Cup-type beverage vending machine

• US 6,742,553 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sato, Takeshi, Chiku, Toshiya, Sekiguchi, Ryouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US10/677,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20040069370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 141/174, 141/175, 221/96, 222/129.1
• US Class Current: 141/174
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/10 with associated dispensing of containers, e.g. cups or other articles

Abstract

In a cup-type beverage vending machine, during conveyance of a beverage-filled cup to a product taking-out position and when the cup does not reach the product taking-out position, a pivot arm is supported by a support roller and a cup on a cup stage is held by a holder. When the cup reaches the product taking-out position, a lower edge of the pivot arm is released from the support roller and the pivot arm and the holder are pivoted downward. Consequently, the holder is spaced downward apart from a front surface of the cup, which allows a customer to easily take out the cup.

Claims

1. A cup-type beverage vending machine, comprising:

a cup stage on which a cup is located;

a beverage pouring section for pouring beverage into a cup; and

a conveying device for reciprocating the cup stage between a beverage pouring position and a product taking-out position,

wherein said machine has;

a cup holder mechanism which holds the cup on said cup stage when the cup stage is situated other than said product taking-out position, while releases holding condition of the cup when the cup stage is situated in the product taking-out position;

a cup sensor for detecting the cup on the cup stage; and

a control device which can control so as to pour the beverage from said beverage pouring section when the cup sensor detects the cup on the cup stage.

2. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said control device can control said conveying device so as to move the cup stage to said product taking-out position after pouring the beverage into the cup.

3. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 2, wherein said control device can control said conveying device so as to return the cup stage to said beverage pouring position when the cup sensor does not detect the cup after moving the cup stage to said product taking-out position.

4. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 3, wherein the door of the product taking-out port is opened and closed by an opening device, and said control device can control the opening device so as to open the door after pouring the beverage into the cup.

5. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 4, wherein said cup stage has a cup holding block formed so as to surround the cup from its side surfaces to its rear surface, and said cup senor is provided on a side surface of the cup holding block.

6. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 5, wherein said cup sensor is an optical sensor.

7. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said cup sensor is a pressurized conductive rubber located on a bottom wall of the cup stage.

8. The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said cup sensor is a microswitch embedded in a bottom wall of the cup stage.