Non-attended, self-service cup vender
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a beverage cup vender havinga housing anda coin mechanism in said housing for initiating the dispensing cycle;
- the improvement comprising;
(a) a plurality of separate consumer activated stations comprising;
(1) a cup size selection station, including means for selecting the cup size to be vended, said means providing a first output signal;
(2) a cup drop station including a vending port in a front panel of said housing;
(3) an ice dispensing station including means for dispensing an amount of ice to be determined by a consumer into a cup placed by the consumer at said ice dispensing station, said ice dispensing station being separate from and disposed adjacent to said cup drop station, said means for dispensing ice providing a second output signal;
(4) a beverage dispensing station, separate from and disposed adjacent to said ice dispense station, said beverage dispensing station including means responsive to a selection button operated by the consumer for dispensing a selected beverage;
(b) an electronic controller mounted in said housing for controlling the beverage dispensing operation of said cup vender, said controller including means, responsive to said first and second output signals, for limiting the amount of beverage dispensed by the means for dispensing a selected beverage, whereby the total volume of ice and beverage dispensed approximates the volume of the cup selected by the consumer; and
(c) means coupled to and responsive to said electronic controller for guiding the consumer to the next of said stations to be operated by the consumer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-attended, coin-operated, postmix, cup vender using a cup holder and dropper mechanism, bag-in-box syrup packages, syrup pumps, a conventional counter electric beverage dispenser, a standard ice maker and dispenser and an electronic control to enable the customer to receive a full cup of beverage regardless of the amount of ice selected. The electronic control means also guides the customer through the operation using sequenced lighting displays and messages. The vender includes separate dispense and vend modules.
98 Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a beverage cup vender having
a housing and a coin mechanism in said housing for initiating the dispensing cycle; - the improvement comprising;
(a) a plurality of separate consumer activated stations comprising; (1) a cup size selection station, including means for selecting the cup size to be vended, said means providing a first output signal; (2) a cup drop station including a vending port in a front panel of said housing; (3) an ice dispensing station including means for dispensing an amount of ice to be determined by a consumer into a cup placed by the consumer at said ice dispensing station, said ice dispensing station being separate from and disposed adjacent to said cup drop station, said means for dispensing ice providing a second output signal; (4) a beverage dispensing station, separate from and disposed adjacent to said ice dispense station, said beverage dispensing station including means responsive to a selection button operated by the consumer for dispensing a selected beverage; (b) an electronic controller mounted in said housing for controlling the beverage dispensing operation of said cup vender, said controller including means, responsive to said first and second output signals, for limiting the amount of beverage dispensed by the means for dispensing a selected beverage, whereby the total volume of ice and beverage dispensed approximates the volume of the cup selected by the consumer; and (c) means coupled to and responsive to said electronic controller for guiding the consumer to the next of said stations to be operated by the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- the improvement comprising;
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8. A method for vending a postmix beverage comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a non-attended, postmix cup vender including a coin mechanism, and a plurality of discrete stations comprising a cup size selection station, a cup drop station, and ice dispensing station, and a beverage dispensing station; (b) guiding a consumer through each one of said plurality of stations; (c) enabling the consumer to select one of a plurality of cup sizes at the cup size selection station; (d) enabling the consumer to dispense the amount of ice desired by the consumer and; (e) enabling the consumer to dispense a volume of beverage approximately equal to the difference between the volume of the cup size selected by the consumer and the volume of ice dispensed by the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification