Vending machine installation and pavilion with interactive customer cooling accessory

A vending machine installation includes a misting accessory which discharges an evaporative cooling mist and is provided for interactive operation by a customer purchasing a product. The misting accessory is disposed above the vending machine or machines and includes a mist nozzle assembly within a simulated beverage bottle surrounded by a simulated bed of ice. Also provided is a sound generator for simulating the sound of gas escaping from the opening of the container of the beverage in response to vend signals generated by the customer operating the machine. The sound generator and the mister are initiated simultaneously. The simulated beverage bottle may be provided with a hinged bottle cap which flips open during operation of the mister. A pavilion incorporating vending machines and an array of misting nozzle assemblies provides evaporative cooling to persons within the pavilion. The vending machine installation and the pavilion employ nozzle assemblies which discharge an evaporative cooling mist formed by combining a water/air mist and an air delivery current.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a vending machine installation including a 
misting accessory which attracts customers and enhances awareness of the 
identity of the product being vended. The present invention also relates 
to a pavilion incorporating vending machines and an array of misting 
nozzle assemblies providing evaporative cooling to persons within the 
pavilion. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vending 
machine installation and a pavilion incorporating an accessory which 
interacts with customers visually, audibly and physically in order to 
convey the cooling and refreshing attributes of the product being vended 
to the customer. 
Various auxiliary devices have previously been integrated into vending 
machines in order to attract customers' attention and to increase sales of 
the products to be vended. These devices include talking devices which 
audibly communicate various messages, greetings and advertisements to 
customers, musical devices which output uplifting jingles and 
advertisements to customers, coupon dispensers which dispense discount 
coupons for future purchases of the products, and game devices such as 
video games which the customer can play in conjunction with the purchase 
of products being vended. 
All of the above devices, integrated into vending machines, are utilized to 
attract customers to the vending machines and increase product awareness. 
Recently, in order to further increase product awareness improved sign 
panels and associated graphics have been developed to visually illustrate 
attributes of products including the ability to cool and refresh the 
consumer. Various types of graphics include beds of ice, frosting or the 
like for conveying to the customer the refreshing and cooling 
characteristics of the product. The cooling and refreshing nature of the 
product are particularly important in environments where temperatures may 
be high, as in amusement parks visited during warm weather months. 
It is generally known in amusement parks to provide enclosures which 
customers of the park may walk into and be sprayed with water, or a water 
mist, to cool them off on hot summer days. These cooling areas are popular 
and give temporary relief from the heat. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,633, issued to Michael Jones and Mark Hensley, 
discloses apparatuses in which evaporative cooling is provided by adding a 
water mist from a nozzle or nozzles to an air current produced by a blower 
and discharging the cloud-like mixture to the local atmosphere. 
Known apparatuses for providing evaporative cooling, such as those 
disclosed in the Jones et al. patent, generally require high pressure 
water supplies in order to achieve satisfactory atomization within the 
mist nozzles. The equipment for supplying the high pressure water can be 
bulky and expensive. Also, these evaporative cooling apparatuses are 
generally used for sustained periods and are not particularly well suited 
for intermittent operation. 
Known misting or cooling enclosures in amusement parks or other sites where 
people gather are not directly or interactively associated with the sale 
of beverages. Rather, they are provided as separate attractions to cool 
off customers of the amusement park, to make their stay more enjoyable on 
a hot summer day. 
