Patent ID: 6082578
Filing Date: 2000-07-04
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
A vending machine for packaged commodities comprising:a body in the form of an open-front box;a door swingably attached to the front face of the body; anda plurality of commodity storage sections arranged in stages in the body,each of said commodity storage sections includinga plurality of rows of commodity columns each containing a plurality of the commodities stacked in layers,commodity dispensing mechanisms attached to the commodity columns, individually, and each adapted successively to dispense the stacked commodities in each corresponding commodity column to the front of the column, starting with the upper- or lowermost commodity, andcommodity guide flaps swingably attached to the respective front faces of the commodity storage sections, individually, to cover the whole region except commodity dispensing portions for the commodity dispensing mechanisms in front of the commodity columns, and to be swung open when commodities are to be set in the commodity columns,wherein when the door is closed, the inside of the door and the commodity guide flaps define a flat space of a uniform depth extending in the vertical direction which serves as a commodity chute for guiding the selectively dispensed commodities, and when the door is opened, the commodity chute turns into an open space which allows the commodity guide flaps to be swung.