Method of sensing a delivered product in a snack vending machine
AssigneeCoin Acceptors, Inc.
InventorRonald A. Hoormann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dispensed product detection system and method for use in a vending machine where the products are hold on shelves and utilizing an optical light beam crossing the path through which a dispensed product travels.
Claims11
A vending machine comprising a product retrievable bin for the customer to access and retrieve delivered products, said retrievable bin having a upper side toward the inside of the vending machine that opens and allows a product to fall into the said customer retrievable bin, when a sensor detects that a product from the inside of the said vending machine had fallen on it.
A vending machine controller for a vending machine where products are located on spirals rotated by motors, and a sensor for detecting that said product has dropped into a customer accessible retrievable bin, activates the motor until receives a signal from that said product detection sensor and stops said motor if the rotation was more that 360 degrees.
A vending machine controller for a vending machine where products are located on spirals rotated by motors, and a sensor for detecting that said product has dropped into a customer accessible retrievable bin, activates the motor until receives a signal from that said product detection sensor and the rotation riches 360 degrees.
A vending machine controller for a vending machine controls the states of an optical sensor for detecting a product arrival at a location inside of that said vending machine such that the calibration mode and detection mode start when the power is turned on and continue one after the other until the product is detected by that said sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.