Vending machine and operation control method thereof
AssigneeSanden Corporation
InventorMasaru Ohkubo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vending machine has capabilities for moving an elevator and a product bucket so the product bucket faces a given product column containing products, then moving forward a conveyer belt of the given product column to carry a foremost product of the products placed in line on the conveyer belt into the product bucket. This vending machine has a product position adjustment apparatus for moving the conveyer belt of the given product column forward or backward to adjust a position of the front edge of a next foremost product on the conveyer belt to a given position after the foremost product in the given product column is carried into the product bucket.
Claims12
A vending machine comprising:
- a plurality of product columns each having a conveyer belt capable of moving forward and backward;
- a belt driving apparatus for moving the conveyer belt forward and backward;
- an elevator provided in front of the product columns and being capable of moving up and down;
- an elevator driving apparatus for moving the elevator up and down;
- a product bucket provided in the elevator and being capable of moving sideways;
- a bucket driving apparatus for moving the product bucket sideways;
- product carrying-out means for moving the elevator and the product bucket so the product bucket faces a given product column containing products and moving forward the conveyer belt of the given product column to carry a foremost product of the products placed in line on the conveyer belt into the product bucket;
- and
- product position adjustment means for moving the conveyer belt of the given product column forward or backward to adjust a position of the front edge of a next foremost product on the conveyer belt to a given position after the foremost product in the given product column is carried into the product bucket.
A method of controlling operation of a vending machine;
- the vending machine comprising a plurality of product columns each having a conveyer belt capable of moving forward and backward, a belt driving apparatus for moving the conveyer belt forward and backward, an elevator provided in front of the product columns and being capable of moving up and down, an elevator driving apparatus for moving the elevator up and down, a product bucket provided in the elevator and being capable of moving sideways, and a bucket driving apparatus for moving the product bucket sideways;
- said method comprising the steps of:
- moving the elevator and the product bucket so the product bucket faces a given product column containing products;
- moving forward the conveyer belt of the given product column to carry a foremost product of the products placed in line on the conveyer belt into the product bucket;
- and
- moving the conveyer belt of the given product column forward or backward to adjust a position of the front edge of a next foremost product on the conveyer belt to a given position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.