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US RE42,280 E1Granted
Bun dispensing device for hot dog dispensing machine
AssigneeLHD Vending Systems Inc.
InventorsLeonid Leykin, Aleksandr Kofman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bun dispensing device for a hot dog dispensing machine operative for dispensing buns from a bun containing element which includes a plurality of individual bun containers and a common film to which the bun containers are releasably attached one after the other, the device has a unit for pulling the bun containing element, a unit for separating the bun containers with buns accommodated therein from the film of the bun containing element and located upstream of the pulling a unit, and a unit for guiding the bun containing element and located upstream of the separating unit, the separating unit being formed so that each of the bun containers with the bun accommodated therein is individually separated from the film under the action of the separating unit.
Claims29
A bun dispensing device for a hot dog dispensing machine operative for dispensing buns from a bun containing element which includes a plurality of individual bun containers and a common film to which the bun containers are releasably attached one after the other , the device comprising
- pulling means for pulling the bun containing element, the bun containing element including a plurality of bun containers each having a bun accommodated therein and a common film to which the bun containers are releasably attached, such that the common film seals an opening of each bun container when the bun container is attached to the film;
- separating means for separating the bun containers with buns accommodated therein from the film of the bun containing element and located upstream of said pulling means, said separating means being formed so that each of the bun containers with the bun accommodated therein is individually separated from the film under the action of said separating means;
- and
- guiding means for guiding the bun containing element and located upstream of said separating means, said separating means being formed so that each of the bun containers with the bun accommodated therein is individually separated from the film under the action of said separating means ;
- wherein said separating means includes a first element having an edge over which the film passes and a second element spaced apart from the first element so as to form a gap through which the film of the bun containing element passes, the second element having a surface in a substantially planar relationship to a portion of the first element adjacent to the edge, the first element and the second element being arranged so that during pulling of the bun containing element by said pulling means only the film passes through said gap and a respective one of the bun containers is separated from the film such that the opening of the bun container sealed by the film is unsealed and such that the bun container is spaced apart and disconnected from other bun containers, the edge of the separating means being located at a point at which film is separated from the bun container;
- and
- wherein the pulling means and the guiding means are arranged such that the film changes direction, and each bun container is below the film, at the point at which film is separated from the bun container.
4 more elements
A bun dispensing device, comprising:
- a guide for guiding a film having attached bun containers so as to seal an opening in each of the bun containers, the guide having an a guide edge;
- a bracket located adjacent the guide edge and having a bracket surface in a substantially planar relationship to a portion of the guide adjacent to the guide edge, wherein the bracket and the guide edge form a slot opening;
- and
- a film pulling mechanism for pulling the film through the slot opening, the film being pulled in a first direction by the film pulling mechanism prior to entering the slot opening, the film pulling mechanism being located downstream of the guide edge;
- wherein the film passes through the slot opening and about the guide edge, such that the film approximately reverses direction from the first direction, the guide edge being located at a point at which film is separated from the bun container and wherein the bracket separates each of the attached bun containers from the film so that the opening of each of the containers is unsealed and the bun container is spaced apart and disconnected from other bun containers;
- and
- wherein the film pulling mechanism and the guide are arranged such that each bun container is below the film at the point at which film is separated from the bun container.
4 more elements
A bun dispensing device, comprising:
- a guide for guiding a film having attached bun containers, the guide having an edge;
- a film pulling mechanism for pulling the film past the guide;
- and
- a bun guide for guiding the attached bun containers;
- wherein the film and the attached bun containers slidably pass the bun guide in a first direction;
- wherein the film passes the guide edge, such that the film approximately reverses direction from the first direction, and wherein the guide separates each of the attached bun containers from the film.
