Patent Application
20140312051
The disclosure relates generally to a vending apparatus for vending consumable goods and for receiving emptied reusable containers for the consumable goods. More specifically, the disclosure relates to an apparatus for vending large volume water bottles and receiving emptied re-sanitizable and reusable bottles.
Potable, portable water has become an increasingly sought-after and common-place commodity by modern day consumers. Whether natural spring water, or purified and/or re-mineralized drinking water, to address varying consumer demands for convenience and availability, water vendors have developed a number of bottle sizes and approaches to dispense and to deliver water. One such approach described more fully below uses established food stores. e.g., supermarkets. wholesale and convenience stores, as well as other types of retail establishments, within which bottled water in varying sizes is normally offered on store shelves. A second approach is to offer larger 3, 4 and 5 gallon bottles, often stacked independently of the market's shelves due to their considerable weight, and later to normally be used with water coolers for dispensing.
For companies involved in the home and office water delivery business, competition with respect to price, service, contract terms, availability of product, consistency of product, permitting in and out of state, delivery expenses including the acquisition of, or lease of, government approved trucks, fuel costs, tolls, taxes, maintenance and repair, labor and labor related benefits all add considerably to the cost of the delivered water. Additional costs such as a sales force, bookkeeping department, plant inventory, delivered inventory, truck-loaded inventory and FIFO handling of product inventory, further add to the cost. Regional weather and security-related issues can affect deliveries to homes, offices and apartment buildings.
An additional problem is the use of rented water coolers. Companies providing on-site delivery services that rent coolers to their customers have to deal with repair and maintenance, cleaning, billing and collection of rental fees and access to gated communities and high-rise apartments.
A yet further set of issues with respect to the home/office delivery business concerns state permitting practices and procedures. States vary considerably in their permitting requirements such that one company may decide against doing business in certain states to avoid disparate permitting requirements.
Distribution of particular brands of water for home/office delivery may be further restricted by geographical considerations, such as distance from a bottling facility. Many homes and businesses may be outside the feasible mileage radius of the bottling plant to warrant delivery at a competitive or acceptable price. The end result is the delivery of bottles and coolers along with all the related costs creates a fractionalized cost model that requires high volume to achieve low margins.
Similar problems surface with the distribution of 3 and 5 gallon bottles through supermarket and wholesale club stores. “Centralizing” distribution does centralize costs and simplify bottle delivery and empty bottle pickup. It also reduces or eliminates many of the other problems associated with home/office delivery. Problems such as billing and collection, however, still remain, even though on a centralized, consolidated manner wherein the bottler invoices the supermarket and wholesale stores rather than invoice individual home and/or office customers. One solution to the invoicing issue is to rely on the retailer to electronically transfer funds directly and automatically. This has become increasingly popular with the advent of e-commerce.
In this particular model of distribution, the customers serve themselves and prepay for the bottled water products, and often prepay for the bottles as well, at a central location instead of being invoiced separately at dispersed locations for the delivered bottle water purchase and/or cooler rental. One of the drawbacks of this model is retailer control over hours of operation and location that limits customer access to water bottles.
As an added difficulty/inconvenience, the customer must carry/handle the product to a certain extent in order to get the 3, 4 or 5 gallon bottle to their vehicle from inside the store. Such purchases are often performed simultaneously with shopping for other items inside the store, (depending upon whether it's a grocer or retailer—this can be a significant limitation), that only adds to the inconvenience. And often times, this will result in a separate trip back and forth to the vehicle and back and forth to customer service to return empties, and in some cases, to receive a voucher, to stand in line in order to present to a cashier as a credit against the purchase of a new bottled water product and then again out to the vehicle (or continue to shop inside the store before travelling back to the vehicle). This can have the unfortunate effect of limiting sales brought about by the inconvenience inherent when large water bottles are purchased.
This model of distribution thus has significant temporal and convenience limitations as it relies entirely on the individual store hours and on the location(s) of the stores. A further inconvenience and limitation is based upon the location(s) inside stores where bottles are returned and where bottles are purchased and retrieved. Added to this is the common practice of using vouchers to confirm bottle returns for a return-bottle credit, which, if lost, or the receipt printer is out of order, cannot be used to obtain a credit against a subsequent purchase of a filled bottle.
A substantial reason why water bottles are sold in stores is due to the effect of climate and weather on water. If left exposed to the elements—even in sealed containers—water can freeze and/or overheat. In the alternative, even if the bottled water were to be stacked outside the store on the sidewalk (so to speak) for purchase, it would still have to be brought back into the store at closing to reduce the risk of theft and to prevent freezing in colder climates. By way of example, there can be as many as 75-100 bottles stacked on the shelves of wholesale clubs. If not left inside the store, but displayed for sale outside, the bottles would need to be taken in each and every night absent some form of security measure such as a security fence with a locked door/gate. It should come as no surprise that water bottles sold by wholesale clubs are more likely to sell than bottles from store racks/shelves inside the club facilities.
Not only does this model create extra effort and handling for the customer, just as importantly, it places a constant burden on the retailer as it can involve the ongoing and tedious tasks of price-labeling, of handling the piles of empties and of planning the use of valuable floor/shelf space in designated “water aisles” such as those found in a supermarket or a Wal-Mart store. The same burden is experienced when the bottles are placed on separate shelving or pallets in retail stores such as Home Depot, or Lowe's, or in food clubs such as B.J.'s Wholesale Club. Sam's Club, Costco, etc. These problems are exacerbated by the fact that these self-serve products weigh about 44.5 lbs. per five gallon bottle and about 25.5 lbs. per 3 gallon bottle. This creates significant handling logistics for both the consumer and the store. For example, a 3 gallon bottle typically takes up an 8″D-10-½″D×13″H space and an 11″D×20″H space for a 5 gallon bottle. Sales of, and even profits derived from, this product can sometimes be negated by the extra handling and “shelf-space” required, and the available interior floor space and location available.
