AU754137B2

AU754137B2 - Dispensing unit

Info

Publication number: AU754137B2
Application number: AU44541/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Steve Richardson
Original assignee: Stossel & Partners Pty Ltd H
Current assignee: H Stossel & Partners Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-25
Filing date: 1999-08-18
Publication date: 2002-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-18
Also published as: AU4454199A

Description

1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 Complete Specification For A Standard Patent DISPENSING UNIT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it know to me: This invention relates to apparatus for vending a product. The invention has particular application to vending rollable products such as cans or bottles but it is not intended that the invention be limited to such applications.

ooooo ooo* The invention resides in a vending apparatus including storage means for storing a 10 plurality of a vendible product, and a product carriage for receiving from said storage means a next product to be vended and for conveying said next product to a retrieval area, said retrieval area including an aperture in a wall of said vending apparatus, wherein said product carriage is movable between a product receiving position and a product dispensing position, said product carriage in said receiving position being disposed to receive said next product from said storage means, said product carriage in said dispensing position being disposed to convey said next product to said retrieval area where said next product can be retrieved from said vending apparatus by a user, S- "said vending apparatus further including user operated actuating means for actuating ooosaid product carriage from said receiving position to said dispensing position.

Preferably the product carriage includes a receiving portion and a delivery portion adjacent the receiving portion. The delivery portion may provide a surface along which the product can travel. In the dispensing position the delivery portion preferably provides a surface inclined downwards from the receiving portion in order that the product can roll or slide to an area where it can be retrieved from the apparatus.

2 In the receiving position the surface of the delivery portion is preferably inclined upwards from the receiving portion serving to maintain the product in the product carriage and to shield the product from being externally accessed or viewed. The product carriage, in particular the delivery portion, is preferably pivoted between the receiving and dispensing positions. The axis about which the product carriage is pivoted is preferably substantially adjacent the junction of the receiving and delivery portions.

The means preventing removal of the product and the means preventing subsequent product from entering the product carriage preferably form part of the product carriage.

.:oooi o*o* The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

S-Figure 2 is a perspective view of the product carriage.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation showing the product carriage in the receiving position.

0 "Figure 4 is a cross-sectional elevation showing the product carriage in the dispensing position.

The vending apparatus is shown generally at 10 in Figures 1 and 3. The apparatus has storage means 11 for storing a plurality of the product 12 to be vended. The shown apparatus 10 contains means to vend two products in the manner according to the invention. The apparatus 10 may also contain means 15 to vend additional products in a more conventional manner. On a front panel 13 there are disposed transparent viewing panels 14 to enable a user to select the product of their choice. An aperture in the front panel 13 provides a retrieval area 16 from which the product can be removed.

3 Figure 3 shows the internal workings of the apparatus 10. The storage area 11 is shown divided by partitions 31 that enable a maximum of product to be stored within the area provided. A further partition 32 is disposed such that the storage area 11 tapers downwards to funnel the product 12 towards the bottom of the storage area which is large enough to receive one product only. Disposed beneath the storage area 11 is a product receiving carriage 20. With reference to Figure 2, the carriage includes a product receiving portion 21 sized to the product that it is to receive and having an upper lip 27. The carriage 20 further includes a product delivery portion 22 adjacent the product receiving portion 21. The delivery portion 22 consists of a surface extending from the receiving portion 21 and along which product may roll or o slide toward the retrieval area 16. The carriage is attached to the apparatus 10 by **means of a pivot 23 that is adjacent both the receiving portion and the delivery portion of the product carriage 20. The carriage 20 is caused to move between a receiving 15 position and a dispensing position by way of an actuating assembly, described in detail below, that causes the product carriage 20 to pivot about the axis 23. Preferably o* the carriage 20 has guide ribs 28 on each side of the delivery portion to retain the product on the carriage With the carriage 20 disposed in the receiving position (Figure 3) a next product to be vended 35 is free to fall into the product receiving portion 21 of the carriage 20. This o o product 35 is prevented from being removed from the apparatus 10 through the retrieval area 16 by the product delivery portion 22 of the carriage 20 which is an upwardly inclined position. The product carriage 20 can then be actuated from the receiving position to the dispensing position. In the dispensing position (Figure 4) the product delivery portion forms a ramp sloping downwards from the product receiving portion thereby causing the product 35 to roll or slide towards the retrieval area 16 where it can be removed from the vending apparatus by the user. In the dispensing position the upper edge 27 of the product receiving portion 21 prevents subsequent product 36 from falling into the receiving position. In this position, the upper lip 27 also prevents a user from accessing the remainder of the product in the storage area 11 through the retrieval aperture.

