Drive system for a vending machine dispensing assembly

• US 7,604,145 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crane Payment Innovations, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Dixie-Narco Incorporated (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Percy, Charles Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US11/249,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20070084875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 221/224, 221/127, 221/126, 221/95
• US Class Current: 221/95
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/16 Delivery means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means

Abstract

A vending machine includes first and second release mechanisms mounted to front portions of adjacent shelf dividers extending along a product shelf and establishing a product queue. A product transport system is arranged in the cabinet to carry a selected product container from the product queue towards a delivery chamber. A drive mechanism, operatively connected to each of the first and second release mechanisms, is mounted to an underside of the product shelf to simultaneously shift the first and second release mechanisms in order to release a selected product to the product transport system.

Claims

1. A vending machine for storing articles to be selectively dispensed comprising:

a cabinet;

a product storage zone arranged within the cabinet;

a dispensing chamber arranged within the cabinet;

at least one shelf mounted, at a downwardly and forwardly extending shelf angle, in the product storage zone for supporting product containers prior to a vending operation, said at least one shelf supporting a plurality of product containers;

at least two dividers extending along the at least one shelf and establishing a product queue, each of said at least two dividers having a front end;

first and second release mechanisms mounted at the front end of respective ones of the at least two dividers each of said first and second release mechanisms including a drive member; and

a drive system mounted to the at least one product shelf, said drive system including a drive mechanism operatively connected to each of the first and second release mechanisms through the drive member wherein, upon selection of a product, said drive mechanism is activated to apply a linear force to the drive member, wherein the drive member is operable to shift the first and second release mechanisms from product retention to product release positions to release the product.

2. The vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a product transport system arranged in the cabinet, said product transport system functioning to carry a selected one of the plurality of product containers from the product queue towards the delivery chamber, wherein the product transport system includes an activation mechanism arranged in the main housing for operating the drive mechanism.

3. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the product transport system includes an activation mechanism for operating the drive mechanism.

4. The vending machine according to claim 3, wherein the activation mechanism includes a plunger having a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion, said plunger being adapted to extend outward from the product transport system to activate the drive mechanism during a dispensing cycle.

5. The vending machine according to claim 4, wherein the plunger extends outward along a path that is substantially parallel to the shelf angle.

6. The vending machine according to claim 4, wherein the activation mechanism includes a pusher member pivotally mounted to the second end portion of the plunger.

7. The vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the activation mechanism includes a cam having at least one lobe, said at least one lobe being adapted to abut the pusher member to extend the plunger outward from the product transport system.

8. The vending machine according to claim 7, wherein the activation mechanism includes at least one microswitch, said at least one micro-switch being adapted to sense a position of the cam.

9. The vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the activation mechanism includes a return spring biasing the plunger back into the housing.

10. The vending machine according to claim 9, wherein the activation mechanism includes a safety spring mounted between the pusher member and the first end of the plunger, said safety spring allowing the plunger to retract into the housing prior to completion of the dispensing cycle.

11. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism includes an activation member connected to the first release mechanism, a first geared link, a second geared link interengaged with the first geared link, and a driven member that is connected to the second release mechanism.

12. The vending machine according to claim 11, wherein the activation member includes a plurality of geared teeth, said geared teeth meshing with the first geared link.

13. The vending machine according to claim 12, wherein the driven member includes a plurality of geared teeth, said geared teeth meshing with the second geared link.

17. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second release mechanisms includes a respective plurality of hinge plates, each of said plurality of hinge plates being adapted to shift between the product retention and product release positions through operation of the drive system.

14. The vending machine according to claim l, wherein the drive mechanism includes a solenoid operatively connected to a drive bracket through a connecting member.

15. The vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the drive bracket includes a plurality of slotted openings, each of said slotted openings being adapted to received a guide element attached to the at least one shelf.

16. The vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the drive bracket includes first and second openings, said first and second release mechanisms including first and second drive members projecting into the first and second openings respectively.

18. A method of dispensing a product supported in a product queue established between first and second dividers on a shelf in a vending machine comprising:

activating a drive mechanism, coupled through a drive member to each of first and second release mechanisms arranged at front end portions of the first and second dividers of the product queue, to apply a linear force to the drive member, wherein the drive member is opeiable to simultaneously shift the first and second release mechanisms from product retention positions to product dispensing positions in order to release a selected product from the product queue for delivery to a consumer,

wherein activating the drive mechanism comprises rotating geared links to shift a driven member interconnected to each of the first and second release mechanisms.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

activating the drive mechanism by shifting an activation member upon aligning a product transport system with the product queue.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the drive mechanism is activated by shifting a plunger carried by the product transport system into engagement with the activation member.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plunger is shifted substantially parallel to the shelf.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein activating the drive mechanism constitutes activating a solenoid to shift a driven member interconnected to each of the first and second release mechanisms.