Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine

• US 6,794,634 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Incorporated (Seaga Manufacturing Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Incorporated (Seaga Manufacturing Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hair, James M. III, Spentzos, Kyriakos P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LESTER, EVELYN A
• Application Number:
  US09/729,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 250/223.R, 250/224, 250/216, 250/221, 221/1, 221/21, 221/67, 221/131, 221/155, 221/194-196
• US Class Current: 250/223.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/04 in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.

Claims

1. A vending machine, comprising:

a transparent front;

a dispensing mechanism configured to perform vending operations in order to dispense a product selected by a consumer;

a vend space comprising a portion of the space in said vending machine through which said selected product will automatically fall into a bin portion for retrieval by the consumer; and

an optical vend-sensing system configured to sense when said selected product passes through said vend space, said optical vend-sensing system including,

an emitter mechanism configured to generate electromagnetic radiation that substantially spans said vend space, and

a detector mechanism configured to receive said electromagnetic radiation generated by said emitter mechanism and to detect changes in said electromagnetic radiation caused by said selected product passing through said vend space.

2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein sand dispensing mechanism includes a plurality of helical structures defining regions in which said products are contained.

3. The vending machine of claim 1, further including control circuitry operatively coupled to said detector mechanism and configured to provide a signal indicating that said selected product has passed through said vend space.

4. The vending machine of claim 3, further including a machine control unit communicating with said control circuitry and said dispensing mechanism, said machine control unit configured to control said vending operations of said dispensing mechanism.

5. The vending machine of claim 4, wherein said control circuitry communicates the operational status of said optical vend-sensing system to said machine control unit.

6. The vending machine of claim 5, wherein said machine control unit prevents said vending operations when said control circuitry indicates said optical vend-sensing system is incapable of providing said signal indicating that said selected product has passed through said vend space.

7. The vending machine of claim 4, wherein in response to receiving said signal from said control circuitry indicating that said selected product has passed through said vend space, said machine control unit communicates with said dispensing mechanism to conclude said vending operations.

8. The vending machine of claim 7, wherein said dispensing mechanism concludes said vending operations before dispensing a subsequent product associated therewith.

9. The vending machine of claim 7, wherein said dispensing mechanism advances one or more products in a continuous fashion, in order to dispense said selected product until, in response to said signal from said machine control unit, said dispensing mechanism concludes said vending operations.

10. The vending machine of claim 9, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a helical structure including individual containment regions for said one or more products and wherein rotation of said helical structure advances said selected product in order to dispense said selected product.

11. The vending machine of claim 7, wherein said machine control unit communicates with said dispensing mechanism to conclude said vending operations in response to a predetermined secondary condition when said signal from said control circuitry has not been received by said machine control unit.

12. The vending machine of claim 11, wherein, after said vending operations have been concluded, said machine control unit initiates a corrective action in response to a failure to receive said signal from said control circuitry indicating that said selected product has been dispensed.

13. The vending machine of claim 12, wherein said corrective action comprises maintaining a credit established by said customer to allow an alternative selection or to provide a refund.

14. The vending machine of claim 1 or claim 7, wherein said detector mechanism detects changes in said electromagnetic radiation caused by said selected product passing through said vend space by determining that said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism has been temporarily reduced by a predetermined threshold amount.

15. The vending machine of claim 14, wherein said predetermined threshold amount is determined by taking into account ambient electromagnetic sources.

16. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said emitter mechanism creates at least one plane of said electromagnetic radiation spanning laterally and depthwise an area at or above an opening of said bin portion but below a lowest said dispensing mechanism such that said selected product entering said bin portion must pass through said plane.

17. The vending machine of claim 16, wherein said detector mechanism receives substantially all said electromagnetic radiation emitted in a direction defining said plane such that said selected product passing through said plane will diminish said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism.

18. The vending machine of claim 3 or claim 17, wherein said control circuitry communicates to said machine control unit that said selected product has passed said optical vend-sensing system when said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism has been temporarily reduced by a predetermined threshold amount.

19. The vending machine of claim 18, wherein said predetermined threshold amount is determined by taking into account ambient electromagnetic radiation.

20. The vending machine of claim 18, wherein reduction of said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism as a result of a smallest said selected product is sufficient to exceed said predetermined threshold amount.

21. An optical vend-sensing system configured to sense when a product selected by a consumer is dispensed in a transparent front vending machine, said vending machine having a dispensing mechanism configured to perform vending operations and dispense said selected product into a vend space upon selection by the consumer, said vend space comprising a portion of space in said vending machine through which said selected product will automatically fall into a bin portion for retrieval by the consumer, said optical vend-sensing system comprising:

an emitter mechanism configured to generate electromagnetic radiation that substantially spans said vend space, and

a detector mechanism configured to receive said electromagnetic radiation generated by said emitter mechanism and to detect changes in said electromagnetic radiation caused by said selected product as it passes through said vend space.

22. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 21, wherein said dispensing mechanism includes a plurality of helical structures defining regions in which said products are contained.

23. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 21, further including control circuitry operatively coupled to said detector mechanism and configured to provide a signal indicating that said selected product has passed through said vend space.

24. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 23, further including a machine control unit communicating with said control circuitry and said dispensing mechanism, said machine control unit configured to control the vending operations of said dispensing mechanism.

25. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 24, wherein said control circuitry communicates the operational status of said optical vend-sensing system to said machine control unit.

26. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 25, wherein said machine control unit prevents said vending operations when said control circuitry indicates said optical vend-sensing system is incapable of providing said signal indicating that said selected product has passed through said vend space.

27. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 24, wherein in response to receiving said signal from said control circuitry indicating that said selected product has passed through said vend space, said machine control unit communicates with said dispensing mechanism to conclude said vending operations.

28. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 27, wherein said dispensing mechanism concludes said vending operations before dispensing a subsequent product associated therewith.

29. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 27, wherein said dispensing mechanism advances one or more products in a continuous fashion, in order to dispense said selected product until, in response to said signal from said machine control unit, said dispensing mechanism concludes said vending operations.

30. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 29, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a helical structure including individual containment regions for said one or more products and wherein rotation of said helical structure advances said selected product in order to dispense said selected product.

31. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 27, wherein said machine control unit communicates with said dispensing mechanism to conclude said vending operations in response to a predetermined secondary condition when said signal from said control circuitry has not been received by said machine control unit.

32. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 31, wherein, after vending operations have been concluded, said machine control unit initiates a corrective action in response to a failure to receive said signal from said control circuitry indicating that said selected product has been dispensed.

33. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 32, wherein said corrective action comprises maintaining a credit established by said customer to allow an alternate selection or to provide a refund.

34. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 21 or claim 27, wherein said detector mechanism detects changes in said electromagnetic radiation caused by said selected product passing through said vend space by determining that said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism has been temporarily reduced by a predetermined threshold amount.

35. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 34, wherein said predetermined threshold amount is determined by taking into account ambient electromagnetic sources.

36. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 21, wherein said emitter mechanism creates at least one plane of said electromagnetic radiation spanning laterally and depthwise an area at or above an opening of said bin portion but below a lowest said dispensing mechanism such that said selected product entering said bin portion must pass through said plane.

37. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 36, wherein said detector mechanism receives substantially all said electromagnetic radiation emitted in a direction defining said plane such that said selected product passing through said plane will diminish said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism.

38. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 23 or claim 37 wherein said control circuitry communicates to said machine control unit that said selected product has passed said optical vend-sensing system when said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism has been temporarily reduced by a predetermined threshold amount.

39. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 38, wherein said predetermined threshold amount is determined by taking into account ambient electromagnetic radiation.

40. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 38, wherein reduction of said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism as a result of a smallest said selected product is sufficient to exceed said predetermined threshold amount.

41. A vending machine, comprising:

a transparent front;

a plurality of dispensing mechanisms, each configured to respectively dispense a product selected by a consumer, at least one of the dispensing mechanisms configured to dispense a product having at least one of a different size and a different shape as compared to a product dispensed by another of the dispensing mechanisms;

a vend space comprising a portion of the space in said vending machine through which said selected product will automatically fall into a bin portion for retrieval by the consumer;

an optical vend-sensing system configured to sense when said selected product passes through said vend space regardless of the size, shape and from which dispensing mechanism the selected product was dispensed; and

a control mechanism configured to control said dispensing as a function of when said optical vend-sensing system senses said product passing through said vend space.

42. The vending machine of claim 41, wherein at least one said dispensing mechanism includes a dispensing member configured to move in a dispensing direction and to release said selected product.

43. The vending machine of claim 42, wherein said control mechanism terminates movement of said dispensing member in response to said optical vend-sensing system sensing when said selected product passes through said vend space.

44. The vending machine of claim 43, wherein said at least one dispensing mechanism concludes dispensing of said selected product before dispensing a subsequent product associated therewith.

45. The vending machine of claim 42, wherein said dispensing member comprises a helical structure including product containment regions and wherein rotation of said helical structure moves said selected product in said dispensing direction.

46. The vending machine of claim 41, wherein said control mechanism prevents said dispensing when said optical vend-sensing system is incapable of sensing when said selected product passes through said vend space.

47. The vending machine of claim 41, wherein said optical vend-sensing system comprises,

an emitter mechanism configured to generate electromagnetic radiation that substantially spans said vend space, and

a detector mechanism configured to receive said electromagnetic radiation generated by said emitter mechanism and to detect changes in said electromagnetic radiation caused by said selected product passing through said vend space.

48. The vending machine of claim 47, further including control circuitry operatively coupled to said detector mechanism and configured to provide a signal indicating that said selected product has passed through said vend space.

49. The vending machine of claim 47, wherein said detector mechanism detects changes in said electromagnetic radiation caused by said selected product passing through said vend space by determining that said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism has been temporarily reduced by a predetermined threshold amount.

50. The vending machine of claim 49, wherein said predetermined threshold amount is determined by taking into account ambient electromagnetic sources.

51. The vending machine of claim 47, wherein said emitter mechanism creates at least one plane of said electromagnetic radiation spanning laterally and depthwise an area at or above an opening of said bin portion but below a lowest said dispensing mechanism such that said selected product entering said bin portion must pass through said plane.

52. The vending machine of claim 51, wherein said detector mechanism receives substantially all said electromagnetic radiation emitted in a direction defining said plane such that said selected product passing through said plane will diminish said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism.

53. The vending machine of claim 52, wherein said detector mechanism communicates to said control mechanism that said selected product has passed said optical vend-sensing system when said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism has been temporarily reduced by a predetermined threshold amount.

54. The vending machine of claim 53, wherein said predetermined threshold amount is determined by taking into account ambient electromagnetic radiation.

55. The vending machine of claim 53, wherein reduction of said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism as a result of a smallest said selected product is sufficient to exceed said predetermined threshold amount.

56. The vending machine of claim 41, wherein said control mechanism initiates a corrective action in response to a failure to successfully vend said selected product.

57. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said corrective action comprises maintaining a credit established by said customer to allow an alternative selection or to provide a refund.

58. An optical vend-sensing system configured to sense when a product selected by a consumer is dispensed in a transparent front vending machine, said vending machine having a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense said selected product into a vend space upon selection by the consumer, said vend space comprising a portion of space in said vending machine through which said selected product will automatically fall into a bin portion for retrieval by the consumer, said optical vend-sensing system comprising:

an emitter mechanism configured to generate electromagnetic radiation that substantially spans said vend space;

a detector mechanism configured to receive said electromagnetic radiation generated by said emitter mechanism and to detect changes in said electromagnetic radiation caused by said selected product passing through said vend space; and

a control mechanism configured to control said dispensing as a function of when said optical vend-sensing system senses said product passing through said vend space.

59. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 58, wherein said dispensing mechanism includes a dispensing member configured to move in a dispensing direction in order to release said selected product.

60. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 59, wherein said control mechanism terminates movement of said dispensing member in response to sensing when said selected product passes through said vend space.

61. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 60, wherein said dispensing mechanism concludes dispensing of said selected product before dispensing a subsequent product associated therewith.

62. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 59, wherein said dispensing member comprises a helical structure including product containment regions and wherein rotation of said helical structure moves said selected product in said dispensing direction.

63. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 58, wherein said control mechanism prevents said dispensing when said optical vend-sensing system is incapable of sensing when said selected product passes through said vend space.

64. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 58, further including control circuitry operatively coupled to said detector mechanism and configured to provide a signal indicating that said selected product has passed through said vend space.

65. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 58, wherein said detector mechanism detects changes in said electromagnetic radiation caused by said selected product passing through said vend space by determining that said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism has been temporarily reduced by a predetermined threshold amount.

66. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 65, wherein said predetermined threshold amount is determined by taking into account ambient electromagnetic sources.

67. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 58, wherein said control mechanism initiates a corrective action in response to a failure to successfully vend said selected product.

68. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 67, wherein said corrective action comprises maintaining a credit established by said customer to allow an alternative selection or to provide a refund.

69. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 58, wherein said emitter mechanism creates at least one plane of said electromagnetic radiation spanning laterally and depthwise an area at or above an opening of said bin portion but below a lowest said dispensing mechanism such that said selected product entering said bin portion must pass through said plane.

70. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 69, wherein said detector mechanism receives substantially all said electromagnetic radiation emitted in a direction defining said plane such that said selected product passing through said plane will diminish said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism.

71. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 70, wherein said detector mechanism communicates to said control mechanism that said selected product has passed said optical vend-sensing system when said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism has been temporarily reduced by a predetermined threshold amount.

72. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 71, wherein said predetermined threshold amount is determined by taking into account ambient electromagnetic radiation.

73. The optical vend-sensing system of claim 71, wherein reduction of said electromagnetic radiation received by said detector mechanism as a result of a smallest said selected product is sufficient to exceed said predetermined threshold amount.