Back to results
US 6,547,096 B1Granted
Vending machine
OwnerMunroe Chirnomasinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present inventions relates generally to improvements in article handling, such as in vending machines, and more particularly, to improvements in methods and apparatus for handling articles using a vacuum-type product lifting/dispensing mechanism, to improvements in article display panels which enhance sales of primary products, and to improvements in product containment systems which improve product storage capacity, as well as the ease and efficiency of product handling, access and loading into the article handling apparatus.
Claims25
An article retrieving apparatus, comprising:
- a storage area for storing articles along at least one longitudinal axis;
- an article extracting device including a free end for selectively extracting an article from the storage area;
- a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axis in the storage area, said free end tending to rotate with respect to said storage area in response to its movement along the longitudinal axis;
- and
- wherein said article extracting device includes a rotational coupling associated therewith so as to prevent said rotation of the free end thereof during article extraction from said storage area.
2 more elements
An article dispensing apparatus, comprising:
- a storage area for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes in adjacently positioned, axially aligned, individual article storage bins;
- an article extracting device including a free end for selectively extracting an article from the storage volume;
- a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to control signals for positioning the free end of the device in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes;
- a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area;
- and
- user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to generate control signals for causing controlled movement of the article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage area and moved to a dispensing area of the dispensing apparatus;
- wherein said storage area includes a bin support device adapted to:
- be easily removable from the storage area, and
- embrace and group together a plurality of said article storage bins, said grouped article storage bins being simultaneously removable as a group from the storage area using the bin support device.
6 more elements
An article dispensing apparatus, comprising:
- a storage area (11) for storing articles along at least one longitudinal axis;
- an article extracting device (14) comprising an air hose (21,23,26) including a free end (28) for selectively extracting an article from the storage volume via suction in said hose created by a negative air pressure source (20) coupled to said air hose;
- a positioning mechanism (12) coupled to the air hose and responsive to control signals for positioning the free end thereof in alignment with a said longitudinal axis;
- a drive mechanism (190) coupled to said air hose for moving the free end thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axis in the storage area volume;
- and
- control apparatus for initiating an article dispensing operation, and generating control signals which are applied to said positioning mechanism and said drive mechanism for causing controlled movement of the article extracting device so that a selected article is extracted from the article storage area storage volume by the free end of said hose and moved to a position for dispensing said article;
- said control apparatus including a sensor for providing signals representative of changes in suction at the free end of said hose, said control system turning the negative air pressure source on before the free end of the hose comes into contact with an article to be extracted, and the sensor detecting a change in suction which occurs when the free end of the hose engages the article, said detected change in suction being used by said control apparatus as an indication of the occurrence of the free end of the hose making said contact to the article.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.