Electronic bulk vending machine system

• US 6,182,861 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: A & A Global Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Parkway Machine Corporation
• Inventors: Tegtmeier, Robert H., Kovens, Steven A., Deuel, Ronald F., Gootee, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deuble, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US09/323,289
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 221/129, 221/155, 221/123, 221/124, 221/126, 221/131, 221/264, 221/265, 221/258
• US Class Current: 221/258
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• 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 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

An electronically actuated bulk vending machine with a merchandise storage globe seated on a base for electronically actuated distribution of the merchandise via a rotatable merchandise wheel nested in the base and under the storage globe where the machine includes an electric motor for rotating a gear where the gear extends from the motor to engage the merchandise wheel along the peripheral gearing thereof.

Claims

1. An electronically actuated bulk machine for dispensing articles, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of articles where the articles, said means for storing including a generally open bottom;

rotatable means for controlled distribution of articles from the open bottom of the means for storing, said rotatable means for distributing selectively dispensing articles;

a base means for supporting said means for storing, said means for controlled distribution being seated within said base means and being rotatable within said base means, said base means having a bottom wall and side walls, and a top accommodating a selective operating assembly mechanically linked to said means for controlled distribution, and an article dispensing opening being located on said base; and

electronically actuated means in electronic communication with a currency receipt device for rotating said rotatable means for controlled distribution mechanically linked thereto and cooperatively engaged therewith to rotate through a select arc upon selective actuation thereof.

2. The dispensing machine according to claim 1 where the rotatable means contains chambers where the arc corresponds to the rotational equivalent of one chamber.

3. The dispensing machine according to claim 2 where said means for distributing is a multi-chambered, wheel having a diameter corresponding to the open bottom of said means for storing and rotatably mounted relative thereto for dispensing one article at a time and said wheel includes gearing disposed about its periphery, and said means for storing the plurality of articles comprises a hollow globe having an opening formed at its top and a lid corresponding in size to the opening where the lid is securable thereto to seal the opening.

4. The vending machine of claim 2 where the electronically actuated means is a motor mechanically linked to said means for controlled distribution by a spur gear mounted on a non-circular shaft extending between the motor and controlled distribution means, said shaft being able to impart rotational force from the motor to the means for controlled distribution.

5. The method of assembling the bulk vending machine according to claim 1 including the step of connecting the control unit to said vending machine.

6. The method of using a vending machine according to claim 1 including the step of inserting money into the control unit and selectively actuating said bulk vending machine.

7. A bulk vending dispensing machine, comprising:

a) a base with an open top;

b) a storage container for storing packets for dispensing, set on and above said base;

c) a rotatable distributing member seated and rotatable within the open top of said base and below said storage container for selecting a discrete packet for distribution quantity of merchandise to be dispensed upon operation of said machine;

d) a dispensing passage for communicating said discrete package to an opening disposed in said base; and

e) an electronically actuated cranking element in communication with a currency receipt device and operatively engaged to said gearing of said rotatable distributing member to rotate said member and dispense a packet from the storage container.

8. The dispensing machine of claim 7 where the rotatable distributing member is a molded plastic merchandise wheel and includes peripherally disposed gearing.

9. An improved bulk vending machine incorporating an open topped base with a dispensing opening supporting a storage globe set thereon, a merchandise wheel distributing member rotatable within the base disposed within the base and under the globe for dispensing merchandise from the globe to the dispensing opening through a dispensing passage extending through the base, the improvement comprising:

an electronically actuated gear element in electrical signal communication with an electronic currency receipt assembly and operatively engaged with said merchandise wheel to rotate same within the base and communicate an article from the globe, through the merchandise wheel, into the dispensing passage and to the opening.

10. The improved bulk vending machine according to claim 9 where the electronically actuated gear element includes an electric motor and an electric power source.

11. The improved bulk vending machine according to claim 10 where the electric motor is concealed within the base and is in electronic communication with an actuation signal source that provides a signal to provide power to rotate the motor which in turn rotates the merchandise wheel.

12. In a conventional bulk vending dispensing machine, including a globe mounted on a base, a rotatable merchandise wheel with gearing disposed between the base and the globe for distribution of a select quantity of merchandise said rotatable merchandise wheel being seated within and rotatable within said base and, a dispensing passage for communicating the merchandise from the distributing member through the base and to a dispensing opening located on the base, the improvement comprising:

an electronically actuated gear element in communication with a currency receipt device and operatively engaged with said rotatable merchandise wheel gearing to rotate said merchandise wheel through a select angle for dispensing the merchandise from the hopper to the dispensing passage; and

electronic communication means for communicating an actuation signal from a signal source to the electronically actuated gear element to thereby cause rotation of the merchandise wheel.

13. An electronically actuated bulk vending machine for dispensing articles, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of articles where the articles, said means for storing including a generally open bottom;

rotatable means for controlled distribution of articles from the open bottom of the means for storing, said rotatable means for distributing selectively dispensing articles;

a base means for supporting said means for storing and said means for controlled distribution within said base, said base means having a bottom wall and side walls, said top accommodating a selective operating assembly mechanically linked to said means for controlled distribution, and an article dispensing opening being located on said base; and

electronically actuated means for rotating said rotatable distribution means in communication with a currency receipt device and mechanically linked and cooperatively engaged to rotate within said base through a select arc upon selective actuation thereof.

14. The dispensing machine according to claim 13 where said means for distributing is a multi-chambered, molded plastic wheel having a diameter corresponding to the open bottom of said means for storing and rotatably mounted relative thereto for dispensing one article at a time.

15. An electronic bulk vending machine according to claim 13 further comprising

a currency receipt mechanism in electrical signal communication with said electronic actuated means.