Patent ID: 7432479

Claim:
A method of vending a heated food comprising: providing from a storage location in response to a received selection a food contained in a conductive container that can be heated by induction heating; determining whether to direct the container to a first waste bin based on whether the container corresponds to the received selection; if the container is not directed to the first waste bin, vertically orienting the container in proximity to an energizable induction heating sleeve to permit heating of the container by the induction heating sleeve when energized; determining whether to direct the container to a second waste bin based on a specification of the container; and if the container is not directed to the second waste bin, heating the food in the container by energizing the induction heating sleeve to heat the container and thereby heat the food contained therein, wherein the container has an internal gaseous headspace and the induction heating sleeve includes a magnetic induction coil, and the magnetic induction coil is located below the internal gaseous headspace during said heating.