Abstract:
A beverage vending machine is disclosed. The beverage vending machine includes a beverage production unit; a store containing cups; a take-out compartment; at least two cup-holders; and a beverage dispensing device. The take-out compartment is accessible from the outside and has at least two dispensing stations. Each of the at least two cup-holders is configured to support a cup at a respective dispensing station. The beverage dispensing device defines an outlet of the beverage production unit and is operated to selectively engage the dispensing stations.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Italian Application No. TO2011A000620 filed on 14 Jul. 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein, in their entirety, by this reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a beverage vending machine. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a beverage vending machine of the type comprising a beverage production unit; a cup store; a take-out compartment accessible from the outside; supporting means located in the take-out compartment and for receiving a cup from the store; and a beverage dispensing device defining an outlet of the beverage production unit and located over the supporting means to feed a beverage into a cup in the take-out compartment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vending machines of the above type generally produce a number of different beverages, normally including espresso coffee and various types of ‘soluble’ beverages, such as chocolate, tea, and broth. 
     Because of the variety of beverages produced, the need has arisen to employ cups of different types and sizes, depending on the selected beverage, i.e. a small cup for espresso coffee, and a larger cup for the other beverages. 
     Accordingly, vending machines of the above type are known, in which the cup store comprises two or more stores for respective types of cups; and the supporting means comprises two or more cup-holders, each designed to receive a respective type of cup from a respective store, and which are operated to move between respective cup-receiving stations and a shared dispensing station with a fixed dispensing device. 
     Since the dispensing station normally also functions as the user take-out station, which means the dispensing device is easily accessible from the outside and therefore exposed to vandalism, the dispensing device is normally protected by a guard operated to move to and from a guard position shielding the dispensing device, or is mounted to move between the dispensing station and a rest position inaccessible from the outside. 
     Though effectively solving the problem of employing cups of different sizes, the size and number of the moving parts involved in the above solution makes it unsuitable in cases requiring a particularly compact vending machine. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an object of one or more embodiments of the present invention to provide a beverage vending machine of the above type designed to employ cups of different sizes, and which is compact and cheap and easy to produce. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a beverage vending machine. The beverage vending machine includes a beverage production unit; a store containing cups; a take-out compartment accessible from the outside and having at least two dispensing stations; at least two cup-holders, each for supporting a cup at a respective dispensing station; and a beverage dispensing device, which defines an outlet of the beverage production unit and is operated to selectively engage the dispensing stations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the vending machine according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a larger-scale front view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a larger-scale plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Number  1  in  FIG. 1  indicates as a whole a beverage vending machine comprising a cabinet  2  closed at the front by a door  3 , which has a beverage selection panel  4 , and a take-out compartment  5  accessible from the outside and from which the user removes a cup of the selected beverage. 
     Take-out compartment  5  communicates with the inside of cabinet  2  through two holes  6   a ,  6   b  formed in a top wall  7  of take-out compartment  5  and having respective substantially vertical axes  8 . 
     As shown in more detail in  FIG. 2 , holes  6   a ,  6   b  are engaged axially by respective annular bodies  9   a ,  9   b , which are coaxial with respective axes  8 , have different inside diameters, and define two known cup-holders for respective cups  10   a ,  10   b  of different sizes (in the example shown, the larger cup is indicated  10   a ). 
     More specifically, each annular body  9   a ,  9   b  is designed to receive a respective downward-fed cup  10   a ,  10   b , to support the cup  10   a ,  10   b  suspended firmly in an upright position inside take-out compartment  5 , and to allow easy removal of cup  10   a ,  10   b  by the user extracting it downwards from annular body  9   a ,  9   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , cups  10   a ,  10   b  are fed to respective annular bodies  9   a ,  9   b  from respective known stores  11   a ,  11   b , which are mounted inside cabinet  2 , over take-out compartment  5 , and comprise respective hoppers  12   a ,  12   b , each housing a number of stacks of respective cups  10   a ,  10   b ; and respective release devices  13   a ,  13   b , each for withdrawing one cup at a time from the bottom of a respective stack of cups  10   a ,  10   b.    
     On the side facing holes  6   a ,  6   b , each release device  13   a ,  13   b  has a chute  14   a ,  14   b , the outlet of which is coaxial with a respective axis  8 , and is located over and a given distance from a respective hole  6   a ,  6   b , so that a cup  10   a ,  10   b  released by respective release device  13   a ,  13   b  drops through hole  6   a ,  6   b  into respective annular body  9   a ,  9   b.    
     In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that, to receive and support cups  10   a ,  10   b  inside take-out compartment  5 , other supporting members may be substituted for annular bodies  9   a ,  9   b , such as known fixed fork-shaped cup-holders, or movable supporting members such as known elevators movable between a raised position supporting cup  10   a ,  10   b  beneath respective hole  6   a ,  6   b , and a lowered user take-out position. 
     Regardless of how cups  10   a ,  10   b  are supported in take-out compartment  5 , holes  6   a ,  6   b  therefore define, inside take-out compartment  5 , respective fixed dispensing stations  15   a ,  15   b  located directly beneath a dispensing device  16  and engageable selectively by dispensing device  16 , depending on the type of beverage selected and, therefore, the type of cup  10   a ,  10   b  used. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , dispensing device  16  comprises a number of nozzles  17 , which form the end portion of a production unit  18  housed inside cabinet  2  and for dispensing the liquid components of the user-selected beverage through nozzles  17 . 
     In the example shown, production unit  18  is fitted to a rear wall of cabinet  2 , and comprises a known brewing assembly  19  for producing coffee; and an assembly  20  for producing beverages from soluble powdered ingredients, such as chocolate, tea and milk. Assembly  20  comprises, in known manner, a number of hoppers  21  for the soluble ingredients; and a number of known mixers (not shown), in which the soluble ingredients are dissolved in water to produce respective beverages. Brewing assembly  19  and the mixers (not shown) are connected to dispensing device  16  by respective hoses  22 , each extending from the outlet of brewing assembly  19  or a respective mixer to an inlet fitting of a respective nozzle  17 . 
     Obviously, the composition and number of component parts of production unit  18  described with reference to the attached drawings are purely indicative, and may vary, depending on the requirements and intended use of machine  1 . 
     Nozzles  17  are fitted to a support defined by a plate  23  located in an intermediate position between top wall  7  of take-out compartment  5  and chutes  14   a ,  14   b , and which is hinged by an arm  24  to a bracket  25 , integral with cabinet  2 , to swing about a substantially vertical axis  26  and move nozzles  17 , in a substantially horizontal plane, between two dispensing positions, in which nozzles  17  face one or the other of holes  6   a ,  6   b  and engage respective dispensing station  15   a ,  15   b , and a normal intermediate rest position between the two dispensing positions. 
     More specifically, and as shown in more detail in  FIG. 3 , plate  23  in the rest position faces a portion  27  of top wall  7  between holes  6   a  and  6   b , so as not to interfere with cup  10   a  or  10   b  being fed into respective annular body  9   a ,  9   b.    
     Portion  27  of top wall  7  also provides for shielding nozzles  17 , by making them inaccessible from the outside and therefore vandal-proof in the rest position. 
     A tray  28  is preferably formed on or fitted to portion  27  to catch any drips from nozzles  17  at the end of the dispensing stage, and to feed the collected liquid, preferably by means of a drain tube (not shown), into a removable container (not shown) inside cabinet  2 . 
     Arm  24  supporting plate  23  is rotated by a reversible electric actuator  29  fitted to bracket  25  and connected electrically to limit stop detecting devices (not shown), such as microswitches, for signalling the dispensing and rest positions of nozzles  17 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , when machine  1  is out of service, arm  24  can be rotated manually about axis  26  into a full-back position to clear the field for maintenance and cleaning. 
     In actual use, rotation of dispensing device  16  by electric actuator  29  is controlled by an electronic central control unit (not shown) connected to electric actuator  29 , selection panel  4 , production unit  18 , and release devices  13   a ,  13   b.    
     Depending on the beverage selected by the user, the central control unit commands release of a cup  10   a  or  10   b , and, once this is seated inside respective annular body  9   a ,  9   b , commands electric actuator  29  to rotate arm  24  about axis  26  and move nozzles  17  from the rest position to the dispensing position corresponding with the dispensing station  15   a ,  15   b  engaged by the selected cup  10   a ,  10   b.    
     Once the dispensing stage is completed, electric actuator  29  is operated to rotate arm  24  in the opposite direction and return nozzles  17  to the rest and drip position. 
     In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that dispensing device  16  can also be used in machines  1  with more than two types of cups and dispensing stations. 
     In fact, in the event (not shown) of more than two dispensing stations aligned along an arc of a circle coaxial with axis  26 , the angular travel, described above, of arm  24  about axis  26  need simply be modified to move nozzles  17  selectively into any of the dispensing stations. In the event (not shown) of more than two dispensing stations aligned, for example, in one or more rows, as opposed to an arc of a circle coaxial with axis  26 , dispensing device  16  is modified to enable nozzles  17  to move not only about but also crosswise to axis  26 , e.g. by means of a telescopic arm  24 .