Drum type vending machine
AssigneeCrane Co.
InventorsJames B. Prichard, Mark R. Henning, Douglas M. Mingo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Trays within a given level of a drum-type vending machine form individual zones, and may be further subdivided into additional individual zones, for which pricing may be separately specified. A vend door for the corresponding level is constrained to allow access to a given zone upon payment of the appropriate amount. More levels and greater flexibility in pricing and product selection are thus enabled, together with greater control over vending operations.
Claims20
A drum-type merchandising system comprising:
- at least one tray including one or more mounting supports for mounting the tray on a support within a drum type vending machine, the tray logically divided into a plurality of tray zones,
- wherein the tray includes at least one of a slot or a guide selectively receiving a tray subdivider separating one tray zone from another.
A method of operating a drum-type merchandising system comprising:
- logically dividing, into a plurality of tray zones, at least one tray including one or more mounting supports for mounting the tray on a support within a drum type vending machine;
- and
- separating one tray zone from another with a tray subdivider selectively received by at least one of a slot or a guide on the tray.
A drum-type merchandising system comprising:
- an enclosure around at least a portion of a drum perimeter;
- a center support member within the enclosure;
- at least one tray mounted on the center support member at each of a plurality of different levels;
- each tray logically divided into a plurality of tray zones;
- at least one tray subdivider received by at least one of a slot or a guide on at least one of the trays, the tray subdivider separating one tray zone on the at least one of the trays from another;
- and
- a vend door disposed proximate to an opening through the enclosure at each of the different levels, each vend door corresponding to the at least one of the trays having a tray subdivider selectively movable between an open position and a closed position,
- wherein the vend door, when in an open position, and the tray subdivider permit access to only one tray zone on a corresponding tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.