Commodity selling device

Abstract

Provided is a commodity selling device capable of actively promoting an information transmission medium. The commodity selling device according to the present invention is used to sell a photograph seal as a commodity. The commodity selling device includes: a commodity production part for producing a photograph seal by generating a photographic image of a user, generating an edited image edited using the photographic image on the basis of an editing operation performed by the user, and printing the edited image on a sticker sheet; and a storage part that is provided on at least one of the front surface, back surface, and side surface of the commodity selling device, that internally stores an information transmission medium pertaining to the photograph seal and / or the commodity selling device, and that is configured to visually recognize the information transmission medium from the outside.

Description

Product sales device

[0001] The present invention relates to a product sales device.

[0002] A product sales device is known that generates a photographed image of a user as a subject, generates an edited image by editing the photographed image based on the user's editing operations, produces a photo sticker by printing the edited image on a sticker mount, and automatically sells the photo sticker to the user as a product (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-035467

[0004] Such product vending machines generally have a large poster about the photo stickers that covers the entire back of the machine. This poster is an information transmission medium, and therefore plays a role in effectively conveying the seller's message to users. However, there is room for improvement in product vending machines in that they can actively promote the information transmission medium to convey the appeal of the photo stickers that are the product and the product vending machine itself, thereby increasing user interest.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a product sales device that can actively promote an information transmission medium.

[0006] The main invention of the present invention for solving the above problems is a product sales device that sells photo stickers as products, comprising: a product production unit that produces a photographed image of a user, edits the photographed image based on the user's editing operations to produce an edited image, and prints the edited image on a sticker mount to produce the photo stickers; and a storage unit provided on at least one of the front, back, and side of the product sales device, which stores an information transmission medium related to at least one of the photo stickers and the product sales device inside the storage unit, and is configured to allow the information transmission medium to be visible from the outside. Other features of the present invention will become clear from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0007] 1 is an external perspective view showing the configuration of a product sales device 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a product production unit 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a product sales device 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a storage unit 200 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the storage unit 200 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit 200 according to the present embodiment with the transparent cover 230 removed. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit 200 according to the present embodiment with the transparent cover 230 and the sheet member 240 removed. FIG. 8 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of a light-emitting unit 220 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a sheet member 240 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a view explaining a storage method for a second design sheet 242 and a third design sheet 243 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 11 is a view explaining a storage method for a first design sheet 241 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 12 is a view explaining a storage state of a sheet member 240 according to the present embodiment.

[0008] The present specification and the accompanying drawings make clear at least the following: A product sales device that sells photo stickers as merchandise includes: a product production unit that produces a photographed image of a user, edits the photographed image based on the user's editing operations to produce an edited image, and prints the edited image on a sticker sheet to produce the photo sticker; and a storage unit provided on at least one of the front, back, and side of the product sales device, for storing an information transmission medium related to at least one of the photo stickers and the product sales device, and for allowing the information transmission medium to be visible from the outside. According to this product sales device, by providing the storage unit containing the information transmission medium over the entirety of at least one of the periphery of the product sales device, the information transmission medium becomes more visible to people, allowing the information transmission medium to be actively promoted. As a result, the appeal of the photo stickers and the product sales device as merchandise can be conveyed to users through the information transmission medium, thereby increasing user interest.

[0009] In addition, in such a product vending device, the storage section may be provided on the entire surface of at least one of the front, back, and side surfaces of the product vending device. With such a product vending device, for example, by forming the storage section on the entire back surface of the product vending device, the information transmission medium stored in the storage section can be displayed so as to cover the entire back surface of the product vending device, making it more noticeable to people and allowing the information transmission medium to be more actively promoted.

[0010] In addition, in the product vending device, the information transmission medium may be a sheet member that functions as a poster designed using at least one of letters, figures, pictures, illustrations, and photographs. By using a sheet member that functions as a poster as the information transmission medium, the thickness of the storage unit itself can be reduced.

[0011] In addition, in this product sales device, the sheet member may have a plurality of design sheets, each with a different design. By using a plurality of design sheets, a wide variety of posters can be presented.

[0012] In addition, in such a product vending device, the storage unit may have a transparent cover for making the information transmission medium inside visible from the outside, and a light-emitting unit provided opposite the transparent cover for irradiating light toward the transparent cover, and the information transmission medium may be stored between the transparent cover and the light-emitting unit. According to such a product vending device, by shining light on the information transmission medium to brighten it, it becomes more noticeable to people and the information transmission medium can be more actively promoted.

[0013] Furthermore, in this product sales device, the storage unit may have a transparent cover that makes the sheet member inside visible from the outside, and a light-emitting unit that is provided opposite the transparent cover and emits light toward the transparent cover, and may be configured to store a first design sheet and a second design sheet of at least two design sheets of the sheet member arranged in that order in a direction from the transparent cover toward the light-emitting unit, with a gap provided between the first design sheet and the second design sheet and between the second design sheet and the light-emitting unit. With this product sales device, it is possible to create a three-dimensional poster by utilizing the storage space between the transparent cover and the light-emitting unit and arranging multiple design sheets in layers.

[0014] Furthermore, in the product vending device, the first design sheet may be accommodated without any gap between the transparent cover and the first design sheet. By eliminating the gap between the transparent cover and the first design sheet, the product vending device can effectively utilize the accommodation space between the transparent cover and the light-emitting unit.

[0015] In addition, in this product vending device, the first design sheet may be stored in the storage section by being attached to the transparent cover, and the second design sheet may be stored in a state of being suspended from a locking piece of the storage section. With this product vending device, by using different storage methods for the first design sheet and the second design sheet, the space within the storage section can be used effectively.

[0016] Further, in such a product sales device, the storage section has a transparent cover that makes the sheet material inside visible from the outside, and a light-emitting section that is arranged opposite the transparent cover and emits light toward the transparent cover, and is configured to be able to store a first design sheet, a second design sheet, and a third design sheet that the sheet material has arranged in that order in the direction from the transparent cover toward the light-emitting section, and is configured to be able to store the first design sheet and the second design sheet, between the second design sheet and the third design sheet, and between the third design sheet and the light-emitting section, respectively, and the third design sheet is formed from an opaque sheet and has a color area with a design applied to it, and the second design sheet is formed from a transparent sheet and has a color area with a design applied to it, and among the color areas of the third design sheet, the color area that corresponds to the color area of ​​the second design sheet may be a white area. With this type of product vending device, it is possible to create a poster with a three-dimensional feel by placing a transparent second design sheet on top of an opaque third design sheet. Furthermore, by making the color areas of the third design sheet white areas that correspond to the color areas of the second design sheet, when the light-emitting unit illuminates the third design sheet from behind, more light will pass through the white areas from behind, and the color areas of the second design sheet will also be illuminated by the light-emitting unit from behind. This makes it possible to create a poster with a more three-dimensional feel.

[0017] Furthermore, in such a product sales device, the product production unit may have: a photography control unit that generates a photographed image of a user as a subject, an image display unit that displays the photographed image, an editing operation unit that allows the user to perform editing operations on the photographed image, an editing control unit that generates an edited image edited using the photographed image based on the editing operation of the user, and a printing unit that prints the edited image on a sticker mount. With such a product sales device, it is possible to produce a photo sticker by generating a photographed image of the user as a subject, generating an edited image edited using the photographed image based on the editing operation of the user, and printing the edited image on a sticker mount.

[0018] In addition, in such a product vending device, the transparent cover may be configured by connecting a central panel, a left panel to the left of the central panel, and a right panel to the right of the central panel, and may be configured so that the boundary position between the central panel and the left panel or the boundary position between the central panel and the right panel does not overlap with the center position of the information transmission medium stored in the storage unit. With such a product vending device, by shifting the boundary position between the central panel and the left panel or the boundary position between the central panel and the right panel from the center position of the information transmission medium, it is possible to make the information transmission medium easier to see when a user looks at the information transmission medium in the storage unit through the transparent cover.

[0019] In addition, in such a product sales device, the light-emitting section may be configured by arranging a plurality of light-emitting units, each of which is made up of a plurality of LEDs, in a predetermined direction, and each unit may be configured to be capable of emitting light individually. With such a product sales device, by individually emitting light from the plurality of light-emitting units, a wide variety of light effects can be produced, making the product sales device more noticeable to people and enabling the information transmission medium to be more actively promoted.

[0020] In addition, in this product vending device, the corners of the transparent cover may be formed by transparent members having an L-shaped cross section. With this product vending device, when the product vending device is viewed from diagonally behind, for example, the sheet members stored in the storage section can be made to appear not only three-dimensional but also larger.

[0021] == ...

[0022] In this embodiment, a photo sticker customized using an image taken of a user as the subject is used as an example of a product, and a product sales device that automatically sells the product, that is, the photo sticker, to the user will be specifically described.

[0023] In the following description, each direction is defined as shown in each figure. That is, the vertical direction is defined as the "up-down direction," and "up" and "down" are defined according to gravity. Furthermore, based on the view from the user facing the image display unit 130 shown in FIG. 1, the front side is defined as the "front" and the rear side is defined as the "rear," defining the "front-to-back direction." Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-to-back direction is defined as the "left-to-right direction," and based on the view from the user, "right" and "left" are defined.

