GB2374858A

GB2374858A - Container for dispensing machine having a circuit breaker incorporated therein

Info

Publication number: GB2374858A
Application number: GB0019814A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Marks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-08-12
Filing date: 2000-08-12
Publication date: 2002-10-30
Also published as: GB0019814D0

Abstract

A container 5 for use in a dispensing machine, such as a beverage dispensing machine, comprises a fuse or circuit breaker device 9. The machine has electrical contacts 3, 9 which connect with the container 5 when it is in place. A transmitter and receiver 1, 2 are incorporated into the machine, and when the contents of the container 5 are emptied the receiver 2 receives a signal from the transmitter 1, which causes a microprocessor to send a charge to the fuse device 9, breaking the circuit between the machine and the container 5. This ensures that the container 5 cannot be simply refilled and reused, but must be replaced with a fresh container 5 with an intact fuse 9 which completes the electronic circuit between the dispensing machine and the container 5. The transmitter 1 and receiver 2 may be electrical or optical, and when the container 5 is full the contents obstruct the parts, preventing communication between them.

Description

This invention relates to containers in general. In this embodiment of the invention containers are for use in beverage dispensing or a beverage vending machine.

In most known beverage dispensing machines there are containers inside the machine, which store the material to be dispensed. Over a period of time these containers become contaminated and unhygienic. The purpose of the invention is to ensure that a new container is used each time the contents of the previous container have been dispensed. The invention ensures that the same container cannot be refilled with new or similar particulate material and used again.

There are in existence many types of beverage vending machines, which utilise containers of various types.

In general it is possible or necessary to refill these types of containers after its contents have been dispensed.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of an example only by the accompanying drawings marked as fig 1.

The invention comprises of two parts. In the first part, attached to the container (5) is a material (7), which can be flexible, or rigid, onto which is defined a track or tracks (12), which are made of a material suitable for the purpose of conducting an electrical current. The track forms one part of an electrical circuit. The circuit has two areas of contact (11) & (8). Placed or printed upon the circuit and connected to it or printed or etched upon it is a device or area (9), which acts as a circuit breaker.

In the second part of the invention the container (5) is inserted into the beverage dispensing machine into a suitably shaped receptacle, in this case a circular collar (6). When the container is placed into the collar a connection is made between the container via contact points (8 & 11) and the beverage machine via the metal connectors (3 & 9) and the insertion of the container into the receptacle completes an electrical or electronic circuit.

The collar (6) is fitted with a transmitter (1) and a receiver (2). In the first instance the container (5) is filled with material being either a powder or liquid. Initially the path between the transmitter (1) and receiver (2) is blocked by the particulate material in the container. When sufficient material has been dispensed from the container (5) the level of the material drops below the level of the transmitter and receiver. When this condition occurs the transmitter sends a signal to the receiver, which then sends a signal to a microprocessor to indicate that the container is empty. Upon receipt of such a signal the microprocessor will send an electrical signal to the circuit breaker (9) via the electrical contact (4), which is then transmitted or conducted, to the circuit breaker (9), which is then opened after which the circuit is broken.

Once the circuit is opened the now empty container cannot be used again. The empty container must be removed from the machine and replaced with a new container.

In this embodiment of the invention a fuse is used for the purposes of breaking the circuit after the contents of the container have been dispensed. The same result may be achieved by the use of a printed logic circuit or microchip or any other device, which acts a circuit breaker.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claim

1. A device made of a suitable material which when fitted or attached to a container will act as a fuse or circuit breaker. The fuse may be broken or disabled by the dispensing machine when all or part of the material in the container has been dispensed.

2. A device contained within a machine designed to dispense the material in the container that acts as a connector to the device fitted to the container thereby enabling the electricity or other such suitable energy to be transmitted to the fuse device sufficient to break or open the circuit between the dispensing machine and the container at a time determined by microprocessor or other electronic control method.

3. An optical or electronic device including a transmitter and receiver fitted to the dispensing machine which when obsturated by particulate material or liquid contained within the container will indicate to the dispensing machine that the container is not empty.

4. An optical or electronic device as claimed in any preceding claim which when not obsturated by particulate or liquid material contained within the container will activate a microprocessor to send a charge to the fuse device as described in any proceeding claim.

5. Devices used as described in any preceding claim which will prevent a container of which the material in the said container has been dispensed from being used again.

6. A empty container non refill device constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and with reference to the drawing marked fig 1 with reference to items 1-12