Refrigerated vending machine exploiting expanded temperature variance during power-conservation mode

• US 20040000154A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: USA Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: USA Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Schanin, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,931,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/157
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/23 Time delays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/062 in household refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door opening
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/04 Sensors detecting the presence of a person
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/123 more than one sensor measuring the inside temperature in a compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators

Abstract

A refrigerated vending machine for dispensing items (such as soda cans or other beverage containers) includes a power source and a cooling system (e.g., evaporator, condenser, compressor, circulating fan). Power control circuitry selectively provides electrically coupling of at least one component of the cooling system to the power source. A controller, operably coupled to the power control circuitry,is adapted to control the power control circuitry in a power-conserving mode of operation and in a normal-operation mode. The controller automatically transitions from the power-conserving mode to the normal-operation mode based upon an activity event signal. The activity event signal may be provided by an occupancy sensor that senses occupancy in the vicinity of the refrigerated appliance. Alternatively, the activity event signal may represent vending activity (e.g., money insertion). The controller automatically transitions from the normal-operation mode to the power conservation mode based upon a temperature signal provided by an internal temperature sensor and/or the ouput of the occupancy sensor. The power-conserving mode of operation and the normal-operation mode provide different internal temperature characteristics (e.g., varying temperature variance) within a chamber in the refrigerated appliance.

Claims

1. A refrigerated appliance for dispensing items, said system comprising:

a power source;

a cooling system;

power control circuitry that selectively provides electrically coupling of at least one component of said cooling system to said power source; and

a controller, operably coupled to said power control circuitry, that is adapted to control said power control circuitry in a power-conserving mode of operation and in a normal-operation mode, said controller automatically transitioning from said power-conserving mode to said normal-operation mode based upon an activity event signal.

2. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

said activity event signal is provided by an occupancy sensor that senses occupancy in the vicinity of said refrigerated appliance.

3. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

said activity event signal represents vending activity associated with said refrigerated appliance

4. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor that provided a signal representing internal temperature of said refrigerated appliance;

wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said normal-operation mode to said power conservation mode based upon said signal provided by said temperature sensor.

5. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 4, further comprising:

an occupancy sensor that generates a signal representing occupancy in the vicinity of said refrigerated appliance;

wherein said controller automatically transitions from said normal-operation mode to said power conservation mode based upon the signal provided by said occupancy sensor.

6. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

said power-conserving mode of operation and said normal-operation mode provide different internal temperature characteristics within a chamber in said refrigerated appliance.

7. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 6, wherein:

said different internal temperature characteristics relate to temperature variance over positions within said chamber.

8. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

said cooling system includes at least one fan that circulates air within an internal chamber of said refrigerated appliance; and

said controller and said power control circuitry cooperate to deactivate said at least one fan most of the time in said power conservation mode.