Automated vending system for floral arrangements

• US 6,123,223 A
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kenneth M. Watkins
• Original Assignee: Kenneth M. Watkins
• Inventors: Watkins, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAKETIC, BRYAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/216,760
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 221/76, 221/150 R, 221/155, 221/121, 221/122, 312/125, 312/135, 312/305, 312/267, 108/20, 108/21, 108/22
• US Class Current: 221/121
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services

Abstract

A vending machine featuring rotating stacked carousels for the display and sale of floral and plant arrangements is disclosed. The vending machine is capable of carrying out both cash and credit card transactions and includes a certified credit card terminal for connecting to the credit card processing network. The present vending machine includes an integrated microprocessor to control the mechanical motion and position of the stacked carousels, accept payment from either cash or credit cards, maintain accounting records, provide printed receipts, and to control on-line modem communications with credit approval sources as well as dial-up auditing of machine'"'"'s inventory. A significant feature of the certified credit card terminal is the ability to transact purchases in both an off-line and on-line mode and the ability to enter bad credit card numbers into a credit card file when purchase is attempted with an invalid card number. The stacked carousel displays can be divided into a plurality of compartments which differ in size to display a varied inventory of floral arrangements. The position of the carousel compartments are controlled by the use of an encoder device which enables carousel rotation to be stopped at a plurality of discrete points on the circumference of each carousel to present the flowers in alignment with a vending door selected by user input on an alphanumeric keypad. The present machine provides a thermostatically controlled, refrigerated environment to maintain the flowers in optimal condition.

Claims

1. A vending system for the display and sale of floral arrangements, comprising:

a housing having a transparent vending door for providing access into an interior portion thereof;

a rotatable carousel positioned in said interior portion of said housing in alignment with said door;

a plurality of compartments on said carousel for holding the floral arrangements, each compartment having a registered position with said door;

indicia means associated with each of said compartment means;

means for normally rotating said carousel whereby said compartments and floral arrangements associated therewith are continuously viewable by a prospective purchaser;

means for locking said door means;

selector means operable by said purchaser for selecting one of said compartments as referenced by said indicia means;

control means responsive to operation of said selector means for continuing rotation of said carousel until said one of said compartments is registered with said one of said doors at said registered position and for discontinuing said rotation at said registered position, said control means disabling said means for locking said door means thereby permitting the purchaser to open said door and remove the floral arrangement carried in said one of said compartments; and

means responsive to the closure of said door for resuming rotation of said carousel and thereafter preventing positioning of said one of said compartments at said registered position until a new floral arrangement has been located therein.

2. In an automated vending system for the sale of floral arrangements, an improved display and vending enclosure, comprising:

a generally box-like housing having an interior storage space, said housing having a front wall including a plurality of vertically aligned transparent vending doors for providing access into said interior storage space;

cooling means associated with said interior storage space for circulating cooled air therewithin;

a carousel positioned in said interior storage space and rotatable about a vertical axis in alignment with said doors;

a plurality of vertical rows of compartments carried by said carousel for holding the floral arrangements, each row being vertically aligned with one of said doors, and each compartment associated with said row having a vending position in registry with an opposed door;

first indicia means associated with each of said doors and second indicia means associated with each of said compartments;

a motor operatively associated with said carousel;

control means for operating said motor whereby said compartments and floral arrangements are continuously viewable by a prospective purchaser;

through said doors;

lock means for normally locking said doors;

selector means operable by said purchaser for selecting one of said doors referenced by said first indicia means and one of said compartments referenced by said second indicia means, said control means being responsive to purchaser operation of said selector means for continuing rotation of said carousel until said one of said compartments is registered with said one of said doors at said vending position and for thereafter disabling said motor to discontinue said rotation of said carousel at said vending position, said control means disabling said locking means thereby permitting the purchaser to open said one of said doors and remove the floral arrangement carried in said one of said compartments; and

means responsive to the closure of said one of said doors for enabling said motor for resuming rotation of said carousel and preventing positioning of said one of said compartments thereat until a new floral arrangement has been located therein.

3. The display system as recited in claim 2 wherein a side wall of said housing includes a service door accessible for transferring floral arrangements onto said compartments.

4. The display system as recited in claim 2 wherein said compartments in said rows include circular shelves and radially extending perforated partitions including opening for permitted the circulation of cooled air therepast.

5. The display system as recited in claim 4 wherein said compartments includes means for variably circumferentially disposing said partitions for accepting floral arrangements of differing sizes.

6. The display system as recited as recited in claim 5 wherein said perforated partitions are formed of expanded sheet metal.

7. The display system as recited in claim 2 wherein payment validating means for accepting payment from said purchaser are operatively associated with said locking means and said selector means for preventing opening of said doors prior to accepting and validating said payment.

8. The display system as recited in claim 7 wherein said lock means includes an electromechanical latch assembly operatively associated with each of said doors.

9. The display system as recited in claim 7 wherein said validating means includes a certified credit card terminal and a telephone modem for connection with a credit card processing network.

10. The display system as recited in claim 9 wherein said validating means includes a paper currency validator capable of receiving and accumulating paper money for purchase of a floral arrangement.

11. The display system as recited in claim 10 wherein said selecting means includes an alphanumeric keypad operatively connected with said latch assembly, said validating means and said selector means for unlocking said door when said compartment bearing the selected second indicia means is at said vending position.

12. The display system as recited in claim 11 wherein said control means includes a microprocessor operatively connected with said carousel, said motor, said latch assembly, said validating means and said selecting means.

13. The display system as recited in claim 12 wherein said microprocessor includes an integrated modem for connection by said telephone line to a remote computer to permit auditing of purchase of floral arrangements.

14. The display system as recited in claim 13 including a printer operatively connected with said microprocessor for printing a transaction receipt for a purchaser.

15. The display system as recited in claim 14 including an encoder operatively connected with said microprocessor for positioning said compartment at said registered position.