Oven door for a vending machine
AssigneeAutomated Retail Technologies, LLC
InventorsJames Edward Deaton, Linda H. Wu, John C. Serieka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vending machine adapted for dispensing at least one pre-packaged food product includes a microwave oven. The microwave oven includes a magnetron that emits microwave electromagnetic radiation, a housing that defines a microwave cavity for receiving the food product. The housing defines a first opening to allow passage of the pre-packaged food product between outside of the microwave cavity and inside of the microwave cavity. The microwave oven also includes a first chain door that selectively covers the first opening so as to prevent the microwave electromagnetic radiation from escaping the housing through the first opening.
Claims5
A vending machine for dispensing a prepackaged food product, the vending machine comprising:
- a microwave oven including:
- a magnetron that emits microwave electromagnetic radiation;
- a housing for receiving the food product, the housing having a bottom wall defining a bottom opening to allow passage of the pre-packaged food product between outside of the microwave cavity and inside of the microwave cavity, the bottom wall defining a stepped interface at the bottom opening;
- and
- a platen that engates with the stepped interface of the bottom wall, the platen configured to support the pre-packaged food product and prevent the microwave electromagnetic radiation from escaping the housing through the bottom opening.
A method of dispensing a pre-packaged food product, comprising:
- selecting the pre-packaged food product from an inventory area;
- raising the selected pre-packaged food product on a platen through a first opening of a housing to a microwave cavity of the housing, the housing having a bottom wall defining the first opening and a stepped interface, the platen configured to engage the stepped interface;
- emitting microwave electromagnetic radiation to heat the pre-packaged food product;
- and
- preventing the microwave electromagnetic radiation from leaving the microwave cavity thought the first opening via the platen engaged with the stepped interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.