Method and apparatus for remote sales of vended products

• US 6,742,673 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Watson, James Michael, Giles, John P., Credle, William S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US10/345,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20030160059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 221/119, 221/120, 221/121, 221/122, 221/2, 221/133, 221/130, 221/24, 221/185, 221/192, 221/199, 221/88, 221/79
• US Class Current: 221/88
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0026 Propulsion aids
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0076 Remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A mobile vending machine for transporting and vending a number of products. The mobile vending machine includes a storage compartment for storing the products, a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the products, and a drive mechanism. The storage compartment is positioned about the drive mechanism for movement therewith.

Claims

1. A remote vending system for vending a plurality of products, comprising:

a product storage compartment positioned along a predetermined path;

a product delivery mechanism positioned along said predetermined path;

a product drop mechanism positioned along said predetermined path; and

a control device to instruct said product storage device to deliver one of said plurality of products to said product delivery mechanism and to instruct said product delivery mechanism to deliver said one of said plurality of products to said product drop mechanism.

2. The remote vending system of claim 1, wherein said product storage compartment comprises a vending machine.

3. The remote vending system of claim 2, wherein said product delivery mechanism comprises a vertical conveyor positioned adjacent to said product storage compartment.

4. The remote vending system of claim 3, wherein said vertical conveyor comprises a platform for transporting said one of said plurality of products.

5. The remote vending system of claim 4 wherein said vertical conveyor comprises a pulley system for driving said platform.

6. The remote vending system of claim 3, wherein said product delivery mechanism comprises a horizontal conveyor.

7. The remote vending system of claim 5, wherein said product delivery mechanism comprises a horizontal conveyor, said horizontal conveyor comprising a first end and a second end such that said first end is positioned adjacent to said vertical conveyor and said second end is positioned adjacent to said product drop mechanism.

8. The remote vending system of claim 7, wherein said horizontal conveyor comprises an inclined position, such that said first end of said horizontal conveyor is higher than said second end such that said one of said plurality of products can slide from said first end to said second end.

9. The remote vending machine of claim 8, wherein said inclined position comprises about five (5) to about ten (10) degrees.

10. The remote vending machine of claim 7, wherein said product delivery mechanism comprises a transport device positioned within said horizontal conveyor so as to transport said one of said plurality of products from said first end to said second end.

11. The remote vending system of claim 7, wherein said product delivery mechanism comprises a further horizontal conveyor positioned adjacent to said second end of said horizontal conveyor.

12. The remote vending system of claim 11, wherein said product delivery mechanism comprises a directional switch, said directional switch positioned adjacent to said second end of said horizontal conveyor, said further horizontal conveyor, and said product drop mechanism so as to direct said one of said plurality of products from said horizontal conveyor to said further horizontal conveyor or to said product drop mechanism under the control of said control device.

13. The remote vending system of claim 12, wherein said directional switch comprises a piston so as to push said horizontal conveyor in the direction of either said further horizontal conveyor or said product drop mechanism.

14. The remote vending system of claim 1, wherein said product drop mechanism comprises an elongated member with a first end and a second end and wherein said first end is adjacent to said product delivery mechanism.

15. The remote vending system of claim 14, wherein said product drop mechanism comprises a pulley system associated with said elongated member so as to deliver said one of said plurality of products from said first end to said second end.

16. The remote vending system of claim 15, wherein said pulley system comprises a counterweight with a dampening piston positioned thereon.

17. The remote vending system of claim 16, wherein said product drop mechanism comprises a product holder connected to said pulley system.

18. The remote vending system of claim 17, wherein said product holder comprises a fixed fork assembly for holding said one of said plurality of products.

19. The remote vending system of claim 17, wherein said product holder comprises a rotating fork assembly.

20. The remote vending system of claim 19, wherein said rotating fork assembly comprises a pair of forks positioned on an assembly base for rotation thereon.

21. The remote vending system of claim 20, wherein said pair of forks comprises a spring so as to bias said pair of forks in the closed position, said pair of forks capable of supporting said one of said plurality of products in the closed position and capable of releasing said one of said plurality of products in the open position.

22. The remote vending system of claim 21, wherein said product drop mechanism comprises a flipper mechanism positioned adjacent to said second end of said elongated member.

23. The remote vending system of claim 22, wherein said flipper mechanism comprises a flipper, said flipper being driven by a solenoid, and said solenoid being activated by a switch.

24. The remote vending system of claim 23, wherein said switch is positioned about said second end of said elongated member such that said product holder contacts said switch when said product holder descends said elongated member.

25. The remote vending system of claim 24, wherein said flipper is positioned about said second end of said elongated member such that said flipper contacts said rotating fork assembly when said product holder descends said elongated member so as to release said one of said plurality of products when said switch is activated.

26. The remote vending system of claim 14, wherein said product drop mechanism comprises a product dispenser positioned adjacent to said second end of said elongated member.

27. The remote vending system of claim 26, wherein said product dispenser comprises a product platter positioned for rotation therein.

28. The remote vending system of claim 27, wherein said product platter comprises a plurality of product basins so as to support said plurality of products therein.

29. The remote vending system of claim 28, wherein said product platter comprises a plurality of position switches in communication with said control system so as to determine whether said one of said plurality of products is positioned in each of said product basins.

30. The remote vending system of claim 29, wherein said product dispenser comprises a platter motor so as to rotate said product platter.

31. The remote vending system of claim 30, wherein said product dispenser comprises a vending cone positioned on top of the product platter, said vending cone comprising a transparent material.

32. The remote vending system of claim 31, wherein said vending cone comprises a loading aperture such that said one of said plurality of products may be delivered through said loading aperture from said product drop mechanism to one of said product basins on said product platter.

33. A method for the delivery of a vended product, said method comprising the steps of:

removing a first product from a product vending machine;

sensing that said first product has been removed from said product vending machine;

activating a product storage facility to release a second product;

elevating said second product along a first predetermined vertical path;

transporting said second product along a predetermined substantially horizontal path; and

lowering said second product along a second predetermined vertical path into said product vending machine.