This invention relates to machines for dispensing goods including automatic vending machines, and more specifically to machines for dispensing articles or substances packaged in symmetrical containers such as the ones commonly used in connection with individual servings of coffee, tea, sugar, shampoo, toothpaste, as well as medicines and cosmetics.
In the coffee service industry, individual doses of coffee, tea or chocolate are often offered in small containers that are configured to be readily inserted in a brewing machine. Boxes holding large quantities of the products are usually placed next to the brewing machines for the convenience of employees and customers. In most cases, this type of beverage service is provided and paid by the employer.
The system is subject to abuses. Unscrupulous employees may grab handfuls of containers for use at home. Unsupervised persons, such as maintenance and janitorial crews who frequent the premises during off hours may also be tempted to help themselves to undue quantities of goods.
There is a need to find a convenient solution to the uncontrolled presentation and dispensing of small packaged articles.
The invention provides a simple, inexpensive, and efficient way to store, transport, display and dispense small packaged items under some form of paid or verifiable accounting to authorized or paying customers.
The preferred embodiment consists of a machine for selectively dispensing one out of a number of items stored in a removable magazine formed by a two dimensional stacking of horizontally aligned tubular cartridges. Each cartridge forms an internal channel whose cross-section is commensurate with the cross-section of the leading and largest portion of the kind of item it contains, such as the lid or brim of a frusto-conical cup. A pressurized fluid, preferably a flow of air generated by a blower or turbine, is applied to the back aperture of the channel in order to propel the items forwardly toward the frontal dispensing aperture where a toggling barrier mechanism can be momentarily activated to let the most forwardly positioned item escape, while the next item in line and every other item behind it are held back.
A crossbar actuator is used to selectively drive the barrier mechanism controlling the dispensing of the desired type of item. The dispensing of an item must be enabled either by the dialing of a personal identification code on a keypad, or by payment by way of currency, smartcard or a combination of both.
Some embodiments provide a machine, for selectively dispensing a plurality of items, which comprises: at least one tubular cartridge, said cartridge forming an elongated channel having a frontal dispensing aperture, a back-loading aperture, a cross-section commensurate with a maximal cross-section of one of said items and a given interior diameter; a source of pressurized fluid; conduit means for feeding said pressurized fluid to said back aperture; and a toggling mechanism alternately allowing dispensing of a first one of said items and holding back a second one of said items next in line behind said first one.
In some embodiments said mechanism comprises: a first barrier movable from a locking position across said frontal aperture to a releasing position clear of said channel; a second barrier movable from a clearing position clear of said channel to a retaining position across said frontal aperture; said first and second barriers being togglably linked to alternately move said second barrier to said retaining position when said first barrier is moved into said releasing position, and to said clearing position when said first barrier is moved into said locking position.
In some embodiments the machine further comprises means for moving said first barrier to said releasing position and said second barrier to said retaining position during a momentary period of time and for simultaneously applying said pressurized fluid to said dorsal aperture; whereby one of said items normally held by said first barrier is ejected through said frontal aperture while any other one of said items in said channel is held back by the return of said first barrier to the locking position.
Some embodiments provide the machine in combination with a plurality of symmetrical ones of said items each having a leading portion cross-section shaped and dimensioned to substantially fit the cross-section of said channel, and a trailing portion cross-section of lesser area than said leading portion cross-section.
In some embodiments the machine comprises: a plurality of said cartridges assembled into a magazine; and wherein said means for moving comprises means for selectively toggling the barrier of one of said cartridges.
In some embodiments said means for toggling comprise a cross-bar array.
In some embodiments said means for toggling further comprise a set of solenoids driving said array.
In some embodiments the machine further comprises: a plug having a cross-diameter substantially equal to the largest cross-diameter of said items, in a last position in each of said cartridges; and means for preventing ejection of said plug from said cartridge regardless of the position of said barriers.
In some embodiments said magazine is detachable from said machine.
In some embodiments said means for toggling comprise an electro-mechanical mechanism including at least one solenoid.
In some embodiments said mechanism further comprises: a shaft rotatively positioned adjacent said cartridge; and said first and second barriers project radially from said shaft at different angular positions and alternately penetrate said channel through apertures in said cartridge when said shaft is partially rotated back and forth.
In some embodiments said cartridge is in a substantially, axially horizontal position, and said items are propelled through said channel in the absence of any solid pushing, pulling or carrying device.
In some embodiments said plug comprises a disc made of flexible plastic, secured to the back of said plug and having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said channel, and short, peripheral, radial cuts.
In some embodiments said plug comprises a pad made of felt material, secured to the back of said plug and having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said channel.
Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a vending machine 1 particularly adapted to dispense a number of different items packaged in light containers made of paper or plastic. In this particular embodiment, the machine is intended to dispense individual servings of coffee or other beverages such as K-CUP brand coffee, tea and chocolate packages commercially available from the Keurig Brewers Company. The machine accommodates a removable magazine 2 that groups a series of cartridges 3 each holding a different type of product. The base 4 of the machine houses electromechanical and pneumatic mechanisms that control the dispensing of the goods off the cartridges. An electronic control unit 5 provides an interface with the user of the machine by way of an alpha-numeric readout 6, a smart card reader 7, an alpha-numeric keypad 8, a currency acceptor 9, and a series of control buttons 10. A dispensing pocket 11 for the goods is provided in the frontal portion of the base. The pocket is accessible by pushing a flap door 12. The front of the machine is sealed by a cover 13 whose transparent face permits viewing of the first item in each cartridge. In its closed position, the cover is locked by a couple of solenoid-control bolts 14. The magazine has a flange 15 in its lower back that interlocks with a commensurate groove 16 in the back panel 17. Once the magazine 2 is installed on the machine and the cover has been shut and locked, the magazine cannot be removed.
As more particularly illustrated in
The toggling barrier mechanism is more particularly illustrated in
When in the down position, the first or lower barrier 26 is held in the retaining position illustrated in
As more specifically shown in
In a machine with a small magazine, one solenoid could be advantageously assigned to each toggling plate lieu of the crossbar actuator assembly 38.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been limited to a four-by-four array of cartridges, it must be understood that much larger magazine can be used with corresponding larger actuator array. The cartridges can be shaped to accommodate a variety of packages not necessarily of a circular geometry. For instance, the quadrangular cartridge 47 illustrated in
During transport and storage of the magazine, the back can be closed and secured by a backplate 48 riding, guillotine-style, in a pair of grooves 49 in the lateral walls of the magazine.
The electronic control unit allows for selective dispensing of a type of item in one of the cartridge by entry of a personal identification code on the keypad 8, or payment by way of a smartcard through the smartcard reader 7. The smartcard may be recharged by an amount of currency deposited through the currency acceptor 9. Accordingly an employer or operator of the machine can allow free access to the goods by authorized persons by assigning to each one of them a confidential identification code, or by providing the individuals with smartcards pre-charged with a monthly amount of cash credit usable on the machine. Full or partial payment can optionally be required using the combination of the currency acceptor and smartcard.
While the exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described, modifications can be made and other embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.
This is a 371 of International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2006/010869 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/088,625, filed 2005 Mar. 24, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,472 issued 2008 May 6, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/556,427 filed 2004 Mar. 24.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11088625 | Mar 2005 | US |
Child | 11886983 | US |