Patent ID: 9038853
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: A23G,G07F

Abstract:
1. A sanitized vending machine, comprising: a product dispensing mechanism adapted to hold a plurality of product items and rotate through a product dispensing cycle during which said product dispensing mechanism dispenses one or more of product items, said product dispensing mechanism including a first driven gear for undergoing rotation during the product dispensing cycle; a cup dispensing mechanism adapted to hold at least one stack of cups and rotate through a cup dispensing cycle during which said cup dispensing mechanism dispenses a cup from the stack to a predetermined position, said respective product and cup dispensing cycles occurring in a predetermined sequence so that the dispensed product items are received in a cup located in the predetermined position, said cup dispensing mechanism including a second driven gear drivingly interfaced with said first driven gear of said product dispensing mechanism for undergoing rotation during the cup dispensing cycle; an actuation mechanism including a well structure including front and rear chambers disposed in a tandem relationship and an opening defined in said well structure where said chambers meet one another, said front chamber communicating with a product dispensing opening in a front bottom wall of said well structure, said first driven gear of said product dispensing mechanism being mounted to undergo rotation in said front chamber, said rear chamber communicating with a cup dispensing opening in a rear bottom wall of said well structure, and said second driven gear of said cup dispensing mechanism being mounted to undergo rotation in said rear chamber.