Article dispensing – Dispenser delivering to stationary article support for... – Articles released for gravity deposit in or on support
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-27
2001-03-27
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Article dispensing
Dispenser delivering to stationary article support for...
Articles released for gravity deposit in or on support
C221S123000, C221S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206234
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vending machine for selectively dispensing cigars of varying sizes on selection by a user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vending machine dispensing various products such as cigarettes and candy are well known in the art. One type of vending machine generally comprises a plurality of coils with food or other objects to be dispensed interposed between adjacent loops of a coil. The user can view the objects through a window of the vending machine and make a selection of desired product upon depositing sufficient funds into the machine. The product is dispensed when the coil of the selected product rotate one revolution which causes the object closest to the user to fall into a receptacle where it can be retrieved by the user.
Other types of vending machines such as those used for cigarettes, provide a series of trays within which the cigarette packages are stacked. The user may select an appropriate brand after depositing sufficient funds in the machine. This causes one package of the selected brand of cigarettes to be released into a receptacle for retrieval by a user.
These vending machines are suitable for dispensing objects which can readily fit within the loops of coils for dispensing or which are of substantially uniform size such as, for example, cigarette packages. Many types of cigars are sold one cigar at a time, rather than as packaged sets. Cigars come in various sizes, ranging in diameter from about ½ inch to 1 inch (or even larger) and ranging in length from about 3 inches to about 8 inches in length, for the most popular types. These prior art machines are not suitable for storing and dispensing single cigars of varying diameter and length.
The popularity of cigar smoking has increased considerably and vending machine access to a wide selection of singularly dispensed cigars of varying length and diameter is desired. There is consequently a need for a vending machine which can store and dispense cigars of varying diameter and length and which permits visual inspection of those cigars by a user to assist in selection and purchase of a desired cigar. There is also a need for such a vending machine which prevents the dispensing of more than one cigar at a time upon activation to prevent losses caused by inadvertent over dispensing of cigars.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention provides a cigar vending machine having several cigar storage and dispensing containers which are adjustable both vertically and horizontally to store and dispense a plurality of cigars of certain diameter. Each cigar storage and dispensing container permits the adjustment of the height of a restraining plate with respect to a base plate and the forward direction of a stop retaining the cigars in the containers against the force of gravity. A cigar dispenser is provided for each cigar storage and dispensing container to move the first cigar past the stop to dispense the cigar upon payment and selection by a user. The restraining plate ensures that each cigar is aligned in parallel alignment and an extension portion of the base plate allows the first cigar of a plurality of cigars to be exposed beyond an edge of the restraining plate to be dispensed upon activation of the cigar dispenser for that particular container. The other cigars are prevented from being dispensed on that cycle by the restraining plate spaced from the base plate generally an amount equal to the diameter of the particular cigars in that container.
A vending machine for selectively dispensing cigars of varying diameter includes a plurality of cigar storage and dispensing containers. Each of those containers include a base plate having an extension portion extending in a first direction, a restraining plate having an edge oriented in the first direction, an adjuster for adjusting the distance between the base plate and restraining plate to conform to the diameter of the cigars to be located between the base plate and restraining plate, an adjustable stop communicating with the extension for preventing movement of the cigars located between the base plate and restraining plate in the first direction and a cigar dispenser for moving the cigar adjacent the stop past the stop. The restraining plate is oriented in spaced, substantially parallel relationship with the base plate, for locating a plurality of cigars of equivalent diameter between the base plate and restraining plate. The extension portion extends substantially in the first direction beyond the edge of the restraining plate. The stop is adjustable along the plane of the base plate to change the distance between the stop and an edge plane perpendicular with the base plate and adjacent the edge of the restraining plate, to conform to the diameter of the cigar to be located adjacent the stop. A selector is provided for receiving an input from a user for selecting a particular cigar from one of the plurality of containers and an activator activates the cigar dispenser of the container containing the selected cigar to move that cigar past the stop to dispense the selected cigar.
The cigar dispenser may optionally comprise a finger extending from a rotatable arm, the finger contacting the cigar adjacent the stop and moving that cigar past the stop upon rotation of the rotatable arm. The extension portion can include a slot aligned with the finger located below the cigar adjacent the stop and the rotatable arm can rotate 180 degrees upon activation by the activator to move the cigar adjacent the stop past the stop. The finger may be a plurality of fingers and the slot may be a plurality of slots aligned with the plurality of fingers.
Optionally the adjuster may include biasing means for biasing the base plate away from the restraining plate and a plate stop preventing further movement of the base plate and restraining plate apart from each other, acting against the force of the biasing means.
The plurality of cigar storage and dispensing containers may optionally be oriented at an angle and the force of gravity is used to maintain the cigars located between the base plate and restraining plate against the stop. The force of gravity also advances the cigars towards the stop upon the cigar adjacent to the stop being moved past the stop to dispense that cigar.
As a further option the vending machine can include a pair of opposed adjustable end plates for aligning each end of the cigars, the end plates located between the base plate and restraining plate.
The restraining plate may optionally be clear permitting the cigars located between the base plate and restraining plate to be viewed.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 399258 (1998-10-01), Rawlins
patent: 530561 (1894-12-01), Thissell
patent: 962825 (1910-06-01), Evans et al.
patent: 2311632 (1943-02-01), Berger et al.
patent: 3254792 (1966-06-01), Danielson et al.
patent: 3757998 (1973-09-01), Millies et al.
patent: 4717044 (1988-01-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 4867628 (1989-09-01), Ammon et al.
patent: 5971205 (1999-10-01), Michaels et al.
patent: 53670 (1890-09-01), None
patent: 1238734 (1971-07-01), None
Bull, Housser & Tupper
Ellis Christopher P.
Mackey Patrick
Slim Line Designs Ltd.
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