Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a division of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 13/457,332 entitled “ADA COMPLIANCE IN VENDING MACHINES” and filed on Apr. 26, 2012, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/479,287 entitled “ADA COMPLIANCE IN VENDING MACHINES” and filed on Apr. 26, 2011. The content of the above-identified patent documents is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates generally to the customer user interface and delivery mechanism in vending machines and, more specifically, to the modification of the user interface and delivery bin within a vending machine to promote compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vending machines offer unattended sales of commodities such as snacks, canned or bottled beverages, or any of a variety of other articles.  The Revised ADA Regulations Implementing Title II and Title III  issued by the Department of Justice in relation to the Americans with Disabilities Act and effective Mar. 15, 2011 (see 28 Code of Federal Regulations parts 35 and 36) alter the “side reach” range requirements to provide that the side reach range must now be no higher than 48″ instead of 54″ and no lower than 15″ instead of 9″. In addition, the force required to operate any mechanical mechanism must be less than 5 pounds (lbs). 
     There is, therefore, a need in the art for an improved customer user interface as well as product dispensing mechanism for vending machines. 
     SUMMARY 
     An ADA compliant vending machine ensures provides a user control for entering an ADA mode, and displays all user-actuated vend transaction controls below a first specified height when operating in the ADA mode. A delivery bucket surface on which vended products are supported moves between a lowered position below a second specified height and a raised position above the second specified height in coordinate operation with opening of the delivery bin door. Products are dropped below the second specified height during delivery but are raised above that height for customer retrieval. Mechanical force required to open the delivery bin door is less than five pounds, even with closing of anti-pilfer flaps also being coordinated with opening of the delivery bin door. 
     Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term “controller” means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified perspective view illustrating a vending machine implementing an ADA compliant customer user interface and delivery bin according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a display screen for an ADA compliant customer product selection interface according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a control system within a vending machine implementing an ADA compliant customer product selection interface according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate portions of an ADA compliant delivery bin according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIGS. 5A through 5D  illustrate an ADA compliant delivery bin according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  is front and side views, respectively, of an ADA compliant delivery bin according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are center sectional views of the ADA compliant delivery bin depicted in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , with the delivery bin door closed and open, respectively; 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of an anti-pilfer flap used in the ADA compliant delivery bin depicted in  FIGS. 6A-6B and 7A-7B ; 
         FIG. 9  depicts the linkage between the delivery bin door, delivery bucket and anti-pilfer flaps in the ADA compliant delivery bin depicted in  FIGS. 6A-6B and 7A-7B ; and 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  are detailed views of a portion of  FIG. 9 , with the delivery bin door closed and open, respectively. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 through 9B , discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged vending machine customer product selection interface and product delivery bin system. 
       FIG. 1  is a simplified perspective view illustrating a vending machine implementing an ADA compliant customer product selection interface and delivery bin according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Vending machine  100  includes a cabinet  101  and a service door  102  that, together, define an enclosure. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the service door  102  is pivotally mounted to the front of the cabinet  101  and extends all the way across the front face of the vending machine  100 . In alternate designs, the service door may extend only part way across the front of the vending machine, or may be formed in two portions (of equal or unequal sizes) that swing open in opposite directions. 
     In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the service door  102  includes a transparent front  103  allowing the customer to view actual products available for vending, which may include snacks, packaged beverages, various sundries, or any product capable of being dispensed by the vending machine. 
     Vending machine  100  also includes a customer product selection interface  104 , payment mechanism access  105  and a delivery bin door  106 . Customer product selection interface  104  is preferably provided by a touch-screen liquid crystal display (LCD) display and input. Payment mechanism access  105  may include one or more of a coin slot allowing deposit of coins into a coin mechanism, a bill access slot for feeding paper currency into a bill validator and/or recycler, a magnetic stripe swipe mechanism for reading the magnetic stripe on credit or debit cards, or a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor for sensing a customer&#39;s RFID tag linked to a payment system. 
       FIG. 1  depicts delivery bin door  106  as positioned below the transparent window  103  and substantially across the width of the product columns behind the transparent window. Products available for vending are thus held in, for example, helical coils on shelves visible from the exterior through the transparent window  103  and are dropped through a space between the shelves and the transparent window  103  into the delivery bin behind delivery bin door  106 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that in some vending machines, particularly beverage vending machines, an X-Y product retrieval and delivery mechanism delivers vended product to an access port to the side as shown in  FIG. 1 , at a height convenient to the customer for product retrieval without bending over. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that the complete structure of a vending machine is not depicted in the drawings, and the complete details of the structure and operation of the vending machine is not described herein. Instead, for simplicity and clarity, only so much of the structure and operation of a vending machine as is unique to the present disclosure or necessary for an understanding of the present invention is depicted and described. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a display screen for an ADA compliant customer product selection interface according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a control system within a vending machine implementing an ADA compliant customer product selection interface according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The display screens for a customer product selection interface  104  are graphically displayed on a touch-screen LCD with selected display elements configured as user controls to actuate corresponding functions. 
     Vending machine  100  includes a programmable vending machine controller (VMC)  301  of the type known in the art. Coupled to and communicating with VMC  301  is a display controller  302  for the customer product selection interface  104 . As noted above, the customer product selection interface  104  is preferably provided by a touch-screen liquid crystal display (LCD) display and input. Suitable touch-screen display devices and the associated controllers for use as customer product selection interface  104  and display controller  302  are known in the art. VMC  301  is also coupled to and in communication with product dispensers  305 , payment systems  306  (which may include a coin mechanism, a bill recycler or validator, a magnetic stripe swipe reader and/or a RFID sensor), as well as a delivery bin controller  307 . 
     The display controller  302  renders content for display on the customer product selection interface  104  and detects customer contact with predefined regions of the display for the touch screen. The predefined regions correspond to user controls and may vary from one display to another. The display content for each display is stored in a memory  303  within the vending machine and retrieved, together with the predefined regions that form user controls for the respective display, by a control program  304  residing in memory  303 . (Although depicted in  FIG. 3  as separate from VMC  301 , memory  303  may actually be part of the same integrated circuit as VMC  301 ). VMC  301  and display controller  302  cooperate to render the display on customer product selection interface  104  and respond to user contact with one of the predefined regions for a current display. 
     An exemplary display  200  for customer product selection interface  104  is depicted in  FIG. 2 . In the exemplary embodiment, each display includes an ADA user control  201  located in the bottom left corner of the display. The ADA control  201  is an image of an individual within a wheelchair, a conventional symbol for facilities customized or reserved for disabled persons. In other disclosed embodiments, the ADA control  201  may be a different symbol or located in another location on the customer product selection interface  104 . The location of ADA control  201  is below 48″ and above 15″ above the surface on which vending machine  100  rests, and is thus always compliant with side reach regulations. 
     The ADA control  201  transitions the control program  304  into ADA mode, in which all user control or actuation elements of every display for the remainder of the vend transaction are rendered only within the portion of the display located on customer product selection interface  104  below the ADA 48″ upper limit  202 . The ADA control  201  may be actuated at any time during a vend transaction to transition into the ADA mode of operation. Since the payment access slots  105  are located below the customer product selection interface  104 , those user interface aspects are already below the ADA 48″ upper limit  202 . 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate portions of an ADA compliant delivery bin according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In order to maximize the number of product trays within a helical coil snack vending machine, typically the bottom of the delivery bin is below the ADA 15″ lower limit. The delivery bin of the present disclosure utilizes a rising delivery bin moving floor to raise the vended product therein above the ADA 15″ lower limit. A flexible net (mesh) or fabric  401  having a J-shaped side-section is secured within the delivery bin at the front, attached below door. The flexible material  401  thus forms the front wall, the bottom (or floor) and the back wall of the delivery bin. Side brackets illustrated in  FIG. 4B  limit the range of motion of the flexible material  401 , which is resistant to tearing or cutting and sufficient stiff to inhibit bending in directions other than as described below. 
     During product delivery, the flexible material  401  is pulled up in back by a motor that runs a mandrel  402  to roll up the fabric, causing the bottom of the delivery bin (and any products thereon) to rise. Products in the delivery bin can always be retrieved prior to floor coming to final level, such that the movement of the delivery bin floor does not slow the vend transaction. In any event, the movable floor of the delivery bin raises up to ADA height and the product may be retrieved at that height. 
       FIGS. 5A through 5D  illustrate an ADA compliant delivery bin according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example shown, a motorized delivery door is provided, which moves down to allow access by the customer to the delivery bin.  FIG. 5A  is a perspective view with the delivery door closed and the bin floor lowered (i.e., the flexible material unfurled as much as possible from the mandrel), while  FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the delivery door open and the bin floor raised (i.e., the flexible material wound at least partial and most likely more than one turn around the mandrel). The floor of the bin is thus raised and lowered with opening or closing of the delivery door—that is, the bin floor (and any products thereon) is raised when door is actuated down, and lowered again when door returns to a closed position. A pulley and/or gear drive coordinates movement between the delivery bin door and the mandrel on which the flexible material is wound or unwound. 
     The use of a flexible material as described allows any size product to be delivered and raised to an ADA height (15″ from the floor) without removing any trays from the vending machine or otherwise limiting the available product storage space. Thus, the distance between the lowest tray and the bottom of the delivery bin when the product is retrieved is minimized, while reliably delivering the vended product. For anti-pilferage reasons, the opening to the product tray area will be block when the delivery door is lowered, which may also be driven by the motor that opens or closes the delivery door and/or raises/lowers the bin floor. 
