US 2004/0104239 A1Published application

Vending machine dispensing system

AssigneeDixie-Narco, Inc.

InventorsTalbert James Black JR., Thomas Roger Meinardi, Edmund Scott Richardson, Terring M. Ware

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A dispensing system for a vending machine includes a vend motor, a cradle, a load bar and a push arm. Upon selection of a particular product, the vend motor rotates the cradle, causing the product to emerge from the vending machine. The cradle is designed to accommodate a wide array of container sizes. The dispensing system incorporates a rotation sensor, a position sensor, and a lift arm. The sensors enable accurate rotation of the cradle through a plurality of vend angles depending upon the particular product being vended, while the lift arm cooperates with the push arm and load bar to refill the cradle after a series of product containers have been dispensed. In addition, the vend motor includes a soft start control that prevents instantaneous rotation of the output shaft so as to prolong an overall operational life of the motor.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A vending machine comprising:

a cabinet frame including top, bottom, side and rear walls that collectively define a central cavity;
a plurality of column walls positioned in the central cavity to define a plurality of stack areas, each of the plurality of stack areas being adapted to receive an associated plurality of product containers;
a door having an opening, said door being pivotally mounted to the cabinet frame to enable selective access to the central cavity in order to permit loading of product containers in the plurality of stack areas;
a product delivery chute arranged below the plurality of stack areas, said product delivery chute being adapted to conduct a selected one of the plurality of product containers to the opening in the door;
and
a dispensing system arranged between the plurality of stack areas and the product delivery chute, said dispensing system including:
a vend motor assembly including a vend motor, a motor shaft, a rotation sensor, a position sensor, a controller operatively connected to both the rotation sensor and the position sensor, and a cam member connected to the motor shaft, said controller operating the vend motor through a pulse width modulated signal to provide a soft start wherein a speed of the motor shaft is gradually increased upon activation of the vend motor;
a cradle member for supporting at least one of the plurality of product containers prior to a vend operation, said cradle member including a first end operatively connected to the motor shaft, a second end rotatably supported in the central cavity, and an intermediate portion, wherein rotation of the cradle member is regulated by the controller based on signals from the rotation and position sensors such that the cradle member is rotated to within ⅓° of a desired vend angle during a vending operation;
a load bar mounted for pivotal movement relative to the cradle member, said load bar being movable between a first position wherein the load bar supports the plurality of product containers, and a second position wherein the load bar releases at least one of the plurality of containers into the cradle member;
and
a push arm operatively connected between the vend motor assembly and the load bar, said push arm being adapted to be shifted upon rotation of the motor shaft to selectively move the load bar between the first and second positions in order to replenish the products contained in the cradle member.

8 more elements

A vending machine comprising:

a cabinet frame including top, bottom, side and rear walls that collectively define a central cavity;
a plurality of column walls positioned in the central cavity to define a plurality of stack areas, each of the plurality of stack areas being adapted to receive an associated plurality of product containers;
a door having an opening, said door being pivotally mounted to the cabinet frame to enable selective access to the central cavity in order to permit loading of product containers in the plurality of stack areas;
a product delivery chute arranged below the plurality of stack areas, said product delivery chute being adapted to conduct a selected one of the plurality of product containers to the opening in the door;
and
a dispensing system arranged between the plurality of stack areas and the product delivery chute, said dispensing system including:
a vend motor assembly;
a cradle member for supporting at least one of the plurality of product containers prior to a vend operation, said cradle member including a first end operatively connected to the motor shaft, a second end rotatably supported in the central cavity and an intermediate portion;
a load bar mounted for pivotal movement relative to the cradle, said load bar being movable between a first position wherein the load bar supports the plurality of product containers, and a second position wherein the load bar releases at least one of the plurality of container into the cradle;
and
a push arm operatively connected between the vend motor assembly and the load bar, said push arm being adapted to be shifted upon rotation of the motor shaft to selectively move the load bar between the first and second positions in order to enable replenishing of products contained on the cradle member.

8 more elements

A vending machine comprising:

a cabinet frame including top, bottom, side and rear walls that collectively define a central cavity;
a plurality of column walls positioned in the central cavity to define a plurality of stack areas, each of the plurality of stack areas being adapted to receive an associated plurality of product containers;
a door having an opening, said door being pivotally mounted to the cabinet frame to enable selective access to the central cavity in order to permit loading of product containers in the plurality of stack areas;
a product delivery chute arranged below the plurality of stack areas, said product delivery chute being adapted to conduct a selected one of the plurality of product containers to the opening in the door;
and
a dispensing system arranged between the plurality of stack areas and the product delivery chute, said dispensing system including:
a vend motor assembly including a vend motor, a motor shaft, a rotation sensor, a position sensor, and a controller operatively connected to both the rotation sensor and the position sensor;
and
a cradle member for supporting at least one of the plurality of product containers prior to a vend operation, said cradle member including a first end operatively connected to the motor shaft, a second end rotatably supported in the central cavity, and an intermediate portion, wherein rotation of the cradle member is regulated by the controller based on signals from the rotation and position sensors such that the cradle member is rotated to within ⅓° of a desired vend angle during a vending operation.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/678,154Filed 6 Oct 2003
Priority: 4 Oct 2002
Published: 3 Jun 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G07F 11/04
From non-movable magazines: in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
G07F 11/10
In which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other: two or more magazines having a common delivery chute
G07F 11/16
In which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other: delivery means
G07F
Coin-freed or like apparatus

Family

Application60/415,761Us provisional application · filed 4 Oct 2002
Application60/415,767Us provisional application · filed 4 Oct 2002
Application60/415,773Us provisional application · filed 4 Oct 2002
US 7,401,710 B2Related patent
US 2004/0104239 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.