US3904271A

US3904271A - Selection display apparatus for coin-operated vending machine

Info

Publication number: US3904271A
Application number: US475567A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herman J Merrigan
Original assignee: Seeburg Corp
Current assignee: Seeburg Corp
Priority date: 1974-06-03
Filing date: 1974-06-03
Publication date: 1975-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-09

Abstract

Disclosed is a selection display for coin-operated vending machine, mounted on a support positioned at the front of the vending machine are vertically disposed rows of prism display elements extending outwardly toward the front of the vending machine in essentially a horizontal orientation. Printed selection display strips are held flat against the lower surface of the prism display elements by retaining flanges which are adapted to permit the selection display strips to be easily removed and replaced. The selection display strips are not viewable when a viewer stands more than a few feet from the vending machine because of the angular orientation and optical properties of the prism display elements. However, as the viewer approaches the immediate proximity of the vending machine, the display strips suddenly become viewable substantially simultaneously.

Description

United States Patent Merrigan Sept. 9, 1975 SELECTION DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR Primary Examiner-John K. Corbin COIN-OPERATED VENDING MACHINE Attorney, Agent, or FirmKirkland & Ellis [75] Inventor: Herman J. Merrigan, Chicago, Ill. AB STR A CT [73] AsS'gnee: The Seeburg Corporauon Chlcago Disclosed is a selection display for coin-operated vending machine, mounted on a support positioned at [22] Filed: June 3, 1974 the front of the vending machine are vertically dis- Appl. No.: 475,567

Field of Search 350/1 IO. H2, 287, 286; 221/2, 4, 5

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l968 Tate, Jr 350/287 UX 7/l97l Ruppert 350/112 X 'I/IIIIIIIIIIIII/l posed rows of pn'sm display elements extending outwardly toward the front of the vending machine in essentially a horizontal orientation. Printed selection dis play strips are held flat against the lower surface of the prism display elements by retaining flanges which are adapted to permit the selection display strips to be easily removed and replaced. The selection display strips are not viewable when a viewer stands more than a few feet from the vending machine because of the angular orientation and optical properties of the prism display elements. However, as the viewer approaches the immediate proximity of the vending machine, the display strips suddenly become viewable substantially simultaneously.

16 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures SELECTION DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR COIN-OPERATED VENDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to informational displays and, more particularly to a selection display arrangement for coin-operated vending machines.

2. Description of the Prior Art Vending machines typically exhibit selection displays, the purpose of which is to inform consumers of the products or services ofi'ered and information necessary for their procurement. Many types of selection displays have been utilized in vending machines.

One common selection display consists of a row or rows of windows behind which the item to be selected for vending is physically positioned. Other types of selection displays utilize either a horizontally or vertically disposed panel having printed selection display strips arranged thereon.

Typically, the selection display strips are adjacent to an associated selection button or relate sufficent information to allow the consumer to press the appropriate selection button. An example is coin-operated phonographs wherein each record available for selection is identified on a selection display strip positioned adjacent to the appropriate selector button code. In contrast, coin-operated cigarette vending machines often display a replica of the cigarette pack mounted adjacent to the appropriate selector button, such that the purchaser can select the desired brand of cigarette and press the proper selector button.

One of the undesirable features of many prior art selection display arrangements is that the vending machine, with its selection display strips viewable at some distance from the vending machine, has a somewhat undesirable appearance. Additionally, the selection display is typically lighted to facilitate reading and selection, rendering the display quite noticeable and sometimes unpleasant in appearance. Consequently, the decorum of an establishment in which such vending machines may be placed might be adversely affected, causing the owners of these establishments reluctant to allow these vending machines to be installed.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a selection display arrangement for coin-operated vending machines that adequately exhibits the selection display strips when a consumer is in close proximity to the vending machine but is not otherwise visible, thus allowing the vending machine to present a more pleasing appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A selection display for a coin-operated vending machine for displaying selection display strips having a lexical message printed thereon in accordance with the present invention comprises a mounting means attached to the front of the vending machine. Prism means are mounted on the mounting means, and retaining means are provided on the prism means for holding the selection display strips against the lower surface of the prism means.

The mounting means may comprise a panel, on which the prism means are mounted along a back edge so that the prism means extend outwardly in a cantilever fashion, or the mounting means may alternatively comprise two essentially parallel flat rectangular support members, between which the prism means are mounted along at least two opposite edges.

The prism means comprise solid transparent substantially triangular polyhedrons (although the exact shape of said prism means may be varied) having at least two opposite substantially flat surfaces oriented at an acute angle with respect to each other.

The prism means are angularly positioned so that the display strips become visible substantially simultaneously only as a customer approaches the immediate proximity of the vending machine and the customers angle of viewing increases with respect to the horizontal. The optical principal involved is well known in optical physics. The light reflected through a surface of a prism will be refracted at an angle as the light passes through the surface. Light striking the surface at a critical angle of the prism is reflected back into the prism rather than being allowed to escape since the refractive angle is equal to or greater than the angle at which the light strikes the surface of the prism. At angles greater than this critical angle the light reflecting from the title display strip passes through the surface of the prism but the light rays are bent toward the surface of the prism. Consequently, the light rays that pass through the prism can only be observed when the viewers eyes are positioned at a point above the surface of the prism such that the light rays do not exceed the critical angle.

In the present invention a plurality of prism means are angularly positioned so that as a customer approaches the vending machine his viewing angle increases to a point at which the title strips appear to simultaneously spring into view in a startling manner.

An esthetically pleasing design may be provided on the rear inside surface of the vending machine (or on the panel means) so that when the purchaser is more than a few feet from the vending machine the purchaser sees only the design and not the selection display strips.

In addition, a removable transparent cover may be positioned over the selection display so that unauthorized access to the selection display strips is prevented. The retaining means are adapted to permit the title display strips to be easily removed and new strips inserted by a Serviceman after removing the cover.

Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a selection display for a coin-operated vending machine in which selection display strips are not viewable when the viewer is standing more than a few feet from the vending machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a selection display for a coin-operated vending machine in which selection display strips come into view substantially simultaneously as the customer approaches the proximity of the vending machine.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a selection display for a coin-operated vending machine which permits easy removal and replacement of the selection display strips from the front of the vending machine.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a selection display for a coin-operated vending machine having the title display strips mounted on angularly oriented prism means mounted on a panel having an esthetically pleasing design thereon so that the title display strips are not viewable and the esthetically pleasing design is viewable when the viewer is standing more than a few feet from the vending machine.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the subject invention will hereinafter appear, and for the purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a coin-operated vending machine. 7

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional partially fragmentary view of embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an upper right partially fragmentary perspective view of one prism member of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the prism member illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the prism member illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the prism member taken substantially along line 66 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the mounting means of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a graphical illustration of the optical refraction of light rays passing through the surface of the prism member of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIG. 1, a coin-operated vending machine 10 takes the form of a conventional coinoperated phonograph having selection buttons 12, coin slot 14, speaker enclosure 15, and selection display 16. A transparent cover 19 is positioned over selection display 16 so that the selection display is viewable through transparent cover 19. Selection display 16 comprises five display inserts 18 mounted side by side to the upper front portion of vending machine 10. Each display insert 18 comprises a plurality of prism display assemblies 20 (see FIG. 3).

With reference to FIG. 2, prism display assemblies 20 are mounted on mounting means 22 which is mounted to vending machine 10 at an angle so that the top of mounting means 22 is slanted away from the front of the vending machine 10. Transparent cover I9 is pivotably mounted at its upper edge so that it can be pivoted upwardly as illustrated by the dotted lines to permit access to the selection display 16.

With respect to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6, prism display assembly 20 comprises solid transparent prism member 24 having opposite essentially rectangular

smooth faces

25 and 27. Two retaining L shape flanges 26 are positioned near the outside lower edges of prism member 24. With respect of FIG. 5 retaining flanges 26 mounted on prism member 24 from a groove 28 into which selection display strips 30 may be inserted. Groove 28 holds two edges of selection display strips 30, and groove 28 is open toward the front of the prism display assembly 30 so that the selection display strips 20 may be removed by sliding them from beneath prism member 24. As can be seen, each prism display assembly 20 holds one selection display strip. With respect to FIG. 6, prism display assembly 20 comprises two essen tially rectangular smooth faces 25 oriented with respect to each other at an acute angle A."

Mounting means 22 comprises two essentially flat rectangular support members 32 between which is mounted prism display assembly 20.

An alternative embodiment of the mounting means is illustrated in FIG. 7 comprising an essentially flat rectangular panel 34 on which is mounted prism display assembly 20 along the rear edge of prism member 24 in a cantilever manner.

