Display panel for vending machines

• US 4,551,935 A
• Filed: 02/08/1983
• Issued: 11/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Davis, Charles L., Morgan, Annis R. Jr., Bachmann, G. Merle
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Contreras, Wenceslao J.
• Application Number:
  US06/464,897
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 40/584, 40/1, 40/464, 194/1 A, D20/5
• US Class Current: 40/584
• 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: G09F 2023/0033 on refrigerated containers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/06 the advertising matter being combined with articles for restaurants, shops or offices on paper articles G09F23/10

Abstract

A display panel is provided for the major obverse face of a vending machine in which contrasting panels provide the suggestion of a container of primary product in combination with a vending control array presenting that primary product in dominance of a plurality of secondary products to be vended so as to induce predominate selection of the primary product. The contrasting panels further provide a superimposed alphanumeric or other display configuration on the display panel to further enhance the dominant presence of the primary product.

Claims

1. Display means for an obverse face of a vending machine comprising:

a plurality of panel means defining a like plurality of display fields within a defined display area;

selected ones of said panel means being of contrasting surface characteristics to the remaining said panel means in the provision of selected display configurations in said display area;

one of said selected panel means being a discharge panel means having discharge port means therein for presenting vended products, said discharge panel means extending horizontally across said obverse face of said vending means and dividing said obverse face into upper and lower sections;

another selected one of said panel means being disposed in said upper section and being configured with a substantially rectangular outline with the longest dimension of the rectangle extending vertically of said machine and including logo means so disposed thereon as to suggest the representation by said display panel means of the rectangular front elevational outline of an upright can of product with said logo means thereon; and

control means in a remaining said panel means for controlling the vending of products from said vending machine, said control means including,

secondary product selector button means in a vertical array for selecting secondary products to be vended, each having a secondary product display area thereon bearing indicia representative of a given secondary product to be vended,

a primary product selector button means positioned above said vertical array so shaped and so proportioned as to present a primary product display area thereon larger than a said secondary product display area to provide a dominant pressure thereon in said control means,

said primary product display area being substantially the same primary product logo as said another selected one of said panel means for inducing, in conjunction therewith, the predominant selection of said primary product over said secondary product by an observer of said display means.

2. The display means of claim 1, wherein said selected one of said panel means is backlighted to highlight said rectangular outline and logo means thereon.

3. Display means for an obverse face of a vending machine comprising:

a plurality of panel means defining a like plurality of display fields within a defined display area;

selected ones of said panel means being of contrasting surface characteristics to the remaining said panel means in the provision of selected display configurations in said display area;

one of said selected panel means being a discharge panel means having discharge port means therein for presenting vended products, said discharge panel means extending horizontally across said obverse face of said vending machine and dividing said obverse face into upper and lower sections;

another selected one of said panel means being disposed in said upper section and being configured with a substantially rectangular outline with the longest dimension of the rectangle extending vertically of said machine and including logo means so disposed thereon as to suggest the representation by said display panel means of the rectangular front elevational outline of an upright can of product with said logo means thereon; and

control means in a remaining said panel means for controlling the vending of products from said vending machine, said control means including,

a coin slot,

first and second adjacent vertical columns of secondary product selector buttons, each having a secondary product display area thereon bearing indicia representative of a given secondary product to be vended, and

a primary product selector button, which is larger than the respective secondary product selector buttons, positioned above said secondary product selector buttons adjacent said coin slot, said primary product selector button being so shaped and so proportioned as to overlie and extend across both said vertical columns of secondary product selector buttons and present a primary product display area thereon larger than a said secondary product display area to provide a dominant presence thereof in said control means,

said primary product display area bearing substantially the same primary product logo as said another selected one of said panel means inducing, in conjunction therewith, the predominate selection of said primary product over said secondary products by an observer of said display means.

4. The display means of claim 3, wherein said selected one of said panel means is backlighted to highlight said rectangular outline and logo means thereon.

5. Display panel means for an obverse face of a vending machine comprising:

first panel means including discharge port means therein for vended products and defining a first display field transversely disposed on said display panel means;

second panel means including control means for selecting products to be vended and defining a second display field extending vertically from one end of said first display field;

third panel means having a substantially rectangular outline with the longest dimension of the rectangle extending vertically of said machine and defining a contrasting third display field above said first display field subtending an area on said display panel means defined by the other boundaries thereof and the said first and second display fields; and

fourth panel means defining a contrasting fourth display field, subtending an area defined by the third display field and the outer boundaries of said display panel means;

said third panel means including logo means thereon representative of a primary product to be vended and said rectangular outline suggesting the appearance of the rectangular front elevational outline of an upright can of that product;

said control means for selecting products to be vended including,

first and second adjacent vertical columns of secondary product selector buttons each having a secondary product display area thereon bearing indicia representative of a given secondary product to be vended, and

a primary product selector button means positioned above and so shaped and so proportioned as to subtend both said vertical columns of secondary product selector buttons and present a primary product display area thereon larger than a said secondary product display area to provide a dominant presence thereof in said control means,

said primary product display area bearing substantially the same primary product logo as said third panel means, for inducing in conjunction therewith, the predominate selection of said primary product over said secondary product by an observer of said display panel means.

6. The display means of claim 5, wherein said third panel means is backlighted to emphasize said rectangular outline and logo means thereon.

7. Display panel means for an obverse face of a vending machine, comprising:

first panel means including discharge port means therein for vended products and defining a first display field transversely disposed on said display panel means;

second panel means including control means for selecting products to be vended and defining a second display field extending vertically from one end of said first display field;

third panel means having a substantially rectangular outline with the longest dimension of the rectangle extending vertically of said machine and defining a contrasting third display field above said first display field subtending an area on said display panel means defined by the outer boundaries thereof and the said first and second display fields; and

fourth panel means defining a contrasting fourth display field, subtending an area defined by the third display field and the outer boundaries of said display panel means;

said third panel means including logo means thereon representative of a primary product to be vended and said rectangular outline suggesting the appearance of the rectangular front elevational outline of an upright can of that product;

said control means for selecting products to be vended including,

a coin slot,

secondary product selector button means in a vertical array for selecting secondary products to be vended, each having a secondary product display area thereon bearing indicia representative of a given secondary product to be vended; and

a primary product selector button, which is larger than the respective secondary product selector buttons, positioned above said secondary product selector button means adjacent said coin slot, said primary product selector button being so shaped and so proportioned as to present a primary product display area thereon larger than a said secondary product display area to provide a dominant presence theron in said control means;

said primary product display area bearing substantially the same primary product logo as said third panel means for inducing, in conjunction therewith, the predominate selection of said primary product over said secondary product by an observer of said display panel means.

8. The display means of claim 7, wherein said third panel means is backlighted to emphasize said rectangular outline and logo means thereon.