Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCLUDING ARTICLE IDENTIFICATION IN AN
ARTICLE HANDLING DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in the design and
operation
of an article handling apparatus used in conjunction with an article
identification device, and
is particularly useful in the environment of an article handling device as
used a vending
machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most prior art article handling mechanisms, more specifically referred to in
the
description of the present invention as being in the environment of a point-of
sale (POS)
article dispenser, rely on a multitude of motors, switches and solenoids for
moving various
portions of the handling mechanism, and handling of the articles themselves,
such as
packaged products. Most such machines require one motor, switch and/or
solenoid dedicated
for each row, column or type of article or package to be handled or dispensed
therefrom.
Such machines generally suffer from numerous disadvantages, such as poor
reliability due to
mechanical failures, as well known by those skilled in this art.
US Patent 5,240,139 represents a significant improvement in article handling
devices.
It describes the use of a negative air pressure lifter (i.e., article pickup
or handling
mechanism), which uses suction, i.e., a reduced or so-called "negative" air
pressure created by
a partial vacuum, for making a secure contact to an article to be retrieved by
entering the
open top of an article storage bin located in a refrigerated storage area of a
vending machine.
Although robotic, and specifically suction-type lifting mechanisms are in
common use in
factory settings, where space limitations are generally relaxed, their use in
tight confines, such
as an article vending machine, has not gained wide acceptance. Due to the
greater reliability
and versatility of vending machines of the type which utilizes suction
technology for grasping
and moving selected articles, it would be desirable to develop new techniques
and methods
for the operation and control of such machines, as well as for other more
generalized article
handling mechanisms. It is noted that article identification in conjunction
with an article
handling is not provided for in this US Patent.
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U.S. patent 5,272,321 entitled AUTOMATIC~VENDING MACHINE HAVING A
BAR CODE READER AND BAR-CODED COLUMNS AND SWITCHES assigned to
Sanyo Electric Co., describes a vending apparatus for handling articles for
which preprinted
barcodes have been applied. During a service mode operation of the machine
(e.g. during
refilling) a handheld bar code reader is used to scan a preprinted sheet of
bar codes which is
located on the inside of the front door of the vending machine. The sheet
includes barcodes
for programming the CPU of the machine with the identification of the articles
stored in the
machine, identification of the storage columns in which those articles have
been loaded, and
identification of which user selection switches have been designated for
activating dispensing
of a given article from a given column. Although the technique disclosed in
this patent
facilitates rapid and accurate programming of the vending machine during
servicing, it can
not prevent dispensing of an incorrect product due to erroneous loading of the
product into the
machine, e.g., such as due to either inadvertently or purposefully loading an
incorrect product
into an incorrect storage column.
JP 4123192A2 entitled DEVICE FOR PREVENTING ERRONEOUS THROW-IN
OF COMMODITY OF VENDING MACHINE assigned to Sanyo Electric Co., discloses the
use of a bar code reader at the top, input end, of each article storage column
in a vending
machine. During refilling of the machine with articles, if the bar code reader
at the top of
each article storage column reads a product code that is not preprogrammed to
be stored in
that column, the vending machine controller operates a gate which will prevent
that article
from further entrance into the article storage column. In this way, erroneous
refilling of the
article storage columns is prevented. However, it would be possible to
relatively easily
"trick" or cheat a vending machine of this type by, for example, disabling the
bar code
scanner at the input end of each storage column, or by holding a false bar
code in front of the
reader during refilling of that column with a different, maybe erroneous and
possibly inferior,
product.
JP4123194A2 entitled ERRONEOUS SALE PREVENTING DEVICE FOR
VENDING MACHINE, also assigned to Sanyo Electric Co., includes a handheld bar
code
scanner and programming sheet of bar codes for programming the controller of
the vending
machine during a set up mode (a technique similar that noted above in U.S.
patent 5,272,321),
as well as a fixed-position bar code scanner located just above the product
exit chute of the
vending machine, for reading the product identification bar code during
dispensing. In the
event that the identification of the article dispensed from a given storage
column, does not
match the bar code stored in the vending machine controller for the product
which should
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have been dispensed from that storage column, the vending machine controller
operates to
suspend dispensing of products from that storage column. By including a bar
code reader at
the product exit chute of the dispenser, it is significantly more difficult to
"trick" or cheat the
machine by purposefully restocking the machine with erroneous and possibly
inferior product.
United States patent 6,068,156 assigned to Adds, Inc and entitled METHOD FOR
CONTROLLING A DRUG DISPENSING SYSTEM, also describes use of a bar code
scanner positioned at the exit chute of an article dispenser. In this case the
article dispenser
dispenses medication vials. However, in this and the above noted JP4123194A2
patent, it
would not be uncommon for the fixed position bar code scanner to fail to read
and identify the
bar codes on the articles as they roll or t~.2mble in a haphazard manner past
the bar code
scanner at the exit chute.
U.S. patent 5,390,711 by Murphey entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
MAKING SNOW CONES, discloses a vending machine of the type for storing
articles in
article storage columns. In one embodiment the columns are vertically oriented
and dispense
paper cups, which include a unique sequence of bar codes preprinted thereon,
to a customer
retrieval area where the paper cups are filled with flavored crushed ice. In
an alternative
embodiment, the article storage columns are substantially horizontal and the
dispensing
apparatus substantially comprises a spiral wire (i.e., a conventional "spiral"
vending
machine). In both embodiments a fixed position bar code reader is located at
the dispensing
end of each article storage column, for identifying the article which is about
to be dispensed.
In the event that the bar code of the article which is about to be dispensed
is not proper or not
read, the dispensing operation is automatically suspended, any money inserted
into the
machine is returned, and the customer is notified that the machine is now
inoperative or sold
out. In the event that the operator of the vending machine tries to "trick" or
cheat the machine
by tampering with the bar code reader or its activation, a voltage oversurge
is provided to the
control circuitry of the vending machine, which effectively destroys the
control circuitry and
renders the machine inoperative. In a manner somewhat similar to the above
noted
JP4123194A2, the fixed position bar code reader may have difficulty reading
the article
barcodes, especially if the article is improperly positioned in the storage
column, such as the
package being rotationally offset by 90, 180 or 270 degrees.
U.S. patent 5,713,487 by Coughlin, entitled MEDICAMENT VERIFICATION IN
AN AUTOMATIC DISPENSING SYSTEM, is representative of a class of patents
directed to
preventing the dispensing of erroneous products (such as medication vials or
video cassettes),
due to improper loading of the storage area. These patents show the use of a
bar code reader
mounted on a computer controlled manipulator arm used for retrieving the
articles from the
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storage area. Each stored article, or its packaging, includes a preprinted
identifying bar code.
When the machine controller moves the manipulator arm so as to retrieve a
stored product,
the bar code reader is operated so as to scan the bar code on the article, and
if the bar code
does not match the bar code of the article which is expected to be at that
storage location (in
accordance with preprogramming of the machine controller), the dispensing
operation is
suspended and the user of the machine is notified of a problem. If, however,
the bar code is
proper, the article is dispensed. It is also known that when the machine is
not vending
articles, the controller can operate the manipulator arm in a "checking" mode,
wherein the bar
code on an article storage at each location in the storage area is scanned and
then checked
(compared) with the article identification code stored in the memory of the
controller.
Improperly stored articles are thus pre-identified, and will not be dispensed.
One
disadvantage of these types of systems is that the bar code reader and
electrical connections
suffer stress due to the many cycles of manipulator arm movement, since the
bar code reader
is mounted on the manipulator arm. Furthermore, this kind of positioning for
the bar code
reader can reduce the reliability of the bar code reading device, and also
introduces
mechanical and electronic complexity in its construction, due to the necessity
of providing
electrical connections to a movable bar code reader. Even furthermore, by
positioning the bar
code reader on the manipulator arm, restrictions are placed upon the "view"
provided to the
reader as the manipulator axm is advanced towaxd the article to be retrieved,
leading to an
increase of the probability that the article bar code may not be properly
read.
For completeness sake, U.S. patent 6,029,851 assigned to Imaging Technologies
Ltd.
and entitled APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING ARTICLES is noted. This
patent describes a dispenser for printer or toner cartridges which includes an
input port for
receiving used toner cartridges into the dispenser, for recycling purposes. A
camera mounted
at a fixed location along the input past towards the recycling storage area of
the machine uses
"shape/pattern recognition" to identify the returned toner cartridges. This
article identification
technique suffers from the same problem as before noted patents, namely that
the article may
pass by the article identif cation device in a position where it's
shape/pattern can not be
identified/recognized.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one of the general objects of the present invention is to provide
new
techniques and methods for the design, operation and control of article
handling mechanisms.
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It is a further general object of the present invention to provide such
techniques and
methods for article handling mechanisms of the type that utilize computer-
controlled
electromechanical technology, and in the illustrated embodiment a robotically
positioned
suction-type gripper, for grasping and moving a selected article from one area
to another, such
as from a storage area to a dispensing area.
It is an even further general object of the present invention to provide new
techniques
and methods for such mechanisms which improve the speed and accuracy of the
article
handling operation while still handling the articles to be dispensed in a
careful manner so as to
prevent any damage thereto.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a method and
apparatus
for article identification in an article handling apparatus, which not only is
relatively simple,
accurate and reliable in its construction and operation, but which also has
some flexibility in
order to help ensure identification andlor recognition of the articles being
dispensed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objects are achieved in an illustrated embodiment of an article
dispensing
apparatus embodied, for example, as a vending machine, including a
controllably positioned suction hose dispenser for retrieving articles from a
storage area. In one embodiment, the article dispenser comprises a storage
area
for storing articles along at least one longitudinal axis in a stack, an
article
dispensing device for moving the end article from the stack of articles in the
storage area along a path to a retrieval area, and an article identification
device,
mounted within the article retrieving apparatus. The article dispensing device
moves
the article in a predetermined pattern past the article identification device,
so as to
provide identification of the article being moved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a vending machine constructed and
operating in
accordance with the principles of the invention.
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'~'VLTø'b ~ttw ...
FIG.'S 2 and 3 are front perspective views of~the vending machine of FIG. l,
with the
front door opened, so as to illustrate the main mechanical and electrical
components therein.
FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating the cooperation of the main
mechanical and electrical components in the vending machine of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates an environment for the invention described herein, in the
form of an
article dispenser, such as a point-of sale (POS) dispenser. Although
throughout the following
description, reference is made to implementation of the invention in a vending
machine
environment, it is intended that the term "vending machine", and in fact the
environment for
the present invention, include more general purpose article handling,
retrieval and/or
dispensing apparatus, as well as POS equipment. Such equipment, if embodied as
a portable
device may comprise and be about the size of a traditional vending machine or
as large as a
tractor-pulled trailer, and if embodied as a non-portable device may comprise
and be
embodied as an automated dispensing room or an area located in a permanent
structure, such
as in a building (aboveground or underground, and with or without interior
walls or an
enclosing cabinet). Furthermore, it is intended that the term "articles" or
"products" include
in at least some of the embodiments of the invention described herein, not '
only goods, but
also services and/or information, in either a permanent or temporal form.
Accordingly, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a vending machine 10,
comprising one embodiment for an apparatus which is constructed and operates
according to
the present invention. Vending machine 10 includes a main cabinet 12 and a
front door 14
mounted on a hinge 16 for providing access to the interior of the vending
machine for
servicing (refilling it with articles, maintenance, etc.). Note, in a further
vending machine
embodiment, a service door or port could be positioned anywhere on or as a
part of cabinet
12. In FIG. 1, front door 14 is shown in a closed position, forming an
enclosure with main
cabinet 12, within which various components of vending machine 10 are housed,
as explained
in more detail below.
Front door 14 includes a convex-shaped section 18 adjacent a flat section 20;
however, these particular shapes are not necessary to the invention. The
convex-shaped
section 18 comprises a translucent plastic display panel 18, which typically
has brand name
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and/or logo graphics displayed thereon, and may even include graphics which
illustrate the
individual articles that are vendible by vending machine 10, as well as the
price and/or
selection information for the articles. Panel 18 is typically back-light using
fluorescent bulbs,
not shown.
A customer retrieval area 22 is formed in the panel 18 on door 14 so that
articles
stored therein can be discharged to a user of vending machine 10.
Various user interface components are mounted on flat section 20 of door 14. A
customer display 24 may be a conventional fluorescent or LED display panel for
displaying
various items of information to a user of machine 10, such as feedback to the
user of the
selection made, the amount tended, and if the product is sold out or being
vended. For
accepting payments, a bill acceptor slot 26 accepts paper money into a
conventional bill
acceptor mechanism (mounted inside machine 10 so as to have its user interface
portion
extend through an aligned opening in flat section 20) for purchasing articles
or for making
change. A coin insertion slot 28 accepts coins into a conventional coin
changer (also mounted
inside machine 10 so as to have its user interface portion extend through an
aligned opening
in flat section 20) for purchasing articles or for making change. A coin
return actuator 30
comprises a conventional push-button mechanism for activating a coin return
portion of the
coin changer mechanism which, upon actuation returns coins inserted by the
current user, to a
coin return well 32. The coin return portion of the coin changer mechanism
also provides
change to the coin return well 32 either in response to the purchasing of
articles or for making
change for paper money or larger coins. A creditldebit card slot 34 accepts a
plastic
credit/debit card inserted into a conventional card reader mechanism (also
mounted inside
machine 10 so as to have its user interface portion extend through an aligned
opening in flat
section 20) for allowing a user to pay for purchases via credit/debit cards. A
door lock
mechanism 36 enables front door 14 to be secured so that it cannot be opened
without a key.
For allowing user selections, display panel 18 may include graphics, as noted
above, which
indicates the various articles vendible by the machine, as well as their
associated price and
unique selection number. Alternatively, flat section 20 could include a group
of graphic
article displays and their associated price. A conventional keypad push-button
mechanism 38
is provided for enabling a user to select a desired article from vending
machine 10.
Alternatively, push-button mechanism 40 could include individual push buttons
for each
article selection, as well as an associated price display; and even
furthermore, a user operated
touch screen could replace pushbutton mechanism 40 and display 24. Although
not shown in
Figure 1, machine 10 also includes a conventional telecommunications component
that can be
used for authenticating credit card purchases, as well as other uses relating
to machine control
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and reporting the inventory and operational status of machine 10 to a remote
location, as more
fully described Iater on. Although vending machine 1,0 is illustrated to
include the above
described user interface components, in a more minimal embodiment of the
invention, most,
if not all, of these user interface components could be omitted, and the
dispenser could in fact
be controlled from a remote location, with or without a local payment system.
FIG. 2 is front perspective view of the vending machine of FIG. 1, with the
front door
open, so as to illustrate the main mechanical and electrical components
therein. FIG. 3 is a
somewhat idealized version of the main components of the article handling
mechanism
portion of vending machine 10, and is useful for understanding its general
operation. Note,
some portions of vending machine 10 are shown in these FIGURES cut away in
order to
better illustrate the interior components.
Referring first to FIG 2, it is noted that the right portion of the front of
cabinet 12
includes a vertically mounted support panel 202 which is used for mounting
most of the user
interface components. More specifically, a hinged mounting bracket 204 is
mounted on panel
202 and aligned with an opening in door 14 so that the user interface
components, such as the
selection button keypad 40, coin insertion slot 30, bill acceptor slot 28,
coin return 32, and
customer display 24, are all accessible to the user from the front side of
door 14. Mounted on
the interior of front door 14 are two fluorescent bulb light sources which
emit light for
backlighting panel 18. The fluorescent bulb light sources are behind
protective covers 206 so
as to provide security (vandal protection), which is desirable as a result of
the openings in the
structure of door 14 which allow for insertion of the fluorescent bulbs. Also
mounted on the
interior of front door 14 is a ballast 208 for the fluorescent bulbs, and a
product delivery chute
210...Note, the product delivery chute 2I0 is unconventional in that it is
extremely tall, and
therefore serves as a security measure to prevent unauthorized access into the
machine by
insertion of an arm or other grasping mechanism into the customer retrieval
area 22 from
outside the machine. In typical prior art vending machines, a swinging
security door is
usually found at the top of chute 210, which swings into in a vandal blocking
position when
the customer pushes in the swinging door at the entrance to the product
retrieval area 8. In a
further embodiment of vending machine 10, such a swinging security door could
be used in
conjunction with product delivery chute 210, especially if chute 210 is not as
tall as the one
illustrated in Figure 2 and also if the product retrieval area 22 is located
higher up on machine
10. Mounted behind hinged mounting bracket 204 is a conventional bill acceptor
mechanism
for causing paper money inserted into bill acceptor slot 28 to be drawn into
vending machine
10, a conventional coin changer supplies coins to coin return slot 34 and is
located behind
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panel, a coin guide guides inserted coins into the coin changer, and a
conventional bill
validator ascertains proper insertion of paper money into bill acceptor slot
28 .
A control board 212 comprises a printed circuit board on which circuitry is
formed
and to which integrated circuit chips are attached. Control board 212 includes
a
microprocessor that is electrically connected to various sensors, motors, the
above described
user interface elements, as well as other devices within vending machine 10,
to control the
operation of vending machine 10 as described more fully later on in
conjunction with FIG.4.
When reference is made in this description to performance of specified
functions by control
board 212, it is to be understood that these functions are controlled by the
microprocessor and
the associated circuitry formed on control board 212. A power supply 214 is
mounted on
panel 202 and supplies power for the electrical components of vending machine
10.
Referring now also to FIG 3, it is apparent that the bulk of the interior of
cabinet 12 is
available as an article storage area 215. In the illustrated embodiment, a
plurality of vertically
aligned article storage bins 216 are arranged on the interior floor 217 of
cabinet 12, for storing
articles 223 to be vended by machine 10. In a refrigerated environment for the
present
invention the bins could be arranged to sit on a shelf positioned above the
refrigeration
system.
An opened-top container 219 can be dimensioned to hold a plurality of article
storage
bins 216 therein, and used, for example to facilitate the simultaneous
handling (i.e., removal
,installation and transportation) of the plurality of bins 216 into/out of the
article storage area
215. Container 219 also facilitates rapid and accurate positioning of a
plurality of the article
storage bins into the storage area of the article handling apparatus. A
carriage 218 (which
may be more generally referred to as an X-Y or planar positioning mechanism)
is coupled to
the interior topside of cabinet 12 and adapted for being controllably
positioned by the control
board portion 212 of machine 10, to a location centered over (so as to be
aligned with) the
open top-end of a selected one of article storage bins 216.
