Vending device
First Claim
1. Vending system with a storage unit having storage and customer openings on respective storage and customer walls and receiving compartments that serve as receptacles for goods, comprising:
- a computing unit with a memory,a display unit connected to said computing unit, andan input device connected to said computing unit,wherein one compartment of the compartments is assigned to a merchant by the computing unit to load the goods into said one compartment after the merchant has entered an identifying merchant code into the input device,wherein the computing unit makes the withdrawal of the goods from the one compartment loaded with goods by releasing the one compartment after a customer has entered an identification code into the input device,wherein the storage unit further includes a transport device which, under control of the computing unit, transports the one compartment into the storage opening that can be locked, or removes the one compartment and transports the one compartment into the customer opening that can be locked, and the storage opening can be released by the computing unit in order to load the one compartment with the goods after the identifying merchant code of the merchant has been entered, and in order for the customer to withdraw the goods from the one compartment after the identification code of the customer has been entered,wherein the customer accesses the customer opening in the customer wall positioned in a first room and the merchant accesses the storage opening in the storage wall positioned in a second room, wherein display element is assigned to each storage and customer'"'"'s opening and controlled by the computing unit to display a released storage or customer opening.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention pertains to a vending device with a number of compartments (11,23A,32) that serve as receptacles for goods, whereby a computing unit (50) with a memory, at least one display unit (7,12) and at least one input device (8,9) is provided, whereby at least one compartment (11,23,23A,32) is assigned to a merchant by the computing unit (50) to load at least one compartment (11,23,23A,32) after the merchant has entered his identifying merchant code into the input device (8,9), and whereby the computing unit (50) makes the withdrawal of goods from the compartment (11,23,23A,32) loaded with goods possible by releasing a compartment (11,23,23A,32) after the customer has entered an identification code into the input device (8,9). The compartments (11,23,23A,32) are part of a storage unit (2,20,20A,30) provided with a transport device (10,25,25A,35) which, controlled by the computing unit (50), can transfer each compartment (11) into the area of an opening (4,40) that can be locked, or remove a container (22,22A) from any compartment and transport the same into the area of an opening (4,40) that can be locked. The opening (4,40) can be released by the computing unit (50) to load at least one compartment (11,23,23A,32) with goods after the identification code of the merchant has been entered and to withdraw goods from the compartments (11,23,23A,32) after the identification code of the customer has been entered.
261 Citations
19 Claims
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1. Vending system with a storage unit having storage and customer openings on respective storage and customer walls and receiving compartments that serve as receptacles for goods, comprising:
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a computing unit with a memory, a display unit connected to said computing unit, and an input device connected to said computing unit, wherein one compartment of the compartments is assigned to a merchant by the computing unit to load the goods into said one compartment after the merchant has entered an identifying merchant code into the input device, wherein the computing unit makes the withdrawal of the goods from the one compartment loaded with goods by releasing the one compartment after a customer has entered an identification code into the input device, wherein the storage unit further includes a transport device which, under control of the computing unit, transports the one compartment into the storage opening that can be locked, or removes the one compartment and transports the one compartment into the customer opening that can be locked, and the storage opening can be released by the computing unit in order to load the one compartment with the goods after the identifying merchant code of the merchant has been entered, and in order for the customer to withdraw the goods from the one compartment after the identification code of the customer has been entered, wherein the customer accesses the customer opening in the customer wall positioned in a first room and the merchant accesses the storage opening in the storage wall positioned in a second room, wherein display element is assigned to each storage and customer'"'"'s opening and controlled by the computing unit to display a released storage or customer opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Vending system with a storage unit having storage and customer openings for receiving compartments that serve as receptacles for goods, comprising:
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a computing unit with a memory, a display unit connected to said computing unit, and an input device connected to said computing unit, wherein one compartment of the compartments is assigned to a merchant by the computing unit to load the goods into said one compartment after the merchant has entered an identifying merchant code into the input device, wherein the computing unit makes the withdrawal of the goods from the one compartment loaded with goods by releasing the one compartment after a customer has entered an identification code into the input device, wherein the storage unit further includes a transport device which, under control of the computing unit, transports the one compartment into the storage opening that can be locked, or removes the one compartment and transports the one compartment into the customer opening that can be locked, and the storage opening can be released by the computing unit in order to load the one compartment with the goods after the identifying merchant code of the merchant has been entered, and in order for the customer to withdraw the goods from the one compartment after the identification code of the customer has been entered, wherein the transport device of the storage unit comprises an endless conveyor belt and the compartments are arranged in rows atop one another such that the compartments of a first row are aligned with the compartments of a second row arranged on top of the first row, and the compartments in the first and second rows can be transported in an elevator-like manner for access via the storage and customer openings, wherein a display element which can be controlled by the computing unit is assigned to each storage and customers'"'"'s opening, and wherein each display element serves the purpose of displaying the released customer'"'"'s opening assigned to the compartment reserved for the customer for the withdrawal of the goods or to display the released storage opening assigned to an empty compartment reserved for the merchant during the loading process of the goods. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A vending system, comprising:
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a storage unit having merchant and customer walls and storage and customer openings the merchant and customer walls respectively, the merchant wall located in a first room and the customer wall located in a second room, said storage unit receiving a container used as a receptacle for goods via the merchant opening, storing the container in a compartment and distributing the goods via the customer opening, a computing unit connected to said storage unit and assigning the compartment to a merchant for loading of the goods by the input of a merchant code into the computing unit and assigning the compartment to the customer for receiving the goods by the input of a customer'"'"'s codes into the computing unit, one display element connected to said computing unit and assigned to each storage and customer'"'"'s opening and displaying the compartment reserved for the customer to receive the goods and displaying an empty compartment reserved for the merchant during a loading process of the goods into said storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification