Co-dispensing snack food products and beverages from a vending machine
First Claim
1. A process for dispensing beverages and snack food products from a single vending machine, the process comprising steps of:
- providing a vending machine having a storage portion for storing containers which have a size and shape so as to be receivable in the storage portion of said vending machine, a single outlet in communication with each of said containers and a movable dispensing door blocking the outlet, the containers moving from the storage portion and through the dispensing door which opens selectively to the outlet when selected by a user;
placing a plurality of containers filled with a beverage in the storage portion of said vending machine, each of the plurality of filled beverage containers having substantially the same size and shape;
placing a plurality of containers filled with a snack food product in the storage portion of said vending machine, each of the plurality of filled snack food containers having a size and shape that are substantially the same as the size and shape of the filled beverage containers; and
providing the vending machine with a mechanism for opening the movable dispensing door automatically at least when a snack food container is selected by the user;
whereby said vending machine is capable of dispensing both a filled beverage container and a filled snack food container from said single outlet.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process for co-dispensing beverages and snack food products from a single vending machine, and a vending machine including filled beverage and snack food containers. Filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers are stored in the vending machine and a buyer, upon payment, product selection, etc., can obtain both a beverage, e.g., a soft drink, and a snack food, e.g., corn chips, from a single machine. The beverage and snack food containers preferably are of substantially the same size so that a vending machine of the type which dispenses containers having a uniform size may be used to carry out the present invention. An automatic door-opening mechanism opens the dispensing door of a vending machine when a snack food container is selected to avoid problems due to the snack food container being too light to open the door under the force of gravity.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A process for dispensing beverages and snack food products from a single vending machine, the process comprising steps of:
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providing a vending machine having a storage portion for storing containers which have a size and shape so as to be receivable in the storage portion of said vending machine, a single outlet in communication with each of said containers and a movable dispensing door blocking the outlet, the containers moving from the storage portion and through the dispensing door which opens selectively to the outlet when selected by a user; placing a plurality of containers filled with a beverage in the storage portion of said vending machine, each of the plurality of filled beverage containers having substantially the same size and shape; placing a plurality of containers filled with a snack food product in the storage portion of said vending machine, each of the plurality of filled snack food containers having a size and shape that are substantially the same as the size and shape of the filled beverage containers; and providing the vending machine with a mechanism for opening the movable dispensing door automatically at least when a snack food container is selected by the user; whereby said vending machine is capable of dispensing both a filled beverage container and a filled snack food container from said single outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A process for dispensing both filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers from a vending machine configured to dispense soft drink containers, the process comprising steps of:
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providing a vending machine having at least first and second refrigerated storage portions, both of said refrigerated storage portions configured to receive a plurality of containers and in communication with a single outlet, the containers having a uniform size such that when filled the machine contains a plurality of containers having a uniform size, the vending machine further including means for selecting either a beverage or snack food container and means, responsive to the selecting means, for releasing a selected container from the storage portion of the machine to a dispensing door which opens to said single outlet; placing a plurality of containers filled with a beverage in the first refrigerated storage portion of said vending machine; placing a plurality of containers filled with a snack food product in the second refrigerated storage portion of said vending machine; and automatically opening the dispensing door at least each time a snack food container is selected by a user whereby the selected container is released from the storage portion and passes through the open door to the outlet of the machine; whereby a user may obtain both a snack food product and a beverage from said single outlet of said vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A vending machine for dispensing both filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers, the vending machine configured to dispense a container through an outlet when a user selects the container, the machine comprising:
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at least first and second refrigerated storage portions, both of said refrigerated storage portions being configured to receive a plurality of substantially uniform size and shape containers; a pathway leading from the storage portions to a single dispensing door which is opened to permit the containers to pass to the outlet of the machine; a selecting device for selecting either a beverage or snack food container and a drive mechanism which is responsive to the selecting device and moves the selected container from the storage portion to the single dispensing door; a device for opening the dispensing door when a user selects a snack food container and keeping the door open to allow the snack food container to travel from the storage portion to the outlet; a plurality of containers filled with a beverage being disposed in the first refrigerated storage portion of said vending machine; and a plurality of containers filled with a snack food product being disposed in the second refrigerated storage portion of said vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification