Article dispensing – Plural sources – stacks or compartments – With discharge means for each source
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-14
2002-08-13
Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3653)
Article dispensing
Plural sources, stacks or compartments
With discharge means for each source
C221S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06431398
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a dispensing means for use in a vending machine for selectively dispensing containers having a circular cross sectional shape.
BACKGROUND ART
Vending machines are in common usage throughout the world and generally include a plurality of parallel upright vending channels in which are stored a plurality of soft drink containers having a circular cross-section. The vending channels can be in fluid communication with a refrigeration system to allow refrigerated air to circulate and cool the soft drink containers. Various forms of dispensing means are located at the lower end of each channel which allow for single dispensing of the required soft drink following payment and selection.
In the vending industry it is usual for a vending machine to be particularly constructed for one configuration of vending channels and with particular allocated dispensing means limited to dispense containers only from a predetermined vending channel. The dispensing means must be purpose built therefore not allowing for easy and cost effective retrofitting of a plurality of dispensing means. Access to the dispensing means for service of various parts of the vending machine, is generally limited and requires the vending machine to be out of operation for a considerable time. As vending machines are usually refrigerated, the machine is not commercially useable until expiration of a further down time in which the containers must be sufficiently refrigerated following completion of the service or repair of the vending machine. Another problem of known vending machines is the need for a plurality of vending channels to be able to hold different quantities of different types of soft drinks so that a large quantity of the most popular soft drink is available while still allowing smaller quantities of the less popular soft drinks. Also vending machines generally cannot cater for a range of sizes of containers.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a vending machine that overcomes or ameliorates one or more of the above problems by providing more flexibility and accessibility of a vending machine and its components.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a vending machine with an improved dispensing means.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a dispensing means which is located below a plurality of vending channels defined by spaced upright walls with the containers to be dispensed lying within the vending channels, the dispensing means including a plurality of releasing mechanisms located adjacent each other and able to be separately or jointly controlled so that the vending channels can be divided into defined portions to receive different sized containers or different content containers and the required separate or adjacent releasing mechanisms can be activated to dispense the required container from the defined portion of the vending channel.
In one form there is a separate dispensing means which is able to be located below a plurality of vending channels defined by spaced upright walls with the containers to be dispensed lying within the vending channels, the dispensing means including a plurality of releasing mechanisms which allow dispensing from one vending channel or portion and able to be controlled externally of the dispensing means. The separate dispensing means includes a bank of releasing mechanisms mounted on a carrier that is separably removable from the dispensing means. In one form of the invention the dispensing means includes a plurality of releasing mechanisms located adjacent each other and able to be separably or coactively controlled so that a vending channel can be divided into longitudinal portions to receive different sized containers and the required separate or adjacent releasing mechanisms can be activated to dispense the required container from the allocated portion of the vending channel. The plurality of adjacent releasing mechanisms which are able to dispense from different longitudinal portions of a vending channel are mounted on a carrier which is separably removable from the dispensing means.
In one form of the invention there is provided a dispensing means having a plurality of releasing mechanisms able to be activated by respective solenoids which are controllable externally of the dispensing means.
In another form of the invention, there is provided a dispensing means having a plurality of manual releasing mechanisms which are operable by a linear drive means mounted adjacent a plurality of releasing mechanisms and including a linear track and a solenoid bank able to travel along the linear track and engage a selected one or more of the releasing mechanisms to cause a container to be released from a selected vending channel or portion.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a vending machine having a dispensing means located below a plurality of vending channels defined by spaced upright walls with the containers to be dispensed lying within the vending channels, the dispensing means including a plurality of releasing mechanisms located adjacent each other and able to be separately or coactively controlled so that the vending channels can be divided into defined portions to receive different sized containers or different content containers and the required separate or adjacent releasing mechanisms can be activated to dispense the required container from the allocated defined portion of the vending channels. The dispensing means can include a bank of releasing mechanisms mounted on a carrier which is separately removable from the dispensing means. The dispensing means includes a plurality of releasing mechanisms located adjacent each other and able to be separably or coactively controlled so that a vending channel can be divided into defined portions to receive different sized containers or different content containers and the required separate or adjacent releasing mechanisms can be activated to dispense the required container from the allocated portion of the vending channel. The plurality of adjacent releasing mechanisms able to dispense from different defined portions of a vending channel is mounted on a carrier which is separably removable from the dispensing means.
In one form of the invention there is provided a vending machine having a plurality of releasing mechanisms which are each able to be activated by respective solenoids and controllable externally of the dispensing means.
In another form of the invention, there is provided a vending machine having a plurality of manually releasing mechanisms which are operable by a linear drive means mounted adjacent a plurality of the manually releasing mechanisms and including a linear track and a solenoid bank able to travel along the linear track and engage a selected one or more of the releasing mechanisms to cause a container to be released from a selected vending channel or portion.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a dispensing means which is separate and insertable into a vending machine or integral with a vending machine, for individually dispensing circular cross sectional containers from a staggered stack of containers held in a vending channel in a vending machine, the vending channel having an escape opening at one end, the dispensing means having a releasing mechanism locatable adjacent the escape opening of the vending channel in the vending machine and including a rocking body located in the path of the staggered stack escaping the vending channel and which in one state in combination with a drop chute below or extending from at or near the bottom of the vending channel engages the lowest container and prevents dispensing of the lowest container and in a second state allows movement of the rocking body to dispense the lowest container and return to the first state to prevent the next lowest container from being dispensed.
The rocking body can be latchable, and having an abutting arm and a cradling arm, the rocking bo
Cook James Edward
Davies Barry William
Nicholson Ross
Rodgers Brendyn
Flanagan John R.
Flanagan & Flanagan
Nida Group Pty Ltd
Noland Kenneth W.
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