Patent Publication Number: US-2022236717-A1

Title: Drive-through transaction system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present general inventive concept relates generally to a transaction system, and particularly, to a drive-through transaction system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Drive-through services allow customers to remain in their vehicles while performing a transaction at a facility, such as purchasing food. However, the wait time at a drive-through window is frequently long. Generally, delays occur during a monetary exchange between an employee of the facility and a customer. 
     Moreover, the monetary exchange and/or an exchange of goods requires a certain level of physical interaction between the customer and the employee. In recent times, it is well known that physical interaction significantly increases the probability of disease transmission. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a drive-through transaction system that minimizes physical interaction. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present general inventive concept provides a drive-through transaction system. 
     Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept. 
     The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a drive-through transaction system disposed within a drive-through window, the drive-through transaction system including a drawer assembly, including a drawer body, a tray movably disposed within at least a portion of the drawer body to receive at least one item thereon, and a plurality of cup holders disposed on and within at least a portion of the tray to receive at least one beverage cup therein, and a transaction device connected to the drawer assembly to receive input of an order and display a price of the order, such that the drawer body is ejected from the drive-through window in response to completion of the order. 
     The tray may separate a first portion of the drawer body from a second portion of the drawer body. 
     The drawer assembly may further include a hydraulic piston disposed on at least a portion of a base of the drawer body and connected to at least a portion of a bottom surface of the tray to adjust a height of the tray. 
     The drawer assembly may further include a barrier movably disposed on at least a portion of the drawer body to prevent access within the drawer body in a first position and allow access within the drawer body in a second position, and a barrier handle disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the barrier to facilitate gripping thereof. 
     The drive-through transaction system may further include a sanitization device disposed on at least a portion of the drawer assembly and the transaction device to decontaminate the barrier and the barrier handle. 
     The transaction device may include a main body, a display unit disposed on at least a portion of the main body to display the order thereon, a payment receiving section disposed on at least a portion of the main body to receive at least one of a payment card, at least one paper bill, at least one coin, and an electronic wallet signal therein, and a change dispenser disposed on at least a portion of the main body to dispense a difference in money owed as received by the payment receiving section. 
     The drive-through transaction system may further include a heating unit disposed within at least a portion of the drawer body to increase a temperature level within the drawer body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a front perspective view of a drive-through transaction system with a drawer assembly in an opened position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a front perspective view of the drive-through transaction system with the drawer assembly in a closed position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. 
     Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description. 
     It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein. 
     LIST OF COMPONENTS 
     
         
         
           
             Drive-Through Transaction System  100   
             Drawer Assembly  110   
             Drawer Body  111   
             Tray  112   
             Tray Handle  112   a    
             Cup Holders  113   
             Hydraulic Piston  114   
             Barrier  115   
             Barrier Handle  115   a    
             Tracks  116   
             Retraction Button  117   
             Drawer Handle  118   
             Transaction Device  120   
             Main Body  121   
             Display Unit  122   
             Control Unit  122   a    
             Payment Receiving Section  123   
             Card Slot  123   a    
             Paper Bill Slot  123   b    
             Coin Slot  123   c    
             Contactless Receiver  123   d    
             Change Dispenser  124   
             Receipt Dispenser  125   
             Receipt Container  125   a    
             Audio Unit  126   
             Input Ports  127   
             Power Source  128   
             Access Barrier  129   
             Sanitization Device  130   
             Heating Unit  140   
           
         
       
    
       FIG. 1  illustrates a front perspective view of a drive-through transaction system  100  with a drawer assembly  110  in an opened position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a front perspective view of the drive-through transaction system  100  with the drawer assembly  110  in a closed position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     The drive-through transaction system  100  may be constructed from at least one of metal, plastic, wood, ceramic, glass, and rubber, etc., but is not limited thereto. 
     The drive-through transaction system  100  may include a drawer assembly  110 , a transaction device  120 , a sanitization device  130 , and a heating unit  140 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The drawer assembly  110  may include a drawer body  111 , a tray  112 , a plurality of cup holders  113 , a hydraulic piston  114 , a barrier  115 , a plurality of tracks  116 , a retraction button  117 , and a drawer handle  118 , but is not limited thereto. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the drawer body  111  is illustrated to have a rectangular prism shape. However, the drawer body  111  may be rectangular, circular, conical, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto. 
     The drawer body  111  may be removably and/or movably (i.e. slidably) connected within a drive-through window  10 . Moreover, the drawer body  111  may store at least one item  20  therein, such as a beverage cup, a container of food, and/or money. 
     The tray handle  112  may include a tray handle  112   a , but is not limited thereto. 
     The tray  112  may be removably and/or movably (i.e. slidably) disposed within at least a portion of the drawer body  111 . Moreover, the tray  112  may separate a first portion of the drawer body  111  from a second portion of the drawer body  111 . The tray  112  may be a planar surface, such that the tray  112  may receive the at least one item  20  thereon. 
     The tray handle  112   a  may be disposed on at least a portion of an edge of the tray  112 . The tray handle  112   a  may facilitate gripping thereof. As such, the tray  112  may move in a vertical and/or a lateral direction in response to movement of the tray handle  112   a , such as pushing and/or pulling thereof by a user. 
     The plurality of cup holders  113  may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the tray  112 . More specifically, the plurality of cup holders  113  may protrude away from a first side of the tray  112  with respect to a first direction and/or a second side of the tray  112  with respect to a second direction opposite with respect to the first direction. In other words, the plurality of cup holders  113  may stick out from two sides of the tray  112 . Additionally, each of the plurality of cup holders  113  may be a same size (i.e. height, width, diameter) and/or a different size, depending on a preference of an owner and/or a manufacturer. Also, the plurality of cup holders  113  may store the at least one item  20  therein, such as the beverage cup. Furthermore, the plurality of cup holders  113  may store the at least one item  20  at a plurality of different planes (e.g., lower plane, higher plane) with respect to the tray  112 , such that the at least one item  20  protrudes away from the tray  112 . 
     The hydraulic piston  114  may be disposed on at least a portion of a base of the drawer body  111  and connected to at least a portion of a bottom surface of the tray  112 . The hydraulic piston  114  may adjust a height of the tray  112  within the drawer body  111 . In other words, the height of the tray  112  may adjust in response to movement of the hydraulic piston  114 . As such, the height of the tray  112  may adjust based on the preference of the user. 
     The barrier  115  may include a barrier handle  115   a , but is not limited thereto. 
     The barrier  115  may be movably (i.e. pivotally and/or hingedly) disposed on at least a portion of a first end of the drawer body  111 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the barrier  115  may move from closed in a first position to at least partially opened in a second position. Conversely, the barrier  115  may move from opened in the second position to closed in the first position. As such, the barrier  115  may allow access within the drawer body  111  in the second position and prevent access within the drawer body  111  in the first position. 
     The barrier handle  115   a  may be disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the barrier  115 . The barrier handle  115   a  may facilitate gripping thereof. As such, the barrier  115  may move in response to movement of the barrier handle  115   a , such as pushing and/or pulling thereof by the user. 
     The plurality of tracks  116  may be disposed on at least a portion of a first side of the drawer body  111  and a second side of the drawer body  111 , such that the second side of the drawer body  111  is distanced from the first side of the drawer body  111 . Moreover, the plurality of tracks  116  may facilitate movement of the drawer body  111  into and/or away from the drive-through window  10 . Furthermore, the plurality of tracks  116  may removably connect to another plurality of tracks disposed within the drive-through window  10 . 
     The retraction button  117  may include a retraction motor, but is not limited thereto. 
     The retraction button  117  may be disposed on at least a portion of the drawer body  111 . The retraction button  117  may be depressed to move the drawer body  111  within the drive-through window  10  in response to rotation of the retraction motor. In other words, the drawer body  111  may move within the drive-through window  10  in response to depressing the retraction button  117 . 
     The drawer handle  118  may be disposed on at least a portion of a second end of the drawer body  111 . The drawer handle  118  may facilitate gripping thereof. As such, the drawer body  111  may move in response to movement of the drawer handle  118 , such as pushing and/or pulling thereof by the user. Accordingly, the drawer handle  118  may facilitate manual manipulation of the drawer body  111  by the owner. 
