Multiple price and size setting method for vending machines
US5511646A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 3, 1993 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 3, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F11/58
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A programmable size and price-setting mechanism for use in a vending machine has a plurality of n access doors aligned horizontally across a front of the vending machine, each of which access doors has a locked condition denying access therethrough and an unlocked condition allowing access therethrough, and each of which is selectably activatable between the locked and unlocked condition. There are a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which has a plurality of partitionable areas corresponding in size to a corresponding one of the n access doors, such that each shelf is selectably partitionable into a plurality of up to n product holding areas. A conveyor mechanism is provided for selectably moving each horizontal shelf into a vending position adjacent to the access doors so that each one of the n partitionable areas is adjacent to a corresponding one the n access doors. A sensor detects which of the plurality of shelves is positioned adjacent to the plurality of n access doors. A plurality of n actuatable buttons are mounted on the vending machine, each actuatable button adjacent to one of the n access doors. A money-receiving and value detection device is also provided. Progr…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.