Temperature maintained food dispensing system and method

• US 5,586,686 A
• Filed: 05/25/1995
• Issued: 12/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: LaPolice, George, Bustos, Rafael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US08/449,935
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 221/211, 221/278, 186/52, 186/53, 186/55, 406/1, 406/2, 406/3
• US Class Current: 221/211
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 14/00 Buildings for combinations of different purposes not covered by any single one of main groups E04H1/00-E04H13/00 of this subclass, e.g. for double purpose E04H3/02, E04H9/06 take precedence; Buildings of the drive-in type
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/02 Hotels; Motels; Coffee-houses; Restaurants; Shops; Department stores
• 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: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A system is provided for vending food products such as individually packaged beverages from a temperature maintained storage unit to a remote location such as a service counter or the service island of a gasoline service facility. Preferably, a pneumatic tube conveyor moves the product from storage to a dispensing unit at the remote location in response to product selection made by a customer at the remote location. Preferably, payment for the sale of the product item is coordinated with information from another vending or accounting system such as a gasoline charge system that includes a credit card reader associated with a fully automated self-service gasoline pump. The product is moved through the conveyor in a reusable carrier or in its own product packaging container that serves as a carrier.

Claims

1. A system for vending individually packaged food products in their individual non-reusable packaging containers to customers at a customer location in an ambient temperature environment, for immediate consumption at a food service temperature that differs from the temperature of the ambient temperature environment, comprising:

a customer terminal at the customer location in an ambient temperature in the ambient temperature environment having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a packaged product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its own individual non-reusable packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal at a loading location that is physically separated from the customer location by an intervening building structure or partition or an otherwise useful space that is part of neither the customer terminal nor the supply terminal, the loading station including a food product supply enclosure having an environment therein maintained the food service temperature;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal, across the intervening structure or space, between the two locations, to the dispensing unit; and

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the food product storage unit is a refrigerated unit configured to support a plurality of individual portion bottled beverages in plastic prefilled individual beverage containers at the food service temperature; and

the pneumatic conveyor is operative to apply pneumatic pressure directly across a the plastic prefilled beverage container when loaded therein to move the bottled beverage across the structure or space to the customer terminal at the customer location.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the order entry device includes a product selector operative to generate a product selection command in response to a product selection by the customer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the system includes and is interconnected with a diverse vending system for vending to the customer a diverse product or service that is distinct from the individually packaged food products, the diverse system having a payment subsystem for accounting for payment for the diverse goods or services provided by it to the customer, the payment subsystem being selected from the group consisting of a charge account subsystem, a cash payment subsystem, and a membership account subsystem; and

the payment device being interconnected with the payment subsystem such that payment for the vended individually packaged food product is made through the payment subsystem of the diverse vending system.

5. A system for vending individually packaged food products comprising:

a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit;

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer;

the food product supply terminal including a product storage unit having a temperature maintained interior;

the customer terminal being located in an ambient temperature environment;

the pneumatic conveyor including a reusable hollow carrier moveable therein having a thermally insulating wall and adapted to enclose a food product therein for transfer from the food product supply terminal to the product dispensing unit; and

the pneumatic conveyor being operative, when activated, to apply a pneumatic pressure across the carrier to move the carrier from the food product supply terminal to the product dispensing unit.

6. A system for vending individually packaged food products comprising:

a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit;

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer;

the food product supply terminal including a product storage unit having a temperature maintained interior;

the customer terminal being located in an ambient temperature environment;

a product loading mechanism operably connected with the product supply terminal and the pneumatic conveyor and operable when activated to load, from the supply terminal, a food product, in its container, to the pneumatic conveyor; and

the controller being further operable to activate the loading mechanism in response to a command from the order entry device.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein:

the order entry device includes means for accepting a product selection from the customer and generating a product selection command in response thereto;

the storage unit is configured to store a plurality of supplies of different food products; and

,

the product loading mechanism is operable, when activated, to selectively load a product from one of the supplies in accordance with the product selection command.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the product storage unit is a refrigerated unit configured to support a plurality of supplies of filled individual beverage containers.

9. A system for vending individually packaged food products comprising:

a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit;

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer;

the pneumatic conveyor including a reusable hollow carrier moveable therein adapted to enclose a food product therein for transfer from the food product supply terminal to the product dispensing unit; and

the pneumatic conveyor being operative, when activated, to apply a pneumatic pressure across the carrier to move the carrier from the food product supply terminal to the product dispensing unit.

