Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-16
2002-06-04
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S232000, C221S002000, C221S005000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06401009
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vending apparatuses and methods, in particular those vending apparatuses and methods relating to the automated provision of products and/or services for vehicles, such as automated service station fuel pumps, automated and/or self-service car wash installations, compressed air machines (e.g. for tires), etc.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Modern service stations (“gas stations”) are typically provided with electronically operated fuel pumps, which incorporate a keypad, a slot for receiving a credit card, debit card or the like, and suitable electronics, programming and telephonic connections, so that an individual may approach a pump, activate it using the credit or debit card, and pump and pay for fuel, without ever having to leave the side of the vehicle.
Such systems are capable of connecting, via appropriate computers and phone lines, to the data base(s) for the customer's credit card, debit card or the like, so that confirmation can be obtained that the transaction will be paid for. Thus, upon receiving such confirmation, the control system for the pump itself, will recognize and authorize the proposed transaction, and actuate the pump, so that it can be operated by the customer. After the pumping is completed, the final amount of the transaction is then charged or debited against the credit or debit card, and a receipt is offered to the customer for their records.
Because of the convenience of such pumping systems, often the customer does not enter the station enclosure, which is typically filled with other merchandise, such as food, beverages, automotive supplies, etc. Thus, the convenience of the electronic, credit-card operated pump represents lost merchandising opportunities for the station owner.
Some efforts have been made, in the past, to integrate other merchandising activities, into the structure and operation of a service station pump.
Hayes, U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,939, for example, discloses a coin operated gas pump, which is physically combined with a vending machine (also coin-op) for canned gasoline. The canned gasoline is stored in the housing at the site of the pump.
Bustos et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,586,686 and 5,725,124, are directed to a temperature maintained food dispensing system and method, and a product vending and pneumatic delivery system and method, respectively. These references are directed to service station pump-site vending systems, in which the vended goods are stored, prior to vending, in a storage facility (temperature controlled, in particular) situated within the service station structure proper. A pneumatic tube conveyor moves the product from storage to a dispensing unit at the remote location in response to product selection made by a customer at the remote location. Payment for the sale of the product item is coordinated with information from another vending or accounting system such as a gasoline charge system, that includes a credit card reader associated with a fully automated self-service gasoline pump, and is connected to an on-line banking or billing system.
The Bustos et al. '686 and '124 references, however, are, crucially, focused upon transportation systems for delivery of the vended goods to a remote location, from a centralized storage system. In addition, the Bustos et al. references are also solely directed to payment, at such remote locations, such as pump-site, via on-line billing systems, and are not capable of engaging in cash transactions at the pump-site.
The desirability of vending products at the pump-site is exemplified by the recurring problem that often customers are filling up on gas on the way to work or to appointments, in what may be time-critical situations, only to find themselves, as a result of the filling-up process, with hands contaminated by fuel and/or fuel odors. The plain paper towels typically dispensed from the pylons or light stands next to the pumps simply are inadequate to alleviate this problem, and in any event, such dispensers are more often than not, empty. Thus, there is a ready and available market for the vending, at reasonable cost, of towelettes, which may be moistened or scented, or Which carry antibacterial treatments, at the pump-site, to alleviate this problem of hands contaminated with chemicals or odors, on the spot without having to leave the pump-site.
It would be desirable to provide a service station pump-site sundry article vending apparatus and system, which is directed to the vending of sundry articles more immediately relevant to the purchase of fuel and the process of filling a vehicle fuel tank, such as the vending of towelettes, oil and other automotive fluids, and the like.
It would also be desirable to provide a service station pump-site sundry article vending apparatus and system, which is configured for storage of the vended sundry articles at the pump-site, without the need for complicated transport systems for moving the sundry articles from a centralized storage facility to a remote location.
It would still further be desirable to provide a service station pump-site vending apparatus and system, which is configured to be enable payment through either cash transactions, or through on-line banking and billing systems.
It would be additionally desirable, to provide the vending of sundry articles at other vehicle-related automated and/or self-service product or service facilities, such as car washes, compressed air dispensers and the like.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed, in part, to a sundry article vending apparatus, for the facilitated display and vending of at least one type of sundry article, other than fuel, at the location of a device for the vending of a vehicle-related product and/or service, to enable a purchaser to complete a purchase transaction of at least one of the sundry articles, at said vehicle-related product/service vending device, wherein the vehicle-related product/service vending device is provided with a keypad, an alphanumeric display, a card reader, and a vehicle-related product/service vending control device having suitable connections to an automated billing system.
The sundry article vending apparatus comprises a storage device, capable of cooperative physical connection to a vehicle-related product/service device housing, and adjacent said housing. The storage device is operably configured to contain a quantity of at least one type of sundry articles. A dispensing mechanism is operably configured, upon actuation, for delivering at least one of said sundry articles from the storage device to a dispensing aperture. A sundry article vending control device is operably connected to the dispensing mechanism, and further operably connectable to a vehicle-related product/service vending control device.
The sundry article vending control device is operably configured, upon connection to a vehicle-related product/service vending control device, to receive order instructions from a purchaser, entered by keystrokes on the keypad of the vehicle-related product/service vending device.
The sundry article vending control device is further operably configured, upon connection to a vehicle-related product/service vending control device, to accept payment for the purchase of at least one sundry article, through the passing of an indicia bearing payment card through the card reader and to actuate the dispensing mechanism in response thereto.
A cash box mechanism is operably connected to the sundry article vending control device, for enabling a purchaser to alternatively complete a purchase of at least one sundry article using cash.
The vehicle-related product/service vending device is preferably one selected from the group consisting of a service station fuel pump, a self-service car
Crawford Gene O.
Dick and Harris
Ellis Christopher P.
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