Although vertical (Z-axis) alignment of the article storage bins 216 is shown,
non-
vertical, i.e., slanted or even horizontal (X or Y axis) alignment may also be
possible (such as
found in the well know glass front vending machines of the type using a
"spiral wire" type of
dispensing apparatus). In the event of substantially horizontal alignment of
the storage bins,
the planar positioning mechanism will be appropriate changed so as to position
carriage 218
for movement in the X/Z or Y/Z plane. In fact, a curvilinear plane, such as a
cylinder, is also
considered to be within the scope of the present invention. The combination of
substantially
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horizontally aligned stacks of products with a robotically controlled article
transport
mechanism which moves in a vertical plane adjacent.to dispensing ends of the
stacks of
products, is known, for example in US patent 6,230,930 issued May 15, 2001 and
entitled
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VENDING PRODUCTS, and in US patent publication
US 2001/0000609 published May 3, 2001. Use of a curvilinear plane for article
transport is
known, for example in the videocassette vending art, wherein the
videocassette's are stacked
in an outwardly facing manner in a central storage carousel, and a robotic
gripper encircles
the carousel. Furthermore, although article storage bins 216 are shown to be
an ambient
environment, bins 216 could in fact the positioned in a refrigerated
environment, such as a
freezer located in the bottom of storage area 217, and the article transport
mechanism enter
the bins from a top opening the freezer, such as shown and described in the
forenoted U.S.
patent 5,240,139. Alternatively, in the event the refrigerated environment is
of the type
including a substantially horizontal alignment of the storage bins, a
vertically oriented
opening could be used to provide access to the dispensing end of the article
storage bins.
In the environment of the present invention, an air hose 220 is continuous
from a
point before it's exit from a hose storage area 222 over orthogonally
positioned rollers 213, to
its free end 221. Free end 221 includes a weighted portion 225 in combination
with a bellows
extension tip portion 227. Depending upon the physical characteristics of the
articles to be
A
dispensed, article pickup head 224 may comprise only the weighted portion 225,
or this
portion in combination with a fitting specifically adapted to the type of
packages to be
dispensed, such as the bellows tip 227 or a compliant tip without a weight.
Hose 220 has one
end coupled to a source of negative air pressure, i.e., suction, which source
of suction
comprises in the preferred embodiment a blower motor 226, and a free end
coupled to the
article pickup head 224. In the present invention, the word continuous is
intended to mean a
hose which is connected and acts between it's end points, in order to
accomplish the functions
required by it, as a unitary/single hose. An air hose portion 235 provides
suction from blower
motor 226 to one port of an air junction box 229, while continuous hose 220 is
connected to a
second port of air junction box 229. Air junction box 229, included at a top
portion of hose
storage area 222, includes an airflow sensor and vacuum breaker assembly. The
airflow
sensor is used to develop a signal which is applied to the controller of the
vending machine
and is representative of the airflow through air hose 220. The vacuum breaker
assembly is
used to quickly bring the air pressure in hose 220 to the ambient pressure,
thereby facilitating
a "quick-release" of an article transported by the article pickup head, into
the dispensing chute
210. It is noted that a quick release of the products does not have to occur
at the top of
dispensing chute 210, and in the event that it is desirable to avoid
subjecting the article to
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forces which result from jarring or dropping, the article pickup head could
proceed to the
bottom of the dispensing chute 210 before providing.the quick release of the
article. In one
embodiment, the airflow sensor arrangement may comprises a two-part switch, a
first part
includes a reed switch mounted on a top portion of box 229, and a second part
includes a
magnet mounted at the free end of a swinging arm mounted inside box 229. As
the arm
swings inside box 229 due to changes in airflow, the switch is "toggled",
thereby indicating
changes in airflow. The use of this airflow signal will be described in
greater detail later.
In the environment of the present invention, as shown generally in FIG 3, , a
novel
hose positioning arrangement is provided for aligning carriage 218 with a
selected one of bins
216. This alignment is accomplished in the front/back (I~ direction using a
front/back linear
slide 228 (shown in a cut away view) mounted to an "L" shaped front/back beam
230 so that
carriage 218 can be controllably positioned therealong using slide 228. A
bottom edge
portion of beam 230 includes a rack portion 232 and carriage 218 includes an
electric motor
233 and gear (not shown) which engages rack portion 232. Application of
forward and
reverse motor control signals from control board 212 to motor 233 causes
carriage 218 to be
driven in the front/back directions. Alignment of carriage 218 in the
leftlright (X) direction is
accomplished in a similar manner, using a left/right linear slide 234 which
slidably couples
the top side of front/back beam 230 to the underside of each of spaced apart
left/right beams
236a and 236b. Beams 236a and 236b are rigidly attached to the inside top
portion of cabinet
12. A rack 238, also rigidly attached to the top inside portion of cabinet 12
and in parallel
with beams 236, is engaged by a gear 240 driven by a reversible motor 243
mounted near the
inside corner of beam 230. Application of forward and reverse motor control
signals from
control board 212 to motor 243 causes a rotation of gear 240 and a
corresponding movement
of beam 230, and hence carriage 218, in the left/right (X) directions. In an
alternative
embodiment the positioning mechanism portion comprising beams 236a and 236b
could be
embodied as a support bracket having opposed flanged edges, and linear slides
234 could
each comprise a bracket fixed to beam 230 and including a set of orthogonally
positioned
rollers for engaging the orthogonal sides of a respective one of flanged edges
239a or 239b.
Note that although carriage assembly 218 only moves in a single plane, it is
responsible for precisely positioning pickup head 224 in each of the X, Y and
Z directions.
More specifically, as shown in FIG.s 5 and 6, carriage 218 includes a roller
arrangement 502
which comprises three orthogonally positioned rollers 504 at the point where
hose 220 enters
carriage 218, for redirecting the movement of hose 220 from a substantially
horizontal
direction along the top interior portion of machine 10 (i.e., in the X,Y
direction), to a direction
11
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perpendicular thereto (i.e., in the Z direction). Movement of carriage 218
will not only move
the free end 221 of hose 220 so that it can be, axially aligned with a
selected one of bins 216,
but it will also automatically withdraw hose 220 from the hose storage area
222. Thereafter, a
hose drive mechanism which may comprise a set of conventionally operated
"pinch
rollers"506 driven by a reversible motor 508 via gear set S 10 (which in the
illustrated
embodiment axe mounted in carriage 218, but in a further embodiment motor
508/rollers 506
(or some other drive mechanism, such as an articulated arm, could be mounted
so as to act
somewhere else along the length of hose 220) is used for driving pickup head
224 into/out of
the selected bin 216 in order to retrieve articles stored therein.
This arrangement, where hose 220 travels in the same X,Y plane that carriage
218
travels, facilitates a compact hose positioning and drive mechanism embodiment
for the
present invention. Furthermore, since movement of the carriage is responsible
for supplying
most of the force needed to withdraw hose 220 from storage area 222" the Z
drive motor is
only needed to drive the hose for causing its free end to travel into/out of
bins 216 for article
retrieval. It is noted that the pinch rollers 506 should comprise a soft
rubber material so as to
provide a good friction contact to hose 220, and if the hose 220 is
corrugated, rollers 506
could have corresponding/matching corrugations. In the illustrated embodiment,
it has been
determined that two drive rollers are not needed, and accordingly only one of
the pinch rollers
is driven by motor 508, while a spring (not shown) is used to urge the other
roller towards the
driven roller, thereby pinching and driving hose 220 therebetween.
A bin holder 260, shown in FIG. 2, comprising a pair of rectangular brackets
secured
in a spaced manner to opposed interior side walls of cabinet 12, is used to
maintain the bins
situated therebetween in a predetermined position relative to the interior of
the vending
machine cabinet. This is required in view of the pre-programming of control
board 212 which
controls the robotic structure for retrieving a selected article from one a
selected one of bins
216.
Also shown in Figures 5 and 6, and in greater detail in FIG. 7, is a
telescoping guide
mechanism 550 for ensuring that when picker head 224 is lowered by the drive
mechanism in
carriage 218 into the storage area, it drops into the desired one of bins 216.
For example,
depending upon the material used for constructing hose 220, it is possible
that during long
time periods when hose 220 is not repositioned, the 90° turn in the
direction of the hose which
takes place in caxriage 218 can form a significant "kink" in hose 220,
Thereafter, as hose 220
is lowered into a selected bin 216, the kink may cause picker head 224 to
swing as the hose
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kink moves past drive rollers 506. In order to prevent such undesired swinging
or movements
of picker head 224, guide mechanism SSO is provided and comprises a guide
plate SS2 affixed
to the end of two sliding support bars 554. As shown more clearly in Figure7,
support bars
SS4 slide through holes in a plastic (PVC, i.e., poly vinyl chloride) block
SS6 secured to a
wall portion of carriage 218. Plate SS2 is constructed so as to have a hole in
the center thereof
which is dimensioned to be slightly greater than the diameter of the body
portion of picker
head 224, yet less than the diameter of a shoulder portion thereof.
Accordingly, in operation
when picker head 224 is lowered into a desired bin, support rods SS4 allow
support plate SS2
to drop, due to gravity, as the same speed as picker head 224 is lowered away
from carriage
218. At a height above the top of bins 216, and as determined by the length of
support rods
SS4, plate SS2 no longer moves away from carriage 218 and the hole in the
center thereof
merely provides guidance for the remainder of the descent of picker head 224
into the
selected bin 216. As picker head 224 is retracted from the bin, after having a
package secured
thereto due to the suction force created within hose 220, picker head 224
eventually contacts
1 S guide plate SS2 and then for the remainder of its upward travel,
retraction of hose 220 also
provides for retraction of guide plate SS2.
As shown more clearly in FIG. 7, support rods SS4 comprise rods having a
threaded
hole at each end, in which a machine screw can be inserted. At the top portion
of rods SS4 the
head of the screw forms a shoulder portion that prevents rods SS4 from falling
completely
through the holes in block SS6, and at the bottom of rods SS4 the screws
secure plate SS2 to
the rods. As also shown in FIG. 14b, plate 552 includes a protective grommet
?? about the
hole therein, for preventing damage and reducing wear of hose 220 as it
travels through plate
SS2. It is noted that the height of grommet ?? is preferably greater than the
spacing between
adjacent turns of the spiral support structure of hose 220. Furthermore, it is
noted that hose
220 is preferable constructed of a strong, flexible spiral portion functioning
as the spine to
form the shape of the hose, formed co-extensively with a flexible and air-
tight plastic material
which spans adjacent turns of the spiral portion.
As previously noted, since hose 220 is formed of a continuous material from
its
connection to the source of suction at one end to the pickup head 224 at its
other end, means
are necessary for providing hose storage andlor retraction during travel of
the pickup head
224 in the X, Y and Z directions, as appropriate during the article dispensing
operations.
Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 3, placing an interior wall 246 parallel and
adjacent to
an exterior wall 248 of cabinet 12 is used to form the hose storage area 222
there between.
Hose storage area 222 has a cross-sectional area which is slightly greater
than the cross-
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sectional area of the hose loop formed therein. Walls 246 and 248 are shown
partially cut-
away so as to illustrate a gravity feed self retracting loop tensioner/
retraction mechanism 250
formed in hose 220. Loop tensioner 250 is constrained for movement within hose
storage
area 222, and made somewhat self retracting by comprising a rolling weight 252
having a
groove 253 along its periphery in order to provide constant centering of the
weight within
hose storage area 222 and for providing a constant "loop forming" tension on
hose 220.
Furthermore, centering of the grooved rolling weight 252 within hose storage
area 222 results
in centering of hose 220, thereby preventing hose 220 from rubbing with the
walls of hose
storage area 222 during X, Y and Z repositioning of pickup head 224. In order
to prevent
binding of hose 220, rolling weight 252 is dimensioned so as to be slightly
larger than the
diameter of hose 220 and the width dimension of hose storage area 222 is
dimensioned to be
only slightly larger than the width dimension of rolling weight 252. The
specific amount of
weight used for rolling weight 252 is a matter of design choice, and depends
upon various
factors, such as the weight of the articles to be moved, the strength of the
motors used to drive
the hose in the Z direction, etc. In a further embodiment, it may be desirable
to couple weight
252 to a lower portion of cabinet 12 using a spring, for adding fiu~ther
tension to loop
tensioner 250.
It is also noted that this gravity-based retraction/ hose storage technique
meets the
storage requirements needed for both the X and Y movements of carriage 218
(left/right and
front/back), as well as for the Z movement of pickup head 224. Of course this
gravity-based
retraction/ hose storage technique would work equivalently well in an
embodiment wherein
the robotic hose positioning mechanism used a rotary type device (R, A), an
articulated arm,
telescoping or scissor system, or other technique. Furthermore, the
illustrated gravity-based
2S retraction/ hose storage technique is not necessary for the present
invention, and in fact a fully
or partially motorized retraction technique could also be used. Furthermore,
in other
embodiments, it may be desirable to place hose storage area at another
location, such as
parallel to the top or rear portion of cabinet 12.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, and as shown more
clearly
in FIG.'s 2 and 3, as an article 223 is moved by pickup head 224 along its way
from a storage
bin 216 to chute 210, it is positioned past an article identification (ID)
device 254 mounted
within cabinet 12. A specific type of article ID device is not required for
the present
invention, and depending upon system constraints, such a device may comprise,
for example,
a bar code scanner or other optical image/pattern recognition system, or even
a non-optical
system, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID), or magnetic-based
system mounted
within cabinet 12. for uniquely identifying and confirming that the article
being dispensed is
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in fact the article that was selected. The construction operation of such
article identification
devices are well known to those of ordinary skill in this technology, and
therefore further
description in this regard is not necessary.
In accordance with an inventive aspect of the present invention, article ID
device 254
is mounted within cabinet 12 at a relatively fixed location, the mounting
being such that some
controlled movement in the orientation of article ID device 254 may be
facilitated, in order to
help ensure a good "view" of the article being transported, and a high
confidence of the
transported articles being identified. One way to provide such controlled
movement for ID
device 254 would be to mount it on a piezoelectric substrate, and control
board 212 could
provide a voltage to the substrate so as to shift the "view" of ID device 254.
It is noted that
by using an appropriately positioned article ID device 254, only a single
article ID device 254
is needed. This is particularly useful for a robotic type dispenser, since the
robotic apparatus
can controllably position, and re-position if necessary, the article in the
vicinity of the article
ID device 254, thereby helping ensure a reliable ID of the article.
Furthermore, although in Figure 3 product )D device 254 is mounted to an
interior
wall of cabinet 12, it is noted that FIG 6 illustrates a further preferred
location for mounting
product ID device 254, namely on the inside edge of hinged bracket 204, and
just above the
top of bins 216.
Alternative embodiments for the robotic mechanism described above are
contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention. For example,
product ID device
254 could also be useful in dispensing apparatus using other types of robotic
positioners, such
as a rotary type device (R, 0), an articulated arm, telescoping or scissor
system, etc., as well as
one which travels in a non-planar, such as curvilinear, direction.
Even furthermore, although only a single storage area 2~5, hose 220 and
carriage 218 are shown in the illustrated embodiment, the invention described
herein
could also be used in a dispensing apparatus/article handler of the type
having
multiple storage areas and/or robotic article handling mechanisms, such as two
robotic
mechanisms (both positioned vertically or horizontally or mixed, and one
vertically
and one horizontally) each one serving a different storage area. Furthermore,
when
multiple article handling mechanisms are provided, each can be tailored for a
particular operation. For example, one may have a relatively large diameter
pickup
head and use a high airflow/modest suction vacuum supply device, while the
other
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may have a relatively small diameter pickup head and use a low airflow/high
suction
vacuum supply.
In this regard, FIGURE 5 illustrates a multiple storage area arrangement 500,
where a single article handler of the type previously noted serves 3 adjacent
storage
areas. In one embodiment each area may be for storing stacks of articles
aligned in
the same direction as in the other areas. One storage area 502 may have an
ambient
environment, while the other storage areas may be cooled, e.g., one area 504
being
refrigerated and one area 506 being frozen. This arrangement may typically
find use
IO for dispensing in a compact, reliable and efficient vending structure:
salty snacks
(such as bags of potato chips) from the ambient storage area, cooled drinks
(such as
soda) from the refrigerated storage area, and frozen snacks (such as ice
cream) from
the frozen storage area. Furthermore, an arrangement of this type may be
particularly
advantageous in that the frozen compartment can be used for maintaining the
quality
15 of the stored articles until they are close to being needed for dispensing,
as determined
by an intelligent controller. At a predetermined appropriate time before
dispensing, a
certain amount of articles can be moved from the frozen area to the
refrigerated area.
This technique also finds particular advantage in the event that the third
storage area
is in fact a temporary storage area which is used for individually
heating/cooking the
20 articles, such as, e.g. frozen pizzas, using an oven or microwave. In this
case the
quality/shelf life of the frozen pizza is maintained by not moving them to the
refrigerated area until the refrigerated area has been depleted to the point
that it needs
replenishment, at which time they are sequentially moved from the frozen area
to the
refrigerated area. This technique substantially reduces the time needed for
heating the
25 pizza while the customer is waiting, while at the same time allowing for
storage of the
pizza in a frozen manner, thereby substantially increasing its shelf life and
reducing
the labor costs involved in stocking the machine. In this arrangement, or
other
arrangements noted in this portion of the description, the refrigerated and/or
frozen
storage areas can include thermal separators at their top portions, such as an
air
30 curtain or sliding thermal panels. Such separation is particularly
advantageous not
only for the obvious reasons relating to thermal efficiency and protection of
the
mechanical and electronic portions of the apparatus from extreme and rapid
temperature changes, but also for assisting/facilitating reliable article
identification,
by positioning the article identification devices) outside the refrigerated
environment.
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Fig. 6 illustrates an arrangement whexe the single article handling mechanism
services two horizontally aligned in article storage areas. Backspace, area
602 being
an ambient environment and area 604 being a refrigerated environment. The
article
handling mechanism 606 can be constructed in a manner such as previously
described
using support beam 230 and carriage 218 so that mechanism 606 can "live" in
the
ambient area 602, and travel into the refrigerated area 604 through swinging
door 608
as needed. Areas 602 and 604 can each include their own article ID device 254
or
share a common ID device.
Additionally, separate hoses and hose positioning mechanisms can also be
useful in order to speed up retrieval and delivery of stored articles to a
customer.
FIGURE 7 shows such as a rapid article dispenser, of the type having two
horizontally displaced storage areas. Although separate hoses and hose
positioning
mechanisms are used, they may share a single source of suction (e.g., blower
motor
226), airflow sensor and vacuum breaker. A single hose, hose positioning
mechanism
and hose storage area could be used in a further embodiment where the single
hose
services more than one article storage area, such as the refrigerated and non
refrigerated storage areas shown by arrangement 700 in FIGURE 7, wherein
support
beam 230 and carriage 218 is positionable between the two storage areas having
different ambient environments via a door mechanism 702. In accordance with
the
principles of the invention, each robotic article handling mechanism could
have its own article
ID device, or they could share a single article >D device.
Fig. 8 illustrates a vending machine having a single article handling
mechanism with dual customer interface areas (each including a product
selection
apparatus such as a keypad or touch screen, payment system, and product
retrieval
door), for example, one on the left side and one on the right side, with a
common
graphics display therebetween. This machine can service two purchasers at
substantially the same time since customer selections and payment typically
take a
substantial amount time compared to the actual time needed for the dispenser
to
deliver the selected product.
