Communication and vending refund center

• US 20030128829A1
• Filed: 01/04/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Advanced Manufacturing LLC
• Original Assignee: Advanced Manufacturing LLC
• Inventors: Hallman, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US10/039,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20030128829A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/026 Constructional features

Abstract

A communication and refund center comprises a lockable cabinet structure having an access panel disposed on the cabinet structure cooperating to form a sealed enclosure when the access panel is engaged with the cabinet, a power supply to the interior of the cabinet, a coin chute accessible from the exterior of the cabinet structure, a coin magazine comprising a coin sleeve and a remotely actuated coin solenoid disposed above the coin chute, a telephone dialer, a digital voice modulator connected with and operative in response to the telephone dialer, a relay circuit operatively associated with the voice modulator and the coin solenoid, the relay circuit operating the coin solenoid in response to commands from the voice modulator to provide a specified number of coins to the coin chute. A modular mounting plate carries the power supply, telephone dialer, and voice modulator.

Claims

1. A self-contained communication and vending refund center for use in association with one or more vending machines, the refund center comprising:

a cabinet structure;

a lockable access panel disposed on the cabinet structure, the access panel and cabinet structure cooperating to form a sealed enclosure when the access panel is engaged with the cabinet;

a coin chute accessible from the exterior of the cabinet structure;

a power supply;

a coin magazine comprising a coin sleeve and a remotely actuated coin solenoid disposed above said coin chute;

a telephone dialer operatively connected to a telephone service;

a digital voice modulator connected with and operative in response to said telephone dialer;

a relay circuit operatively associated with said voice modulator and said coin solenoid, said relay circuit operating said coin solenoid in response to commands from said voice modulator; and

a modular mounting plate disposed within the sealed enclosure, the modular mounting plate carrying said power supply, telephone dialer, and voice modulator.

2. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein the refund center further comprises an alarm system, the alarm system comprising a switch operatively connected with the digital voice modulator, said switch being responsive to said vending machine to generate a fault signal, whereby said voice modulator responds to said fault signal to telephone a vending machine operator.

3. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein the telephone dialer operates a cellular telephone network.

4. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1 further comprising a transformer and surge protector, said transformer mounted to said modular mounting plate.

5. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein the telephone dialer is connected to a handset resting in a cradle mounted on the exterior of the cabinet, wherein activation of the dialer is automatically obtained by lifting the handset from the cradle.

6. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, further comprising an indicator lamp for signaling activation of the telephone dialer therein.

7. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein said refund center further comprises a pay out counter, said pay out counter in selective communication with the relay circuit for monitoring the number of coins deposited into the coin chute.

8. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein said modular mounting plate is mounted on a rear wall of said cabinet.

9. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein said relay circuit is mounted on a rear wall of said cabinet.

16. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, further comprising an indicator lamp for signaling activation of the telephone dialer therein.

17. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein said refund center further comprises a pay out counter, said pay out counter being in selective communication with the relay circuit for monitoring the number of coins deposited into the coin chute.

18. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein said modular mounting plate is mounted on a rear wall of said cabinet.

19. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 1, wherein said relay circuit is mounted on a rear wall of said cabinet.

10. A system for providing a refund to customer self-contained communication and vending refund center for use in association with one or more vending machines, the refund center comprising a lockable a cabinet structure having an access panel disposed on the cabinet structure, the access panel and cabinet structure cooperating to form a sealed enclosure when the access panel is engaged with the cabinet, a power supply to the interior of the cabinet, a coin chute accessible from the exterior of the cabinet structure, a coin magazine comprising a coin sleeve and a remotely actuated coin solenoid disposed above said coin chute, a telephone dialer operatively connected to a telephone network, a digital voice modulator connected with and operative in response to said telephone dialer, a relay circuit operatively associated with said voice modulator and said coin solenoid, said relay circuit operating said coin solenoid in response to commands from said voice modulator to provide a specified number of coins to said coin chute, and a modular mounting plate disposed within the sealed enclosure, the modular mounting plate carrying said power supply, relay circuit telephone dialer, and voice modulator.

11. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 10, wherein an alarm cooperates with a key switch connected to the relay circuit for providing an alarm signal to the digital voice modulator.

12. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 11, further comprising an indicator lamp for signaling activation of the telephone therein.

13. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 11, wherein the telephone dialer operates a cellular telephone network.

14. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 11 further comprising a transformer and surge protector, said transformer mounted to said modular mounting plate.

15. The self-contained communication and vending refund center of claim 11, wherein the telephone dialer is connected to a handset resting in a cradle mounted on the exterior of the cabinet, wherein activation of the dialer is automatically obtained by lifting the handset from the cradle.

20. A method for providing a refund to customer, the method comprising:

fabricating a lockable cabinet structure having an access panel disposed on the cabinet structure, the access panel and cabinet structure cooperating to form a sealed enclosure when the access panel is engaged with the cabinet;

providing a power supply to the interior of the cabinet;

mounting a coin chute accessible from the exterior of the cabinet structure;

mounting a coin magazine comprising a coin sleeve and a remotely actuated coin solenoid disposed above said coin chute to said access panel;

attaching a telephone dialer operatively connected to a telephone network, and a digital voice modulator connected with and operative in response to said telephone dialer to a modular mounting plate disposed within the sealed enclosure, the modular mounting plate carrying said power supply, telephone dialer, and voice modulator; and

installing a relay circuit operatively associated with said voice modulator and said coin solenoid, said relay circuit operating said coin solenoid in response to commands from said voice modulator to provide a specified number of coins to said coin chute.

21. The method for providing a refund of claim 20, further comprising the step of mounting said power supply to said modular mounting plate disposed on the interior of the cabinet, and providing an alarm that cooperates with a key switch connected to the relay circuit for providing an alarm signal to the digital voice modulator.