Article vending machine

• US 5,139,384 A
• Filed: 02/16/1991
• Issued: 08/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip Tuttobene
• Original Assignee: Philip Tuttobene
• Inventors: Tuttobene, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US07/652,043
• Time in Patent Office: 549 Days
• Field of Search: 414/749, 414/750, 414/751, 414/752, 414/753, 414/222, 414/225, 414/226, 414/277, 414/282, 414/280, 414/281, 414/273, 414/932, 414/331, 414/621, 414/622, 414/267, 360/92, 221/88, 221/195, 221/DIG. 1, 194/205, 186/55-57, 294/103.1, 294/119.1
• US Class Current: 414/281
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books

Abstract

An article handling method and system for an article handling machine operable by users having identification (ID) cards bearing user identifying codes for vending and/or receiving articles which bear article identifying codes and are stored within storage bins in the machine. The article handling system includes a novel article transport and a novel user and article code reading arrangement. The article transport is selectively operable in a vending mode to transport user-selected articles from their storage bins to a position accessible to machine users for removal of the selected articles from and later return of the articles to the machine and in a return mode to transport returned articles from the user accessible position to their storage bins. The user and article code reading arrangement embodies a single common code reader for reading both ther user code on user ID cards inserted into the machine and the article codes on articles vended to and returned by machine users. The disclosed article handling machine is a vending machine which vends user-selected magnetic tape cassettes, such as video cassettes, in response to insertion of a proper user ID card and rental fee into the machine and embodies a novel telephone cassette reservation feature, cassette/storage bin association feature, and rental fee credit feature for prompt cassette return.

Claims

1. An article gripping assembly for use in an article handling machine having a housing which includes article storage bins disposed therewithin for containing articles to be handled, and an access opening disposed within said housing which is accessible to a machine user for purposes of depositing said articles into and removing said articles from said handling machine, said gripping assembly being disposed within said housing and operable to selectively transport said articles between said storage bins and said access opening, said gripping assembly comprising:

an elongate vertical carriage;

an elongate pinion rack having a first end and a second end, said pinion rack being interfaced to said vertical carriage in a manner wherein said pinion rack is reciprocally movable relative said carriage along a generally horizontal axis;

a lower jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being rigidly connected to said first end of said pinion rack;

a guide member rigidly connected to and extending upwardly from said lower jaw adjacent said proximal end thereof;

an upper jaw having a proximal end and a distal end;

an upper jaw rack rigidly connected to and extending downwardly from said proximal end of said upper jaw, said upper jaw rack being sized and configured to be slidably receivable into said guide member in a manner wherein said upper jaw is reciprocally movable relative to said lower jaw along a generally vertical axis;

a first reversible motor having a first pinion attached to a first shaft extending outwardly therefrom, attached to said article carriage via a mounting bracket such that said first pinion meshes with said pinion rack, said first motor being operable to selectively extend and retract said pinion rack along said horizontal axis;

a second reversible motor having a second pinion attached to a second shaft extending outwardly therefrom, said second motor being attached to said guide member such that said second pinion meshes with said upper jaw rack, said second motor being operable to selectively raise and lower said upper jaw along said vertical axis; and

an elongate bar member having a front end and a back end, said back end being attached to said mounting bracket such that said front end is disposed between said upper jaw and said lower jaw in a manner operable to laterally support an article gripped between said upper and lower jaws.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said gripping assembly further comprises a first sensing means mounted to said bar member, said first sensing means being actuated from one state to another by the abutment of said second motor thereagainst when said pinion rack is retracted along said horizontal axis.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said gripping assembly further comprises a second sensing means mounted to said guide member, said second sensing means being actuated from one state to another by the abutment of said article thereagainst when said pinion rack is extended along said horizontal axis.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said first sensing means and said second sensing means comprise microswitches.

5. An article gripping assembly for use in an article handling machine having a housing which includes article storage bins arranged in a rectangular array disposed on a vertical plane therewithin, an open passageway extending through said storage bin array, and an access opening disposed within said housing which is accessible to a machine user for purposes of depositing articles into and removing articles from said handling machine, said gripping assembly being disposed within said housing behind said storage bin array and operable to selectively transport articles between said storage bins and said access opening via said passageway, said gripping assembly comprising:

an article carriage;

an elongate pinion rack having a first end and a second end, said pinion rack being interfaced to said article carriage in a manner wherein said pinion rack is reciprocally movable relative said carriage along a generally horizontal axis;

a lower jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being rigidly connected to said first end of said pinion rack;

a guide member rigidly connected to and extending upwardly from said lower jaw adjacent said proximal end thereof;

an upper jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said upper jaw being interfaced to said guide member in a manner wherein said upper jaw is reciprocally movable relative said lower jaw along a generally vertical axis;

a first actuating means for selectively extending and retracting said pinion rack along said horizontal axis; and

a second actuating means for selectively raising and lowering said upper jaw along said vertical axis.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said pinion rack is interfaced to said article carriage via a plurality of rollers.

7. The device of claim 5 further comprising an upper jaw rack rigidly connected to and extending downwardly from said proximal end of said upper jaw, said upper jaw rack being sized and configured to be slidably receivable into said guide member so as to be reciprocally movable along said vertical axis.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said first actuating means comprises a first reversible motor having a first pinion attached to a first shaft extending outwardly therefrom, said first motor being attached to said article carriage in a manner wherein said first pinion meshes with said pinion rack.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said first motor is attached to said article carriage via a mounting bracket.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein said second actuating means comprises a second reversible motor having a second pinion attached to a second shaft extending outwardly therefrom, said second motor being attached to said guide member in a manner wherein said second pinion meshes with said upper jaw rack.