ANTIMICROBIAL TREATMENT FOR VENDING MACHINES AND GAMBLING GAMING MACHINES

A vending machine comprising: a payment interface that accepts payment from a user of the vending machine, the payment interface having an exterior surface; an object dispensary that dispenses an object after the user makes payment via the payment interface, the object dispensary having an exterior surface; and an antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface of one or more of the payment interface and object dispensary; wherein, the antimicrobial coating includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof. The silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof can be one or more of: 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride. The vending machine can further include a user interface where the user commands which object the vending machine will dispense at the object dispensary, the user interface having the antimicrobial coating applied to an exterior surface of the user interface.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Vending machines and gambling gaming machines include portions that many users sequentially touch, such as a payment interface, a user interface, and an object dispensary. Each of those portions includes exterior surfaces. The exterior surfaces may contain harmful bacteria, microbes, viruses, and the like, which can be transferred to a multitude of users, spreading diseases. There is a need to modify the exterior surfaces of such high traffic machines like vending machines and gambling gaming machines to prevent the exterior surfaces from harboring bacteria, microbes, viruses, and the like, to prevent such spreading of disease.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a vending machine comprises: a payment interface that accepts payment from a user of the vending machine, the payment interface having an exterior surface; an object dispensary that dispenses an object after the user makes payment via the payment interface, the object dispensary having an exterior surface; and an antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface of one or more of the payment interface and object dispensary; wherein, the antimicrobial coating includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof.

Embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure can include any one or a combination of the following features:the vending machine is a change machine, the payment interface accepts payment from the user in the form of paper currency, and the object dispensary dispenses one or more of coin currency or paper currency;a user interface where the user commands via physical contact with the user interface which object the vending machine will dispense at the object dispensary, the user interface having an exterior surface and the antimicrobial coating is further applied to the exterior surface of the user interface;the vending machine is a cigarette machine, and the object dispensary dispenses cigarettes;the vending machine is a food vending machine, and the object dispensary dispenses food;the vending machine is a bulk vending machine, and the object dispensary dispenses a bulk quantity of objects, and the antimicrobial coating is applied to both the exterior surface of the payment interface and the object dispensary;the bulk quantity of objects is food;the vending machine is a newspaper vending machine, and the object dispensary dispenses a newspaper;the vending machine is a ticket machine, and the object dispensary dispenses one or more tickets; andthe silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof is one or more of: 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a gambling gaming machine comprises: a payment interface that accepts payment from a user of the gambling gaming machine, the payment interface having an exterior surface; a user interface where the user plays a game of the gambling gaming machine, the user interface having an exterior surface; and an antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface of one or more of the payment interface and user interface; wherein, the antimicrobial coating includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof.

Embodiments of the second aspect of the disclosure can include any one or a combination of the following features:a coin hopper having an exterior surface, and the antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface of the coin hopper;the user interface includes a lever to be pulled by a user, and the antimicrobial coating is applied to at least the exterior surface of the lever;the user interface is one or more buttons to be pushed by a user, and the antimicrobial coating is applied to at least the exterior surface of the one or more buttons;the user interface is a touch screen display to be touched by a user, the touch screen display having an exterior surface, and the antimicrobial coating is applied to at least the exterior surface of the touch screen display; andthe silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof is one or more of: 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a method of imparting antimicrobial properties onto an exterior surface of a vending machine comprises: applying, to an exterior surface of a vending machine, a solution including a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof and isopropyl alcohol; wherein, the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof is one or more of: 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride; wherein, the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof is between 0.1 percent and 10 percent by weight of the solution; and wherein, the isopropyl alcohol is between 30 percent to 90 percent by weight of the solution.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, a vending machine10of the present disclosure is illustrated. The vending machine10includes a payment interface12, an object dispensary14, and a user interface16. The payment interface12accepts payment from a user (not illustrated) of the vending machine10. The object dispensary14dispenses an object18that the user desires to purchase after the user makes payment for the object18via the payment interface12. The user interface16, if included, is the portion of the vending machine10where the user commands, via physical contact with the user interface16, which object18the vending machine10will dispense at the object dispensary14. The payment interface12can be a slot20that accepts coins (seeFIG. 3), a bill feeder22that accepts paper money, a credit card reader24(seeFIG. 3), among other options. The user interface16can be buttons40, a touch screen display42(seeFIG. 6), among other things. The object dispensary14can be any dispensing portion of the vending machine10where the user obtains the object18purchased from the vending machine10. In this illustrated embodiment, the vending machine10is a food vending machine10, and thus the object dispensary14dispenses food26. The payment interface12has an exterior surface28. The object dispensary14has an exterior surface30. The user interface16has an exterior surface32. An antimicrobial coating34is applied to the exterior surface(s)28,30,32of one or more of the payment interface12, the object dispensary14, and the user interface16, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the antimicrobial coating34is applied to the exteriors surfaces28,30,32of each of the payment interface12, the object dispensary14, and the user interface16. However, in some embodiments where the user is less likely to touch the payment interface12, for example, the antimicrobial coating34may only be applied to the exterior surfaces30,32of the object dispensary14and the user interface16(if included), respectively. The antimicrobial coating34can be applied to the vending machine10generally.

Referring now toFIG. 2, another embodiment of a vending machine10, a change machine10A, is illustrated. In the embodiment of the change machine10A, the payment interface12accepts payment from the user, typically in the form of paper currency inserted into the bill feeder22. In return, the object dispensary14dispenses one or more of coin currency or paper currency, typically of a smaller denomination than the denomination of the paper currency inserted into the change machine10A by the user. It may be particularly advantageous to apply the antimicrobial coating34to the exterior surface30of the object dispensary14of the change machine10A. The antimicrobial coating34can be applied to the change machine10A generally.

Referring now toFIG. 3, another embodiment of a vending machine10, a cigarette machine10B, is illustrated. The objects18that the cigarette machine10B vends are cigarettes36. The cigarette machine10B accepts payment from the user at the payment interface12. At the user interface16, the user commands which cigarettes36the cigarette machine10B will dispense at the object dispensary14. It may be particularly advantageous to apply the antimicrobial coating34to the exterior surfaces30,32of the object dispensary14and the user interface16, respectively, of the cigarette machine10B. The antimicrobial coating34could be applied to the exterior surface28of the payment interface12, or the cigarette machine10B generally.

Referring now toFIG. 4, another embodiment of a vending machine10, a bulk vending machine10C, is illustrated. The bulk vending machine10C accepts payment, which is often in the form of coin currency, from the user at the payment interface14. The bulk vending machine10C dispenses a bulk quantity of objects18at the object dispensary14. The objects18dispensed can be food26, such as candy or gum, or small non-food items such as toys. It may be particularly advantageous to apply the antimicrobial coating34to the exterior surfaces28,30of the payment interface14and the object dispensary14, respectively. The antimicrobial coating34could be applied to the bulk vending machine10C generally.

Referring now toFIG. 5, another embodiment of a vending machine, a newspaper vending machine10D, is illustrated. The newspaper vending machine10D accepts payment, which is often in the form of coin currency, from the user at the payment interface12. The objects18that the newspaper vending machine10D dispenses are newspapers38at the object dispensary14, which in this particular embodiment includes a handle41. It may be particularly advantageous to apply the antimicrobial coating34to the exterior surface30of the object dispensary14, including the handle41thereof. The antimicrobial coating34could also be applied to the exterior surface28of the payment interface14, or the newspaper vending machine10D generally.

Referring now toFIG. 6, another embodiment of a vending machine10, a ticket machine10E, is illustrated. The ticket machine10E accepts payment from the user at the payment interface14. The user commands the ticket machine10E to dispense the object18, i.e., one or more tickets, at the user interface16, which in this instance is the touch screen display42. The ticket machine10E dispenses one or more tickets at the object dispensary14. It may be particularly advantageous to apply the antimicrobial coating34to the exterior surfaces32,30of the user interface16and object dispensary14, respectively. The antimicrobial coating34could also be applied to the payment interface12, or the ticket machine10E generally.

Referring now toFIG. 7, a gambling gaming machine44is illustrated. The gambling gaming machine44, like the vending machines10-10E, includes the payment interface12and the user interface16. At the payment interface12, the gambling gaming machine44accepts payment from the user (e.g., money, a ticket, a casino gaming card, etc.). At the user interface16, the user plays a game of the gambling gaming machine44. The user interface16in the illustrated embodiment includes one or more buttons40to be pushed by the user. Each of the payment interface12and the user interface16have their respective exterior surface28,32. The antimicrobial coating34is applied to the exterior surface32,28, respectively of either the user interface16or the payment interface12or both. In the illustrated embodiment, because the user interface16includes buttons40, applying the antimicrobial coating34to the exterior surface32of the user interface16includes applying the antimicrobial coating34to the exterior surface32at the buttons40.

Referring now toFIG. 8, an alternative embodiment gambling gaming machine44A is illustrated. The gambling gaming machine44A further includes a coin hopper46and a lever48, which is part of the user interface16. The user can pull the lever48rather than press the buttons40to activate the game of the gambling gaming machine44A. The gambling gaming machine44A distributes coins50to the user if the user wins a game. The coin hopper46and the lever48each have an exterior surface52,54, respectively. It may be particularly advantageous to apply the antimicrobial coating34to the exterior surfaces52,54of the coin hopper46and the lever48. The antimicrobial coating34can be applied to the payment interface12, the rest of the user interface16, and the gambling gaming machine44A generally.

Referring now toFIG. 9, an alternative embodiment gambling gaming machine44B is illustrated. The gambling gaming machine44B further includes the touch screen display42as part of the user interface16. The user touches the touch screen display42as part of the game of the gambling gaming machine44B. The antimicrobial coating34it may be particularly advantageously applied to the exterior surface32of the user interface16, which here includes the touch screen display42.

The antimicrobial coating34includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof. Preferred silane quaternary ammonium ions or salts thereof include 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride. Applying the antimicrobial coating34to the various exterior surfaces28,30,32,52,54imparts antimicrobial properties on the various exterior surfaces28,30,32,52,54, which prevent or lessen the ability of said exterior surfaces28,30,32,52,54to harbor harmful microbes, viruses, bacteria, and the like and spread them to user after user.

Further described herein is a novel method of imparting antimicrobial properties onto any or all of the exterior surfaces28,30,32,52,54of the vending machines10,10A-10E or gambling gaming machines44,44A,44B described above, and onto the exterior surfaces of the vending machines10,10A-10E or gambling gaming machines44,44A,44B generally. The method comprises applying, to any of the exterior surfaces28,30,32,52,54of the vending machines10,10A-10E or gambling gaming machines44,44A,44B, a solution including the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof, as described above. In addition to the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof, the solution can further include a solvent. A preferred solvent is isopropyl alcohol.

The silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof can comprise between 0.1 percent and 10 percent by weight of the solution. More preferably, the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof can comprise between 0.75 percent and 5 percent by weight of the solution. Even more preferably, the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof can comprise between 1.9 percent and 2.1 percent by weight of the solution.

As for the isopropyl alcohol, the isopropyl alcohol can comprise between 30 percent to 90 percent by weight of the solution. More preferably, the isopropyl alcohol can comprise between 55 percent and 65 percent by weight of the solution. An example preferable solution comprises (by weight) 60.0 percent isopropyl alcohol, 2.02 percent 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, and 34.19 percent deionized water.