Abstract:
An apparatus and method for lifting a dispensed product in a vending machine includes a lift member positioned in the path of a vended item. A control member, manually movable between first and second positions, raises the lift member to in turn raise a vended item.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/161,648 filed Oct. 27, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The field of the invention relates to vending machines, and in particular, to presentation of a vended item to a customer, and further in particular, to an apparatus and method for lifting a vended item after dispension. 
     2. Problems in the Art 
     Many vending machines utilize legs to support the cabinet of the machine above the floor. Such legs can elevate the cabinet several inches, for example, six inches. Many vending machines are made the conform to a uniform overall height (e.g. 72 inches). One reason is bankability--having a bank or multiple machines side-by-side and of the same size. In those cases, the volume of space in the cabinet for holding an inventory of vendible items and dispensing structure and hardware is limited accordingly. 
     Many vending machines utilize gravity as a part of the dispensing process. Access to the vended product is usually supplied by an opening at or near the bottom of the cabinet. Most times this requires customers to reach or bend down to retrieve a vended item. If the cabinet is elevated by legs, the access opening can usually be positioned so that it is generally not too difficult for the customer to retrieve the vended item. 
     Some vending machines have the access opening at a much higher position. This would reduce or even eliminate any requirement of bending or reaching down to retrieve a vended item, but would either require more complex or expensive dispensing systems, or require automated lifts (e.g. robotic) to carry a dropped/dispensed item up to a higher position for access by the customer. However, such structures add mechanical complexity and expense to the machine, as well as increased maintenance requirements. 
     It is therefore a principle object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method which lifts a vended item for presentation to and access by a customer that overcomes the problems and deficiencies in the art. 
     A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method as above described which quickly and easily raises the product for better presentation to a customer. 
     Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method as above described which can improve the presentation of a product to a customer. 
     A still further feature, object or advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which can, in certain instances, help a customer find a vended item. 
     A still further feature, object, or advantage of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus and method which can allow an increase in the internal volume of the cabinet of a vending machine. 
     A still further object, feature, and advantage of the present invention includes an apparatus and method which can allow increase of the internal volume of the cabinet of a bending machine and yet reduce or eliminate additional vending or downward reaching to retrieve a vended item. 
     Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is an apparatus and method which meets certain government regulations regarding access to vended products. 
     Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is an apparatus and method which is economical, noncomplex, efficient and durable. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a dispensed product lift for vending machines including a delivery chamber to receive a dispensed product, an access opening to the chamber for a customer, a lift member positioned to catch a vended product, and a manually movable actuator member operably connected to the lift member which can move the lift member, between a normal position and a second position raised position to lift a vended product relative to the access opening. 
     The method according to the present invention includes catching a vended product, and lifting the vended product in response to manual action of a customer. 
     A further feature of the invention includes a method of increasing the capacity of a vending machine by increasing the volume of the vending machine cabinet by lowering the bottom of the cabinet relative to the floor and lowering an access opening for customer access to vended products. Vended products are caught and lifted by manual actuation. 
     A further alternative feature of the present invention includes a method for improving access to a vended item of a vending machine by catching the vended item and lifting it by manual actuation for better presentation to a customer. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a prior art vending machine on the left and a vending machine according to a one embodiment of the present invention on the right. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged isolated perspective view of a delivery box assembly, access opening, and lift mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the lift mechanism in its normal state. 
     FIG. 3 is the same as FIG. 2 except showing the lift mechanism in a raised state. 
     FIG. 4 is a still further enlarged side elevational view of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a still further enlarged side elevational view of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In order to gain a better understanding of the invention, an embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail. Frequent reference will be taken to the drawings. Reference numbers will be used to indicate certain parts and locations in the drawings. The same reference numbers will be used to indicate the same parts and locations throughout the drawings, unless otherwise indicated. 
     The embodiment will be described in relationship to a conventional snack vending machine such as dispenses a variety of snack-sized candy or food items. The dispensing system relies in part on gravity and therefore the access opening for the customer to retrieve a vended item is placed towards the bottom of the cabinet. 
     It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is applicable to other types of vending machines. The particular dispension system is not material to the invention and therefore will not be described herein. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional prior art vending machine  10  side-by-side with a vending machine  30  according to the present invention. Both machines have a cabinet ( 12  and  32  respectively) each of which defines a volume of space that is filled up with an inventory of candy or food items for vending, dispensing mechanisms and apparatus, and other conventional components of vending machines such as trays, money/taken receivers and changers, and selection mechanisms. 
     Many conventional vending machines have legs  18  which elevate the bottom  16  of cabinet  12  above the ground  15 . This can be on the order of  6  inches as is diagrammatically (not to scale) illustrated in FIG. 1 with machine  10 . To maximize internal space useable for an inventory of vendible products, access opening  20  is placed near bottom  16  of the face  14  of vending machine cabinet  12 . 
     A delivery box assembly  22 , a bin for receipt a vendible products dispensed from machine  10  (shown in ghost lines  22 ), is mounted in cabinet  12  in a position which catches any vended item  24 . An opaque, metal delivery door  25  (alternatively plastic and/or transparent) is placed behind access opening  20 . 
     The customer pushes open door  25  to unblock opening  20  and reaches into bin  22  to retrieve item  24 . Door  25  is biased to return back (by gravity) to cover opening  20  once item  24  is located and removed, and door  25  is released by the customer. 
     In comparison, vending machine  30  is identical to vending machine  10  except as follows. Cabinet  32  has an increased interior volume. Legs  38  are much shorter than legs  18  of machine  10 . Therefore cabinet  32  can be expanded downwardly even though vertical height is the same as machine  10 . If legs  38  are, for example, approximately 1 inch tall, this can expand cabinet  32  by five inches in vertical height. This could add one or more additional trays or shelves that can be held in machine  32 . This not only can increase inventory, but also the number of possible selections of products in machine  32 . This would be extremely advantageous because the machine would have to be restocked less frequency, which is a time saver for the operator of the machine. It is also less likely to run out of vendible products, making customers happier. It also can present more choices to customers. 
     To maximize inventory capacity, access opening  40  in front face  34  of machine  30  is positioned lower than access opening  20  of machine  10 . Additionally, delivery box  42  is lower than delivery box  22  of machine  10 . Consequently, vended product  24  would come to rest a lower vertical position in machine  30  than in machine  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the vertical height of bottom  16  of machine  10  is greater (see reference numeral  17 ) then bottom  36  in machine  30  (see reference numeral  37 ). The positioning of access opening  40  is also lower in machine  30  than access opening  20  of machine  10  (compare reference numerals  21 / 23  with  41 / 43 ). 
     Machine  30  therefore would present a lower, and more difficult, presentation for a customer to locate and retrieve a vended item. A specific example of why this can be important is as follows. 
     Government regulations exist regarding minimum vertical height for access by a person in a wheelchair to a vended product. A minimum of 9 inches above the ground exists for a person reaching sideways from a wheelchair, and 15 inches from the ground if the person is reaching forwardly from a wheelchair. As indicated generally at line  50  in FIG. 1, vending machine  10  would qualify if line  50  represented the minimum vertical height. Vending machine  30  would not. Therefore, machine  30  utilizes a dispensed or vended product lift mechanism that lifts a vended product after dispension. 
     FIGS. 2-5 illustrate the specific structure of the dispensed product lift mechanism. Front face  34  of machine cabinet  32  of vending machine  30  is illustrated. Opening  40  in face  34  of machine cabinet  30  is shown. Delivery box assembly  42  is behind face  34  and has a lower floor  52  which is underneath the lowest edge of opening  40 . 
     A delivery or access door  45  is pivotally positioned behind access opening  40 . Pivot axle  60  allows door  45  to pivot between a normal position generally horizontally aligned directly behind opening  40  (see FIG.  2 ), to a rearwardly and upwardly rotated position (see FIG.  3 ), which opens access to the interior of box  42 . 
     What will be called an anti-cheat member  56  is positioned in the rear of box  42  and pivots around a pivot axle  68  that is spaced apart but generally parallel to pivot axle  60 . Anti-cheat member  56  has a normal position hanging generally vertically straight down (see FIG.  2 ), but pivots forwardly and upwardly to the position shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Anti-cheat member  56  serves to prevent a person from trying to extend their hand or arm, or a wire or other device, through and out of box  42  and attempt to cause unauthorized removal of items from the remainder of the vendible product inventory in cabinet  32 . 
     As shown most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, anti-cheat member  56  moves in response to movement of access door  45 . Identical linkages on opposite sides of door  45  and anti-cheat member  56  connect anti-cheat  56  and door  45 . Each linkage includes an L-arm  62  pivotally connected at one end to a side  47  of door  45  at pivot connection  63 , and pivotally connected at an opposite end to small arm  64  at pivot connection  66 . Small arm  64  is connected to anti-cheat  56  at side  57  so that it moves with anti-cheat  56 . 
     What is called a lift sheet  70  is connected along a rear edge  70 E (see FIGS. 4 and 5) to the lower free edge of anti-cheat  56  by screws  74 , and connected along its opposite edge  70 A to edge  54 A on false box  54  of box  42 . In a normal position, lift sheet  70  roughly follows the shape of box  42  (see FIGS.  2  and  4 ). This allows a vended item  24  to fall to the bottom of box  42  but be caught by or land on lift sheet  70 . 
     FIGS. 3 and 5 illustrate how vended item  24  can be lifted for better presentation to a customer. Once item  24  is dispensed and falls to the bottom of box  42  (see FIGS.  2  and  4 ), it is ready to be accessed and removed by the customer. The customer must push delivery door  45  inwardly around pivot axle  60  (axle  60  is pivotally mounted to box  42  or machine  30 ). This moves pivot connections  63  along inward and upward arcs which in turn moves L-arms  62  rearwardly and upwardly. The opposite ends of L-arms  62  push pivot connections  66  slightly upward but mostly rearwardly. This is caused by the bend and dimensions of L-arms  62 . As a result, anti-cheat  56  rotates around pivot axle  68  in the following manner. The much shorter length of small arms  64  relative to L-arms  62  causes anti-cheat  56  to rotate inwardly and upwardly ahead of door  45 . This pulls edge  70 E of lift sheet  70  upward to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Door  45  follows anti-cheat  56 , and as shown most clearly in FIG. 5, pulls portion  70 D of lift sheet  70  upward to near anti-cheat  56 . 
     As a result, lift sheet  70  assumes the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Referring specifically to FIG. 5, this position of lift sheet  70  causes item  24  to move upwardly and closer to opening  40 . Item  24  is no longer at the bottom of bin  42 , but presented right at the end  54 B of false box  54 , in plain view of the customer for much better location and grasping. 
     Upon release of door  45 , which by gravity would pivot back to its position of FIGS. 2 and 4, lift sheet  70  would return back to its position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, ready for the next item to be dispensed. 
     As can appreciated, this arrangement not only moves a vended item closer to access opening  40 , but lifts it a significant amount. This can make what otherwise might not qualify as a minimum vertical height for access to a vended product into one that does meet such an indicated minimum vertical height. Still further, it should be emphasized, that lift sheet  70  can help a customer more quickly find where the vended product is located in the bin  42 , saving the customer from groping, without direct view, to find the item. The precise relationship of the components described herein can vary according to choice. The components of FIGS. 2-5 are drawn generally to scale relative to one another. 
     This included preferred embodiment is given by way of example only, and not by way of limitation to the invention, which is solely described by the claims herein. Variations obvious one skilled in art will be included within the invention defined by the claims. 
     For example, lift sheet  70  is a five mil thick polycarbonate or Lexan™ sheet. This is light weight yet provides sufficient strength (it can even be used with cans and bottles and other items that are vendible from these types of machines), and the flexibility needed to fold and move in the manner described above. Other materials could be used, however. However, the lifting member could alternatively be rigid or semi-rigid, or a net, or of another configuration or combinations of configurations. 
     The precise configuration of the box  42  can vary according to different vending machines and needs. Different configurations of shape, attachment and size of lift sheets  70 , as well as the other components of the lift mechanism, can be made. 
     Still further, it is not necessarily the case that a door  45  is needed. A small lever, or handle could instead be grasped and pushed (or even pulled) by a customer to cause movement of a lift sheet  70  or other like member to raise a vended product. 
     Still further, an anti-cheat  56  is not necessary. Again, appropriate linkage between a manually moved actuating linkage and the rear edge of a lift sheet or member can be configured which would cause the lifting of a lift sheet or member and the corresponding lifting of a vended product in or on the lift sheet or member. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention can be used in a variety of situations to lift a vended product or to assist in a better presentation of a vended product to an access opening of a vending machine. Still further, the lift mechanism could be advantageously used to increase the interior volume or capacity of conventional vending machines by moving the dispensing system lower in the cabinet of the vending machine and yet help present the vending product at a reasonable vertical height. Still further, the present invention can be utilized to convert a vending machine that does not otherwise meet minimum vertical presentation heights for vendible product into a machine that does so. Also, the present invention can be utilized to simply make it easier to locate a vended product within the delivery box for easier and quicker access by a customer.