Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02666071 2009-05-15
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VENDING MERCHANDISE
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vending machines. In particular, this invention
relates to a
method and apparatus for suspending merchandise and vending the suspended
merchandise.
Background of the Invention
Bulk vendors, often colloquially known as "gumball machines," are used to
dispense
various types of merchandise. Bulk vendors conventionally comprise a
merchandise bin
or `globe' seated over a revolving dispensing wheel which provides
compartments into
which the bulk product falls. As the dispensing wheel is rotated by a user
through
rotating a coin mechanism, a compartment is brought into alignment with the
opening of
a dispensing chute, and the product is thus dispensed through the dispensing
chute to the
user.
While bulk vendors can be used to vend many types of small products, including
toys and
the like, by far the most popular use for bulk vendors is for dispensing
confectionary such
as gum and other types of candy, and small snacks such as peanuts, cashews,
etc.
Current bulk vendors have difficulty vending large or flexible products.
Typically, bulk
vendors are used to vend products less than 4" in length and that are
relatively rigid so
that product in the bulk vendor does not foul or obstruct an item to be
vended. Soft or
awkwardly shaped product may be packed into a hard-shelled capsule before
being
loaded into a bulk vendor to assist with vending the product.
These limitations with bulk vendors have limited their use for dispensing soft
packaged
products or products greater than 4" in length. As a great variety of product
is commonly
available in flexible packaging or packaging greater than 4" in length, it
would be
advantageous to provide a vendor capable of dispensing such product.
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It would also be advantageous to provide a vendor capable of displaying a
product to be
vended such that a package of the product may be easily viewed by a customer,
for
instance to review the ingredients of the product.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of
the
invention,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vendor.
Figures 2a, 2b and 2c illustrate an alternate embodiment of a support.
Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of the vendor.
Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of the vendor.
Figure 5 is a front view of an embodiment of the vendor with product removed.
Figure 6 is a front view of an embodiment of the vendor with product suspended
in place
and back plate removed to illustrate drive connection.
Figure 7 is a back perspective view of an embodiment of the vendor
illustrating
suspended product and drive connections.
Figure 8 is a closeup of the front of an embodiment of the vendor illustrating
coils and
supports connected to brackets supported by the housing.
Figure 9 is a close-up of the front of an embodiment of the vendor with chute
in place
illustrating a product vending from the chute.
Figure 10 is a rear view of an embodiment of the vendor with back plate in
place
illustrating drive connections when assembled.
Figure 11 is a close-up front view of an embodiment of the vendor illustrating
transfer
rods that transfer drive torque from actuators to pulleys and drive
connection.
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Detailed Description
In an embodiment a vendor is provided, the vendor comprising a housing for
containing a
suspended product to be vended from an opening in the housing; a mechanical
coin
mechanism mounted on the housing for receiving at least one coil; the
mechanical coin
mechanism releasing an actuator after receiving the at least one coin; the
actuator
connected to, and driving, a fixed end of a coil for suspending the product,
the coil
rotatably mounted in the housing above the opening to rotate about an
approximately
central axis of the coil, and a free end of the coil for releasing the
suspended product.
In an embodiment the actuator may comprise a rotatable handle of the
mechanical coin
mechanism and the mechanical coin mechanism releases the rotatable handle to
rotate to
drive the coil in rotation about the central axis. A rotational axis of the
rotatable handle
may be offset from the central axis of the coil. The rotatable handle may be
connected to
the coil by a drive belt.
In an embodiment, the coil may be oriented in the housing to locate the fixed
end above
and adjacent the opening, and the free end above and opposite the opening.
In an embodiment, the vendor may further comprise a support for supporting the
coil
between the fixed end and the free end. The support may engage and support the
coil
when the coil deflects from the central axis under weight of the suspended
product. The
support may comprise a central support located within the coil and oriented
approximately parallel to the central axis. The central support may be
rotatably mounted
within the housing and the fixed end of the coil is affixed to the central
support. The
actuator may be connected to the central support, the central support
transferring the
driving torque from the actuator to rotate the coil from the fixed end.
In an embodiment a method is provided for vending a product, the method
comprising
suspending a product from a coil, rotating the coil about a central axis of
rotation until
the product falls from a free end of the coil to be vended.
A method of vending product, comprising suspending the product from a coil
passing
through a hole in the product; rotating the coil about a central axis of
rotation until a free
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end of the coil passes through the hole in the product, allowing the product
to fall from
the coil to be vended. In an embodiment the coil is supported by a central
support passing
through a middle of the coil and the weight of the product causes the coil to
deflect
against the central support. The deflection of the coil against the central
support
restricting movement of the package.
Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a vendor. A
housing 10 for
containing suspended product 20. The suspended product 20 typically comprises
a
wrapper 22 for containing and supporting a product to be vended and at least
one
suspension hole 24 through the wrapper 22 for receiving a support to suspend
and display
the product 20.
The housing 10 preferably comprises a lower vending portion 14 made of a
sturdy
supporting material and a display portion 12, at least a part of which
comprising a see-
through material such as glass or clear plastic to allow a customer to see the
product 20
suspended in the housing 10.
An opening 13 in the housing 10 allows for egress of the product 20 being
vended. While
not shown in Figure 1, the opening 13 preferably includes a flap, such as
illustrated in
Figure 5, for covering the opening 13 when not in use, but that may be lifted,
rotated, or
slid away from the opening 13 to allow for egress of a vended product 20.
A coin mechanism 15 located on the housing 10 may receive at least one coin.
The coin
mechanism 15 illustrated in Figure 1 comprises an actuator 16 that may be
rotated when
the coin mechanism 15 has received the at least one coin. The actuator 16 is
connected to
a fixed end of a coil 30 for suspending the product 20. In an alternate
embodiment, not
shown, the coin mechanism 15 may release a separate actuator such as a lever
or crank.
Rotation of the actuator 16 illustrated drives the coil 30 in rotation about
an axis of
rotation that is approximately a central axis of the coil 30. Rotation of the
coil 30 causes
the product 20 to traverse along the length of the coil 30 until it is vended
off the free end
32 of the coil 30. The actuator 16 is metered by the coin mechanism 15 to only
provide
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sufficient rotations to vend a set number of product 20 from the coil 30. For
instance,
where the product 30 is suspended from each loop of the coil 30, one rotation
of the coil
30 will cause one product 30 to be vended from the free end 32.
In the embodiment illustrated in figure 1, an axis of rotation of the actuator
16 is offset
from the central axis of the coil 30. This embodiment provides for an actuator
16 at a
lower height, a product 20 at a viewable height and storage of the received
coins in the
vending portion 14 of the vendor 10. While this arrangement is convenient,
other
embodiments may provide the actuator 16 at a different relative position to
the coil 30.
For instance, the axis of rotation of the actuator 16 may be in-line with the
central axis of
the coil 30, obviating the need for a drive connection 50.
In the embodiment illustrated in figure 1, drive connection 50 comprises a
belt linking a
pulley 18 on actuator shaft 18 with a pulley 42 on support 40. In this
embodiment the
fixed end 34 of coil 30 is affixed to the support 40. While the support 40 is
illustrated as
being roughly in-line with the central axis of the coil 30, preferably the
coil 30 may
deflect under the weight of the product 20 such that the coil 30 near the free
end 32
comes in contact with the support 40. The deflection of the coil 30 against
the support 40
restricts movement of a suspended package 40 along the coil 30 until the coil
30 rotates.
This arrangement provides for support of the coil 30 between the free end 32
and the
fixed end 34 as well as providing some security for preventing the product 20
from being
inadvertently vended when the housing 10 is jostled or rocked. Customers who
prefer not
to pay for a vended product sometimes try to "milk" a vendor by physically
agitating the
vendor to dislodge product 20. The additional security provided by a support
40
"locking" the product 20 on the coil 30 reduces the likelihood of a successful
"milking"
of the vendor. The package 20 can only traverse along the coil 30 when the
coil 30
rotates, presenting a clear section of coil to the package 20.
Providing a support for the coil 30 also allows for a smaller gauge coil 30
than would be
required for a self-supporting coil 30 capable of sustaining the weight of
suspended
product 20. Since the product hole 24 is typically sized at a factory to
accommodate store
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dispensing rods, an over-sized gauge coil 30 would generally require a larger
than usual
product hole 24. Furthermore, many wrappers 22 are sized for a smaller gauge
dispensing
rod and would not be able to accommodate an over-sized coil 30.
Figures 2a, 2b and 2c illustrate an alternate support embodiment comprising a
plate 46.
The plate 46 has a slot 47 cut through it to accommodate a lower portion of
coil 30.
Similar to the embodiment of Figure 1, the plate 46 prevents the dispensing of
product 20
when the vendor is subjected to milking attempts.
Reverting to the embodiment of Figure 1, fixed end 34 of the coil 30 is
attached to
support 40 for support and to transfer driving torque from the actuator 16 to
rotate the
coil 30 about its rotational axis. Figure 3 illustrates the interaction of the
drive connection
50, the support 40 and coil 30. A bracket 54 connected to the housing 10, not
shown in
this view, supports a bearing 52 that receives an end of the support 40. The
fixed end 34
of the coil 30 is affixed to the support 40 which runs through the center of
the coil 30
approximately parallel to an axis of rotation of the coil 30. In Figure 3
there is no product
20 suspended from the coil 30, so that the coil 30 is not illustrated as being
deflected
from its central axis to rest upon the support 40. An end of support 40 is
driven by a
pulley 42 connected to the drive connection 50. While the embodiment
illustrates the
drive connection as being a toothed belt, a smooth belt, gears, transfer shaft
or other
known means may be used to transfer driving torque from the actuator 16 to the
support
40.
Figures 4a and 4b illustrate a vending cycle. In Figure 4a a product 20 to be
vended is
located at a bottom loop of coil 30 adjacent to the free end 32. For clarity
the view of
Figure 4a shows only a single product 20 and the coil 30 is not deflected from
its central
axis. With rotation of support 40 driving coil 30 in rotation, the product 20
is vended in
Figure 4b, falling off coil 30. Referring to Figure 1, a vended product 20
falls from coil
down chute 19 to egress from opening 13.
In the embodiment illustrated the support 40 is driven from the rear of the
housing
opposite the coin mechanism 15. This embodiment provides for clear viewing of
the
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product 20 through the front of the display portion 12 of the housing 10.
Alternate
embodiments may drive the support 40 and/or coil 30 from the same side of the
housing
as the actuator 16.
The embodiment illustrated in Figure 10 also locates the free end 32 of the
coil 30 at the
5 back of the housing 10 opposite the opening 13. For long product 20,
locating the free
end 32 at the back of the housing provides for vending from the back providing
more
space for the product 20 to be deflected by chute 19 from its vertical
trajectory to a nearly
horizontal trajectory out opening 13. This embodiment allows for reduced
jamming of
larger product 20 when dispensing through an opening 13 of restricted size.
10 Alternatively, the free end 32 could be located at the front of the housing
10, in which
case opening 13 is preferably sized to allow for free discharge of the product
20.
The embodiment of Figure 1 is illustrated as having a support 40 fixed at both
the pulley
end 42 and the bearing end 52. This embodiment is preferred providing a simple
structure
that provides a stable support for coil 30. It may also be possible to provide
for a support
40 fixed to a bearing 52 at one end in cantilever fashion. This alternate
embodiment
would require a more rigid support 40 for a given product weight.
In an embodiment the coils 30 may be pre-packaged and supplied with product 20
for
supply to a merchant. The brackets 54 may provide for a quick-change
releasable fit for
the support 40. This embodiment allows a vendor to swap out an emptied coil 30
with a
pre-packaged coil 30 supplied with product 20. Either the brackets 54 may be
releasable
from the housing 10, or the support 40 and coil 30 may be released from the
bracket 54.
Figures 5-11 illustrate an embodiment of the vendor. Figure 5 is a front view
of the
vendor with product removed. Figure 6 is a front view of the vendor with
product
suspended in place and the back plate removed to illustrate the drive
connection. A
product is being vended out of the opening in the front of the housing. Figure
7 is a back
perspective view of the vendor illustrating the suspended product and drive
connections.
the coin mechanisms and chute are shown disassembled in front of the vendor.
Figure 8
is a closeup of the front of the vendor illustrating the coils and supports
connected to
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brackets supported by the housing. The coils and supports terminate through a
back plate
which hides the drive connections. Figure 9 is a close-up of the front of the
vendor with
the chute in place illustrating a product vending from the chute. Figure 10 is
a rear view
of the vendor with the back plate in place illustrating the drive connections
when
assembled. Figure 11 is a close-up front view of the vendor illustrating the
transfer rods
that transfer drive torque from the actuators to the pulleys and drive
connection. The
chute and coin mechanisms have been removed from the vendor for illustrative
purposes.
Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in
detail by
way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
variations and
modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention
includes
all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended
claims.
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