EP0354257B1 - Capped container dispenser - Google Patents
Capped container dispenser Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0354257B1 EP0354257B1 EP88113007A EP88113007A EP0354257B1 EP 0354257 B1 EP0354257 B1 EP 0354257B1 EP 88113007 A EP88113007 A EP 88113007A EP 88113007 A EP88113007 A EP 88113007A EP 0354257 B1 EP0354257 B1 EP 0354257B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- container
- opening
- closure
- trolley
- lid portion
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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- 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
- This invention relates generally to a liquid dispensing system and in particular to a method of dispensing liquids from a bulk liquid supply on a demand basis and to a dispensing apparatus for carrying out such method.
- An alternative method of merchandising these goods which solves the space problem, is to provide in-store dispensing of the liquids from bulk supply. Where such dispensing is manual, it can be carried out either by the purchaser or by retail store personnel.
- the former is not a practical alternative in many cases, and may be restricted by health, safety and marketing considerations with respect to certain goods.
- the latter solution of using store personnel is again labour intensive, so as not to be cost effective and may also be negatived by health, safety and marketing considerations. Therefore, while large savings can potentially be made in transporting the liquid by tank truck or other similar bulk transport vehicle directly from the source of supply to the retail outlet, the costs, complexities and liabilities of dispensing the liquid remain to be dealt with.
- vending machines can be seen as a partial solution to the floor space and re-stocking problems, but are not readily adaptable to a wide range of products and do not provide the savings of a system allowing for on-site bulk dispensing of liquid or other flowable products.
- an object of the present invention to provide a method for automatically dispensing liquid or other flowable products from a bulk supply into individual containers, upon demand, which method is suitable for on-site use, such as for example, in retail sales establishments.
- a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for the automatic dispensing of liquids or other flowable products from a bulk supply into individual containers, upon demand, which apparatus is sized and otherwise suited for operative installation in retail sales establishments.
- a process of machine dispensing a discrete quantity of a bulk liquid into a container having a hinged closure fitted on a neck portion of the container in a closed configuration comprises, in order, the steps of: mechanically selecting the container from an aligned stack of similar containers; mechanically positioning the selected container in a predetermined filling position with the closure in a predetermined indexed relation to the container; mechanically opening the closure to access the container; mechanically introducing a metered quantity of the bulk liquid into the container through the opened closure; mechanically closing the closure to seal the container; and, mechanically delivering the sealed container of liquid to a dispensing access of the machine.
- the closure opening step includes the sub-step of radially compressing a pressure-sensitive area of the rim portion so as to initially open the hinged lid portion to an open condition, and, thereafter, applying an opening force against the operative underside of the lid portion thereby to displace the hinged lid portion of the closure through a predetermined distance to affect an operative degree of opening thereof.
- the containers are vertically stacked and the selection step additionally includes displacing the selected container from an aligned uppermost position in the stack by gripping the neck portion of the container and withdrawing the container from the stack.
- the positioning step also includes pivoting of the selected container so gripped in downward pivoting motion about the neck portion thereof into the filling position, at which filling position the container is in a substantially vertically suspended configuration with the neck portion substantially vertically oriented.
- the aforementioned pivoting of the selected container into the filling position causes the pressure-sensitive area of the rim portion to contact an abutment means, such contact radially compressing the pressure-sensitive area so as to initially open the hinged lid portion for further opening action.
- the invention further relates to a container filling and dispensing apparatus for use with a plurality of containers each having a mouth providing access to the interior of the container and a closure having a hinged lid portion positionable over the mouth for closing of the container, the apparatus comprising: magazine means adapted for receiving the plurality of containers in oriented stacked relation therein; container positioning means for relocating a selected one of the stacked containers to a predetermined operative filling position; opening means for opening the closure of the selected container; liquid dispensing means for dispensing a metered quantity of a bulk liquid through the mouth into the interior of the selected container in sealing relation with the mouth, and, means to deliver the selected container to a dispensing access of the apparatus.
- an apparatus for filling and dispensing containers each having a neck portion defining a generally circular opening to the container and a closure positioned onthe neck portion.
- the closures each have a rim portion grippingly surrounding the neck portion and a lid portion connected by hinge means to the rim portion so as to selectively seal the opening.
- the apparatus comprises: cabinet means forming a housing; first trolley means mounted within the housing so as to be movable in first and second opposed longitudinal directions; magazine means positioned within the housing and adapted to receive a plurality of the containers in oriented stacked relation therein with the neck portions of the containers protruding from the magazine means substantially in the first longitudinal direction; gripper means pivotally mounted on the first trolley means and adapted for gripping a selected one of the containers about the neck portion for withdrawal of the selected container from the magazine means upon movement of the first trolley means in a first longitudinal direction and for pivoting the gripped container to a filling position whereat the neck portion is oriented generally transversely to the first and second longitudinal directions; opening means mounted on the first trolley means and adapted for movement in the longitudinal directions relative to the first trolley means and for engagement with the operative underside of the lid portion when moving in the second longitudinal direction, thereby to urge the lid portion to an operatively open position, at which open position the opening means are clear of the container opening; filler means having a dispensing nozzle mounted within
- an abutment means is mounted on the first trolley means and is adapted to affect the aforementioned hinged opening of the lid portion by contacting a pressure-sensitive area of the rim portion of the hinged closure upon pivoting of the selected container to the filling position thereby to apply a radially directed force of threshold magnitude to a pressure-sensitive area of the rim portion.
- the magazine means comprises a plurality of magazine means arranged within the housing to define first and second opposed lateral directions.
- the device additionally comprises a second trolley means upon which the first trolley means is mounted for independent movement in the first and second longitudinal directions as aforesaid.
- the second trolley means is itself mounted within the housing so as to be independently movable in the first and second opposed lateral directions so as to be selectively positionable adjacent a selected one of the plurality of magazine means. This arrangement thereby allows the gripping of the selected container by the gripper means from the selected one magazine means.
- the plurality of magazine means is each separately tiltable in the second longitudinal direction from an operative rest position upon urging contact by the first trolley means so as to partially displace a selected one of the stacked containers from its oriented stacked relation within the respective magazine means for gripping by the gripping means.
- the filler means includes displacement means adapted to provide relative displacement of the nozzle into operative engagement with the opening to facilitate the aforementioned filling of the selected container.
- the displacement means is preferably mounted on a third trolley means carried by the first trolley means, which third trolley means is adapted for independent movement in the first and second longitudinal directions.
- Figure 1 shows a microprocessor controlled vending apparatus, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, constructed according to the invention for filling and dispensing a plurality of containers 11 each having a neck portion 12 defining a generally circular opening 13 to the container and a closure 14 positioned on the neck portion 12.
- the preferred closure 14 illustrated is a proprietary safety closure available from Polytop Inc. of Slatersville, Rhode Island, U.S.A. While it is generally preferable to use a child-resistant safety closure of this general type when vending potentially noxious substances such as automobile windshield washer anti-freeze or the like, the present invention is not to be restricted to use with such safety closures, nor to any particular hinged closure, so long as the closure is adapted for hinged opening in the manner contemplated by the claims.
- the preferred closure 14 has a rim portion 15 grippingly surrounding the neck portion 12, having a filling and dispensing opening 15a therein, and a lid portion 16 connected by hinge means in the form of a strap 17 to the rim portion 15 so as to selectively seal the opening 15a upon closure of the lid portion.
- the rim portion 15 grippingly surrounds the neck portion 12 and is held fast thereon by conventional means such as complimentary screw threading (not shown) or snap-fitting over an interference rim on the neck portion 12 (also not shown).
- the patented closure 14 illustrated is a child-resistant safety closure wherein the rim portion 15 is adapted to facilitate initial hinged opening of the lid portion 16 upon application of a radially directed compressive force of threshold magnitude to a pressure-sensitive area 38 of the rim portion 15.
- the closure 14 is preferably moulded in one piece of moderately resilient plastics materials.
- the apparatus 10 comprises a substantially cuboidal cabinet means 18 which is formed by opposed side walls 22, opposed top and bottom walls 24, rear wall 23, upper front wall 152 and front access door 19.
- the access door 19 is hinged at the front left corner of Figure 1 to open outwards so as to provide servicing access to an interior housing 20 formed by the cabinet means 18 and to the operative components of the apparatus as described below.
- a first trolley means 21 is mounted on a second trolley means 25 within the housing 20 so as to be movable in first and second opposed longitudinal directions.
- the first longitudinal direction is, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, towards the access door 19 (i.e. in the direction of the arrow A of Figure 5) and the second longitudinal direction is in the opposite direction towards the rear wall 23 of the cabinet means 18 (i.e. in the direction of the arrow B of Figure 2a), but these two terms are not used in this absolute sense in the claims, where they are used in a relative sense so as to be distinguishable from the terms "first lateral direction” and "second lateral direction", which are more fully defined below.
- the first trolley means 21 is mounted on the second trolley means 25 for independent longitudinal movement in the first and second longitudinal direction as aforesaid by means of four side casters 26, which are mounted for rotation on axles 29 affixed two each in projecting coaxial relationship on opposed first 30 and second 31 down plates of the first trolley means 21 adjacent the respective four corners of a generally rectangular top plate 28.
- the casters 26 roll in side tracks 34 affixed to opposed side panels 33 of the second trolley means 25.
- An electrically driven motor means 35 under the control of a suitably programmed microprocessor means (not shown), is mounted to the underside of the top plate 28 and is drivingly connected by a pinion 36 to a rack means 37 rigidly mounted on the underside of the top plate 27 of the second trolley means 25 so as to provide for controlled movement of the first trolley means 21 in said first and second longitudinal directions as required.
- a plurality of magazine means are arranged within the housing to define first and second opposed lateral directions, which directions are at substantially right angles to said first and second longitudinal directions and to the plane of the access door 19.
- One of the magazine means 39 is shown in greater detail in Figure 10, where it will be seen that it is adapted to receive a plurality of the containers 11 in oriented stacked relation therein, with the neck portions 12 protruding from the magazine means 39 substantially in the first longitudinal direction (i.e. towards the access door 19).
- the containers 11 are preferably constructed of low density polyethylene material and are received in the magazine means 39 in doubled-over relation, being at least partially evacuated prior to stacking so as to minimize space requirements, and so as to allow for generally uniform stacking within a cardboard container sleeve 40.
- the cardboard sleeve 40 is dimensioned to slide easily into and out of the magazine means 39, so as to allow the unloading of empty sleeves 40 and the loading of fresh sleeves filled with stacked containers 11.
- the sleeves 40 are closed at their top 41 and bottom 42 ends, but have a vertically oriented longitudinal front slot 43 to accommodate the necks 12 of the containers 11 in protruding stacked relation, as previously referred to.
