EP0053489A1 - Improvements in and relating to vending machines - Google Patents

Improvements in and relating to vending machines Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0053489A1
EP0053489A1 EP81305602A EP81305602A EP0053489A1 EP 0053489 A1 EP0053489 A1 EP 0053489A1 EP 81305602 A EP81305602 A EP 81305602A EP 81305602 A EP81305602 A EP 81305602A EP 0053489 A1 EP0053489 A1 EP 0053489A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cup
sense
machine
vending machine
radiation
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP81305602A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Harold George Beevor
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
VGL Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
VGL Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by VGL Industries Ltd filed Critical VGL Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0053489A1 publication Critical patent/EP0053489A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F13/00—Coin-freed apparatus for controlling dispensing or fluids, semiliquids or granular material from reservoirs
    • G07F13/10—Coin-freed apparatus for controlling dispensing or fluids, semiliquids or granular material from reservoirs with associated dispensing of containers, e.g. cups or other articles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to vending machines and has particular reference to a vending machine of the kind comprising a cup magazine, a cup dispensing station remote from said cup magazine, cup transport means for transporting a cup along a cup path from said magazine to said dispensing station and control means for controlling a supply of cups from a magazine and for controlling said transport means, hereinafter referred to as "of the kind described".
  • microswitches however, are that their life is dependant upon a number of times in which the device is used.
  • microswitch controlled device with intensive use may last a comparatively short period whereas one with only occasional use will last for a much longer period.
  • Vending machines are employed in a variety of environments some of which are intensively used and others which are only occasionally used.
  • a vending machine of the kind described including at least one cup sense means disposed along said cup path, said cup sense means comprising a transmitter adapted to direct electromagnetic radiation towards a cup location and a receiver adapted to receive radiation reflected from a cup located at said location said receiver being operatively connected with the control means so that when the transmitter is operated without radiation being detected by said receiver the control means is disenabled.
  • the cup magazine may comprise a cup turret with associated cup dropper adapted to receive a stack of cups and dispense a cup into a cup carriage.
  • the cup sense means in accordance with the present invention may be disposed juxtaposed the cup carriage to detect the presence or absence of a cup in the carriage prior to the commencement of a dispense operation.
  • a cup sense means may also be provided juxtaposed the cup dispensing station to sense the presence of a cup whereby in the event of a positive indication a control means is disenabled to the extent of preventing the commencement of a dispense cycle of the machine while the cup remains in position.
  • the vending machine includes an access door at the cup dispensing station, means,for locking the door in a closed position in the absence of a cup, and sense means juxtaposed said cup position at the dispense station arranged to sense the presence of a cup to enable or disenable the door locking means accordingly.
  • the radiation transmitter and the radiation receiver may be located in one sense head juxtaposed the cup position to be sensed.
  • a sense head 24 comprising an infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver.
  • the cup stack 12 is formed of cups each having a substantially reflective outer surface such, for example, as white plastic.
  • a similar sense head 25 is provided in the dispense station beneath base 22.
  • a further sense head 26 may be juxtaposed by the cup stack juxtaposed the cup dropper.
  • Each of the sense heads 24, 25 and 26 may be operatively connected with the microprocessor so that on sensing the present or absence of the cup as is appropriate the controlled means for the conveyor is disenabled to prevent further operation by the machine until the fault is remedied.
  • the sensing circuit is disclosed in figure 2 and comprises an emitter 30 and a photoelectric cell 31 the photoelectirc cell being connected by a trigger 32 so that when radiation is received by-cell 31 trigger 32 is red operative to render trigger output 33 high to give a positive indication when the-object is present.
  • the detector 26 used in the cup turret system is such that when the level of cups fulls below the sensor the drive motor of the turret will be caused to operate until cups from other tubes fill the dispensing stack to a level such that the sensor stops the motor when the receiver or photo cell detects reflected radiation.
  • the microprossor provides a time over ride control to ensure that the turret 11 completes at least one rotation before indicating "cups sold out” and inhibiting the next vend until the turret has been at least partly replenished.
  • devices employed in accordance with the applicants present invention constitutes a direct replacement for microswitches which require their levers to be in physical contact with the cup edges or other components.
  • the sensors in accordance with the present invention require no physical contact with the object, i.e. the cup, and do not, therefore, contribute to feed jams in the cup supply system.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Beverage Vending Machines With Cups, And Gas Or Electricity Vending Machines (AREA)
EP81305602A 1980-11-28 1981-11-26 Improvements in and relating to vending machines Withdrawn EP0053489A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8038311 1980-11-28
GB8038311 1980-11-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0053489A1 true EP0053489A1 (en) 1982-06-09

Family

ID=10517650

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP81305602A Withdrawn EP0053489A1 (en) 1980-11-28 1981-11-26 Improvements in and relating to vending machines

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0053489A1 (it)
DK (1) DK527881A (it)
GR (1) GR76917B (it)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0437754A3 (en) * 1989-12-21 1991-11-06 Guenter Lang Method and device for dispensing liquid beverages or similar
EP0462591A1 (en) * 1990-06-20 1991-12-27 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd Cup type automatic vending machine
AT403905B (de) * 1993-12-20 1998-06-25 Artmann Kurt Vorrichtung zum portionierten ausschenken von flüssigkeiten
WO2003036574A3 (en) * 2001-10-24 2003-10-30 Crane Co Apparatus and methodology of detecting fulfillment of customer vend request
US7191034B2 (en) 2001-02-27 2007-03-13 Crane Co. Method and system for accomplishing product detection
US7191915B2 (en) 1998-04-29 2007-03-20 Automated Merchandising Systems Inc. Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine
US8548625B2 (en) 2001-08-23 2013-10-01 Crane Merchandising Systems, Inc. Optical vend sensing system for product delivery detection
CN105701919A (zh) * 2014-12-15 2016-06-22 富士电机株式会社 杯式饮料自动售货机

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3103960A (en) * 1961-09-22 1963-09-17 Universal Match Corp Dispensing system with receptacle designator
US3357133A (en) * 1965-10-13 1967-12-12 Westinghouse Electric Corp Automatic controlled door for a vending machine
US3461922A (en) * 1966-12-13 1969-08-19 Dagma Gmbh & Co Method of controlling an automatic vending machine
DE2724721A1 (de) * 1976-06-07 1977-12-15 Unilever Nv Vorrichtung zum behandeln von verpackungsteilen
US4202387A (en) * 1977-08-10 1980-05-13 Upton Douglas J Fluid dispensing control system

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3103960A (en) * 1961-09-22 1963-09-17 Universal Match Corp Dispensing system with receptacle designator
US3357133A (en) * 1965-10-13 1967-12-12 Westinghouse Electric Corp Automatic controlled door for a vending machine
US3461922A (en) * 1966-12-13 1969-08-19 Dagma Gmbh & Co Method of controlling an automatic vending machine
DE2724721A1 (de) * 1976-06-07 1977-12-15 Unilever Nv Vorrichtung zum behandeln von verpackungsteilen
GB1586858A (en) * 1976-06-07 1981-03-25 Unilever Ltd Device for treating packaging components
US4202387A (en) * 1977-08-10 1980-05-13 Upton Douglas J Fluid dispensing control system

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0437754A3 (en) * 1989-12-21 1991-11-06 Guenter Lang Method and device for dispensing liquid beverages or similar
EP0462591A1 (en) * 1990-06-20 1991-12-27 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd Cup type automatic vending machine
AT403905B (de) * 1993-12-20 1998-06-25 Artmann Kurt Vorrichtung zum portionierten ausschenken von flüssigkeiten
US7742837B2 (en) 1998-04-29 2010-06-22 Automated Merchandising Systems Inc. Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine
US7191915B2 (en) 1998-04-29 2007-03-20 Automated Merchandising Systems Inc. Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine
US7343220B2 (en) 1998-04-29 2008-03-11 Automated Merchandising Systems Inc. Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine
US7191034B2 (en) 2001-02-27 2007-03-13 Crane Co. Method and system for accomplishing product detection
US8548625B2 (en) 2001-08-23 2013-10-01 Crane Merchandising Systems, Inc. Optical vend sensing system for product delivery detection
AU2002349919B2 (en) * 2001-10-24 2008-11-13 Crane Co. Apparatus and methodology of detecting fulfillment of customer vend request
US7519451B2 (en) 2001-10-24 2009-04-14 Crane Co. Apparatus and methodology of detecting fulfillment of customer vend request
WO2003036574A3 (en) * 2001-10-24 2003-10-30 Crane Co Apparatus and methodology of detecting fulfillment of customer vend request
CN105701919A (zh) * 2014-12-15 2016-06-22 富士电机株式会社 杯式饮料自动售货机
CN105701919B (zh) * 2014-12-15 2019-11-08 富士电机株式会社 杯式饮料自动售货机

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK527881A (da) 1982-05-29
GR76917B (it) 1984-09-04

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LU NL SE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19821116

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19850619

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: BEEVOR, HAROLD GEORGE