High efficiency beverage vending machine
First Claim
1. A vending machine for cooling food products comprising:
- a housing defining an interior;
a plurality of holding members substantially thermally isolated from one another and disposed in said interior wherein each of said plurality of holding members includes inner and outer hollow members telescopically engaged with one another to define an inner cavity with an opening operable to communicate an individual food product and an outer cavity with an inlet and an outlet spaced from said inlet; and
a refrigeration system disposed outside of said interior and fluidly communicating individually with each of said outer cavities to cool each of said inner cavities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a vending machine for cooling food products. The vending machine includes a housing defining an interior. The vending machine also includes a plurality of holding members substantially thermally isolated from one another and disposed in the interior. Each of the plurality of holding members includes inner and outer hollow members telescopically engaged with one another to define an inner cavity with an opening operable to communicate an individual food product and an outer cavity with an inlet and an outlet spaced from the inlet. The vending machine also includes a refrigeration system disposed outside of the interior and fluidly communicating individually with each of the outer cavities to cool each of the inner cavities.
33 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vending machine for cooling food products comprising:
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a housing defining an interior;
a plurality of holding members substantially thermally isolated from one another and disposed in said interior wherein each of said plurality of holding members includes inner and outer hollow members telescopically engaged with one another to define an inner cavity with an opening operable to communicate an individual food product and an outer cavity with an inlet and an outlet spaced from said inlet; and
a refrigeration system disposed outside of said interior and fluidly communicating individually with each of said outer cavities to cool each of said inner cavities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for cooling food products with a vending machine comprising the steps of:
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defining an interior with a housing;
disposing a plurality of holding members in the interior substantially thermally isolated from one another wherein each of the plurality of holding members includes inner and outer hollow members telescopically engaged with one another to define an inner cavity with an opening operable to communicate an individual food product and an outer cavity with an inlet and an outlet spaced from the inlet; and
disposing outside of the interior a refrigeration system fluidly communicating individually with each of the outer cavities to cool each of the inner cavities. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification