Dispensing – Automatic control – Material level control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-31
2002-05-07
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Automatic control
Material level control
C222S129100, C222S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06382464
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cup type automatic vending machine, and more particularly, relates to a cup type vending machine in which operations for a syrup exchange can be reduced and of which structure can be simplified.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A cup type automatic vending machine for preparing a cup type drink by mixing a syrup as a material with a drink water or carbonated water has been known.
In
FIG. 1
, a syrup supplying system in a conventional cup type automatic vending machine is shown, which comprises a syrup tank
15
storing a syrup, a sold-out case
22
to inspect existence of syrup to be supplied via a pipe
21
from the syrup tank
15
, a cooling coil
23
connected to a down stream side of the sold-out case
22
and dipped in a cooling water W stored in a cooling water vessel
7
, a flow rate regulator
12
for controlling a flow rate of the syrup and to be connected to the cooling coil
23
, and an electromagnetic valve
13
connected to the flow rate regulator
12
through a pipe
24
and which opens and closes according to the syrup supplying operation.
The syrup tank
15
has a gas introduction portion
15
A connected to a gas cylinder (not shown) storing carbon dioxide gas therein and a syrup sending portion
15
B to send a syrup according to a gas pressure of carbon dioxide gas. The electromagnetic valve
13
opens according to a syrup supplying indication to be output from a control portion (not shown) and the syrup is sent to the pipe
21
connected to the syrup sending portion
15
B.
In
FIG. 2
, a conventional sold-out case
22
is shown, which comprises an introduction portion
22
L to introduce a syrup in the case
22
from a pipe (not shown) installed in a lower part of the case
22
and connected to a pipe connecting material
22
K, a cylindrical casing main body
22
M, a sending portion
220
installed in an upper part of the case
22
and to send the syrup stored in the case
22
through a siphon pipe
22
N, a syrup sensor
22
P attached to the sending portion
220
and to inspect existence of the syrup in the case
22
, and a gas releasing portion
22
Q connected to the sending portion
220
by a screw. In the case, 70 cc of the syrup can be stored which is a volume necessary for sale of a cup.
The sold-out case
22
has such fill-in, fill-out structure that a syrup to be introduced into the case at a time of sales operation of the cup type drinks is lead through a flowing path
22
R to the upper portion of the case, and is sent through the siphon pipe
22
N from the sending portion
220
. A sealing material
22
S is installed in connecting positions of the introduction portion
22
L, casing main body
22
M and sending portion
220
to prevent them from a liquid leakage. A sealing material
22
T is installed between the gas releasing portion
22
Q and the sending portion
220
to prevent them from a gas leakage. The syrup sensor
22
P includes a pair of electrodes to be immersed in the syrup in the case
22
and can inspect a sold-out of syrup when a liquid level of syrup is lowered to expose the electrodes from the syrup, whereby an electricity is turned off. The gas releasing portion
22
Q can form a clearance between a top end portion
22
U and the sending portion
220
by rotation of it, whereby a gas exhausting portion
22
V is connected to the case through the clearance to exhaust a carbonator to be accumulated in the case.
According to the sold-out case, sales operation per one cup of syrup can be done after a sold-out of syrup, because a syrup of another one cup is stored in the case.
However, according to a conventional cup type automatic vending machine, a flowing path and a siphon pipe are installed in a syrup case to realize a fill-in, fill-out operation and as a result, case and piping structure are complicated. And, there are another problems that much amount of washing water and much time are necessary for washing operation to change a kind of syrup. Also, existence of syrup can not be correctly inspected in syrup of a high gas absorption rate, because air bubbles are generated by change of flowing rate based on change in cross-section area of the flowing path and are contact with a syrup sensor to make it move erroneously. Further, the case is bigger because a fixed volume of syrup is stored in the case in order to guarantee a cup of sales volume after the inspection of the sold-out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to install a cup type automatic vending machine which has more improved washability and inspection accuracy of syrup existence.
The object of the invention can be achieved by a cup type vending machine for selling a syrup drink to be supplied from a syrup storing portion to store the syrup through a supplying path to a supplying nozzle comprising a syrup inspection portion to inspect existence of the syrup installed in a certain position of the supplying path which has a syrup supply volume corresponding to a sales volume of at least one cup between the syrup inspection portion and the supplying nozzle.
According to the cup type automatic vending machine of the invention, the number of parts for the supplying path can be reduced and the structure thereof can be simplified because a cup of syrup which is a sales volume is hold in the supplying path between the syrup inspection portion and the supplying nozzle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3583601 (1971-06-01), Ayers
patent: 5490614 (1996-02-01), Sardynski
patent: 5730330 (1998-05-01), Reading
patent: 5772319 (1998-06-01), Pemberton et al.
patent: 5931343 (1999-08-01), Topar et al.
Derakshani Philippe
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
LandOfFree
Cup type automatic vending machine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cup type automatic vending machine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cup type automatic vending machine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2866050