FOOD HEATING AND DISPENSING MACHINE

• US 3,653,541 A
• Filed: 03/31/1970
• Issued: 04/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wayne M. Crum
• Original Assignee: Wayne M. Crum
• Inventors: Crum, Wayne M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bartuska, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US05/024,305
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 221/15HC,15A,192,268 99/357 137/625.13,625.11,625.21,625.46
• US Class Current: 221/150.0HC
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0078 Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a hot or cooked condition, e.g. popcorn, nuts
• 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: H05B 6/808 Microwave heating adapted for vending machines

Abstract

A food heating and dispensing machine including a cabinet having a refrigeration zone at the upper end thereof, the refrigeration zone enclosing a plurality of vertically disposed storage racks adapted to receive boxes containing food items such as hotdogs. Positioned immediately below the refrigeration zone is a conventional microwave oven having a front door pivotable about a horizontal axis at the bottom of the oven. A plurality of pneumatic cylinders are positioned behind the storage racks so as to selectively force one of the boxes out of one of the racks, such box falling into the oven. After being heated in the oven, the oven door conveys the boxed food item to a delivery bin. According to one embodiment of the invention, the delivery bin comprises an elevator which operates, under the control of the oven door, to deliver the food item at the same height as the oven door.

Claims

1. A food heating and dispensing machine comprising:

a cabinet;

means enclosing a refrigerated area at the upper end of said cabinet;

means positioned in said refrigerated area for storing boxes containing food items to be heated and dispensed;

a heating chamber positioned in said cabinet directly below said refrigerated area, said heating chamber including a door pivotable about a horizontal axis positioned adjacent the front edge of the bottom wall of said chamber, said door being positionable in A closed position, extending vertically upwardly, a partially open position which is angularly displaced by 90* or less from said closed position, and a fully open position which is angularly displaced by substantially more than 90* from said closed position, said heating chamber including a shelf secured to said door;

drive means for controlling the position of said door;

means for conveying selected ones of said boxes out of said refrigerated area;

control means for controlling the operation of said drive means, said heating chamber and said conveying means, said control means positioning said door in said partially open position and conveying one of said boxes out of said area, said box falling onto said shelf in said heating chamber, said control means subsequently positioning said door in said closed position and activating said heating chamber whereby said food item is heated, said control means subsequently positioning said door in said fully open position whereby said box slides on said door out of said chamber; and

a delivery bin positioned adjacent the front of said cabinet, said bin being positioned to receive said box for delivery of said food item to a purchaser.

2. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 1 wherein said means for storing boxes in said refrigerated area comprises:

a plurality of vertically disposed, side-by-side, storage racks, each of said racks supporting a plurality of vertically aligned ones of said boxes.

3. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 2 wherein said means for conveying selected ones of said boxes out of said refrigerated area comprises:

a plurality of pneumatic cylinders, one for each of said storage racks, each of said cylinders controlling a reciprocating piston, said cylinders being positioned relative to said storage racks so that a piston is aligned with the bottom box in each of said storage racks; and

means for selectively actuating any one of said cylinders whereby the corresponding piston extends outwardly pushing one of said boxes out of said refrigerated area.

4. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 3 wherein said means enclosing a refrigerated area comprises:

a wall having a flap hinged thereto, said pistons pushing said boxes through said flap on said wall.

5. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 4 further comprising:

a switch mounted to sense the opening of said flap on said wall indicating that said box has fallen into said heating chamber, said switch signalling said control means to close said door and to activate said heating chamber.

6. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 3 wherein said means for selectively actuating any one of said cylinders is operative to sequentially activate each of said cylinders until one of said boxes is pushed out of said refrigerated area.

7. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 3 wherein said drive means comprises:

a pneumatic cylinder, said cylinder controlling a reciprocating piston;

a toothed rack connected to said piston for movement therewith;

a shaft aligned with said horizontal axis and connected to said door;

a gear connected to said shaft, said gear engaging said toothed rack whereby the reciprocation of said piston rotates said door around said shaft.

8. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 1 wherein said heating chamber comprises a standard microwave oven having a generally rectangular shape including said front door which is pivotable about an axis aligned with the front edge of the bottom wall thereof.

9. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 1 wherein said shelf extends into said oven in a direction perpendicular to said door, said shelf being enclosed at the sides and back thereof to prevent said boxes from falling therefrom.

10. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 1 further cOmprising:

guide means positioned in said cabinet adjacent the front thereof for supporting said delivery bin for movement in a vertical direction between a first position adapted to receive said box as it slides on said door out of said chamber and a second, vertically elevated position adapted for delivery of said food item to a purchaser.

11. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 10 further comprising:

means for controlling the vertical position of said delivery bin, said means positioning said bin in said first position when said door is in said fully open position, said means positioning said bin in said second position when said door is in said closed position.

12. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 11 wherein said means for controlling the vertical position of said bin comprises:

means connected between said door and said delivery bin so that said bin moves under the control of said door.

13. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 10 wherein said cabinet includes a wall at the front thereof, said wall having an opening therein, said opening being aligned with said delivery bin when said bin is in said second position.

14. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 13 further comprising:

means for closing said opening in said wall when said delivery bin is not in said second position.

15. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 14 wherein said means for closing said opening comprises:

a planar member positioned between said bin and said wall, said guide means supporting said member for movement in a vertical direction between positions adjacent and away from said opening.

16. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 1 wherein said cabinet includes a front wall, said wall having an opening therein, and wherein said delivery bin is generally rectangular having a back wall and side and bottom walls connected to said front wall of said cabinet adjacent said opening therein, said delivery bin being open at the top thereof to receive said box which falls thereinto.

17. A food heating and dispensing machine according to claim 16 further comprising:

a door pivotally hinged about a horizontal axis at the top of said opening in said front wall of said cabinet, said door being pivotable inwardly to provide access to said delivery bin, said door contacting said back wall of said delivery bin in its fully open position to deny access to said machine through said opening.