WO2016110672A1

WO2016110672A1 - Vending apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: WO2016110672A1
Application number: PCT/GB2015/054142
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tiber CSERNIK; Michael Smith
Original assignee: Blue Monkey Vending (Holdings) Limited
Priority date: 2015-01-07
Filing date: 2015-12-23
Publication date: 2016-07-14

Abstract

The present invention concerns a vending apparatus and method. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a vending apparatus and method for vending loose dry product. The invention also concerns a vending apparatus and method for vending loose dry food stuffs. The vending apparatus comprises a plurality of hoppers for storing loose dry product, a cup storage unit for storing cups, and a gravity feed dispensing channel comprising a cup receiving portion. The cup storage unit is arranged to supply cups to the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed dispensing channel. The plurality of hoppers are arranged to supply loose dry product to a cup held within the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed dispensing channel. The cup receiving portion is configured to capture and releasably hold a cup of a specific diameter.

Description

Vending Apparatus and Method

Field of the Invention The present invention concerns a vending apparatus and method. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a vending apparatus and method for vending loose dry product,. The invention also concerns a vending apparatus and method for vending loose dry food stuffs.

Background of the Invention

Pick and mix sweets are a popular snack, where customers self-serve sweets from a range of sweets provided in sweet bins. Tongs and scoops may be provided to serve the sweets, though there is no guarantee that these will be used. Instead, customers may handle the sweets using their hands, resulting in food hygiene issues. Also, small children may not realise that the sweets have to be paid for, and help themselves to the sweets if left unattended. Also, it can be difficult to judge how much a bag of sweets weigh, resulting in a selection that is more expensive than the customer would like. There is also no portion control which is of concern with the increasing rise of childhood obesity.

Vending machines are an alternative snack provider, though typical vending machines vend pre-packaged sweets and snacks, which does not provide the customer with the same choice and enjoyment of making their own pick and mix selection. Alternative vending machines may dispense liquids, such as tea and coffee, but these are not suitable for dispensing loose dry food products, such as pick and mix. The present invention seeks to mitigate the above- mentioned problems. Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved vending apparatus .

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides, according to a first aspect, a vending apparatus for vending loose dry

product, the vending apparatus comprising,

a plurality of hoppers for storing loose dry

product ,

a cup storage unit for storing cups,

a gravity feed dispensing channel comprising a cup receiving portion,

the cup storage unit arranged to supply cups to the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed dispensing channel ,

the plurality of hoppers arranged to supply loose dry product to a cup held within the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed, dispensing channel,

wherein the cup receiving portion is configured to capture and releasably hold a cup of a specific diameter.

The cup receiving portion may have a section removed at the lowermost point of the cup receiving portion, in order to allow easy removal of a cup being held by the cup receiving portion. The diameter of the lowermost portion of the cup receiving portion may correspond to the maximum diameter of the cup which the cup receiving portion is designed to capture and releasably hold.

Advantageously, the gravity feed dispensing channel allows the cups and the loose dry product to be dispensed down a single channel, thus simplifying the construction of the apparatus.. The vending apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention prevents non-regulation cups being used during the vending process.. Limiting the vending process to a particular cup size may improve the consistency of the vending process, and/or may improve quality control, including the quantity of loose dry product dispensed. Whilst the term cup may be taken to mean a

frustroconicial receptacle, other shaped receptacles may be used. The precise shape of the cup may be determined by several factors, such as the type of loose dry product being dispensed, or chosen to provide a distinctive shape, for example for commercial reasons,

There may be any of 2 to 10 hoppers, or more hoppers if required. Each hopper may contain a different loose dry product,

The cup size may be a 12oz cup with a circular cross section and a maximum diameter of 92mm, though a skilled person will realise that different cup sizes and cup receiving portions may be used as required.

The cup receiving portion may be funnel shaped. The cup receiving portion may help direct dry loose product into the cup held by the cup receiving portion. The cup receiving portion may comprise steeply inclined sides. Steeply inclined sides may assist in ensuring that no loose dry product gets stuck in the cup receiving

portion ,

The loose dry product may be a foodstuff. The foodstuff may be sweets, nuts, and/or dried fruit. The foodstuff may be individually wrapped or not wrapped.

The vending apparatus may comprise a load plate.

The cup receiving portion may be configured to hold a cup in contact with the load plate in order that the quantity of loose dry product dispensed into the cup may be monitored, The vending apparatus may comprise a control unit arranged to monitor the quantity of loose dry product dispensed into a cup held within the cup

receiving portion. The control unit may be arranged t o stop the dispensing of loose dry product once a

predetermined quantity of loose dry product has been dispensed. Such an arrangement provides a controlled portion of loose dry product, for example sweets, to a customer, which may be beneficial for dietary reasons. An example quantity of loose dry product may be 200g. The skilled person will realise that the quantity may be chosen by an operator as required.

