phones.
3.7.2 Bill Validators
Banknote validation differs in structure
and performance depending on the machine
in which the device is mounted, just as it iswith coins. Bill validation devices forbeverage, food or tobacco vending machines
are made up of a bill validation section and an
inserted bill storage section, integrated into
one unit like the changers for coins.
While coins roll on a track by weight, arescreened as genuine or counterfeit bydenomination and drop down either into thesafe or as change, bills are transported fromthe intake slot on a moving belt and validated
by a sensor while moving. Genuine bills are

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchtaken into a bill storage device called astacker, while non-genuine bills are ejectedby reversing the belt. Figure 3.5.1 shows thebasic structure of a validation device.
validation sensor
bill intake slot

start signal sensor

transport belt

Fig. 3.51 Basic Structure of Bill Validator(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
In Japanese vending machines, bills areinserted lengthwise in relation to themounting structure, while some bill devices
in the West have a tray that retracts into themachine when the user places a bill on the
tray. In this case, the bill is placed inwidthwise. The direction of insertion is a very
important design element, as it determines thescanning direction.
Bill validation in beverage vending
machines starts when a sensor (often aphotosensor) detects that a bill has been
inserted into the intake slot; a motor thenrotates to draw in the bill using a belt. Oncethe bill is inside, various sensors read theproperties of the bill as it travels on the belt.
If the data fall within a specified range, thebill is judged to be genuine and it stops
moving while a sales signal is sent. Once thissignal has been sent and the machine starts
vending, the control unit sends a command to
store the bill and the belt starts moving again
to send the bill into the stacker (bill storage
chamber). If the bill is not able to be judged
as genuine, or if the user uses the return leverto request the bill be returned, it is returned tothe intake slot and ejected.
(1) Bill Validation Devices
For the validation method, manufacturers
studied the properties of bills and usedvarious ways to detect the properties of theinserted bill and determine its validity.
Essentially, these check the length and width
dimensions of the bill, as well as the ink
composition and print pattern. The

arrangement, type and number of detection
sensors vary between manufacturers.
A “minimum level for crime prevention”
has been established to ensure a certain levelof product quality across the industry, sincethese handle larger amounts of money thancoin mechanisms. Different manufacturers
add different additional validation methods
and crime prevention measures over andabove this level.
The following is a brief outline of typicalvalidation methods.
1 Bill length○
A roller with a counter function is
mounted so that it rotates when it comes
into contact with the bill on the bill track.
The length measurement is calculated
from the counter value at the point where
the leading end of the bill passes theentry sensor and the counter value at the
point where the tailing end leaves thesensor (see Fig. 3.52).

billbill position detection
sensorrollerphotointerrupter

phototransistor

Fig. 3.52 Bill Position Detection
2 Magnetic properties○
Magnetic ink (containing iron oxide) isused for printing bills, as a means ofcounterfeit prevention as well as for its
color properties and environmental
resistance. When a magnetic scannercomes into contact with a bill and scans acertain part of it, it is possible to measure
the distribution and strength of themagnetic printing. For bill validation, acertain number of genuine bills arescanned in advance and the statistics ofthe data processed to provide referencedata, which can be used for comparison
with data from other bills being scanned
to determine whether they are genuine orcounterfeit. Magnetic sensors can be amagnetic head or a magnetoresistive
element, depending on the character orpattern to be scanned.
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

49

3 Optical properties○
While it was initially used forprinted pattern detection, advances in
optical devices (such as photocopiers)
made it difficult to determine if a bill was
genuine or counterfeit by patterndetection alone. Now, even ink
composition and color phase are checked.
Checking optical properties involves
statistically processing reflected lightdata and penetrated light intensity data tocreate reference values for comparison.
Since bills are worth more than coinsand crime prevention measures are evenmore important, the Japan Vending
Machine Manufacturers Association
established the Independent Handling
Guidelines for Banknote Identification
Devices in 1982. According to theseguidelines, careful handling is required:“in terms of machine performance, it
must be capable of detecting theelectromagnetic properties of banknotes
with precision and complexity; banknote
checkpoints must incorporate elements ofexternal
form(dimensions)andparticulars (magnetic, optical, etc.).
When an identification device senses anabnormality, it must be structured to stop
receiving the banknote and to return it.
As a black box, it must also show
consideration for safety, so thatmaintenance and adjustment cannot be
performed by anyone other than amanufacturer or related party.”
According to the National Police
Agency, there were 807 instances ofcounterfeit bills detected in 1982; by
2004, this figure had risen to almost
30,000. Given this situation, the Bank ofJapan re-issued three denominations ofbills, ¥1,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 at theend of 2004, using the latest counterfeit
prevention technology. The ¥1,000 bill,which was accepted by beverage vending
machines, had a number of features
added to be used for identification,
including a “latent pearl image pattern,”“watermark bar pattern,” “latent image
pattern,”“intaglio
printing”
and“identification
marks.”
Commoninstances of bill validation device related50

crime were “cutting and pasting genuine
bills” and “bill poaching.” These werepartly due to enthusiasts creating theirown techniques to try to outsmart thetechnology of the manufacturers.
In the former case, the counterfeiters
would work out the location of the sensor
and then use part of a genuine bill forthat section only, using ordinary paper
for
the
rest.
Since
different
manufacturers placed sensors in different
locations, one bill could be cut into
several pieces to work in different
models. In the latter case, thecounterfeiters would cut a bill in two
lengthwise, join it together in such a waythat the tape would easily break, attachstrong tape to each half so as to get thetwo pieces back again, and then insert it
into the vending machine. Since the bill
was genuine, it would be accepted and asales signal would be given. At that point,
the counterfeiters would forcibly pull thenote back out using the pull tape and thenafterwards use the return lever to steal
the change.
While early intake slots had a central
pillar to prevent bills from being pulled
out again, counterfeiters discovered thisand accordingly split the bill in two to
retract it. When engineers added anotherpillar as an additional countermeasures,counterfeiters responded by splitting bills
into three. The damage from this “pullingout” method became known frominstances when it went wrong and pieces
were left behind in the machine. The
reality was that this was a battle of wits
between vending machine manufacturers
and criminal minds.
(2) Bill Storage Devices (Stackers)
Bill storage units are known as stackers.
Figure 3.53 shows a typical design with a billvalidation device and a stacker underneath it.
This example shows a two-denomination billvalidator that can validate ¥1,000 bills and¥10,000 bills or ¥5,000 bills. Consequently,
the stacker is structured to accommodate twobill denominations.
Most beverage vending machine ¥1,000
bill validators have a stacker structure that

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchcan store around 100 bills. In recent years
there has been an increase in crimes involving
the use of tools to damage vending machines
and steal bills from the bill validator. As acountermeasure against vending machinecrimes, operators have been called to empty
the coins and bills from the safe and stacker
on a daily basis. As this practice has become
more widespread, there has been less need for
100-bill storage capacity, other than a few
exceptions.

bill intake
slot
return slot

dispense a cup of juice and complete thevending cycle.
Although this was adequate for the time,
as beverage vending machines and othermachines entered an era of being able toselect and buy from two or more products, it
became necessary to have a control systemwith electromagnetic relay interlocking
circuits (see Fig. 5.34).

¥1,000 bill
storage (bills forchange)¥10,000/¥5,000 bill
storage unit

Fig. 3.53 Stacker(Source: Vending Machine Technical Review)
While dedicated ¥1,000 bill capability isadequate for beverage vending machines as
they sell low-priced products, other vending
machines sell products for prices over ¥1,000,
such as flowers or videotapes. Thesemachines must be capable of accepting¥5,000 and ¥10,000 bills and paying out¥1,000 bills in change. Such a device wasdeveloped in 1997. This bill validator, known
as a recycling-type bill validation device, uses
the inserted ¥1,000 bills for change.
3.7.3 Control Technology
The oldest vending machine still inexistence (a sake vending machine in Ninohe)
had a clockwork control system. The
clockwork mechanism opened a faucet topour sake into a vessel provided.
Once beverage vending machines
became industrialized in the late 1950s, themotors were powered by electricity and thecontrol system was also electric. The ¥10juice vending machines had cups in a tube
that the user would place into the vending
outlet by hand; when the user then inserted a¥10 coin, the coin would activate an actuatorswitch that drove the vending device tovendingdevice A

vendingdevice B

vendingdevice C

vendingdevice D

Fig. 3.54 Electric Interlock Circuit
Even so, there were rumors that earlydomestically-produced vending machines“could sell two items for ¥30 by pushing two
buttons at a particular timing” and there were
frequent instances of tampering. While it
could not be inferred from the circuit diagram,the rumor was ultimately deemed to be true,as the solenoid vending device would shortcircuit due to arcing between relay contacts.
Eventually it was no longer possible forsequence control by switches and magnetic
relays to meet the functional demands, suchas vending products with different prices(multi-price) and reading sales information,and the transition was made to electronics.
Sanyo Electric developed the firstmicrocomputer-controlledmealticketvending machine in 1978, ushering in an ageof microcomputer control for vending
machines in all industries.
Microcomputer control in beveragevending machines started out as a 4-bit
system and soon progressed to an 8-bit
system before transitioning to a 16-bit systemsoon after that. The initial control system wasa centralized control system, in which asingle microcomputer controlled all functionsof the vending machine, as in the example
shown in Fig. 3.55. This development led to
expansion in vending machine size,
diversification of products, multiple pricedesign and a number of functions useful tooperation, such as recording sales information
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan51

and connecting to printers, as well as otherbeneficial applications, such as analyzing
sales information for use in marketing.
coin
bill
mechanism validator

display

controller(centralized
microcomputer control
system)vendingdeviceselection
buttonsheating/coolingheating/cooling unit

Fig. 3.55 Centralized Control SystemWithmultiplefunctionsbeing
implemented, the number of microcomputer
input/output components grew to more than
300, leading to a number of issues. One was
the issue of wiring; another major issue was
the increased amount of development energy
required for the control programs for eachmachine. If changes were made to any
specification, then all of the hardware andsoftware needed to be changed as well, thus
highlighting the limitations of the system.
In 1983, a distributed control systemusing several microcomputers was put into a
tobacco vending machine. This system
divided vending machine functions into
blocks and distributed them between several
microcomputers, making it possible toimplement countermeasures for individual
parts, which had not been possible using
centralized control. The industry transitioned
from the conventional centralized control
system, in which manufacturers developed
and designed their own technology, to a
distributed control system that required a lotof standardization of protocols with theaddition of communication technology.
Following a lot of repeated discussions within
the industry and a significant amount ofnegotiation with users, the standardization
was completed and incorporated into
beverage vending machines, later becoming
the standard for the industry nationwide.
Figure 3.56 shows a block diagram of a
distributed control system. Distributed control
systems performed control by dividing52functions into blocks. The microcomputers(terminals) for each function are called slaves,
while the microcomputer (main control unit)that controls the slaves is called the master.
Since the slaves are controlled by the master,
this system is also called a master/slave
system. The master and the slaves areconnected by a serial bus and communicate
by serial bus communication using vending
machine protocols.
displaycoin
billmechanism validator

selection
buttons

slave
slave

slave

slave

cooling/heating unit
heating/coolingslaveserial bus line

controller(master)

slave
slave

vending device

Fig. 3.56 Distributed Control System Concept
Diagram
Slaves include the coin mechanism, thebill validator, the product storage/dispending
structure, the selection button structure andthe cooling/heating structure. There is also
scope for additional options with future
developments. Thanks to advances inelectronics, vending machine functions havecontinued to be enhanced, requiring masters
with higher speed and greater capacity.
Microcomputers have gone from 8-bit
systems to 16-bit systems and now 32-bit
systems are the norm. Program capacity has
gone from an initial 2 KB size to 1.5 MB on
the latest 32-bit systems [15].
Quantum leaps in semiconductor
technology have resolved the issue ofincreased capacity, at least from a hardware(component)
perspective,
althoughmanufacturers have struggled with asignificantly increased load in softwaredevelopment. However, new ideas arecoming to light that will resolve this.
One such idea is the adoption ofhigh-level language. Since vending machine
controllers are units with an emphasis on
processing speed, assembler language has
traditionally been used as the means ofsoftware development. An attempt was madeto partially replace this with a high-level

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchlanguage (such as C); most of thedevelopment has now gradually shifted tohigh-level language.
coin
bill
mechanism validator

carddevices, etc.

