Product vending system with pneumatic product delivery

• US 5,816,443 A
• Filed: 12/12/1995
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• 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: Bustos, Rafael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US08/571,252
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 221/211, 221/278, 186/55, 186/53, 186/52, 406/3, 406/1, 406/2
• 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

Abstract

A system is provided for vending products such as beverage and other food products, preferably individually packaged, from a storage unit to a customer terminal at a remote location through a pneumatic tube conveyor to move 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, a vending system is provided for marketing products to customers of a facility at which they are engaged in a transaction for the purchase of another product or service of a diverse vending system. In such an embodiment, payment for the purchase price of the product is accounted for through the payment subsystem that accounts for the transaction with the diverse vending system. For example, an ancillary system may sell food, beverages or vehicle care products to gasoline customers by charging to a gasoline charge system having a credit card reader associated with a self-service gasoline pump to process the gasoline purchase charge. A hotel guest'"'"'s room account may be charged for items purchased on a terminal in the guest'"'"'s room, or elsewhere by reading the guest'"'"'s key card. Terminals at retail checkout lanes may automatically charge to a cash register transaction being processed. The product is preferably moved through the conveyor in a reusable carrier or in its own product packaging container that serves as a carrier.

Claims

1. An auxiliary system for vending individually packaged products to customers of a diverse product or service providing system having a payment receiving or charging subsystem associated therewith, wherein:

the diverse vending system includes an accounting subsystem to automatically charge purchases to an account of a customer;

the auxiliary system comprising;

an order entry device at a vending location accessible to a customer of the diverse system;

a product delivery unit at the vending location;

a product supply at a supply location having a plurality of products thereat;

a pneumatic conveyor responsive to a control signal from the controller, the conveyor including a delivery tube extending from the product supply to the product delivery unit, the tube having a loading end at the product supply and a delivery end connected to the product delivery unit;

a communication link logically interconnecting the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem of the diverse system; and

control logic configured to generate the control signal and to cause the communication of transaction price information to the payment subsystem in response to the entry of an order on the order entry device to automatically charge a purchase of the vended product to the charge account of the customer.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the product supply includes a product storage unit having a temperature maintained interior; and

the product delivery unit is located in an ambient temperature environment.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the pneumatic conveyor includes a hollow carrier moveable therein and adapted to enclose the product therein for transfer from the product supply terminal to the product delivery unit.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the hollow carrier is a reusable hollow carrier.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein:

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

6. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the pneumatic conveyor includes a hollow carrier moveable therein and adapted to enclose the product therein for transfer from the product supply terminal to the product delivery unit.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

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

the pneumatic conveyor is operative, when activated, to apply a pneumatic pressure across the packaging container of the product to move the container and packaged product from the product supply to the product delivery unit.

8. An auxiliary system for vending individually packaged products to customers of a diverse product or service vending system having a payment receiving or charging subsystem associated therewith, the auxiliary system comprising:

an order entry device at a vending location accessible to a customer of the diverse system;

a product delivery unit at the vending location;

a product supply at a supply location having a plurality of products thereat;

a pneumatic conveyor responsive to a control signal from the controller, the conveyor including a delivery tube extending from the product supply to the product delivery unit, the tube having a loading end at the product supply and a delivery end connected to the product delivery unit;

a communication link logically interconnecting the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem of the diverse system;

control logic configured to generate the control signal and to cause the communication of transaction price information to the payment subsystem in response to the entry of an order on the order entry device; and

wherein;

the diverse vending system is a gasoline vending system at a gasoline service facility having a gasoline service island which includes a gasoline pump and a credit card reader, and the payment subsystem thereof is a credit card billing subsystem connected to the pump and to a the credit card reader to automatically charge gasoline purchases to a charge account of the customer;

the order entry device and the product delivery unit are located at a gasoline service island; and

the communications link logically interconnects the auxiliary system with the billing subsystem of the gasoline vending system to automatically charge a purchase of the vended product to the charge account of the customer.

9. An auxiliary system for vending individually packaged products to customers of a diverse product or service vending system having a payment receiving or charging subsystem associated therewith, the auxiliary system comprising:

an order entry device at a vending location accessible to a customer of the diverse system;

a product delivery unit at the vending location;

a product supply at a supply location having a plurality of products thereat;

a pneumatic conveyor responsive to a control signal from the controller, the conveyor including a delivery tube extending from the product supply to the product delivery unit, the tube having a loading end at the product supply and a delivery end connected to the product delivery unit;

a communication link logically interconnecting the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem of the diverse system;

control logic configured to generate the control signal and to cause the communication of transaction price information to the payment subsystem in response to the entry of an order on the order entry device; and

wherein;

the diverse vending system is a product retail facility having a check-out lane thereat, the payment subsystem thereof including a cash register located at the check-out lane for receiving payment or charge identifying from the customer for products vended through the diverse vending system;

the order entry device and the product delivery unit are located at the check-out lane; and

the communications link logically interconnects the auxiliary system with the cash register to automatically include the price of a purchase of the product vended by the auxiliary system to a total at the cash register.

10. An auxiliary system for vending individually packaged products to customers of a diverse product or service vending system having a payment receiving or charging subsystem associated therewith, the auxiliary system comprising:

an order entry device at a vending location accessible to a customer of the diverse system;

a product delivery unit at the vending location;

a product supply at a supply location having a plurality of products thereat;

a pneumatic conveyor responsive to a control signal from the controller, the conveyor including a delivery tube extending from the product supply to the product delivery unit, the tube having a loading end at the product supply and a delivery end connected to the product delivery unit;

a communication link logically interconnecting the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem of the diverse system;

control logic configured to generate the control signal and to cause the communication of transaction price information to the payment subsystem in response to the entry of an order on the order entry device; and

wherein;

the diverse vending system is a membership facility of which the customer is a member and the payment subsystem includes a system for charging a membership account of the customer;

the order entry device and the product delivery unit are located at the membership facility; and

the communications link logically interconnects the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem and includes means for receiving data identifying the member and automatically charging the purchase of a product vended through the auxiliary system to the membership account of the customer.

11. An auxiliary system for vending individually packaged products to customers of a diverse product or service vending system having a payment receiving or charging subsystem associated therewith, the auxiliary system comprising:

an order entry device at a vending location accessible to a customer of the diverse system;

a product delivery unit at the vending location;

a product supply at a supply location having a plurality of products thereat;

a pneumatic conveyor responsive to a control signal from the controller, the conveyor including a delivery tube extending from the product supply to the product delivery unit, the tube having a loading end at the product supply and a delivery end connected to the product delivery unit;

a communication link logically interconnecting the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem of the diverse system; and

control logic configured to generate the control signal and to cause the communication of transaction price information to the payment subsystem in response to the entry of an order on the order entry device; and

wherein

the diverse vending system is a guest facility of which the customer is a guest registered to a room, the payment subsystem thereof including the room account of the customer;

the order entry device and the product delivery unit are located in the room of the customer; and

the communications link logically interconnects the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem and includes means for identifying the room of the customer to automatically charge the purchase of the vended product to the room account of the customer.

12. An auxiliary system for vending individually packaged products to customers of a diverse product or service vending system having a payment receiving or charging subsystem associated therewith, the auxiliary system comprising:

an order entry device at a vending location accessible to a customer of the diverse system;

a product delivery unit at the vending location;

a product supply at a supply location having a plurality of products thereat;

a pneumatic conveyor responsive to a control signal from the controller, the conveyor including a delivery tube extending from the product supply to the product delivery unit, the tube having a loading end at the product supply and a delivery end connected to the product delivery unit;

a communication link logically interconnecting the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem of the diverse system;

control logic configured to generate the control signal and to cause the communication of transaction price information to the payment subsystem in response to the entry of an order on the order entry device; and

wherein

the diverse vending system is a guest facility of which the customer is a guest registered to a room, the payment subsystem thereof including the room account of the customer;

the order entry device and the product delivery unit are located in common space at the guest facility; and

the communications link logically interconnects the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem and includes means for identifying the room of the customer to automatically charge the purchase of the vended product to the room account of the customer.

13. An auxiliary system for vending individually packaged products to customers of a diverse product or service vending system having a payment receiving or charging subsystem associated therewith, the auxiliary system comprising:

an order entry device at a vending location accessible to a customer of the diverse system;

a product delivery unit at the vending location;

a product supply at a supply location having a plurality of products thereat;

a pneumatic conveyor responsive to a control signal from the controller, the conveyor including a delivery tube extending from the product supply to the product delivery unit, the tube having a loading end at the product supply and a delivery end connected to the product delivery unit;

a communication link logically interconnecting the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem of the diverse system; and

control logic configured to generate the control signal and to cause the communication of transaction price information to the payment subsystem in response to the entry of an order on the order entry device; and

an automatic packaged product loading device connected to the loading end of the tube and responsive to the control signal to load a product into the tube.