[0024] The product sales device 1 of this embodiment is a vending machine that is installed in a store (e.g., a consumer electronics retail store, a restaurant, etc.) or a facility (e.g., a shopping facility, an amusement facility, etc.), and that, in response to a fee paid by a user, creates a photo sticker using an image taken of the user as the subject, and sells the photo sticker to the user.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the product sales device 1 is configured to allow a user to enter the photography space inside the device and has a product production section 100 for producing photo stickers using the user's photographed image, and a storage section 200 that forms the entire back of the product sales device 1 and stores information transmission media related to at least one of the photo stickers and the product sales device 1.

[0026] In this embodiment, a sheet member that functions as a poster designed using at least one of letters, figures, pictures, illustrations, and photographs is stored in the storage section 200 as an information transmission medium for conveying the appeal of the photo sticker as a product and the appeal of the product sales device 1.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the product production unit 100 has a photography unit 110, an operation unit 120, an image display unit 130, a printing unit 140, a guidance unit 150, an audio output unit 160, a control unit 170, and a memory unit 180.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the photographing unit 110 has a camera 111 that photographs the user who is the subject, a strobe 112 that emits light in accordance with the timing of photographing by the camera 111, an illumination light 113 for brightly illuminating the photographing space in which the user is located, and a mirror 114.

[0029] 2 and 3, the image display unit 130 is provided below the camera 111 and displays various information on a display. The image display unit 130 in this embodiment is configured to be able to display images captured by the user and edited images, and is realized by, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like.

[0030] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the operation unit 120 is provided near the image display unit 130, and has a shooting operation unit 121 that allows the user to perform shooting operations related to shooting, and an editing operation unit 122 that allows the user to perform editing operations related to editing the captured image.

[0031] In this embodiment, by using the photographing operation unit 121, the user can select a photographing course, give instructions to start photographing, etc., according to the operation screen displayed on the image display unit 130. In addition, by using the editing operation unit 122, the user can decorate the photographed image of the user displayed on the image display unit 130, for example, by adding a stamp image or handwritten characters to the photographed image.

[0032] The photographing operation unit 121 and the editing operation unit 122 in this embodiment are realized by, for example, a touch panel stacked on the image display unit 130 or a stylus pen for touch operation.

[0033] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the printing unit 140 prints the captured image (edited image) edited based on the user's editing operations on a sticker sheet using a printer not shown, and ejects the sticker sheet (photo sticker) on which the edited image is printed to the outlet 141.

[0034] 1, the guide unit 150 is provided near the entrance on the right side of the product selling device 1, and guides the user through the steps for producing a photo sticker, etc. The guide unit 150 in this embodiment includes a guide display unit 151 and a fee detection unit 152.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the guidance display unit 151 is configured to be able to display a guidance screen to guide the user through the steps for producing photo stickers, and is realized, for example, by a liquid crystal display (LCD).

[0036] 1 and 3, the fee detection unit 152 is provided below the guidance display unit 151 and serves to detect the payment of a fee by a user. When a user inserts a coin into the insertion slot, the fee detection unit 152 in this embodiment detects the presence or absence of the inserted coin by a detection sensor (not shown).

[0037] 1 to 3, the audio output unit 160 amplifies audio signals (audio information) such as voice, sound effects, and warning sounds output from the control unit 170 using a digital amplifier or the like, and outputs the audible signals. For example, the audio output unit 160 is realized by a speaker or the like.

[0038] The control unit 170 controls the entire product selling device 1, and is realized by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program stored in a predetermined memory. As shown in FIG. 3 , the control unit 170 in this embodiment has a shooting control unit 171 and an editing control unit 172.

[0039] The photographing control unit 171 executes photographing processing related to photographing a user. The photographing control unit 171 in this embodiment controls the photographing unit 110 to generate a photographed image photographed with the user as a subject.

[0040] The editing control unit 172 executes editing processing related to editing of the photographed image. The editing control unit 172 in this embodiment generates an edited image by editing the photographed image based on an editing operation on the photographed image by the user.

[0041] In this embodiment, for example, image processing is performed to decorate the captured image by combining a stamp image or handwritten characters selected by the user with the captured image, or image processing is performed to change the size of the user's eyes included in the captured image.

[0042] The memory unit 180 has a ROM (Read Only Memory), which is a read-only memory area in which various programs and information required by the product sales device 1 are stored, and a RAM (Random Access Memory), which is a rewritable memory area used as a work area for calculation processing by the control unit 170, and is realized, for example, by a non-volatile memory device such as a flash memory or a hard disk.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, the storage unit 180 in this embodiment stores, for example, decoration information including various data for decorating a captured image, and image information including image data such as generated captured images and edited images.