- a bottom rear pull-tab 44 is torn from the bottom rear corner of the sleeve 40 along perforations 46 so as to allow rear access to the bottommost container 11b.
- a similar top rear pull-tab 45 is then torn from the uppermost corner of the sleeve 40 along perforations 47, so as to allow rear access to the uppermost container 11a.
- a perforation line 48 runs up the middle of the back panel 49 of the sleeve 40 in connecting relationship with the perforations 46 and 47, and the function thereof will become more apparent as this description progresses.
- the top and bottom ends must also be torn away from the carboard sleeve 40 prior to insertion into the magazine means 39, so as to fully expose the top face of the uppermost container 11a and the bottom face of the bottommost container 11b.
- the sleeve can then be slid into the central cavity provided by the magazine means 39 upon unlatching top and bottom latch members 51a and 51b (arrow C) (bottom latch 51 being shown unlatched, while top latch 51 is shown latched) and opening front wall members 52 of the magazine means by hinging them about respective hinge members as indicated by arrows D.
- the sleeve 40 is slightly longer than the walls of the magazine means 39, so that when inserted into the housing, the top edge 54 of the sleeve 40 contacts the underside of a top end member 55, which top end member 55 is rigidly fastened to be positioned above and adjacent to the upper free edge 56 of the magazine means 39 in spaced relationship to said edge 56.
- the sleeve is dimensioned so that, when loaded into the magazine housing, it protrudes sufficiently above the top of the upper free edge 56 to allow the uppermost container 11a to clear the upper free edge 56 when urged in the first longitudinal direction in a manner described below.
- the magazine housing which is preferably constructed of sheet metal or other suitable materials, is of generally rectangular section and, as described above, is sectionally dimensioned to receive the sleeve 40 in its central cavity in a close sliding fit.
- the front wall members 52 of the housing form a longitudinal slot 53 which is adapted to overlie, in aligned registering relation, the slot 43 of the cardboard sleeve 40 so as to allow the neck portions 12 of the containers 11 to protrude therethrough.
- the upper latch member 57a being affixed to the housing 52 adjacent the top end of the housing 52, not only adds a degree of rigidity to the housing structure but protrudes in the first longitudinal direction and provides a platform which facilitates egress of the uppermost container 11a from its position atop the stack of containers 11 loaded into the magazine means 39, as will become apparent hereinafter.
- the lower latch member 51b being affixed lower down on the front face of the magazine housing adds a further degree of rigidity thereto, and is also adapted to protrude in the first longitudinal direction beyond the plane of the front of the housing 52. Both of the latches are slotted in registration with the front slot 53 in order to freely pass the protruding closures 14 affixed to the neck portions 12 of the stacked containers 11.
- each magazine housing is fitted at both rear corners with an ear 59.
- a U-shaped bracket 60 is affixed to the rear wall 23 of the apparatus housing 20 and its side arms 61 surround the ears 59 of each magazine housing 39 in overlapping relation.
- a pivot pin 62 connects each arm 61 to its respective ear 59 so as to allow hinged pivoting of the associated magazine housing. Tilting of the magazine housings in the first longitudinal direction not only facilitates loading and unloading of the cardboard sleeves 40 into the housings when accessed from the access door 19, but also accommodates removal of the uppermost container 11a from the stack of similar containers 11 upon urging contact by the first trolley means 21, as will become more apparent below.
- a gripper means (see especially Figure 3) generally designated by the reference numeral 63, is pivotally mounted on the first trolley means 21 by means of a pivot shaft 64 mounted to a shaft housing 65 which housing 65 is rigidly affixed between the first down plate 30 and an intermediate down plate 32 of the first trolley means, as seen most clearly in Figure 3.
- the pivot shaft 64 is preferably longitudinally adjustable relative to the housing 65 as by screw-threading (not shown) so as to allow adjustment of clearance between the housing 65 and a mounting plate 84 attached to the pivot shaft 64.
- the gripper means 63 is adapted for gripping the uppermost container 11a about the neck portion 12, for withdrawal of said container 11a from the magazine means 39 upon movement of the first trolley means 21 in the first longitudinal direction the gripper means then pivoting to move the selected gripped container (now labelled 11z in Figures 2 and 3) to a filling position illustrated in solid outline in Figure 2 in the following manner.
- the gripper means 63 comprises a first gripping element 66 which is pivotally connected to the first trolley means 21 via a first straight portion 67 mounted on the pivot shaft 64.
- An off-set portion 68 extends in an angled direction towards the first down plate 30 (as best seen in Figure 3) and the gripper means thence continues as a second straight portion 69 in the same direction as the first straight portion 67 to a terminal end portion 70, which terminal end portion 70 is oriented generally transversely at right angles to the second straight portion 69.
- the terminal end portion 70 presents a generally U-shaped slot (see also Figure 9) which is dimensioned to grippingly surround the neck portion 12 of the selected container 11z between first 71 and second 72 spaced ribs surrounding the container neck 12.
- a reversed straight portion 73 extends in reverse direction from the opposite end of the terminal end portion 70 in generally parallel relation to the second straight portion 69.
- a second gripping element 74 in the form of a transversely bent wire bail loop is pivotally mounted in the first gripping element 66 by means of pivot pins 77 for operative gripping of the neck portion 12 of the selected container 11z.
- the bail loop has a first portion 75a which, in the operative position shown in Figure 3a, is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the neck portion 12 of the selected container 11z, and a second portion 75b which, in the same position, is generally transverse to the first portion 75a and to the aforesaid longitudinal axis of the neck portion 12.