     Of course, the bin floor need be raised and lowered only when the vending machine  100  is operating in ADA mode (i.e., when the ADA screen button is pressed at the beginning of the workflow, or during the last screen display prior to delivery, etc.). 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  is front and side views, respectively, of an ADA compliant delivery bin according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The delivery bin  600  includes a front panel  601  that forms a portion of a front facing of the vending machine  100 . The delivery bin door  601  (illustrated diagrammatic-ally as door  106  in  FIG. 1 ) covers an opening through the front panel  601  and includes a push protrusion  603  near the top thereof. The side panels (one of which is visible in  FIG. 6B ) and bottom and rear panels (not shown) form a complete, open-top enclosure for receiving products. In alternative embodiments at least the rear panel for the delivery bin  600  may be formed by a portion of the interior cabinet for the vending machine. Likewise the bottom panel need not be integral to the remainder of the delivery bin  600 . In the side view, portions of the gearing mechanism coordinating movement between door  601  and anti-theft flaps is visible. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are center sectional views of the ADA compliant delivery bin depicted in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , with the delivery bin door closed and open, respectively. As illustrated, door  602  opens by sliding down inside front panel  601 , along tracks (not shown) in response to downward force by the customer on push protrusion  603 . Based on the counterweights and spring-biasing system, the force required to open door  603  is less than 5 pounds (lbs). Delivery bin  600  also includes an internal, rigid, generally J-shaped delivery bucket  700  (which need not include sidewalls) and anti-pilfer flaps  701 , both of which moves coordinately with door  602 . The delivery bucket  700  moves vertically up as the door  602  is pushed down; the extruded aluminum anti-pilfer flaps  701  each swing from generally vertical, “open” positions when the delivery bin door  602  is closed, allowing products to drop through the open top of the delivery bin  600  into the delivery bucket  700 , to generally horizontal, “closed” positions when the delivery bin door  602  is open, in which the two flaps together block access to the product shelves above and generally behind the delivery bin  600 . 
     The delivery bucket  700  has a curved surface from the rear toward the front, with a lowest point near the front of the delivery bin. The curvature causes products to slide toward the front of the delivery bin  600  for easy retrieval through delivery bin door  602 . The delivery bucket  700  moves from a lowest position when the delivery bin door  602  is closed to a highest position when the delivery bin door  602  is open. As a result, in the exemplary embodiment products dropping into the delivery bucket  700  when the delivery bucket  700  is at the lowest limit of travel. The depth of the delivery bucket  700  relative to the anti-pilfer flaps  701  when the delivery bin door  602  is closed thus allows clearance for large products within the delivery bucket  700 , without interference in movement of the anti-pilfer flaps. The point, however, is below the desired height  702  for the product during customer retrieval—for example, 15 inches above floor level. Movement of the delivery bucket  700  upward as the delivery bin door  602  is opened raises the lowest point in delivery bucket  700  above that desired height  702 . The design of the delivery bin  600  allows more products (i.e., an additional shelf) to be held within a vending machine having a height allow the machine to be moved through most doorways, by allowing the product to drop lower than desired height  702  to provide clearance for anti-pilfer flaps  701  while raising the product to or above the desired height  702  for retrieval by the customer. 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of an anti-pilfer flap used in the ADA compliant delivery bin depicted in  FIGS. 6A-6B and 7A-7B .  FIG. 9  depicts the linkage between the delivery bin door, delivery bucket and anti-pilfer flaps in the ADA compliant delivery bin depicted in  FIGS. 6A-6B and 7A-7B .  FIGS. 9A and 9B  are detailed views of a portion of  FIG. 9 , with the delivery bin door closed and open, respectively. Delivery bin  600  reduces the force required to open delivery bin door  602  to less than 5 lbs by employing counterweights to hold the anti-pilfer flaps open. At least one anti-pilfer flap  701  has a steel rod counterweight  703  secured thereto on the opposite side of the pivot point from the major surface of the anti-pilfer flap. 
     The anti-pilfer flaps  701  are each linked to a rotatable flap gear  900  by a linkage bar  901 . The flap gear  900  has gear teeth only around a portion of the outer periphery that engage teeth on a main gear  902  (portions of which are visible behind cam  903  in  FIGS. 9A and 9B ). Main gear  902  also engages delivery bin door gear rack  904  and delivery bucket gear rack  905 , which results in the delivery bucket  700  being raised when delivery bin door  602  is opened. As the delivery bin door  602  is pushed down to be opened, the gear teeth on flap gear  900  raise the anti-pilfer flaps  701  while the delivery bucket  700  is being raised (with counterweight  703  reducing the amount of force required). Once the anti-pilfer flaps  701  have closed, however, the flap gear teeth disengage from the main gear  902  and the flap gear  900  is held in place by cam  903 , although further downward movement of the delivery bin door  602  continues to raise the delivery bucket  700  by operation of the main gear  902  between gear racks  904  and  905 . 
     Although the present disclosure has been described with exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: g