Patent · US Expired

Control system for a vending machine

US4347924A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
4References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 23, 1980
Grant dateSep 7, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 23, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07F5/24
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The control system for a vending machine according to the invention is designed for preventing shortage of change coins to a maximum possible extent. According to the control system, as many coins of a low denomination as possible among coins inserted by a purchaser are collected for use as change coins. The control system further includes, in addition to main tubes to which inserted coins are automatically supplemented, auxiliary tubes to which coins are manually supplemented by a supervisor of the vending machine. A payout control between the main tubes and the auxiliary tubes is effected without providing a special switch for detecting change over between the main tubes and the auxiliary tubes.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.