14. An auxiliary system for vending individually packaged products to customers of a diverse product or service vending system having a payment receiving or charging subsystem associated therewith, the auxiliary system comprising:

an order entry device at a vending location accessible to a customer of the diverse system;

a product delivery unit at the vending location;

a product supply at a supply location having a plurality of products thereat;

a pneumatic conveyor responsive to a control signal from the controller, the conveyor including a delivery tube extending from the product supply to the product delivery unit, the tube having a loading end at the product supply and a delivery end connected to the product delivery unit;

a communication link logically interconnecting the auxiliary system with the payment subsystem of the diverse system;

control logic configured to generate the control signal and to cause the communication of transaction price information to the payment subsystem in response to the entry of an order on the order entry device; and

wherein;

the product delivery unit is located sufficiently remote from the product supply to permit at least one pedestrian or vehicular access lane or a space dividing partition therebetween.

15. A method of vending packaged products comprising the steps of:

providing a product loading station;

providing a customer terminal remotely located from the loading station across an intermediate space sufficient to contain a pedestrian or vehicle access lane, a diverse article support or conveyor or a space divider, partition or thermal barrier, separating the loading station from the customer terminal, the terminal having thereat an order entry device and a product delivery unit;

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

then

loading into a tube at the loading station, in response to an order entered through the order entry device by a customer, a product packaged in a packaging container;

then

moving the product with pneumatic pressure through the tube from the loading station to the customer terminal.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the customer terminal providing step includes the step of providing the customer terminal in an ambient temperature environment; and

the loading step includes the steps of;

maintaining the product at a non-ambient temperature, and loading the temperature maintained product into the tube.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the differential pressure providing step includes the step of applying differential pressure directly across the packaging container of the product and thereby moving the product without a carrier in its packaging container to the product delivery unit.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

providing the order entry device with a product selector on which a selection of one of a plurality of products can be selected by a customer; and

the loading step including 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 packaged product in accordance with the product selection.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

providing payment means for, upon the actuation thereof, charging the price of the product to the customer; and

actuating the payment means, in response to the entry of an order through the order device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the payment means providing step includes the step of connecting the payment means in communication with a payment subsystem of a diverse product or service vending system; and

the method further comprising the step of processing the charging of the price of the product through the payment subsystem of the diverse system.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the diverse vending system includes a lodging facility for vending guest room accommodations to guests and having a payment subsystem by which room accommodation charges are posted to guest room accounts of the guests, and wherein:

the product loading station is provided at a central location in the lodging facility;

one such customer terminal is provided in each of a plurality of the guest rooms of the facility;

the pneumatic conveyor is provided with at least a portion of the tube extending from the loading station to the product delivery unit of each of the customer terminals;

the payment means is provided with a communication link connecting the order entry device of each customer terminal with the payment subsystem of the lodging facility; and

the loading, moving and actuating steps include the steps of processing an order entered on the order entry device in guest room of a guest of the facility, pneumatically delivering an ordered product through the tube to the delivery unit in the guest room of the guest and charging the price of the delivered product to a guest room account of the guest.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the diverse vending system includes a lodging facility for vending guest room accommodations to guests and having a payment subsystem by which room accommodation charges are posted to guest room accounts of the guests, and wherein:

the product loading station is provided at a central location in the lodging facility;

the customer terminal is provided in a location accessible to guests of the facility;

the payment means is provided with a communication link connecting the order entry device of the customer terminal with the payment subsystem of the lodging facility and includes means for identifying a guest room account of a guest of the facility who is entering an order on the order entry device; and

the loading, moving and actuating steps include the steps of processing an order entered by a guest on the order entry device at the customer terminal, pneumatically delivering an ordered product through the tube to the delivery unit at the customer terminal and charging the price of the delivered product to a guest room account of the guest entering the order.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the diverse vending system includes a membership facility for vending membership privileges to members of the facility and having a payment subsystem by which membership charges are posted to membership accounts of the members, and wherein:

the product loading station is provided at a central location in the membership facility;

the customer terminal is provided in a location accessible to members of the facility;

the payment means is provided with a communication link connecting the order entry device of the customer terminal with the payment subsystem of the membership facility and includes means for identifying a membership account of a member of the facility who is entering an order on the order entry device; and

the loading, moving and actuating steps include the steps of processing an order entered by a member on the order entry device at the customer terminal, pneumatically delivering an ordered product through the tube to the delivery unit at the customer terminal and charging the price of the delivered product to a membership account of the member entering the order.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the diverse vending system includes a retail facility for vending goods or services to customers of the facility and having a payment subsystem by which charges are posted to customer accounts of its customers, and wherein:

the product loading station is provided at a central location in the retail facility;

the customer terminal is provided in a location accessible to customers of the facility;

the payment means is provided with a communication link connecting the order entry device of the customer terminal with the payment subsystem of the retail facility and includes means for identifying a customer account of a customer of the facility; and

the loading, moving and actuating steps include the steps of processing an order entered by a customer on the order entry device at the customer terminal, pneumatically delivering an ordered product through the tube to the delivery unit at the customer terminal and charging the price of the delivered product to a customer account of the customer entering the order.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the diverse vending system includes a retail facility for vending goods or services to customers of the facility and having a billing subsystem by which charges for the goods or services purchased in a purchasing transaction by a customer of the facility are posted to customer accounts of the customer, and wherein:

the product loading station is provided at a central location in the retail facility;

the customer terminal is provided in a location occupied by a customer of the facility who is engaged in a goods or services purchasing transaction with the facility;

the payment means is provided with a communication link connecting the order entry device of the customer terminal with the payment subsystem of the retail facility and includes means for charging a customer account of the customer engaged in the purchasing transaction; and

the loading, moving and actuating steps include the steps of processing an order entered by a customer on the order entry device at the customer terminal, pneumatically delivering an ordered product through the tube to the delivery unit at the customer terminal and charging the price of the delivered product to the customer account of the customer engaged in the purchasing transaction.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the retail facility includes a gasoline service station having a central building and at least one gasoline pump service island spaced across a vehicle access lane for the building, the payment subsystem including a credit card reader at the service island in communication with the payment subsystem by which charges for gasoline purchases by a customer of the gasoline service station are posted to charge accounts of gasoline customers, and wherein:

the product loading station is provided at the central building;

the customer terminal is provided at the gasoline pump service island; and

the loading, moving and actuating steps include the step charging the price of the delivered product to the account of a gasoline customer engaged in a gasoline purchasing transaction.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the payment subsystem of the retail facility includes a checkout counter having a payment register located thereat for processing charges for the goods or services purchased by a customer of the facility in the purchasing transaction, and wherein:

the customer terminal is provided adjacent an area occupied by a customer whose purchasing transaction is being processed at the register; and

the loading, moving and actuating steps include the step charging the price of the delivered product to the transaction of the customer being processed at the register.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the customer terminal is provided adjacent a vehicle access lane;

the loading station is in a structure occupied by a food preparation operation;

the loading step includes the steps of preparing food products in the structure and, in response to the order entered through the order entry device, packaging the prepared food in a packaging container, inserting the packaged food into the tube and pneumatically moving the packaged food in its container to the product delivery unit.

29. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

in response to the order entered through the order entry device, mixing a beverage in the vicinity of the loading station, packaging the mixed beverage in a packaging container, inserting the packaged beverage into the tube and pneumatically moving the packaged beverage in its container to the product delivery unit.

30. A system for vending packaged products comprising:

a product loading station;

terminal means for receiving order commands from a customer and presenting products to a customer thereat, the remote terminal means including a product delivery unit;

the product supply terminal being physically separated from the remote terminal by an intervening building structure or partition or an otherwise useful space that is part of neither the loading station or the supply terminal;

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

means for actuating the conveyor in response to an order entered through the order entry device by a customer to move a packaged product packaged to the product delivery unit remote terminal means; and

the pneumatic conveyor extending from the loading station across the structure or space, between the two locations, to the dispensing unit.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein:

the actuating means includes means for applying differential pressure directly across the packaging container of the product and thereby moving the product without a carrier in its packaging container to the product delivery unit.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein:

the remote terminal means includes means for selecting one of a plurality of products; and

the system further includes means at the loading station responsive to the selecting means for loading a selected packaged product into the tube.

33. The system of claim 30 further comprising:

payment means for processing the charging of the price of the product to the customer.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein:

the payment means includes means for communicating with a payment subsystem of a diverse product or service vending system for processing the charging of the price of the product.

35. A system for vending packaged products comprising:

a product loading station;

remote terminal means for receiving order commands from a customer and presenting products to a customer thereat;

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

means for actuating the conveyor in response to an order entered through the order entry device by a customer to move a packaged product packaged to the product delivery unit;

restockable supply means at the loading station; and

means at the loading station responsive to the quantity of products in the supply means for generating an restocking signal to a supplier.