Patent ID: 7222748

Claim:
A product acquisition and transport system for a vending machine, said product acquisition and transport system comprising: an elevator cup for receipt of product from a product separation and selection tray system of the vending machine, the elevator cup having first, second, third, and fourth sidewalls, and a bottom wall, the first, second, and third sidewalls being interconnected and the fourth sidewall being connected to the bottom wall, a rail guiding horizontal movement of the elevator cup, a first drive assembly for moving the elevator cup horizontally, said first drive assembly including a first drive motor fixed in location with respect to the vending machine and a first tension element driven by the first drive motor, the first tension element being connected to the elevator cup for moving the elevator cup laterally along a horizontal axis, and a second drive assembly for moving the rail vertically, the second drive assembly including a second drive motor fixed in location with respect to the vending machine and a second tension element driven by the second drive motor, the second tension element being connected to the rail for moving the rail vertically along a vertical axis so that the elevator cup is moved horizontally with respect to the product to be dispensed in the vending machine by the first drive assembly and the elevator cup is moved vertically with respect to the product to be dispensed in the vending machine when the rail is moved vertically by the second drive assembly, wherein the interconnected first, second, and third sidewalls are pivotally mounted on a pivot point on the fourth sidewall for release of product from the elevator cup to a delivery port.