Patent ID: 8162210
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: B67D,G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
1. A water and drink mix vending machine, comprising: a vending machine body with at least one opening configured to receive a container from a user for the delivery of water into the container; a first actuator actuatable to select the dispensing of an amount of water from the vending machine body, wherein the amount is selected from a plurality of user selectable amounts; a second actuator actuatable by a user to select the dispensing of a user selected drink mix package selected from a plurality of individual sealed drink mix packages of a plurality of user selectable predetermined concentrations from the vending machine body, each of the plurality of user selectable predetermined concentrations corresponding to different amounts of water; a payment interface configured to receive payment for the water and drink mix; a liquid dispensing mechanism comprising a discharge nozzle that is fluidly connectable to a municipal water supply via one or more filters that filter out undesirable particles or impurities from the water, the discharge nozzle being alignable with the container and configured to dispense the water into the container positioned in the opening upon receipt of payment for the water; and a drink mix dispensing mechanism comprising one or more product trays configured to support the plurality of individually sealed drink mix packages, each of the plurality of individually sealed drink mix packages containing a drink mix in a predetermined amount, a drop chute extending from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the chute in communication with the product tray and sized to allow the user selected drink mix package to pass therethrough, and a delivery bin that is attached to the distal end of the drop chute, the delivery bin sized to receive the user selected drink mix package and to allow the user to retrieve the user selected drink mix package, the delivery bin being separate from the opening that receives the container, wherein the drink mix dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the user selected drink mix package separately from the water upon receipt of payment for the user selected drink mix package, wherein the drink mix is dispensed in an unmixed state relative to the water, and wherein the user selected drink mix package has a concentration that corresponds to at least an amount of water equal to the user selected amount of water, the drink mix package being automatically dispensed upon selection by the user.