Identification system for articles in vending apparatus of hotel rooms

• US 6,152,321 A
• Filed: 10/16/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Staar North-South Company
• Original Assignee: Staar North-South Company
• Inventors: Staar, Marcel Jules
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US09/174,292
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 221/4, 221/6, 221/7, 221/8, 221/155, 221/17, 340/542, 340/556, 340/568, 340/585
• US Class Current: 221/17
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• 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

Abstract

An identification system for articles in manual free automatic vending apparatus for hotel rooms is provided. Electric or electronic sensors detect the presence or absence of a stored article in an individual location. Means are provided to detect the presence or absence of a ferromagnetic metal wire that holds a cork in place on a valuable article, especially a champagne bottle.

Claims

1. An identification system for articles in manual free access automatic vending apparatus for hotel rooms, comprising

sensors to detect the presence or absence of a stored article in a given location, and

means to detect the presence or absence of a ferromagnetic metal wire that holds a cork in place on a champagne or sparkling wine bottle.

2. An identification system according to claim 1, wherein said means detect the presence or absence of a ferromagnetic metal wire comprises a transmitter and a receiver of a magnetic field disposed in the vicinity of a neck of an article when the latter is stored in a reserved location in said vending apparatus.

3. An identification system according to claim 2, wherein magnetic field lines generated between said transmitter and said receiver extend through a detection location where the presence of said ferromagnetic metal wire of said bottle will, if present, act upon said magnetic field lines.

4. An identification system according to claim 2, wherein said transmitter and said receiver are provided on a flexible printed circuit that is bent in order to partially surround the neck of said article, said printed circuit preferably being disposed along a reserved location in the form of a cavity for receiving said neck of said article.

5. An identification system according to claim 2, wherein said transmitter and said receiver of said magnetic field comprise two electric wire coils that are spaced from one another on at least part of the periphery of a given location in the vicinity of said neck of said article.

6. An identification system according to claim 5, wherein a thin armature piece of ferromagnetic metal is provided and forms a core of said two electric coils and also forms polar pieces that are adapted to conduct magnetic flux from one coil to the other.

7. An identification system according to claim 6, wherein said thin ferromagnetic armature is curved so as to surround part of said bottle in said vicinity of said neck thereof, in order to increase the surface area of said polar pieces on which said ferromagnetic metal wires of said bottle are adapted to act.