10. A system for vending individually packaged food products comprising;

a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit;

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer;

a product loading mechanism operably connected with the product supply terminal and the pneumatic conveyor and operable when activated to load, from the supply terminal, a food product, in its container, to the pneumatic conveyor; and

the controller being further operable to activate the loading mechanism in response to a command from the order entry device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the order entry device includes a product selector operative to generate a product selection command in response to a product selection by the customer;

the supply terminal is configured to store a plurality of supplies of different food products; and

,

the product loading mechanism is operable, when activated, to selectively load a product from one of the supplies to the conveyor in accordance with the product selection command.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein:

the supply terminal is configured to support a plurality of supplies of filled individual beverage containers;

the product selector being operative to generate the product selection command in response to a beverage selection by the customer; and

the product loading mechanism is operable, when activated, to selectively load a beverage from one of the supplies to the conveyor in accordance with the product selection command.

13. The system of any of claims 10 or 11 wherein:

the pneumatic conveyor is configured to receive a packaged food product in its packaging container at the supply terminal; and

the pneumatic conveyor is operative, when activated, to apply a pneumatic pressure across the container to move the container and packaged food product from the food product supply terminal to the product dispensing unit.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the packaged food product is a beverage in a prefilled beverage container, and wherein:

the pneumatic conveyor is configured to receive the beverage in its container; and

the pneumatic conveyor is operative, when activated, to apply a pneumatic pressure across the prefilled beverage container to move the container and beverage from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit.

15. A system for vending individually packaged food products comprising:

a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit;

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer;

the customer terminal being located remote from the supply terminal;

the system being located at a facility having at least one pedestrian or vehicular access lane and

the customer terminal and the supply terminal being located on opposite sides of the access lane.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein:

the customer terminal is located at a gasoline service island and the food product supply terminal is located at a gasoline service station across a vehicle access lane from the customer terminal.

17. A system for vending individually packaged food products comprising:

a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit;

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer;

the system being interconnected with a diverse vending system having a payment subsystem for accounting for payment for goods or services provided to the customer, the subsystem being selected from the group consisting of a charge account subsystem, a cash payment subsystem, and a membership account subsystem;

the payment device being interconnected with the subsystem such that payment for the vended packaged food product is made through the payment subsystem of the diverse vending system;

the diverse vending system being a gasoline vending system at a gasoline service facility having a gasoline service island which includes a gasoline pump and a credit card reader;

the payment subsystem being a credit card billing subsystem interconnected to the pump and to the credit card reader to automatically charge gasoline purchases to a charge account of the customer;

the customer terminal being located at a gasoline service island; and

the payment device including connections to the billing subsystem of the gasoline vending system to automatically charge a purchase of the vended packaged food product to the charge account of the customer.

18. A system for vending individually packaged food products comprising:

a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit;

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer;

the system being interconnected with a diverse vending system having a payment subsystem for accounting for payment for goods or services provided to the customer, the subsystem being selected from the group consisting of a charge account subsystem, a cash payment subsystem, and a membership account subsystem;

the payment device being interconnected with the subsystem such that payment for the vended packaged food product is made through the payment subsystem of the diverse vending system;

the diverse vending system being a product retail facility having a check-out lane thereat;

the payment subsystem including a cash register located at the check-out lane receiving payment from the customer for products vended through the diverse vending system;

the customer terminal being located at the check-out lane; and

the payment device including connections to the cash register to automatically post a charge for the purchase of the vended packaged food product to a total at the cash register.

19. A system for vending individually packaged food products comprising:

a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer;

a food product supply terminal;

a pneumatic conveyor extending between the food product supply terminal and the product dispensing unit operable, when activated, to move an individually packaged food product in its packaging container from the supply terminal to the dispensing unit;

a controller operable to activate the conveyor, in response to an order command from the order entry device, the controller being logically linked to a payment device that accepts payment for the product or charges payment therefor to the customer;

the system being interconnected with a diverse vending system having a payment subsystem for accounting for payment for goods or services provided to the customer, the subsystem being selected from the group consisting of a charge account subsystem, a cash payment subsystem, and a membership account subsystem;

the payment device being interconnected with the subsystem such that payment for the vended packaged food product is made through the payment subsystem of the diverse vending system;

the diverse vending system being a membership facility of which the customer is a member;

the payment subsystem including a membership account of the customer;

the customer terminal being located at the membership facility; and

the payment device including means for receiving data identifying the member to automatically charge the purchase of the vended packaged food product to the membership account of the customer.

