EP1820166A1

EP1820166A1 - Vending apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP1820166A1
Application number: EP05811188A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Liam Eastwood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-30
Filing date: 2005-11-30
Publication date: 2007-08-22
Also published as: WO2006058785A1; GB0426260D0

Abstract

The present invention provides a vending apparatus, in particular a vending apparatus which requires little electrical power for the operation thereof, relying instead primarily on gravity to effect the operation of same, the apparatus comprising an inclined passage for holding a plurality of objects to be dispensed, such that the objects migrate under the influence of gravity towards a lower end of the passage, the apparatus further comprising a dispenser in operative association with the end of the passage, and operable to dispense a single object at a time from the passage, primarily under the influence of gravity.

Description

A Vending Apparatus

The present invention is concerned with a vending apparatus, in particular a vending apparatus which requires little electrical power for the operation thereof, relying instead primarily on gravity to effect the operation of same.

The present invention provides a vending apparatus comprising a passage inclined, in use, to allow the gravity driven displacement of objects towards a lower end of the passage; a dispenser disposed in operative association with the lower end, the dispenser operable, in a locked state, to retain an object at the lower end, and in an unlocked state to allow the object to be dispensed from the lower end under the influence of gravity; and a lock in operative association with the dispenser.

Preferably, the lock returns unpowered to the locked state following the actuation thereof.

Preferably, the lock is biased into the locked state.

Preferably, the dispenser comprises a rotatable turnstile defining a number of receptacles, each receptacle being shaped and dimensioned to receive one of the objects.

Preferably, the turnstile is freely rotatable when in the unlocked state, in order to be rotatable in response to the gravity driven displacement of one of the objects against the turnstile, such that said object is displaced from the passage via the turnstile.

Preferably, the turnstile is rotatable about an axis substantially transverse to the direction of gravity driven displacement of the objects towards the lower end.

Preferably, the axis of the turnstile is located beneath the passage and a portion of the turnstile projects upwardly into the passage.

Preferably, each receptacle is defined between a pair of tined paddles, a wall of the passage having a plurality of slots to permit the passage of the tines therethrough during rotation of the turnstile.

Preferably, each tine has a rounded outer end.

Preferably, the dispenser comprises a first stop adjacent the lower end, which first stop, with the dispenser in the locked state, projects into the passage to engage and retain an object therein, and with the dispenser in the unlocked state, is withdrawn out of engagement with the object in order to allow the object to be displace under the influence of gravity past the first stop and to be dispensed from the passage. Preferably, the dispenser further comprises a second stop located upstream of the first stop with respect to the direction of gravity driven displacement of the objects, the second stop projecting into the passage, when the dispenser is in the unlocked state, to engage and retain the penultimate object in the passage, and is withdrawn out of engagement with same, when the dispenser is in the locked state, in order to allow the penultimate object to be displaced into engagement with the first stop.

Preferably, the dispenser comprises a lever acting at a first end on the first stop, and acting at a second end on the second stop, the lever being hingedly mounted at a position between the first and second ends.

Preferably, the lock acts on the lever in order to effect the simultaneous displacement of the first and second stops.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a first embodiment of a vending apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a lower end of a passage forming part of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a second embodiment of a vending apparatus according to the present invention, in which a dispenser forming part of the apparatus is in a locked state; and

Figure 4 illustrates a sectioned side view of the apparatus of Figure 3, in which the dispenser is in an unlocked state.

Referring now to figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated a first embodiment of a vending apparatus, generally indicated as 10, which is adapted to carry a plurality of objects 12, and to dispense said objects 12 from the apparatus 10, one at a time, as will be described hereinafter. The apparatus 10 comprises a passage 14 which, in use, is inclined to the horizontal such that the plurality of objects 12 located therein will slide, under the influence of gravity, towards a lower end 16 of the passage 14. It will be appreciated that the passage 14 could be of any suitable form, for example open one or more sides, or fully enclosed in the form of a tube. It is however preferable that the passage 14 should have a smooth interior, in order to facilitate the gravity driven displacement of the objects 12 therealong. It should also be apparent that the objects 12 may be stored, in bulk, in a location remote from the passage 14, for example in a hopper (not shown) or the like, to be automatically or otherwise dispensed into the passage 14 as required or as space becomes available in the passage 14.

Alternatively, the passage 14 could extend upwardly in a spiral form or the like, and be filled with the objects 12, therefore being capable of storing a significant number of the objects 12.

Disposed adjacent and in operative association with the lower end 16 is a dispenser in the form of a turnstile 18 which is rotatably mounted about an axis 20, which lies substantially transverse to the direction in which the objects 12 travel down the passage 14. The turnstile 18 consists of, in the embodiment illustrated, four paddles 22 extending radially outwardly from the axis 20, each paddle 22 consisting of a plurality of tines 24. It should therefore be understood that the meaning of the term "paddle" is not intended to be limited to a solid surface, although it will also be appreciated that each paddle 22 could be formed as a solid surface, with suitable modifications to the passage 14, as will be described hereinafter.

Adjacent paddles 22 define a respective receptacle 26 therebetween, which is shaped and dimensioned to receive one of the objects 12 therein, as illustrated. Thus as the objects 12 slide down the passage 14, the leading or lowermost object 12 will enter one of the receptacles 26, and under the influence of gravity, cause the turnstile 18 to rotate, and thus deposit the object 12 therein onto a guide vane 28 disposed beneath the lower end 16. This guide vane 28 will then conventionally lead to a discharge trough (not shown) or the like, from which the object 12 may be collected. It will of course be understood that any other arrangement could be provided beneath or associated with the lower end 16, to transport the objects 12 to a location for collection by the customer.

In order to allow the turnstile 18 to rotate as described, a floor 30 of the passage 14, disposed between a pair of opposed sidewalls 32, is provided with, in the embodiment illustrated, four slots 34 (only one visible in Fig. 2) corresponding roughly in dimension and orientation to the tines 24 of each paddle 22. Thus as the turnstile 18 rotates, the tines 24 of the receptacle 26 located beneath the passage 14 can pass upwardly through the slots 34, in order to receive the next object 12 to be dispensed. Were the paddles 22 solid in form, the floor 30 would necessarily have to terminate a suitable distance upstream of the turnstile 18, in order to allow for the rotation of same. However, once such a solid paddle (not shown) had rotated past the floor 30, a large gap would be left between the floor 30 and the axis 20 of the turnstile 18, into which the following object 12 would drop, possible causing the turnstile 18 to jam. A combination of the tines 24 and slots 34 avoids this problem.

It will be understood that if the apparatus 10 were to operate with the turnstile 18 freely rotatable within the passage 14, once the first object 12 had been dispensed, the next object 12 would simply slide into the following receptacle 26, which would then also be dispensed from the apparatus 10, and so. The apparatus 10 is therefore provided with a lock (not shown) in operative association with the turnstile 18, and adapted to selectively enable rotation of the turnstile 18, for example in response to payment of a required fee by a customer, whether through the physical deposition of currency or a token, or by credit card payment or similar electronic payment. The lock (not shown) may be of any suitable form, for example a suitable latch arrangement (not shown) engaging a toothed wheel (not shown) mounted to the axis 20 or the like. Release of the lock is preferably solenoid (not shown) activated, with the solenoid preferably being activated by insertion of a coin or the like into the vending apparatus 10, as is conventionally done.

Once the lock (not shown) has been released, the turnstile 18 is free to rotate, thereby transferring the lowermost object 12 in the passage 14 onto the guide vane 28, to be dispensed from the apparatus 10. Once the turnstile 18 has completed a quarter of a revolution, such as to bring the next empty receptacle 26 into register with the passage 14, the lock (not shown) re-engages, thus locking the turnstile 18 in position until the next coin or the like is deposited into the apparatus 10. The lock would of course have to re-engage after a different fraction of a revolution if the number of paddles 22 and therefore receptacles 26 were greater or lesser than the four of the present embodiment. In addition, the lock (not shown) is preferably arranged to automatically return to the locked state after a predetermined interval, without requiring the consumption of power, in particular electrical power. Thus the lock can be said to be biased into the locked state, preferably spring biased as in the case of a solenoid, thereby returning unpowered to the locked state. The apparatus 10 may be provided with suitable control means, for example a timing circuit (not shown) operable to effect actuation or disengagement of the lock (not shown) for a set interval corresponding with the time taken for the turnstile 18 to complete a quarter of a revolution.

Alternatively, the control means could include an optic or mechanical sensor (not shown) or the like which is adapted to sense the desired revolution of the turnstile 18, and to then facilitate re-engagement of the lock in order to arrest the further rotation of the turnstile 18.

It will therefore be appreciated that the apparatus 10 operates primarily by means of gravity, the only powered component thereof being the lock (not shown) , which only requires minimum power to effect the actuation of same, and preferably does not require power to return from the unlocked to the locked state.

Referring now to figures 3 and 4, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the vending apparatus of the present invention, generally indicated as 110, again preferably for dispensing one object 112 at a time from the apparatus 110. In this alternative embodiment, like components have been accorded like reference numerals, and unless otherwise stated, perform a like function. The apparatus 110 is comprised primarily of a passage 114 which in use is inclined to the horizontal, such that the plurality of objects 112 located within the passage 114 slide, under the influence of gravity, towards a lower end 116 of the passage 114. Mounted adjacent and in operative association with the lower end 116 is a dispenser 118 which is adapted to dispense one object 112 at a time from the passage 114. The passage 114 is comprised of a floor 130 extending between a pair of opposed sidewalls 132, although the passage 114 could of course be of any other suitable form, for example a wire frame (not shown) or the like.

The dispenser 118 comprises a first stop 50 which is preferably substantially equal in width to the passage 114, the first stop 50 being connected to or acted on by a lever 52, forming part of the dispenser 118, which is hingedly mounted beneath the floor 130 via a hinge 54. The lever 52 is therefore operable to displace the first stop 50 between a position projecting upwardly from the floor 130 into the passage 114, such as to engage and retain the lower-most object 112 at the lower end 116 of the passage 114, referred to as the locked position, and a position in which the first stop 50 is out of register with the passage 114, referred to as the unlocked position, allowing the lower-most object 112 to be dispensed from the passage 114 under the influence of gravity. The first stop 50 is connected to or acted on by the lever 52 adjacent a first end 56 of the lever 52, while a second end 58 of the lever 52, disposed beyond the hinge 54, abuts against a second stop 60 hingedly mounted to the floor 130. Thus when the first end 56 of the lever 52 is hinged downwardly, such as to draw the first stop 50 out of register with the passage 114, the second end 58 of the lever 52 is displaced upwardly against the second stop 60, forcing the second stop 60 to be hinged upwardly and engage a leading edge of the penultimate object 112, in order to retain said penultimate object 112 in place, while the lower-most object 112 is being dispensed from the passage 114 under the influence of gravity. This action therefore ensures that only a single object 112 is dispensed from the passage 114 at a time.

Once the lowermost object 112 has been dispensed from the passage 114, the dispenser 118 is returned to the locked state in which the lever 52 is returned to a position in which the first stop 50 again projects into the passage 114, and the second stop 60 is seated flush with the floor 130, thereby allowing the previously penultimate object 112 to slide downwardly into engagement with the first stop 50, ready to be dispensed.

In order to effect operation of the dispenser 118, the apparatus 110 is provided with a lock in the form of a ram 62 (not visible in Fig. 3) , which may for example be a solenoid, a hydraulic or pneumatic ram, or could be replaced with a cam arrangement or the like, located beneath the floor 130 and connected to or acting on the lever 52 adjacent the second end 58, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Extension of the ram 62 forces the second end 58 against the second stop 60, while retraction of the ram 62 displaces the first stop 50 into the passage 114. The apparatus 110 may be provided with suitable control means, for example a timing circuit (not shown) operable to effect extension of the ram 62 for a set interval corresponding with the time taken for one object 112 to pass over the first stop 50. Alternatively, the control means could include an optical or mechanical sensor (not shown) or the like which is adapted to sense the passage of one of the objects 112 past the first stop 50, and to then facilitate return of the dispenser 118 to the locked state by released or retracting the ram 62.

Thus it is again apparent that the apparatus 110 is operated primarily by gravity, the ram 62 preferably being the only powered component thereof. The ram 62, as with the lock of the first embodiment, is preferably actuated in response to a suitable payment or other input from a customer, in order to allow dispensing of an object 112 from the apparatus 110.

Claims

1. A vending apparatus comprising a passage inclined, in use, to allow the gravity driven displacement of objects towards a lower end of the passage; a dispenser disposed in operative association with the lower end, the dispenser operable, in a locked state, to retain an object at the lower end, and in an unlocked state to allow the object to be dispensed from the lower end under the influence of gravity; and a lock in operative association with the dispenser.

2. A vending apparatus according to claim 1 in which the lock returns unpowered to the locked state following the actuation thereof.

3. A vending apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 in which the lock is biased into the locked state.

4. A vending apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the dispenser comprises a rotatable turnstile defining a number of receptacles, each receptacle being shaped and dimensioned to receive one of the objects.

5. A vending apparatus according to claim 4 in which the turnstile is freely rotatable when in the unlocked state, in order to be rotatable in response to the gravity driven displacement of one of the objects against the turnstile, such that said object is displaced from the passage via the turnstile.

6. A vending apparatus according to claim 4 or 5 in which the turnstile is rotatable about an axis substantially transverse to the direction of gravity driven displacement of the objects towards the lower end.

7. A vending apparatus according to claim 6 in which the axis of the turnstile is located beneath the passage and a portion of the turnstile projects upwardly into the passage.

8. A vending apparatus according to any of claims 4 to 7 in which each receptacle is defined between a pair of tined paddles, a wall of the passage having a plurality of slots to permit the passage of the tines therethrough during rotation of the turnstile.

9. A vending apparatus according to claim 8 in which each tine has a rounded outer end.

10. A vending apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the dispenser comprises a first stop adjacent the lower end, which first stop, with the dispenser in the locked state, projects into the passage to engage and retain an object therein, and with the dispenser in the unlocked state, is withdrawn out of engagement with the object in order to allow the object to be displace under the influence of gravity past the first stop and to be dispensed from the passage.

11. A vending apparatus according to claim 10 in which the dispenser further comprises a second stop located upstream of the first stop with respect to the direction of gravity driven displacement of the objects, the second stop projecting into the passage, when the dispenser is in the unlocked state, to engage and retain the penultimate object in the passage, and is withdrawn out of engagement with same, when the dispenser is in the locked state, in order to allow the penultimate object to be displaced into engagement with the first stop.

12. A vending apparatus according to claim 11 in which the dispenser comprises a lever acting at a first end on the first stop, and acting at a second end on the second stop, the lever being hingedly mounted at a position between the first and second ends.

13. A vending apparatus according to claim 12 in which the lock acts on the lever in order to effect the simultaneous displacement of the first and second stops.