Abstract:
Vending machines designed specifically for the sale and provision of large and potentially unusually shaped items, such as sporting goods, including an electronic system for the selection and sale of the vended items. In some examples, the vending machine includes multiple product storage areas designed for holding and vending varied goods such as hockey sticks, hockey stick blades, and related accessories, with each area separate and made accessible by the electronic system as appropriate based upon the purchased products selected by a user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61820500, filed on May 7, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to vending machines that automatically dispense hockey equipment. In particular, vending machines that dispense hockey sticks and replacement blades for attachment to sticks are described. 
         [0003]    Known hockey vending solutions are not entirely satisfactory for the range of applications in which they are employed. Because hockey is a fast paced contact sport, hockey players regularly need to replace their equipment during play. In particular, players often need to replace sticks or stick blades when they become damaged during play. As a result, there exists a need for hockey players to have quick, consistent access to replacement equipment when playing. 
         [0004]    Playing locations often operate hockey pro shops that provide players with replacement equipment. Staffing and operating hockey pro shops, however, is both expensive and burdensome. In particular, it is often difficult to staff hockey pro shops during the early morning or late at night. As a result, it is difficult to provide consistent access to replacement equipment at all of the times in which players are commonly playing. Thus, there exists a need for automated hockey equipment vendors that provide consistent access to equipment without needing to operate a hockey pro shop. 
         [0005]    Some existing vending machines are currently used to dispense hockey supplies. Often, however, repurposed vending machines originally designed to vend drinks and/or snacks are used to sell small hockey accessories. While such machines are suitable for selling select small hockey supplies, such as mouth guards, they are ill-suited for selling larger unwieldy items, such as replacement sticks and blades. As a result, maintaining a pro shop is the only practical means by which hockey playing locations are able to vend one piece hockey sticks and stick blades. Thus, there exists a need for an automated means by which hockey playing locations can vend hockey sticks and stick blades. 
         [0006]    Further, the storage in repurposed vending machines is not designed specifically for dispensing hockey equipment. As a result, repurposed vending machines are limited in the selection of items they are able to store and provide to customers. 
         [0007]    Thus, there exists a need for vending machines that improve upon and advance the design of known hockey equipment vending solutions. Examples of new and useful hockey equipment vending machines relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The present disclosure is directed to vending machines designed specifically for the sale and provision of large and potentially unusually shaped items, such as sporting goods, along with an electronic system for the selection and sale of the vended items. In some examples, the vending machine includes multiple product storage areas designed for holding and vending hockey sticks, hockey stick blades, and related accessories, with each area separate and made accessible by the electronic system as appropriate based upon the purchased products selected by a user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a cutaway perspective view of an example of a vending machine according to the present disclosure with a portion of the case removed to show interior features of the vending machine. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the case of the vending machine shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective schematic view of the vending machine shown in  FIG. 1  depicting the case and interior features of the vending machine. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an overhead schematic view of the vending machine shown in  FIG. 1  depicting the mechanical interface of the vending machine. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates promotional materials associated with a vending machine including features associated with the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    The disclosed vending machines will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description. 
         [0015]    Throughout the following detailed description, a variety of vending machine examples are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example. 
         [0016]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , a first example of a vending machine designed to automatically vend hockey equipment, vending machine  100 , will now be discussed. As  FIG. 1  shows, vending machine  100  includes a stick dispenser  112 , a stick blade dispenser  130 , an accessory dispenser  140 , an automated checkout system  148 , a case  150 , and a mechanical system  101 . 
         [0017]    Vending machine  100  provides an automated system for vending hockey equipment. As  FIG. 1  shows, vending machine  100  includes several features specifically designed to store and vend hockey equipment, distinguishing it from many vending machines that have been repurposed for selling hockey equipment. In particular, vending machine  100  is able to vend larger items that do not fit in repurposed vending machines, such as replacement sticks and stick blades. 
         [0018]    Because vending machine  100  is automated, vending machine  100  allows hockey recreation facilities to sell replacement equipment without operating a hockey pro shop. Further, the automated features of vending machine  100  provides hockey equipment sales during early mornings, late nights, and other times that may be impractical to operate a hockey pro shop with human personnel. 
         [0019]    As  FIGS. 3 and 4  show, mechanical system  101  is operatively connected to stick dispenser  112 , stick blade dispenser  130 , and accessory dispenser  140 . Mechanical system  101  includes a motor  102 , a first shaft  104 , a first gear  105 , a chain  106 , a second gear  103 , and a second shaft  108 . Mechanical system  101  is configured to rotationally drive stick dispenser  112 , stick blade dispenser  130 , and accessory dispenser  140  to display items available for sale. Further, mechanical system  101  is in electrical communication with automated checkout system  148 , allowing potential purchasers to control mechanical system  101  and manipulate the dispensers to display specific items. 
         [0020]    As  FIG. 3  shows, motor  102  defines a standard motor drivingly connected to first shaft  104 . Motor  102  is configured to rotationally drive first shaft  104 , and first shaft  104  is configured to transfer the energy produced by motor  102  to the other elements of mechanical system  101 . In some examples, vending machine  100  is connected to a nearby electrical outlet to provide electric power to motor  102 , but other power sources are equally contemplated. 
         [0021]    As  FIGS. 3 and 4  show, first shaft  104  extends through motor  102 . As  FIGS. 3 and 4  also illustrate, first shaft  104  is fixedly connected to first gear  105  at a position below motor  102 . Similarly, first shaft  104  is fixedly connected to accessory dispenser  140  and to stick blade dispenser  130  above motor  102 . 
         [0022]    As motor  102  drives first shaft  104 , first shaft  104  directs rotational force produced by motor  102  to rotate accessory dispenser  140  and stick blade dispenser  130 . As motor  102  adjusts the orientation of accessory dispenser  140  and stick dispenser  112 , a potential purchaser is able to view the items in the dispensers that are available for purchase. Further, motor  102  drives first gear  105  through first shaft  104 , allowing motor  102  to drive second shaft  108  and stick dispenser  112 . 
         [0023]    As  FIG. 4  shows, chain  106  is connected between first gear  105  and second gear  103 . Motor  102  rotationally drives first gear  105  through first shaft  104 . Chain  106  transfers the rotational force that motor  102  applies to first gear  105  to second shaft  108 . As a result, motor  102  is able to drive second shaft  108 . 
         [0024]    As  FIG. 4  illustrates, second shaft  108  is fixedly connected to the center of second gear  103 , allowing second gear  103  to drive second shaft  108  and stick dispenser  112 . As  FIG. 3  shows, second shaft  108  is routed through and fixedly connected to stick dispenser  112  substantially at the center of stick dispenser  112 . Because second shaft  108  is operatively connected to second gear  103  and to stick dispenser  112 , motor  102  is configured to rotationally drive stick dispenser  112 . 
         [0025]    As  FIG. 1  shows, stick dispenser  112  is fixedly connected to second shaft  108  above second gear  103 . Stick dispenser  112  is configured to store and dispense full replacement sticks with blades attached. 
         [0026]    As  FIG. 1  illustrates, stick dispenser  112  is substantially cylindrical. As  FIGS. 3 and 4  show, stick dispenser  112  is divided into a plurality of stick storage compartments  114 . Each stick storage compartment  114  defines a radial segment of stick dispenser  112 . Further, each stick storage compartment  114  is sized to fit a single replacement stick. Replacement sticks stored in stick storage compartments  114  may be either standard size hockey sticks or goalkeeper sticks. Each radial segment may include a vertically inclined bottom surface configured to roughly conform to the shape of the stored sticks&#39; blades when the stored sticks are in a substantially upright position. 
         [0027]    As  FIG. 4  shows, one stick storage compartment may be positioned in a dispensing position  116  at any given time. A selected compartment may be positioned in dispensing position  116 , for example, in response to the user selecting the associated stick with automated checkout system  148 . In response, mechanical system  101  may rotationally drive stick dispenser  112  to dispensing position  116 . 
         [0028]    As  FIG. 4  shows, dispensing position  116  is substantially aligned with a selectively opening door of case  150 . When the associated door is opened, a purchaser may retrieve a purchased replacement stick from the stick storage compartment positioned in dispensing position  116 . 
         [0029]    Stick dispenser  112  includes 12 stick storage compartments. Accordingly, stick dispenser  112  is configured to accommodate 12 full-size sticks and shafts. Some examples, however, include other quantities of storage compartments. 
         [0030]    As  FIG. 3  shows, stick blade dispenser  130  is fixedly connected to first shaft  104  above motor  102 . Because stick blade dispenser  130  is fixedly connected to first shaft  104 , motor  102  is configured to selectively rotate stick blade dispenser  130  to display the items contained in stick blade dispenser  130 . 
         [0031]    As  FIGS. 1 and 3  illustrate, stick blade dispenser  130  is substantially cylindrical in shape. Similar to the stick storage compartments of stick dispenser  112 , stick blade dispenser  130  includes a plurality of blade storage compartments  134 . Each blade storage compartment  134  defines a radial segment of stick blade dispenser  130  sized to fit a single replacement stick blade. Like stick dispenser  112 , mechanical system  101  may rotate stick blade dispenser  130  to display a selected blade storage compartment  134  in a blade dispensing position  136 . 
         [0032]    Stick blade dispenser  130  includes 12 blade storage compartments  134 , thereby accommodating 12 stick blades at one time. However, some examples include other quantities of blade storage compartments. 
         [0033]    As  FIG. 3  illustrates, accessory dispenser  140  is fixedly connected to first shaft  104  between stick blade dispenser  130  and motor  102 . Because accessory dispenser  140  is connected to first shaft  104 , motor  102  is configured to selectively rotate accessory dispenser  140 . When rotated, accessory dispenser  140  is configured to rotate to display the accessories stored in each accessory storage compartment  144 . 
         [0034]    As  FIG. 3  illustrates, accessory dispenser  140  is substantially cylindrical in shape. As  FIG. 1  shows, accessory dispenser  140  includes a plurality of accessory storage compartments  144 . Each accessory storage compartment  144  is sized to store a single item. As  FIG. 1  shows, accessory storage compartments  144  are arranged circumferentially around accessory storage compartments  144 , similar to blade storage compartments  134  and stick storage compartments  114 . 
         [0035]    Accessory dispenser  140  includes multiple vertical rows of accessory storage compartments  144 . In particular, accessory dispenser  140  includes two rows of 12 compartments, providing a total of 24 compartments. Other examples may include additional or fewer compartments or rows to accommodate different numbers of items. 
         [0036]    Each accessory storage compartment  144  is configured to store a single accessory, such as a package of hockey tape, a hockey puck, a package or skate laces, a mouth guard, helmet hardware, multi-tools, or other small items that are often desired to be replaced or purchased when playing hockey. 
         [0037]    Like stick dispenser  112  and stick blade dispenser  130 , mechanical system  101  is configured to rotate accessory dispenser  140  to position a selected accessory in an accessory dispensing position  146 . 
         [0038]    In some examples, accessory dispenser  140  may include one or more adjustable compartment barriers configured to selectively bar access to unpurchased accessories. When a purchased item is in accessory dispensing position  146 , for example, an unpurchased item may be aligned with the associated door and thus inadvertently accessible to the purchaser. Adjustable compartment barriers may restrict or prevent purchasers from improperly retrieving the unpurchased item when retrieving a purchased product from accessory dispensing position  146 . 
         [0039]    As  FIG. 1  shows, case  150  is configured to enclose the internal components of vending machine  100 , such as mechanical system  101 , stick dispenser  112 , stick blade dispenser  130 , accessory dispenser  140 , and automated checkout system  148 . 
         [0040]    Case  150  is constructed primarily of steel. The steel construction provides durability and structural support. Indeed, as  FIGS. 1 and 3  show, case  150  is configured to serve as the primary support of several of the internal components of vending machine  100 . 
         [0041]    As  FIG. 3  shows, first shaft  104  is rotatably connected to case  150  at both the top and the bottom of case  150 . As  FIG. 3  shows, case  150  supports first shaft  104  in a substantially vertical orientation while allowing first shaft  104  to rotate around its central longitudinal axis. As previously discussed, mechanical system  101  is able to rotatably drive first shaft  104  to rotate stick blade dispenser  130  and accessory dispenser  140 . 
         [0042]    As  FIG. 3  illustrates, second shaft  108  is rotatably connected to case  150 , substantially similar to first shaft  104 . Like first shaft  104 , second shaft  108  is rotatably supported by case  150  and is substantially vertically oriented. Mechanical system  101  is configured to rotationally drive second shaft  108  to display items stored in stick dispenser  112 . 
         [0043]    As  FIG. 2  shows, case  150  includes display windows  152 , a stick dispensing door  154 , a blade dispensing door  156 , and an accessory dispensing door  158 . Each of display windows  152 , stick dispensing door  154 , blade dispensing door  156 , and accessory dispensing door  158  are made of a substantially translucent tempered glass. The translucent glass allows users to view products contained within the interior of case  150 . 
