Multiple-sided vending machine

• US 9,105,144 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert J. Baric
• Original Assignee: Robert J. Baric
• Inventors: Baric, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLLINS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/398,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 221/312.R, 221/261, 221/311
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/48 the storage containers or supports, e.g. magazine, being pivotally mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A vending machine has a housing with a first side and a second side opposite the first side. A first dispensing slot is located at the first side of the housing, and a second dispensing slot is located at the second side of the housing. A central product storage stores product to be dispensed from the vending machine. A product delivery system selectively delivers product from said product storage to the first dispensing slot and said second dispensing slot.

Claims

1. A vending machine comprising:

first and second dispensing sides for dispensing product from the vending machine;

product storage for storing product to be dispensed from the vending machine, wherein the product to be dispensed falls from the product storage along a drop path into a first dispenser at said first dispensing side;

a conveyor belt configured to transport product released from the product storage to a second dispenser at the second dispensing side, or a sweep mechanism configured to push product released from the product storage to the second dispenser at the second dispensing side; and

a deflector configured to have a first position that does not extend into the drop path whereby product falls into the first dispenser at the first dispensing side and a second position whereby the deflector extends outward into the drop path to deflect the product onto the conveyor belt or in front of the sweep mechanism to transport the product to the second dispenser at the second dispensing side.

2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said first and second dispensing sides are on opposite sides of said vending machine.

3. The vending machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor;

at least two display devices communicating with said processor, each of said at least two display devices located at a respective one of said at least two dispensing sides; and

at least two input devices communicating with said processor, each of said at least two input devices located at a respective one of said at least two dispensing sides to receive information from a user.

4. The vending machine of claim 1, further comprising a motor for moving said deflector to move between the first and second positions.

5. The vending machine of claim 4, further comprising a processor for controlling the motor to move said deflector between the first and second positions.

6. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said deflector comprises an arm.

7. A vending machine comprising:

a housing having a first side and a second side;

a first dispenser at the first side of the housing;

a second dispenser at the second side of the housing;

product storage for storing product to be dispensed from the vending machine, wherein the product falls from the product storage along a drop path to said first dispenser;

a transport device configured to deliver the received product to said second dispenser; and

a deflector configured to selectively move between a first position that does not extend into the drop path, and a second position that extends into the drop path to deflect the product from the drop path to the transport device to transport the product to the second dispenser.

8. The vending machine of claim 7, further comprising a first user input at the first side of the housing for selecting a first desired product, a second user input at the second side of the housing for selecting a second desired product, wherein said vending machine is configured to deliver the first desired product to the first dispenser and deliver the second desired product to the second dispenser.

9. The vending machine of claim 7, said housing further having a third side and a fourth side.

10. The vending machine of claim 7, wherein said transport device comprises a conveyer belt.

11. The vending machine of claim 7, wherein said transport device comprises a sweeping mechanism that pushes the product.

12. The vending machine of claim 7, further comprising a motor for moving said deflector to move between the first and second positions.

13. The vending machine of claim 12, further comprising a processor for controlling the motor to move said deflector between the first and second positions.