Vending apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus for vending goods, comprising:
- an array of receptacles for receiving goods to be vended;
a receptacle door comprising a plurality of moveable door segments operative to prevent access to all but a selected one of the receptacles;
drive means associated with the receptacle door and selectively operative to position the door segments so that any selected receptacle in the array remains unblocked by the receptacle door;
a user door normally preventing access to the receptacle door so that the receptacle door is inaccessible to a user; and
means responsive to operation of the receptacle door to enable access through the user door to the receptacle door only after the receptacle door segments are positioned to select a particular receptacle,so that a user can open the user door for access to the particular receptacle selected by the receptacle door.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vending machine for dispensing articles such as scrub garments. The machine defines plural rows of slots for receiving articles, with the rows vertically stacked so that slots in each row form vertical columns with slots on adjacent rows. A separate lockable user door closes each slot level. A slot door assembly between the slots and the user door operates to open a particular slot, and only that slot is accessible when the user door for that level is unlocked and opened. The slot door assembly comprises separate user doors numbering one less than the available slots and slidable to expose any one column of slots at a time. A slot access mechanism moves adjacent the slot doors and extends to engage and displace the slot doors blocking a particular column of slots, so that one slot in that column becomes accessible upon opening a particular user door.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. Apparatus for vending goods, comprising:
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an array of receptacles for receiving goods to be vended; a receptacle door comprising a plurality of moveable door segments operative to prevent access to all but a selected one of the receptacles; drive means associated with the receptacle door and selectively operative to position the door segments so that any selected receptacle in the array remains unblocked by the receptacle door; a user door normally preventing access to the receptacle door so that the receptacle door is inaccessible to a user; and means responsive to operation of the receptacle door to enable access through the user door to the receptacle door only after the receptacle door segments are positioned to select a particular receptacle, so that a user can open the user door for access to the particular receptacle selected by the receptacle door. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. Apparatus for vending goods, comprising:
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an array of receptacles for receiving goods to be vended; a receptacle door comprising a plurality of door segments numbering one less than the number of receptacles in the array, so that the door segments prevent access to all but one selected receptacle; drive means associated with the receptacle door for operating that door to select any particular receptacle, the drive means being selectively operative to position the door segments so that any particular receptacle remains unblocked by the receptacle door; a user door normally preventing access to the receptacle door so that the receptacle door is inaccessible to a user; and means responsive to operation of the receptacle door to enable access through the user door to the receptacle door only after the receptacle door has selected a particular receptacle, so that a user can open the user door for access to the particular receptacle selected by the receptacle door. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. Apparatus for vending goods, comprising:
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an array of receptacles for receiving goods to be vended; a receptacle door comprising a plurality of moveable door segments operative to prevent access to all but a selected one of the receptacles; drive means associated with the receptacle door for operating that door to select any particular receptacle; a user door normally preventing access to the receptacle door so that the receptacle door is inaccessible to a user; means responsive to operation of the receptacle door to enable access through the user door to the receptacle door only after the receptacle door has selected a particular receptacle; the receptacle door comprising a plurality of door segments supported for displacement along a path parallel to the array and numbering one less than the number of receptacles in the array, so that the door segments are displaceable on the path to allow access to any selected receptacle while blocking access to the remaining receptacles; the drive means comprising a carriage selectively moveable adjacent the door segments to a plurality of positions corresponding to the receptacles; and segment engagement means moveable with the carriage in a retracted position retracted from the door segments and selectively extendable at any such position to engage the door segments blocking the receptacle and separate the engaged door segments, thereby unblocking access to the corresponding receptacle, so that a user can open the user door for access to the particular receptacle selected by the receptacle door. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for vending goods, comprising:
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an array of receptacles for receiving goods to be vended; a receptacle door operative to prevent access to all but a selected one of the receptacles; drive means associated with the receptacle door for operating that door to select any particular receptacle; a user door normally preventing access to the receptacle door so that the receptacle door is inaccessible to a user; means responsive to operation of the receptacle door to enable access to the receptacle door only after the receptacle door has selected a particular receptacle; the array of receptacles being one of plural such arrays, with each array located in a predetermined relation to the other arrays; the receptacle door being operative to prevent access to all but a selected receptacle of each array; the user door being one of plural user doors each operative to prevent access to the receptacle door at a corresponding array of receptacles; and the means to enable access being operative to enable access only to a selected user door at a particular array, after the receptacle door has selected a particular receptacle, so that a user can open only the selected user door and thus access only the particular receptacle for the array corresponding to that user door.
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14. Apparatus for vending goods, comprising:
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plural arrays of receptacles for receiving goods to be vended; the arrays being mutually parallel and separated from each other along a dimension perpendicular to each array so that receptacles of each array are juxtaposed with receptacles of an adjacent array; a receptacle door comprising a plurality of door segments numbering one less than the number of receptacles in an array, with each door segment extending across plural arrays so that the door segments prevent access to all but a selected juxtaposed receptacle in each array; drive means associated with the receptacle door and selectively operative to position the door segments so that any particular juxtaposed receptacle is unblocked by the receptacle door, plural user doors each operative to prevent access to the receptacle door at a corresponding array of receptacles so that the receptacle door normally is inaccessible to a user; and means responsive to operation of the receptacle doors to enable access to only a selected user door after the receptacle door has selected a particular receptacle; so that a user can open only the selected user door for access only to the particular receptacle selected by the receptacle door for the array corresponding to that user door.
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15. Apparatus for vending goods, comprising:
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plural arrays of receptacles for receiving goods to be vended, each array located in a predetermined relation to at least one other array so that the receptacles of each array are juxtaposed in predetermined relation with receptacles of another array; receptacle door means associated with the arrays of receptacles and selectively operative to prevent access to all but a selected receptacle of each array; plural user doors associated with the arrays of receptacles, each user door being operative to prevent access to the receptacle door means at a corresponding array of receptacles; and means responsive to operation of the receptacle door means to enable access only to a selected user door corresponding to a particular array, so that a user can open only the selected user door and thus access only the selected receptacle of the array corresponding to that user door. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification