Apparatus and method for providing point of purchase products
First Claim
1. A self-scanning checkout providing point of purchase products comprising:
- a scanner to scan items selected by a consumer;
a video monitor to display the cost of items scanned by the consumer;
a packaging area for placing items scanned by the consumer into a bag; and
a dispenser for storing and dispensing a point of purchase product, the dispenser located at least in juxtaposition to the scanner and thereby storing point of purchase product in juxtaposition to the scanner, and wherein the video monitor displays the cost of the product dispensed by the dispenser.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides various apparatuses and methods that allow point of purchase products to be automatically dispensed. In an embodiment, the present invention operates with a self-scanning checkout and enables products to be dispensed with other retail items that a consumer collects and brings to the point of purchase. The product is immediately dispensed and provided to the consumer at the point of purchase. The cost of the dispensed product is added to the cost of the collected and transported retail items. The consumer makes one payment for both the dispensed product and the collected and transported retail items. In another embodiment, the present invention is modular and operates in a quick service restaurant environment. The present invention requires little counter/floor space, adds little to the cost of labor, can be mounted in a variety of locations, dispenses in any direction and integrates with virtually any existing system.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A self-scanning checkout providing point of purchase products comprising:
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a scanner to scan items selected by a consumer; a video monitor to display the cost of items scanned by the consumer; a packaging area for placing items scanned by the consumer into a bag; and a dispenser for storing and dispensing a point of purchase product, the dispenser located at least in juxtaposition to the scanner and thereby storing point of purchase product in juxtaposition to the scanner, and wherein the video monitor displays the cost of the product dispensed by the dispenser. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A point of purchase device that operates with a credit/debit card verification device that authorizes a cost for items purchased by a consumer, the point of purchase device comprising:
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a controller that communicates with the credit/debit card verification device; and the controller is coupled to a dispenser that stores and dispenses a product upon a signal to the controller, the dispenser positioned at least adjacent to the credit/debit card verification device so that product is stored proximate the credit/debit card verification, the signal initiated by the consumer through the credit/debit card verification device, wherein a cost for the product is added to the cost for the items purchased by the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A point of purchase device comprising:
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a body housing a stock of product that is physically coupled to a discrete automated purchasing device that allows consumers to automatically purchase items that are physically brought to the automated purchasing device as well as purchase items that are stored in a portion of the body that is physically coupled to the discrete automated purchasing device; a money acceptor coupled to the body; and a dispenser within the body that dispenses a product from the stock upon a consumer'"'"'s input of a predefined amount of money into the money acceptor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A device for dispensing consumable and non-consumable products at the same location comprising:
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a body; a stock of a consumable product housed within the body; a stock of a non-consumable products housed within the body; a dispenser that dispenses the consumable product; a device that totals purchase prices for consumable and non-consumable products; a payment acceptor that allows the consumer to make a single payment for the consumable and non-consumable products; and wherein at least one of the consumable product or nonconsumable product are stored in juxtaposition to the payment acceptor. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A system for providing point of purchase products comprising:
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a device for identifying costs of items and creating a purchase price for the items; means for prompting a consumer to purchase a point of purchase product; and a device for storing and dispensing the point of purchase product upon request from the consumer and for adding a cost of the point of purchase product to the purchase price, the storing and dispensing device, and thereby point of purchase product, located at least proximate to the cost identifying device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A device for dispensing a retail item comprising:
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a retail customer terminal sited proximate a point of purchase location, the retail customer terminal having an input device adapted to permit selection of a purchasable item and a point of purchase product; a retail item processor in electrical communication with the retail customer terminal and adapted to process a selection of the purchasable item and the point of purchase product; and a dispensing terminal sited proximate the point of purchase location and in electrical communication with the retail customer terminal and retail item processor, the dispensing terminal adapted to handle and dispense the point of purchase product from a storage location within the terminal to a dispensing location in response to the selection of the point of purchase product the storage location being proximate the point of purchase location. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A retail item dispensing device comprising:
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a receptacle that houses and ejects a point of purchase product stored therein, the receptacle, and thereby point of purchase product, located at a point of purchase location with a customer selection input device; a dispensing location located proximate the point of purchase location, said dispensing location comprising a surface configured for carrying the point of purchase product; the customer selection input device adapted to input a customer selection of a purchasable item and point of purchase product and located proximate the point of purchase location for the purchasable item; a retail item processor in electrical communication with the input device and the receptacle that ejects the point of purchase product upon the customer selection; and a dispensing device configured to deliver the point of purchase product ejected from the receptacle to the dispensing location proximate the point of purchase location for the purchasable item. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A point of purchase device that is coupled to a device that inputs purchasable items and accumulates a cost for the purchasable items comprising:
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a dispenser that stores and dispenses a product, wherein a cost for the product is automatically added to the cost of the purchasable items, the dispenser, and thereby product, located at least in juxtaposition to the item input device; and a communication device that allows information relating to the product to be communicated to a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A point of purchase device that is coupled to a device that inputs purchasable items and accumulates a cost for the purchasable items comprising:
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a dispenser that dispenses a product, wherein a cost for the product is automatically added to the cost of the purchasable items, the dispenser, with product, located at a point of purchase with the item input device; and a communication device that communicates accumulated inventory information relating to the product to a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification