Abstract:
A universal token dispenser and collector is alternatively connected to a revenue receiving device to dispense tokens upon receipt of revenue and to a fulfillment device to deliver quantities of a desired commodity upon receipt of tokens. The dispenser and collector remains with the fulfillment device until full of tokens and with the revenue receiving device until empty of tokens.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to vending machines and, more particularly, a token collector and dispenser which enables the rapid recycling of tokens in a device which dispenses tokens upon payment at a first station and, when empty, receives tokens to dispense goods at a second station.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     It has been well known to provide vending systems wherein at one station, tokens or other media are dispensed after receipt of payment, whether by currency or credit/debit cards and, at another station, the tokens or other media are redeemed for goods or services. Typical of such systems is the fare collection system in use in rapid transit systems across the country. In exchange for currency or a debit/credit card payment, one or more tokens or cards are dispensed which can be used to operate gates or turnstiles which provide access to trains.  
         [0005]     In other applications, tokens, rather than coins or currency are redeemed for goods and services. The tokens can be provided by a cashier or can be dispensed from a machine. In one specialized application, a golf driving range dispenses golf balls for tokens. The tokens are purchased at a cashier&#39;s station and, at a remote station near the driving range, a machine dispenses golf balls when a token is received.  
         [0006]     A problem frequently arises from the lack of controls on the dispensing of tokens and a need for better accountability. Aside from the need in such systems for separate and often different dispensing and vending mechanisms, there is a need to control the integrity of the process.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     According to the present invention, there is provided a universal token receptacle which can be installed either at the vending location or at the fulfillment location. If at the vending location, the receptacle, upon receipt of signals from apparatus which receives currency, coins or debit or credit instruments, orders the receptacle to dispense a number of tokens corresponding to the received payment. When the receptacle has dispensed all of the tokens stored therein, the empty receptacle is removed and replaced with a similar receptacle that contains a full complement of tokens.  
         [0008]     The empty receptacle is taken to a point of fulfillment where it is connected to a dispensing mechanism that provides a premeasured quantity of a commodity, here golf balls, upon the receipt of a token. The receptacle includes a token receiver which signals the dispenser to release a predetermined number of golf balls for each token. When the receptacle becomes filled with tokens, it is removed and replaced with an empty receptacle from the vending location and the full receptacle is taken to the vending location.  
         [0009]     Depending upon the number of tokens that are to be in circulation at any time, as few as two receptacles may be adequate for an operation. It would seem, however, that to avoid delays in operation, a pair of spare receptacles, one full of tokens is made available as a back up at the vending station and one empty receptacle is made available at the fulfillment station. A full receptacle can be quickly replaced by an empty one at the fulfillment station and an empty receptacle can be quickly replaced by a full one at the vending station.  
         [0010]     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a universal receptacle that can either dispense tokens at a vending station on the receipt of an appropriate signal when not empty or receive tokens and signal for the distribution of a commodity, i.e. golf balls at a fulfillment station when not full. Full and empty receptacles are then transferred to the station where they will be needed.  
         [0011]     It is another object of invention to have a universal receptacle which can either dispense tokens when signaled so to do, or, upon receipt of tokens, to signal and enable the dispensing of goods or services.  
         [0012]     The novel features which are characteristic of the invention, both as to structure and method of operation thereof, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be understood from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and they are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art golf ball dispenser;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a token collector/dispenser of the present invention at a vending location;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a golf ball dispenser with a token collector/dispenser at a fulfilment location;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side phantom view of a token collector/dispenser according to the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an open token collector/dispenser according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a collector/dispenser partially installed at the vending location; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a collector/dispenser partially installed at the fulfilment location. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]     Turning first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a prior art golf ball dispenser  10  which is equipped with a conventional vending machine coin and/or bill acceptor mechanism  12 . When the appropriate value of coins and/or bills are inserted into the acceptor mechanism  12 , an electronic signal will be sent to a golf ball delivery apparatus and a predetermined number of golf balls will be delivered to the patron at a dispensing cup  14 .  
