Patent Publication Number: US-8109410-B2

Title: Anti-pilfering device for a vending machine

Description:
This application is a divisional of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/788,303 filed on Mar. 1, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,138. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to the art of vending machines and, more particularly, to an anti-pilfering device that prevents unauthorized removal of products from a vending machine. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     Certain types of vending machines include a glass front that covers a storage/display region. After a consumer makes a selection and deposits currency into an appropriate receptacle, the selected product is moved from the storage/display region to a dispensing chamber of the vending machine. Typically, the dispensing chamber is accessed through a product delivery door provided on a bottom, front portion of the vending machine. 
     In order to retrieve the selected product, the consumer must push the product delivery door open. Generally, the product delivery door is hinged at an upper portion and coupled to an anti-pilfer device. As the door is opened, a mechanism, interconnecting the door and the anti-pilfer device, causes the anti-pilfer device to close off access to the storage/display region. The mechanism moves the anti-pilfer device quickly so that opening the product delivery door will begin to shift a plate or door to completely cut-off access to the storage/display region. However, in many cases, opening the product delivery door slightly will provide enough room for a tool to be inserted up into the storage/display section to remove a product. In addition, and particularly in the area of beverage vending machines, it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide a dispensing chamber large enough to accommodate the increased size of product containers while, at the same time, providing an anti-pilfer mechanism that moves quickly using very little force. 
     Based on the above, there still exists a need in the art for a fully effective anti-pilfering device for a vending machine. More specifically, there exists a need for an anti-pilfering device for a vending machine having a large dispensing chamber that can be quickly shifted into a position that prevents unauthorized access to product using minimal activating force. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a vending machine including a product storage area, a dispensing chamber in communication with the product storage area, and a product access opening for removal of products transferred to the dispensing chamber from the product storage area. A delivery door is pivotally mounted to an upper edge of the product access opening. More specifically, the delivery door is adapted to shift from a closed position to an open position to facilitate the removal of products from the dispensing chamber. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an anti-pilfer plate is coupled to a lower portion of the delivery door. When the delivery door is shifted from the closed position, the anti-pilfer plate shifts into a position that prevents products from being withdrawn from the storage area. 
     In further accordance with the invention, a product door is pivotally mounted between the product storage area and the dispensing chamber. Preferably, the product door includes a seal provided about the product door to prevent the passage of refrigerated air from the storage area into the dispensing chamber. The product door is arranged so that, when the delivery door is moved from the closed position, the anti-pilfer plate shifts into a position so as to prevent the product door from opening. 
     In still further accordance with the invention, the anti-pilfer plate is directed into the position that prevents unauthorized access to the product storage area through the use of at least one guide element projecting from at least one side wall of the dispensing chamber. The anti-pilfer plate projects from a bottom edge portion of the delivery door and rests upon the guide elements. When the product door is moved from the closed position, the anti-pilfer plate is directed over the guide elements into a position that prevents unauthorized retrieval of stored products. 
     Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a vending machine including an anti-pilfer device constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial, cross-sectional view of a dispensing chamber of the vending machine of  FIG. 1 , showing the anti-pilfer in a first or product dispensing position; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the dispensing chamber of  FIG. 2 , showing the anti-pilfer plate moving from the product dispensing position; and 
         FIG. 4  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the dispensing chamber of  FIG. 2 , showing the anti-pilfer plate in a second or anti-pilfer position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , a vending machine generally indicated at  2  includes a cabinet frame  4 . As shown, cabinet frame  4  includes top, bottom and opposing side walls  6 - 9 . Arranged below bottom wall  7  are a pair of leg members  10  and  11  for positioning vending machine  2  upon a supporting surface (not shown). In the preferred embodiment shown, vending machine  2  is divided into a plurality of zones for performing various functions associated with the delivery of products to a consumer. Toward that end, vending machine  2  includes a storage and display zone  14 , a currency receiving zone  15  and a dispensing zone  16 . 
     In the embodiment shown, storage/display zone  14  is provided with a plurality of product support shelves  20 - 24  for supporting and displaying a plurality of product containers, one of which is indicated at  26 . Each of the plurality of product support shelves  20 - 24  includes an associated plurality of dispensing mechanisms (not shown) for delivering each product container  26  from storage/display zone  14  to dispensing zone  16 . The actual construction and operation of the dispensing mechanisms does not constitute part of the present invention. Instead, various known dispensing mechanisms could be employed, including that set forth in detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,988 entitled “Article Release Mechanism For a Vending Machine” issued on Jun. 3, 2003. Again, it should be understood that various other dispensing mechanisms could be employed, such as coils for prepackaged food items. In a manner known in the art, storage/display zone  14  is provided with a door  28  having a glass panel  29  to enable a consumer to view and choose between the variety of product containers  26  carried within vending machine  2 . 