[0044] <<Configuration of Storage Unit 200>> An example configuration of the storage unit 200 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4 to 9. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the storage unit 200 according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the storage unit 200 according to this embodiment. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit 200 according to this embodiment with the transparent cover 230 removed. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit 200 according to this embodiment with the transparent cover 230 and sheet member 240 removed. FIG. 8 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the light-emitting unit 220 according to this embodiment. Note that FIG. 8 shows the storage unit 200 with the transparent cover 230 and sheet member 240 removed.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 1, the storage section 200 is connected to the product production section 100 so as to form the entire back surface of the product sales device 1, and is configured to be able to store a sheet member 240 that functions as a poster inside.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4, the storage unit 200 in this embodiment has a base unit 210 which is the main body, a transparent cover 230 formed of a transparent material (e.g., transparent resin, glass, etc.) so that the user can see the sheet member 240 stored inside from the outside, and a display unit 211 for attaching a plate on which the name of the product sales device 1, etc. is written.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4 , the transparent cover 230 entirely covers the rear surface of the storage unit 200 (i.e., the back surface of the product vending device 1 ), and is configured to be detachable from the base unit 210 .

[0048] Therefore, a seller (e.g., a store staff member) can remove the transparent cover 230 from the base portion 210 to store a new sheet member 240 inside or replace the sheet member 240 that is already stored inside.

[0049] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the transparent cover 230 in this embodiment is composed of a central panel 231, a right panel 232 connected to the right side of the central panel 231, and a left panel 233 connected to the left side of the central panel 231.

[0050] The central panel 231 is formed from a flat transparent material, and the right panel 232 and the left panel 233 are formed from transparent materials with an L-shaped cross section. The right panel 232 and the left panel 233 may be formed by bending a single transparent plate-like material into an L-shape, or by joining multiple transparent plate-like members into an L-shape.

[0051] The L-shape is not limited to a cross-sectional shape bent at a perfect right angle, but may be a bent shape including a partially rounded portion (R-shape) or a chamfered portion. The R-shape may be formed by bending a single plate-like member, or by joining multiple plate-like members with rounded edges together.

[0052] In this embodiment, by forming the right panel 232 and the left panel 233 from a transparent material with an L-shaped cross section (i.e., by forming the corners on both the left and right sides of the transparent cover 230 from a transparent material with an L-shaped cross section), when the product sales device 1 is viewed, for example, from diagonally behind, not only can the sheet material 240 stored in the storage section 200 appear three-dimensional, but its thickness can also be made to appear larger.

[0053] Furthermore, when the central panel 231 is sandwiched between the right panel 232 and the left panel 233 and connected (integrated) from the left and right, the cross-sectional shape is formed into a U-shape, which increases its strength.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the transparent cover 230 in this embodiment is configured so that the boundary position between the central panel 231 and the left panel 233, or the boundary position between the central panel 231 and the right panel 232, does not overlap with the center position (CL) of the sheet member 240 stored in the storage section 200.

[0055] By configuring it in this manner, the left and right boundary positions of the transparent cover 230 are shifted from the center position (CL) of the sheet member 240 stored in the storage section 200, so when a user looks at the internal sheet member 240 from the outside through the transparent cover 230, the sheet member 240 becomes easier to see.

[0056] As shown in Figure 7, inside the base part 210, there is arranged a light emitting part 220 that is provided opposite the transparent cover 230 and emits light from the front to the rear in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., towards the transparent cover 230).

[0057] The light-emitting unit 220 emits light toward the transparent cover 230, thereby emitting light onto the back surface of the sheet member 240, as shown in Figure 7, and therefore functions as a backlight that illuminates the sheet member 240 from behind.

[0058] 8, the light-emitting section 220 in this embodiment is configured by a plurality of light-emitting units 221 each extending in a predetermined direction and arranged at predetermined intervals from each other. Specifically, it is configured by ten light-emitting units 221 each extending in the vertical direction and arranged at predetermined intervals from each other in the horizontal direction.

[0059] By arranging a plurality of light-emitting units 221 side by side inside the base portion 210 in this manner, it is possible to effectively utilize the space inside the storage portion 200 while irradiating light onto the entire surface of the sheet member 240 (surface emission).

[0060] The light-emitting unit 221 is made up of a plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged in a straight line at predetermined intervals from each other. Specifically, the light-emitting unit 221 is made up of a plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged in a vertical direction at equal intervals from each other.

[0061] The light-emitting section 220 may be configured by arranging a plurality of light-emitting units 221, each extending in the left-right direction, in the vertical direction. In this case, the light-emitting unit 221 is configured by arranging a plurality of light-emitting diodes in the left-right direction.

