Vending machine
US6199720A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 20, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 13, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 20, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F11/42
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A vending machine is provided with a cabinet having a plurality of inclined, vertically spaced shelves. The shelves are able to selectively feed a beverage container to an elevator which is located adjacent an interior, right side wall of the cabinet of vending machine. A beverage container is dispensed by an escapement block of a shelf onto the elevator. The elevator vertically moves the beverage container, and then dispenses the beverage container to a delivery mechanism which gently lowers the beverage container to a delivery port which communicates with the exterior of the vending machine. The shelves in the cabinet are readily reconfigurable such that their vertical spacing within the cabinet can be easily altered. The escapement blocks of the shelves are mechanically activated to dispense a beverage container by an activation device on the elevator. Thus, electrical power and control signals for the individual shelves are not necessary.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.