WO2022234509A1

WO2022234509A1 - Vending machine for food products and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2022234509A1
Application number: PCT/IB2022/054160
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paolo CADARIO; Luca Fossati
Original assignee: Twb S.R.L.
Priority date: 2021-05-06
Filing date: 2022-05-05
Publication date: 2022-11-10

Abstract

A vending machine (1) for food products and the like, which comprises a storage space (2) for food products (3), a station (4) for preparing the product and a station (5) for dispensing/loading/unloading the product; the dispensing/loading/unloading station (5) is connected to the outside environment by means of a delivery door (6) associated with a conveyance tunnel (7) for the entry and exit of the food products (3) into and out from the vending machine (1). Furthermore, the storage space (2) and the cited stations (4, 5) are enclosed in an external enclosure (8) which is provided with an inspection door (9) for access to the inside of the vending machine (1). The peculiarity of the invention consists in that it comprises means (11) for moving the food products (3) which are configured so as to be able to selectively: pick up the food products (3) from the conveyance tunnel (7) and load them into the storage space (2), pick up the food products (3) from the storage space (2) and load them selectively into the preparation station (4) or into the conveyance tunnel (7) respectively for the dispensing, the loading or the unloading of the food products (3), pick up the food products (3) from the preparation station (4) and load them directly into the conveyance tunnel (7) for the dispensing or the unloading of the food products (3).

Description

VENDING MACHINE FOR FOOD PRODUCTS AND THE LIKE

The present invention relates to a vending machine for food products and the like.

In the sector of automatic machines, in particular in the sector of vending machines for food products and the like, machines are known which are made up of a solid housing and a door on which the interface with the user is defined.

Inside the machine there are various different areas: a first area is defined behind an upper transparent display window made of glass or in any case of any transparent material, a second area is defined as a product pick up area, a third - optional - area is defined behind a lower transparent display window made of glass or in any case of any transparent material, and a fourth area is dedicated to payments and user interface, where the product is selected and, if necessary, is paid for.

In more detail, the upper display window allows the user to see the inside of the machine where the storage space containing the products to be dispensed is present.

Such conventional vending machines are not devoid of drawbacks, among which is the fact that continuous contact thereof with users and with operators tasked with loading the storage space necessitate frequent sanitization and disinfection operations.

Another drawback of conventional vending machines consists in that the products can remain in the storage space for a long time, until they deteriorate, without any kind of check apart from human intervention.

A further drawback of conventional vending machines consists in that the operators tasked with loading and unloading the products, as well as the users wishing to purchase the products, are forced to perform actions that are awkward for executing such activities owing to the presence of dispensing points that are low down, and machine layouts that are complex.

The aim of the present invention consists in providing a vending machine for food products that makes it possible to maintain a high level of hygiene and safety.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention consists in providing a vending machine for food products that facilitates the activities for picking up the products as well as loading and unloading the storage space.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine for food products that presents procedures for loading/unloading the products that are simple, convenient and therefore adapted to people without specialist training.

Another object of the present invention consists in providing a vending machine for food products that can be made with technologies that are per se known and which therefore have low provision costs.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine for food products that makes it possible to optimize the preservation of the food products and the associated energy costs.

Another object of the present invention consists in providing a vending machine for food products that is capable of offering the widest guarantees of reliability and safety in use.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a vending machine for food products and the like, which comprises a storage space for food products, a station for preparing the product, and a station for dispensing/loading/unloading the product; said dispensing/loading/unloading station being connected with the outside environment by means of a delivery door associated with a conveyance tunnel for the entry and exit of said food products into and out from said vending machine; said storage space and said stations being enclosed in an external enclosure which is provided with an inspection door for access to the inside of said vending machine; characterized in that it comprises means for moving said food products which are configured so as to be able to selectively: pick up said food products from said conveyance tunnel and load them into said storage space, pick up said food products from said storage space and load them selectively into said preparation station or into said conveyance tunnel respectively for the dispensing, the loading or the unloading of said food products, pick up said food products from said preparation station and loading them directly into said conveyance tunnel for the dispensing or the unloading of said food products.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a vending machine for food products and the like, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of the vending machine according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the vending machine shown in Figure 1, in the open state.

With reference to the figures, the vending machine for food products and the like, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a storage space 2 for food products 3, a station 4 for preparing the product and a station 5 for dispensing/loading/unloading the product.

In more detail the dispensing/loading/unloading station 5 is connected to the outside environment by means of a delivery door 6 associated with a conveyance tunnel 7 for the entry and exit of the food products 3 into and out from the vending machine 1.