For conveying the cooling and refreshing attributes of vending products to 
customers of the vended products, it would be advantageous to be able to 
communicate with the customer beyond the normal visual communication 
provided by improved sign panels and graphics relating to the cooling and 
refreshing attributes of the products. It would additionally be 
advantageous to be able to audibly and physically communicate with the 
customer the refreshing attributes of the products to be vended in an 
interactive way associated with the vending of the products and the 
operation of the vending machines by the customer. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a 
vending machine installation including means for attracting customers to 
increase sales of the products and to enhance the awareness of product 
identity being dispensed from the machines. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an accessory 
coupled to a vending machine which interacts with the customer visually, 
audibly and physically in order to convey the cooling and refreshing 
attributes of the vendable products to the customer. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an accessory 
coupled to a vending machine which interactively involves the customer in 
the purchase of the product in a positive way related to the attributes of 
the product. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an assembly 
integrated into a vending machine which enhances the customer's perception 
of the cooling and refreshing attributes of the vendable products. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vending machine 
accessory which discharges an evaporative cooling mist toward a customer 
as a consequence of the purchase of an item from the machine. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an accessory which 
discharges a cooling mist, is of compact construction, requires relatively 
low water pressure and is well adapted for intermittent operation. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pavilion 
incorporating an evaporative cooling arrangement which requires relatively 
low water pressure and is well adapted for intermittent operation. 
The foregoing objects of the present invention and others as well are 
fulfilled by providing a vending machine installation comprising: at least 
one vending machine incorporating vend control means for receiving input 
signals from a customer requesting the dispensing of a selected item and 
producing vend signals in response thereto; and a misting accessory 
disposed above the at least one vending machine for delivering a cooling 
mist to the customer in response to the vend signals. 
The objects of the present invention are also fulfilled by providing a 
pavilion accommodating a gathering of persons and providing evaporative 
cooling for persons so accommodated, the pavilion comprising: at least one 
vending machine disposed within the pavilion, the at least one vending 
machine incorporating vend control means for receiving input signals from 
a customer requesting the dispensing of a selected item and producing vend 
signals in response thereto; an array of elevated nozzle assemblies for 
discharging a cooling mist; and control means responsive to the vend 
signals for operating at least one nozzle assembly to discharge a cooling 
mist. 
The objects of the present invention are also fulfilled by providing a 
pavilion accommodating a gathering of persons and providing evaporative 
cooling for persons so accommodated, the pavilion comprising: an array of 
elevated nozzle assemblies for discharging a cooling mist, each of the 
nozzle assemblies incorporating a mist nozzle for discharging a water/air 
mist and an air nozzle for discharging an air delivery current which 
entrains the water/air mist discharging from the mist nozzle. 
The present invention further includes a sound generator in the vending 
machine for simulating the sound of CO.sub.2 gas escaping upon opening of 
a container of the beverage in response to the vend signal. 
Also in a preferred embodiment, a portion of a simulated beverage bottle 
including the bottle neck is disposed on the top of the vending machine 
and is surrounded by a simulated bed of ice in order to further visually 
convey the cooling characteristics of the beverages within the vending 
machine. 
Still further the simulated beverage bottle portion on the top of the 
vending machine may be provided with a hinged bottle cap which can pivot 
to an open position simultaneously with the discharge of the mist and the 
generation of the sound of escaping CO.sub.2 gas to audibly and visually 
enhance the message that the products to be vended from the machine will 
refresh the customer. 
Preferably the vending machine installation includes at least two 
independently operable vending units disposed side-by-side. Both of these 
units are coupled to the misting accessory of the present invention. Thus, 
customers at either of the vending units may be treated to the cooling 
mist. 
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become 
apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it 
should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, 
while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way 
of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the 
spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in 
the art from this detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a vending machine installation in 
accordance with the present invention which includes two independently 
operated side-by-side vending machines 10 and 10'. Each unit has front and 
side panels 10A, 10B which may carry advertising graphics. As illustrated, 
the front panel of each vending machine carries a relieved representation 
of a bottle 12A corresponding to at least one of the products therein to 
be vended. The graphics surrounding the illustrated bottles depict a bed 
of ice chunks 12B. The bottles shown on the front panels of the vending 
machines are the Coca-Cola "Contour" bottle which is a registered 
trademark of The Coca-Cola Company. The front panels of each vending 
machine also carry an independently operable control panel 14 including a 
coin or paper currency slot 14A and product selection buttons 14B. 
A misting accessory 16 is supported above the two side-by-side vending 
machines by structure (not shown) which permits removal of either vending 
machine for convenient servicing. As illustrated, the misting accessory 
includes a housing 17 in the shape of an ice bed 18 from which extends a 
bottle neck 20. A cap 20A is mounted to the bottle neck for pivoting 
movement to a position which simulates the opening of the bottle. 
Angularly spaced ports 22 in the bottle neck accommodate nozzle assemblies 
(to be described) from which a cooling mist 24 discharges in the direction 
of a vending machine customer 26. A panel 19 incorporating a display 19A 
and speakers 19B at each end extends along the front of the housing 17. 
Located within and concealed by the housing are the components for 
generating a cooling mist, sounds and visual messages and for moving the 
bottle cap, as will be described. 
As illustrated schematically in FIG. 2, vending machines 10 and 10' each 
include a vend control unit 30 for receiving currency input signals at 14A 
in conjunction with product selection signals at input 14B through an AND 
gate or the like. Receipt of these signals causes the vending of a 
selected product by providing a signal to vend motors 32 in a known 
manner. The vend control unit 30 also provides signals to an interface 
device control unit 34. A readily available programmable logic controller 
36 receives signals from the vending machines via the interface device 
control units 34. Controller 36 provides signals which operate sound 
generator 38, display 19A, motor 40 for pivoted bottle cap 20A and mist 
nozzle assemblies 60, 60'. 
An array of LEDs may serve as the display 19A, and a micro-chip, CD player 
or tape player may serve as the sound generator 38, which is connected to 
the speakers 19B on panel 19. As illustrated, the bottle cap 20A is 
operated by an air motor 40 coupled by conduit 42 to pressurized air 
supply 50. An air motor valve 42V in conduit 42 is coupled to controller 
36 via line 42C and operates in response to signals from the controller to 
control the application of pressurized air to motor 40. 
Each mist nozzle assembly includes a mist nozzle 62, 62' and an adjacent 
air nozzle 64, 64'. Water at a suitable pressure of, say, 30 psi is 
conveyed from water supply 52 to the mist nozzles via conduits 66, 66'. 
Air at a suitable pressure of, say, 30 psi is conveyed from air supply 50 
to the mist nozzles via conduits 68, 68' and to the air nozzles via 
conduits 70, 70'. The mist nozzles may be chosen from readily available 
nozzles which mix relatively low pressure water and air and produce a 
water/air mist cloud containing very fine water droplets. The air nozzles 
may be formed by small diameter tubing and are oriented so that they 
discharge an air current which intersects with the mist issuing from the 
discharge outlet of the adjacent mist nozzle. The mist and air nozzles may 
alternatively be incorporated in a unitary nozzle body. 
If deemed advantageous, the cooling mist may carry an aroma which is 
evocative of a beverage flavor, or some other pleasing flavor or scent. 
The aroma can be provided by an aromatic agent supplied as an aerosol from 
pressurized source 54 connected by conduits 56, 56' with air conduits 70, 
70'. The flow of the aromatic agent into the air conduits is controlled by 
valves 56V, 56V' which operate in response to signals received from 
controller 36 via lines 56C, 56C'. 
Valves 66V, 66V', 68V, 68V', 70V, 70V' in the water and air conduits are 
coupled to controller 36 via lines 66C, 66C', 68C, 68C', 70C, 70C' and 
operate in response to signals from the controller to control the flow of 
water and air to the mist nozzle assemblies. 
In a typical operating scheme, when a sale is not taking place at one of 
the vending machines, advertising or promotional messages will be 
presented on display 19A, and advertising jingles or sounds which attract 
customers will be produced by speakers 19B. Preferably, the sounds will 
suggest the cooling and refreshing effects of the products offered by the 
vending machines or the refreshing effects of the cooling mist emitted by 
the misting accessory. The sounds of ice falling into a glass, a beverage 
being poured into a glass, a satisfied "ahhh" voiced by a refreshed 
customer are among the sounds which might be employed. The water and air 
valves and the air motor valve may be periodically operated to discharge a 
mist from either or both of the mist nozzle assemblies and effect opening 
of the bottle cap. As will be described, the mist discharge will be 
accompanied by a sound, like the familiar sound of CO.sub.2 gas escaping 
from a beverage container being opened, which may serve as an enticement 
to potential customers. 