Several other problems involving this distribution model are not readily apparent. For example, in the case of a grocery store, the customer must carry the 45 lb., 32 lb., or 25 lb. bottles around the store in a grocery cart, wait in line for a check-out clerk and then bring the bottle out to his or her vehicle, sometimes in inclement weather conditions and across a parking lot, to their parking space location that could be several hundred feet or yards away.
This scenario is equally relevant to wholesale and retail store locations and may be worse because the customer must park their car; bring any empties to the “customer service area” to redeem their deposit(s) and get a receipt; go to the cashier (wait in another line); pay for a new bottle(s) of water; go to the location where the 3's and 5's are kept; pick up the purchased bottles; place them in a basket carrier and then wheel them out to their vehicle, much the same as in the supermarket model. This is not the most customer friendly or convenient delivery model and again can stifle sales because many, if not most, shoppers at supermarkets are consumers doing their weekly shopping. In this scenario, buying drinking water in large quantities is not necessarily a “destination,” or “convenient purchase.”
In an improved form of distribution, 3, 4 and 5 gallon bottled water can be distributed during and outside normal business hours in a vending machine model designed to handle either the 3, 4 or 5 gallon sizes of bottled water and their similarly sized empty returns. This is accomplished by using a single apparatus, located outside a retailer's store on a sidewalk, “end-cap”, or some other similar, customer-friendly location where customers can drive up, buy and return their bottles (24/7) and leave. Alternatively, the customers can shop first if they choose, and then purchase their water on the way out of the store or simply come to the store location on their own schedule without having to interact with store personnel or be concerned with store hours.
In this novel distribution system, customers aren't reliant on retailers' hours of operation; both the bottle return and the purchase of the product are in the same apparatus; and retailers can offer guaranteed FDA and Board of Health approved products “packaged” and not delivered “bulk.” With use of Applicants' novel apparatus, customers don't have to bring their own “clean and sanitary” containers. The apparatus provides a cashless transaction that should reduce, if not eliminate theft because the apparatus is maintained in a closed condition 24/7 except during lawful purchase events. The apparatus further provides a convenient method of payment for the consumer because one of three or four methods of payment may be offered. If cash is preferable, the system can accept a prepaid water card, which can be purchased from the retailer associated with the apparatus. This method of payment is also compatible with retailers' cross-promotion activities such as discount programs where the customer can receive discounts off their purchase with the use of apparatus-recognized, retailer-approved coupons and/or retailer “advantage” cards, or even the use of RFID payment methods, or 2-D barcode for downloading coupons using new smartphone technologies.
The vending apparatus is configured to include lighting adequate to impart improved nighttime safety and appearance as well as improved customer-friendly operating features. As an example, the entire front of the machine and interior portion of the bottle well are illuminated with LED, energy saving lights. With applicants' novel apparatus, inventory re-supply can be maintained on an “on demand” basis as the apparatus includes wireless communication with the bottler and/or dispatch control center to report when the vending apparatus is low on inventory, or needs service. The apparatus software is further configured to allow manual input of inventory when loading the full bottles thereby creating an “Input” and “Output Sales” Inventory control. A “return bottle” well/window can, if need be, incorporate a vendor controlled reader for RFID or bar codes secured to the bottles and incorporating a Unique Identification Number (UID) acceptable only to that bottler's product bottles for the amount paid when first purchased. The machine and its individual major parts will be “serialized” using unique identification technology as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. RE 40,659 and RE 40,692
With the use of Applicants' novel apparatus, many unnecessary and unwanted business expenses and inconveniences are now eliminated as further explained in this disclosure. The apparatus may also include clear, multilingual signage and voice instructions to assist customers with their purchases unlike some other models of distribution. The need for bookkeeping is essentially eliminated due to the apparatus' wireless, gateway and other automated features for all parties concerned. The size and shape of the vendor machine is expandable or contractible with modular features that allow for customization based upon the location, and re-fill delivery costs.
There should be no building permits or other special permits/license fees required unlike some other types of vending and distribution apparatuses as Applicants' vending apparatus should meet all NAMA, ADA and U/L requirements. Although there are hundreds of various models and types of vending machines, almost all of those machines and kiosks sell “packaged/bottled” water or soft drinks and are “small pack” sizes, less than 3 gallon, and do not address the problems associated with selling larger 3 and 5 gallon size bottles.
Many currently available water vending machines are “unpackaged” bulk water vending machines that require the customer to bring their own “clean, sanitary containers”. These type machines are heavily regulated on an individual location basis and require, in many cases, both local and state permits and licenses from boards of health, plumbing, building and wiring inspectors as well as local water quality agencies such as the California Department of Health; the Rhode Island Board of Health; the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); the New York Department of Health; the Massachusetts Board of Health; the Licensing Board of Certified Operators. These requirements can vary greatly from state to state. The disclosed vending apparatus eliminates these requirements because all necessary permitting issues are already addressed before the product is loaded into a truck to deliver to the vending apparatuses at their retail location(s).
