CA2329314A1 - Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine - Google Patents

Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2329314A1
CA2329314A1 CA002329314A CA2329314A CA2329314A1 CA 2329314 A1 CA2329314 A1 CA 2329314A1 CA 002329314 A CA002329314 A CA 002329314A CA 2329314 A CA2329314 A CA 2329314A CA 2329314 A1 CA2329314 A1 CA 2329314A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
sensing system
vending machine
control
emitted
detected
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002329314A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2329314C (en
Inventor
James Monroe Hair, Iii
Kyriakos Panagiotis Spentzos
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Automated Merchandising Systems Inc
Original Assignee
Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.
James Monroe Hair, Iii
Kyriakos Panagiotis Spentzos
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=26769395&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=CA2329314(A1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc., James Monroe Hair, Iii, Kyriakos Panagiotis Spentzos filed Critical Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.
Publication of CA2329314A1 publication Critical patent/CA2329314A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2329314C publication Critical patent/CA2329314C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
    • G07F9/02—Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus
    • G07F9/026—Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/02—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines
    • G07F11/04—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/02—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines
    • G07F11/38—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which the magazines are horizontal
    • G07F11/42—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which the magazines are horizontal the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
    • G07F9/02—Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus

Abstract

For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infrared light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.
CA002329314A 1998-04-29 1999-04-28 Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine Expired - Lifetime CA2329314C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US8352298P 1998-04-29 1998-04-29
US60/083,522 1998-04-29
US09/261,221 1999-03-03
US09/261,221 US6384402B1 (en) 1998-04-29 1999-03-03 Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine
PCT/US1999/009165 WO1999056255A1 (en) 1998-04-29 1999-04-28 Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2329314A1 true CA2329314A1 (en) 1999-11-04
CA2329314C CA2329314C (en) 2005-03-22

Family

ID=26769395

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002329314A Expired - Lifetime CA2329314C (en) 1998-04-29 1999-04-28 Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (5) US6384402B1 (en)
EP (1) EP1080455A1 (en)
CA (1) CA2329314C (en)
WO (1) WO1999056255A1 (en)

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WO1999056255A1 (en) 1999-11-04
US20010000408A1 (en) 2001-04-26
EP1080455A1 (en) 2001-03-07
US7742837B2 (en) 2010-06-22
US7191915B2 (en) 2007-03-20
US20080121648A1 (en) 2008-05-29
US6794634B2 (en) 2004-09-21
US20070084872A1 (en) 2007-04-19
US20040204791A1 (en) 2004-10-14
CA2329314C (en) 2005-03-22
US6384402B1 (en) 2002-05-07
US7343220B2 (en) 2008-03-11

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