slave

slave

slave
messagedisplay

Serial bus
controller(basic functions)sales heating/cooling
controller

selection
buttons display

sub-controller(applied functions)high-speed serial bus

Fig. 3.57 Addition of Sub-Controller andHigh-Speed Bus
Another idea has been the addition of
sub-controllers. Conventional distributed
control systems were polling/selecting
systems in which the master called andcommunicated with the slave, with relatively
slow-speed bus specifications. Consequently,
it was difficult to use slaves for component
controllers needing higher-speed responses,
such as remote controls for function design or
selection buttons used by customers tospecify their desired product.
To resolve these issues, the addition of anew, high-speed bus line separate from theexisting bus line has been proposed and isbeing implemented. The high-speed serial bus
used is a CSMA/CD (carrier-sense multiple
access with collision detection) and is capableof achieving high-speed operation notpossible with the master/slave system, as well
as allowing the easy addition of control
blocks for upgrading functions. This also has
a number of advantages from a hardware
perspective, such as drastically reducing theamount of electrical wires. In the past,multiple product selection buttons, forexample, had individual wiring for eachbutton, requiring many bundles of wires.
Building in an IC chip for each productbutton and having that chip connect to thehigh-speed serial bus has resulted in a
dramatic reduction in electrical wires [16].
Not only has the use of sub-controllers
madevending
machinehardwaredevelopment more efficient, the use of theJava [Footnote 6] platform has even made it
possible for vending machine users todevelop their own functions.
In recent years, with vending machines
becoming very widespread, location points
becoming saturated and little prospect of any
major
increaseinsales,
beverage
manufacturers and other users have begun totake a keen interest in the efficientmanagement of vending machines.
In the past, manufacturers and users
worked together to set the standards forvending machine sales information gatheringsystems and contributed to improved POS
and route sales efficiency. Now these systems
have become widespread to a certain extent,
the needs of individual vending machineusers are becoming more specific due todifferences in operating environment, plansand policies; universal specifications are nolonger adequate.
To meet these needs, it was decided todevelop the execution environment of the
sub-controller using the Java programming
language, with the aim of speedily developing
client-specific application software.
As the internet became more widespread,machines have started becoming terminals fora diversely networked society. Vending
machines can be expected to play asignificant role in this as softwaredevelopment for this opens up.
In 1999, the European Vending
Association (EVA) [Footnote 7] that oversees
the members of the vending machine industry
throughout Europe proposed to the Japan
Vending Machine Manufacturers Association(JMVA) that the EVA standard MDB/ICP(multi-drop bus/internal communication
protocol) system become the international
standard.
MDB/ICP is a vending machine control
system specification that has a serial bus andoperates by master/slave microcomputers. In[Footnote 6] Java, a registered trademark of American company Sun
Microsystems, Inc., is a programming language developed to reducethe complexity of developing and maintaining software. The Javaplatform refers to the program’s execution and development
environments.
[Footnote 7] The EVA is an organization established in 1995 andmade up of vending machines manufacturers, operators, bottlers andcash-handling machine manufacturers, mainly from the EU,
involved in lobbying and technical standardization activities,
primarily for EU institutions.
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

53

1998, the EVA established “MDB/ICP Ver.1”
for communications specifications andprocedures, while the basic specifications,
including the patent, for its predecessor MDB
were acquired from Japanese manufacturers
by the American Coca-Cola Company anddeveloped. Later, MDB spread throughout theUnited States and became the standard for the
National
Automatic
Merchandising
Association (NAMA) in the 1990s.
On the issue of global standardization,
the JMVA worked with the EVA in 1991 todevelop a “system that can fully be utilized
for the next generation.” This was proposed
to become the global standard, but no further
progress was made.
Electronics technology has continued todevelop with no sign of stopping. Just as theearly MDB of the NAMA is “similar yet
different” to the integrated MDB/ICP thatwas later established, there is a significant
differencein
specifications
between
MDB/ICP and the Japanese systems that weredeveloped even earlier. The fact that noprogress has been made on the Japanese
proposal suggests that it is difficult toestablish a global standard in an area ofremarkable progress in development.
For example, the JMVA standardized the
distributed control system in 1991. The
system had designated hardware and software
standards to handle diversification (expansion
using slaves), for economic potential(development costs, material costs) and forease of maintenance. In 2002, Fuji Electric
implemented a system with a high-speed
serial bus added, as discussed above. In otherwords, within around ten years, there had tobe a new standard for this basic component.
On top of that, with so many different
social and technological environments aroundthe world, it is impossible to have universal
consideration all the time.
In light of this, the JMVA is proposing
the joint development of a next-generation
system.
If this course of events highlights thedifficulty of standardization, the challenge ismade even more difficult in terms of themarket situation. The lifespan of a vending
machine in Japan is 6–7 years for a can orbottle vending machine and around 11 years

54

for a cup-type beverage vending machine (alittle longer for both in the West). Since thedevelopment cycle is around three years, oncea technology or product appears on themarket, it is going to have at least ten years ofmaintenance, during which time it is going toneed to be cross-compatible with anything
new coming out. As the burden of thisnaturally increases proportionally with thenumber of machines sold, operated or owned,
the manufacturers and operators involved
have to exercise caution when introducing
new technologies.

3.8 Consumer Interface
While vending machines perform
product sales without human intervention,
they must be convenient and easy for
consumers to use. Figure 3.58 shows therelationship between consumer behavior andthe vending machine interface.
Consumer behavior

Interface

Check product for sale
Check price
Check sold-out items

Product display
Price display
Selection buttons

Insert money
Confirm input amount
Select product
Check change

Money intake slot
Amount indicator
Selection buttons
Amount indicator

Receive productReceive change

Vending outlet
Return outlet

Fig. 3.58 Consumer Behavior and Interface
3.8.1 Product Display
The main functions of the productdisplay are to motivate user purchases and to
confirm stock availability.
Although it is called a product display, somebeverage vending machines in the late 1950s
and early 1960s had an illuminated panel(illuminated signboard) on the front, showing
the logo of the beverage manufacturers andno products shown, as in the photos in Fig.
3.59.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchthese; the consumers that use them are
relatively regular customers, being limited toa certain workplace, for instance. However,there has been more noticeable competition
with cans and boxed beverages in recent
years and displays are becoming more diverse,using dummy products and LCDs.

Fig. 3.59 1950s Vending Machines
JMVA
While the machines shown in the figure
were domestically produced, they weresimilar in design to the beverage vending
machines in the West at the time, with the
product inside only shown on a label on ornear the selection buttons.
In 1971, Sanden produced a “sample
display” for a can vending machine, using
actual cans. While it is a common sight inJapanese eateries to see consumers making
their selections while looking at dummy
products displayed in a showcase, perhaps
this is Japanese social culture. The vending
machine “sample display” has continued tothe present day as a common feature ofuniquely Japanese design.
Various clever ideas were put into play to
use the sample display as a strategic
impression-making tool for consumers, suchas using resin moldings for the products andusing an under-lighting system with a lightsource placed underneath the dummy
products to illuminate them. Design changes
were made to the overall illuminated panel; adisplay emerged in 1978 with the panel
divided into four and a selection button
underneath each part. Various other designs
emerged, with a semicircular illuminatedpanel, with a roulette function and dazzlinglights added, or with a changing
point-of-purchase display function showing
the interior.
Cup-type beverage vending machines
have long gone without product displays,
served only by labels and buttons, due to anumber of factors: they are mainly installedin stores; they sell many different variations,such as black coffee with/without sugar
and/or cream, or more or less of each of

3.8.2 Coin Intake Slot
For a long time, coin intake slots havebeen designed for the same basic location(height) and shape, with coins inserted one ata time. However, in recent years mechanisms
have emerged with a focus on universal
design, allowing users to drop all of the coins
in at once.
In the mechanical coin mechanism era,
coins had to be inserted one at a time, as
putting too many in at once often caused“coin jamming.” The use of electronic
validation has made it possible to insert coinsin rapid succession, which, along withimprovements in intake slot components, has
contributed to the implementation ofuniversal design.
3.8.3 Selection Buttons
In the late 1950s and early 1960s,
selection buttons were designed to be large insize, arranged near the intake slot andlabelled with the product printed on them.
In the age of the “sample display,” they
have shifted nearer to the dummy (sample);as LEDs have grown in popularity, these havebeen used to illuminate the buttons.
3.8.4 Display Device
In 1979, a display device emerged thatwas built into a coin mechanism using LSI
and displayed the amount inserted. It was an
obvious step to then fit vending machineswith these display devices. Since these were
initially an accessory to the coin mechanism,
the output display showed information fromthe coin mechanism. With the advent of the
microcomputer era, it became possible todisplay any information, such as the sales
information from the vending machine
control unit.
3.8.5

Product Vending
Returns Slot

OutletandHistory of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

55

The product vending outlet in
prepackaged beverage vending machines has
new crime and danger countermeasures built
in with each new occurrence. The crimes arediverse, ranging from “bill poaching,” orreaching in and pulling out bills by hand, toinserting poisoned drinks, while dangers
include the cutting or catching of hands.
Measures have also been taken to reducenoise.
Meanwhile, the main improvements tocup-type beverage vending machines weretraditionally centered on structures forkeeping out insects and rodents, making
hygiene management easier, preventing
overflowing and preventing tampering. The
cup-mixing method that was later proposed
has ushered in some significant changes, suchas “automatic doors.”
3.8.6

Function
Improvement
andUniversal Design
According to the Awareness and Realityof Soft Drink Vending Machines study carriedout by the Japan Soft Drink Association,
99.6% of respondents stated that “vending
machines are convenient,” while the main
point of vending machines was given by
80.8% of respondents as “to be able to buy
things immediately” and by 67.4% as “to beable to buy things any time.” Other responses
included “to be able to cold or warm drinks,”“choosing products easily,” “not having toline up” and “not having to talk to anyone.”
There were also some areas of dissatisfaction
among what people wanted from vending
machines, including “difficulty in retrieving
products” and “difficulty in inserting ¥1,000
bills.”
Japanese beverage vending machines
started out as ¥10 fresh juice machines andthen transitioned into a bottle vending
machine era based on American technology,
followed by ongoing improvements to suitthe Japanese people and Japanese society. As
well as reducing the vending time and adding
hot and cold functions, earnest endeavors
were made in the area of dialog with theconsumer, such as adding a “thank you”
message, enabling product selection by voicecommand or offering a bonus item by lottery.
Although there were vending machines in the

56

1960s that spoke voice greetings using an
endless tape, it was not until the electronics
era of the 1980s that fully-fledged
voice-capable vending machines emerged.
Vending machines offering product selection
by voice recognition were also announced
around the same time, but neither of thesereceived much consumer interest and bothhave disappeared.
Nevertheless, the bonus item function
was popular and was adopted by many
vending machines in the 1980s.
In recent years, the term “universal
design” has started being bandied around in
the American residential sector. The idea of
universal design has started to take hold in a
number of different areas in Japan as well.
The Japanese vending machine industry
started down this track in 1991 at the requestof a university in Kansai that was passionate
about accepting students with disabilities. A
can vending machine was produced that had aunit with large selection buttons as well as acoin intake slot that was easily accessible atwheelchair height [Footnote 8]. Although thiswasa“home-engineered
product,”
fully-designed machines were being produced
by 1993. Initially known as “barrier-freemachines,” other names emerged, such as“easy access” and “hearty” (see Fig. 3.60).

Fig. 3.60 The First Barrier-Free Machine(provided by Fuji Electric)[Footnote 8] According to materials used by Fuji Denki Reiki (nowFuji Electric Retail Systems Co., Ltd.) when responding to the press
and other organizations. The company carried out production in analmost hand-crafted scenario, in response to demand from the user
(Kinki Coca-Cola) that took into account the needs of the consumer(Kwansei Gakuin University). Completely accessible machines were
supplied from 1993 onwards.

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.MarchAlthough it started out offering
accessibility to people with disabilities, theaim of universal design to achieve “designthat anyone can use” rather than giving
special consideration to race, gender, age orability. While it is difficult to establish
various criteria with that definition, theJMVA has created guidelines on thefollowing four points, because universal
design ceases to exist if different
manufacturers have different usage methods.
Vending machine universal design:
barrier-free complianceVending machine universal design:
notation and symbols
Vending machine universal design:
notification sounds / voice prompts
Vending machine universal design:operabilityThe
main
considerations
andtechnological developments sought by theseguidelines are as follows.
1○
Coin intake slot: developing a structurethat allows all coins to be inserted atonce2○ Change return outlet: positioned high(developing a lifting-up structure toachieve this)3○
Selection buttons: positioned low
4○
Product vending outlet: developing a
structure allowing product to be removed
with one hand without bending over5○
Table on which to place purchased
product
While these guidelines are to do withbarrier-free compliance, they can also be
expected to improve other aspects, such as
those highlighted in the survey mentioned
above, namely “difficulty in retrieving
products” and “difficulty in inserting ¥1,000
bills.”

Fig. 3.61 Example
Intake Slots
Fuji Electric Retail
Systems

Fig. 3.62 Example
of Product Lift-Up
Fuji Electric Retail
Systems

3.9 Crimes against Vending Machines
While the media portrays vending
machines as “roadside moneyboxes,” theendless war between criminals and vending
machine developers rages on. Criminal acts
against vending machines can be broadlygrouped into two categories: crimes ofintellect, such as using counterfeit or alteredmoney, and crimes of force, such as prying
open the door.
According to a study by the National
Police Agency, the incidence of crimes
against vending machines rose dramaticallyto over 222,000 from 1996 to 1999, almost
doubling in that three year period, as shownin Fig. 3.63. Looking at this statistic in termsof the number of machines in distribution,around 1 in 20 vending machines is being
damaged; however, in light of the fact that it
is tobacco and beverage vending machinesthat are out on the street, the number isprobably closer to 1 in 10 of these vending
machines being affected by crime.
In response, the JMVA created andimplemented standards for reinforcing
vending machines in 1997. After analyzing
the subsequent crime occurrences, the JMVA
then revised the reinforcing standards andimplemented Version 2, followed by Version
3 in 2003. Figure 3.64 shows a graph of thecrime incidence and the reinforcing standards
version by year. The graph shows a steadydecrease in the incidence of crime,
demonstrating the importance of taking crime
prevention measures.
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

57

3.9.1

Vending Machine Damage andPreventative Measures
Attacks (criminal efforts) against
vending machines have grown more severe
over the years. From around 2003, the use of
power tools such as electric drills became
commonplace, while some machines still bear
the marks from gas burners.
Figure 3.65 shows the main componentsthat have been reinforced, as these parts havereceived the most damage.

