Popcorn vending machine

Abstract

 A popcorn vending machine (1), comprising a box-like body (2) which accommodates:
- a tank (3) for containing corn grains;
- roasting means (5) for converting the corn grains into popcorn;
- a device (4) for dosing the quantity of corn to be introduced in the roasting means (5);
- a dispenser (12) of containers (7) for the popcorn;
- dispensing means (6) for the transfer of the popcorn within each container (7);
- a dispenser (18) of lids (15) for the containers (7), which is provided with means (14) for the grip and conveyance of each lid (15) in a region (38) for the pickup of the lids (15), which can be accessed by a user,

and further comprising means (33) for the transfer of each container (7) that arrives from the dispenser (12) of containers (7) toward a pickup region (34) of the containers (7), which can be accessed by a user.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a popcorn vending machine of an improved type.

[0002] Popcorn vending machines are known which are installed especially in meeting places such as cinemas, game arcades, exhibition spaces, sports facilities and the like.

[0003] These known machines generally comprise a tank for containing grains of corn, a dosage device for selecting the quantity of corn to be introduced in roasting means, and means for dispensing the corn that has been roasted and converted into popcorn toward suitable mixing means, where the popcorn receives the addition of flavoring substances.

[0004] These flavoring substances are constituted, preferably but not exclusively, by salt or sugar and are contained in appropriately provided tanks, from which they are sent to the mixing means by way of the selection and dosage devices.

[0005] After mixing, the salted or sugared or otherwise flavored corn is poured by dispensing means into a container that can be removed manually by the consumer.

[0006] These known vending machines, however, have a series of acknowledged drawbacks.

[0007] A first drawback relates to the problems that they have regarding the management of the flavoring substances, which are highly hygroscopic, such as sugar and salt.

[0008] These substances in fact tend to agglomerate in lumps inside the corresponding tanks; if such lumps assume excessively large dimensions, they can block the dispensing ducts or not pass through them.

[0009] Accordingly, the dosage of the substance is imprecise or nil, with the consequence that the product is supplied to the consumer without the expected dose of flavoring substance.

[0010] This of course entails the need, on the part of the operator, to act with accurate maintenance in order to restore the correct operation of the vending machine.

[0011] It is evident that the problems that these machines have in management especially of the sugar and salt due to the problem mentioned above also entail the need to perform frequent preventive maintenance if one wishes to avoid or at least reduce the described malfunctions.

[0012] A further drawback relates to the aggressiveness, especially of salt, with respect to some of the elements that compose the vending machine and with which they come into contact during operation.

[0013] This entails the need to use special materials that entail an increase in manufacturing costs.

[0014] A further drawback relates to the complexity of these vending machines especially when the number of flavoring substances to be managed is large.

[0015] It is in fact necessary to provide for each one of them a chute in order to make each one of such substances flow and gather toward the mixing chamber.

[0016] In order to obviate the mentioned drawbacks, the popcorn vending machine according to EP 1 887 533 has been provided in which the dosage of the popcorn flavorings occurs without such flavorings affecting the correct and regular operation of the machine.

[0017] Moreover, this machine requires less maintenance than known machines, since the flavoring substances do not come into contact with parts of the machine.

[0018] For this purpose, the vending machine comprises a lid dispenser for closing the containers into which the popcorn is poured, wherein each lid is provided with a chamber for containing the flavoring substance.

[0019] The containment chamber is delimited by a film that can be broken by pressing and is directed toward the inside of the container when the lid is applied to the container.

[0020] Therefore, once filling has occurred, the user takes the container with the popcorn, associates the lid with it and, by means of pressure applied thereon, breaks the breakable film, making the flavoring substance fall into the container.

[0021] Shaking of the container on the part of the user entails the mixing of the flavoring substance with the popcorn prior to consumption.

[0022] The vending machine according to the cited patent, however, also has, together with the advantage of absolutely not having to manage the dosage of the flavoring substances, the acknowledged drawback of having to take the container manually from a dispenser and equally manually placing it at the dispensing means for filling.

[0023] Moreover, another drawback is that the dispenser is arranged outside the machine and is therefore exposed to vandalism on the part of ill-intentioned individuals.

[0024] The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above noted drawbacks, by providing a popcorn vending machine that does not require handling of the container on the part of the user during preparation and dispensing of the product but only the removal of the container once dispensing of the product has occurred.

[0025] Within this aim, an object of the machine according to the invention is to allow better protection of the containers.

[0026] Another object of the machine according to the invention is to have such characteristics as to make it less vulnerable to vandalism on the part of ill-intentioned individuals.

[0027] This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a popcorn vending machine, which has the characteristics described in claim 1, to which reference is made for the sake of simplicity in description.

[0028] Further characteristics and advantages of the machine according to the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0029] According to the preferred embodiment described here, the machine comprises an enclosure constituted by a box-like body which accommodates internally the means for containing the lids, the means for containing the containers, the means for gripping and transporting each individual lid to the pick-up position at the disposal of a user, and the means for transferring the container to move it from the vending machine to the pick-up region, where filling occurs.

[0030] Advantageously, the presence of all the listed elements makes the operation of the machine completely automatic, so that the user is only required to insert the amount that corresponds to the cost of the product and to pick up the container and the lid once dispensing has occurred.

[0031] Also advantageously, the machine according to the invention is therefore simpler to use than known machines.

[0032] Even more advantageously, the containment of all the elements of the machine within the box-like body increases the degree of hygiene of the vending process and also constitutes a deterrent for any vandalism on the part of ill-intentioned individuals.

[0033] The aim, the objects and the advantages listed will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a machine according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional rear view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figures 4 to 8 are a corresponding number of perspective views of the internal part of the machine according to the invention in different steps of dispensing;

Figures 9 to 11 are views of details of the machine according to the invention.

[0034] With reference to the Figures, a popcorn vending machine according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 1.

[0035] As can be seen preferably in Figures 2 to 8, the machine 1 comprises a box-like body 2, which is visible in particular in Figure 1, and contains internally a tank 3 for corn grains, a dosage device 4 for selecting the quantity of corn to be introduced in roasting means 5 to be converted into popcorn, and dispensing means 6 for transferring the prepared popcorn into a container 7 that can be removed manually by a consumer.

[0036] As can be seen, the dispensing means 6 comprise an accumulation vessel 8, which is connected in input to means 9 for transferring the prepared popcorn into the roasting means 5; such vessel is provided in output with an inclined plane 10, which is directed toward the corresponding container 7 that is provided in a region 11 for picking up the containers 7 after they have been filled with the popcorn.

[0037] In the front part of the dispensing means 6 there is a dispenser 12 of containers 7 and in the lower part of the box-like body 2 there is a dispenser 13 of lids 15, which is provided with means 14 for gripping and conveying each lid 15 into a pickup region 16 at the user's disposal.

[0038] As regards the lids 15, each one is of the per se known type, and as can be seen in Figure 10, is provided with a chamber 15a for containing the flavoring substance, which is delimited by a film 15b that can be broken by pressing and is directed toward the inside of the container 7, when the lid is applied to the container 7. The lid dispenser 13 comprises containment means 17, which are arranged mutually side-by-side, for at least two stacks 18a, 18b of lids 15 and means 20 for lifting each one of the stacks 18a, 18b toward the grip and conveyance means 14, which are arranged in the upper part of such stacks of lids.

[0039] In particular, the lifting means 20, which are visible in detail also in Figure 10, comprise two lifting pans 21a, 21b, each of which supports one of the stacks of lids 18a, 18b and is coupled to a transmission belt 22, which is wound in a closed loop between two pulleys 23, 24, which are aligned along a vertical axis Y, which defines the vertical lifting direction Y of the lifting pans 21a, 21b, designated by the arrow 25.

[0040] One of the pulleys is turned by first motor drive means constituted by an electric motor 26.