- Two bail springs 76 are positioned one each side of the bail loop, each being centrally looped around the respective pivot pin 77, having one free end 78 engaging the first portion 75a of the bail loop, and having the other free end 79 engaging a downturned portion 70a of the terminal end portion 70 of the first gripper means 66, so as to bias the bail loop 75 into gripping relation with the terminal end portion 70 of the first gripping element 66, until such time as the spring biasing provided by the bail springs 76 is released by a release means generally designated by the reference numeral 80.
- the release means 80 comprises the mounting plate 84 which is rigidly attached by a bolt 83 to the adjacent end of the pivot shaft 64, which plate 84 serves as a spacer between the first gripper element 66 and a trip lever 81 which is pivotally mounted on the mounting plate 84 for pivotal movement about a mounting pin 85, as best seen in Figures 3 and 3a.
- a stop pin 142 restricts the pivotal movement of the trip lever 81 in the anti-clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 3a), as the first trolley means 21 moves in the second longitudinal direction, so that the trip lever can positively engage the first portion 75a of the bail loop upon pivotal movement of the attached first gripper means 66 in the second longitudinal direction (i.e. to the right of Figure 3a) thereby to counter the spring biasing of the bail loop by the bail springs 76, so as to cause release of the selected container 11z from the gripping means after filling and sealing of the selected container 11z, as described more fully below.
- the first straight portion 67 of the first gripper element 66 continues past its point of pivotal mounting on the pivot shaft 64 to a terminal end portion 86 which presents a fixed axle 87 extending on either side of the terminal end portion 86.
- Rollers 88 are mounted for free rotation on each of the protruding ends of the axle 87 and are fitted for guided movement in a contoured guide track 89 rigidly fitted to the second trolley means 25 by means of a plurality of support members 153.
- the rollers 88 follow the contour of the guide track 89 so as to cause controlled pivotal movement of the first gripper element 66 and the associated structures of the gripping means 63 previously described.
- an opening means generally designated by the reference numeral 85 in the form of a wedge means 90, is positioned in bridging relation between the parallel arms 91 of a third trolley means 92, which third trolley means 92 is adapted for independent driven movement in said first and second longitudinal directions by means of roller means 93 ( Figure 6) side-mounted, in two longitudinally spaced coaxial pairs, on the lower edges of the third trolley means 92.
- the third trolley means is guided in said first and second longitudinal directions by means of opposed guide tracks 94 along which the roller means 93 roll.
- the guide tracks 94 are rigidly mounted in a trough portion, generally designated by the reference numeral 95, which trough portion 95 is downwardly suspended from the first down plate 30 of the first trolley means 21 by means of a hanger bracket 96. In this manner, the third trolley means 92 is carried by the first trolley means 21.
- the third trolley means 92 is driven in said first and second longitudinal directions by means of an electrical motor 97 mounted on the trough portion 95 with a drive pinion 98 protruding through an opening 99 in the bottom plate 100 of the trough portion 95 to drivingly engage a rack member 101 operatively affixed to the underside of the bottom plate 102 of the third trolley means 92.
- the electrical motor 97 is under timed control of the programmed microprocessor control means (not shown). In this manner, the wedge means 90 is structurally connected to the third trolley means 92 for coordinated travel therewith in the first and second longitudinal directions.
- the wedge means 90 is comprised of a central ramped portion 103 between two side portions 104 and providing a neck-receiving slot.
- the central portion is somewhat shorter in a longitudinal sense than the side portions 104, and is vertically angled somewhat steeper than the two side portions 104.
- the two side portions are angled both upwardly and inwardly towards the central portion 103.
- the wedge means 85 is adapted for engaging an operative underside 16a of the lid portion 16 of the closure 14 as the wedge means 90 moves with the third trolley means 92 in the second longitudinal direction, so as to urge the lid portion 16 to an operatively open position, shown in Figures 8 and 9, at which position the opening means 85 are clear of the container opening 13. This movement will be described more fully below.
- a filler means generally designated by the reference numeral 105, comprises a dispensing nozzle 106 (best seen in Figure 7), which nozzle 106 is adapted to be positionable over the container closure opening 15a when the lid portion 16 is in the fully operatively open position, as shown in Figure 8 and to be engageable therewith so as to be able to fill the container 11z without spillage.
- a displacement means which forms part of the filler means 105.
- the displacement means comprises a generally rectangular plate 107 which is centrally pivoted on each side about a pair of pivot pins 108, which pins each engage respective pairs of downturned ears 109 of the plate 107 and of upturned ears 110 of the parallel arms 91 of the third trolley means 92.
- a pair of coaxial rollers 111 are rotatably mounted on one free end 113 of the plate 107 and are positioned to ride along a parallel pair of contoured tracks 112 formed on the upper free edges of the trough portion 95 of the first trolley means 21, as the third trolley means 92 moves in the first or the second longitudinal directions under the control of the electrical motor 97, as described above.
- the filler means also comprises a filling tube 115 connected to the dispensing nozzle 106 which tube 115 is connected to a solenoid driven flow valve 154 and a liquid flow meter (not shown) and both of which are electrically connected in a known manner to the microprocessor control means (not shown).
- the filling tube 115 exists the apparatus housing 20 through, for example, the adjacent side wall 22, and is connected to a conventional bulk storage tank (not shown) remote from the apparatus 10.