The purpose of the present invention is to obscure from view the selection display strips when the viewer is standing more than a few feet from the vending machine. Since the selection display strips 30 are mounted against the lower surface of prism elements 24 the selection display strips are visible only through the prism members 24. With reference to FIG. 8, the optical principal of the present invention is graphically illustrated. Light rays (graphically shown as dotted lines) reflected from selection display strips 30 are refracted toward surface 25 of prism member 24 as they pass through surface 25. For example incident light rays passing through surface 25 at angle B are refracted toward surface 25 at angle B. As the angle of incidence becomes more acute such as angle C the refractive angle C becomes more acute bending the light rays further toward surface 25. At a critical angle of incidence of the light rays, the refractive angle is great enough that the light rays are reflected back into prism member 24. For example, as light rays approach surface 25 at angle D, the refractive angle D is great enought to reflect the light ray back into prism member 24. Thus. by adjusting the angle of surfaces 25 of each prism member 24, the point at which all light rays approach the critical angle can be made to coincide so that beyond and below that point, the light rays are reflected back into the prism, and the selection display strips cannot be seen. This point can be adjusted to be at the average eye elevation of the average person at some selected distance from the vending machine.

With reference to FIG. 2, mounting means 22 is mounted to vending machine 10 at an angle so that the top of mounting means 22 is slanted away from the front of the vending machine. Each prism display assembly 20 is angularly positioned on mounting means 22 so that the critical viewing angle at which the selection display strips 30 are visible through prism means 24 converges at some point away from the vending ma chine l0. For example, the rays 38 in FIG. 2 represent light rays emerging from prism members 24 at the critical angle. These rays converge at a point represented by eye 40 that is representative of the eye of the viewer. If eye 40 moves either to the left or down as viewed in FIG. 2, the light rays 38 will be above the eye and not viewable. As the eye 40 moves to the right as viewed in FIG. 2 the selection display strips will remain in view since the light reflected from the title strips will not be reflected back into the prism. Only as the viewer approaches to close proximity of the vending machine will the incident angle of his line of sight be sufficiently acute with respect to the critical angle that selection display strips 30 become visible through prism elements 24. Thus, as the viewer approaches the vending machine, the selection display strips appear to suddenly spring mto view.

An esthetically pleasing design may be placed upon the interior surface 40 of the back of vending machine 10. A viewer standing more than a few feet away from the vending machine only sees the design, the edges of prism display elements 20, and the edges of mounting means 22.

Where the alternative mounting means, as depicted in H6. 7, is utilized, an esthetically pleasing design may be placed on the exterior surface 33 of panel 34.

Transparent cover 19 is normally positioned over selection display 16 as indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 2. However, when a Serviceman wishes to change the selection display inserts 30 in selection display 16, cover 19 may be opened and pivoted as indicated dotted lines in FIG. 2 so that access may be had to the selection display strips The serviceman may then remove the selection display strips by sliding them beneath prism elements 24 toward the front of the vending machine 10. New selection display strips may be easily inserted in place of the removed selection display strips by sliding them underneath prism elements 24.

It should be understood that various changes modifi cations and variations in the structure and function of the present invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A selection display for a coin-operated vending machine for displaying selection display strips having a lexical message printed thereon comprising:

mounting means attached to the vending machine;

a plurality of prism means mounted on said mounting means;

retaining means on said prism means for holding the selection display strips against the lower surface of said prism means;

each of said prism means being angularly oriented so that the critical viewing angle at which said selection display strips are visible converges at some point in the immediate proximity of said vending machine and said selection display strips become visible substantially simultaneously only as a customer approaches the immediate proximity of the vending machine.

2. A selection display, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transparent removable cover means for covering said mounting means and said prism means.

3. A selection display, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises an essentially flat rectangular panel member having an esthetically pleasing design thereon, and said prism means are mounted on said panel in a cantilever fashion.

4. A selection display, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said prism means are mounted on said mounting means in vertically disposed horizontal rows.

5. A selection display, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises at least two essentially parallel flat rectangular members, and said prism means are mounted along opposite edges between said flat rectangular members,

6. A selection display, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said prism means are mounted on said mounting means in vertically disposed horizontal rows.

7. A selection display, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said prism means comprise solid transparent elements having at least two opposite substantially flat surfaces oriented at an acute angle with respect to each other.

8. A selection display, as claimed in claim I, wherein said retaining means comprise flange means mounted on the lower surface of said prism means for holding the edges of the selection display strips so that the selection display strips are retained against the lower surface of said prism means and so that the selection display strips may be easily removed and replaced.

