Marketing system

• US 5,771,778 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John A. Maclean IV
• Original Assignee: John A. Maclean IV
• Inventors: MacLean, John A. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US08/732,788
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 99/323.6, 99/323.7, 99/484, 222/50, 221/24, 221/9, 221/13
• US Class Current: 99/323.6
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 7/183 by heating without using a pressure release device
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0078 Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a hot or cooked condition, e.g. popcorn, nuts
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064

Abstract

A marketing apparatus comprising a housing having the appearance of an antique jukebox; a display supported by the housing; an aromator supported by the housing and selectively emitting an aroma; and a sensor supported by the housing and triggering the display in response to sensing presence of a person spaced apart from but proximate the housing.

Claims

1. A marketing apparatus comprising:

a housing having a face including a bottom, having opposite edges including generally semi-tubular portions that are at least partially columnar, the opposite edges including upper ends, and the housing having a downwardly facing arcuate semi-tubular portion extending between the upper ends of the opposite edges;

a display supported by the housing;

an aromator supported by the housing and selectively emitting an aroma; and

a sensor supported by the housing and triggering the display in response to sensing presence of a person spaced apart from but proximate the housing.

2. A marketing system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising chase lights adjacent the semi-tubular portions.

3. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a video player supported by the housing and connected to the display, and wherein the sensor triggers the video player in response to sensing presence of a person.

4. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the video player comprises a CD-ROM player.

5. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the display is a video monitor which displays an image of records when the sensor does not sense the presence of a person, and which displays video played by the video player when the sensor senses the presence of a person.

6. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 3 and further comprising a speaker supported by the housing and connected to the video player.

7. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the aromator comprises a popcorn popper.

8. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein the aromator comprises a hot air popcorn popper.

9. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the aromator comprises an apparatus dispensing a food product.

10. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the aromator comprises a popcorn popper and wherein popping of popcorn is visible from outside the housing.

11. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 10 and further comprising a payment receptacle, and wherein popping of popcorn is initiated in response to payment being received by the payment receptacle.

12. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein the housing comprises an openable door, and wherein the display, the popcorn popper, and the payment receptacle are supported by the door and movable therewith.

13. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising means for periodically popping sacrificial kernels of popcorn, regardless of whether payment has been inserted in the payment receptacle, to produce the aroma of popcorn to attract passing people.

14. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein the housing further comprises a dispensing area, the marketing system further comprising a grinder supported by the housing under the dispensing area which grinds the sacrificial kernels and spilled popcorn.

15. A marketing apparatus comprising:

a housing including a downwardly directed multi-color arch;

a display supported by the housing;

a video player connected to the display;

a motion sensor supported by the housing and triggering the video player and display in response to motion being sensed; and

a popcorn popper supported by the housing and including a translucent popping chamber, the housing including a window facing the popping chamber.

16. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein the housing comprises a face including a bottom, including opposite edges having generally semi-tubular portions that are at least partially columnar, and wherein the arch comprises a downwardly facing arcuate semi-tubular portion extending between upper ends of the opposite edges, and wherein the marketing apparatus further comprises chase lights adjacent the semi-tubular portions.

17. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 15 and further comprising a video player supported by the housing and connected to the display, and wherein the sensor triggers the video player in response to sensing presence of a person.

18. A marketing apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein the aromator comprises an apparatus dispensing a food product.

19. A marketing apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a display supported by the housing;

a video player connected to the display;

a motion sensor supported by the housing and triggering the video player and display in response to motion being sensed;

a popcorn popper supported by the housing and including a translucent popping chamber, the housing including a window facing the popping chamber; and

a payment receptacle, and wherein popping of popcorn is initiated in response to payment being received by the payment receptacle;

wherein a few sacrificial kernels of popcorn are periodically popped, regardless of whether payment has been inserted in the payment receptacle to produce the aroma of popcorn to attract passing people.

20. A marketing apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a display supported by the housing;

a video player connected to the display, the sensor triggering the video player in response to sensing presence of a person;

an aromator supported by the housing and selectively emitting an aroma; and

a sensor supported by the housing and triggering the display in response to sensing presence of a person spaced apart from but proximate the housing.