[0041] As regards in particular the grip and conveyance means 14, they comprise a clamp device 27, which is visible in detail in Figure 11, and is associated with translational motion means 28 arranged above the stacks of lids 18a, 18b, which define a horizontal direction of translational motion X of the lifting pans 21a, 21b.

[0042] In particular, the clamp device 27 comprises two mutually opposite grip elements 40, which can slide along guiding bars 42 elastically by contrast with springs 43 which are coaxial to the guiding bars 42.

[0043] Each grip element 40 is provided with a pair of protruding pins 41 for contrast and grip of the lids 15.

[0044] The translational motion means 28 comprise a transmission belt 29, which is wound in a closed loop between two pulleys 30, 31 which are aligned along the horizontal direction of translational motion X of the grip and conveyance means 14.

[0045] One of the pulleys, and in particular the pulley designated by the reference numeral 30, is turned by second motor drive means constituted by an electric motor 32.

[0046] As regards the motor drive means, which in the described embodiment are constituted by electric motors, respectively the electric motor 26a for lifting the lifting pans 21a, 21b and the electric motor 32a for the translational motion of the grip and conveyance means 14, they can be of any type, for example of the step type or brushless type and the like.

[0047] Moreover, they are managed by an electronic central control unit, which controls and monitors their operation and also the operation of the additional elements that compose the machine.

[0048] According to the invention, there are means 33 for transferring each one of the containers 7, which arrive from the dispenser 12 of containers, toward a region 34 for picking up the container 7 that can be accessed by a user.

[0049] The transfer means 33, as can be seen also in detail in Figure 5, comprise a contoured bracket 35, which is arranged in contact with the container 7 and is associated with the grip and conveyance means 14 of each one of the lids 15.

[0050] In particular, it is also noted that the contoured bracket 35 has a concave region 36 whose profile 36a can be mated with the outer lateral surface 7a of the container 7.

[0051] Functionally, the cycle for preparing and dispensing popcorn begins with the machine arranged in the configuration shown in Figure 4, after the user has inserted the required amount in a slot 1a provided on the front of the machine that can be seen in Figure 1.

[0052] The cycle begins after the user has selected the type of popcorn that he/she intends to consume, therefore salted or sugared, by means of one of the buttons 1b arranged on the machine front that can be seen in Figure 1.

[0053] It is evident that even more than two selections may be possible, depending on the types of flavoring product that are present in the lids and on the number of stacks of lids installed in the machine.

[0054] The first operation of the cycle provides for picking up one lid 15 by means of the clamp device 27 of the grip and conveyance means 14, which, as can be seen in Figure 6, lift it so as to separate it from the respective stack.

[0055] Simultaneously, a container descends by gravity from the dispenser 12 of the containers 7 and arranges itself, as can be seen in Figure 6, at the transfer means 33 and particularly at the contoured bracket 35 that is associated with the grip and conveyance means 14 of the lid 15.

[0056] Then the translational motion of the grip and conveyance means 14 with the lid 15 and the container 7 aggregated therewith occurs in the horizontal direction of translational motion X and ends when the container 7 is present in the pickup region 34 of the containers 7, as can be seen in Figure 7, and the lid 15 is arranged above a pickup region 38 of the lids 15.

[0057] In this position, the container 7 is arranged below the inclined plane 10 of the dispensing means 6 in a position adapted to receive filling with popcorn.

[0058] The cycle ends when the machine is arranged in the configuration that can be seen in Figure 8, in which the container 7 is filled with popcorn and the lid 15 is released in the pickup region 38 of the lids 15.

[0059] The container 7 and the lid 15 therefore can be both picked up by the user.

[0060] Consumption of the popcorn occurs after applying the lid 15 to the container 7 and breaking the film 15b that delimits the chamber 15a for containing the salt or sugar.

[0061] On the basis of what has been said, it is therefore understood that the popcorn vending machine according to the invention achieves the intended aim and objects.

[0062] First of all, the presence of the transfer means 33 allows to arrange the container 7 in the pickup region 34 of the containers 7 at the dispensing means 6 of the popcorn automatically without user intervention.

[0063] In this manner, greater hygiene of the process is also ensured.

[0064] Further, the arrangement inside the machine of the dispenser 12 of the containers 7 and of all the other elements limits the possibility of damage due to vandalism.

[0065] It is evident that during production the vending machine according to the invention can also be provided with shapes that are different from the ones described above.

[0066] In particular, all the mechanical or electromechanical devices that compose the functional assemblies of the machine may be provided in any form, even ones which are different from the ones that are shown and described.

[0067] Finally, the lid dispenser can be structured to receive more than two stacks of lids so as to be able to flavor the popcorn with more than two substances.

[0068] It is understood that any other variation that is not described and not mentioned and might be within the scope of the appended claims is to be understood as being protected by the present patent.

[0069] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. VI2009A000061 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0070] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A popcorn vending machine (1), comprising a box-like body (2) which accommodates:

- a tank (3) for containing corn grains;

- roasting means (5) for converting said corn grains into popcorn;

- a device (4) for dosing the quantity of corn to be introduced in said roasting means (5);

- a dispenser (12) of containers (7) for said popcorn;

- dispensing means (6) for the transfer of said popcorn within each container (7);

- a dispenser (18) of lids (15) for said containers (7), which is provided with means (14) for the grip and conveyance of each lid (15) in a region (38) for the pickup of said lids (15), which can be accessed by a user,

characterized in that it comprises means (33) for the transfer of each container (7) that arrives from said dispenser (12) of containers (7) toward a pickup region (34) of said containers (7), which can be accessed by a user.

2. The vending machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (33) for the transfer of each container (7) comprise at least one contoured bracket (35), which is arranged in contact with said container (7) and is associated with said means (14) for the grip and conveyance of each one of said lids (15).

3. The vending machine (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said contoured bracket (35) is fixed to a clamp device (27) that belongs to said grip and conveyance means (14) of each one of said lids (15) and has a concave region (36) whose profile (36a) can be mated with the outer lateral surface (7a) of said container (7).

4. The vending machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said dispensing means (6) comprise an accumulation vessel (8) whose inlet (8a) is connected to means (9) for the transfer of the popcorn prepared in said roasting means (5) and is provided at the outlet (8b) with an inclined plane (10) that is directed toward the corresponding container (7) that is present in said region (34) for the pickup of said containers (7).

5. The vending machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lid dispenser (13) comprises:

- mutually side-by-side containment means (17) for at least two stacks of lids (18a, 18b);

- means (20) for lifting each one of said stacks of lids (18a, 18b) toward said grip and conveyance means (14) of each individual lid (15) toward said pickup region (38) of said lids (15) which can be accessed by a user.

6. The vending machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lifting means (20) comprise two lifting pans (21a, 21b), each of which supports one of said stacks of lids (18a, 18b) and is coupled to a transmission belt (22) wound in a closed loop between two pulleys (23, 24) which are aligned along a vertical lifting direction (Y) of said lifting pans (21a, 21b), at least one of said pulleys being turned by first motor drive means (26).

7. The vending machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said grip and conveyance means (14) comprise a clamp device (27), which is associated with translational motion means (28) which are arranged above said at least two stacks of lids (18a, 18b) and are adapted to define a horizontal direction of translational motion (X) of said pans.

8. The vending machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said translational motion means (28) comprise a transmission belt (29) that is wound in a loop between two pulleys (30a, 30b) which are aligned along said horizontal direction of translational motion (X) of said grip and conveyance means (14), at least one of said pulleys being turned by second motor drive means (32).

9. The vending machine (1) according to any one of claims 6 or 8, characterized in that said motor drive means (26, 32) comprise electric motors (26a, 32a).

10. The vending machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said lids (15) comprises a chamber (15a) for containing a flavoring substance, which is delimited by a film (15b) that can be broken by pressing and is directed toward the inside of said container (7) when said lid (15) is arranged so as to close said container (7).

Drawing