Patent ID: 8070019

Claim:
A product dispensing apparatus for use in a vending apparatus, the product dispensing apparatus comprising: a product canister body defining an interior volume for holding a product mix, the body including an outlet; a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense a portion of the product mix through the outlet, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises an auger and a drive mechanism coupled to the auger for rotating the auger about a longitudinal axis, the rotation of the auger moving the portion of the product mix along the longitudinal axis toward the outlet; and a plurality of agitators positioned within the interior volume of the product canister body and configured to displace at least a portion of the product mix within the product canister body in response to actuation of the plurality of agitators, the plurality of agitators comprising a first agitator and a second agitator positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the auger, wherein each of the first and second agitators is coupled to the auger, wherein the first agitator comprises a first plurality of teeth engaging a first portion of the auger and the second agitator comprises a first plurality of teeth engaging a second portion of the auger.