US 5,042,686 AGranted

Device for dispensing goods and use thereof

OwnerAndre Stuckiinventor

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Abstract

The device has a column-shaped housing (1) in which there is located a storage magazine (7) for goods (8) offered, a goods chute (2) for dispensing and depositing the goods, electromechanical means (9a-9c) for transporting the goods between storage magazine and goods chute, as well as a control device (10) formed by a computer. There are provided on the housing, accessible from the outside, an operating panel with a keypad (3) and a display (4) and also a magnetic card reader/recorder (6). Implemented by means of software in the computer are a user access control and registration system, a goods storage management system and a customer accounting system. The device is designed so that it can both dispense goods selected via the operating panel and take back corresponding goods again, the movements of goods being automatically registered in a user-specific manner. The device can thus be employed as a goods rental machine, especially for videocassettes or the like.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A device for dispensing goods, comprising:

a housing;
a goods storage carousel magazine contained in the housing and holding a plurality of goods;
a goods output opening in the housing;
an electronically controllable goods transport means for transporting the goods from the goods storage carousel magazine to the goods output opening;
an operating panel means operatable by a customer for selecting a desired one of the plurality of goods;
a control device interacting with the operating panel means and controlling the goods transport means to transport the desired one of the plurality of goods;
said goods storage carousel magazine having a plurality of goods storage cells being arranged along a helix, each storage cell holding one of said plurality of goods;
said goods storage carousel magazine comprising a helically wound web and a plurality of modular holding elements secured between individual windings of said web, wherein adjacent ones of said modular holding elements cooperate with said individual windings to form said storage cells;
said goods storage carousel magazine being rotatable about a vertical axis and adjustable with regard to height along the vertical axis;
and
a control means interacting with said operating panel for rotating and adjusting said goods storage carousel magazine so as to locate the storage cell of the selected one of the plurality of goods in register with the goods output opening;
wherein said goods storage carousel magazine is rotatably and height adjustably driven by a single motor.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/379,772Filed 14 Jul 1989
Priority: CH 02816/8823 Jul 1988
Granted: 27 Aug 1991
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G07F 11/56
About vertical axes: the storage containers or supports both rotating and moving axially
G07F 7/069
By returnable containers , i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value,…:…
G07F 9/10
Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus: casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling
G07F 11/54
The storage containers or supports being rotatably mounted: about vertical axes