Beverage dispensing machine and cabinet therefor
First Claim
1. A beverage dispensing machine cabinet, comprising:
- a. a cabinet base having(1) a bottom,(2) a short side panel attached to the bottom,(3) a rear panel attached to the bottom and the short side panel,(4) a tall side panel attached to the bottom and the rear panel, said tall side panel being of greater height than said short side panel, and(5) a hinge for a cabinet door, said hinge being mounted to one of said side panels;
b. a cabinet door pivotally mounted to said base by said hinge;
c. a removable cabinet top having(1) a top panel with first and second side edges,(2) a side panel connected to the top panel first side edge,(3) means on said top cap side panel for normal securement of the top cap side panel to the base short side panel, and(4) means on the top panel second edge for normal securement of the top panel second edge to the base tall side panel; and
d. fastener means securing said top cap to said base, said fastener means being inoperably renderable for releasing the top cap from the base.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A beverage dispensing machine has an exterior cabinet and a beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus mounted within the cabinet; the cabinet has a base having a bottom, short side and rear panels of the same height, a cantilevered tall side panel and a structural cross member connecting the top of the short side panel to the tall side panel; a lockable cabinet door of the same height as the tall side panel is pivotally hinged to the tall side panel; a removable cabinet top cap is removably mounted on top of the base and has a top panel, tall and short side panels which are atop of the short and tall base side panels respectively, a front faceplate above the cabinet door and cup dispenser tubes projecting through the face plate; fasteners inside of the cabinet normally secure the top cap to the base and the fasteners are accessible when the door is opened for releasing the top cap from the base; the beverage dispensing apparatus is a module mounted to the cross member and is above the level of the base short side and rear panels and when the top cap is removed, the dispensing apparatus is directly accessible from the front, rear, side and top for service and/or replacement.
119 Citations
55 Claims
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1. A beverage dispensing machine cabinet, comprising:
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a. a cabinet base having (1) a bottom, (2) a short side panel attached to the bottom, (3) a rear panel attached to the bottom and the short side panel, (4) a tall side panel attached to the bottom and the rear panel, said tall side panel being of greater height than said short side panel, and (5) a hinge for a cabinet door, said hinge being mounted to one of said side panels; b. a cabinet door pivotally mounted to said base by said hinge; c. a removable cabinet top having (1) a top panel with first and second side edges, (2) a side panel connected to the top panel first side edge, (3) means on said top cap side panel for normal securement of the top cap side panel to the base short side panel, and (4) means on the top panel second edge for normal securement of the top panel second edge to the base tall side panel; and d. fastener means securing said top cap to said base, said fastener means being inoperably renderable for releasing the top cap from the base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A beverage dispensing machine cabinet comprising:
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a. a cabinet base having (1) a bottom, (2) a short side panel attached to the bottom, (3) a rear panel attached to the bottom and the side panel, (4) a tall side panel attached to the bottom and the rear panel, said tall side panel being of a greater height than said short side panel, and (5) a hinge for a cabinet door, said hinge being mounted to a front edge of said tall side panel; b. A cabinet door pivotally mounted to said base tall side panel by said hinge; c. a removable cabinet top cap having; (1) a top panel, (2) a short side panel connected to the top panel, and (3) a tall side panel connected to the top panel and being of greater height than said cap short side panel; and d. means for mounting said top cap on and to said base with said top cap short side panel being atop said base tall side panel and jointly forming a first complete side of the cabinet, and with said top cap tall side panel being atop of said base short side panel and jointly forming a second complete side of the cabinet. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A beverage dispensing machine cabinet base, comprising
a. a bottom, b. a short side panel attached to the bottom, c. a rear panel attached to the bottom and the short side panel, said rear panel being substantially the same height as the short side panel, d. a tall side panel attached to the bottom and the rear panel, said tall side panel being of a substantially greater height then either of said short side or rear panel, e. a hinge for supporting a cabinet door, said hinge being mounted to a front upright edge of said tall side panel, part of said hinge being above the level of the top of either of the short side or rear panels, f. a cross member spanning across the base substantially at the level of the top of the short side and rear panels, g. means for supporting a beverage dispenser apparatus at a level wherein the apparatus is substantially higher than the top of either said short side or rear panel, and h. means for supporting an enclosing top cap upon the side panels.
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44. A beverage dispensing machine, comprising
a. an upright cabinet base having (1) a bottom, (2) a pair of side panels attached one each to opposite sides of the bottom, (3) a rear panel attached to the bottom and the side panels, (4) a hinge for a cabinet door, said hinge being mounted on a front edge on one of said side panels, and (5) means for structurally supporting a beverage dispensing apparatus at a level higher than the highest level of one of the side panels; -
b. beverage dispensing apparatus mounted on the base and to the structural supporting means, said apparatus including means for preparing and for dispensing a beverage, said apparatus being positioned at a level above the highest level of one of said panels; c. a cabinet door pivotally mounted to said base by said hinge said door normally closing the front side of said base; d. a removable cabinet top cap mounted upon said cabinet base and having (1) a top panel forming a top of the dispensing machine, (2) one side panel extending down past the dispensing apparatus to join with the said one of said base side panels, and said one top cap side panel and said one base side panel together forming a complete side of the dispensing machine, (3) lower peripheral edges fitted against upper edges of the base side and rear panels and a front edge fitted against the cabinet door, said top cap, base and door together jointly forming a complete cabinet enclosing said dispensing apparatus; and e. fastener means within the cabinet securing the top cap to the base, said fastener means being accessible from within the cabinet when the door is open and being thereupon inoperably renderable for releasing the top cap from the base;
said top cap when released by said fastener means being removable from the dispensing machine thereby providing access to the dispensing apparatus from above, from the front and from a side. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A beverage dispensing machine cabinet base, comprising
a. a bottom, b. a short side panel attached to the bottom, c. a rear panel attached to the bottom and the short side panel, d. a tall side panel being of a greater height than said short side panel, e. a hinge for supporting a cabinet door, said hinge being mounted to a front edge of said tall side panel, f. means for supporting a beverage dispenser apparatus at a level wherein the apparatus is substantially higher than the top of said short side panel, said means comprising a cross member spanning across the base substantially at the level of the top of the short side frame, said cross member being fastened to both of said side panels, and g. means for supporting an enclosing top cap upon the side panels.
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54. A beverage dispensing machine cabinet base according to claim 60, in which the tall side panel has thereon a fore/aft structural flange at substantially the same level as the cross member.
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55. A beverage dispensing machine cabinet base, comprising
a. a bottom, b. a short side panel attached to one side of the bottom, c. a rear panel attached to the rear of the bottom and the short side panel, said rear panel being substantially of the same height as the short side panel, d. a tall side panel attached to a second and opposite side of the bottom and to the rear panel, said tall side being cantilevered above the level of the tops of the short side and rear panels, e. a hinge for supporting a cabinet door, said hinge being mounted to a front edge of said tall side panel and having a top hinge element mounted at a level substantially higher than either of the tops of the short side and rear panels, f. a cross member spanning across the base substantially at the level of the top of the short side frame, said cross member being fastened to and structurally interconnecting both of said side panels, g. means for supporting a beverage dispenser apparatus at a level wherein the apparatus is substantially higher than the tops of said short side and rear panels, and h. means for supporting an enclosing top cap upon the side panels.
Specification