[0062] The light-emitting diode may be a monochromatic LED (Light Emitting Diode) or a full-color LED (Light Emitting Diode). When the latter is used, the emitted color can be changed.

[0063] <<Configuration of Sheet Member 240>> A configuration example of the sheet member 240 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the sheet member 240 according to this embodiment.

[0064] The sheet member 240 functions as a poster that conveys the appeal of the photo sticker as a commodity and the appeal of the commodity sales device 1, and is designed using at least one of letters, figures, patterns, illustrations, and photographs.

[0065] The sheet member 240 in this embodiment has a plurality of design sheets, each with a different design. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 7, the sheet member 240 has a first design sheet 241, a second design sheet 242, and a third design sheet 243.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first design sheet 241 and the second design sheet 242 are formed from transparent sheets, whereas the third design sheet 243 is formed from an opaque sheet.

[0067] As shown in Figure 9, the first design sheet 241 has a color area 241a with a design applied at the bottom, the second design sheet 242 has a color area 242a with a design applied at the top, and the third design sheet 243 has color areas 243a and 243b with designs applied throughout.

[0068] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the first design sheet 241, the second design sheet 242, and the third design sheet 243 can be stored in the storage section 200 as a multi-layer sheet, arranged in that order from rear to front in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., from the transparent cover 230 to the light-emitting section 220).

[0069] Therefore, even if the first design sheet 241, the second design sheet 242, and the third design sheet 243 each have a different design, by storing these three sheets in a multi-layered manner in the storage section 200, the color areas 242a of the transparent second design sheet 242 and the color area 241a of the transparent first design sheet 241 are superimposed on the color areas 243a, 243b of the opaque third design sheet 243, thereby forming a multi-layered sheet member 240 with a unified design.

[0070] As a result, when a user looks at the inside of the storage section 200 from the outside, the multi-layered sheet member 240 with its unified design appears three-dimensional, making it possible to effectively convey a message while still creating a visual impact.

[0071] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, of the color regions 243a and 243b of the third design sheet 243, the color region 243b corresponding to the color region 242a of the second design sheet 242 is a white region.

[0072] Therefore, when the light-emitting unit 220 emits light onto the back surface of the opaque third design sheet 243 as shown in Figure 7, as shown in Figure 9, a large amount of light passes through the color area 243b, which is the white area of ​​the third design sheet 243, from the back, and the light from the light-emitting unit 220 is also emitted from the back onto the color area 242a of the transparent second design sheet 242, making the color area 242a of the second design sheet 242 appear to float relative to the color area 243b of the third design sheet 243.

[0073] As a result, the multi-layered sheet member 240 stored in the storage section 200 can be made to look more three-dimensional, which can give an even greater visual impact to the user.

[0074] <<Regarding the Storage Method of Sheet Member 240>> A storage method of sheet member 240 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 10 to 12. Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a storage method of second design sheet 242 and third design sheet 243 according to this embodiment. Note that Fig. 10 shows a state in which the transparent cover 230 of the storage unit 200 has been removed. Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating a storage method of first design sheet 241 according to this embodiment. Fig. 12 is a diagram illustrating the storage state of sheet member 240 according to this embodiment.

[0075] <Second Design Sheet 242> As shown in the enlarged view A in FIG. 10, the second design sheet 242 has a plurality of first locking holes 242uh penetrating the second design sheet 242 at the upper end.

[0076] In this embodiment, the first locking holes 242uh are rectangular holes that are elongated horizontally and are provided at equal intervals in the left-right direction to match the width of the second design sheet 242.

[0077] 10, the second design sheet 242 has a plurality of second locking holes 242dh penetrating the second design sheet 242 at its lower end.

[0078] In this embodiment, the second locking holes 242dh are rectangular holes that are elongated vertically and are provided at equal intervals in the left-right direction to match the width of the second design sheet 242.

[0079] As shown in the enlarged view A of FIG. 10, the base portion 210 has a plurality of first locking pieces 212 at its upper end portion.

[0080] In this embodiment, the first locking pieces 212 are plate-shaped hooks that are gently inclined upward in the vertical direction, and are arranged at equal intervals in the horizontal direction to correspond to each of the first locking holes 242uh that the second design sheet 242 has.

[0081] 10, the base portion 210 has a plurality of second locking pieces 213 at positions that correspond to the vertical width of the second design sheet 242. As shown in the enlarged view B of FIG.

[0082] In this embodiment, the second locking pieces 213 are L-shaped hooks bent vertically upward in the up-down direction, and are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction to correspond to each of the first locking holes 242uh of the second design sheet 242.

[0083] A seller (e.g., a store staff member) can hang the second design sheet 242 inside the storage section 200 by sequentially inserting the first locking pieces 212 of the base section 210 into each of the first locking holes 242uh of the second design sheet 242 with the surface of the second design sheet 242 facing backward.

[0084] Then, by sequentially inserting the second locking pieces 213 of the base portion 210 into each of the second locking holes 242dh of the second design sheet 242, the second design sheet 242 can be fixed in a hanging state inside the storage portion 200.

[0085] <First Design Sheet 241> As shown in FIG. 11, the first design sheet 241 has a plurality of first through-holes 241uh penetrating the first design sheet 241 at the upper end.

[0086] The first through-holes 241uh in this embodiment are round holes that are provided at equal intervals in the left-right direction to match the width of the first design sheet 241.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 11, the first design sheet 241 also has a plurality of second through-holes 241dh penetrating the first design sheet 241 at its lower end.

[0088] In this embodiment, the second locking holes 242dh are round holes that are provided at equal intervals in the left-right direction to match the width of the first design sheet 241.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 11, the central panel 231 of the transparent cover 230 has a plurality of third through-holes 234 penetrating the central panel 231 at the upper end.

[0090] The third through holes 234 in this embodiment are round holes with a larger diameter than the first through holes 241uh of the first design sheet 241, and are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction to correspond to each of the first through holes 241uh.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 11, the central panel 231 of the transparent cover 230 has a plurality of fourth through-holes 235 penetrating the central panel 231 at the bottom end.

[0092] The fourth through holes 235 in this embodiment are circular holes with a larger diameter than the second through holes 241dh of the first design sheet 241, and are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction to correspond to each of the second through holes 241dh.

[0093] A seller (e.g., a store staff member) can place the surface of the first design sheet 241 in contact with the back surface of the central panel 231, and then insert a screw member as a fastening member from the rear in the front-to-rear direction into the third through hole 234 of the central panel 231, the first through hole 241uh of the first design sheet 241, and the washer in that order, and then screw the screw member into a nut to fix the upper end of the first design sheet 241 to the upper end of the central panel 231.

[0094] Then, a screw member serving as a fastening member is inserted from the rear in the fore-and-aft direction into the fourth through hole 235 of the central panel 231, the second through hole 241dh of the first design sheet 241, and the washer in that order, and the screw member is screwed into a nut to fix the lower end of the first design sheet 241 to the lower end of the central panel 231.

[0095] By attaching the transparent cover 230, in which the first design sheet 241 and central panel 231 are integrated in this manner, to the base portion 210, the first design sheet 241 can be stored inside the storage portion 200 without leaving any gap between the transparent cover 230 and the first design sheet 241, as shown in Figure 12.

[0096] By integrating them in this manner, the first design sheet 241 can be stored in the storage section 200 while suppressing wrinkles and distortions. As a result, it is possible to prevent external light from being diffusely reflected by the first design sheet 241, thereby preventing the second design sheet 242 and the third design sheet 243 from becoming difficult to see. The first design sheet 241 may also be attached so as to be in close contact with the central panel 231.

[0097] <Third design sheet 243> Similar to the second design sheet 242, the third design sheet 243 also has a plurality of first locking holes and a plurality of second locking holes formed at the top and bottom ends. Therefore, the third design sheet 243 can be stored inside the storage section 200 in the same manner as the second design sheet 242.

[0098] On the other hand, in addition to the first locking piece 212 and the second locking piece 213 for storing the second design sheet 242 in a suspended state inside the storage section 200, the base section 210 is formed with a first locking piece 212 and a second locking piece 213 for storing the third design sheet 243 in a suspended state inside the storage section 200.

[0099] In the base portion 210 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, a first locking piece 212 for use with the second design sheet 242 and a first locking piece 212 for use with the third design sheet 243 are arranged with a predetermined distance between them in the front-to-back direction.

[0100] Similarly, a second locking piece 213 for use with the second design sheet 242 and a second locking piece 213 for use with the third design sheet 243 are arranged with a predetermined distance between them in the front-to-back direction.

[0101] 12, a gap can be formed between the second design sheet 242 and the third design sheet 243, allowing these sheets to be stored inside the storage section 200. Gaps can also be formed between the first design sheet 241 (transparent cover 230) and the second design sheet 242, and between the third design sheet 243 and the light-emitting section 220.

[0102] Thus, according to the storage section 200 of this embodiment, the first design sheet 241, the second design sheet 242, and the third design sheet 243 are overlapped to form a multi-layered sheet member 240 that can be made to appear three-dimensional, making it possible to effectively convey a message while making a visual impact on the user from the outside about the inside of the storage section 200.

[0103] ===Other Embodiments=== The above embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and equivalents thereof are also included in the present invention. In particular, the embodiments described below are also included in the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be configured by appropriately combining the above embodiments with the embodiments described below.

[0104] Furthermore, various inventions can be constructed by appropriately combining the multiple invention-specifying matters disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, an invention may be constructed by deleting some of the invention-specifying matters from all of the invention-specifying matters disclosed in the above embodiments, or an invention may be constructed by appropriately combining all of the invention-specifying matters disclosed in the above embodiments with the invention-specifying matters disclosed in the embodiments described below.

[0105] Furthermore, although the present invention is described using claims that alternatively cite two or more other claims (referred to as "multiple claims") in the claims of this application, this is not limited to this. For example, the present invention also includes claims that cite at least one of the multiple claims described in the claims of this application (referred to as "multiple multiple claims").

[0106] <Light-Emitting Section> In the above embodiment, the light-emitting section 220 including the light-emitting unit 221 configured by arranging a plurality of LEDs in a straight line has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the plurality of LEDs may be arranged in a curved line or in a circular line.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the light-emitting section 220 may be configured to be able to emit light individually on a unit basis. For example, by sequentially emitting light from a plurality of light-emitting units 221, it is possible to express a dynamic design.

[0108] In the above embodiment, in addition to the light emitting pattern in which the light emitting unit 220 is constantly lit as a backlight, a light emitting pattern in which the light emitting unit 220 blinks at predetermined time intervals may be used. In addition to the light emitting pattern in which the light emitting unit 220 is constantly lit in white as a backlight, a light emitting pattern in which the light emitting unit 220 is lit or blinks in an emission color other than white may be used.

[0109] <Storage Unit> In the above embodiment, the storage unit 200 is provided on the rear surface (back face) of the product vending device 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the storage unit 200 may be provided on the front surface (front face) of the product vending device 1, or on a side surface of the product vending device 1. In other words, the storage unit 200 may be provided on the entire surface of at least one of the front, rear, and side surfaces of the product vending device 1.

[0110] In the above embodiment, the storage unit 200 is provided on the entire back surface (front surface) of the product vending device 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the storage unit 200 may be provided on a portion of the front surface of the product vending device 1.

[0111] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the storage unit 200 is described as having the light-emitting unit 220 that functions as a backlight, but it is also possible to configure the storage unit 200 without having the light-emitting unit 220.

[0112] <Transparent Cover> In the above embodiment, the transparent cover 230 is configured by connecting the center panel 231, the right panel 232, and the left panel 233. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the transparent cover may be integrally molded so as not to be separated into multiple panels.

[0113] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which the transparent cover 230 is made up of multiple panels divided in the vertical direction (vertical direction), but it may also be made up of multiple panels divided in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction).

[0114] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which the transparent cover 230 is made up of multiple panels divided into three parts, but it may also be made up of multiple panels divided into two parts, or multiple panels divided into four or more parts.

[0115] In the above embodiment, the transparent cover 230 is formed of a transparent material, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, only the central panel 231 may be formed of a transparent material, or at least one of the right panel 232 and the left panel 233 may be formed of an opaque material (such as metal or opaque resin).

[0116] In the above embodiment, a flat sheet member has been described as an example of an information transmission medium, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a molded product having a three-dimensional shape may be used as the information transmission medium, or a sheet member having a concave-convex shape on a part or all of it may be used as the information transmission medium.

[0117] <Sheet Member> In the above embodiment, the sheet member 240 is described as an example in which three design sheets, namely, the first design sheet 241, the second design sheet 242, and the third design sheet 243, are stacked one on top of the other. However, the sheet member 240 may be a sheet member in which two design sheets are stacked one on top of the other, or a sheet member in which four or more design sheets are stacked one on top of the other. In this case, the design sheet closest to the light-emitting unit 220 may be formed from an opaque sheet, and the other design sheets may be formed from transparent sheets. Alternatively, a single design sheet may be used as the sheet member 240. In this case, the storage unit 200 may be configured so that the internal storage space is as thin as possible.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the first design sheet 241, the second design sheet 242, and the third design sheet 243 may all be the same size, or may be partially different sizes, or may all be different sizes. For example, the vertical width of the second design sheet 242 may be half the vertical width of the third design sheet 243, and the vertical width of the first design sheet 241 may be one-quarter the vertical width of the third design sheet 243.

[0119] Furthermore, while the above embodiment has been described using a rectangular design sheet as an example, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, square, trapezoidal, polygonal (e.g., triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.), circular, elliptical, star-shaped, heart-shaped, etc. design sheets may be used. Furthermore, for example, the design sheet may have a shape in which a portion (e.g., a transparent or opaque portion) is cut out, or a portion (e.g., a transparent or opaque portion) is notched out.

