Apparatus and method for vending multiple products
First Claim
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1. A vending machine apparatus, comprising:
- a master vending machine, said master vending machine including a user interface for receiving bills, coins or tokens and for making product selections, a control mechanism and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing selected product from inside the master vending machine;
wherein said control mechanism is operatively connected to said user interface;
wherein said control mechanism is operatively connected to said dispensing mechanism for dispensing selected product; and
wherein said control mechanism includes means for dispensing multiple products selected by the user at a special combination pricing.
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Abstract
A vending apparatus for and method of vending multiple products includes a master vending machine which utilizes money handling and changing components as well as a selection component and controller. The present invention may also include one or more satellite machines. The satellite vending machine utilizes the money handling components and the selection control components of the master vending machine. The selection component used by the master vending machine alone or in combination with one or more satellite vending machines is utilized to implement special combination pricing for selected combination purchase.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vending machine apparatus, comprising:
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a master vending machine, said master vending machine including a user interface for receiving bills, coins or tokens and for making product selections, a control mechanism and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing selected product from inside the master vending machine; wherein said control mechanism is operatively connected to said user interface; wherein said control mechanism is operatively connected to said dispensing mechanism for dispensing selected product; and wherein said control mechanism includes means for dispensing multiple products selected by the user at a special combination pricing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of vending products from a vending machine, said vending machine including a user interface for receiving bills, coins or tokens and for making product selections, a control mechanism and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing selected product from inside the vending machine, said control mechanism being operatively connected to said user interface, and said control mechanism being operatively connected to said dispensing mechanism for dispensing selected product;
- comprising the steps of;
allowing a user to accumulate a credit by insertion of a combination of at least one or more of bills, coins and tokens into said user interface; enabling the control mechanism to permit a user to make multiple selections; and dispensing the multiple product selections at a special combination price.
- comprising the steps of;
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20. A method of vending products from a master vending machine and one or more satellite vending machines, said master vending machine including a user interface for receiving bills, coins or tokens and for making product selections, a control mechanism and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing selected product from inside the master vending machine, each of said satellite vending machines including a dispensing mechanism for dispensing selected product, said control mechanism being operatively connected to said user interface, said control mechanism being operatively connected to said dispensing mechanism for said master vending machine, and said control mechanism being operatively connected to the dispensing mechanism for each satellite vending machine;
- comprising the steps of;
allowing a user to accumulate a credit by insertion of a combination of at least one or more of bills, coins and tokens into said user interface of said master vending machine; enabling the control mechanism to permit a user to make multiple selections; allowing the user to make the selections from the master vending machine and the one or more satellite vending machines; and dispensing the multiple product selections at a special combination price.
- comprising the steps of;
Specification