To make a purchase at one of the vending machines, the customer will 
introduce the necessary amount of currency into slot 14A and will select a 
product by actuating one of the buttons 14B. The vend control unit 30 then 
issues a signal which activates the vend motors 32 and also issues a 
signal to controller 36 via the interface device control unit 34. In 
response to the signal from the vending machine, the controller 36 issues 
signals via the control lines to open the valves in the water and air 
conduits for predetermined intervals for producing a cooling mist which 
discharges from a mist nozzle assembly toward the customer located in 
front of the vending machine. Concurrently, the controller 36 sends a 
signal to valve 42V which operates the air motor 40 to pivot the bottle 
cap toward an open position. Also, signals may be issued by the controller 
to change the sounds produced by the speakers 19B and the appearance of 
display 19A, so that potential customers nearby will be alerted to the 
cooling and refreshing experience of the customer who has made a purchase. 
The sounds may simulate the familiar sound of a beverage container being 
opened. 
If the customer is making a purchase from vending machine 10', the 
controller will issue signals for operating the valves in the water and 
air conduits supplying mist nozzle assembly 60'. The signals for operating 
the valves issue in a sequence which reliably produces a cloud-like mist 
directed toward the customer using vending machine 10'. First, the valves 
68V and 70V in conduits 68 and 70 are operated to allow flow of 
pressurized air to the mist and air nozzles 62', 64'. Then, valve 66V' in 
conduit 66 is operated for a suitable interval to allow a flow of water to 
the mist nozzle. Valves 68V' and 70V' allow continued air flow through the 
mist and air nozzles for a suitable interval after the water flow stops. 
The initial air flow to the mist and air nozzles creates a sound which may 
be like that of CO.sub.2 gas escaping from a beverage container being 
opened. The air flow through the mist nozzle also removes any residual 
water which might drip from the mist nozzle. Within the mist nozzle, the 
incoming water breaks up into small water droplets, mixes with the 
pressurized air to form even smaller droplets and discharges as a very 
fine mist. The air current issuing from the air nozzle entrains the mist 
and carries the mist toward the customer. The air flow which continues 
after the cessation of water flow eliminates water from the mist nozzle 
and ensures that all of the mist is conveyed toward the customer. 
The present invention may also be employed in a larger installation such as 
a pavilion. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the pavilion 100, which is large 
enough to accommodate a gathering of people, may be simply formed of 
upright columns 112 spanned by an open-work roof of elevated members 114. 
The columns and/or the elevated members provide support for an array of 
mist nozzle assemblies 116 like those employed in the vending machine 
installation of FIGS. 1 and 2. The columns and elevated members may also 
carry graphics and display panels 118. Water and air conduits and control 
lines (not shown) for the mist nozzle assemblies and the display panels 
may be supported within or on the columns and elevated members. The water 
and air supplies and the controller may be suitably housed within the 
pavilion or at a remote location. As illustrated, the pavilion 
accommodates vending machines 120. 
According to one operating scheme, the mist nozzle assemblies will 
periodically discharge to provide cooling refreshment to persons gathered 
in the pavilion. The graphics and the display panels can serve as constant 
reminders of the provider of the refreshing experience. 
According to another operating scheme, the mist nozzle assemblies adjacent 
to the vending machines may discharge a cooling mist toward a customer 
making a purchase at one of the machines, as described above in connection 
with the vending machine installation of FIGS. 1 and 2. According to still 
another operating scheme, all of the mist nozzle assemblies will discharge 
a cooling mist when a purchase is made at one of the vending machines, to 
thus provide a strong inducement for purchasing products from the 
machines. 
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be 
varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure 
from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as 
would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included 
within the scope of the following claims.