With respect to return bottles, in two currently used self-service vending systems, the “Return Bottle” area is located generally in a customer service area located as one enters the retail store where the “return” is either put in a designated “Return Bottle Area” (loose and unconstrained) or in a “Return Bottle” enclosed compartment that accepts all bottles from all vendors and prints a “refund” slip to be cashed in when purchasing a new filled bottle at a location elsewhere in the store. It falls to the customer to push a grocery cart with their bottled water—bottles which can weigh as much as 45 lbs. per 5 gallon bottle and more, depending on the number of bottles purchased and the style of bottle used—out to their vehicle located some distance from the store exit. The disclosed vending apparatus eliminates these inconveniences and problems almost entirely.
What is needed is an apparatus that accommodates large 3, 4 and/or 5 gallon bottles and allows for the return of emptied bottles and the purchase of filled bottles from the same apparatus. What is also needed is an apparatus that can execute a cashless retail sales transaction without the need for the presence of a merchant during normal business hours. These and other objects of the disclosure will become apparent from a reading of the following summary and detailed description of the disclosure as well as a review of the appended drawings.
Unless specified, as used herein, large-volume water bottles shall mean reusable bottles holding one or more gallons of fluid. Also as used herein, “water bottle” defines bottles containing water, or fluids other than water. In one aspect of the disclosure, a combination vending/return apparatus includes track assemblies with preset slopes configured to receive filled water bottles for vending and empty water bottle returns. The track assemblies are positioned adjacent to an elevator shaft that includes an elevator apparatus to move empty bottles to, and filled bottles from, the track assemblies.
A vending door with a central processor controlled lock system is positioned in a front wall of the vending apparatus at a height sufficient to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A shelf can be further included in proximity to the door to enhance the convenience of purchasing multiple bottles. A credit/debit/prepaid card acceptor connected either by Ethernet, landline or wireless connection using a credible wireless provider, e.g., Verizon® or AT&T®, provides a means for customers to make purchases and receive credits for returned bottles via an atypical credit card gateway, e.g., USA Technologies, etc. A completed electronic purchase transaction unlocks the vending door to permit the return of empty bottles and the retrieval of filled bottles. The system includes access to 24/7 service to accommodate any issues resulting from the purchase/return event.
In one aspect of the disclosure, the apparatus can include a double bottle retention gate subassembly comprising two retention gates. A first retention gate retains a lead-most filled bottle on a bottom track assembly. A second retention gate retains the remainder of the filled bottles on the combined track assemblies. The first retention gate is released to permit lead-most bottle migration onto an adjacent elevator. Once the first retention gate is returned to a bottle retention position, the second retention gate is opened to allow the previously second lead-most bottle to roll into the lead-most position behind the first retention gate. The spatial separation of the gates allows only one bottle to move to the lead-most position between the gates. The remaining bottles roll forward approximately one bottle width and remain registered against one another. Once the new lead-most bottle is registered against the first retention gate, and the remaining bottles are registered against one another including the new lead-most bottle, the second retention gate is lowered into the bottle retention position to arrest forward movement of the now second lead-most bottle.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a vending/return apparatus with a double elevator system allows the return of empty bottles and the purchase of filled bottles from the same vending machine access door. In a pre-transaction stage, the double elevator is positioned to align an upper return elevator with the access door. A lower vend elevator is positioned to permit a filled bottle to roll onto the elevator from a lower-most track assembly. A filled bottle may be resident on the lower vend elevator prior to the initiation of a vend/return transaction. During a vend/return transaction, a customer can initiate a transaction by making the appropriate selections on a human-interface control panel. If a return is being made, the customer will be able to open the access door and place an empty bottle on the return elevator. After bottle verification of the 3, 4 and/or 5 gallon bottles, depending on the type of bottles being vended, the double elevator is raised to position the vend elevator in alignment with the access door and the return elevator in a position to transfer the resident empty bottle to one of the track assemblies.
In a further aspect of the disclosure, the double elevator configuration may be configured to have multiple stops. In one embodiment, the return elevator is not positioned to permit transfer of a resident empty bottle when the lower vend elevator is positioned in alignment with the apparatus door. Once a purchased bottle is retrieved, the elevator is raised to align the upper return elevator with a top track assembly. As the elevator approaches the top track assembly, an extended, spring-supported segment of an articulated elevator bottle cradle assembly engages a leading edge of the top track assembly to arrest motion of the segment while the remainder of the cradle continues upwardly. This causes a side edge of the segment to cease elevating while the remainder of the segment and the elevator proceed in an upwardly direction. This causes the support springs to compress and the segment to rotate downwardly from its hinge anchor to form a ramp sloping downwardly toward the top track assembly. The resident empty bottle rolls off the elevator and onto the track assembly via gravity assist. Air operated, hydraulic and/or electric actuators are provided to move the double elevator among the various functional positions. As the elevator moves downward to its next position, the spring loaded segment returns to its original orientation ready to accept the next empty bottle.
In a still further aspect of the disclosure, the vending door may be configured as a hinged door with a processor-controlled door lock, or as a sliding door opened and closed with a processor-controlled linear actuator, belt driven activator and the like. The sliding door is secured in a door slot formed in a door frame and in an apparatus wall. The door configuration permits movement of the door to be controlled by the central processor to eliminate any manual customer control over the door function. These and other aspects and objects of the disclosure will become apparent from a review of the appended drawings and the detailed description below.