Nagoya and Osaka and there has been adecisive decrease in the incidence of crime.

Number of “Vending Machine Crime” Incidents by Year

Fig. 3.65 Parts to be Reinforced

From Metropolitan Police Department data

Fig. 3.63 Vending Machine Crime
Occurrences
Machines in
distribution(10k)

Trends in the Distribution of
Reinforced Vending Machines andthe Number of Known Vending
Machine Crime Incidents(Drinks/tobacco)

Known
incidents (1k)After reinforcing
reinforcing Ver1
reinforcing Ver2
reinforcing Ver3
64 reinforcing and number ofdamage incidents

According to JVMA

Fig. 3.64 Reinforcing and Damage Statistics
Although attacks on these reinforced
parts are becoming less frequent, the cost of
repairing the damage is considerable. Local
police departments are collaborating to build
a crime prevention network system todemonstrate complete resistance to criminals.
This involves fitting vending machines withvibration sensors and other crime detection
sensors, which communicate with the police
through the PHS network.
As at the end of 2006, this has been
implemented in Akita, Saitama, Tokyo,

58

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.MarchBibliography[1] “20-Year
HistoryofVending
Machines,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 103.
[2] Shin Denki (New Electrical Science),
September 2006, Ohmsha, p. 34.
[3] “40-Year
HistoryofSandenTechnology,”
SandenHoldings
Corporation, p. 49.
[4] “50-Year History of Sanyo ProductDevelopment,” Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.,
p. 60.
[5] “20-Year
HistoryofVending
Machines,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 30.
[6] “Tales of Milk Containers New andOld,” Japan Dairy Association, p. 1.
[7] “40-Year History of Tetra Pak Japan.”[8] “50-Year History of Sanyo Electric,”
Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., p. 802.
[9] “40-Year
HistoryofSandenTechnology,”
SandenHoldings
Corporation, p. 43.
[10] “Dictionary of Vending Machine
Terminology,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 19.
[11] “Dictionary of Vending Machine
Terminology,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 69.
[12] “Dictionary of Vending Machine
Terminology,” Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, p. 17.
[13] “Vending Machine Popularization
Statistics and Annual Sales Prices(2006 edition),” Japan Vending
Machine Manufacturers Association.
[14] Boeki no Nihon (separate issue), May
1999, Nippon Conlux, p. 145.
[15] The Journal of the Institute of ElectricalEngineers of Japan, vol. 125, no. 6, p.
361.
[16] The Journal of the Institute of ElectricalEngineers of Japan, vol. 125, no. 6, p.
362.

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan59

4 Systematization
4.1 Beverage

Vending

MachineDevelopment
Figure 4.1 shows the history of beveragevending machines. The beverage vending
machine market is divided into four parts forconvenience, showing which functions weredeveloped when.
The industry involvement of vending
machine manufacturers is shown at the top.
The ¥10 juice vending machine, heralded as
the start of beverage vending machineindustrialization, flourished for around five
years, from 1959 to around 1964.
Later, prepackaged beverage vending
machines were purchased en masse as atactical tool in the Coca-Cola Company sales
strategy; many manufacturers entered theindustry at this starting point. The revision to
the Food Sanitation Act in 1961 was followedby the emergence of fully-fledged cup-type
vending machines, complete with built-in cup
dispensers. At around the same time,
specialized operators came on the scene.
The vending machines that appeared on
the market at this time were made using
licensed technology from the West,prepackaged and cup-type machines alike.
A cup-type sake vending machine cameonto the scene in 1963 with a tank on top to
store the sake and a mechanism to heat thesake using a heat exchanger before pouring it
into the cup. This led to the establishment ofseveral or even dozens of automatic sake bars
around the country. This machine had beendeveloped using purely Japanese technology
and used a built-in cup. Although it is notshown in Table 4.1, in 1962 the Seibu Group
opened an automatic parlor furnished withvarious kinds of beverage vending machinesfrom overseas, the Coca-Cola Company sales
strategy came into play and specialized
operators were established, effectively
marking this year as the dawning of themodern vending machine era.
In terms of prepackaged beverages,
travelling salespeople or “door-to-door

60

dealers” mainly specializing in vending
machine sales and their contents were activefrom around 1974, thus contributing to anincrease in the number of these vending
machines in distribution. Since these dealers
sold vending machines without brandmarkings, they came to be known as “blankvendors” or “off-brand vendors.” Although
their business rapidly expanded, it was
accompanied by increasing contract-related
issues; by around 1980, this model ofbusiness
had
all
but
disappeared.
Nevertheless, successive new functions
continued to be achieved, including
multi-signage, multistage dummy design,“talking
vending
machines”
using
synthesized speech and voice-recognizing
vending machines.
The specialized operators started out
dealing with cup-type vending machines,
including hot instant coffee machines, cold
drink machines and regular hot coffee
machines. The approval to install only
cup-type vending machines on site at
Expo ’70 signified that much ground had
been gained in terms of civic acceptance. The
market also expanded with the developmentof miniature tabletop hot beverage machines
and “cup-in-coffee” machines sellingindividual paper cups with the ingredients
inside.
The development of the regular coffee
hot and cold machine in 1974 and themulti-flavor hot and cold machine in 1976
meant increased annual business for
specialized operators.
The beverage manufacturer market left
overseas technology behind in 1971 with the
adoption of the “serpentine” column.
Although this column shape is thought tohave been prototyped in USA, it never gained
popularity. Some engineers claim that thiswas because regulations varied from state tostate, meaning that American machines had tobe equipped for returnable bottles to make acomeback.
The warm canned coffee machines

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchdeveloped in 1972 were uniquely Japanese.
This was followed by the appearance of hot
and cold vending machines in 1976, which
had two separate storage chambers inside,making it possible to sell hot product inwinter, cold products in summer and both hot
and cold products in spring and fall, thus they
could be used all year round. While various
different prepackaged beverage machines
appeared to suit different types of beveragecontainers, in terms of technology
development, none could be said to be as
unique as the hot and cold machines.
Improvements to these machines were simply
meeting existing needs, mainly to do withimproving product quality.
The dairy manufacturer market first saw
the development of vending machines sellingbottles of milk for home delivery, followedby vending machines selling milk boxes(Tetra Pak) for workplaces, and thenPure-Pak and Brik-Pak machines, which useddifferent containers. While boxed beveragevending machines are functionally andstructurally similar to can vending machines,
dairy product vending machines have toconform to storage temperature and sales
discontinuation standards under the Food
Sanitation Act. More recently there has been
an increase in the number of boxed milk
products that can be stored at room
temperature, as well as an increase in thenumber of vending machines selling thesealong with other boxed cold drinks.
Technology development in the field of
prepackaged beverage vending machines has
seen a growing interest in environmental
issues, with particular focus on energy-saving
technologies and the use of refrigerants andthermal insulation foaming agents that do notcontain fluorine.

