Variety pack vendor and method of using
First Claim
1. A vending machine for packaging a plurality of articles into a unitary package comprising:
- a housing for the vending machine;
a packaging area for receiving a plurality of articles;
a storage area for a group of articles, the storage area being stationarily mounted within the vending machine housing;
a selection device for receiving a selection of a plurality of articles to be packed into a unitary package;
a packaging device in operative communication with the selection device for automatically packing the selected plurality of articles in the packaging area into the unitary package based on the selection of the plurality of articles received by the selection device; and
wherein the packaging area, the packaging device and the storage area are within the housing of the vending machine, and the unitary package is vended from within the housing of the vending machine to the consumer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vending machine is provided for packaging a plurality of articles into a unitary package. This vending machine includes a packaging area and a packer. The packer affixes a carrier to the discrete articles in the packaging area to form the package. The formed package is then discharged from the vending machine. The present vending machine therefore provides for forming a plurality of articles into a package within a single vending machine. A consumer can select what articles, such as different brands of beverage containers, which are combined to form the package. Also, the number of articles for each package can be selected by the consumer.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A vending machine for packaging a plurality of articles into a unitary package comprising:
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a housing for the vending machine; a packaging area for receiving a plurality of articles; a storage area for a group of articles, the storage area being stationarily mounted within the vending machine housing; a selection device for receiving a selection of a plurality of articles to be packed into a unitary package; a packaging device in operative communication with the selection device for automatically packing the selected plurality of articles in the packaging area into the unitary package based on the selection of the plurality of articles received by the selection device; and wherein the packaging area, the packaging device and the storage area are within the housing of the vending machine, and the unitary package is vended from within the housing of the vending machine to the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of packaging a plurality of articles into a package and vending the package from a vending machine to a consumer, the vending machine having a housing and the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a group of articles in a storage area within the vending machine housing, the storage area being stationarily mounted within the vending machine housing; receiving a selection of a plurality of articles from the stored group of articles; grouping the selected plurality of articles in a packaging area within the vending machine housing; packing together each of the selected plurality of articles in the packaging area into a package in accordance with the selection of the plurality of articles from the stored group of articles, the packing occurring within the vending machine housing; stationarily holding the articles within and relative to the package, the articles being held stationarily by the package; and vending the package from within the housing of the vending machine to the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A machine for packaging and vending selected packages of vending objects comprising:
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a vending machine body for housing a stock of vending objects; a selection device for receiving a selection of a plurality of vending objects to be packaged together; a packaging device housed within the vending machine body and in operative communication with the selection device for packaging together each of a selected plurality of vending objects within a selected package in response to the selection of vending objects received by the selection device; and a dispensing device for allowing the selected package of the selected plurality of vending objects to be dispensed between a first position inside the vending machine body and a second position outside the vending machine body. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of packaging and vending selected packages of vending objects comprising the steps of:
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housing a stock of vending objects within a vending machine body; receiving a selection of a plurality of vending objects to be packaged together; packaging together each of a selected plurality of vending objects within a selected package in accordance with the selection of the plurality of vending objects; and dispensing the selected package of the selected plurality of vending objects between a packaging area inside the vending machine body and a reception area outside the vending machine body. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification