Check-actuated control mechanisms – With specific cabinet structure – Slot closure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2002-05-07
Bidwell, James R. (Department: 3651)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
With specific cabinet structure
Slot closure
C194S350000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06382387
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of devices for dispensing products, typically operated by a customer depositing a coin and turning a lever or shaft or pushing a button. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of vending machines having means for preventing a customer from depositing a coin when all product has been sold and the machine is empty and has no more product to dispense.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Specifically, manual vending machines are well known in the art. These manual vending machines are coin operated and gravity fed. One of the disadvantages with these manual vending machines is that they do not have a mechanism for preventing the coin operated knob from accepting the coin when the machine is empty and has no more product to dispense. Further, when customers deposit a coin into the coin operated knob and turn the knob expecting to receive the product from the vending machine and do not receive it, they usually get angry and sometimes break the vending machine to try to get the product or receive their money back. It is very costly to the owners of vending machines to replace the broken vending machine.
The following five (5) prior art patents are found to be pertinent to the field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,345 issued to Bleeker on Dec. 1, 1992 for “Dual Dispenser” (hereafter the “Bleeker Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,840 issued to Visco et al. on Oct. 4, 1995 for “Combined Chalk And Eraser Dispenser” (hereafter the “Visco Patent”);
3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,965 issued to Mishina on Sep. 17, 1996 for “Battery Operated Vending Machine For Dispensing Cylindrical And Tetrahedron-Shaped Objects” (hereafter the “Mishina Patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,622 issued to Abell on May 19, 1998 for “Feminine Protection Dispenser” (hereafter the “Abell Patent”); and
5. U.S. Design Pat. No. 371,707 issued to Miles on Jul. 16, 1996 for “Dispenser For Sanitary Products” (hereafter the “Miles Patent”).
The Bleeker Patent discloses a dual dispenser for dispensing a first type of article from first and second stacks of the first articles and a second type of article from a stack of the second articles. The dispenser includes a housing with first and second magazines for holding the stacks of the first articles and a third magazine for holding the stack of the second articles, with a single article discharge slot in the housing and with means within the housing for movement of articles from each of the stacks to the discharge slot. The Bleeker device is a very complicated device. Essentially, this is a dispenser which dispenses flat type articles through a single slot opening.
The Visco Patent discloses a combined chalk and eraser dispenser. It comprises an eraser retaining means which has a dispensing opening defined in a lower forward portion and a chalk receptacle for chalk pieces of a selected chalk length attached to the eraser retaining means. The chalk receptacle has a rear vertical wall and a forward opening. Essentially, this is a dispenser for dispensing rectangular chalkboard erasers and chalks.
The Mishina Patent discloses a battery operated vending machine for dispensing cylindrical and tetrahedron-shaped objects. It comprises a rotary dispensing mechanism for dispensing cylindrical objects including a product stack of cylindrical objects which feeds into the rotary dispensing assembly which feeds the cylindrical objects into a dispensing area for access by the consumer. The vending machine also comprises a plunger dispenser assembly for dispensing tetrahedron-shaped objects into the dispensing area. The vending machine further comprises a sensor for sensing product depletion of product stacks above each dispenser, actuators for displaying “sold-out” signs for each dispenser when there is no more product in the dispenser and a mechanism for blocking a coin slot when there is no more product in the dispenser.
The Abell Patent discloses a feminine protection dispenser. It comprises a single light weight vertically disposed housing used to store and allow dispersal of at least two different personal feminine hygiene articles. At the housing's upper section, there is a toilet paper dispenser and at its lower section, a loading area for tampons or sanitary napkins.
The Miles Patent discloses a dispenser for sanitary products. The Miles Patent is not a coin operated dispenser.
It is desirable to provide a manual coin operated vending machine which includes a mechanism for preventing customers from depositing a coin into the vending machine when the machine is out of product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a manual vending machine or dispenser which includes a mechanism for preventing customers from depositing currency into the vending machine when the machine has no more product to be purchased. The vending machine dispenses sanitary napkins which are in a flat package and tampons which are in a tubular package.
The vending machine comprises two parallel side by side vertical magazines for containing flat packages and tubular packages. A currency operated dispensing mechanism includes a currency operated knob connected to a blocking mechanism through a rotatable shaft. The blocking mechanism is positioned at the bottom of each magazine for supporting the products and preventing them from sliding out, and also for allowing the lowest product to be dispensed out of the magazine and into a trough at the vending opening slot. When the currency operated knob is turned, it allows a currency to be deposited into a currency receiving compartment in the vending machine. The knob turns the rotatable shaft which in turn moves the blocking mechanism into an unobstructed position allowing the lowest product out of the magazine and into the trough at the vending opening slot. At the same time, the magazine supports the remaining products therein. When the knob is further turned, it turns back to its initial position, where the blocking mechanism moves back to its initial position (the blocking position).
The currency operated dispensing mechanism also has a spring-biased blocking means located at the top of the currency operated dispensing mechanism and when depressed blocks a passageway and prevents a currency from being accepted by the vending machine.
A weight supporting device is placed on top of the products in each magazine and serves as a weight for retaining the products in the magazine and also serves as an actuating means which depresses the spring-biased blocking means and blocks the passageway to prevent a customer from depositing currency into the vending machine when the machine is out of product. The weight supporting device only comes in contact with and actuates the spring biased blocking means when there is no more product between the weight support device and the spring biased blocking means.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reliable, easily operated vending machine which requires little maintenance other than periodic refilling with product packages.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vending machine which includes a mechanism for preventing customers from depositing a currency into the vending machine when the machine is out of product.
Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3237744 (1966-03-01), Hill
patent: 5007519 (1991-04-01), Mercurio
patent: 5167345 (1992-12-01), Bleeker
patent: 5351840 (1994-10-01), Visco et al.
patent: D371707 (1996-07-01), Miles
patent: 5555965 (1996-09-01), Mishina
patent: 5752622 (1998-05-01), Abell
patent: 6076650 (2000-06-01), ScHwaRzli
Horian James G.
Morad Fred I.
Bidwell James R.
Chen Tony D.
Rozsa Thomas I.
Worldwide Integrated Resources, Inc.
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