     The transaction device  120  may include a main body  121 , a display unit  122 , a payment receiving section  123 , a change dispenser  124 , a receipt dispenser  125 , an audio unit  126 , a plurality of input ports  127 , a power source  128 , and an access barrier  129 , but is not limited thereto. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the main body  121  is illustrated to have a rectangular prism shape. However, the main body  121  may be rectangular, circular, conical, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto. 
     The main body  121  may be disposed within at least a portion of the drive-through window  10  and/or connected to the drawer assembly  110 . 
     The display unit  122  may include a control unit  122   a  (e.g., a processing unit, such as a processor, a communications unit, such as WIFI, Bluetooth, cellular, near field communications (NFC), Internet, a storage unit, such as hard disk drive, solid state drive, cloud storage), but is not limited thereto. 
     Furthermore, the display unit  122  may be a plasma screen, an LCD screen, a light emitting diode (LED) screen, an organic LED (OLED) screen, a computer monitor, a hologram output unit, a sound outputting unit, or any other type of device that visually or aurally displays data. Moreover, the display unit  122  may integrate input functions and operate as a touchscreen. 
     The display unit  122  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The display unit may display a menu of food and/or beverage items. Additionally, the display unit  122  may display a price of each of the food and/or beverage items, and a total price of an order. Moreover, the display unit may receive an input of any food and/or beverage items desired by the user. 
     The control unit  122   a  may keep track of the food and/or beverage items desired by the user and/or the total price of the order. Additionally, the control unit  122   a  may control the drawer assembly  110  via a drawer motor. Specifically, the control unit  122   a  may eject the drawer assembly  110  from the driver-through window  10  in response to receiving a completed order, and/or the drawer body  111  and/or the tray  112  receiving the at least one item  10  thereon. 
     Furthermore, the control unit  122   a  may receive input from the owner to control the hydraulic piston  114 . Alternatively, the display unit  122  may receive input from the user to control the height of the tray  112  using the hydraulic piston  114 . 
     The payment receiving section  123  may include a card slot  123   a , a paper bill slot  123   b , a coin slot  123   c , and a contactless receiver  123   d , but is not limited thereto. 
     The card slot  123   a  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The card slot  123   a  may receive a payment card (e.g., credit card and/or a debit card) therein. 
     The paper bill slot  123   b  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The paper bill slot  123   b  may receive at least one paper bill (i.e. money) therein. 
     The coin slot  123   c  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The coin slot  123   c  may receive at least one coin (i.e. money) therein. 
     The contactless receiver  123   d  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The contactless receiver  123   d  may receive an electronic wallet signal thereto. More specifically, the contactless receiver  123   d  may receive the electronic wallet signal, such as from a software application linked to a monetary account (e.g., a bank account, a credit card account) to pay for the at least one item  10 . 
     The change dispenser  124  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The change dispenser  124  may dispense money (i.e. paper bill and/or coin) therefrom. In other words, the change dispenser  124  may dispense a difference in money owed to the user received by the payment receiving section  123 , such that the owner may provide change to the user. 
     The receipt dispenser  125  may include a receipt container  125   a , but is not limited thereto. 
     The receipt dispenser  125  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The receipt dispenser  125  may dispense a receipt therefrom. In other words, the receipt dispenser  125  may dispense a statement identifying a list of the food and/or beverage items desired by the user and the total price of the order. Also, the receipt dispenser  125  may dispense a refund receipt in response to the change dispenser  124  dispensing money. 
     The receipt container  125   a  may be disposed within at least a portion of the receipt dispenser  125 . The receipt container  125   a  may store the receipt including a receipt roll therein. 
     The audio unit  126  may include a speaker and a microphone, but is not limited thereto. 
     The audio unit  126  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The audio unit  126  may allow communications between the user, the owner, and/or an employee of the drive-through window  10 . As such, the audio unit  126  may emit sounds from the owner and/or the employee to the user, as well as receive sounds from the user to be transmitted to the owner and/or the employee within the drive-through window  10 . 
     Each of the plurality of input ports  127  may include a universal serial bus (USB) port, a cable port, a lightning port, and/or any other port, but is not limited thereto. 
     The plurality of input ports  127  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The plurality of input ports  127  may receive a physical connection (i.e. wired) from at least one external device (e.g., a mobile phone, a tablet computer, and a personal digital assistant (PDA)). Furthermore, the plurality of input ports  127  may send input from the at least one external device to the display unit  122  and/or the control unit  122   a . As such, the plurality of input ports  127  may facilitate control of the display unit  122  and/or the control unit  122   a , such that the display unit  122  does not need to receive direct input thereon by the user. 