- An appropriately dimensioned bulk storage tank can, as an alternative, be incorporated into the cabinet means 18, for example comprising a container on which the cabinet means sits.
- a conventional float valve switch in the bulk storage tank unit is arranged to send an electrical signal to the microprocessor control means to indicate a near empty condition of the bulk storage tank and to suspend operation of the apparatus 10 until the tank is refilled.
- a closure lid closing means is provided on the first trolley means in the form of a roller means 117 rotatably mounted between the upswept terminal portions 118 of the two parallel arms 91 of the third trolley means 92.
- the roller means 117 is adapted for movement in the first and second longitudinal directions relative to the first trolley means 21 in coordination with the movement of the opening means 85, the spacing between the opening means 85 and the closing means 116 being such that they do not interfere with one another upon said longitudinal movements of the third trolley means 92.
- the upswept terminal portions 118 are dimensioned and the roller means 117 is positioned therebetween so as to engage with the operative top surface 16b of the lid portion 16 of the closure 14 upon withdrawal of the opening means 85 in the first longitudinal direction (as indicated by the leftmost arrow D in Figure 8) subsequent to filling of the selected container 11z and withdrawal of the dispensing nozzle 106, (i.e. subsequent to the rollers 111 returning down the inclined portion 114 of the track 112).
- This engagement causes pivoting of the lid portion 16 in the direction of the broken arrow E of Figure 8, thereby to seal the opening 15a. This operation is more fully described below.
- An abutment means 119 (best seen in Figure 6) is mounted on the first trolley means 21 and is adapted to affect said initial hinged opening of the lid portion 16 by contacting the pressure-sensitive area 38 of the rim portion 15 of the closure 14 upon pivoting of the selected container 11z to the filling position shown in Figure 7.
- the abutment means 119 comprises two arm portions 120 which are each affixed to a respective sidewall 121 of the trough portion of the first trolley means 21.
- the arm portions 120 are transversely angled upwards from their respective points of attachment towards a resilient rubber bumper element 122 mounted in fixed relation between the two arms 120.
- the bumper element 122 is of rounded contour, and protrudes outwardly from between the arm portions 120 so as to make contact with the pressure-sensitive rim portion 38 upon the aforesaid pivoting motion. In this manner, the bumper element applies the required radially directed compressive force to the pressure-sensitive area 38 to release the lid portion 16 from its sealing relation with the rim portion 15, thereby causing initial opening of the hinged lid portion 16 at the filling position, as seen in Figure 7. This action facilitates further opening of the lid portion 16 by the opening means 85 when it moves in the second longitudinal direction (i.e. to the left of Figure 7) to the operative position illustrated in Figure 8.
- the second trolley means 25 is, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, mounted for independent driven movement in the first and second opposed lateral directions so as to be selectively positionable adjacent a selected one of the plurality of magazine means 39.
- the second trolley means 25 is positioned adjacent the right-most magazine means, which in this Figure, constitutes the "selected" magazine means 39a. In this position the uppermost container 11a can be gripped from the selected magazine means 39a by the gripper means 62, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.
- the second trolley means 25 is mounted within the housing 20 for said positioning by means of opposed sets of end rollers 122 mounted for rotation at opposite longitudinal ends of the trolley means 25.
- the rollers 122 are mounted in corresponding parallel guide tracks 123 mounted respectively on the rear wall 20 and in front of the upper portion of the door member 19.
- An electrical drive motor 124 is mounted on top of the second trolley means 25 and engages, by means of a drive pinion 125, a rack member 126 rigidly mounted on the rear wall 20 in parallel relation to the guide tracks 123 mounted below.
- the electrical drive motor 124 is wired in conventional fashion to the microprocessor control means (not shown), and thereby drives the second trolley means 25 in the first and second lateral directions when called upon by the microprocessor control means to do so, as when a particular magazine means 39 is exhausted of containers 11.
- each magazine means 39 has positioned at its lower end, within its interior, a movable base plate 127 which is adapted for movement up and down the central cavity along a generally vertical axis central to the cavity.
- the purpose of this movable base plate 127 is to upwardly advance the containers 11 in the magazine once the uppermost container 11a has been selectively removed from the top of the stack, thereby providing for subsequent selection of the next container, which is, after such advancement, the uppermost container 11a.
- the base plate 127 enters into the cardboard sleeve 40 above the bottom 42 of the sleeve 40 through the opening left in the rear of the sleeve by tearing away off the bottom rear pull-tab 44, so as to situate itself below the lowermost container 11b, as seen in Figure 2.
- the base plate 127 is adapted for the aforesaid upward movement by means of a motor-driven screw-threaded shaft 128, the screw shaft being driven in conventional manner by a worm gear (now shown) drivingly connected to an electrical motor 130 mounted on the base 153.
- the screw shaft 128 engages a threaded bushing 131 held captive in a projecting ear portion 132 ( Figure 2) of the base plate 127.
- the ear portion is dimensioned to protrude through a vertically oriented rear slot 134 centrally positioned in the rear wall portion of the magazine housing to support the base plate 127.
- a microswitch (not shown) is positioned at the top of the magazine housing so as to be tripped by the base plate 127 upon reaching a predetermined position indicative of the selection of the last remaining container (i.e. the bottommost container 11b) from the cardboard sleeve 40. Tripping of the microswitch in this manner causes the microprocessor to activate the electrical motor 124 so as to move the second trolley means 25 in either lateral direction to the next adjacent magazine means with a full container sleeve 40.
