Dispensing system for handling consumable tooling and supplies

• US 4,961,507 A
• Filed: 11/03/1988
• Issued: 10/09/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Larry L. Higgins
• Original Assignee: Larry L. Higgins
• Inventors: Higgins, Larry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/267,678
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 221/1, 221/2, 221/9, 221/13, 221/104, 221/129, 221/258, 221/268, 186/35, 186/36, 186/37, 186/55, 186/56, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/383, 235/385, 340/825.3, 340/825.31, 340/825.33, 340/825.34, 340/825.35, 194/205, 194/210, 194/904, 364/403, 364/478, 364/479
• US Class Current: 221/129
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/00 Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; nail dispensers B25C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/22 Pushers actuated indirectly by hand, e.g. through cranks or levers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 194/904 Check-operated releaser for automobile service equipment

Abstract

The invention is a system for dispensing and tracking the use of a plurality of different and discrete consumable items. A dispensing machine is provided which has a supply of the various items to be dispensed arranged in a selected pattern. A program and a memory are in the system to receive and identify data on the user of the machine and the item to be dispensed. The system responds to a request for an item by verifying the authority of the user, generating confirmation of the availability of the requested item, and executing the dispensing of the requested item. The system also generates recordable data regarding the dispensing operation to control the ordering, inventorying and tracking of the dispensed items. A printer can generate a hard copy of the data. Pneumatic matrix switching is also provided to control the selection and dispensing of the consumable items by the system.

Claims

1. A fluid matrix switching system comprising:

a plurality of fluid cylinders, each cylinder arranged to provide a dispensing stroke and further each having a selected column address and a row address;

each cylinder being maintained under an initial fluid pressure;

first actuator means comprising a fluid valve for each column address and connected in common fluid communication to each fluid cylinder having the same column address and operative to condition each cylinder at said column address for actuation;

second actuator means comprising a fluid valve for each row address and connected in common fluid communication to each fluid cylinder having the same row address and operative to condition each cylinder at said row address for actuation; and

means to selectively activate one each of said first and second actuator means to condition the cylinders having one column address and one row address for actuating and to activate the cylinder having said one column and said one row address to provide a dispensing stroke.

2. In a machine for separately dispensing a plurality of consumable items, a fluid matrix switching system for controlling the selection dispensing of a selected item comprising:

a plurality of fluid cylinders corresponding to the types of items being dispensed, with each cylinder arranged to provide a dispensing stroke for each type of item and further each having a selected column address and a row address;

each cylinder further providing each magazine with security against unauthorized and inadvertent dispensing by being maintained under an initial fluid pressure;

first actuator means comprising a fluid valve for each column address and connected in common fluid communication to each fluid cylinder having the same column address and operative to condition each cylinder at said column address for actuation;

second actuator means comprising a fluid valve for each row address and connected in common fluid communication to each fluid cylinder having the same row address and operative to condition each cylinder at said row address for actuation; and

means to selectively activate one each of said first and second actuator means to condition the cylinders having one column address and one row address for actuating and to activate the cylinder having in common said one column and said one row address to provide a dispensing stroke which dispenses the associated items.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said cylinders comprise pneumatic cylinders and said fluid valves comprise pneumatic valves.

4. A machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein each cylinder comprises a double-acting fluid cylinder which operates to provide a dispensing and return stroke.

5. The machine in accordance with claim 2 further comprising memory means in said machine, said memory means containing data identifying authorized users of the system.

6. A machine in accordance with claim 2 wherein the number of cylinders is `N`, wherein the number of cylinders in each column and row is the square root of `N`;

and further wherein the number of first and second actuator means each comprise the square root of `N`.

7. A system for dispensing and tracking the use of consumable items comprising:

a dispensing machine having a plurality of magazines each provided with a plurality of consumable items;

a computer system including program means and memory means for a selected number and type of item to be dispensed;

input keyboard means for the system user to enter data in the program to initially select the type and number of the item to be dispensed;

video display means to display to the user the status of the selected item in the system and integrated with the program means to allow the user to vary the initial selection to a final selection;

means for transmitting data identifying the final item selection to the machine memory;

means for generating a dispensing signal;

means operatively connected to each magazine to dispense the selected items in response to a dispensing signal, said dispensing means comprising a fluid cylinder positioned at each magazine to provide each magazine with a dispensing stroke and further having a selected column and row address;

each cylinder further providing each magazine with security against unauthorized and inadvertent dispensing by being maintained under an initial fluid pressure;

first actuator means comprising a fluid valve for each column address connected in common fluid communication to each fluid cylinder having the same column address and operative to condition each cylinder having said column address for actuation;

second actuator means comprising a fluid valve for each row address connected in common fluid communication to each fluid cylinder having the same row address and operative to condition each cylinder having said row address for actuation;

means to selectively activate one each of said first and second actuator means to condition the cylinders having one column address and one row address for actuation and to actuate only the cylinder having in common said one column address and said one row address to provide a dispensing stroke which dispenses the item at the associated magazine; and

means for outputting the data from the machine memory to control the ordering, inventorying and tracking of the use of the consumable items dispensed from the machine.

8. The system in accordance with claim 7 wherein each magazine includes slide means connected to the adjacent fluid cylinder which responds to the actuation of said cylinder to slide within said magazine and thereby dispense the selected item.

9. A system for dispensing and tracking the use of consumable items comprising:

a machine having a supply of consumable items stored in a plurality of dispensing magazines;

memory means and program means provided for the machine for ordering a selected type and number of the items to be dispensed;

means for the system user to enter data in the program to initially select the type and number of an item to be dispensed;

means to provide the user with data relating the status of the selected item in the system and to allow the user to vary the initial item selection to a final selection;

means for transmitting data identifying the final item selection to the machine memory;

means for dispensing the selected type and number of the item from the machine comprising a plurality of fluid cylinders corresponding to the number of dispensing magazines, with each cylinder arranged to provide a magazine with a dispensing stroke and having a selected column and row address;

each cylinder further providing each magazine with security against unauthorized and inadvertent dispensing by being maintained under an initial fluid pressure;

first actuator means comprising a fluid valve for each column address connected in common fluid communication to each fluid cylinder having the same column address and operative to condition each cylinder having said column address for actuation.

second actuator means comprising a fluid valve for each row address connected in common fluid communication to each fluid cylinder having the same row address and operative to condition each cylinder having said row address for actuation;

means to selectively actuate one each of said first and second actuator means to condition the cylinders having one column address and one row address for actuation and to activate only the cylinder having in common said one column address and said one row address to provide a dispensing stroke which dispenses the item at the associated dispensing magazine; and

means for outputting the data from the machine memory to control the ordering, inventorying and tracking of the use of the dispensed consumable items.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said fluid cylinders comprise pneumatic cylinders and said fluid valves of said first and second actuators comprise pneumatic valves.

11. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein the number of cylinders is `N`, wherein the number of cylinders in each column and row is the square root of `N`;

and further wherein the number of first and second actuator means each comprise the square root of `N`.

12. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein the program means includes a routine which identifies authorized machine users and verifies user authorization before said dispensing means is operable to dispense selected items from the machine.

13. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein each cylinder comprises a double-acting fluid cylinder which operates to provide both a dispensing and return stroke.

14. The system of claim 9 further comprising means for transmitting data identifying each user to the memory means.

15. A system in accordance with claim 9 including a plurality of said machines positioned at selected dispensing stations to provide a network of dispensing machines and further including a central memory and program means for receiving said output data from each machine memory to control the ordering, inventorying and tracking of the use of the items dispensed from said network.

16. The system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the program means for each machine includes a program routine which identifies authorized machine users;

and wherein the system includes means for entering data into the program means of each machine to identify the user and further includes means for verifying the authorization of the user before said dispensing means is operative to dispense the selected item from each machine.

17. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein the memory means and program means include means for identifying authorized users of the system;

and

means for entering data in the program identifying the user.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising logic means for recording and tracking the quantity and type of each item dispensed to each authorized user.