WO1993022748A2 - Improvements in and relating to dispensing apparatus - Google Patents
Improvements in and relating to dispensing apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO1993022748A2 WO1993022748A2 PCT/GB1993/000917 GB9300917W WO9322748A2 WO 1993022748 A2 WO1993022748 A2 WO 1993022748A2 GB 9300917 W GB9300917 W GB 9300917W WO 9322748 A2 WO9322748 A2 WO 9322748A2
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- hopper
- items
- dispensed
- dispenser
- receptacle
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/0064—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for processing of food articles
- G07F17/0078—Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a hot or cooked condition, e.g. popcorn, nuts
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
- G07F11/02—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines
- G07F11/44—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
- G07F9/10—Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling
- G07F9/105—Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage
Definitions
- This invention relates to dispensing apparatus. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention concerns a vending machine for dispensing heated items of food or confectionery, especially heated nuts. The invention also relates, however, to apparatus for dispensing other items, for example cups and the like from vending machines.
- Coin and token operated vending machines are well known for dispensing a wide variety of products.
- Vending machines are also known which dispense hot drinks and items of heated food or confectionery.
- Such machines normally include some form of heater which is activated to heat discrete portions of liquid or food and rely on a
- SUBSTITUTESHEET s ⁇ ries of sequentially operated dispensers to ensure that the drink or food is ultimately dispensed to the customer in the required condition and amount, and in an appropriate container.
- these desired criteria are not consistently met by known vending machines.
- such machines suffer from problems which prevent accurate quantities of food or drink being consistently dispensed, this sometimes leading to blockage of the dispenser and ultimate breakdown of the machine, and an inability to provide an effective seal for items of food or confectionery stored in the machine (a particular problem when the stored food includes nuts) , and an excessively long heating cycle.
- a further disadvantage with existing vending machines is that the containers (eg. cups) into which the items or liquid is to be dispensed are not always dispensed in time to collect the dispensed items. Also specially designed cups must be employed for use in such dispensing apparatus.
- the present invention sets out to provide dispensing apparatus which does not suffer from, or at least alleviates, some or all of the problems set out above.
- apparatus for dispensing items from a hopper comprising an open sided receptacle adapted to be supported within an outlet orifice of the hopper to close the same, the receptacle being rotatable between a first position in which it is open to receive
- an assembly of dispensing apparatus and a hopper for retaining items to be dispensed the inlet of the hopper being closed by a removable lid and the hopper outlet being closed by a dispenser comprising an open sided receptacle supported for rotation between a first position in which items present in the hopper enter and are retained within the receptacle and a second inverted position in which the receptacle contents are discharged from the receptacle.
- Means may be positioned below the dispenser to define a lower seal for the assembly, the sealing means being movable selectively to enable items dispensed from the hopper to leave the assembly.
- the present invention provides apparatus for dispensing heated items of food or confectionery, the apparatus comprising a hopper for storing such items, a dispenser comprising an elongate trough like receptacle supported for rotation within the confines of an outlet orifice of the hopper and rotatable between upstanding and inverted positions in which items of food are respectively retained within and discharged from the receptacle, and a heating chamber positioned to receive items dispensed from the hopper.
- a sealing member may be positioned between the
- the sealing member being movable between a first position in which it defines a seal for the hopper and a second position in which it allows items dispensed from the dispenser to enter the heating chamber.
- the heating chamber may include an oven assembly which comprises an open sided trough which receives and retains for the duration of the heating cycle items of food or confectionery dispensed from the hopper; the walls of the oven assembly are preferably lined with or constructed from heat reflecting material.
- the trough may be mounted for rotation whereby retained items which have been heated for a set period of time are discharged.
- Two or more hoppers may be located within the apparatus, each such hopper including a dispenser dimensioned and positioned to close off an outlet orifice of the respective hopper.
- the present invention provides a vending machine including a hopper for storing items to be dispensed and a dispenser positioned within an outer orifice of the hopper to close the same, the dispenser comprising a rotatable open sided receptacle supported for rotation between a first position in which items present in the hopper can enter and be retained and a second position in which the receptacle is inverted to dispense its contents.
- SUB provides dispensing apparatus for cups, containers and the like, the apparatus comprising a plurality of rotatable cam surfaces each defining a spiral path, the cam surfaces being positioned so that, in use, they lie in contact with the outer circumference of a cup to be dispensed, and including a surface against which a radially extending lip of the cup can seat prior to being dispensed.
- rotatable cam surfaces may be provided, means being provided selectively to impart rotation to the cam surfaces.
- the cam surfaces may be carried by rotatable spindles spaced generally equally about the circumference of a cup to be dispensed.
- the rotatable spindles may carry pinnion wheels driven by racks coupled to a drive motor.
- the cam surfaces may be driven such that one or more rotate in a clockwise sense and the other or others rotate in an anti-clockwise sense.
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine in accordance with the invention.
- Figure 2 is a front view partly in section to an enlarged scale of dispensing and heating apparatus of the vending machine illustrated in Figure 1;
- Figure 3 is a plan view from above of the dispensing apparatus illustrated in Figure 2;
- SUBSTITUTESHEET Figure 4 is a side view partly in section of the dispensing apparatus illustrated in Figures 2 and 3;
- Figure 5 is a side view of cup dispensing apparatus of the vending machine illustrated in Figure 1;
- Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a plan view from above and a side view of the cup dispensing apparatus illustrated in Figure 5.
- the vending machine illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a housing 1 (conveniently produced from steel or a similar metal or material) closed by a lockable lid 2, a lockable front panel 3 and a base 4 supported on legs 5 and wheels 6.
- the legs 5 and wheels 6 may either support the housing or be provided for cosmetic purposes, the housing including a rear mounted bracket to enable the housing to be secured to and/or supported by an adjacent wall.
- a hopper assembly 7 is provided within the upper section of the housing 1 for storing items of food or confectionery to be dispensed.
- the upper open end of the hopper assembly is closed by a tightly fitting r ⁇ leasable sealing plate 8 (indicated in broken line) .
- the hopper assembly 7 has a transparent, e.g. plastics, window 9 and is illuminated internally for display purposes. When in position, the sealing plate 8 defines an upper seal for the hopper assembly.
- the hopper assembly illustrated is divided into two side-by- side hoppers 10 to enable different items or quality of
- SUBSTITUTE items to be dispensed from the same machine It will be understood, however, that only one such hopper or more than two hoppers may be provided. Each hopper is constructed from or lined with a suitable material, for example a polycarbonate material approved for use with food.
- the machine illustrated operates to dispense hot nuts and the hoppers 10 may be filled from above with, for example, peanuts and cashew nuts respectively. It will be understood, however, that other items including other items of food or confectionery can readily be dispensed from a machine in accordance with the invention.
- each dispenser 12 Positioned within the outer orifice 11 of each hopper 10 is a dispenser in the form of an open sided cylindrical trough 12 of, for example, stainless steel, supported at each end on stub shafts 14 for rotation about its longitudinal axis.
- the dispensers 12 fit snugly in the orifices 11 to close the same.
- An electric motor 15 is connected one to each input stub shaft 14 of each dispenser 12 to impart rotation thereto.
- Each dispenser 12 is rotatable between a starting position in which its trough-like interior is filled with nuts present in one of the hoppers 10 and an inverted position in which it dispenses a measured ' quantity of nuts onto an inclined chute 16.
- each dispenser 12 effectively seals the hopper orifice in which it is located whereby nuts only flow to the chute 16 when a dispenser 12 is inverted by operation of its motor 15.
- each dispenser 12 Positioned to one side of each dispenser 12 is a pivotably mounted flap 17 and on its other side a fixed plate 19.
