Patent ID: 8112858

Claim:
A method for transforming a container into an article within a vending machine, the method comprising the steps of: providing a base, a hood and a programming logic control to control transformation of the container into the article within the base and the hood; analyzing a weight of the container to determine if the container is empty within the base and the hood using the programming logic control; cutting the container into a first portion and a second portion within the base and the hood using the programming logic control; cleaning the first portion of the container and the second portion of the container within the base and the hood using the programming logic control; drying the first portion of the container and the second portion of the container within the base and the hood using the programming logic control; pressing the first portion of the container between a press and a first die to form an exterior of the article within the base and the hood using the programming logic control; cutting the second portion of the container into a plurality of pieces within the base and the hood using the programming logic control; and pressing at least one of the plurality of pieces between the press containing the exterior of the article and a second die to form an interior of the article within the base and the hood using the programming logic control.