Claims
- 1. A vending machine, comprising:
a housing for storing products to be dispensed; a product dispensing assembly comprising a dispenser for holding and dispensing products, wherein the dispenser has an open side and is mounted substantially horizontally within the housing and rotatable about an axis, wherein the dispenser uses a retractable gauge step adaptable to vend products of various sizes; a product chute for receiving products when dispensed by the dispenser; and a motor coupled to the dispenser for rotating the dispenser.
- 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the retractable gauge step is substantially permanently affixed to the product dispensing assembly.
- 3. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the retractable gauge step adaptable to being in a first position where the gauge step is extended to create a gauge step to support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 4. The vending machine according to claim 3, wherein the retractable gauge step is adaptable to being in a second position where the gauge step is retracted such that the gauge step does not support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 5. The vending machine according to claim 4, wherein the retractable gauge step is operable to slide from a first position where the gauge step is extended to create a gauge step to support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly to a second position where the gauge step is retracted such that the gauge step does not support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 6. The vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the retractable gauge step comprises a plurality of detents operable to hold the gauge step in the first position.
- 7. The vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the retractable gauge step comprises a plurality of detents operable to hold the gauge step in the second position.
- 8. The vending machine according to claim 7, wherein the product dispensing assembly has a plurality of cutout slots and the retractable gauge step has a plurality of hooks, wherein the cutout slots and the hooks are coupled such that the gauge step and the dispensing assembly are substantially permanently affixed to each other.
- 9. The vending machine according to claim 8, wherein the retractable gauge step is further adaptable to being in a plurality of positions where the gauge step is extended to create a plurality of gauge steps to support the products resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 10. The vending machine according to claim 9, wherein the retractable gauge step is further adaptable to being in a plurality of positions where the gauge step is retracted such that the gauge step does not support the products resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 11. The vending machine according to claim 10, wherein the retractable gauge step is operable to slide from a plurality of positions where the gauge step is extended to create a plurality of gauge steps to support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly to a plurality of positions where the gauge step is retracted such that the gauge step does not support the products resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 12. A method for dispensing products from a vending machine, comprising the steps of:
storing products in a product dispensing assembly; employing a retractable gauge step for supporting products stored in the product dispensing assembly; wherein the retractable gauge step is adaptable to dispense products of various sizes; and dispensing products from the dispensing assembly in a sequential manner.
- 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the retractable gauge step is substantially permanently affixed to the product dispensing assembly.
- 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the retractable gauge step adaptable to being in a first position where the gauge step is extended to create a gauge step to support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the retractable gauge step is adaptable to being in a second position where the gauge step is retracted such that the gauge step does not support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the retractable gauge step is operable to slide from a first position where the gauge step is extended to create a gauge step to support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly to a second position where the gauge step is retracted such that the gauge step does not support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the retractable gauge step comprises a plurality of detents operable to hold the gauge step in the first position.
- 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the retractable gauge step comprises a plurality of detents operable to hold the gauge step in the second position.
- 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the product dispensing assembly has a plurality of cutout slots and the retractable gauge step has a plurality of hooks, wherein the cutout slots and the hooks are coupled such that the gauge step and the dispensing assembly are substantially permanently affixed to each other.
- 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the retractable gauge step is further adaptable to being in a plurality of positions where the gauge step is extended to create a plurality of gauge steps to support the products resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the retractable gauge step is further adaptable to being in a plurality of positions where the gauge step is retracted such that the gauge step does not support the products resting in the product dispensing assembly.
- 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the retractable gauge step is operable to slide from a plurality of positions where the gauge step is extended to create a plurality of gauge steps to support the product resting in the product dispensing assembly to a plurality of positions where the gauge step is retracted such that the gauge step does not support the products resting in the product dispensing assembly.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional U.S. Application Serial No. 60/401,959, filed Aug. 8, 2002, and titled “Retractable Gauge Step for Flexible Multi-Depth Vending,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60401959 |
Aug 2002 |
US |