Tandem gate release mechanism for a vending machine

US7784644B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Dixie-Narco, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Richard T. Albert · Aiken, US
• Dan Bowen · Whitley, GB
• Bryan Alan Collins · New Ellenton, US
• Aron Phillip Lewis · Aiken, US
• Paul Miller · Glencoe, US
• Charles Wayne Percy · Aiken, US
• John C. Robinson · Cupertino, US
• William E. Roe · Wayland, US
• Russell Watts · Ann Arbor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 14, 2005
• Grant date: Aug 31, 2010
• Expiry date: Jul 23, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07F11/16
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A vending machine includes first and second integrated dispensing systems mounted at front portions of adjacent product shelf dividers establishing at least first, second and third product queues. Each of the first and second dispensing systems includes first and second release mechanisms having a plurality of hinged plates supported by a frame. The plurality of hinged plates are selectively shifted into and out of corresponding ones of the first, second and third product queues, such that each product queue has associated therewith two opposing release mechanisms. Preferably, at least one of the first and second release mechanisms for each dispensing system includes a queue spacing member which is mounted to one of the hinged plates and projects into the product queue to establish a desired spacing between the release mechanisms.