     In accordance with the embodiment shown, dispensing zone  16  is arranged below storage/display zone  14  and includes a dispensing chamber  37  having a plurality of product access openings  39  and  40  that enable the consumer to remove a dispensed product from dispensing chamber  37 . As will be discussed more fully below, product access openings  39  and  40  are provided with delivery doors  43  and  44  respectively, which are pivotally mounted to dispensing chamber  37  so as to be shiftable between a first position, effectively closing off product access openings  39  and  40 , and a second position, enabling the retrieval of a dispensed product from dispensing chamber  37 . 
     Arranged alongside storage/display zone  14  and dispensing zone  16  is currency receiving zone  15 . In the embodiment shown, currency receiving zone  15  includes a currency receiving center  50  for inputting and storing currency deposited by the consumer during a vend transaction. Currency receiving center  50  includes a bill acceptor/validator  52 , a multi-price coin mechanism  53  and a key pad  55  for inputting particular product selections. Currency receiving center  50  also includes a display  57  for providing information to the consumer, as well as validating the particular selection made. Finally, a coin return slot  59  is provided for returning any required change to the consumer at the completion of a vend operation. 
     Reference will now be made to  FIGS. 2-4  in describing further details of dispensing zone  16 , and particularly dispensing chamber  37 . Once a product container  26  is released from one of the plurality of product support shelves  20 - 24 , the product container  26  falls, under the force of gravity, into a delivery chute  70  that opens into dispensing chamber  37 . As shown, a product door  72  is pivotally mounted across delivery chute  70  so as to isolate storage/display zone  14  from dispensing zone  16 . Toward that end, a seal  73  is arranged around an outer periphery of product door  72  so that refrigerated air, if present in storage/display zone  14 , will not pass through delivery chute  70  into dispensing chamber  37 . With this construction, product container  26  passing through delivery chute  70  will open product door  72  and pass into dispensing chamber  37 . Once product container  26  has passed through delivery chute  70 , product door  72  will close, either under the force of gravity or through the use of a biasing spring (not shown), to once again close off delivery chute  70 . 
     In order to retrieve a vended product from dispensing zone  16 , a consumer must access dispensing chamber  37  through, for example, delivery door  43 . In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, delivery door  43  includes a first end  80  that extends to a second end  81  through an intermediate portion  83 . First end  80  is pivotally mounted to an upper portion of delivery chamber  37  through a hinge  85 , with second end  81  overlapping a lower lip portion  86  of product access opening  39  so that intermediate portion  83  effectively closes off dispensing chamber  37  as represented in  FIG. 2 . Without the present invention, after opening delivery door  43 , a consumer could access, either manually or by using a tool, dispensing chamber  37  and retrieve product containers  26  from storage/display zone  14  without inserting or depositing currency into currency receiving center  50 . Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, vending machine  2  is provided with an anti-pilfer plate  100  arranged so as to prevent unauthorized access to storage/display zone  14 . 
     In accordance with the most preferred form of the present invention, anti-pilfer plate  100  includes a first end  103  pivotally mounted to second end  81  of delivery door  43  through a hinge mechanism  104 . First end  103  leads to a second end  106  through an intermediate or blocking portion  108 . When delivery door  43  is closed, anti-pilfer plate  100  enables free passage of product container(s)  26  into dispensing chamber  37  as represented in  FIG. 2 . Once delivery door  43  moves from the closed position, anti-pilfer plate  100  moves in unison into a second or product blocking position as represented from  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 4 . That is, anti-pilfer plate  100  is directed over a guide element  114  such that second end  106  and blocking portion  108  prevent unauthorized access to storage/display zone  14 . In accordance with one aspect of the invention, guide element  114  is constituted by a rod that projects generally perpendicularly from a side portion  120  of dispensing chamber  37 . In still further accordance with the most preferred form of the present invention, anti-pilfer plate  100 , when moved into the blocking position, actually prevents product door  72  from opening thus providing an even more restricted access to storage/display zone  14 . With this particular construction, once delivery door  43  is moved from the closed position, unauthorized access to storage/display zone  14  is prevented. More specifically, the path traveled by a particular product container  26  from storage/display zone  14  into dispensing zone  16  is completely blocked so that either insertion of an arm or a tool is completely restricted. 
     As described, an anti-pilfering device constructed in accordance with the present invention will provide a mechanism that effectively seals off a storage region of a vending machine to prevent unauthorized access to products stored therein. Moreover, the anti-pilfering device will not only prevent entry of a hand or arm, but tools will be unable to pass into and retrieve products from the vending machine. Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For instance, the present invention can also be readily employed in solid front or other types of vending machines, including machines which employ mechanisms to transfer products to a dispensing region instead of relying on gravity. In addition, while the vending machine is depicted as having two product access openings, the anti-pilfer plate arrangement can work with any number of openings provided in the vending machine. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited to the scope of the following claims.