In one aspect of the disclosure as shown in
Apparatus 10 includes a series of spatially stacked track assemblies 42 (shown collectively as 40) used to hold filled and empty bottles. The track assemblies are alternately counter-sloped with radiused transitions 50 to permit bottle movement from a top-most track assembly to, directly or ultimately, a bottom-most track assembly depending upon the presence of intermediary track assemblies between the two extreme position assemblies. A pair of bottle retention gates, shown generally as 26 and 28, provides a means to hold and maintain bottles on the track assemblies and to allow for the controlled release of filled bottles onto a lower elevator 30. Elevator 30 is combined with an upper cradle-type elevator 32 to form a dual elevator shown generally as 90 that moves as a single unit. Lower elevator 30 is configured and dedicated to receive and deliver a filled water bottle from the lowest track assembly. The elevator is then elevated until aligned with a door shown generally as 34. A customer can then open door 34 and retrieve the filled bottle.
Upper elevator 32 is configured to receive an empty bottle when aligned with door 34. Elevator 32 is configured as a cradle to receive and secure an empty bottle for elevation to the top most track assembly 42. Once elevated to the top of the elevator's travel path, a cradle motor (not shown) is activated to rotate the cradle. This rotation urges the resident held empty bottle onto the topmost track assembly 42 for storage until retrieved by an apparatus attendant.
The exterior of the apparatus is constructed from sheets of steel, fiberglass or polymer materials as shown in
In one embodiment, an apparatus frame that may form the support structure for the apparatus includes vertical members 21 secured to cross members 15 and lateral members 13 that collectively form the frame. The exterior panels are secured to the frame with mechanical fasteners, adhesives, welding and the like. In another embodiment shown generally as 10″ (elements bearing primed reference character numbers correspond to elements bearing unprimed numbers) in
The interior surfaces of the exterior walls may be insulated with any of a variety of insulating materials such as fiberglass and rigid polymer materials to insulate apparatus 10. The apparatus is constructed to operate in temperature conditions from about −10° F. to about 132° F. The apparatus may be climate controlled with the application of air conditioners and/or heaters (depending on the local climate in which apparatus 10 is situated). Suitable heaters include heating appliances such as the PTC fan heaters from STEGO (Marietta Ga.). The heating and/or air conditioning units may have self-contained thermostats or standalone units connected to the processor/controller that can control air conditioning and/or heater operation. Units with self-contained thermostats can be self-controlled independent of the central processor/controller.
As shown in
To permit customer interaction with the vending apparatus, as shown particularly in
An optional “Welcome to Aqua Express” LED display 70 may also be incorporated into the apparatus proximate swipe slot 72 to indicate vendor identification. The LED display may also be configured to provide customers with visual prompts as disclosed more fully hereinbelow. Additional control buttons for transaction cancellation 76, yes responses 78 (to vend/return application initiated customer queries), and no responses 80 (for the same customer queries) are also included to provide user interface functionality. An application suitable to operate apparatus 10 with the disclosed control buttons is also disclosed in the '452 application and incorporated herein by reference.
Referring now to
The orientation of the slopes alternates by row with the topmost row, in one embodiment, sloped downwardly from left to right and the next row, or penultimate row to the top row, sloped downwardly from right to left. The alternating slope pattern is repeated for each successive row. As should be understood, the slope orientation for each row can be reversed to provide a vending apparatus with a topmost row sloping downwardly from right to left with a load and unload door on the right side of the apparatus.
Each track assembly may have a secondary slope and be sloped downwardly from front to back from about 2° to about 12°. Secondary slopes from about 4° to about 6° have proven to be particularly advantageous to maintain the bottles rolling about a center axis that remains substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of each track assembly as the bottles roll down the track assemblies.
Each track assembly 42 is formed from track sheets 46 secured to a track framework comprised of rails and cross bars. The track assemblies may also be structurally rigid and take the place of the rails and cross bars in one embodiment wherein the assemblies are attached directly to vertical frame elements of the apparatus. Alternatively, each track assembly may comprise a pair of substantially parallel rails. Each track assembly further includes a bottle bottom rail 48 and an optional neck rail 58, each positioned above the plane occupied by the track sheets or track assembly bottle supporting surface to guide and maintain the bottles on the track assemblies. The bottom rail is configured to contact the bottom surfaces of resident bottles. The neck rails are configured to contact the neck portions of resident bottles. The combination of the rails promotes bottle alignment as the bottles roll down the track assemblies and prevents bottle deviation and wracking on the track assemblies. Bottom rail 48 and neck rails 58 may be constructed from material with good lubricious characteristics, (e.g., polypropylene), to minimize friction when bottles roll along the track assembly.
Alternatively, rail 48 may be formed from steel (as shown in
A terminal end of each track assembly may be secured to an attachment rod 60. The ends of rod 60 are secured to vertical frame members on the front and back ends of the frame assembly. The round surface of rod 60 facilitates bottle advancement off the track assembly and onto the next lower track assembly or elevator as more fully disclosed below. Alternatively, the track assemblies may be secured directly to the vertical posts or the horizontal rails that comprise the frame assembly of the apparatus.
To transition bottles from the topmost row to the second row, a track assembly transition turn 50 is formed on, or secured to, an upper sloped end of the second track assembly 42. A top end of turn 50 extends above the downward sloped end of topmost track assembly 42 so as to receive bottles rolling off the lower end of the topmost track assembly. The radius of turn 50 is dimensioned to permit one to four bottles to fit within the turn at a given time. Turn 50 may also be formed with lubricous strips 50a (shown in
As shown more specifically in
Assembly 51 is secured to transition turn frame 56 via mounting pins 55 (secured in pin bores formed in the track assembly frame) that permit assembly 51 to rotate about the pins that collectively function as an axle and to permit the lever action of the arms. Back ends of the extension arms are secured to a cross bar 54 that may function as a counterweight to bring the extension arms back to a start position. Assembly 51 may also include a compression spring (not shown) to assist return of assembly 51 to a start position. Each extension arm freely rotates within a dedicated slot in turn 50. When the apparatus is filled with bottles-filled and/or empty-assembly 51 will be pushed down into the slots (so as not to prevent bottle advancement down the track assemblies) by a resident bottle until enough bottles are vended to disengage assembly 51 from any resident bottles and to permit assembly 51 to return to its start position.
The same sequence of components, upper track assembly, transition turn, lower track assembly is used for each successive set of adjacent track assemblies except the lower sloped end of the lowermost track assembly that transitions to an elevator assembly without a transition turn as disclosed below. It should be noted, however, that empty bottle inertia retarder assembly 51 does not have to be incorporated into each transition turn and may only be incorporated into the first transition turn secured to, or extending from, the second topmost track assembly 42.
Referring now to
Primary gate 28 in a closed position registers against a leading surface of the second bottle (when the elevator is loaded with the first filled bottle) and prevents the bottle from moving into the elevator position when the elevator is operated and positioned out of the bottle-load, down position. Secondary gate 26 registers against a leading surface of the third bottle and prevents the bottle from moving into the staging position occupied by the current second bottle. As shown in
Once the elevator is loaded, the gates are lowered into bottle restriction positions in any order or substantially simultaneously. Once properly locked in the closed positions, the elevator can be operated safely to raise the filled bottle to the vend position disclosed below. In this embodiment, the elevator is spaced from primary gate 28 to permit the lead-most bottle and the second bottle to register against one another before the primary gate is lowered between the lead-most bottle and the second bottle to register against the leading edge of the second bottle.
Referring to
A motor 84 is secured to tube brace 78 via a motor frame 85. A threaded lead screw 94 is secured to the rotor of motor 84 at one end, and to a lead screw block 92 at an opposite end. Lead screw block 92 has a threaded bore to receive lead screw 94. Block 92 is affixed to slide rail 88 via adhesive, welding, mechanical fasteners and/or the like. Operation of motor 84 causes translation of lead screw block 92 along lead screw 94, which causes attached slide rail 88 to translate laterally along tube brace 78. Movement of rail 88 in turn causes lateral movement of cam followers 86. With second came drivers 70 in a down position in alignment with brace 78, lateral movement of cam followers 86 over drivers 70 locks secondary gate 26 in a closed down position.
An alignment rod 80 is secured to a bottom of slide rail 88 and has two slide rail stops 90 extending upwardly, each at an end of slide rail 88. A pair of alignment clips 98 secured proximate to opposing lateral ends of tube brace 78 have opposing radiused portions that form a partial circle that substantially conforms to the cross-sectional shape of rod 80. Rod 80 is dimensioned to slide freely within the raduised portions that function to keep the rod 80/slide rail 88 subassembly aligned with the longitudinal axis of tube brace 78. Stops 90 register against clips 98 to limit the lateral displacement of slide rail 88. In one embodiment, in one extreme lateral position in which one of the stops is engaged to one of the clips, cam followers 86 roll over and register against secondary cam drivers 70 to lock secondary gate 26 in a down, bottle registration position. In an opposite extreme lateral position, cam followers 86 are separated from drivers 70, which permit free rotation of secondary flapper 68.
Primary gate 28 includes primary rod 72 secured between primary flanged bearing supports 74. A primary flapper 76 is secured to primary rod 72 and may be configured to conform to the general circular cross-sectional shape of the bottles. A pair of primary angled cam drivers 82 are secured to primary rod 72, each proximal to an end of rod 72. When primary flapper 76 is in a closed, down position, portions of primary cam drivers 82 are align with tube brace 78. Cam followers 86 receive ends of primary cam drivers 82 between the brace and the cam followers.
In one embodiment, in one extreme lateral position in which one of the stops is engaged to one of the clips, cam followers 86 roll over and register against primary cam drivers 82 to lock primary gate 26 in a down, bottle registration position as shown in
Referring now to
As shown in the referenced figures, elevators 30 and 192 are secured to elevator housing 191. Housing 191 is essentially a two-sided structure with walls joined in a substantially 90° orientation. The walls may be formed from a single sheet of—illustratively—aluminum, steel, plastic or polymer material creased to form the noted angle, or may be formed from two sheets joined together to form a corner. Lower elevator 30 is secured to a lower end of housing 191 via welding, mechanical fasteners, adhesives and the like. The bottle support surface of elevator 30 is formed with two sloped surfaces 256 and 258 converging downwardly in the substantial center of the elevator to urge a resident bottle to the center of the support surface. This ensures the bottle will remain centered and stable during elevator operation to minimize torsional forces from developing, which may happen if the bottle locus in the elevator is not stabilized. The support surface configuration also assists a customer with bottle removal as the bottle will remain centered while being extracted from the elevator and vending apparatus.
A bore 254 may be formed in one of the two sloped surfaces to receive components of a photosensor, infrared sensor, or mechanical pressure actuated sensor (the latter as shown in
In an alternative embodiment, a sensor flap 257 (shown in
In an alternative embodiment, as shown in
Upper elevator 192 has a dimensional profile similar to lower elevator 30. Like lower elevator 30, upper elevator 192 includes a bottle support surface formed from two converging sloped surfaces, fixed segment 220 and rotating segment 194 that form a “v” shape in cross section to form a trough. Unlike the sloped support surface of lower elevator 30, support surface 194 has a hinged joint 224 located at the converging point of the two sloped surfaces. A support surface leverage plate 193 is secured under support surface 194 and attached to surface 294 with springs and rotatable about an axis, which may be offset from the center of plate 193. One end of plate 193 is positioned below the hinged joint. A second end extends beyond the right side edge of elevator 192. Alternatively, extension trip tabs 226 may be formed on, or extend from the right side edge of elevator 192.