- the electrical motor 130 of the now empty magazine means 39 may be simultaneously reversed-energized to drive the base plate 127 downwardly to its bottommost position whereat a cut-out switch (not shown) may be contacted to stop such downward movement, thus readying the magazine means 39 for acceptance of a fresh sleeve 40.
- a vertically oriented cutting wedge 133 ( Figure 2) is centrally positioned on the upper surface of the ear portion 132 in registry with the rear slot 134 and in contacting alignment with the middle perforation line 48 of the cardboard sleeve 40 so as to cause separation of the rear wall of the cardboard sleeve 40 along the middle perforation line 48 as the base plate 127 moves upwardly. This separation in turn allows for upward movement of the ear portion 132 and the attached base plate 127.
- a delivery means in the form of a downwardly sloping delivery chute 136 is affixed to the access door 19 behind an access opening 137 so as to be adapted to deliver a selected container 11z, after filling and sealing, from the point of release from the gripper means 62 to a user dispensing area 138 positioned in the lower half of the access door 19.
- the delivery chute 137 swings outwardly with the access door 19 upon opening thereof, so as to allow unobtruded access to the magazine means 39 and the remainder of the components of the housing 20 for servicing thereof.
- the delivery means 136 may be desirable to include in the delivery means 136 additional overlapping reversed ramps or chutes to ensure controlled and safe delivery of the filled containers to the user dispensing area 138.
- a user inserts the required coinage into a coin slot 139 of a conventional coin actuated switch mechanism 140 positioned on the inside of the access door 19.
- the switch mechanism 140 is electrically wired to the microprocessor (not shown) so as to start the following preferred sequence of operations upon such activation.
- the selected container 11z has been filled and sealed and is now ready to be released from the gripping means 62 to the sloping delivery chute 137 where it will slide to the user access area 138 for retrieval by the user.
- Activation of the switch mechanism 140 by insertion of appropriate coinage causes the microprocessor control means (not shown) to energize the electrical motor means 35, thereby driving the first trolley means 21 and the attached gripper means 62 with the filled container 11z in the second longitudinal direction towards the selected magazine means 39a.
- the rollers 88 travel along and are guided by the contoured guide track 89, with the first gripper element 66 pivoting about the pivot shaft 64.
- Such contact with the stop pin 142 causes, upon continued movement of the first gripper element 66, the wire bail loop 75 to pivot about the pivot pins 77 so that the second portion 75b pulls the container neck portion out of the U-shaped slot in the terminal end portion, thus allowing the filled container to drop free of the gripping means 62 onto the sloping delivery chute 136.
- a coil spring means 143 (see Figure 3) mounted around the shaft housing 65, with one end in contact with the first gripper element 66 and the other free end in contact with the intermediate down plate 32 of the first trolley means 21, upwardly biases the first gripper element 66 with the attached members 75, 76, etc.
- Movement of the first trolley means 21 in the second longitudinal direction to the position shown in Figure 4 causes a downwardly-protruding terminal roller element 145 to urgingly contact an upturned portion 55a of the top end member 55 of the magazine housing, thereby tilting the selected magazine means 39a from its operative rest position, as shown in Figure 1, in the second longitudinal direction to the position shown in Figure 4.
- the uppermost container 11a is contacted from behind by an abutment portion 146 of the first trolley means 21, which portion 146 protrudes into the cardboard sleeve 40 through the opening created by removal of the top rear pull-tab 45.
- This contact causes the uppermost container 11a to be partially displaced from its oriented stacked relation within the selected magazine means 39a outwardingly with its neck portion 12 on the ledge member of the latch 51a, as shown in Figure 4, so as to facilitate its gripping by the gripper means 62.
- the gripper means 63 is strategically positioned over the neck portion of the uppermost container 11a.
- energization of the electric motor 35 reverses, causing the first trolley means 21 and the attached first gripper element 66 to move in the opposite first longitudinal direction. Movement of the rollers 88 up the ramped portion 144 causes downward pivoting of the first gripper element 66, against the biasing of the coil spring 143, to the position shown in Figure 5.
- the second rib 72 of the uppermost container 11a is firmly gripped, with the aide of the bail springs 76, between the terminal end portion 70 of the first gripper element 66 and the second portion 75b of the wire bail loop 74.
- the uppermost container 11a has been "selected” and is now the "selected container” 11z, as that term is used in the claims hereof.
- the first trolley means 21 continues moving in the first longitudinal direction, as shown by the arrow F of Figure 5, to the position where the first gripper element 66 and the selected container 11z are as shown in phantom outline in Figure 2.
- the positioning of the first trolley means 21 is, for simplicity of illustration, not shown at this point, but such positioning is slightly to the left of the position thereof shown in solid outline in Figure 2.
- the selected magazine means 39a has returned to its operative rest position and that the rollers 88 have just contacted an end wall 147 of the guide track 89.
- the first gripper element 66 is still spring biased to the same general orientation as that of Figure 5.
- the electrical drive motor 35 is de-energized and the electrical motor 97 is energized under the control of the microprocessor means, so as to drive the third trolley means 92 in the second longitudinal direction.
- This movement causes the central portion 103 of the wedge means 90 to push against the operative underside 16a of the lid portion 16, thereby urging the lid portion to the operatively open position shown in Figures 8 and 9.
- the side portions 104 of the wedge means 90 slide past the sides of the lid portion 16.
- the rollers 111 on the displacement means 107 have proceeded up the inclined portion 114 of the track 112, thereby causing the plate 107 of the dispensing means to pivot the dispensing nozzle 106 into sealing engagement with the raised lip portion 148 of the closure 14.
- a microswitch (not shown) is activated by contact with the pivoted plate 107, thereby signalling the microprocessor control means to open the solenoid driven flow valve 154 and to begin pumping of the flowable substance from the bulk storage tank (not shown) through the filling tube 115.
- the microprocessor control means signals the solenoid driven flow valve 154 to close it and to cease pumping of the flowable substance.
- the electrical drive motor 97 is reverse energized, causing the third trolley means 92 to move in the first longitudinal direction as indicated by the arrow D of Figure 8.
- This movement in turn causes the filler means 105, including the dispensing nozzle 106, to withdraw clear of the closure 14.
- continued movement in this direction causes the roller means 117 to contact the operative top surface 16b of the lid portion 16, thereby mechanically closing the hinged lid portion 16 (as indicated by the broken arrow E) so as to seal the opening 13.
- a ring sealing lip 149 located on the operative underside 16a of the lid portion 16 fits inside of the lip portion 148 on the rim portion 15 to ensure positive sealing.
- the microprocessor control means then de-energizes the drive motor 97 and waits until it is again activated by the coin activated switch 140, when the entire process is again repeated.
- the delivery chute 137 may be constructed as a plurality of separately walled chutes, the plurality corresponding to the plurality of magazine means.
- the microprocessor control means could be programmed to cause filling and dispensing of a specified number of filled containers from each magazine means into the respective chute. When this number is depleted by users to a predetermined level, as determined by weight sensors or other sensors associated with the respective delivery chute, further containers could be filled and dispensed to again load the delivery chute to the specified number of filled containers.
- the second trolley means 25 would then advance to the next magazine means full of containers and repeat the filling process.
- the filled containers in this instance could be paid for by the consumer at the retail check-out counter or, as a further option, standard coin-operated unit access technology could be applied to the front of the cabinet means 18, thereby allowing only selection of a single filled container from the delivery chute upon insertion of the proper coinage.
- the apparatus 10 can just as easily operate from a starting position where the selected container 11z as shown in Figure 1 is empty and the filling step previously described commences upon insertion of the appropriate coinage. Moreover, the activation could also occur at the selection stage shown in Figures 4 and 5.
- the inventive apparatus is designed to perform all of the function steps of the process claims in a continuous loop, all that is required in any particular user activation is that all of the process steps be sequentially performed, although the starting and stopping points in the process loop may vary.
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE19883886210 DE3886210T2 (de) | 1988-08-10 | 1988-08-10 | Verteiler für Behälter mit Deckeln. |
AT88113007T ATE98388T1 (de) | 1988-08-10 | 1988-08-10 | Verteiler fuer behaelter mit deckeln. |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US07/069,079 US4815256A (en) | 1987-07-02 | 1987-07-02 | Capped container dispenser |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0354257A1 EP0354257A1 (en) | 1990-02-14 |
EP0354257B1 true EP0354257B1 (en) | 1993-12-08 |
Family
ID=22086607
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP88113007A Expired - Lifetime EP0354257B1 (en) | 1987-07-02 | 1988-08-10 | Capped container dispenser |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US4815256A (es) |
EP (1) | EP0354257B1 (es) |
CA (1) | CA1299544C (es) |
ES (1) | ES2048748T3 (es) |
HK (1) | HK11196A (es) |
Families Citing this family (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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CA1334087C (en) * | 1989-08-10 | 1995-01-24 | Frederick Edmund Hurd | Container positioning system |
WO2000021837A1 (en) | 1998-10-13 | 2000-04-20 | In-Flo Liquid Dispensing Corporation | Method and apparatus for capping, evacuating and folding collapsible plastic containers |
US6889482B2 (en) * | 2002-10-10 | 2005-05-10 | Fogg Filler Company | Filler device sub-assembly |
AU2003300415A1 (en) * | 2002-12-27 | 2004-07-29 | Advanced Plastics Technologies Ltd | Apparatus and process for manufacturing and filling flexible pouches |
US20060118509A1 (en) * | 2004-08-31 | 2006-06-08 | Consumer Innovation Partners, Lp | Semi-collapsible container |
US7980045B2 (en) * | 2006-06-14 | 2011-07-19 | International Packaging Solutions Llc | Systems and methods for filling a collapsible container |
ES2892751T3 (es) | 2006-01-18 | 2022-02-04 | Coimmune Inc | Sistemas y métodos para el procesamiento de muestras en un recipiente cerrado y dispositivos relacionados |
WO2014143893A2 (en) * | 2013-03-15 | 2014-09-18 | Hvac Inventors/Systemation, Inc. | Apparatus and method for placement of angle plates in transverse duct flanges |
US20140290181A1 (en) * | 2013-04-01 | 2014-10-02 | Bottle Tree Water Corporation | System and Method for Eco-Friendly Beverage Dispensing Kiosk |
DE102013109377A1 (de) * | 2013-08-29 | 2015-03-05 | Krones Ag | Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Befüllen von Großbehältnissen |
US10829280B2 (en) * | 2015-12-03 | 2020-11-10 | Drop Water Corporation | Compostable single-use beverage container and associated mechanism for sealing the container |
CN111524286A (zh) * | 2019-12-30 | 2020-08-11 | 广州富港万嘉智能科技有限公司 | 方便储料出料的食物自动贩卖机 |
CN111524285A (zh) * | 2019-12-30 | 2020-08-11 | 广州富港万嘉智能科技有限公司 | 快速下料的食物自动贩卖机和高速下料的食物自动贩卖机 |
CN111524276A (zh) * | 2019-12-30 | 2020-08-11 | 广州富港万嘉智能科技有限公司 | 方便添加食物的食物自动贩卖机 |
CN111524284A (zh) * | 2019-12-30 | 2020-08-11 | 广州富港万嘉智能科技有限公司 | 方便下料的食物自动贩卖机 |
CN111524293A (zh) * | 2019-12-30 | 2020-08-11 | 广州富港万嘉智能科技有限公司 | 定量落料的食物自动贩卖机 |
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US2284660A (en) * | 1937-11-05 | 1942-06-02 | American Can Co | Container treating machine |
US2673020A (en) * | 1949-06-28 | 1954-03-23 | American Can Co | Container opening device |
US2821824A (en) * | 1955-11-03 | 1958-02-04 | Cherry Burrell Corp | Carton handling apparatus |
US2940229A (en) * | 1958-11-10 | 1960-06-14 | Ball Brothers Co Inc | Decapping containers |
US2990073A (en) * | 1959-03-04 | 1961-06-27 | Andre F Textor | Machine for conveying and dumping milk cans |
US2995883A (en) * | 1960-07-05 | 1961-08-15 | Owens Illinois Glass Co | Removing temporary seals from containers |
US3242951A (en) * | 1963-10-30 | 1966-03-29 | Corrugated Container Company | Filler head |
GB1088545A (en) * | 1963-11-29 | 1967-10-25 | Petrus Martinus Robertus Schoe | Vending device for beverages, especially ice cream, whipped cream, etc. |
US3299606A (en) * | 1964-05-21 | 1967-01-24 | Gen Films Inc | Automatic filling machine |
US3447281A (en) * | 1966-05-19 | 1969-06-03 | Charles G Buford | Apparatus for filling containers |
US3513621A (en) * | 1967-08-31 | 1970-05-26 | Microbiological Instr Inc | Method and apparatus for automatically opening,filling and closing receptacles with telescoping covers |
US3529399A (en) * | 1968-04-01 | 1970-09-22 | Corrugated Container Co | Apparatus for automatic filling and capping of liquid containers having semi-rigid walls |
US3813845A (en) * | 1972-06-23 | 1974-06-04 | Gen Films Inc | Filling and sealing system |
US4120134A (en) * | 1977-07-05 | 1978-10-17 | Scholle Corporation | Apparatus for and method of filling flexible containers |
AU532109B2 (en) * | 1979-08-20 | 1983-09-15 | Flex Pack Service and Supplies Pty Ltd | Apparatus for liquid filling flexible collapsible containers |
NZ194774A (en) * | 1979-08-29 | 1983-09-02 | Brown Albert M | Semi-automatic filling of wine cask type containers |
US4283901A (en) * | 1979-12-20 | 1981-08-18 | Liqui-Box Corporation | Continuous rotary machine for uncapping, filling and recapping flexible bags having separable caps |
JPS56113528A (en) * | 1980-02-05 | 1981-09-07 | Dainippon Printing Co Ltd | Germless filling method |
US4363338A (en) * | 1980-09-08 | 1982-12-14 | Brown Albert M | Liquid filling machine |
US4510737A (en) * | 1981-11-13 | 1985-04-16 | B-Bar-B, Inc. | Machine and method for filling flexible containers |
US4524563A (en) * | 1981-12-10 | 1985-06-25 | Tito Manzini & Figli S.P.A. | Process and plant for aseptic filling of pre-sterilized, non-rigid containers |
US4530202A (en) * | 1982-01-18 | 1985-07-23 | Aci Australia Limited | Container filling machine and method |
US4494363A (en) * | 1982-08-20 | 1985-01-22 | Franrica Mfg. Inc. | Method and apparatus for aseptically filling containers |
EP0129502B1 (en) * | 1983-06-15 | 1988-08-10 | Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Apparatus for filling bags |
US4574559A (en) * | 1985-01-04 | 1986-03-11 | Rutter Christopher C | Flexible bag automatic filling and capping apparatus |
FR2577912B1 (fr) * | 1985-02-25 | 1987-03-20 | Smh Alcatel | Distributeur automatique d'articles plats |
US4620411A (en) * | 1985-04-01 | 1986-11-04 | Liqui-Box Corporation | Filler for bags connected in a continuous strip |
DE3764413D1 (de) * | 1986-06-27 | 1990-09-27 | App Automatiques Sirops | Automat fuer warme und kalte getraenke, welche mit einem wasserloeslichen extrakt zubereitet werden. |
US4735334A (en) * | 1986-08-07 | 1988-04-05 | Sunbeam Plastics Corporation | Dispensing closure |
-
1987
- 1987-07-02 US US07/069,079 patent/US4815256A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1988
- 1988-06-06 CA CA000568745A patent/CA1299544C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-08-10 EP EP88113007A patent/EP0354257B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-08-10 ES ES88113007T patent/ES2048748T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1996
- 1996-01-18 HK HK11196A patent/HK11196A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0354257A1 (en) | 1990-02-14 |
ES2048748T3 (es) | 1994-04-01 |
CA1299544C (en) | 1992-04-28 |
HK11196A (en) | 1996-01-26 |
US4815256A (en) | 1989-03-28 |
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