Patent EA-000231-B1 (EA)
Title: Method and apparatus for automatic bulk vending
Inventor: PICIOCCIO JOHN J
IPC: B67D3/00
Filed: 1996-05-08
Abstract: 1. An automatic bulk vending machine for delivery to a customer of a customer selected blend selected from a plurality of non-liquid food products stored in bulk comprising:  a plurality of bins to store products to be selected;  customer selection mechanism to enable the customer to select a blend of products;  a dispenser mechanism responsive to the customer selection mechanism to dispense customer selected products and  a package mechanism operably connected to provide a package to receive the customer selected products dispensed by the dispenser mechanism. 2. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the dispenser mechanism includes a volumetric dispenser capable of receiving and dispensing a predetermined amount of a product from one of said plurality of bins. 3. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the dispenser mechanism includes a blending and holding pan. 4. The apparatus of Claim 2 wherein the dispenser mechanism further includes a blending and holding pan arranged beneath the volumetric dispenser. 5. The apparatus of Claim 3 wherein the dispenser mechanism further includes a controllably moveable gate for controllably holding and releasing products from the blending and holding pan. 6. The apparatus of Claim 3 wherein surfaces of the blending and holding pan are angled with respect to horizontal at a minimum angle sufficient to overcome product friction on the surface. 7. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein said minimum angle is about 25' or greater. 8. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the package mechanism is a cup dispenser, which controllably drops a cup to a product delivery area just prior to product delivery. 9. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the dispenser mechanism further includes a fines separator and collector located between the plurality of bins and the product delivery area. 10. The apparatus of Claim 9 wherein the fine separator and collector is comprised of a bottom portion of spaced rods spread apart by a distance sufficient to allow fines to fall between the rods, but to prevent whole products from falling through. 11. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the customer selection mechanism comprises a touch-screen display which provides a video display of customer options that can be selected by the customer by touching the touch-screen display as indicated. 12. The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a factory filled, sealed plastic container for readily loading products into the plurality of bins in a sanitary fashion. 13. The apparatus of Claim 12 wherein at least one of the plurality of bins includes a cutting mechanism for automatically opening the factory filled, sealed plastic container, upon its insertion into said at one bin. 14. The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a bill validator to receive a customer's money for payment for the customer selected products. 15. The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a coin mechanism to receive a customer's money for payment for the customer selected products and to dispense change if any is owed to the customer. 16. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the package mechanism further comprises a lid dispenser. 17. The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a rotatable display of samples of the products stored in bulk in the plurality of bins. 18. The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a tip-preventive trolley assembly, and wherein said plurality of bins are mounted on said trolley assembly so that they may be guided out of the automatic bulk vending machine for easy refilling. 19. The apparatus of Claim 3 wherein the blending and holding pan is slideably mounted for ease of cleaning and maintenance. 20. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the fines separator and collector comprises: a tubular separator having a plurality of spaced rods; and a removable cup for collecting the fines. 21. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the package mechanism further comprises a sensor for generating a signal, when a package is correctly positioned and before dispensing occurs to prevent spillage. 22. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the customer selection mechanism further comprises a fiber-optic display. 23. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein further comprising a fiber-optic projector, connected to the display by a fiber-optic bundle. 24. A method for automatic bulk vending for delivery to a customer of a customer selected blend selected from a plurality of consumable non-liquid food products stored in bulk comprising: storing a plurality of items to be selected in bulk; presenting choices of items to be selected to the customer; selecting a plurality of items to be blended; automatically accepting payment for the selected blend of items; blending the items; and separating fines from the items; dispensing the customer selected blend of items into a package. 25. A trolley assembly for use in an automatic bulk vending machine that prevents tipping of bulk non-liquid products when loading the vending machine, comprising a frame; guide means connected to the top of the frame for slidable attachment to guides within the vending machine; at least one bin for accepting products connected near the top of the frame; and wheel means attached to the bottom of the frame. 26. The trolley assembly of Claim 25, wherein the bin comprises. an end panel hingedly attached to the frame near the bottom of the bin for facilitating the loading of products. 27. The trolley assembly of Claim 26, further comprising a sanitary refill container that fits within the bin. 28. The trolley assembly of Claim 27, wherein the sanitary refill container comprises: a sealed product container area having a top and a base portion; a funnel shaped portion connected at its widest part to the base portion and terminating in a narrow lower neck portion having an opening; and a membrane across the opening. 29. The trolley assembly of Claim 27, wherein the bin comprises a sharp means for penetrating a membrane of the refill container. 30. The trolley assembly of Claim 25, further comprising at least one dispenser means. 31. The trolley assembly of Claim 30, wherein a dispenser is associated with each pair of bins. 32. A sanitary refill container that is filled and sealed in a factory for loading into a product bin of an automatic bulk vending machine, comprising: a sealed product container area having a top and a base portion; a funnel shaped portion connected at its widest part to the base portion and terminating in a narrow lower neck portion having an opening; and a membrane across the opening. 33. A method for operating an automatic bulk vending machine to deliver a customer selected blend of product from a plurality of consumable non-liquid food products stored in bulk, comprising: storing a plurality of products in a plurality of bins to be selected; presenting choices of products to be selected; inviting a customer to insert a customer determined amount of money; sensing the amount of money inserted and determining the amount of product to be vended; inviting the customer to select a blend of product; automatically accepting payment for the selected blend of products blending the products; and dispensing the customer selected blend of products into a package. 34. The method of Claim 33, further comprising separating the fines from the products before dispensing. 35. The method of Claim 34, wherein the step of separating the fines from the products comprises passing the products over separated rods. 36. The method of Claim 35, comprising vibrating the separated rods to enable the products to complete vending and avoid sticking. 37. The method of Claim 33, wherein the step of presenting choices comprises displaying a plurality of option boxes to a customer, wherein each option box corresponds to a particular mix of product. 38. The method of Claim 33, wherein the step of presenting choices comprises displaying an animated video option to a customer, wherein a customer selects her own blend of product.