9. A selection display for coinoperated vending ma- 5 chines for displaying selection display strips having a lexical message printed thereon comprising:

an essentially flat rectangular panel member mounted at the front of the vending machine;

a plurality of solid transparent prism members having at least two opposite substantially flat surfaces oriented at an acute angle with respect to each other, mounted along one edge to said panel member toward the front of the vending machine;

retaining means mounted on said prism members for retaining the selection display strips against the lower surface of said prism elements;

each of said prism members being angularly oriented so that the critical viewing angle at which said selection display strips are visible converges at some point in the immediate proximity of said vending machine and said selection display strips become visible substantially simultaneously only as a customer approaches the immediate proximity of the vending machine.

10. A selection display, as claimed in claim 9, wherein said prism members are arranged in a plurality of vertically disposed horizontal rows.

11. A selection display, as claimed in claim 9, wherein said retaining means comprise flange members mounted on the lower surface of said prism members, said flange members being positioned on said prism members to retain at least two edges of the selection display strips so that the selection display strips may be removed by sliding the edges of the selection display strips from between said flange members.

12. A selection display, as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a removable transparent cover member for covering the panel member and the prism members to prevent unauthorized access to the selection display strips.

13. A selection display, as claimed in claim 9, wherein said panel member has an esthetically pleasing design thereon.

14. A selection display for coinoperated vending machines for displaying selection display strips having a lexical message printed thereon comprising:

at least two essentially parallel flat rectangular support members mounted at the front of the vending machine;

a plurality of solid transparent prism members having at least two opposite substantially flat surfaces oriented at an acute angle with respect to each other, mounted along at least two other opposite edges between said support members;

retaining means mounted on said prism members for retaining the selection display strips against the lower surface of said prism members;

15. A selection display, as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said retaining means comprise flange members 16. A selection display, as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a removable transparent cover member for covering the panel member and the prism mem bers to prevent unauthorized access to the selection display strips.

Claims

1. A selection display for a coin-operated vending machine for displaying selection display strips having a lexical message printed thereon comprising: mounting means attached to the vending machine; a pLurality of prism means mounted on said mounting means; retaining means on said prism means for holding the selection display strips against the lower surface of said prism means; each of said prism means being angularly oriented so that the critical viewing angle at which said selection display strips are visible converges at some point in the immediate proximity of said vending machine and said selection display strips become visible substantially simultaneously only as a customer approaches the immediate proximity of the vending machine.

5. A selection display, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises at least two essentially parallel flat rectangular members, and said prism means are mounted along opposite edges between said flat rectangular members.

8. A selection display, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprise flange means mounted on the lower surface of said prism means for holding the edges of the selection display strips so that the selection display strips are retained against the lower surface of said prism means and so that the selection display strips may be easily removed and replaced.

9. A selection display for coinoperated vending machines for displaying selection display strips having a lexical message printed thereon comprising: an essentially flat rectangular panel member mounted at the front of the vending machine; a plurality of solid transparent prism members having at least two opposite substantially flat surfaces oriented at an acute angle with respect to each other, mounted along one edge to said panel member toward the front of the vending machine; retaining means mounted on said prism members for retaining the selection display strips against the lower surface of said prism elements; each of said prism members being angularly oriented so that the critical viewing angle at which said selection display strips are visible converges at some point in the immediate proximity of said vending machine and said selection display strips become visible substantially simultaneously only as a customer approaches the immediate proximity of the vending machine.

14. A selection display for coinoperated vending machines for displaying selection display strips having a lexical message printed thereon comprising: at least two essentially parallel flat rectangular support members mounted at the front of the vending machine; a plurality of solid transparent prism members having at least two opposite substantially flat surfaces oriented at an acute angle with respect to each other, mounted along at least two other opposite edges between said support members; retaining means mounted on said prism members for retaining the selection display strips against the lower surface of said prism members; each of said prism members being angularly oriented so that the critical viewing angle at which said selection display strips are visible converges at some point in the immediate proximity of said vending machine and said selection display strips become visible substantially simultaneously only as a customer approaches the immediate proximity of the vending machine.

15. A selection display, as claimed in claim 14, wherein said retaining means comprise flange members mounted on the lower surface of said prism element, said flange members being positioned on said prism members to retain at least two edges of the selection display strips so that the selection display strips may be removed by sliding the edges of the selection display strips from between said flange members.

16. A selection display, as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a removable transparent cover member for covering the panel member and the prism members to prevent unauthorized access to the selection display strips.