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A further one of such arrangements is shown in FIGURE 9, where cabinet 600
includes therein an upper area 602 which. is non-refrigerated (and may even be
heated) and a lower area 604 which is refrigerated (and may even be divided
into,
e.g., two additional sections, one area 606 being frozen and another area 608
being
merely cooled). This arrangement is particularly advantageous since hot air
tends to
rise and cool air tends to sink. Alternatively, one storage area may be
oriented for
vertical storage of products and the other one, or even multiple ones,
arranged for
horizontal storage. In this case a separate hose, hose positioning mechanism
and hose
storage area may be required for the differently oriented storage areas.
In the above arrangements it is noted that the article handling mechanism can
have other configurations such as the forenoted telescopic tubing, scissors,
or R,theta
arrangement. Additionally, the articles can be consumer goods, such as office
supplies, printer cartridges etc.
In the embodiment illustrated herein, blower motor 226 provides a relatively
high
volume of airflow but a relatively modest negative air pressure. As a matter
of design choke,
blower motor 226 could comprise a vacuum pump, so as to provide a much more
substantial
degree of negative air pressure, but, due to size and cost limitations, a
correspondingly
reduced amount of airflow. In this latter case, the diameter of the air hose
220 would be
reduced from the diameter illustrated in FIG's 2 and 3, which may be
particularly important in
some applications of the present invention . The illustrated embodiment is
particularly useful
for picking up flexible packages since a momentary or even sustained leak in
the coupling to
the packaging to the article will generally not result in dropping of the
package, while at the
same time offering extreme versatility due to the ability to pick up a wide
variety of shaped
objects of varying weight and size. In the event that blower motor 226
comprises a vacuum
pump, it could be used alone or in combination with a storage tank coupled to
the suction
hose via a valve and air hose, in order to provide a greater volume of
airflow. Alternatively a
compressor could be used in combination with a venturi device to create a
vacuum.
Alternative embodiments for the robotic hose positioning mechanism described
above
are contemplated to be within the scope of the present inventions. For
example, instead of
using a combination of left/right slides 234 and support beams 236a and 236b,
a roller/guide
rail combination could be used. Support beams 236a and 236b may comprise a
support plate
having two outwardly facing, i.e., opposed, L-shaped rails, along its edges.
The function of
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slides 234 could be accomplished by fixing a pair of brackets to opposed ends
of beam 230,
each bracket including a pair of spaced apart"and inwardly facing rollers
which engage and
follow the opposed rails on the support plate. Furthermore, the spaced apart
and inwardly
facing rollers could each comprise a set of rollers positioned to be angled 90
degrees with
respect to each another, so as to engage or follow the two orthogonal surfaces
of the L-shaped
rails. Such arrangement may result in a coupling of carriage 218 to beam 230
which needs
less adjustment for proper operation. . Furthermore, as previously noted, the
event of
substantially horizontal alignment of the storage bins, the robotic hose
positioning mechanism
can position carriage 218 for movement in a vertical plane which is
substantially flat (i.e., in
the X/Z or Y/Z plane) or in fact a vertical curvilinear plane. Additionally,
as previously
noted, in some aspects of the invention, it may be desirable for the robotic
hose positioning
mechanism to include a rotary device (R, 8) of the type including an I beam of
fixed length
(or telescopic sections), for establishing the "R" movement of the
gripper/pickup head, which
pivots for establishing the "A" movement. Alternatively, in other environments
for the
invention the robotic hose positioning mechanism may include an articulated
arm or scissor
system, or other technique.
FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block diagram of the general operation of the
various
aspects of the invention described herein, as embodied in an article dispenser
of the type
comprising, for example, vending machine 10. A control system 400 including a
microprocessor 402 and associated memory circuits 404, is constructed on
control board 212.
Control system 400 may also include the electronic parts of other portions of
vending
machine 10, as appropriate. Memory circuits 404 include ROM for storage of
operating
programs (embedded software, as well known, for accomplishing the described
herein control
of vending machine 10), as well as RAM cache for temporary storage of
operational data
during system operation as well as other data as may be needed. Control system
400 is
responsive to user operation of the user payment and selection system 406
(including the coin
and bill mechanism 28 and 30 and the selection buttons 40 of FIG. 1) for
operating the user
interface and article handling apparatus of vending machine 10 so as to
dispense the article
desired by a user. More specifically, upon proper payment for a selection made
by the user
using payment and selection system 406, control system 400 operates the X/Y
(left/right and
front/back) drive motors 233 and 243 so as to position pickup head 224 to be
in alignment
with a bin 216 which holds the article selected by the user. Control system
400 then engages
a hose drive motor 508 (Z-motor) mounted within and carried by carriage 218,
so that hose
220 is driven in a direction towaxds the top article in the aligned bin. At an
appropriate time
before head 224 contacts the article to be removed (and in an embodiment of
the invention
where cabinet 12 does not include refrigerated air, an appropriate time may be
just before
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head 224 enters bin 216, but if the air is refrigerated, just before contact
with the desired
article is expected, in order to minimize removal of refrigerated air),
control system 400
activates blower motor 226 so as to provide lifting suction at pickup head
224. Upon position
sensors 412 determining that pickup head 224 has contacted and become secured
to the
desired article, control system 400 causes hose drive motor 410 to reverse its
direction so as
to retract hose 220 from the aligned bin 216 and thereby lift out from the bin
216 the selected
article. Carriage 218 is then driven to a position in alignment with the
article delivery chute
210.
Upon sensors 412 sensing alignment of carriage 218 with chute 210 (in this
case
sensor 412 may comprise a reed switch mounted on a front wall of the cabinet,
and a magnet
mounted at a leading edge of carriage 218), control system 400 turns off
blower motor 226
and the resulting loss of vacuum causes the selected article to drop into the
customer retrieval
area 22. As previously noted, in the event that the articles are so fragile
that they should not
be dropped or subjected to such impact forces, hose 220 can be driven to the
bottom of chute
210 before the article is released.
