Patent ID: 7494000
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
1. A snack dispenser incorporating a coin box, the structure of the snack dispenser comprising a plurality of stacked circular display levels, each of said stacked circular levels being of smaller diameter than the level below, said stacked display levels when telescoped forming a tiered tray assembly, said tiered tray assembly comprising a plurality of arcuate segments, and each of said segments forming a portion of each stacked circular display level, each of said segments having an access door, said coin box for the snack dispenser including said series of tiered trays stacked upon a carousel and for dispensing a contained individual product at a select monetary value, said tiered trays having a central cavity formed therein for accepting the coin box partially therein, said coin box having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having a contained internal control circuitry, said upper portion capable of accepting at least one coin into the snack coin box, said internal control circuitry capable of identifying the monetary value of the coin by the diameter of the coin and activating at least one plunger to operate at least one arm of a door control mechanism when the monetary value of the at least one coin equals a certain amount, said at least one arm thereby unlocking a door of the snack dispenser to allow a customer to obtain an individual product from one of the arcuate segments of the tiered trays, said internal control circuitry including a coin track, and at least one pair of light pipes transmitting and reflecting at least one infrared beam therethrough, said internal control circuitry calculating the diameter of the at least one coin by the time taken by the at least one coin rolling past said light pipes and then correlating a unique monetary value to the diameter of the measured at least one coin, said internal control circuitry having the capability to store coin box information, said coin box information including a set of personal identification numbers, the total monetary value of the at least one coin inserted into the coin box, and said coin box information capable of being downloaded and modified by a separate infrared communication device, the upper portion of said coin box including a keypad for the customer to enter alpha-numeric characters that communicate to said internal control circuitry, a display provided upon the upper portion of the coin box and provided for showing the total monetary value of the at least one coin inserted into said coin box and a maintenance code for servicing said coin box including said internal control circuitry, said internal control circuitry activates the said at least one plunger after the customer has entered a specified number of coins, said coin track includes a floor which is generally angled downwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the coin and is further inclined downwardly along the perimeter of the coin box, and wherein said coin is deposited in the lower portion of the coin box as it leaves the coin track for storage therein.