Abstract:
A simple, inexpensive, reliable and maintenance-free dispenser in which the stored products are offered automatically on the outside of the dispenser where they can be grasped by a hand without further manipulation. The dispenser includes housings in which the products, stacked in a column, are stored and moved by gravity and, at the base of each housing in front of the first product of the column, outlet orifices are closed by a closing membrane with slits. A slope is provided, in the lower rear part of each housing, to automatically advance the first product a predetermined distance through the outlet orifice so that the product partially emerges and can be grasped by hand on the outside of the dispenser. The dispenser can be used to automatically dispense consumable products, such as drinks, without prepayment, and for all types of industrial, commercial, home and other applications.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a national stage of PCT/FR2006/002469 filed Nov. 7, 2006 which claims priority from French Application Serial No. 0511320 filed Nov. 8, 2005. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL REALM 
       [0002]    The present invention concerns a dispenser of consumable products, especially beverages packaged in containers such as bottles, cans, or cups, comprising a thermally insulated case having at least one housing to receive products that are superimposed in at least one stack and at least one outlet opening located at one end of the housing opposite the first product in the stack so as to allow the product to be retrieved manually, with the other products advancing automatically to successively present themselves opposite the outlet opening while the first product in the stack is being removed. 
       PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,736,057 describes a dispenser of this type in which the outlet opening is located at the lower extremity of the housing and the products descend automatically by gravity. Consequently, this dispenser is very simple in design and offers the advantage of operating without any moving parts. In this example, the dispenser is refrigerated and comprises several housings arranged side by side, each outlet opening being closed by a sealed pivoting door attached with a spring hinge, obliging the user to open the door with one hand and keep it open to search for a drink while introducing the other hand into the housing through the outlet opening. Thus, access to the drinks is neither simple, quick, nor immediate. The same disadvantages recur with the dispensers described in publications US 2005/0061007 and WO 2004/113808. 
         [0004]    In the dispenser in U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,978, the beverages, contained in cylindrical cans, are stored in a stack and descend by gravity to an outlet opening where they can be removed using only one hand. The cans are perpendicular relative to the axis of the outlet opening and they are propelled toward this outlet opening by a ramp located in the rear. In this configuration, the cans roll around and risk being automatically ejected from the dispenser. This is the reason that the outlet opening comprises a retaining stop to block the lower can and hold back the stack. In order to allow extraction of a can, this outlet opening comprises lateral cutouts allowing it to be gripped by the ends and an upper cutout allowing it to be raised to free the retaining stop. This manual manipulation is not instantaneous and it is impossible for small hands. Moreover, the geometry of the outlet opening does not permit it to be sufficiently airtight for a refrigerated application. 
         [0005]    There also exists refrigerated cabinets closed by a sealed door which the consumer must open to access the products stored within, causing a considerable waste of energy each time the door is opened since the cold air is uselessly diffused outside the cabinet. 
         [0006]    There are also open refrigerated cabinets offering the consumer the advantage of easy access to the products, but with major drawbacks such as wasting too much energy, operating loudly, chilling the environment where they are located, and breaking down frequently. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention proposes a solution for improving accessibility to the products stored in the dispenser, offering an ultra-simple design with no moving parts and thus no risk of mechanical breakdown, and considerably reducing energy loss in refrigerated dispensers. In that instance, the invention offers an effective compromise that is more economical and environmentally friendly than existing refrigerated cabinets. 
         [0008]    To achieve this, the invention concerns a dispenser of the type indicated. The outlet opening is closed by a blocking membrane with slits made of airtight material, and in that the dispenser comprises at the end of the housing a ramp angled towards the outlet opening located at the rear of the housing and causing the product in the stack to advance along a predetermined course through the outlet opening so that it partially emerges through the blocking membrane and may be grasped manually from outside the dispenser without the need to open a door or a trap or to perform any other manipulation. Thus, the product is presented automatically to the consumer, even if the housing is a refrigerated one. 
         [0009]    The outlet opening may be located at the lower extremity of the housing, with the stacked products being automatically displaced by gravity, or at the upper extremity of the housing, with the stacked products being automatically displaced by a pushing force, the housing defining a stack that may be either a straight vertical stack or a zigzag stack. 
         [0010]    The housing is advantageously adjustable at least in depth in order to adapt to various product lengths. For this purpose, it comprises a fixed portion defining the base of the housing and an adjustable portion defining the lateral walls and rear of the housing and joined to the fixed portion by attaching means. 
         [0011]    The attaching means may comprise complementary fittings or sliding parts respectively located on the fixed and adjustable portions of the housing and respectively defining fixed or infinite adjustment positions. 
         [0012]    The dispenser preferably comprises several housings arranged generally parallel to one another to provide sufficient capacity, being at least partially formed of grills and separated from one another. 
         [0013]    In the preferred embodiment, the case is closed by at least one door which allows the housing to be restocked with products. 
         [0014]    It may also comprise either an integrated refrigeration means or a remote refrigeration means. In both cases, the housings are at least partially formed of grills. 
         [0015]    It may also be modular in configuration. In this situation, the case is designed to receive at least one detachable module comprising at least the housing and the outlet opening, adapted for at least one product, and the dispenser comprises several interchangeable modules of this type. 
         [0016]    The invention also concerns a dispensing cabinet comprising an assemblage of at least two dispensers like those defined above, the cabinet also possibly comprising a centralized refrigeration means and a means for connecting it to the dispensers. 
         [0017]    The dispensers comprise an assembly means allowing them to be detached from one another, the assembly means advantageously being at least partially integrated within the exterior surfaces of the dispensers. 
     
    
     
       SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following description of several embodiments provided by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a first embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an arrangement of several dispenses according to  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the storage zone of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a lateral cross-section of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  of a variation of the embodiment of the storage zone in the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is an overhead view of the storage zone of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  of a second embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  of the dispenser of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are, respectively, a front view partially in cross section and a lateral cross-section of a third embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention, with the door open; 
           [0029]      FIGS. 12 and 13  are side cross-sections of the dispenser of  FIG. 11  shown with bottles and with cans, respectively; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 14  is a perspective of a modular variation of the dispenser of  FIG. 11 . 
       
    
    
     BEST WAYS TO ACHIEVE THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    With reference to the drawings, dispenser  10 ,  10 ′ of consumable products according to the invention may, but does not necessarily, concern beverages packaged in disposable or returnable containers such as bottles  1  (cf.  FIG. 1-6 ,  9 ,  10 ,  12 ), cans (cf.  FIG. 13 ), or cups  5  (cf.  FIG. 7-8 ) which may or may not be in the form of individual portions. It may also concern any consumable food product so long as the product is of sufficient consistency or is packaged in a sufficiently rigid container to be stored superimposed one on top of the other. 
         [0032]    This dispenser  10 ,  10 ′ is based on a simple, very economical and highly reliable dispensing concept, since it has no mechanisms or moving parts capable of causing malfunctions or requiring regular maintenance, as explained below. 
         [0033]    It comprises, with reference to  FIG. 1 , a case  11  which may be cube shaped and equipped with a locking door  12  on the front allowing dispenser  10  to be restocked with bottles  1 . The door may also be located on another surface of case  11 . The front surface of case  11  is preferably transparent or translucent to display the bottles arranged inside dispenser  10 . In the example shown, door  12  has a window and combines the functions of “window” and “access means” to a storage zone  30 . Dispenser  10  also comprises on the front surface four outlet openings  20  located in the lower portion of case  11 . The number of these outlet openings  20  depends upon the number of stacks of bottles  1  provided in storage zone  30 . Each outlet opening  20  is closed by a flexible blocking membrane  21  with slots, arranged, for example, in a star shape, allowing a bottle  1  to emerge partially through it, with its mouth  2 , for example, constituting a handle for extracting it manually without any need to open a door or trap or perform any other manipulation, thus maintaining the airtight seal of case  11 , especially if it is refrigerated, and conserving cooling energy. 
         [0034]    Dispenser  10  comprises a storage zone  30  inside the case  11  a first example of which is illustrated by  FIGS. 3 and 4 , defining four parallel housings  31  for receiving horizontally positioned bottles  1  oriented parallel to the axis of outlet openings  20  with their mouths  2  facing forward, and stacked on top of one another in a column, each housing  31  opening into an outlet opening  20 . This storage zone  30  may be made of solid, perforated, or grill partitions, or a combination of these types of partitions. In the example shown it is made of grills  34  attached to a base  35 , the grills  34  forming baffles to separate housings  31  from one another and thereby improving product refrigeration, as will be explained below. The number of housings  31  varies depending upon the dimensions of case  11 . The width and height of these housings  31  are defined according to the dimensions of bottles  1  or other products for dispensing. However, the width may be selected to accept products of different widths. Each housing  31  defines a straight vertical column capable of laterally guiding stacked bottles  1  so they descend automatically by gravity without becoming blocked and their extremity arrives in the axis of outlet openings  20 . This vertical column may also have a zigzag shape. However, this version is more complex to manufacture and requires more lateral space than the version with straight columns. 
         [0035]    Dispenser  10  comprises, at the base of housings  31 , a means for automatically advancing the lower bottle  1  in each column towards its outlet opening  20  along a predetermined course C until the mouth  2  of bottle  1  appears outside outlet opening  20  so a hand can simply and quickly grasp it. This automatic advancement means comprises, at the rear of each housing  31 , a ramp  40  angled towards the corresponding outlet opening  20 . This ramp  40  forms with the base of housing  31  an angle α ranging from 45 to 900, preferably equal to 60°, and it displaces bottle  1 , which continues its descent by gravity, horizontally into the axis of outlet opening  20  according to arrow A along a course C corresponding in this case to the height of the neck of bottle  1 , approximately 2 to 3 cm. Ramps  40  are joined to housings  31  of adjustable depth so as to adapt storage zone  30  to different product lengths. They may be formed of solid, perforated, or grill walls. In the example shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , they are formed of solid walls provided in base  35  supporting grills  34 . 
         [0036]    To be adjustable in depth, storage zone  30  is formed of a fixed portion  32  located in the base of case  11  and defining the base of housings  31 , and of an adjustable portion  33  defining the lateral and rear walls of housings  31  and joined to the fixed portion  32  by an indexing means  50 . Fixed portion  32  consists of a generally rectangular plate with grooves  36  formed in it and having rims  37  on opposing sides, grooves  36  and rims  37  being perpendicular to the front surface of case  11 . The adjustable portion  33  comprises base  35  and grills  34 , base  35  being guided translationally within grooves  36  in fixed portion  32 . Storage zone  30  may be completed by one or two supports  38  for holding a vertically positioned bottle  1  behind glass door  12  in order to display the product or products to be dispensed. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , bottles  1  are guided vertically on four sides by the lateral and rear walls of housings  31  and to door  12  against which the mouths  2  of the bottles abut, which prevents a bottle  1  from positioning itself crosswise. 
         [0038]    The indexing means  50  may comprise complementary fittings respectively provided on the fixed portions  32  and adjustable portions  33  that define the fixed adjustment positions. The complementary fittings consist, as in the example illustrated, of two rows of notches  51  parallel to arrow A formed in opposing rims  37  on the fixed portion  32  and two fingers  52  sized to engage in a notch  51  located on the corresponding sides of base  35  of adjustable portion  33 . Notches  51  are spaced at regular intervals, which could also be irregular, each notch  51  defining a fixed and predetermined adjustment position. Other equivalent forms of complementary fittings may be used. Even other indexing means may be used, such as for example, complementary sliding elements located respectively on fixed and adjustable portions  331  to allow an infinite number of adjusted positions. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate another embodiment of storage zone  30 ′ made exclusively of grills  34 , without a base, and in which ramps  40 ′ are also formed of these grills  34 . In this variation, the indexing means  50 ′ comprises rows of parallel openings  51 ′ located in the fixed portion  32 ′ and feet  52 ′ which engage in these openings  51 ′ located at the base of adjustable portion  33 ′, with openings  51 ′ defining the fixed and predetermined adjustment positions. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate another embodiment of a dispenser  10 ′ according to the invention adapted for dispensing lidded cups  5 . This dispenser  10 ′ differs from the preceding one by having blocking membranes  21 ′ at its outlet openings  20  with slots that are I-shaped, T-shaped, or similar, in order to allow the strip handle  6  of cups  5  to project partially. Of course, storage zone  30  is adapted to the size of cups  5 . 
         [0041]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate yet another embodiment of a dispenser  110  according to the invention in which outlet openings  20  are no longer located at the lower portion, but at the upper portion, and stacked bottles  1  are no longer displaced by gravity, but by a force exerted by a flexible means  80  located in the lower portion of each housing  31 . This flexible means  80  comprises in the example shown a plate  81  attached to a spring device  82  such as a compressed helicoidal spring, a spiral spring, stacked Belleville washers, or a similar device. Thus, stacked bottles  1  are displaced automatically toward outlet opening  20  under the influence of spring device  82 , with first upper bottle  1  being automatically displaced through outlet opening  20  by ramp  40 . When this bottle is withdrawn from dispenser  110 , the following bottle  1  appears automatically. If no new bottle  1  appears, this means that the housing  31  in question is empty and that it can be refilled by opening door  12 . This type of dispenser  110  is advantageously used in bars to facilitate the work of the bartender and significantly reduce contortions when it is necessary to stoop and search for bottles stored in refrigerators with limited access behind the bar. 
         [0042]    Dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  may comprise an integrated refrigeration means, either attached or remote. In this instance, case  11  is thermally insulated, door  12  is equipped with a sealing gasket, and blocking membranes  21 ,  21 ′ are made of material that is airtight and watertight, for example, with a natural or synthetic rubber base, to ensure sealing of outlet openings  20  and limit loss of cold air. In the example shown, the refrigeration means  60  is integrated, housed inside case  11 , and comprises a compressor  61 , a static evaporator  62 , and an exterior condenser in the rear (not shown), compressor  61  being connected to the electrical supply network with a cable (not shown). Grills  34  in storage zone  30 ,  30 ′ are preferably made of corrosion-resistant metal wire to ensure satisfactory thermal exchange between refrigerated case  11  and bottles  1 . The fact that the stacks of stored products are separated from one another by these grills  34  encourages air circulation and improves product refrigeration, thus consuming less cooling power. In the hypothetical instance where the refrigeration means is remote, dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  comprises connections to the cooling network (not shown). If the refrigeration means is attached, there is some means of attachment, such as clips or the like, for connecting the refrigeration unit to case  11 . 
         [0043]    The dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  may be completed by an assembly means  70  allowing several preferably identical dispensers to be combined to form a dispenser cabinet  100 , like the example illustrated in  FIG. 2 , adapting the dispensing volume to demand. This assembly means  70  may be integrated with each dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  using complementary attachment means such as ribs  71  located on the lower surface of cases  11  and grooves  72  located on the upper surfaces. In this embodiment ribs  71  may serve as feet when dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  is used individually. Obviously any other form of complementary attachment may be used, the forms being located randomly on case  11 , for the purpose of assembling dispensers  10  by superimposing them and/or placing them side by side like Legos®. The assembly means may also consist of additional parts, such as attaching brackets, hooks, and the like, to connect the cases to one another by screwing, clipping, or some similar method. 
         [0044]    In dispensing cabinet  100 , dispensers  10 ,  10 ′,  110  may be completely independent and use their own refrigeration means  60 , affording a great deal of flexibility in use; or conversely, they may be dependent and connected to a centralized refrigeration means  60 ′ located in the lower portion of the cabinet, for example. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 11 through 14  illustrate a variation of dispenser  10  of  FIGS. 1 through 6  in which outlet openings  20 ′ are angled relative to the front surface of case  11  in the direction opposite to the ramps  40  to facilitate the release and grasping of the product, as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . In the preceding example in which the outlet openings  20  are essentially located in the plane of door  12 , ramp  40  must be inclined sufficiently to generate a course C larger than the width of door  12 . Therefore, a compromise needs to be reached between the angle of ramp  40  to ensure that the product is guided correctly without tipping or becoming blocked, and the course C to be generated to ensure that there is sufficient area for grasping the product outside the dispenser. The fact that outlet opening  20 ′ is angled in the opposite direction from ramp  40  creates a larger product grasping area while the course C of the product remains the same. Moreover, since blocking membrane  21  is angled, it offers less resistance to the product, thus facilitating its discharge while still remaining airtight, as the membrane remains pressed against the periphery of the product. In  FIG. 12 , the stored products are bottles  1  and the gripping area comprises the mouth  2 , the neck, and the first portion of the body of bottle  1 . In  FIG. 13 , the stored products are cans  3  and the gripping area comprises the extremity  4  of can  3  and the first portion of the body of can  3 . 
         [0046]    Dispenser  10  of  FIGS. 11 through 14  is completed by an intermediate grate  39  located between storage zone  30  and door  12 . This intermediate grill  39  may be articulated with hinges to one side of case  11 , as shown, or attached to the case by any other similar means. It holds supports  38  between its vertical shafts, which perform the function of vertically guiding the products through their housings  31  and maintaining them inside storage zone  30  when door  12  is open. 
         [0047]    This dispenser  10  may have a modular construction as shown in  FIG. 14 , in which case  11  that may comprise the refrigeration means is standard and may incorporate interior modules  90 ,  91  adapted to the products for storage, for example, one module  90  for dispensing bottles  1 , one module  91  for dispensing cans  3 , or any other module. In the example shown each interior module  90 ,  91  comprises a unit  92  surrounding storage zone  30 , outlet openings  20 ′ and intermediate grill  39 , the dimensions of the unit allowing it to be introduced inside case  11  of dispenser  10  by sliding it like a drawer. Thus, a single dispenser  10  is quickly and easily adapted for different products by simply exchanging interior modules  90 ,  91 . 
       POSSIBILITIES FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION 
       [0048]    This type of dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  may equip any industrial commercial, or even domestic location, since the products to be dispensed may be delivered conventionally by a transporter or purchased at a store with no need to modify the factory packaging. Once unpacked, the products are loaded into dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  through the front, with door  12  providing access to storage zone  30 ,  30 ′. Since housings  31  are open on the front, loading the products in a stack is very quick, as the first product in each stack automatically advances along course C using ramp  40 ,  40 ′ relative to the rest of the stack. After door  12  is closed, dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  is very simple to use. The products are automatically presented in outlet openings  20 ,  20 ′ and can be grasped easily by one hand. When a product is removed from dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  1101  the next product appears, thanks to ramp  40  and the fact that the stack of products is automatically displaced. At any time dispenser  10 ,  10 ′,  110  can be restocked if an inspection through glass door  12  reveals that one or more housings  31  are empty, or simply if no product appears in one or more outlet openings  20 ,  20 ′. 
         [0049]    It is clearly apparent from this description that the invention achieves the stated goals, i.e., a dispenser that is economical to produce, maintenance-free, versatile, modular, and very simple to use. 
         [0050]    The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described, but extends to any modification and variation obvious to a person skilled in the art while still remaining within the scope of protection defined in the attached claims.