When elevator 192 is elevated toward the upper track assembly 42, the top surface of the second end, or trip tabs 226 contacts a bottom surface of a leading edge of upper track assembly 42. This compresses the underlying springs and causes leverage plate 193 to rotate about its hinged anchor which causes the right end of the plate to lower into a ramp formation with the fixed slop segment 220 that slopes downwardly from left to right as shown in
As shown in
It is within the contemplation of the disclosure for different types of sensors to be used, illustratively, photosensors, infrared sensors, mechanical pressure sensors, trigger sensors and the like. The configuration of the elevator and other associated components of the apparatus are configured to receive 3 and 5 gallon bottles and may also receive 4 gallon bottles without credit as a means to recycle 4 gallon bottles should such bottles not be vendor approved. Other sized bottles may also be received in the apparatus by reconfiguring the dimensions of the sensor locations and track assembly components as should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the vending art. An optional bottle size insert 192a (shown in
As shown in
In an alternate embodiment shown in
A bottom belt gear 124 is secured about an axle, which in turn is secured to end plate 230 proximal to, or at a bottom end of the plate. Gear 124 may also be formed with teeth that correspond in size to the teeth of gear 238. Belt 120 may include ribs or teeth that correspond to the teeth of gears 238 and 124 to improve torque transfer and to minimize belt slippage. Belt 120 is secured about the two gears to provide the means to move elevator assembly 190 along plate 232.
To secure elevator assembly 190 to belt 120, a pair of mounting blocks 244 have portions defining belt receiving slots. The slots may be formed with ribs that correspond to the dimensions of the belt ribs to provide mechanical engagement to the belt so as to arrest the position of the blocks on the belt. Belt 120 is positioned within the block slots and mechanical fasteners and/or the like are used to compress portions of the blocks onto belt 120. This secures the blocks to the belt so as to maintain the relative spacing of the blocks on the belt as the belt moves along the path defined by the positioning of gears 238 and 124.
A guide track 231 is secured to plate 232 in a substantially parallel orientation to belt 120. Portions of blocks 244 are dimensioned and configured to slidingly engage track 231 and to ride on the track as belt 120 moves elevator assembly 190. A bottom stop 233 acts as a mechanical stop for the downward most position of the elevator assembly. A top stop 235 provides a mechanical stop for the upward most position of the elevator assembly. Selective positioning including stop positions of elevator assembly 190 may also be controlled via light sensors (e.g., via sensor port 242), mechanical trip sensors, processor-controlled motor activation and deactivation and the like.
Appended to plate 232 is wire housing 234 that houses the wire components of the elevator assembly. Housing 234 may include a series of interconnected links as shown, or may be formed from flexible material to permit movement with the elevator. Housing 234 protects the wire elements from damage as the elevator assembly moves along it predetermined course. An outlet box 240 may also be formed on, or secured to, plate 232 to receive an outlet receptacle and the like to provide electricity for the electrical components.
It should be understood that other means of moving the elevator are within the contemplation of the disclosure. As an illustrative example, linear actuators may be used to move the dual elevator to the necessary positions to receive empty bottles and move them for deposit on the track assemblies, and to receive filled bottles and move them to a vend position. Any actuator used should be controllable by the apparatus' processor and controller.
In a yet further alternate embodiment of the apparatus, as shown in
In a yet further embodiment as shown in
In this embodiment as shown in
A second end of flapper rod 64′ is secured to a second bearing assembly (not shown) positioned below a flapper motor assembly shown generally as 269. The second bearing assembly permits free rotation of flapper rod 64′ in similar fashion to bearing assembly 66′.
Referring now to
Secured to a distal end of the motor shaft is a wheel block 96′ that includes a shaft having a threaded bore that corresponds to the threads of the shaft. A flapper locking wheel 86′ is secured to block 96′ and is configured to roll onto and off an end of flapper rod 64′ to lock flapper 68′ in a down, bottle arresting position, when wheel 86′ is positioned over rod 64′. The extreme positions are controlled electronically with sensors 266 and 263. A first sensor 266 is triggered when an end of a long tab 260 having an enlarged distal end engages sensor 266. The distal extension on tab 260 completes a circuit when it passes through a slot in sensor 266. In the illustrated configuration, tab 260 is configured to position the flapper stop assembly in the flapper unlocked position that permits bottles via gravity derived inertia, to pass the flapper by rotating the flapper up and away from the bottles path of travel towards elevator 30.
A second sensor 263 is triggered when a short tab 263 engages the sensor by completing a second circuit when it passes through a slot in the sensor. In the illustrated configuration, tab 263 is configured to position the flapper stop assembly in the flapper locked position that releasably locks the flapper in a down, bottom arrest position. It is within the contemplation of the disclosure for the stops to be defined by alternative mechanical stops, trip sensors, infra-red or other light sensors and the like.
As elevator assembly 190 approaches the filled bottle load position, it stops short of the lowest position to permit restrictor 110 operation via activation by the central processor. One or more restrictor arms 114 having a bottle registration plate 112, secured to arms 114 via mechanical fasteners or the like, extends from the restrictor as shown in
Before restrictor arm 114 is retracted, gate assembly 26′, now in a down position as the gate's flapper 68′ has rotated back down to its bottle restriction position against a leading surface of the new lead-most bottle via gravity or electromechanical assist, is re-locked by activation of motor 84′ by the central processor as shown in
As shown in
Receiving gear 208 has a threaded bore secured about a threaded portion of restrictor arm 114 so that rotation of gear 208 causes rotation of restrictor arm 114. A bore formed in frame 200 is configured and dimensioned to permit movement of restrictor arm 114 through the frame. Gear 208 is secured to frame 200 with a bearing assembly to permit free rotation of gear 208.
Second receiving gear 212 is secured to frame 200 in the same manner as gear 208 with the use of a bearing assembly and has a threaded bore to receive twin restrictor arm 114. Gear 212 also has optional gear teeth. A second belt 214 with optional ribs complimentary to the optional gear teeth of gears 208 and 212 causes simultaneous rotation of twin restrictor arms 114 in the same rotational direction. The rotational force received from first belt 206 is transferred to second belt 214 via gear 208 and transferred to gear 212 via belt 214.
The direction plate 112 moves is determined by the direction of rotation of motor 202. The central processor is programmed and configured to send signals to operate motor 202 in either clockwise or counter-clockwise directions to cause the retraction or extension of plate 112. It is within the contemplation of the disclosure to have either rotation direction to cause either a retraction or an extension event that depends upon the clock-wise or counter-clockwise orientation of the helical grooves on the shafts. Plate 112 is secured to arms 114 via mechanical fasteners 218.
It should be understood that other means of controlling the motion of the lead-most bottle are within the contemplation of the disclosure. As one illustrative example, hydraulically or pneumatically operated restrictor arms may be substituted for the belt driven arms disclosed. As a further illustrative example, linear actuators, such as those shown in
Referring now to
An actuator motor 135 is secured to elevator lead screw 133. Double plate slide assemblies 134 secure the elevators to lead screw 133. Operation of motor 135 turns lead screw 133 to cause elevator translation along the lead screw. Sensors 130 and 132 detect the presence of filled bottles and empty bottles, respectively. A sensor commonly known as a sniffer sensor, e.g., a VOC (volatile organic compound) gas detector, may also be incorporated into the top elevator to sense the presence of volatiles or other unwanted substances on return bottles. The VOC gas detector by Spectrex (Redwood City, Calif.) is an example of a suitable sniffer sensor. The system prompts the customer to remove the bottle from the top elevator if an unwanted substance is detected.
The apparatus also includes an optional video screen configured to display vendor-specific and/or third-party advertisements on the vending apparatus as well as a voice instruction system operating from the instructions from the processor. The video screen can display pre-recorded messages stored on a resident or remote server, or may display live feeds from a remote source. The apparatus may be configured to permit wireless updates to the advertisement messages. The video screen may be secured in a dedicated frame, or secured topically to the apparatus exterior. The machine can also be configured to receive new 2D smartphone technology connection with third party vendors for special cross-promotion.
In another aspect of the disclosure as shown in
The application may then prompt the customer to identify whether the card being used is a debit card at step 310. The “yes” 78 and “no” 80 controls are used to make the requested selection. If no answer is given, a predetermined timeout may be implemented with a “no” default position. With or without an answer to the debit card request, the application implements a transaction authorizing step 312 with an optional “please wait” prompt on screen 70. As one of the initial steps, the application requests data about whether the credit card/debit card is good at step 314. If the credit card information comes back as being bad, the application prompts the customer that the authorization was unsuccessful and prompts the customer to try again at step 316. The customer may be prompted with another “welcome” message at step 318. It should be noted the customer can activate the “Espanol” key at the welcome screen. The application may be set to default back to English at the conclusion of a transaction. It should be further noted the apparatus may be constructed with audio commands that correspond in content and timing with the visual commands and instructions shown on screen 70.
If the transaction authorization returns a positive result for the credit card, the application prompts the customer to indicate if he or she has a return bottle at step 320 along with an optional prompt to cancel the transaction. If the customer has one or more additional return bottles, the customer can have a return transaction performed for the additional return bottles by selecting vend another (bottle) at step 322. If the customer wishes to cancel a transaction, the customer may initiate a cancel transaction function by pressing cancel button 76 at step 324. The application then may cancel the transaction, or prompt the customer to indicate if the cancel request is related to the previous vend at step 326. If the customer selects “yes” the transaction is completed at step 328. If “no” is selected, a transaction cancel prompt is displayed on screen 70 at step 340. Thereafter, the application returns to the “welcome” screen at step 342.
If the customer fails to make any selection, the application may be programmed with a preselected cancel timeout time period that results in the transaction being canceled at step 346. If the customer answers “no,” the application proceeds to step 392 as disclosed more fully below. If the customer responds with “yes” at step 344 before the cancel timeout period expires, the application sends a signal to electronically controlled lock 500 (shown in
If the customer opens the door at step 352 and places a bottle in the correct orientation on elevator 192, the application next prompts the customer to close the door at step 356. The application checks for door closure by checking the door sensors loop again at step 358. If the door is not closed within a predetermined door close time frame, the application initiates a return door timeout at step 362. The application may also inform the customer that the transaction cannot be continued without the door closed at step 366. The customer may also be asked if more time is needed at step 368. If the customer answers yes or no at step 370, the customer is again prompted to close the door. If the door is not closed after a predetermined time, the transaction is canceled at step 360. If the door is closed, the application proceeds to step 376. If the customer does not respond to the request for more time at step 370, the application blocks the elevator operation at step 372.
At step 376, the application checks the upper elevator sensors to ascertain if the upper elevator is empty. If the upper elevator is empty, the application cancels the vend transaction as step 378. If a bottle is present and the query answer is no, the application analyzes the sensor input to determine if the bottle meets the vendor's criteria for being a valid bottle at step 380. If yes, the application proceeds to step 392 disclosed below. If the bottle is not valid, the application prompts the customer that the bottle is not valid at step 382 and queries the customer if another try is desired. If the customer replies “yes” at step 384, the return bottle is sensed and characterized again at step 386. If the customer responds “no,” the customer is prompted to remove the bottle and close the door at step 388. The bottle is removed at step 390.
With or without a vendor-approved return bottle, the application via the processor/controller sends a signal to the elevator motor to move the elevator from a down position to a vend position. The customer may be prompted with a notice that the filled bottle is on the way at step 392. Once the elevator reaches its vend position, the application determines if the elevator is in the proper vend position at step 394. If the elevator is not in the proper position, an “out of order” notice is displayed on screen 70 at step 396. If the elevator is in the proper vend position, the customer is notified to open the door and take the filled bottle at step 398. Substantially simultaneously, or shortly after the customer notice, the processor sends a signal to the door lock to unlock the door. The application monitors via sensors the door open position at step 400. If the door does not open, an “out of order” indication is made on screen 70 at step 402.
In an out-of-order condition, the customer is informed about the condition and that any credit card transaction has been limited to any product received at step 426. The application then will display on screen 70 a message that the transaction is complete along with information about the number of bottles returned, bottles purchased and the total purchase price at step 428. The application may then re-indicate the out-of-order condition and instruct the customer to contact the vendor at step 430.
If the door does open at step 400, a notice is displayed on screen 70 to take the bottle and close door 34 at step 404. The application then determines if lower elevator 30 is clear and the door closed at step 406. If the elevator is not cleared or the door not closed, the application enters a vendor door timeout sequence at step 408. If either or both conditions occur, the application prompts the customer with a screen display that the transaction cannot continue unless the bottle is removed and the door is closed at step 412. The application further instructs the customer to not attempt to return a bottle at this point and to wait for further instructions at step 414. An additional time needed prompt may also be given visually via screen 70 and/or audibly with a sound emitting device at step 416. If no response is given at step 418 within a predetermined time period, the transaction is timed out and an elevator block condition is set at step 420.
If the block condition is set, the customer is prompted with a thank you and a notification the transaction is complete at step 464. The application may next inform the customer of the number of bottles returned and the number of bottles purchased along with a total charge via a screen display at step 466. If a bottle is still detected on the vending, lower elevator 30, the customer is again instructed that a bottle is left in the machine and to remove the bottle and close the door before continuing at step 468. The application next determines via sensing if the elevator is clear and the door is closed at step 470. If either condition is in the negative, the application loops back and instructs the customer to remove the resident bottle and/or close the door. If the bottle is removed and the door is properly closed, the application loops back to the welcome screen at step 472 to prepare for the next transaction. Substantially simultaneously or shortly after the door is closed, the processor sends a signal to activate motor 126 to return the elevator assembly to the start position to receive the next filled bottle for vending. A signal is also sent to engage lock 500.
Returning to step 418, if the customer selects either the “yes” or “no” responses, the customer is instructed to take the filled bottle and close the access door at step 404. If the customer selects the cancel option, the vend door timeout condition is reset at step 422. If a bottle is removed and the door is closed at step 404, the application determines if the elevator is clear and the door is closed via the door and elevator sensors. If either condition is not met, the application returns to the vend door timeout loop at step 408. If both conditions are met, the application advances to step 432. In moving to step 432, the application receives stock supply information from a decrement stock counter. If no, or a predetermined insufficient number of, bottles are present, the application sends a message to the vendor to refill the apparatus. If no additional filled bottles are present, the application completes the transaction at step 434. If more stock is present, the customer is asked if another bottle purchase is desired at step 436. If the customer chooses “no” at step 436, the transaction is completed at step 440. If the customer fails to answer within a predetermined time-out period, the application also goes to the complete transaction step 440.
If the customer answers “yes,” the controller sends a signal to activate motor 126 to raise the next filled bottle and to deliver any resident empty bottle to the top track assembly. The application may inform the customer of the filled bottle's progress with a screen display of the percentage of completion at step 442. Once complete, the application may query the customer if another bottle is desired at step 444.
In a transaction complete status at either steps 434 or 440, the application displays a message on screen 70 thanking the customer and indicates the transaction is complete at step 448. The application next displays a message confirming the number of bottles returned and purchased and the total charge at step 450.
The application next runs a stock check at step 452. If no stock is left, the application informs the customer the apparatus is sold out at step 454. The customer may next be prompted to contact the vendor due to the sold out condition at step 456. The application may loop back and re-display the sold out notice at step 454.
If additional stock is present at step 452, the controller sends a signal to motor 126 to move the elevator to unload any empty resident bottle and to return to the start position to receive the next filled bottle to prepare for the next transaction at step 458. Once the apparatus is ready for the next vend transaction, the application returns to the welcome screen at step 460.
While the present disclosure has been described in connection with one or more embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. Nos. 61/654,585, filed Jun. 1, 2012; 61/568,661, filed Dec. 9, 2011; 61/560,835, filed Nov. 17, 2011; 61,546,091, filed Oct. 12, 2011 and U.S. Regular Utility application Ser. No. 13/407,452, filed Feb. 28, 2012, the contents all of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US12/65503 | 11/16/2012 | WO | 00 | 1/9/2014 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61654585 | Jun 2012 | US | |
| 61568661 | Dec 2011 | US | |
| 61560835 | Nov 2011 | US | |
| 61546091 | Oct 2011 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13651353 | Oct 2012 | US |
| Child | 14131684 | US |
