Drive-up vending machine

• US 6,065,568 A
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard D. Harder
• Original Assignee: Richard D. Harder
• Inventors: Harder, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bartuska, F. J.
• Application Number:
  US09/015,098
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 186/36, 186/37, 186/41, 186/53, 221/195, 221/196, 221/312 R
• US Class Current: 186/53
• 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
• 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 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling
• 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 convenient and safe drive-up vending machine is provided including a housing with a front face, a rear face, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of side faces formed therebetween defining an interior space. A dispensing chute is situated on the front face of the housing. Also included is a money exchanger situated on the front face of the housing. The money exchanger serves to accept and account for money in the form of bills and coins and further dispense change in the form of coins. A selection panel is situated on the front face of the housing and includes a plurality of buttons each having indicia indicative of a consumable product. The selection panel is adapted to effect the delivery of one of the consumable products upon the acceptance and accounting for a proper amount of money and subsequent depression of one of the buttons which correspond to one of the consumable products. Finally, a dispensing pan is coupled to the front face of the housing below the chute.

Claims

1. A convenient and safe drive-up vending machine comprising, in combination:

a housing with a generally rectangular configuration with a front face, a rear face, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of side faces formed therebetween defining an interior space,

a base comprising a concrete slab onto which the housing is mounted, wherein a top face of the base has a surface area greater than that of the bottom face of the housing thereby defining a curb;

a vertically oriented cylindrical post having a bottom end mounted within the base adjacent to the front face and one of the side faces of the housing;

a dispensing chute situated on the front face of the housing at a central elevation thereof adjacent one of the side faces opposite that which is located adjacent the cylindrical post, the dispensing chute having a base plate coupled along an inboard edge thereof beneath an opening in the front face of the housing and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom and a pair side faces coupled to sides edges of the base plate and extending upwardly therefrom;

a transparent dispensing pan having a vertical rear face, a bottom face integrally coupled to a bottom edge of the vertical rear face and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom, an arcuate front face, and a pair of side face coupled between the front face, bottom face, and rear face for defining an interior space with an open top, the rear face having a rectangular cut out formed therein, the rear face coupled to the front face of the housing via a plurality of springs whereby the dispensing chute extends through the rectangular cutout and resides within the interior space thereof;

a money exchanger situated on the front face at a central elevation thereof adjacent the side face which is located adjacent the cylindrical post, the money exchanger adapted to accept and account for money in the form of bills and coins and further dispense change in the form of coins; and

a selection panel situated on a central extent of the front face adjacent the dispensing chute, the selection panel including a plurality of buttons each having indicia indicative of a consumable product, the selection panel adapted to effecting the delivery of one of the consumable products via the dispensing chute and pan upon the acceptance and accounting for a proper amount of money and subsequent depression of one of the buttons which correspond to one of the consumable products;

said dispensing chute, money exchanger, and selection panel all being spaced at a common elevation in linear alignment.

2. A convenient and safe drive-up vending machine comprising:

a housing with a front face, a rear face, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of side faces formed therebetween defining an interior space;

a dispensing chute situated at a central elevation of the front face of the housing adjacent one of the side faces;

a dispensing pan coupled to the front face of the housing with a plurality of springs coupled therebetween;

a money exchanger situated at a central elevation of the front face of the housing and adapted to accept and account for money in the form of bills and coins and further dispense change in the form of coins; and

a selection panel situated at a central elevation of the front face of the housing, the selection panel including a plurality of buttons each having indicia indicative of a consumable product, the selection panel adapted to effect the delivery of one of the consumable products upon the acceptance and accounting for a proper amount of money and subsequent depression of one of the buttons which correspond to one of the consumable products;

said dispensing chute, money exchanger, and selection panel all being spaced at a common elevation in linear alignment.

3. The convenient and safe drive-up vending machine as set forth in claim 2 and further including a base comprising a concrete slab onto which the housing is mounted, wherein a top face of the base has a surface area greater than that of the bottom face of the housing thereby defining a curb.

4. The convenient and safe drive-up vending machine as set forth in claim 2 and further including a vertically oriented cylindrical post having a bottom end mounted adjacent to the front face and one of the side faces of the housing.

5. The convenient and safe drive-up vending machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the cylindrical post is mounted adjacent one of the side faces which is opposite to the side face adjacent to which the dispensing chute is positioned.

6. The convenient and safe drive-up vending machine as set forth in claim 2 and further including a dispensing pan coupled to the front face of the housing below the dispensing chute.

7. The convenient and safe drive-up vending machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein the dispensing pan includes a vertical rear face, a bottom face integrally coupled to a bottom edge of the vertical rear face and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom, an arcuate front face, and a pair of side face coupled between the front face, bottom face, and rear face for defining an interior space with an open top, the rear face having a rectangular cut out formed therein, whereby the dispensing chute extends through the rectangular cutout and resides within the interior space thereof.

8. The convenient and safe drive-up vending machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein the consumable product is a food product.

9. The convenient and safe drive-up vending machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein the consumable product is a beverage product.

10. A convenient and safe drive-up vending machine comprising:

a housing with a front face, a rear face, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of side faces formed therebetween defining an interior space;

a dispensing chute situated on the front face of the housing;

a money exchanger situated on the front face of the housing, the money exchanger adapted to accept and account for money in the form of bills and coins and further dispense change in the form of coins;

a selection panel situated on the front face of the housing, the selection panel including a plurality of buttons each having indicia indicative of a consumable product, the selection panel adapted to effect the delivery of one of the consumable products upon the acceptance and accounting for a proper amount of money and subsequent depression of one of the buttons which correspond to one of the consumable products; and

a dispensing pan coupled to the front face of the housing below the chute, at least one spring being coupled between the housing and the dispensing pan.