     The power source  128  may include a power inlet, a battery, and a solar cell, but is not limited thereto. 
     The power source  128  may send power to the drawer assembly  110 , the display unit  122 , the control unit  122   a , the payment receiving section  123 , the change dispenser  124 , the receipt dispenser  125 , the audio unit  126 , and/or the plurality of input ports  127 . 
     The access barrier  129  may be movably disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121 . The access barrier  129  may move from closed in a first position to at least partially opened in a second position. Conversely, the access barrier  129  may move from opened in the second position to closed in the first position. As such, the access barrier  129  may facilitate access within the main body  121  in the second position and prevent access within the main body  121  in the first position. Accordingly, the access barrier  129  may allow the owner and/or the employee to deposit change (i.e. money) within the change dispenser  124 . 
     The sanitization device  130  may include an ultraviolet (UV) light and a decontaminant spray (e.g., an alcoholic compound), but is not limited thereto. 
     The sanitization device  130  may be disposed on at least a portion of the drawer assembly  110  and/or the transaction device  120 . The sanitization device  130  may illuminate a UV light and/or spray a decontaminant on the outer surface of the barrier  115  and/or the barrier handle  115   a . As such, the sanitization device  130  may decontaminate and/or cleanse the barrier  115  and/or the barrier handle  115  to prevent transmission of a pathogen (e.g., bacteria, virus, fungus, parasite) and/or a disease. 
     The heating unit  140  may include a heat lamp and a heat pump, but is not limited thereto. 
     The heating unit  140  may be disposed within at least a portion of the drawer body  111 . The heating unit  140  may emit heat from the heat lamp and/or blow hot air from the heat pump within the drawer body  111 , such that the heating unit  140  may increase a temperature level within the drawer body  111 . As such, the heating unit  140  may keep the at least one item  10  warm and/or hot, such that the at least one item  10  may remain warm and/or hot, and not decrease in temperature. 
     Therefore, the drive-through transaction system  100  may prevent physical interaction between the user and/or the owner. As such, the drive-through transaction system  100  may expedite transactions at the drive-through window  10 . 
     The present general inventive concept may include a drive-through transaction system  100  disposed within a drive-through window  10 , the drive-through transaction system  100  including a drawer assembly  110 , including a drawer body  111 , a tray  112  movably disposed within at least a portion of the drawer body  111  to receive at least one item  20  thereon, and a plurality of cup holders  113  disposed on and within at least a portion of the tray  112  to receive at least one beverage cup  20  therein, and a transaction device  120  connected to the drawer assembly  110  to receive input of an order and display a price of the order, such that the drawer body  110  is ejected from the drive-through window  10  in response to completion of the order. 
     The tray  112  may separate a first portion of the drawer body  111  from a second portion of the drawer body  111 . 
     The drawer assembly  110  may further include a hydraulic piston  114  disposed on at least a portion of a base of the drawer body  111  and connected to at least a portion of a bottom surface of the tray  112  to adjust a height of the tray  112 . 
     The drawer assembly  110  may further include a barrier  115  movably disposed on at least a portion of the drawer body  111  to prevent access within the drawer body  111  in a first position and allow access within the drawer body  111  in a second position, and a barrier handle  115   a  disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the barrier  115  to facilitate gripping thereof. 
     The drive-through transaction system  100  may further include a sanitization device  130  disposed on at least a portion of the drawer assembly  110  and the transaction device  120  to decontaminate the barrier  115  and the barrier handle  115   a.    
     The transaction device  120  may include a main body  121 , a display unit  122  disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121  to display the order thereon, a payment receiving section  123  disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121  to receive at least one of a payment card, at least one paper bill, at least one coin, and an electronic wallet signal therein, and a change dispenser  124  disposed on at least a portion of the main body  121  to dispense a difference in money owed as received by the payment receiving section  123 . 
     The drive-through transaction system  100  may further include a heating unit  140  disposed within at least a portion of the drawer body  111  to increase a temperature level within the drawer body  111 . 
     Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.