- Each flap 17 is biased by a spring 18 to make contact with a surface of the adjacent dispenser to define a closure plate for the hopper plate 19 lies adjacent to arm in contact with its adjoining dispenser.
- the latter automatically moves away from the dispenser against the action of its spring 18 to allow the nut or nuts to pass to the chute 16. Without the ability selectively to pivot, blockages could occur which may ultimately lead to breakdown of the vending machine.
- a pivotably mounted sealing plate 20 connected to an electric motor 21 is positioned below the chute 16 to seal off the lower open end of the hopper assembly 7 when the plate 20 is in its raised position.
- the lower sealing plate 20 and the upper sealing plate 9 provide an airtight seal to the hoppers 10 and their contents.
- the plate 20 is movable by the motor 21 to a lowered inclined position to allow nuts to flow to an oven chamber 22 in which nuts dispensed from the hopper assembly are heated.
- Supported for rotation within the oven chamber 22 is an open sided stainless steel cylindrical heating receptacle 23.
- An electric motor '24 operates to impart rotation to the receptacle 23 between a receiving position in which its open side is positioned
- SUBSTITUTE i mediately below the chute 16 and closure plate 20 and an inverted dispensing position in which its contents are discharged to a lower chute 25.
- the walls 19 of the oven chamber 22 are constructed of or clad with a highly reflective material to minimise heat loss and heating time. Heating for the chamber is provided by a heat lamp 26 positioned in front of a reflective shield 27.
- a cup dispensing assembly 28 is provided to cause a cup 29 selectively to be positioned immediately ' below the chute 25 on operation of the machine.
- Cups 30 in the form of transparent plastics containers which are slightly convergent in shape and include around their rim a slightly protruding lip are positioned within a cylindrical retainer 31 with the lip of the lowermost cup resting on a ledge 32 provided towards the base of the retainer.
- the retainer 31 is supported by a bracket 33 secured to the rear and/or side wall of the housing 1.
- Positioned below the outlet of the retainer 31 are four rotatable cams 34 having cam surfaces 35 which are of spiral construction.
- the cams 34 are mounted on upstanding spindles 36 and are spaced evenly about the retainer outlet such that the cam surfaces 35 make contact with the outer circumference of the lowermost cup retained
- the spindles 36 carry toothed pinnions 37 which engage toothed racks 38 driven by an electric motor 39.
- the motor 39 operates to impart linear motion to each rack 38, the latter imparting rotational motion to the pinnions and spindles.
- the spindles on one side of the cup 30 rotate in a clockwise direction and the spindles on the other side rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and the rotational movement imparted to the cup 30 causes it to be drawn downwardly thereby releasing its lip from the ledge 32 and causing it to be dispensed via a chute 41.
- a coin or token receiving mechanism 42 is provided for operation of the machine.
- the hoppers 10 are filled with, for example, peanuts and cashew nuts.
- the nuts flow into and fill the troughs of the dispensers 12 positioned in each hopper orifice.
- the appropriate motor 15 is activated to rotate the respective stub shaft 14 and dispenser to cause a measured quantity of nuts to be dispensed. Should one or more nuts become lodged between the outer circumference of the dispenser and flap 17 t the latter is moved outwardly against the action of its spring to allow the lodged nuts to pass to the discharge side of the hopper assembly.
- the motor 17 operates to rotate the dispensers 12, so the motor 21 of the sealing plate 20
- SUBSTITUT operates to rotate the latter to allow the dispensed nuts to flow into the oven receptacle 23. As the nuts enter the oven receptacle so the heater operates to begin the heating process. After a given period of time, the heater switches off and the oven is rotated by the motor 24 to cause the heated nuts to pass via the chute 25 to fill a cup 29 dispensed by the assembly 28.
- the cup dispensing apparatus operates to dispense a cup to receive the nuts discharged from the oven chamber.
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Confectionery (AREA)
- Manufacturing And Processing Devices For Dough (AREA)
- Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9422535A GB2281906A (en) | 1992-05-07 | 1993-05-04 | Improvements in andrelating to dispensing apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB929209827A GB9209827D0 (en) | 1992-05-07 | 1992-05-07 | Improvements in and relating to dispensing apparatus |
GB9209827.6 | 1992-05-07 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1993022748A2 true WO1993022748A2 (en) | 1993-11-11 |
WO1993022748A3 WO1993022748A3 (en) | 1994-02-03 |
Family
ID=10715126
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB1993/000917 WO1993022748A2 (en) | 1992-05-07 | 1993-05-04 | Improvements in and relating to dispensing apparatus |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
AU (1) | AU4268993A (en) |
GB (2) | GB9209827D0 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1993022748A2 (en) |
Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2310321A (en) * | 1941-07-14 | 1943-02-09 | Edgar H Sargent | Vending machine |
US2852167A (en) * | 1955-09-23 | 1958-09-16 | Francis S Lempart | Nut dispensing machine |
GB982161A (en) * | 1961-11-08 | 1965-02-03 | Internat Vending Machines Inc | Automatic corn-popping machine |
FR2188431A6 (en) * | 1972-06-01 | 1974-01-18 | Mascret Albert | |
US4645093A (en) * | 1984-11-23 | 1987-02-24 | Richard F. Kriz | Vending apparatus for vending individual servings of ice cream |
FR2597319A1 (en) * | 1986-04-16 | 1987-10-23 | Adour Meca Electrothermie Pays | Apparatus for automatically preparing and dispensing fried products |
US4896798A (en) * | 1986-10-15 | 1990-01-30 | Innovative Design And Marketing, Inc. | Pan candy and nut meat product vending machine apparatus |
US4899908A (en) * | 1988-12-30 | 1990-02-13 | Dale Kardiak | Vending machine for dispensing heated peanuts |
EP0451302A1 (en) * | 1990-03-28 | 1991-10-16 | T.A. S.R.L.Tecnologie Alimentari | Machine for quickly serving a portion of cooked food |
-
1992
- 1992-05-07 GB GB929209827A patent/GB9209827D0/en active Pending
-
1993
- 1993-05-04 GB GB9422535A patent/GB2281906A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1993-05-04 AU AU42689/93A patent/AU4268993A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1993-05-04 WO PCT/GB1993/000917 patent/WO1993022748A2/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2310321A (en) * | 1941-07-14 | 1943-02-09 | Edgar H Sargent | Vending machine |
US2852167A (en) * | 1955-09-23 | 1958-09-16 | Francis S Lempart | Nut dispensing machine |
GB982161A (en) * | 1961-11-08 | 1965-02-03 | Internat Vending Machines Inc | Automatic corn-popping machine |
FR2188431A6 (en) * | 1972-06-01 | 1974-01-18 | Mascret Albert | |
US4645093A (en) * | 1984-11-23 | 1987-02-24 | Richard F. Kriz | Vending apparatus for vending individual servings of ice cream |
FR2597319A1 (en) * | 1986-04-16 | 1987-10-23 | Adour Meca Electrothermie Pays | Apparatus for automatically preparing and dispensing fried products |
US4896798A (en) * | 1986-10-15 | 1990-01-30 | Innovative Design And Marketing, Inc. | Pan candy and nut meat product vending machine apparatus |
US4899908A (en) * | 1988-12-30 | 1990-02-13 | Dale Kardiak | Vending machine for dispensing heated peanuts |
EP0451302A1 (en) * | 1990-03-28 | 1991-10-16 | T.A. S.R.L.Tecnologie Alimentari | Machine for quickly serving a portion of cooked food |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO1993022748A3 (en) | 1994-02-03 |
AU4268993A (en) | 1993-11-29 |
GB9422535D0 (en) | 1995-01-04 |
GB2281906A (en) | 1995-03-22 |
GB9209827D0 (en) | 1992-06-24 |
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