I

V 4 The vending apparatus is provided with a coin operated mechanism 38 to actuate the carriage 20 between the receiving and dispensing positions. The coin mechanism actuates the carriage between the product receiving and dispensing positions through an actuating assembly. The actuating assembly includes a cam 61 that is caused to rotate by operation of the coin mechanism 38. The cam 61 is conne&ted through a linkage 64 to a rod 62. Supported above the front end of the product carriage 20 is a plate 35 (Figure The plate 25 contains an aperture that receives the rod 62.

Rotational movement of the cam 61 causes rod 62 to rotate in a vertical plane.

Vertical movement of the rod 62 engages the upper and lower edges defining the aperture 24 causing the front edge of the carriage to raise and lower as the carriage e pivots on its mounting axis 23. Horizontal movement of the rod 62 is accommodated by the width of the aperture 24.

15 A full rotation of the cam will cause the carriage to pivot from the receiving position to the dispensing position and back to the receiving position. The product carriage is e• V. preferably pivoted such that in the receiving position the surface of the delivery Sportion 22 abuts the underneath of a plate 39 that defines an upper edge of the S. .retrieval area 16. In this manner, the delivery portion prevents the product from being accessed or even viewed through the retrieval area 16 by a user. The upper plate 39 is preferably a lower surface of a coin collecting device 40 that forms part of the coin S" "operated mechanism 38.

eeeeee The apparatus 10 may have an in built refrigeration system (not shown) or may be sufficiently compact to fit within an existing refrigeration unit.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims I. rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

o* o* -511-

Claims

1. Vending apparatus including storage means for storing a plurality of a vendible product, and a product carriage for receiving from said storage means a next product to be vended and for conveying said next product to a retrieval area, said retrieval area including an aperture in a wall of said vending apparatus, wherein said product carriage is movable between a product receiving position and a product dispensing position, said product carriage in said receiving position being disposed to receive said next product from said storage means, said product carriage in said dispensing position being disposed to convey said next product to said retrieval area where said next product can be retrieved from said vending apparatus by a user, said vending apparatus further including user operated actuating means for actuating said :...product carriage from said receiving position to said dispensing position. 15

2. Vending apparatus according to claim 1 further including means preventing said product carriage from receiving further product from said storage means when said product carriage is in said dispensing position.

3. Vending apparatus according to claim or 2 wherein said product carriage includes a product receiving portion and a product delivery portion, said receiving portion being adapted to receive said next product from said storage means when said product carriage is in said receiving position, said delivery portion being adapted to convey said next product from said product receiving portion to said product retrieval area when said product carriage is in said dispensing position.

4. Vending apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said delivery portion provides a surface between said receiving portion and said retrieval area along which said next product is conveyed.

5. Vending apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said delivery portion surface is upwardly inclined from said receiving portion when said product carriage is in said receiving position and said delivery portion is downwardly inclined from said receiving portion to said retrieval area when said product carriage is in said dispensing position.

6. Vending apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said upwardly inclined surface prevents said receiving portion from being accessed through said retrieval area when said product carriage is in said receiving position.

7. Vending apparatus according to claim 6 wherein an edge of said delivery portion surface adjacent said retrieval area substantially abuts an upper edge of said aperture of said retrieval area when said product carriage is in said receiving position.

Vending apparatus according to claim 4 or 5 wherein said product carriage includes means preventing said storage means from being accessed through said retrieval area when said product carriage is in said dispensing position.

9. Vending apparatus according to any preceding claim further including pivot means for pivoting said product carriage between said receiving and dispensing S•positions.

10. Vending apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the actuating means includes a rotating member in communication with a rod member, rotation of S- said rotating member causing vertical movement of said rod member, said rod member acting against said product carriage such that vertical movement of said rod number moves said product carriage between said receiving and dispensing positions.

11. Vending apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 18th day of August, 1999 H. STOSSEL PARTNERS PTY LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys Halford Co.