Patent ID: 6640994
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
In a vending machine having a magazine for retaining a plurality of dispensable products, dispensing means for dispensing said plurality of dispensable products from said machine one at a time, a discharge chute through which a dispensed product will drop, said discharge chute having a cross sectional plane defined by a first side and a second opposing side, and means for detecting that one of said plurality of dispensable products has been dispensed, the improvement comprisinga plurality of optical emitters paced along said first side, said optical emitters aimed at said second opposing side, a plurality of receptors spaced along said second opposing side, a sequencing circuit for sequentially illuminating each one of said optical emitters, and means for determining when light from one of said plurality of optical emitters aimed at one of said plurality of receptors has failed to reach said one of said receptors.