3 more elements
A bun dispensing device, comprising:
- a guide for guiding a film having attached bun containers, the guide having an a guide edge, the containers each having an opening sealed by the film;
- a bracket located adjacent the guide edge, wherein the bracket and the guide edge form a slot opening, the bracket having a surface in a substantially planar relationship to a portion of the guide adjacent to the guide edge;
- a film pulling mechanism for pulling the film through the slot opening, the film pulling mechanism being located downstream of the guiding edge;
- and
- a bun guide for guiding the film and the attached bun containers;
- wherein the film and the attached bun containers are pulled slidably pass past the bun guide in a first direction by the film pulling mechanism;
- wherein the film passes through the slot opening, such that the film approximately reverses direction from the first direction, ;
- and
- wherein the bracket separates each of the attached bun containers from the film such that the bun containers are unsealed and are spaced apart and disconnected from other bun containers, the guide edge being located at a point at which film is separated from the bun container;
- and
- wherein the film pulling mechanism and the bun guide are arranged such that each bun container is below the film at the point at which film is separated from the bun container.
8 more elements
A bun dispenser, comprising:
- a housing containing a film guide having a first side, a second side, and an edge, the film guide having a roller opening;
- a first roller disposed in the housing adjacent the roller opening on the first side of the film guide;
- a second roller abutting the first roller, the second roller being disposed in the housing adjacent the roller opening on the second side of the film guide;
- a motor for rotatably driving the first roller;
- a bracket located adjacent the edge of the film guide, such that a slot is formed between the edge of the film guide and the bracket, the bracket having a bracket surface in a substantially planar relationship to a portion of the film guide adjacent to the edge of the film guide;
- a bun guide located on the second side of the film guide;
- and
- a film with attached bun containers, the film and attached bun containers having an opening sealed by the film, the film and attached bun containers slidably passing the bun guide, ;
- wherein the film and bun containers travel approximately parallel to the film guide adjacent the slot;
- wherein the film passes through the slot and between the first roller and the second roller;
- wherein the rotating of the first roller pulls the film through the slot;
- and
- wherein the film passing through the slot separates each of the attached bun containers from the film such that each bun container is unsealed and is spaced apart and disconnected from other bun containers, the edge of the file guide being located at a point at which the film separates from the bun containers;
- and
- wherein the first and second rollers and the guide are arranged such that each bun container is below the film at the point at which film is separated from the bun container.
12 more elements
A method for dispensing buns, comprising:
- pulling a film, the film including a first film portion having no attached bun containers and a second film portion having attached bun containers, each of the containers having an opening sealed by the film, the second film portion being contiguous with the first film portion, wherein the first film portion is pulled in a first direction and the second film portion is pulled in a second direction;
- passing the first film portion past a guide edge of a film guide;
- the guide edge generally reversing direction of pull of the film, such that the first direction is generally opposite the second direction, wherein each of the attached bun containers in the second film portion is pulled toward the guide edge, the guide edge being located adjacent a bracket, the bracket having a bracket surface in a substantially planar relationship to a portion of the film guide adjacent to the guide edge;
- and
- separating each of the bun containers from the second film portion by pulling the film past the guide edge and the adjacent bracket such that the bun container is unsealed and is spaced apart and disconnected from other bun containers, the guide edge being located at a point at which the film and the bun container are separated;
- and
- halting the film for a predetermined period of time after each bun container is separated from the second film portion;
- wherein the film is pulled past the guide edge such that each bun container is below the film at the point at which film is separated from the bun container.
5 more elements
A method for dispensing buns, comprising:
- pulling a film, the film including a first film portion having no attached bun containers and a second film portion having attached bun containers, each of the containers having an opening sealed by the film, the second film portion being contiguous with the first film portion, wherein the first film portion is pulled in a first direction and the second film portion is pulled in a second direction;
- passing the first film portion past a guide edge of a film guide;
- the guide edge generally reversing direction of pull of the film, such that the first direction is generally opposite the second direction, wherein each of the attached bun containers in the second film portion is pulled toward the guide edge, the guide edge being located adjacent a bracket the bracket having a bracket surface in a substantially planar relationship to a portion of the film guide adjacent to the guide edge;
- and
- separating each of the bun containers from the second film portion by pulling the film past the guide edge and the adjacent bracket such that the bun container is unsealed and is spaced apart and disconnected from other bun containers, the guide edge being located at a point at which the film and the bun container are separated;
- wherein the film is pulled past the guide edge such that each bun container is below the film at the point at which film is separated from the bun container.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.