Patent ID: 7896038
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: A23G,G07F

Abstract:
1. A frozen confectionary vending machine for assembling and delivering a frozen confectionary product to a user of the machine, said machine comprising: a housing having an interior and a transparent viewing window for viewing at least a portion of the interior by a user of the machine; a frozen confectionary dispensing station contained at a first location within the housing for dispensing a measured amount of a frozen confectionary into a product receptacle; a first topping dispensing station contained within the housing at a second location that is spaced a distance away from the first location; a second topping station that is disposed at a third location spaced a distance away from each of the first and second locations, wherein each of said first and second topping dispensing stations is configured to dispense a measured amount of a topping into the product receptacle; a user interface for selecting at least three parameters for the assembly of the frozen confectionary product; a product delivery port for delivering the product receptacle containing the assembled frozen confectionary product to the user; a robotic transfer mechanism for moving the product receptacle between the first, second and third locations for the assembly of the frozen confectionary product and for moving the assembled frozen confectionary product from one of the first, second and third locations to the product delivery port; and an electronic processor for controlling operation of the machine based on selections entered through the user interface.