Conveniently, the storage space 2 and the stations 4 and 5 are enclosed in an external enclosure 8 which is provided with an inspection door 9 for access to the inside of the vending machine 1.

In the embodiment proposed, the inspection door 9 is full-height and is provided with a pane 10 through which to see the food products 3 contained in the storage space 2. According to the invention, there are means 11 for moving the food products 3 which are configured so as to be able to selectively:

- pick up the food products 3 from the conveyance tunnel 7 and load them into the storage space 2;

- pick up the food products 3 from the storage space 2 and load them selectively into the preparation station 4 or into the conveyance tunnel 7 respectively for the dispensing, the loading or the unloading of the food products 3;

- pick up the food products 3 from the preparation station 4 and load them directly into the conveyance tunnel 7 for the dispensing or the unloading of the food products 3.

In the embodiment proposed, the dispensing/loading/unloading station 5 comprises a counter 12 which is arranged on the external enclosure 8, at the delivery door 6, and is adapted to define a region for picking up the food products 3. In fact, the movement means 11 are configured in such a way as to arrange the food products 3 directly on the counter 12.

Conveniently, there are electronic control and management means, not shown graphically, which are adapted to manage the movement means 11 and which comprise a remote communication module for the connection of the electronic control and management means to a web platform.

Advantageously, there are heat probes 13 associated with the storage space 2 and functionally connected to the electronic control and management means, in order to monitor the state of preservation of the food products 3.

Furthermore, there are user interface means 14 which consist of a touch-screen panel, for selecting the chosen food product and to recognize operators who are authorized to load and unload the vending machine 1.

Such user interface means 14 are conveniently located on the external enclosure 8 and are functionally connected to the electronic control and management means for the activation of the movement means 11. Advantageously, there are first reader means 15, which consist for example of an optical reader, for reading purchase receipts and of means for recognizing operators who are authorized to load and unload the vending machine 1.

Such first reader means 15 are conveniently located on the external enclosure 8 and are functionally connected to the electronic control and management means for the activation of the movement means 11.

Finally, there are second reader means, not shown graphically, for reading the food products 3, which are arranged in the conveyance tunnel 7 and are functionally connected to the electronic control and management means for the automatic identification and for the traceability of the food products 3 entering and leaving the vending machine 1.

To complete the vending machine 1 , there can be a mechanical device for preventing the operators from being crushed during the operations of loading/unloading products.

The operation of the vending machine 1 is clear and evident from the foregoing description.

In particular, it should be noted that, following an order made through the web platform, the dispensing of food products 3 to consumers takes place without contact i.e. by presenting the receipt for the order to the first reader means 15 which are positioned on the front of the vending machine 1.

The system then prepares the food products 3 and presents them to the consumer on the counter 12, making them pass automatically through the delivery door 6.

Restocking of the storage space 2 is done by authorized operators (who are registered on the web platform) who are automatically authenticated by the system either by way of the first reader means 15 or by way of interaction via the user interface means 14.

The same user interface means 14 are used to carry out all the activities of loading/unloading the products, and also any necessary maintenance activities.

The loading (or possible unloading of products that have expired or need to be removed for reasons of storage space) takes place through the same delivery door 6 as the service of delivering food products 3 for the end consumer customer.

Once inside the vending machine 1, the food product 3 is recognized by the second reader means and is conveyed to the storage space 2 via the internal movement means 11.

The software program of the vending machine 1 automatically handles the sorting of the food products 3 in the storage space 2 in order to maximize efficiency in delivery and prioritizes, for the same product type, the dispensing of products that are close to their expiry date.

Once the restocking/unloading is done, the assigned operator will log out on the interface means 14, making the vending machine 1 ready to provide the service again.

In practice it has been found that the vending machine for food products and the like, according to the present invention, achieves the intended aim and objects, in that it makes it possible to provide a service to the end consumer, to restock the storage space of the food products and execute ordinary maintenance operations with minimal, and therefore hygienic, interaction with the users so as to render such dispensing machine particularly useful in exacting social health contexts such as the CO VID 19 pandemic or, more generally, also in contexts that demand greater accessibility (24/7), optimization of fixed and accessory costs, and simplification of logistics and operations.

Moreover, by virtue of the fact that the machine is connected via web to an external platform, it is possible to:

- ensure the traceability of the individual food products from the filling of the corresponding containers to the delivery to the consumer; - enable each machine to be managed as a computer application, i.e. allowing remote updates of the application software and of the corresponding databases.