[0120] In the above embodiment, a photo sticker using a user's photographed image is described as an example of a product, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a key holder, a toy, a stationery item, an accessory, clothing, etc. using a user's photographed image may be sold as a product.

[0121] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Merchandise vending device 100 Merchandise production section 110 Photography section 111 Camera 112 Strobe 113 Illumination light 114 Mirror 120 Operation section 121 Photography operation section 122 Editing operation section 130 Image display section 140 Printing section 141 Discharge port 150 Guidance section 151 Guidance display section 152 Fee detection section 160 Audio output section 170 Control section 171 Photography control section 172 Editing control section 180 Memory section 200 Storage section 210 Base section 211 Notice section 212 First locking piece 213 Second locking piece 220 Light emitting section 221 Light emitting unit 230 Transparent cover 231 Central panel 232 Right panel 233 Left panel 234 Third through hole 235 Fourth through hole 240 Sheet member 241 First design sheet 241a Color area 241uh First through hole 241dh Second through hole 242 Second design sheet 242a Color area 242uh First locking hole 242dh Second locking hole 243 Third design sheet 243a Color area 243b Color area

Claims

1. A product sales device that sells photo stickers to users as products, comprising: a product production unit that produces photo stickers by taking a photo of the user, generating an image by editing the photo image based on the user's editing operations, and printing the edited image on a sticker mount; and a storage unit provided on at least one of the front, back, and side of the product sales device, which stores information transmission media related to at least one of the photo stickers and the product sales device inside and is configured to allow the information transmission media to be viewed from the outside.

2. The product vending device according to claim 1, wherein the storage section is provided on the entire surface of at least one of the front, back, and side surfaces of the product vending device.

3. The product sales device according to claim 1, wherein the information transmission medium is a sheet member that functions as a poster and is designed using at least one of characters, figures, pictures, illustrations, and photographs.

4. The product sales device according to claim 3, wherein the sheet member has a plurality of design sheets each having a different design.

5. A product sales device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the storage unit has a transparent cover for making the information transmission medium inside visible from the outside, and a light-emitting unit that is arranged opposite the transparent cover and emits light toward the transparent cover, and is configured to be able to store the information transmission medium between the transparent cover and the light-emitting unit.

6. A product sales device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage section has a transparent cover that makes the sheet material inside visible from the outside, and a light-emitting section that is arranged opposite the transparent cover and emits light toward the transparent cover, and is configured to be able to store a first design sheet and a second design sheet of at least two design sheets that the sheet material has, arranged in that order in the direction from the transparent cover toward the light-emitting section, and is configured to be able to store the first design sheet and the second design sheet with a gap between them and between the second design sheet and the light-emitting section.

7. The product sales device according to claim 6, wherein the transparent cover and the first design sheet are configured to accommodate the first design sheet without any gap between them.

8. A product sales device as described in claim 6, wherein the first design sheet is stored in the storage section by being attached to the transparent cover, and the second design sheet is stored in a state where it is suspended from a locking piece of the storage section.

9. The product sales device described in claim 3, wherein the storage section has a transparent cover that makes the sheet material inside visible from the outside, and a light-emitting section that is arranged opposite the transparent cover and emits light toward the transparent cover, and is configured to be able to store the first design sheet, second design sheet, and third design sheet of the sheet material arranged in that order in the direction from the transparent cover toward the light-emitting section, and is configured to be able to store the first design sheet and the second design sheet, between the second design sheet and the third design sheet, and between the third design sheet and the light-emitting section, respectively, and the third design sheet is formed from an opaque sheet and has a color area with a design applied to it, and the second design sheet is formed from a transparent sheet and has a color area with a design applied to it, and of the color areas of the third design sheet, the color areas that correspond to the color areas of the second design sheet are made white.

10. The product sales device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the product production unit has: a photography control unit that generates a photographed image of the user as the subject; an image display unit that displays the photographed image; an editing operation unit that allows the user to perform editing operations on the photographed image; an editing control unit that generates an edited image edited using the photographed image based on the editing operations of the user; and a printing unit that prints the edited image on a sticker sheet.

11. A product sales device as described in claim 5, wherein the transparent cover is constructed by connecting a central panel, a left panel to the left of the central panel, and a right panel to the right of the central panel, and is configured so that the boundary position between the central panel and the left panel and the boundary position between the central panel and the right panel do not overlap with the center position of the information transmission medium contained in the container section.

12. The product sales device according to claim 5, wherein the light-emitting section is configured by arranging a plurality of light-emitting units, each of which is made up of a plurality of LEDs, in a predetermined direction, and each unit is configured to be able to emit light individually.

13. The product sales device according to claim 5, wherein the corners of the transparent cover are formed by transparent members having an L-shaped cross section.

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