It is noted that position sensor 412 may include the airflow sensor of
junction box
229, or in a further embodiment, comprise a mechanically operated plunger-type
position
sensor associated with pickup head 224. Even furthermore, position sensors 412
may also
include a reed switch mounted on a front wall of the cabinet, and a magnet
mounted at a
leading edge of carriage 218.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, since the
control system
keeps track of the movement of hose 220 and carriage 218(for example, by
sensing pulses
from a shaft encoder or other distance measuring device on each of their
respective drive
motors), the signal generated by the airflow sensor at the time carriage 218
reaches the virtual
home can also be used as a check to ensure that control system 400 accurately
counted the
motor drive pulses, and can re-calibrate the positioning system based on the
virtual home, if
necessary.
It is noted that position sensor 412 may include the airflow sensor of
junction box
229, or in a further embodiment, comprise a mechanically operated plunger-type
position
sensor associated with pickup head 224. Even furthermore, position sensors 412
may also
3 5 include a reed switch mounted on a front wall of the cabinet, and a magnet
mounted at a
leading edge of carriage 218.
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Accurate control of energization of blower motor 226 is particularly
advantageous in
the event that the inside of the cabinet, or a portion thereof, is
refrigerated, since accurate
control would decrease the amount of refrigerated air being displaced by
blower motor 226.
In the preferred embodiment, the microprocessor 402 will energize blower motor
226 as the
pickup head 224 approaches the desired article, and in fact only when it is in
the immediate
proximity of the desired article (and not earlier), due to control system 400
maintaining
updated information about the height of the stack of articles in each bin 216.
The height is
assumed to be at a predefined level upon article refilling of the vending
machine 10 by the
operator. Control system 400 may confu~n the assumed height by moving the
pickup head
224 at a reduced speed towards an article at the top of a bin 216 on the first
retrieval attempt
after the storage area has been refilled, and then compare the assumed height
to the actual
height. Memory 404 can be pre-programmed with specific article heights in
advance, or the
heights can be learned by control system 400 by comparison of prior vend
heights in each bin.
Once the height of the top article is known, control system 400 will be able
to always know
the height of the next "top" article in that bin. Subsequently, control system
400 may cause
the pickup head 224 to approach the articles in that storage area at a higher
speed, and only
slow down when in the immediate proximity of the next "top" article in that
bin. The
technique to slow down upon the pickup head 224 approaching the next article
also helps
ensure that the stored articles will not be damaged by the pickup head 224.
It is noted that in an alternate embodiment, a simpler way of controlling
operation of
blower motor 226 and the approach of pickup head 224, without knowing the
specific article
height, would be to turn on the blower motor 226, or slow down the pickup head
224 just
prior to the learned stack height of the prior vend.
When a "reset" switch (not shown) is activated by the machine operator,
control
system 400 automatically defaults to using the above height detection
technique since it can
be assumed that the operator may have changed the product load levels and
consequently the
product heights in each bin.
For the embodiments described herein, it is assumed that energization of the
blower
motor or other suction creating device, is meant to be equivalent to the
appearance of a
prompt package securing force, i.e., suction, at the pickup head 224.
A communication system 414 is connected to control system 400 so as to provide
article inventory and vending machine operation information to a remote
location, as well as
to allow for control of the operation of the vending machine from a remote
location. In this
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regard, communication system 414 may include a connection to means for making
a wire-line
and/or wireless transceiver interface through ,which a communication link with
a remote
computer can be established. Additionally, the communication system 414 may
communicate
with a plurality of other similarly connected vending machines in the same
general area and
communicate therewith using the wire-line interface or wireless communication.
Even
furthermore, communication system 414 can provide for communication with
multiple
vending machines and/or a local server/controller, in a local site along a LAN
(local area
network), LAWN (a local area wireless network) or a WAN (wide area network).
The remote
computer may comprise a database which receives and/or accumulates the
operational data
from one or more vending machines, which data is then accessible (via, e.g.,
the Internet,
using a wired or wireless connection) using appropriate encryption, to others,
such as route
drivers, machine operators, machine owners, product suppliers, etc.
Furthermore, the remote
site may give feedback to the vending machines, such as authorization
information, which can
control its operation, such as allow its continued operation.
Many of the benefits of the invention described herein could also be
particularly
useful in an article dispensing apparatus of the type having a refrigerated
compartment, such
as a chest freezer including various doors thereon (such as described for the
ice cream
dispenser in US patent 5, 240,139), in combination with the forenoted methods
and apparatus
for creating, sensing and/or maintaining suction at the gripping end of the
suction hose.
While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references
to
preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various
changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the
spirit and scope
of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In fact, many such changes
are already
noted in this description. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able
to ascertain using
no more than routine experimentation, many more equivalents to the specific
embodiments of
the invention described specifically herein.. For example, although a suction
providing air
hose 220 has been disclosed in the described preferred embodiments, in fact a
solid element
having a gripper at its free and, such as a mechanically operated claw (or an
electromagnetic
device or even a self contained suction generator), could also be used. Such
equivalents are
intended to be encompassed in the scope of the appended claims.
A camera that studies product, for spiral or bin machine which studies article
after it
falls into retrieval area. And can alert controller to disable dispensing from
one or more of
the article storage areas.
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A bar code or other image/vision recognition system for verifying stored
article andlor proper
operation and dispensing of article.
~ a robotic mechanism for bringing stored articles to the article 117 system.
The robotic
mechanism can be selectively controlled so as to improve the reliability of
article
identification, i.e., movement of article past the ID system can be slowed,
and for flexible
bag articles, the article may be "jiggled" so as to change the flex of the bag
and thereby
improve scanning of a bar-code or better optical recognition of an image
~ Scanning for article ID can be at any time for verification and operation
purposes, i.e., not
just during or as part of a vend cycle, but also between cycles.
~ Proper operation and dispensing of article may include adherence to
predetermined rules,
and interaction with the control system for reporting and enforcement
purposes, as well as
further control of the vending machine for furthering the enforcement
purposes. Article
identified as unauthorized can be put back in bin, or dispensed and then
further article
dispensing from that storage area can be disabled
~ Article ID apparatus can also be manually used by the machine operator for
inventory
management.
~ Use of an optical ID system for spiral/Gravity feed machines to identify
article package
type, etc. prior to being dispensed, e.g., while article is falling (or
rolling, in the case of
beverage container etc.) or already landed at the customer retrieval area.
~ Determination of article ID is made during a dispensing operation, after
dispense is
initiated and the cycle is irreversible.
~ Article ID for inventory management, Pay As You Vend (PAYV) equipment
financing,
or for calculating incentives based on proper operation andlor adherence to
rules
Addition of circuitry enabling remote connectivity of the vending machine for
inventory
management, as well as for operational control.
23
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
