Vending machine and method for detecting height of storage column
US11488435B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 25, 2018 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G1/06
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Disclosed are a vending machine and a method of detecting height of a storage column. The vending machine may determine whether a sensor squarely faces the front end surface of the level plate of a storage column by detecting the type of an output signal of the sensor. When the sensor squarely faces the front end surface of the level plate of the storage column, the height of the level plate of the storage column may be obtained based on a height difference between the sensor and the bearing surface of a bucket and the height of the bucket. Thus, according to the height of the level plate of the storage column, the bearing surface of the bucket and the upper edge of the front end surface of the level plate of the storage column lie in the same level when dispensing an item.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.