4.2 SystematizationofHandling Technology

Money

When consumers buy products over thecounter, they normally select a product theywant to purchase, pay the amountcorresponding to the price on the product andthen receive the product; this is a “deferredpayment” process. By contrast, vending
machine transactions take place in a sequencein which the consumer first pays the money,
then selects the product and then receives the
product; this is a “prepay” process, in which
payment is made before purchase.
In the mechanical age before electricity,money handling devices naturally worked on
a “prepay” system, as the vending device wasoperated by the weight and shape of the coinsinserted, such as seen in the “holy water
dispenser” of 215 BCE and the “automatic
postage stamp machine” of 1904.
These kinds of mechanisms are still used
today, such as those used in fortune-tellingvending machines.
The functions of the coin mechanisms inthese money handling devices can besummarized and categorized as follows: first,
sorting the inserted coins as genuine or slugs(validation); second, preparing the machineforvendingor
generatingavending-permitted signal according to theinserted amount (money control); and third,
paying out change.
Beverage vending machines experienced
significant growth from their industrialization
at the end of the 1950s and into the bubble
economy that followed. It is no exaggeration
to say that earning consumer trust and support
for this “prepay system” played a major rolein the growth of beverage vending machines.
Figure 4.2 shows the growth process ofcoin mechanisms, divided between validation
devices and changers (change devices andcounters/controllers).
Firstly, the greatest change in “validation
devices” has been the shift from mechanicalto electronic technology, with diversificationfrom using only ¥10 coins to ¥10/¥50
two-coin validation and subsequently threeand four-coin validation systems.
To go into more detail, there are two
principles behind mechanical coin validation:
the long-used slit system and the cradle
system, domestically produced based on
imported technology. The first coin validationgate regulates the diameter and thickness ofthe coin intake slot. Various repeatedattempts were made at creating even thisminor component, as noted by Percival
Everitt in his late-19th-century patentapplication that the entire vending machine
would cease from selling if paper, orange
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan61

peel or other miscellaneous material wereinserted into the coin slot. The diameter andthickness was checked by the coin intake slot
as well as a thickness gauge in both slit
system and cradle system; a material
properties check was then performed bygenerating an eddy current in the metal as it
passed by a permanent magnet and thenchanging the rolling trajectory from thebraking force. This was the basic technology
used for mechanical coin validation inbeverage and tobacco vending machines,
although various other countermeasures wereadded to prevent counterfeit or forged moneyand other tampering. These included edge
detectors, hole detectors and cutting devices
to cut threads tied to coins. These validation
device technologies further developed in
keeping with the two- and three-coin systems.
These developments were spurred on by
the issuance of ¥50 and ¥100 nickel coins in
1967, rather than any technological advances.
Accordingly, the shift to electronic systems
came with the four-coin mechanism
developed to incorporate the ¥500 coin issued
in 1982 (although some early mechanicalfour-coin systems were also developed).
Whileelectronicsystems
wereincorporated into coin mechanisms quite
early on for calculating inserted amounts andcontrolling change payout, the shift inelectronics technology from the LSI era to
VLSI and ULSI in the late 1970s prompted
companies to start incorporating electronics
into coin validation.
Japanese developers needed to improvetheir three-coin sorting devices (three-way
mechanisms) and also incorporate the ¥500
coin into a four-coin sorting device (four-way
mechanism). Thus, the mechanical four-coinsorting device came into existence and wasmarketed until the emergence of electroniccoin validation.
Incidentally,
Mars
Engineering
International, a British coin mechanism
manufacturer, developed an electronic coinvalidation
systemandappliedforinternational basic patent rights.
The company later established Mars
Electronics in USA and continued to expand
into the American market with electronic coinvalidation, while Japanese manufacturers

62

continued developing the technology either
through technology partnerships with Mars or
by purchasing the basic patent. Mechanicalcoin validation worked by directly measuring
the diameter, weight and thickness of coins
and determining the material properties using
the eddy current braking principle, meaningthat the selection methods and capabilities
were about the same for all companies.
Electronic validation, however, did notmeasure the length, weight or other physicalproperties, instead using a substitutecharacteristic determination mechanism thatlooked for changes in oscillation frequency
and phase when the coin passed throughmultiple coils and compared these to agenuine coin template. This meant that thedevelopment energy at the core ofconventional mechanical technology became
centered on analog and digital technology,
with a wide range of other technology also
becoming essential, such as mechanicaltechnology for designing rolling paths andgates and computer statistical processing
technology.
Early electronic validation did not havemicroprocessors available and were not easy
to evolve or flexible to adapt. Later, theadoption of microprocessors assisted in
shortening development times and putting
upgrades to market.
Next, developments in changers (change
devices and counters/controllers) can bebroadly categorized into the resinification of
mechanicalcomponents
andtheelectronification of counters and controllers.
The 1970s saw the emergence ofengineering plastics (modified PPOs, tradename Noryl) that were heat-resistant to 100–
150˚C, followed by the emergence ofhigh-performance engineering plastics andsuper heat-resistant engineering plastics andthe resinification of metal components,
mainly automobile parts.
American beverage vending machinecoin mechanisms, which had become the defacto standard in Japan, followed a similarpath, with previously zinc die cast casingsand functional components being replaced byengineering plastics from around 1973.
Change payout devices evolved fromearly models with two change tubes (pipes

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.Marchcontaining coins to be paid out in change) tohaving four tubes to prevent running out ofchange. A number of other functions werealso achieved, such as replacing the tubes
with cassettes for ease of filling and emptying,paying out different denomination coins,
paying out multiple coins at once instead of
one at a time and a fast payout system. These
functions meant incorporating numerous
small parts within a confined space; this wasmade possible through the heat resistance,
wear resistance, impact resistance and otherspecial properties of engineering plastics.
These plastics proved their worth in manyother ways besides function enhancement,such as reducing an overall weight of 7 kg
down to 2 kg and making it possible tocheaply produce complex components, aswell as improved maintenance workability,
product quality and longevity.
Due to the limitations with mechanicalcounting by cams and steppers, active
initiatives had long been undertaken toachieve electronic counters and controllers.
While practical implementation of money
counters and change controllers usingtransistor-type logic circuits had beenachieved in the late 1960s, there were
problems with product quality and no great
leaps had been made in development until theelectronics industry entered the age of
integrated circuits. Rapid developments weremade in electronics technology, with the LSI
agefollowingstraight
after
the
implementation of ICs. A custom LSI series
was finally developed in 1973.
As this series incorporated a number of
useful functions, including an inserted money
display, multiple price settings and escrow, it
significantly improved the functions of thetobacco vending machines in which it was
mounted. This epoch-making development inmoney controllers was the result of
collaboration between custom LSI designers(semiconductor manufacturers) and coinmechanism designers (vending machine
manufacturers). This set a precedent fordevelopment using the combined knowledge
and skills for technologies in different
industries,
something
that
is
now
commonplace.
Other peripheral coin mechanism devices

produced included displays using informationfrom the coin mechanism to show the inserted
amount or failure information, as well as
secondary change devices to prevent change
shortages.

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan63

Fig. 4.1 (1) Beverage Vending Machine Development History
Table 4.1 (1) Beverage vending machine development history
Jap. cal.
W. cal.
’57 Hoshizaki
Kokukei
Machinery

Shin ・Empire enters the market
Mitsubis
hi-VENl ・Anritsu Denki
Tsugami ・Sankyo Denki-CANTE・Nakagawa Denki enters the market
・Toshiba enters the market
・Fuji Electric enters the market

・Sanyo Electric enters the market

Arrival of
instant
coffee・Sharp enters the market

・Hitachi・Kubota Iron Works
Cup-typesakeInstant
warm sake
Auto barLiquorstoresPrivatestores

Prepackaged
beverage

Prepackaged
beverage

Prepackaged
beverage
One-cup

Drink
Tabletop

Prepackaged
beverage“Serpentine”
Beer canOzeki (sake)

Beer canCup-type
Cold only
Pump-type

Various storage
methods
・Stack system
・Helix system
・Slanted shelf system

Route sales
・Full service
・Regular service

Prepackaged
beverageTechnology
transferbottleCoca-Colabottlers

Beverage
manufacturers
Dairymanufacturers
Operators

Prepackaged
beverage
Horizontal rackbottlePrepackaged
beverage
180 mLbottlemilk
Cup-type
Fountaintype
vending
machine“Oasis”

Cup-type
Cold only
Pressuretype
Electronic
control

Prepackaged
beverage“Serpentine”
cold

Prepackaged
beverageMoving display

Work/school (insteadof home delivery)

Prepackaged
beverages

Prepackaged
beverage
Tetra Pak
For work

Pure-Pak

Large
container

Prepackaged
beverageDummy
container
display can

Cup-type¥10 juiceFirstelectronic
control

Cup-type¥10 juice
5 machines

Cup-type
Hot onlyForbottlers

Prepackaged
beverage“Serpentine”
Hot or Cold
can

Medium/small
drinksLemon/fruit soda
Rationalization

Cup
Cold
pumptype

Cup
Hot
Regular

Cup
Hot
only

Specialized
operators

Cup
Hot
Instant

Cup
Cold
only
Specialized
operators
established

JVMA
establishedWorld Expo¥100 silver coin
¥50 nickel coin
¥10 bronze coin64¥1000 bill

¥50 nickel coin¥100 nickel coin

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.March¥500 bill

Cup
Hot
tabletop
CuptypeTabletop-type
Cup-inFig. 4.1 (2) Beverage Vending Machine Development History
Table 4.1 (2) Beverage vending machine development history
Jap. cal.
W. cal.
Hitachi Nakayama Mitsubishi
withdraws bankrupt withdraws

Limits on liquor
sales times

LiquorstoresPrivatestores3 bills
reprinted

Mass introduction ofbeer machines bybeer manufacturers

Prepackaged
beverage
Beer/drinks
Hot or Cold
can/bottle

Beer coupons
Gift vouchers

Prepackaged
beverage
Beer
can/bottle/keg
Hot & Cold

self-imposed
restrictions on
late-night liquor sales

Cup-type
instant/
regularsales
Microcomputer Information
decentralized management
functioncontrol

Coca-Colabottlers

Prepackaged
beverage
Brik-Pak
milk
Beverage
manufacturers
Dairymanufacturers
Operators

Prepackaged
beverage“Serpentine”
Hot & Cold
cans

Prepackaged
beverage
Brik-Pak
Large/milk

Prepackaged
beverage
milk/juice

Talking
vending
machines

MultiPrepackaged signage
beverage“Serpentine”
Hot & Cold
Cans
Gamingvending
machines

Visiting distributors
・Machine sales
・Product
placement

Cup
Hot &
Cold
RegularPrepaid card
systemCup
Instant/
Regularsales

Prepaid card
systemMultistage
dummy

Independent
selection
button

Voice-recognizing
vending machines

Cup
Hot &
Cold
Microcomputer
used

Cup
Hot
Mill
added

Specialized
operators¥500 nickel coin

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan65

Fig. 4.2 Coin Mechanism Technology
Systematization of Coin Mechanism Technology･ ¥10 bronze coin issued (¥50 coin pierced)･ ¥50 nickel coin･ ¥100 nickel coin･ ¥500 coin (nickel)

Domestically
produced

Validation devices

Slit-type

Cradle-type

Imported¥10/¥50¥10/50/100¥10/¥50¥10/50/100

Imported/partly
domestically
produced

Fully
domestically
produced

Changers

no change(channel)¥10 validation
Change: ¥10
Max setting: ¥50¥10/¥50/¥100/¥500

LSI used

Display

Proximity SW
EscrowMulti-price¥10/50/100
validation
Change: ¥10
Max setting: ¥220
¥10/50/100
validation
Change: ¥10/50
Max setting: ¥1260

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.MarchResinification

Domesticallyproduced
technology

Partly domestically
produced(overseastechnology

Imported(overseastechnology)

Domestically-produced technology

66¥10/50 validation
Change: ¥10
Max setting: ¥220

¥10/50/100

Cradle-type

Dual price¥10/50 validation
Change: ¥10
Max setting: ¥220

electronic coinvalidation¥10/¥50/¥100/¥500

Tr-IC, used
Zinc diecast

electronic coinvalidation

4 tubes
AuxiliarychangedeviceParallelbus system

Serial bus
systemCassettetype tube

¥10/50/100
validation
Change: ¥10/50/100
High-speed payout¥10/50/100
validation
Change: ¥10/50
Built-in controller

5 Discussion
This chapter endeavors to provide an
outline of three decades of vending machinedevelopment, from the early days ofindustrialization of fresh juice vending
machines, which spread throughout thecountry in the 1960s, to the peak vending
machine distribution of the 1990s.
Selling beverages by machine is not a
new idea. The contributing technologies ofmoney-handling devices and measuring
devices are thought to have been developed
from the mechanized technology that was
popular in Japan in the late 19th and early
20th century. Fresh juice vending machines,
such as those mentioned in Hoshizaki
company records, started out as electric watercoolers with money-handling devices andmeasuring devices added. Given that this wasan era in which electric refrigerators were notyet everyday household items, incorporating
cooling technology into a vending machine
was truly epoch-making. Nevertheless, thesetechnologies were not what made vending
machines into the highly-popular item thatthey are today. This came about largely due
to more advanced technology from countries
in the West, the first of which was thedevelopment of the Coca-Cola Company’ssystem on the Japanese market.
The machine that familiarized Japanesesociety with vending machines was thenational railway ticket machine. Thismanually-operated, single-function machine
was developed to coincide with the issuanceof the ¥10 bronze coin. This was followed by
the printing-type single-function machine, inturn followed by multi-function machines thatissued two or more types of tickets. By 1968,
all short-distance rail tickets were being
issued by multi-function machines, thus
introducing consumers to a vending machinesociety.
Many beverage vending machines werelocated outdoors, which proves that Japan had
a good level of public order. It also indicatesthat beverage manufacturers expected
vending machines to serve as billboards forpromoting brand image, as well as providing
a means of “on-the-spot consumption” toconsumers who now found themselves with
far greater levels of affluence due to very
favorable economic conditions. Vending
machines continued to spread in distribution,
despite gaining a reputation as “roadside
cashboxes” and becoming the target for
rapidly-rising vending machine related
crimes.
While much of the contributing
technology came from developed nations
overseas, the hot and cold canned beveragevending machines and the dummy display
vending machines were definitely the resultof epoch-making Japanese technology
developments. According to S40-Year
History of Sanden Technology, repeatedexperiments were carried out in harshconditions of 60˚C with triple protection
measures in place; this was a bold challenge
indeed. With a few exceptions, most of the
2.3 million prepackaged-beverage vending
machines in operation are hot and cold
machines. This means that they can operate
all year round, thereby increasing vending
machineinvestment
efficiency.
Partially-electronic function development wasused in vending machines since the days ofrelay sequence control. With the dawn of the
microcomputer age in 1983, Sanyo Electric
announced a distributed control system
combining communications technology withvending machine control technology; thissystem went on to become the industry
standard. It was also licensed in USA, where
it became the basis for the standard
multi-drop bus (MDB) system in Western
vending machines.
The number of beverage vending
machines in distribution has stayed fairly
constant for the past two decades at around
2.5 million. The number of vending machine
shipments was just under 70,000 in 1970 andpeaked at over 500,000 in 1989. However,these figures declined after that, sitting ataround 350,000 in the past few years.
History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan67

With a saturated market and orders ataround 70% of peak levels, considerationneeds to be given as to what kind of
initiatives are needed in the future. Some
recommendations are given below.
1. While vending machines were once
appreciated as “convenient square boxes,”
they now need to be “boxes that solve
something,” or be somehow indispensable
to consumers. For example, if vending
machines were thought of as social
network terminals, they could be used toassist with the growing issue of senior care(including dementia care).
2. Active environmental initiatives. Morerecently,
vending
machineshavedeveloped from industrial machinery to
being tailored to suit user demands, withlittle active involvement in what happensin the latter half of the life cycle. Future
design and development needs to aim to
reduce resource disposal, such as reusingparts that are still useable.
3. Active energy-saving initiatives. How does
the energy usage per bottle or cup ofbeverage from a vending machine compare
to that of the manually-sold market atconvenience stores or coffee shops?
Energy-saving measures need to be
implemented throughout the entire life
cycle and that information made public.

List of Registration Candidates

68

No.

Name

FormatLocation

Year of
Manufacture

1

Sake vending
machineOriginal
item

Ninohe Museum of History
and Folklore, Ninohe

Unknown

2

Fountain-type
beverage vending
machineOriginal
item

Hoshizaki Electric Co.,
Ltd.

3

Bottle vending
machine(semi-automatic)

Original
item

Tokyo Coca-Cola BottlingCo., Ltd.

The Mitsubishi Vendo V-63 wasproduced early in thelicenced-technology era

4

Bottle vending
machine(semi-automatic)

Original
item

Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

1965

The SMV-48 is adomestically-produced productdeveloped at the same time as the
product above

5

Cup-type coffee
vending machine

Original
item

Fuji Electric Retail
Systems Co., Ltd.

1969

Developed for the Osaka World Expoand became a long-running seller

6

Coin mechanism

Original
item

Nippon Conlux Co., Ltd.

1967

An early partly domestically-produced
product using licenced technology

7

Milk vending
machineOriginal
item

Fuji Electric Retail
Systems Co., Ltd.

1969

Fully domestically-produced milk
vending machine

1962

Comments
Japan’s oldest beverage vending
machineA vending machine at the start of theindustrialization of beverage vending
machines

National Museum of Nature and Science: Survey Reports on the Systemization of Technologies Vol.7 2007.March6 Conclusion
This study has aimed to systematize thetechnological developments of beveragevending machines, the most highly- andwidely-distributed of the great diversity ofvending machines in existence. This firstly
required resources that would provide anunderstanding of the vending machineindustry; secondly, it required an outline of
the mechanics of vending machines, so as toprovide an understanding of the technology.
Locating technology-related historicalmaterials and surveying the technology
proved to be a challenge, as although somerecords survive in company archives, many
original resources have been scrapped andmost of the engineers familiar with thetechnology of the time are now retired. In
some cases, it has been purchasing users
rather than manufacturers that have kept
machines. While some collectors publish
their collections on the internet, others suchas Tokyo Coca-Cola Bottling havemaintained and kept their own machines.
Perhaps a survey of users in different
regions should be carried out at some future
opportunity.
One difficulty with surveying thetechnology was the fact that leading
manufacturers Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,
Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd. and Sanyo Electric Co.,
Ltd., all of which contributed to the rapid
development of the technology, withdrew
from the project and were unable to be
surveyed.
In closing, the author expresses sincere
gratitude to all of those who assisted in thisproject from the Japan Vending Machine
Manufacturers Association, the NinoheMuseum of History and Folklore, Tokyo
Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd., Fuji Electric
Retail Systems Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co.,
Ltd., Sanden Holdings Corporation andNippon Conlux Co., Ltd., as well as all of
those who offered their advice throughprivate communication, having retired fromcompany service.
Where drawings and photographs havebeen sourced from company materials, thecompany name or other details have been
cited as the source.

History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan

69