The load plate may comprise an electronic scales arrangement. The electronic scales arrangement may be arranged to output a current depending on the load acting on the load plate,. The current may be converted into a weight value by the control unit. The load plate may be associated with a current amplifier arranged to amplify the current output by the load piate prior to the conversion into a weight value. The current

amplification may improve the accuracy of the conversion into a weight value.

The control unit may be arranged to activate the dispensing of loose dry product from one or more of the plurality of hoppers based on the selection of a vend customer. The control unit may be associated with a control panel into which the vend customer may input their selection. The control unit may be associated with a payment unit. The payment unit may be arranged to accept payment from a vend customer prior to activation of the vending process. The payment unit may receive payment via one or more of coins, tokens, paper tokens, paper money, and/or electronic card or signal payment.. Such an arrangement allows a customer to limit the spend on pick and mix, or other dry goods product. An example vend cost is £2, The skilled person will realise this may be varied as required by an operator.

The cup storage unit is arranged to receive a plurality of cups. The cup storage unit may be arranged to receive a plurality of cups in a plurality of cup stacks. The cup storage unit may comprise a cup

dispensing region, from which cups are dispensed into the gravity feed dispensing channel,. The cup dispensing region may comprise a sensor, the sensor arranged to detect the presence of one or more cups, The cup storage unit may comprise an actuator, the actuator arranged to move a stack of cups into the dispensing region when the sensor detects that no cups are present. With such an arrangement, the vending apparatus can ensure a

consistent and long lasting supply of cups into the cup receiving portion.

The invention provides, according to a second aspect, a method of dispensing a loose dry product from a vending apparatus, the vending apparatus according to that described with regards to the first aspect of the invention, the method including the steps of:

supplying a cup from the cup storage portion to the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed dispensing channel ,

dispensing loose dry product from one or more of the hoppers to the cup held within the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed dispensing channel.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides a vending apparatus for vending loose dry product from one or more hoppers, the vending apparatus comprising, one or more hoppers for holding loose dry product, a gravity feed dispensing channel via which loose dry product stored in the one or more hoppers may be

dispensed, a cup receiving portion arranged to hold a cup for filling with loose dry product via the gravity feed dispensing channel, and a load plate associated with the cup receiving portion, the load plate arranged to provide a current output corresponding to the weight of a cup being held in the cup receiving portion, and an

amplifier, the amplifier arranged to amplify the current output of the load plate.

The vending apparatus may comprise a control unit , The control unit may be configured to convert the

amplified current output of the load plate into a weight value _* Amplifying the current output of the load plate may increase the accuracy, or make the conversion of the voltage output into a weight value easier.

The invention provides, according to a fourth aspect, a method of vending a loose dry product from a vending apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps of: dispensing loose dry product from the one or more hoppers into a cup held within the cup receiving portion, monitoring the weight of the cup using the amplified current output of the load plate, and stopping the dispensing process when a pre-selected current output corresponding to a

particular cup weight is reached.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a vending apparatus comprising a cup storage unit arranged to receive a plurality of cups in a

plurality of cup stacks, cup storage unit also comprises a cup dispensing region from which cups are dispensed, the cup dispensing region including a sensor, the sensor arranged to detect the presence of one or more cups, the cup storage unit also comprising an actuator associated with the cup dispensing region sensor, the actuator arranged to move a stack of cups into the dispensing region when the sensor detects that no cups are present. The vending apparatus may comprise a gravity feed dispensing channel. The cup dispensing region of the cup storage unit may be arranged to dispense a cup into the gravity feed dispensing channel.

The invention provides, according to a sixth aspect, a method of operating a vending apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps of: dispensing a cup from the cup dispensing region of the cup storage unit, detecting whether or not any cups remain in the cup dispensing region, in the event of detecting no further cups remain in the cup dispensing region, activating the actuator to move a stack of cups into the cup dispensing region.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the methods of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the apparatuses of the invention and vice versa. Also, any feature described in relation to the first aspect of the invention may be incorporated into any other aspect of the invention, for example the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth aspects of the invention, and vice versa.

Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a vending apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C respectively show a perspective, plan, and side view, of a cup receiving portion of a vending apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 shows a cup storage unit of a vending

apparatus according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 4 shows a cut away view of a vending apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a vending

apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The vending apparatus comprises a plurality of stainless steel hoppers 12. Each of the hoppers 12 is filled with a loose dry product, in this case each hopper 12 is filled with a different type of pick and mix sweet. Each hopper 12 includes a conveyor 14 which is arranged to convey the loose dry product within the hoppers into a gravity feed dispensing channel 16_* A cup storage unit 18 is arranged to hold a plurality of cups 20, and to feed the cups, one at a time, into the dispensing channel 16.. A cup 20' is fed into the dispensing channel 16 by a release mechanism being activated when a user inserts suitable payment into a payment unit 22 > The payment unit 22 is arranged to accept coins in this embodiment, but the skilled person will appreciate that the payment unit could be arranged to accept tokens, paper tokens or vouchers, paper money, and/or electronic payment cards or signals.. The payment unit 22 is connected to a control unit 24, and when the required payment has been made, the control unit 24 activates the cup storage unit 18, such that a single cup 20' is dispensed into the dispensing channel 16, where, under gravity, the cup 20' falls down the dispensing channel into a cup receiving portion 26, The cup receiving portion 26 is a funnel with the smallest opening at the lowermost part of the cup receiving portion 26, and sized such that it captures and gently holds the cup 20' , An example cup receiving portion 26 is shown in figures 2A, B, or C, When the user makes a payment as described, they may also make a selection on a user input panel 28, which corresponds with the selection of sweets they want from the vending apparatus 10. The user input panel 28 may comprise a number of buttons, each button corresponding to the content of one of the hoppers 12, or a touch screen where sections of the screen correspond to the content of one of the hoppers 12_* Once the selection has been made, the chosen hoppers 12 dispense their product into the dispensing channel 16 via the conveyors 14, The product falls down the dispensing channel 16 into the cup 20' being held in the cup receiving portion 26.- The cup receiving portion 26 has acutely angled sides to help guide the product into the cup 20' . The cup 20' sits on a load plate 30, which has a current output which depends on the load on the load plate 30,- The load plate 30 also includes an amplifier which amplifies the current prior to the current output being sent to the control unit 24, where it is converted into a weight measurement. When the weight has reached a certain value, the conveyors 14 are deactivated and no further product is dispensed from the hoppers 12,. A user may then raise a protective shield in front of the cup 20' (not shown in figure 1) and remove the cup 20' containing their selection of sweets , The cup storage unit 18 may hold a large number of cups 20 in a plurality of stacks. An example cup storage unit 18 is shown in figure 3. A sensing unit 32 is associated with the cup dispensing position, and if the sensing unit 32 detects that no cups are in the cup dispensing position, an actuator 34 is activated to push a stack of cups 20 into the cup dispensing position. In such a way, the vending apparatus ensures that a large number of vends may be completed prior to an operator needing to refill the cups in the cup storage unit.

Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C, show a cup receiving portion 26, which comprises a top section 100, and a bottom section 102, the top section 100 being significantly wider than the bottom section 102. An aperture 104 at the bottom of the cup receiving portion 26 has dimensions suitable for holding a cup of a particular size, so that the cup may securely be filled with sweets, and then easily removed from the cup receiving portion 26. The sides 106 of the cup receiving portion 26 are steeply angled so that when sweets, or other loose dry product fall down the dispensing channel 16, they are easily directed into the cup 20' > The cup receiving portion also includes an angled back wall 108, which helps to direct sweets into the cup 20'.. Preferably, the cup receiving portion 26 has a relatively low friction internal surface, such that the sweets do not get stuck on any of the side, back, or front walls of the cup receiving portion 26. It is also preferable that all of the surfaces within the vending apparatus that come into contact with the sweets dispensed by the vending process are food safe and easily cleaned to maintain hygiene.

The cup receiving portion shown in figures 2A, 2B, and 2C, is arranged to be used with a 12oz cup with a maximum diameter of 92mm. Therefore,., the aperture 104 at the base of the cup receiving portion 26 also has a diameter of approximately 92mm in order that it may securely hold the cup in position on the load plate 30 and also allow easy release of the cup once filled. The front section of the bottom section of the cup receiving portion 26 may be removed to increase the ease with which a user may take a cup once the cup has been filled.

Figure 3 shows an example cup storage unit 18_* The cup storage unit 18 is shown empty, and the skilled person will appreciated that the cup storage unit 18 may store a number of stacks of cups, which may be dispensed from the cup dispensing region associated with the sensor 32. The actuator 34 is moved when the sensor 32 detects no cups are present, thus pushing a new stack of cups, in this case in a right to left direction, into the cup dispensing region. When the cup storage unit 18 is empty and requires refilling, the actuator 34 is moved across to the initial starting position, in this case at the far right hand side of the cup storage unit 18 shown in figure 3.

Figure 4 show a cut way view of a vending apparatus 200 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. Whilst the process of the vending operation is similar to that as described with regards to figure 1 , the vending apparatus 200 comprises a gravity feed dispensing channel 202 into which conveyors 204 deposit sweets from a number of hoppers 206 when activated by a user payment > The gravity feed dispensing channel includes a number of inclined deflection plates 208 associated with each of the conveyors 204 which act to deflect the sweets

conveyed into the gravity feed dispensing channel and increase the tumbling effect of the dispensed sweets- Such an arrangement may be more pleasing to users of the vending apparatus. The sweets fall down the gravity feed dispensing channel 202 into an associated cup receiving section 210, which holds a suitably sized cup 212 for capturing and storing the sweets, before the cup is removed by a user.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different

variations not specifically illustrated herein.

Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents.. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable,

advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments..

Claims

1, A vending apparatus for vending loose dry product, the vending apparatus comprising,

a plurality of hoppers for storing loose dry

product ,

a cup storage unit for storing cups,

a gravity feed dispensing channel comprising a cup receiving portion,

the plurality of hoppers arranged to supply loose dry product to a cup held within the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed dispensing channel,

wherein the cup receiving portion is configured to capture and releasably hold a cup of a specific diameter,

2, A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cup receiving portion is funnel shaped.

3₍ A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cup receiving portion directs dry loose product into the cup held by the cup receiving portion.

4 , A vending apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cup receiving portion comprises steeply inclined sides,

5.. A vending apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the loose dry product is a foodstuff.

6» A vending apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the foodstuff is sweets, nuts, and/or dried fruit..

7 , A vending apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vending apparatus comprises a load plate _*

8. A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cup receiving portion is configured to hold a cup in contact with the load plate in order that the quantity of loose dry product dispensed into the cup may be

monitored .

9. A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the vending apparatus comprises a control unit arranged to monitor the quantity of loose dry product dispensed into a cup held within the cup receiving portion.

10 _* A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control unit is arranged to stop the vending process once a predetermined quantity of loose dry product has been dispensed.

11. A vending apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 10, wherein the load plate comprises an electronic scales arrangement .

12, A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electronic scales arrangement is arranged to output a current depending on the load acting on the load plate.

13, A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the current is converted into a weight value by the control unit,

14 < A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the load plate is associated with a current amplifier arranged to amplify the current output by the load plate prior to the conversion into a weight value.

15, A vending apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the control unit is arranged to activate the vending of loose dry product from one or more of the plurality of hoppers based on the selection of a vend customer .

16, A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the control unit is associated with a control panel into which the vend customer may input their selection.

17. A vending apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 16, wherein the control unit is associated with a payment unit .

18 < A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the payment unit is arranged to accept payment from a vend customer prior to activation of the vending process.

19, A vending apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cup storage unit is arranged to receive a plurality of cups,

20, A vending apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cup storage unit arranged to receive a plurality of cups in a plurality of cup stacks.

21» A vending apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cup storage unit comprises a cup dispensing region, from which cups are dispensed into the dispensing channel <

22. A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the cup dispensing region comprises a sensor, the sensor arranged to detect the presence of one or more cups <

23 > A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the cup storage unit comprises an actuator, the actuator arranged to move a stack of cups into the dispensing region when the sensor detects that no cups are present.

24» A method of dispensing a loose dry product from a vending apparatus, the vending apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 23, the method including the steps of: supplying a cup from the cup storage portion to the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed dispensing channel ,

dispensing loose dry product from one or more of the hoppers to the cup held within the cup receiving portion via the gravity feed dispensing channel_*

25» A vending apparatus for vending loose dry product from one or more hoppers, the vending apparatus comprising, one or more hoppers for holding loose dry product, a gravity feed dispensing channel via which loose dry product stored in the one or more hoppers may be dispensed, a cup receiving portion arranged to hold a cup for filling with loose dry product via the gravity feed dispensing channel, and a load plate associated with the cup receiving portion, the load plate arranged to provide a current output corresponding to the weight of a cup being held in the cup receiving portion, and an amplifier, the amplifier arranged to amplify the current output of the load plate,

26, A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising a control unit..

27, A vending apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the control unit is configured to convert the amplified current output of the load plate into a weight value.

28, A method of vending a loose dry product from a vending apparatus according to any of claims 25 to 27, the method comprising the steps of: dispensing loose dry product from the one or more hoppers into a cup held within the cup receiving portion, monitoring the weight of the cup using the amplified current output of the load plate, and stopping the dispensing process when a pre- selected cup weight is reached.

29, A vending apparatus comprising a cup storage unit arranged to receive a plurality of cups in a plurality of cup stacks, the cup storage unit also comprising a cup dispensing region from which cups are dispensed, the cup dispensing region including a sensor, the sensor arranged to detect the presence of one or more cups, the cup storage unit also comprising an actuator associated with the cup dispensing region sensor, the actuator arranged to move a stack of cups into the dispensing region when the sensor detects that no cups are present.

30, A method of operating a vending apparatus according to claim 29, the method comprising the steps of: dispensing a cup from the cup dispensing region of the cup storage unit, detecting whether or not any cups remain in the cup dispensing region, in the event of detecting no further cups remain in the cup dispensing region, activating the actuator to move a stack of cups into the cup dispensing region.