         [0021]     In many venues, it is desirable, for fiscal controls, to use tokens in lieu of money to actuate the ball delivery mechanism and, in prior art systems, the tokens can be purchased at one or more vending locations where the transaction may be recorded.  
         [0022]     In  FIG. 2 , a conventional cash register  16  is shown at a vending location. A cash register  16  is electronically connected to a token collector/dispenser station  18  in which a collector/dispenser  20  according to the present invention is installed. The register  16  operator can provide an electrical signal to the station  18  to dispense tokens in exchange for monetary consideration, whether by cash or debit/credit card. The system of the present invention therefore imposes the fiscal control of the associated cash register  16  upon the transaction in that tokens can only be obtained through the collector/dispenser  20 .  
         [0023]     Upon receipt of an appropriate signal to the station  18 , a token delivery mechanism within the collector/dispenser  20  transfers tokens from a hopper to a delivery chute  22 . The operation of the collector/dispenser  20  will be discussed in greater detail in conjunction with  FIGS. 4 and 5 , below.  
         [0024]     In  FIG. 3 , there shown a golf ball delivery mechanism  28  at a fulfilment station location. A collector/dispenser  20  is installed in the delivery mechanism  28  and includes a token receiving mechanism  32  which accepts tokens and signals the receipt of a token. An activating signal is then provided to the ball delivery mechanism  28  which delivers a predetermined number of golf balls through a dispensing cup  34 . The operation of the ball delivery mechanism may also be completely mechanical, triggered by the token receiving mechanism  32 .  
         [0025]     As can be seen, the same basic collector/dispenser device receives tokens at the fulfilment location and dispenses tokens at the vending location. Turning to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , there is shown side and perspective views, respectively, of the operating components of the collector/dispenser  20  when docked in the station  18  of  FIG. 2 . A control circuit board  40  provides signals for the operation of a token delivery mechanism  42  which can be an off-the-shelf item available from the Money Controls division of Coin-CO, located in St. Louis, Mo.  
         [0026]     The mechanism  42  includes a motor  44 , a gear box  46  and an apertured wheel  48  which rotates through a token hopper  50 . Each of the apertures  56  (best seen in  FIG. 5 ) in the wheel  48  is the size of a token and, as the wheel  48  rotates, tokens drop into the apertures  56  and are carried to the dispensing portal  52  where ejector elements (not shown) transfer the tokens to an exit chute  54  which empties into the delivery chute  22  where a patron can retrieve the tokens that have been purchased.  
         [0027]     The operating mechanism is better shown in  FIG. 5  which is a perspective view of the open collector/dispenser  20 . Here, one can see the wheel  48  and the token sized apertures  56  in the wheel  48 . A hinged upper portion  58  permits access to the interior and more, particularly, the token hopper  50 . A gasket  60  seals the upper portion  58  and a lock  62  is provided to secure the contents.  
         [0028]     In  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the collector/dispenser  20  is shown being installed at the vending location and the fulfilment location, respectively. For the vending location, the station  18  is equipped with the necessary electrical connectors to supply power and signals to the circuits of the collector/dispenser  20 .  
         [0029]     Similarly, at the fulfillment location where golf balls are delivered, a receptacle  64  is provided with electrical connections to a source of power and to the ball dispensing machinery. The receptacle  64  also includes a security lock  66  which engages cooperating elements in the collector/dispenser  20  to retain the collector/dispenser  20  safely in place. When unlocked, the collector/dispenser  20  can be easily removed from the ball delivery mechanism  28  and returned to the vending location to dispense the tokens collected at the fulfilment station.  
         [0030]     Those skilled in the art will readily find other applications for the collector/dispenser concept of the present invention in vending and fulfilment environments where tight fiscal controls are desired.  
         [0031]     Thus, there has been described, in detail, a novel, universal token collector/dispenser which can be moved between a token dispensing station and a fulfillment station which receives tokens and provides commodities, in the environment of a golf ball dispensing operation in which tokens are purchased and are redeemed for golf balls. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the claims set forth below.