20. A method of vending packaged food products in their individual non-reusable containers to customers at a customer location in an ambient temperature environment, for immediate consumption at a food service temperature that differs from the temperature of the ambient temperature environment, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a customer terminal at the customer location in an ambient temperature in the ambient temperature environment having an order entry device located thereat, the terminal being equipped with a product delivery unit operable to present a packaged food product in its own individual non-reusable packaging container to the customer; and

providing a pneumatic conveyor having a tube extending from a loading station, that is at a loading location physically separated from the customer location by an intervening building structure or partition or otherwise useful space, across or through the structure or space to the product delivery unit of the customer terminal, the loading station including a food supply enclosure having an environment therein for maintaining a food product therein at the food service temperature;

then

in response to a command entered through the order entry device by a customer, loading into the tube at the loading station, a packaged food product at the food service temperature in its packaging container;

then

applying differential pneumatic pressure directly across the individual non-reusable container of the loaded packaged food product, in response to the command, to move the product through the tube across the structure or space and to the customer terminal at the customer location.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the packaged food products include individual beverage products in individual prefilled beverage containers;

the method further comprises the step of storing the beverage products in a refrigerated enclosure maintained at the food service temperature at the loading station;

the product loading step includes the step of loading a beverage product in its prefilled beverage container from the refrigerated enclosure at the loading station into the tube; and

the pressure applying step includes the step of applying the differential pressure directly across the beverage container to deliver a beverage to the customer at the customer terminal.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the method includes the step of providing a selection of a plurality of different immediately consumable packaged food products at the loading station;

the customer terminal providing step includes the step of providing a customer terminal with the order entry device that includes a product selector; and

the loading step includes the step of, in response to a product selection made by the customer with the product selector, loading into the tube at the loading station a selected one of the plurality of packaged food products into the tube at the loading station in accordance with the product selection.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the customer terminal providing step includes the step of providing the customer terminal at a customer location of a diverse service or product vending system provided for vending a product or service other than the packaged food product to the customer, the diverse system having a payment information receiving device associated therewith;

the loading and pressure applying steps are performed to vend the packaged food product to a customer of the diverse product or service vending system; and

the method further comprises the step of communicating information through the payment receiving device to a diverse payment accounting system account of the customer to process a payment or charge for the vended packaged food product.

24. A method of vending packaged food products comprising the steps of:

providing a customer terminal having an order entry device located thereat, the terminal being equipped with a product delivery unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer; and

providing a pneumatic conveyor having a tube extending from a loading station to the product delivery unit of the customer terminal;

then

in response to a command entered through the order entry device by a customer, loading into the tube at the loading station, a prepackaged food product in its packaging container;

then

applying differential pneumatic pressure across the container, in response to the command, to move the product through the tube to the customer terminal;

the customer terminal providing step including the step of locating the customer terminal across an access lane from the loading station; and

the pneumatic conveyor providing step including the step of extending the tube from a loading station across the access lane to the product delivery unit of the customer terminal.

25. A method of vending packaged food products, at a facility equipped with a diverse product or service vending system for vending to a customer thereof a product or service other than the packaged food products, the diverse system having a payment or charge accounting system associated therewith, to customers engaged in purchasing transactions of a product or service of the diverse vending system at a customer location thereof, which food products are for immediate consumption by the customer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer, a payment device operable to generate a payment command in response to payment input information associated with the customer, and a product dispensing unit operable to present a prepackaged food product in its own packaging container to the customer;

providing a loading station that is physically separated from the customer location by an intervening building structure or partition or an otherwise useful space; and

providing a pneumatic conveyor having a tube extending from the loading station to the product delivery unit of the customer terminal;

then

in response to a command entered through the order entry device by a customer, loading into the tube at the loading station, a prepackaged food product in its container;

then

pneumatically transporting the product through the tube, in response to the order command, from the loading station to the customer terminal; and

communicating to the payment accounting system of the diverse product or service vending system, in response to the payment command, data of a purchase of the product by the customer and accounting for the purchase price of the vended packaged food product by payment or charge thereof through the payment or charge subsystem of the diverse vending system.

26. A method of vending packaged food products at a facility equipped with a diverse product or service vending system having a payment accounting system associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a customer terminal having an order entry device operable to generate an order command in response to order input from a customer, a payment device operable to generate a payment command in response to payment input information associated with the customer, and a product dispensing unit operable to present a food product in its packaging container to the customer; and

providing a pneumatic conveyor having a tube extending from a loading station to the product delivery unit of the customer terminal;

then

in response to a command entered through the order entry device by a customer, loading into the tube at the loading station, a prepackaged food product in its container;

then

pneumatically transporting the product through the tube, in response to the order command, from the loading station to the customer terminal; and

communicating to the payment accounting system of the diverse product or service vending system, in response to the payment command, data of a purchase of the product by the customer;

the facility being a gasoline service station equipped with a gasoline vending system having a gasoline pump island and a credit card charge system associated with the gasoline vending system;

the customer terminal providing step including the step of providing the customer terminal at the island; and

the communicating step including the step communicating information of the purchase of the product by the customer to an account of the customer maintained in the credit card charge system of the gasoline vending system.