Another advantage of the machine according to the present invention consists in being able to automatically monitor the state of preservation of the products contained in it through the heat probes integrated in the storage space.

Another advantage of the machine according to the present invention consists in that the movement means can act in the opposite direction to the direction of dispensing or unloading the food product. Once the product is inside, these means move the food product so as to position it in the internal storage space.

If there should be products loaded that are identical to those already present in the internal storage space, the system will include the function of organizing the storage space dynamically so that the product, if it is close to its expiry date, will be positioned ahead of products that were more recently loaded and/or produced.

The possibility of loading and unloading products without opening the vending machine first of all offers the benefit for the dedicated/assigned operator to carry out this activity much more easily, without bending over or using security keys to open the storage space. Furthermore, there are positive effects on the optimal preservation of the products, on cleaning, on hygiene, on electricity and associated energy costs, since a high level of loading efficiency is maintained.

With the activity moreover being structured in a simple and convenient manner, it can be managed without availing of intermediate operators.

In fact, by virtue of the fact that loading/unloading of the products occurs exclusively through the delivery door, it is not necessary to open the machine in order to carry out the loading and unloading operations, thus eliminating sudden changes of temperature inside the storage space, and limiting the entry of dust, dirt and pollution.

Another advantage of the machine according to the present invention consists in that it can also be maintained by unskilled operators, by virtue of the fact that the storage space can be loaded or unloaded straightforwardly and simply.

In fact, by virtue of the interface means with operator recognition, the operator proceeds simply and easily with the loading and unloading operations, through the delivery door, following the instructions supplied by the machine itself.

In particular, it should be noted that, by virtue of the operator's login/logout operations, the products cannot be loaded/unloaded by unauthorized personnel and, especially, products cannot be loaded other than products that are encoded and traced on the web platform.

The vending machine for food products and the like is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In practice the materials employed, provided they are compatible with the specific use, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102021000011546 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where the technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference numerals and/or signs, those reference numerals and/or signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference numerals and/or signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference numerals and/or signs.

Claims

1. A vending machine (1) for food products and the like, which comprises a storage space (2) for food products (3), a station (4) for preparing the product, and a station (5) for dispensing/loading/unloading the product; said dispensing/loading/unloading station (5) being connected with the outside environment by means of a delivery door (6) associated with a conveyance tunnel (7) for the entry and exit of said food products (3) into and out from said vending machine (1); said storage space (2) and said stations (4, 5) being enclosed in an external enclosure (8) which is provided with an inspection door (9) for access to the inside of said vending machine (1); characterized in that it comprises means (11) for moving said food products (3) which are configured so as to be able to selectively: pick up said food products (3) from said conveyance tunnel (7) and load them into said storage space (2), pick up said food products (3) from said storage space (2) and load them selectively into said preparation station (4) or into said conveyance tunnel (7) respectively for the dispensing, the loading or the unloading of said food products (3), pick up said food products (3) from said preparation station (4) and loading them directly into said conveyance tunnel (7) for the dispensing or the unloading of said food products (3).

2. The vending machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said dispensing/loading/unloading station (5) comprises a counter (12) which is arranged on said external enclosure (8) at said delivery door (6) and is adapted to define a region for picking up said food products (3); said movement means (11) being configured in such a way as to arrange said food products (3) directly on said counter (12).

3. The vending machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises electronic control and management means adapted to manage said movement means (11) and comprising a remote communication module for the connection of said electronic control and management means to a web platform.

4. The vending machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises heat probes (13) which are associated with said storage space (2) and are functionally connected to said electronic control and management means to monitor the state of preservation of said food products (3).

5. The vending machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises user interface means (14) for the selection of the chosen food product and for the recognition of operators authorized to load and unload said vending machine (1); said user interface means (14) being arranged on said external enclosure (8) and being functionally connected to said electronic control and management means for the activation of said movement means (11).

6. The vending machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises first reader means (15) for reading purchase receipts and of means for recognizing operators authorized to load and unload said vending machine (1); said first reader means (15) being arranged on said external enclosure (8) and being functionally connected to said electronic control and management means for the activation of said movement means (11).

7. The vending machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises second reader means for reading said food products (3), said second reader means being arranged in said conveyance tunnel (7) and being functionally connected to said electronic control and management means for the automatic identification and for the traceability of said food products (3) entering and leaving said vending machine (1).