         [0044]    In some examples, dispensing doors are configured to be manually opened and closed upon purchase of an item. In such examples, automated checkout system  148  may instruct a purchaser to open the appropriate door upon purchasing an item. 
         [0045]    In other examples, however, doors may automatically unlock or open upon purchase of an item. For example, stick dispensing door  154  is configured to automatically open upon a purchaser purchasing an item. Stick dispensing door  154  may, for example, open automatically upon receiving payment for a stick positioned at dispensing position  116 . 
         [0046]    As  FIG. 4  shows, stick dispensing door  154  is substantially aligned with dispensing position  116 . When stick dispensing door  154  is opened, the purchaser is able to reach through stick dispensing door  154  to retrieve a purchased stick from stick dispenser  112 . In some examples, vending machines include barriers that bar access to stick storage compartments not in dispensing position  116 . 
         [0047]    As  FIGS. 2 and 3  show, blade dispensing door  156  defines a selectively opening door substantially aligned with blade dispensing position  136 . Similar to stick dispensing door  154 , blade dispensing door  156  is configured to automatically open upon purchasing a selected stick blade. When blade dispensing door  156  is open, a purchaser is able to retrieve a purchased blade from blade dispensing position  136 . 
         [0048]    As  FIGS. 2 and 3  show, accessory dispensing door  158  defines a selectively opening door substantially aligned with accessory dispensing position  146 . Similar to stick dispensing door  154  and blade dispensing door  156 , accessory dispensing door  158  is configured to automatically open upon purchase. When accessory dispensing door  158  is open, a purchaser may retrieve a purchased accessory from accessory dispensing position  146 . 
         [0049]    In some examples, cases include multiple accessory dispensing doors. Each accessory dispensing door is sized to provide access to a single accessory dispensing compartment and is aligned with one vertical row of accessory dispenser  140 . 
         [0050]    As  FIG. 2  shows, case  150  includes a checkout system opening  164 . checkout system opening  164  is sized to partially receive the front of automated checkout system  148 . By partially receiving automated checkout system  148 , case  150  supports automated checkout system  148  at a purchaser-accessible position. Automated checkout system  148  includes an item selection interface, a cash acceptor, a card acceptor, and a receipt printer. Automated checkout system  148  allows a purchaser to browse available items, select items for purchase, and provide payment to purchase the selected item. 
         [0051]    As  FIG. 4  shows, case  150  additionally includes a checkout system cavity  165  that receives automated checkout system  148 . Checkout system cavity  165  extends longitudinally around the perimeter of automated checkout system  148  to house automated checkout system  148  in a substantially fixed position. 
         [0052]    Automated checkout system  148  is in electrical communication with mechanical system  101 . As a result, automated checkout system  148  is able to instruct mechanical system  101  to adjust the position of stored items for sale. Similarly, automated checkout system  148  is in electrical communication with stick dispensing door  154 , blade dispensing door  156 , and accessory dispensing door  158 . As a result, automated checkout system  148  is able to instruct stick dispensing door  154 , blade dispensing door  156 , and accessory dispensing door  158  to selectively open and close to provide access to purchased items. 
         [0053]    The item selection interface of automated checkout system  148  allows a potential purchaser to provide input for browsing items and selecting an item for purchase. Upon receiving input, automated checkout system  148  electrically instructs mechanical system  101  to adjust stick dispenser  112 , stick blade dispenser  130 , and/or accessory dispenser  140  to position the selected item in the dispensing position and display the selected item. 
         [0054]    When an item has been selected for purchase, automated checkout system  148  requests payment. Payment may be received, for example, by receiving cash from the purchaser in the cash acceptor or by scanning a purchaser&#39;s credit or debit card in the card acceptor. Upon receiving payment, automated checkout system  148  instructs stick dispensing door  154 , blade dispensing door  156 , or accessory dispensing door  158  as appropriate to open to provide access to the purchased item. When open, the purchaser may retrieve the selected item through the appropriate dispensing door. 
         [0055]    In some examples, dispensing doors may close automatically after providing the purchaser a reasonable amount of time to purchase a selected item. 
         [0056]    Automated checkout system  148  includes a receipt printer configured to print out a receipt for purchased items. The receipt printer preferably is of a type of printer which makes efficient use of ink when printing and requires little maintenance. 
         [0057]    The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. 
         [0058]    Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein.