Vending machine power switching apparatus
First Claim
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1. An improved vending machine power switching apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of relays for selecting which of a plurality of loads in a vending machine is to be energized, each of said relays having a coil and one set of switching contacts;
a power switching means connected in series with the switching contacts of each of the plurality of relays, said power switching means selectively controlling whether power is connected to the switching contacts of said relays;
each of said relays being associated on a one-to-one basis with a corresponding one of said loads so that when the power switching means connects power to the switching contacts of said relays, power flows through only one set of switching contacts, and the failure of the contacts of any one of said relays only prevents the selection of its associated load; and
an electronic switching control means having an output for producing electrical control signals connected to each of the coils of each of the plurality of relays for controlling the switching of the relays by producing the appropriate electrical control signals so that a relay is switched so as to select its associated load for energization only when the power switching means has disconnected power from the relay'"'"'s switching contacts and a relay switch is switched to terminate the selection of its associated load only when the power switching means has previously disconnected power from the relay'"'"'s switching contacts, whereby improved relay switching contact reliability is achieved.
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Abstract
An improved vending machine power switching apparatus in which a single power switching circuit is associated with a plurality of load selecting relay switches and a switching control circuit, in which the control circuit controls the order of switching of the power switch and relay switches, such that any relay switch is always closed before power is delivered to its associated load and is always opened after power is removed from the load, and the power is applied and removed by the power switching means.
89 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An improved vending machine power switching apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of relays for selecting which of a plurality of loads in a vending machine is to be energized, each of said relays having a coil and one set of switching contacts; a power switching means connected in series with the switching contacts of each of the plurality of relays, said power switching means selectively controlling whether power is connected to the switching contacts of said relays; each of said relays being associated on a one-to-one basis with a corresponding one of said loads so that when the power switching means connects power to the switching contacts of said relays, power flows through only one set of switching contacts, and the failure of the contacts of any one of said relays only prevents the selection of its associated load; and an electronic switching control means having an output for producing electrical control signals connected to each of the coils of each of the plurality of relays for controlling the switching of the relays by producing the appropriate electrical control signals so that a relay is switched so as to select its associated load for energization only when the power switching means has disconnected power from the relay'"'"'s switching contacts and a relay switch is switched to terminate the selection of its associated load only when the power switching means has previously disconnected power from the relay'"'"'s switching contacts, whereby improved relay switching contact reliability is achieved. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An improved vending control means including a plurality of selection lines;
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a selection logic means connected to the plurality of selection lines and having a plurality of outputs at which appropriate electrical control signals are produced, each of the plurality of outputs corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of selection lines; a plurality of price setting means, each of the plurality of price setting means connected to a respective one of the plurality of outputs of the selection logic means, said price setting means producing output price data on their outputs; control means connected to the outputs of the price setting means for producing a vend control signal when vending conditions are satisfied, characterized by, a plurality of relays each having a coil connected to a respective one of the plurality of outputs of the selection logic means, each of the relays having at least one set of switching contacts, said switching contacts of each of the relays being connected to a respective one of the selection lines, so that the relays, in response to whether current flows in their respective coils as a result of the output signals at their respective selection logic means outputs, control which of the selection lines is to be energized; a power switching means connected in series with the switching contacts of each of the plurality of relays, said power switching means selectively controlling whether power is connected to or disconnected from the switching contacts of the relays; the power switching means being connected to the vend control signal from the control means and controlled thereby such that a relay is switched to select its respective selection line for energization only when the power switching means has disconnected power from the relay'"'"'s switching contacts, and a relay .[.switch.]. is switched to terminate the selection of its associated selection line only when the power switching means has previously disconnected power from the relay'"'"'s switching contacts. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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14. are semiconductor switching means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A method for suppressing noise during the switchable energization and de-energization of a vending machine load circuit that includes a plurality of individually selectable inductive loads comprising
(a) providing circuit means including a plurality of actuatable load switch means, each connected in a separate series circuit with a respective inductive load to define a plurality of separate series circuits, means connecting said separate series circuits in parallel circuit with one another to define a loading circuit portion, an actuatable power switching means connected in series with said loading circuit, whereby each of said load switch means is connected in a separate respective series circuit with said power switching means, and first noise suppression means connected to said power switching means; -
(b) actuating the load switch means connected in separate series circuit with the selected load; (c) actuating said power switching means; (d) de-actuating said power switching means; and (e) de-actuating the load switch means actuated in step (b). .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The method of claim 20 wherein the circuit means further includes a control means operable for controlling the actuation and de-actuation of said load switch means and said power switching means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The method of claim 20 wherein the inductive loads are vend delivery means each capable of performing a vend delivery operation when sufficient power is applied thereto and wherein step (d) includes the step of delaying for a sufficiently long enough period following step (c) to permit the vend delivery means to which power is applied to perform a vend delivery operation. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The method of claim 20 wherein the inductive loads are vend delivery means each capable of performing a vend delivery operation when sufficient power is applied thereto and wherein step (d) includes the step of verifying the performance of a vend delivery operation prior to de-actuating said power switching means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. A method for energization and de-energization of loads in a vending machine load circuit that comprises a plurality of individually selectable inductive loads, a plurality of actuatable load switch means each connected in a separate series circuit with a respective load to define a plurality of separate series circuits, means connecting said separate series circuits in parallel circuit with one another to define a loading circuit, and an actuatable power switching means connected in series with said loading circuit, whereby each of said load switch means is connected in a separate respective series circuit with said power switching means;
the method comprising the following sequence of steps;(a) actuating the load switch means connected in separate series circuit with the selected load; (b) actuating said power switching means; (c) de-actuating said power switching means; and (d) de-actuating the load switch means actuated in step (a). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification