BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to improvements in the design and operation
of an article handling apparatus used in conjunction with an article identification
device, and is particularly useful in the environment of an article handling device
as used a vending machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
[0002] Most prior art article handling mechanisms, more specifically referred to in the
description of the present invention as being in the environment of a point-of-sale
(POS) article dispenser, rely on a multitude of motors, switches and solenoids for
moving various portions of the handling mechanism, and handling of the articles themselves,
such as packaged products. Most such machines require one motor, switch and/or solenoid
dedicated for each row, column or type of article or package to be handled or dispensed
therefrom. Such machines generally suffer from numerous disadvantages, such as poor
reliability due to mechanical failures, as well known by those skilled in this art.
[0003] US Patent 5,240,139 represents a significant improvement in article handling devices. It describes the
use of a negative air pressure lifter (i.e., article pickup or handling mechanism),
which uses suction, i.e., a reduced or so-called "negative" air pressure created by
a partial vacuum, for making a secure contact to an article to be retrieved by entering
the open top of an article storage bin located in a refrigerated storage area of a
vending machine. Although robotic, and specifically suction-type lifting mechanisms
are in common use in factory settings, where space limitations are generally relaxed,
their use in tight confines, such as an article vending machine, has not gained wide
acceptance. Due to the greater reliability and versatility of vending machines of
the type which utilizes suction technology for grasping and moving selected articles,
it would be desirable to develop new techniques and methods for the operation and
control of such machines, as well as for other more generalized article handling mechanisms.
It is noted that article identification in conjunction with an article handling is
not provided for in this US Patent.
[0004] U.S. patent 5,272,321 entitled AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE HAVING A BAR CODE READER AND BAR-CODED COLUMNS
AND SWITCHES assigned to Sanyo Electric Co., describes a vending apparatus for handling
articles for which preprinted barcodes have been applied. During a service mode operation
of the machine (e.g. during refilling) a handheld bar code reader is used to scan
a preprinted sheet of bar codes which is located on the inside of the front door of
the vending machine. The sheet includes barcodes for programming the CPU of the machine
with the identification of the articles stored in the machine, identification of the
storage columns in which those articles have been loaded, and identification of which
user selection switches have been designated for activating dispensing of a given
article from a given column. Although the technique disclosed in this patent facilitates
rapid and accurate programming of the vending machine during servicing, it can not
prevent dispensing of an incorrect product due to erroneous loading of the product
into the machine, e.g., such as due to either inadvertently or purposefully loading
an incorrect product into an incorrect storage column.
[0005] JP 4123192A2 entitled DEVICE FOR PREVENTING ERRONEOUS THROW-IN OF COMMODITY OF VENDING MACHINE
assigned to Sanyo Electric Co., discloses the use of a bar code reader at the top,
input end, of each article storage column in a vending machine. During refilling of
the machine with articles, if the bar code reader at the top of each article storage
column reads a product code that is not preprogrammed to be stored in that column,
the vending machine controller operates a gate which will prevent that article from
further entrance into the article storage column. In this way, erroneous refilling
of the article storage columns is prevented. However, it would be possible to relatively
easily "trick" or cheat a vending machine of this type by, for example, disabling
the bar code scanner at the input end of each storage column, or by holding a false
bar code in front of the reader during refilling of that column with a different,
maybe erroneous and possibly inferior, product.
[0006] JP4123194A2 entitled ERRONEOUS SALE PREVENTING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINE, also assigned to Sanyo
Electric Co., includes a handheld bar code scanner and programming sheet of bar codes
for programming the controller of the vending machine during a set up mode (a technique
similar that noted above in
U.S. patent 5,272,321), as well as a fixed-position bar code scanner located just above the product exit
chute of the vending machine, for reading the product identification bar code during
dispensing. In the event that the identification of the article dispensed from a given
storage column, does not match the bar code stored in the vending machine controller
for the product which should have been dispensed from that storage column, the vending
machine controller operates to suspend dispensing of products from that storage column.
By including a bar code reader at the product exit chute of the dispenser, it is significantly
more difficult to "strick" or cheat the machine by purposefully restocking the machine
with erroneous and possibly inferior product.
United States patent 6,068,156 assigned to Adds, Inc and entitled METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A DRUG DISPENSING SYSTEM,
also describes use of a bar code scanner positioned at the exit chute of an article
dispenser. In this case the article dispenser dispenses medication vials. However,
in this and the above noted
JP4123194A2 patent, it would not be uncommon for the fixed position bar code scanner to fail
to read and identify the bar codes on the articles as they roll or tumble in a haphazard
manner past the bar code scanner at the exit chute.
[0007] U.S. patent 5,390,711 by Murphey entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SNOW CONES, discloses a vending
machine of the type for storing articles in article storage columns. In one embodiment
the columns are vertically oriented and dispense paper cups, which include a unique
sequence of bar codes preprinted thereon, to a customer retrieval area where the paper
cups are filled with flavored crushed ice. In an alternative embodiment, the article
storage columns are substantially horizontal and the dispensing apparatus substantially
comprises a spiral wire (i.e., a conventional "spiral" vending machine). In both embodiments
a fixed position bar code reader is located at the dispensing end of each article
storage column, for identifying the article which is about to be dispensed. In the
event that the bar code of the article which is about to be dispensed is not proper
or not read, the dispensing operation is automatically suspended, any money inserted
into the machine is returned, and the customer is notified that the machine is now
inoperative or sold out. In the event that the operator of the vending machine tries
to "trick" or cheat the machine by tampering with the bar code reader or its activation,
a voltage oversurge is provided to the control circuitry of the vending machine, which
effectively destroys the control circuitry and renders the machine inoperative. In
a manner somewhat similar to the above noted
JP4123194A2, the fixed position bar code reader may have difficulty reading the article barcodes,
especially if the article is improperly positioned in the storage column, such as
the package being rotationally offset by 90, 180 or 270 degrees.
[0008] U.S. patent 5,713,487 by Coughlin, entitled MEDICAMENT VERIFICATION IN AN AUTOMATIC DISPENSING SYSTEM,
is representative of a class of patents directed to preventing the dispensing of erroneous
products (such as medication vials or video cassettes), due to improper loading of
the storage area. These patents show the use of a bar code reader mounted on a computer
controlled manipulator arm used for retrieving the articles from the storage area.
Each stored article, or its packaging, includes a preprinted identifying bar code.
When the machine controller moves the manipulator arm so as to retrieve a stored product,
the bar code reader is operated so as to scan the bar code on the article, and if
the bar code does not match the bar code of the article which is expected to be at
that storage location (in accordance with preprogramming of the machine controller),
the dispensing operation is suspended and the user of the machine is notified of a
problem. If, however, the bar code is proper, the article is dispensed. It is also
known that when the machine is not vending articles, the controller can operate the
manipulator arm in a "checking" mode, wherein the bar code on an article storage at
each location in the storage area is scanned and then checked (compared) with the
article identification code stored in the memory of the controller. Improperly stored
articles are thus pre-identified, and will not be dispensed. One disadvantage of these
types of systems is that the bar code reader and electrical connections suffer stress
due to the many cycles of manipulator arm movement, since the bar code reader is mounted
on the manipulator arm. Furthermore, this kind of positioning for the bar code reader
can reduce the reliability of the bar code reading device, and also introduces mechanical
and electronic complexity in its construction, due to the necessity of providing electrical
connections to a movable bar code reader. Even furthermore, by positioning the bar
code reader on the manipulator arm, restrictions are placed upon the "view" provided
to the reader as the manipulator arm is advanced toward the article to be retrieved,
leading to an increase of the probability that the article bar code may not be properly
read.
[0009] For completeness sake,
U.S. patent 6,029,851 assigned to Imaging Technologies Ltd. and entitled APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING
ARTICLES is noted. This patent describes a dispenser for printer or toner cartridges
which includes an input port for receiving used toner cartridges into the dispenser,
for recycling purposes. A camera mounted at a fixed location along the input past
towards the recycling storage area of the machine uses "shape/pattern recognition"
to identify the returned toner cartridges. This article identification technique suffers
from the same problem as before noted patents, namely that the article may pass by
the article identification device in a position where it's shape/pattern can not be
identified/recognized.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, one of the general objects of the present invention is to provide new
techniques and methods for the design, operation and control of article handling mechanisms.
[0011] It is a further general object of the present invention to provide such techniques
and methods for article handling mechanisms of the type that utilize computer-controlled
electromechanical technology, and in the illustrated embodiment a robotically positioned
suction-type gripper, for grasping and moving a selected article from one area to
another, such as from a storage area to a dispensing area.
[0012] It is an even further general object of the present invention to provide new techniques
and methods for such mechanisms which improve the speed and accuracy of the article
handling operation while still handling the articles to be dispensed in a careful
manner so as to prevent any damage thereto.
[0013] It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus
for article identification in an article handling apparatus, which not only is relatively
simple, accurate and reliable in its construction and operation, but which also has
some flexibility in order to help ensure identification and/or recognition of the
articles being dispensed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The above objects are achieved in an illustrated embodiment of an article dispensing
apparatus embodied, for example, as a vending machine, including a controllably positioned
suction hose dispenser for retrieving articles from a storage area. In one embodiment,
the article dispenser comprises a storage area for storing articles along at least
one longitudinal axis in a stack, an article dispensing device for moving the end
article from the stack of articles in the storage area along a path to a retrieval
area, and an article identification device, mounted within the article retrieving
apparatus. The article dispensing device moves the article in a predetermined pattern
past the article identification device, so as to provide identification of the article
being moved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a vending machine constructed and operating
in accordance with the principles of the invention.
FIG.'s 2 and 3 are front perspective views of the vending machine of FIG. 1, with
the front door opened, so as to illustrate the main mechanical and electrical components
therein.
FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating the cooperation of the main mechanical
and electrical components in the vending machine of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an environment for the invention described herein, in the form
of an article dispenser, such as a point-of-sale (POS) dispenser. Although throughout
the following description, reference is made to implementation of the invention in
a vending machine environment, it is intended that the term "vending machine", and
in fact the environment for the present invention, include more general purpose article
handling, retrieval and/or dispensing apparatus, as well as POS equipment. Such equipment,
if embodied as a portable device may comprise and be about the size of a traditional
vending machine or as large as a tractor-pulled trailer, and if embodied as a non-portable
device may comprise and be embodied as an automated dispensing room or an area located
in a permanent structure, such as in a building (aboveground or underground, and with
or without interior walls or an enclosing cabinet). Furthermore, it is intended that
the term "articles" or "products" include in at least some of the embodiments of the
invention described herein, not only goods, but also services and/or information,
in either a permanent or temporal form.
[0017] Accordingly, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a vending machine 10, comprising
one embodiment for an apparatus which is constructed and operates according to the
present invention. Vending machine 10 includes a main cabinet 12 and a front door
14 mounted on a hinge 16 for providing access to the interior of the vending machine
for servicing (refilling it with articles, maintenance, etc.). Note, in a further
vending machine embodiment, a service door or port could be positioned anywhere on
or as a part of cabinet 12. In FIG. 1, front door 14 is shown in a closed position,
forming an enclosure with main cabinet 12, within which various components of vending
machine 10 are housed, as explained in more detail below.
[0018] Front door 14 includes a convex-shaped section 18 adjacent a flat section 20; however,
these particular shapes are not necessary to the invention. The convex-shaped section
18 comprises a translucent plastic display panel 18, which typically has brand name
and/or logo graphics displayed thereon, and may even include graphics which illustrate
the individual articles that are vendible by vending machine 10, as well as the price
and/or selection information for the articles. Panel 18 is typically back-light using
fluorescent bulbs, not shown.
[0019] A customer retrieval area 22 is formed in the panel 18 on door 14 so that articles
stored therein can be discharged to a user of vending machine 10.
[0020] Various user interface components are mounted on flat section 20 of door 14. A customer
display 24 may be a conventional fluorescent or LED display panel for displaying various
items of information to a user of machine 10, such as feedback to the user of the
selection made, the amount tended, and if the product is sold out or being vended.
For accepting payments, a bill acceptor slot 26 accepts paper money into a conventional
bill acceptor mechanism (mounted inside machine 10 so as to have its user interface
portion extend through an aligned opening in flat section 20) for purchasing articles
or for making change. A coin insertion slot 28 accepts coins into a conventional coin
changer (also mounted inside machine 10 so as to have its user interface portion extend
through an aligned opening in flat section 20) for purchasing articles or for making
change. A coin return actuator 30 comprises a conventional push-button mechanism for
activating a coin return portion of the coin changer mechanism which, upon actuation
returns coins inserted by the current user, to a coin return well 32. The coin return
portion of the coin changer mechanism also provides change to the coin return well
32 either in response to the purchasing of articles or for making change for paper
money or larger coins. A credit/debit card slot 34 accepts a plastic credit/debit
card inserted into a conventional card reader mechanism (also mounted inside machine
10 so as to have its user interface portion extend through an aligned opening in flat
section 20) for allowing a user to pay for purchases via credit/debit cards. A door
lock mechanism 36 enables front door 14 to be secured so that it cannot be opened
without a key. For allowing user selections, display panel 18 may include graphics,
as noted above, which indicates the various articles vendible by the machine, as well
as their associated price and unique selection number. Alternatively, flat section
20 could include a group of graphic article displays and their associated price. A
conventional keypad push-button mechanism 38 is provided for enabling a user to select
a desired article from vending machine 10. Alternatively, push-button mechanism 40
could include individual push buttons for each article selection, as well as an associated
price display; and even furthermore, a user operated touch screen could replace pushbutton
mechanism 40 and display 24. Although not shown in Figure 1, machine 10 also includes
a conventional telecommunications component that can be used for authenticating credit
card purchases, as well as other uses relating to machine control and reporting the
inventory and operational status of machine 10 to a remote location, as more fully
described later on. Although vending machine 10 is illustrated to include the above
described user interface components, in a more minimal embodiment of the invention,
most, if not all, of these user interface components could be omitted, and the dispenser
could in fact be controlled from a remote location, with or without a local payment
system.
[0021] FIG. 2 is front perspective view of the vending machine of FIG. 1, with the front
door open, so as to illustrate the main mechanical and electrical components therein.
FIG. 3 is a somewhat idealized version of the main components of the article handling
mechanism portion of vending machine 10, and is useful for understanding its general
operation. Note, some portions of vending machine 10 are shown in these FIGURES cut
away in order to better illustrate the interior components.
[0022] Referring first to FIG 2, it is noted that the right portion of the front of cabinet
12 includes a vertically mounted support panel 202 which is used for mounting most
of the user interface components. More specifically, a hinged mounting bracket 204
is mounted on panel 202 and aligned with an opening in door 14 so that the user interface
components, such as the selection button keypad 40, coin insertion slot 30, bill acceptor
slot 28, coin return 32, and customer display 24, are all accessible to the user from
the front side of door 14. Mounted on the interior of front door 14 are two fluorescent
bulb light sources which emit light for backlighting panel 18. The fluorescent bulb
light sources are behind protective covers 206 so as to provide security (vandal protection),
which is desirable as a result of the openings in the structure of door 14 which allow
for insertion of the fluorescent bulbs. Also mounted on the interior of front door
14 is a ballast 208 for the fluorescent bulbs, and a product delivery chute 210...Note,
the product delivery chute 210 is unconventional in that it is extremely tall, and
therefore serves as a security measure to prevent unauthorized access into the machine
by insertion of an arm or other grasping mechanism into the customer retrieval area
22 from outside the machine. In typical prior art vending machines, a swinging security
door is usually found at the top of chute 210, which swings into in a vandal blocking
position when the customer pushes in the swinging door at the entrance to the product
retrieval area 8. In a further embodiment of vending machine 10, such a swinging security
door could be used in conjunction with product delivery chute 210, especially if chute
210 is not as tall as the one illustrated in Figure 2 and also if the product retrieval
area 22 is located higher up on machine 10. Mounted behind hinged mounting bracket
204 is a conventional bill acceptor mechanism for causing paper money inserted into
bill acceptor slot 28 to be drawn into vending machine 10, a conventional coin changer
supplies coins to coin return slot 34 and is located behind panel, a coin guide guides
inserted coins into the coin changer, and a conventional bill validator ascertains
proper insertion of paper money into bill acceptor slot 28 .
[0023] A control board 212 comprises a printed circuit board on which circuitry is formed
and to which integrated circuit chips are attached. Control board 212 includes a microprocessor
that is electrically connected to various sensors, motors, the above described user
interface elements, as well as other devices within vending machine 10, to control
the operation of vending machine 10 as described more fully later on in conjunction
with FIG.4. When reference is made in this description to performance of specified
functions by control board 212, it is to be understood that these functions are controlled
by the microprocessor and the associated circuitry formed on control board 212. A
power supply 214 is mounted on panel 202 and supplies power for the electrical components
of vending machine 10.
[0024] Referring now also to FIG 3, it is apparent that the bulk of the interior of cabinet
12 is available as an article storage area 215. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality
of vertically aligned article storage bins 216 are arranged on the interior floor
217 of cabinet 12, for storing articles 223 to be vended by machine 10. In a refrigerated
environment for the present invention the bins could be arranged to sit on a shelf
positioned above the refrigeration system.
[0025] An opened-top container 219 can be dimensioned to hold a plurality of article storage
bins 216 therein, and used, for example to facilitate the simultaneous handling (i.e.,
removal ,installation and transportation) of the plurality of bins 216 into/out of
the article storage area 215. Container 219 also facilitates rapid and accurate positioning
of a plurality of the article storage bins into the storage area of the article handling
apparatus. A carriage 218 (which may be more generally referred to as an X-Y or planar
positioning mechanism) is coupled to the interior topside of cabinet 12 and adapted
for being controllably positioned by the control board portion 212 of machine 10,
to a location centered over (so as to be aligned with) the open top-end of a selected
one of article storage bins 216.
[0026] Although vertical (Z-axis) alignment of the article storage bins 216 is shown, non-vertical,
i.e., slanted or even horizontal (X or Y axis) alignment may also be possible (such
as found in the well know glass front vending machines of the type using a "spiral
wire" type of dispensing apparatus). In the event of substantially horizontal alignment
of the storage bins, the planar positioning mechanism will be appropriate changed
so as to position carriage 218 for movement in the X/Z or Y/Z plane. In fact, a curvilinear
plane, such as a cylinder, is also considered to be within the scope of the present
invention. The combination of substantially horizontally aligned stacks of products
with a robotically controlled article transport mechanism which moves in a vertical
plane adjacent to dispensing ends of the stacks of products, is known, for example
in
US patent 6,230,930 issued May 15, 2001 and entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VENDING PRODUCTS, and in US patent publication
US 2001/0000609 published May 3, 2001. Use of a curvilinear plane for article transport is known, for example in the videocassette
vending art, wherein the videocassette's are stacked in an outwardly facing manner
in a central storage carousel, and a robotic gripper encircles the carousel. Furthermore,
although article storage bins 216 are shown to be an ambient environment, bins 216
could in fact the positioned in a refrigerated environment, such as a freezer located
in the bottom of storage area 217, and the article transport mechanism enter the bins
from a top opening the freezer, such as shown and described in the forenoted
U.S. patent 5,240,139. Alternatively, in the event the refrigerated environment is of the type including
a substantially horizontal alignment of the storage bins, a vertically oriented opening
could be used to provide access to the dispensing end of the article storage bins.
[0027] In the environment of the present invention, an air hose 220 is continuous from a
point before it's exit from a hose storage area 222 over orthogonally positioned rollers
213, to its free end 221. Free end 221 includes a weighted portion 225 in combination
with a bellows extension tip portion 227. Depending upon the physical characteristics
of the articles to be dispensed, article pickup head 224 may comprise only the weighted
portion 225, or this portion in combination with a fitting specifically adapted to
the type of packages to be dispensed, such as the bellows tip 227 or a compliant tip
without a weight. Hose 220 has one end coupled to a source of negative air pressure,
i.e., suction, which source of suction comprises in the preferred embodiment a blower
motor 226, and a free end coupled to the article pickup head 224. In the present invention,
the word continuous is intended to mean a hose which is connected and acts between
it's end points, in order to accomplish the functions required by it, as a unitary/single
hose. An air hose portion 235 provides suction from blower motor 226 to one port of
an air junction box 229, while continuous hose 220 is connected to a second port of
air junction box 229. Air junction box 229, included at a top portion of hose storage
area 222, includes an airflow sensor and vacuum breaker assembly. The airflow sensor
is used to develop a signal which is applied to the controller of the vending machine
and is representative of the airflow through air hose 220. The vacuum breaker assembly
is used to quickly bring the air pressure in hose 220 to the ambient pressure, thereby
facilitating a "quick-release" of an article transported by the article pickup head,
into the dispensing chute 210. It is noted that a quick release of the products does
not have to occur at the top of dispensing chute 210, and in the event that it is
desirable to avoid subjecting the article to forces which result from jarring or dropping,
the article pickup head could proceed to the bottom of the dispensing chute 210 before
providing the quick release of the article. In one embodiment, the airflow sensor
arrangement may comprises a two-part switch, a first part includes a reed switch mounted
on a top portion of box 229, and a second part includes a magnet mounted at the free
end of a swinging arm mounted inside box 229. As the arm swings inside box 229 due
to changes in airflow, the switch is "toggled", thereby indicating changes in airflow.
The use of this airflow signal will be described in greater detail later.
[0028] In the environment of the present invention, as shown generally in FIG 3, , a novel
hose positioning arrangement is provided for aligning carriage 218 with a selected
one of bins 216. This alignment is accomplished in the front/back (Y) direction using
a front/back linear slide 228 (shown in a cut away view) mounted to an "L" shaped
front/back beam 230 so that carriage 218 can be controllably positioned therealong
using slide 228. A bottom edge portion of beam 230 includes a rack portion 232 and
carriage 218 includes an electric motor 233 and gear (not shown) which engages rack
portion 232. Application of forward and reverse motor control signals from control
board 212 to motor 233 causes carriage 218 to be driven in the front/back directions.
Alignment of carriage 218 in the left/right (X) direction is accomplished in a similar
manner, using a left/right linear slide 234 which slidably couples the top side of
front/back beam 230 to the underside of each of spaced apart left/right beams 236a
and 236b. Beams 236a and 236b are rigidly attached to the inside top portion of cabinet
12. A rack 238, also rigidly attached to the top inside portion of cabinet 12 and
in parallel with beams 236, is engaged by a gear 240 driven by a reversible motor
243 mounted near the inside corner of beam 230. Application of forward and reverse
motor control signals from control board 212 to motor 243 causes a rotation of gear
240 and a corresponding movement of beam 230, and hence carriage 218, in the left/right
(X) directions. In an alternative embodiment the positioning mechanism portion comprising
beams 236a and 236b could be embodied as a support bracket having opposed flanged
edges, and linear slides 234 could each comprise a bracket fixed to beam 230 and including
a set of orthogonally positioned rollers for engaging the orthogonal sides of a respective
one of flanged edges 239a or 239b.
[0029] Note that although carriage assembly 218 only moves in a single plane, it is responsible
for precisely positioning pickup head 224 in each of the X, Y and Z directions. More
specifically, as shown in FIG.s 5 and 6, carriage 218 includes a roller arrangement
502 which comprises three orthogonally positioned rollers 504 at the point where hose
220 enters carriage 218, for redirecting the movement of hose 220 from a substantially
horizontal direction along the top interior portion of machine 10 (i.e., in the X,Y
direction), to a direction perpendicular thereto (i.e., in the Z direction). Movement
of carriage 218 will not only move the free end 221 of hose 220 so that it can be
axially aligned with a selected one of bins 216, but it will also automatically withdraw
hose 220 from the hose storage area 222. Thereafter, a hose drive mechanism which
may comprise a set of conventionally operated "pinch rollers"506 driven by a reversible
motor 508 via gear set 510 (which in the illustrated embodiment are mounted in carriage
218, but in a further embodiment motor 508/rollers 506 (or some other drive mechanism,
such as an articulated arm, could be mounted so as to act somewhere else along the
length of hose 220) is used for driving pickup head 224 into/out of the selected bin
216 in order to retrieve articles stored therein.
[0030] This arrangement, where hose 220 travels in the same X,Y plane that carriage 218
travels, facilitates a compact hose positioning and drive mechanism embodiment for
the present invention. Furthermore, since movement of the carriage is responsible
for supplying most of the force needed to withdraw hose 220 from storage area 222"
the Z drive motor is only needed to drive the hose for causing its free end to travel
into/out of bins 216 for article retrieval. It is noted that the pinch rollers 506
should comprise a soft rubber material so as to provide a good friction contact to
hose 220, and if the hose 220 is corrugated, rollers 506 could have corresponding/matching
corrugations. In the illustrated embodiment, it has been determined that two drive
rollers are not needed, and accordingly only one of the pinch rollers is driven by
motor 508, while a spring (not shown) is used to urge the other roller towards the
driven roller, thereby pinching and driving hose 220 therebetween.
[0031] A bin holder 260, shown in FIG. 2, comprising a pair of rectangular brackets secured
in a spaced manner to opposed interior side walls of cabinet 12, is used to maintain
the bins situated therebetween in a predetermined position relative to the interior
of the vending machine cabinet. This is required in view of the pre-programming of
control board 212 which controls the robotic structure for retrieving a selected article
from one a selected one of bins 216.
[0032] Also shown in Figures 5 and 6, and in greater detail in FIG. 7, is a telescoping
guide mechanism 550 for ensuring that when picker head 224 is lowered by the drive
mechanism in carriage 218 into the storage area, it drops into the desired one of
bins 216. For example, depending upon the material used for constructing hose 220,
it is possible that during long time periods when hose 220 is not repositioned, the
90° turn in the direction of the hose which takes place in carriage 218 can form a
significant "kink" in hose 220. Thereafter, as hose 220 is lowered into a selected
bin 216, the kink may cause picker head 224 to swing as the hose kink moves past drive
rollers 506. In order to prevent such undesired swinging or movements of picker head
224, guide mechanism 550 is provided and comprises a guide plate 552 affixed to the
end of two sliding support bars 554. As shown more clearly in Figure7, support bars
554 slide through holes in a plastic (PVC, i.e., poly vinyl chloride) block 556 secured
to a wall portion of carriage 218. Plate 552 is constructed so as to have a hole in
the center thereof which is dimensioned to be slightly greater than the diameter of
the body portion of picker head 224, yet less than the diameter of a shoulder portion
thereof. Accordingly, in operation when picker head 224 is lowered into a desired
bin, support rods 554 allow support plate 552 to drop, due to gravity, as the same
speed as picker head 224 is lowered away from carriage 218. At a height above the
top of bins 216, and as determined by the length of support rods 554, plate 552 no
longer moves away from carriage 218 and the hole in the center thereof merely provides
guidance for the remainder of the descent of picker head 224 into the selected bin
216. As picker head 224 is retracted from the bin, after having a package secured
thereto due to the suction force created within hose 220, picker head 224 eventually
contacts guide plate 552 and then for the remainder of its upward travel, retraction
of hose 220 also provides for retraction of guide plate 552.
[0033] As shown more clearly in FIG. 7, support rods 554 comprise rods having a threaded
hole at each end, in which a machine screw can be inserted. At the top portion of
rods 554 the head of the screw forms a shoulder portion that prevents rods 554 from
falling completely through the holes in block 556, and at the bottom of rods 554 the
screws secure plate 552 to the rods. As also shown in FIG. 14b, plate 552 includes
a protective grommet ?? about the hole therein, for preventing damage and reducing
wear of hose 220 as it travels through plate 552. It is noted that the height of grommet
?? is preferably greater than the spacing between adjacent turns of the spiral support
structure of hose 220. Furthermore, it is noted that hose 220 is preferable constructed
of a strong, flexible spiral portion functioning as the spine to form the shape of
the hose, formed co-extensively with a flexible and air-tight plastic material which
spans adjacent turns of the spiral portion.
[0034] As previously noted, since hose 220 is formed of a continuous material from its connection
to the source of suction at one end to the pickup head 224 at its other end, means
are necessary for providing hose storage and/or retraction during travel of the pickup
head 224 in the X, Y and Z directions, as appropriate during the article dispensing
operations.
[0035] Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 3, placing an interior wall 246 parallel and adjacent
to an exterior wall 248 of cabinet 12 is used to form the hose storage area 222 there
between. Hose storage area 222 has a cross-sectional area which is slightly greater
than the cross-sectional area of the hose loop formed therein. Walls 246 and 248 are
shown partially cut-away so as to illustrate a gravity feed self-retracting loop tensioner/
retraction mechanism 250 formed in hose 220. Loop tensioner 250 is constrained for
movement within hose storage area 222, and made somewhat self-retracting by comprising
a rolling weight 252 having a groove 253 along its periphery in order to provide constant
centering of the weight within hose storage area 222 and for providing a constant
"loop forming" tension on hose 220. Furthermore, centering of the grooved rolling
weight 252 within hose storage area 222 results in centering of hose 220, thereby
preventing hose 220 from rubbing with the walls of hose storage area 222 during X,
Y and Z repositioning of pickup head 224. In order to prevent binding of hose 220,
rolling weight 252 is dimensioned so as to be slightly larger than the diameter of
hose 220 and the width dimension of hose storage area 222 is dimensioned to be only
slightly larger than the width dimension of rolling weight 252. The specific amount
of weight used for rolling weight 252 is a matter of design choice, and depends upon
various factors, such as the weight of the articles to be moved, the strength of the
motors used to drive the hose in the Z direction, etc. In a further embodiment, it
may be desirable to couple weight 252 to a lower portion of cabinet 12 using a spring,
for adding further tension to loop tensioner 250.
[0036] It is also noted that this gravity-based retraction/ hose storage technique meets
the storage requirements needed for both the X and Y movements of carriage 218 (left/right
and front/back), as well as for the Z movement of pickup head 224. Of course this
gravity-based retraction/ hose storage technique would work equivalently well in an
embodiment wherein the robotic hose positioning mechanism used a rotary type device
(R, θ), an articulated arm, telescoping or scissor system, or other technique. Furthermore,
the illustrated gravity-based retraction/ hose storage technique is not necessary
for the present invention, and in fact a fully or partially motorized retraction technique
could also be used. Furthermore, in other embodiments, it may be desirable to place
hose storage area at another location, such as parallel to the top or rear portion
of cabinet 12.
[0037] In accordance with the principles of the present invention, and as shown more clearly
in FIG.'s 2 and 3, as an article 223 is moved by pickup head 224 along its way from
a storage bin 216 to chute 210, it is positioned past an article identification (ID)
device 254 mounted within cabinet 12. A specific type of article ID device is not
required for the present invention, and depending upon system constraints, such a
device may comprise, for example, a bar code scanner or other optical image/pattern
recognition system, or even a non-optical system, such as a radio frequency identification
(RFID), or magnetic-based system mounted within cabinet 12. for uniquely identifying
and confirming that the article being dispensed is in fact the article that was selected.
The construction operation of such article identification devices are well known to
those of ordinary skill in this technology, and therefore further description in this
regard is not necessary.
[0038] In accordance with an inventive aspect of the present invention, article ID device
254 is mounted within cabinet 12 at a relatively fixed location, the mounting being
such that some controlled movement in the orientation of article ID device 254 may
be facilitated, in order to help ensure a good "view" of the article being transported,
and a high confidence of the transported articles being identified. One way to provide
such controlled movement for ID device 254 would be to mount it on a piezoelectric
substrate, and control board 212 could provide a voltage to the substrate so as to
shift the "view" of ID device 254. It is noted that by using an appropriately positioned
article ID device 254, only a single article ID device 254 is needed. This is particularly
useful for a robotic type dispenser, since the robotic apparatus can controllably
position, and reposition if necessary, the article in the vicinity of the article
ID device 254, thereby helping ensure a reliable ID of the article.
[0039] Furthermore, although in Figure 3 product ID device 254 is mounted to an interior
wall of cabinet 12, it is noted that FIG 6 illustrates a further preferred location
for mounting product ID device 254, namely on the inside edge of hinged bracket 204,
and just above the top of bins 216.
[0040] Alternative embodiments for the robotic mechanism described above are contemplated
to be within the scope of the present invention. For example, product ID device 254
could also be useful in dispensing apparatus using other types of robotic positioners,
such as a rotary type device (R, θ), an articulated arm, telescoping or scissor system,
etc., as well as one which travels in a nonplanar, such as curvilinear, direction.
[0041] Even furthermore, although only a single storage area 215, hose 220 and carriage
218 are shown in the illustrated embodiment, the invention described herein could
also be used in a dispensing apparatus/article handler of the type having multiple
storage areas and/or robotic article handling mechanisms, such as two robotic mechanisms
(both positioned vertically or horizontally or mixed, and one vertically and one horizontally)
each one serving a different storage area. Furthermore, when multiple article handling
mechanisms are provided, each can be tailored for a particular operation. For example,
one may have a relatively large diameter pickup head and use a high airflow/modest
suction vacuum supply device, while the other may have a relatively small diameter
pickup head and use a low airflow/high suction vacuum supply.
[0042] In this regard, FIGURE 5 illustrates a multiple storage area arrangement 500, where
a single article handler of the type previously noted serves 3 adjacent storage areas.
In one embodiment each area may be for storing stacks of articles aligned in the same
direction as in the other areas. One storage area 502 may have an ambient environment,
while the other storage areas may be cooled, e.g., one area 504 being refrigerated
and one area 506 being frozen. This arrangement may typically find use for dispensing
in a compact, reliable and efficient vending structure: salty snacks (such as bags
of potato chips) from the ambient storage area, cooled drinks (such as soda) from
the refrigerated storage area, and frozen snacks (such as ice cream) from the frozen
storage area. Furthermore, an arrangement of this type may be particularly advantageous
in that the frozen compartment can be used for maintaining the quality of the stored
articles until they are close to being needed for dispensing, as determined by an
intelligent controller. At a predetermined appropriate time before dispensing, a certain
amount of articles can be moved from the frozen area to the refrigerated area. This
technique also finds particular advantage in the event that the third storage area
is in fact a temporary storage area which is used for individually heating/cooking
the articles, such as, e.g. frozen pizzas, using an oven or microwave. In this case
the quality/shelf life of the frozen pizza is maintained by not moving them to the
refrigerated area until the refrigerated area has been depleted to the point that
it needs replenishment, at which time they are sequentially moved from the frozen
area to the refrigerated area. This technique substantially reduces the time needed
for heating the pizza while the customer is waiting, while at the same time allowing
for storage of the pizza in a frozen manner, thereby substantially increasing its
shelf life and reducing the labor costs involved in stocking the machine. In this
arrangement, or other arrangements noted in this portion of the description, the refrigerated
and/or frozen storage areas can include thermal separators at their top portions,
such as an air curtain or sliding thermal panels. Such separation is particularly
advantageous not only for the obvious reasons relating to thermal efficiency and protection
of the mechanical and electronic portions of the apparatus from extreme and rapid
temperature changes, but also for assisting/facilitating reliable article identification,
by positioning the article identification device(s) outside the refrigerated environment.
[0043] Fig. 6 illustrates an arrangement where the single article handling mechanism services
two horizontally aligned in article storage areas. Backspace, area 602 being an ambient
environment and area 604 being a refrigerated environment. The article handling mechanism
606 can be constructed in a manner such as previously described using support beam
230 and carriage 218 so that mechanism 606 can "live" in the ambient area 602, and
travel into the refrigerated area 604 through swinging door 608 as needed. Areas 602
and 604 can each include their own article ID device 254 or share a common ID device.
[0044] Additionally, separate hoses and hose positioning mechanisms can also be useful in
order to speed up retrieval and delivery of stored articles to a customer. FIGURE
7 shows such as a rapid article dispenser, of the type having two horizontally displaced
storage areas. Although separate hoses and hose positioning mechanisms are used, they
may share a single source of suction (e.g., blower motor 226), airflow sensor and
vacuum breaker. A single hose, hose positioning mechanism and hose storage area could
be used in a further embodiment where the single hose services more than one article
storage area, such as the refrigerated and non refrigerated storage areas shown by
arrangement 700 in FIGURE 7, wherein support beam 230 and carriage 218 is positionable
between the two storage areas having different ambient environments via a door mechanism
702. In accordance with the principles of the invention, each robotic article handling
mechanism could have its own article ID device, or they could share a single article
ID device.
[0045] Fig. 8 illustrates a vending machine having a single article handling mechanism with
dual customer interface areas (each including a product selection apparatus such as
a keypad or touch screen, payment system, and product retrieval door), for example,
one on the left side and one on the right side, with a common graphics display therebetween.
This machine can service two purchasers at substantially the same time since customer
selections and payment typically take a substantial amount time compared to the actual
time needed for the dispenser to deliver the selected product.
[0046] A further one of such arrangements is shown in FIGURE 9, where cabinet 600 includes
therein an upper area 602 which is non-refrigerated (and may even be heated) and a
lower area 604 which is refrigerated (and may even be divided into, e.g., two additional
sections, one area 606 being frozen and another area 608 being merely cooled). This
arrangement is particularly advantageous since hot air tends to rise and cool air
tends to sink. Alternatively, one storage area may be oriented for vertical storage
of products and the other one, or even multiple ones, arranged for horizontal storage.
In this case a separate hose, hose positioning mechanism and hose storage area may
be required for the differently oriented storage areas.
[0047] In the above arrangements it is noted that the article handling mechanism can have
other configurations such as the forenoted telescopic tubing, scissors, or R,theta
arrangement. Additionally, the articles can be consumer goods, such as office supplies,
printer cartridges etc.
[0048] In the embodiment illustrated herein, blower motor 226 provides a relatively high
volume of airflow but a relatively modest negative air pressure. As a matter of design
choice, blower motor 226 could comprise a vacuum pump, so as to provide a much more
substantial degree of negative air pressure, but, due to size and cost limitations,
a correspondingly reduced amount of airflow. In this latter case, the diameter of
the air hose 220 would be reduced from the diameter illustrated in FIG's 2 and 3,
which may be particularly important in some applications of the present invention.
The illustrated embodiment is particularly useful for picking up flexible packages
since a momentary or even sustained leak in the coupling to the packaging to the article
will generally not result in dropping of the package, while at the same time offering
extreme versatility due to the ability to pick up a wide variety of shaped objects
of varying weight and size. In the event that blower motor 226 comprises a vacuum
pump, it could be used alone or in combination with a storage tank coupled to the
suction hose via a valve and air hose, in order to provide a greater volume of airflow.
Alternatively a compressor could be used in combination with a venturi device to create
a vacuum.
[0049] Alternative embodiments for the robotic hose positioning mechanism described above
are contemplated to be within the scope of the present inventions. For example, instead
of using a combination of left/right slides 234 and support beams 236a and 236b, a
roller/guide rail combination could be used. Support beams 236a and 236b may comprise
a support plate having two outwardly facing, i.e., opposed, L-shaped rails, along
its edges. The function of slides 234 could be accomplished by fixing a pair of brackets
to opposed ends of beam 230, each bracket including a pair of spaced apart and inwardly
facing rollers which engage and follow the opposed rails on the support plate. Furthermore,
the spaced apart and inwardly facing rollers could each comprise a set of rollers
positioned to be angled 90 degrees with respect to each another, so as to engage or
follow the two orthogonal surfaces of the L-shaped rails. Such arrangement may result
in a coupling of carriage 218 to beam 230 which needs less adjustment for proper operation..
Furthermore, as previously noted, the event of substantially horizontal alignment
of the storage bins, the robotic hose positioning mechanism can position carriage
218 for movement in a vertical plane which is substantially flat (i.e., in the X/Z
or Y/Z plane) or in fact a vertical curvilinear plane. Additionally, as previously
noted, in some aspects of the invention, it may be desirable for the robotic hose
positioning mechanism to include a rotary device (R, θ) of the type including an I
beam of fixed length (or telescopic sections), for establishing the "R" movement of
the gripper/pickup head, which pivots for establishing the "θ" movement. Alternatively,
in other environments for the invention the robotic hose positioning mechanism may
include an articulated arm or scissor system, or other technique.
[0050] FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block diagram of the general operation of the various
aspects of the invention described herein, as embodied in an article dispenser of
the type comprising, for example, vending machine 10. A control system 400 including
a microprocessor 402 and associated memory circuits 404, is constructed on control
board 212. Control system 400 may also include the electronic parts of other portions
of vending machine 10, as appropriate. Memory circuits 404 include ROM for storage
of operating programs (embedded software, as well known, for accomplishing the described
herein control of vending machine 10), as well as RAM cache for temporary storage
of operational data during system operation as well as other data as may be needed.
Control system 400 is responsive to user operation of the user payment and selection
system 406 (including the coin and bill mechanism 28 and 30 and the selection buttons
40 of FIG. 1) for operating the user interface and article handling apparatus of vending
machine 10 so as to dispense the article desired by a user. More specifically, upon
proper payment for a selection made by the user using payment and selection system
406, control system 400 operates the X/Y (left/right and front/back) drive motors
233 and 243 so as to position pickup head 224 to be in alignment with a bin 216 which
holds the article selected by the user. Control system 400 then engages a hose drive
motor 508 (Z-motor) mounted within and carried by carriage 218, so that hose 220 is
driven in a direction towards the top article in the aligned bin. At an appropriate
time before head 224 contacts the article to be removed (and in an embodiment of the
invention where cabinet 12 does not include refrigerated air, an appropriate time
may be just before head 224 enters bin 216, but if the air is refrigerated, just before
contact with the desired article is expected, in order to minimize removal of refrigerated
air), control system 400 activates blower motor 226 so as to provide lifting suction
at pickup head 224. Upon position sensors 412 determining that pickup head 224 has
contacted and become secured to the desired article, control system 400 causes hose
drive motor 410 to reverse its direction so as to retract hose 220 from the aligned
bin 216 and thereby lift out from the bin 216 the selected article. Carriage 218 is
then driven to a position in alignment with the article delivery chute 210.
[0051] Upon sensors 412 sensing alignment of carriage 218 with chute 210 (in this case sensor
412 may comprise a reed switch mounted on a front wall of the cabinet, and a magnet
mounted at a leading edge of carriage 218), control system 400 turns off blower motor
226 and the resulting loss of vacuum causes the selected article to drop into the
customer retrieval area 22. As previously noted, in the event that the articles are
so fragile that they should not be dropped or subjected to such impact forces, hose
220 can be driven to the bottom of chute 210 before the article is released.
[0052] It is noted that position sensor 412 may include the airflow sensor of junction box
229, or in a further embodiment, comprise a mechanically operated plunger-type position
sensor associated with pickup head 224. Even furthermore, position sensors 412 may
also include a reed switch mounted on a front wall of the cabinet, and a magnet mounted
at a leading edge of carriage 218.
[0053] In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, since the control system
keeps track of the movement of hose 220 and carriage 218(for example, by sensing pulses
from a shaft encoder or other distance measuring device on each of their respective
drive motors), the signal generated by the airflow sensor at the time carriage 218
reaches the virtual home can also be used as a check to ensure that control system
400 accurately counted the motor drive pulses, and can re-calibrate the positioning
system based on the virtual home, if necessary.
[0054] It is noted that position sensor 412 may include the airflow sensor of junction box
229, or in a further embodiment, comprise a mechanically operated plunger-type position
sensor associated with pickup head 224. Even furthermore, position sensors 412 may
also include a reed switch mounted on a front wall of the cabinet, and a magnet mounted
at a leading edge of carriage 218.
[0055] Accurate control of energization of blower motor 226 is particularly advantageous
in the event that the inside of the cabinet, or a portion thereof, is refrigerated,
since accurate control would decrease the amount of refrigerated air being displaced
by blower motor 226. In the preferred embodiment, the microprocessor 402 will energize
blower motor 226 as the pickup head 224 approaches the desired article, and in fact
only when it is in the immediate proximity of the desired article (and not earlier),
due to control system 400 maintaining updated information about the height of the
stack of articles in each bin 216. The height is assumed to be at a predefined level
upon article refilling of the vending machine 10 by the operator. Control system 400
may confirm the assumed height by moving the pickup head 224 at a reduced speed towards
an article at the top of a bin 216 on the first retrieval attempt after the storage
area has been refilled, and then compare the assumed height to the actual height.
Memory 404 can be pre-programmed with specific article heights in advance, or the
heights can be learned by control system 400 by comparison of prior vend heights in
each bin. Once the height of the top article is known, control system 400 will be
able to always know the height of the next "top" article in that bin. Subsequently,
control system 400 may cause the pickup head 224 to approach the articles in that
storage area at a higher speed, and only slow down when in the immediate proximity
of the next "top" article in that bin. The technique to slow down upon the pickup
head 224 approaching the next article also helps ensure that the stored articles will
not be damaged by the pickup head 224.
[0056] It is noted that in an alternate embodiment, a simpler way of controlling operation
of blower motor 226 and the approach of pickup head 224, without knowing the specific
article height, would be to turn on the blower motor 226, or slow down the pickup
head 224 just prior to the learned stack height of the prior vend.
[0057] When a "reset" switch (not shown) is activated by the machine operator, control system
400 automatically defaults to using the above height detection technique since it
can be assumed that the operator may have changed the product load levels and consequently
the product heights in each bin.
[0058] For the embodiments described herein, it is assumed that energization of the blower
motor or other suction creating device, is meant to be equivalent to the appearance
of a prompt package securing force, i.e., suction, at the pickup head 224.
[0059] A communication system 414 is connected to control system 400 so as to provide article
inventory and vending machine operation information to a remote location, as well
as to allow for control of the operation of the vending machine from a remote location.
In this regard, communication system 414 may include a connection to means for making
a wire-line and/or wireless transceiver interface through which a communication link
with a remote computer can be established. Additionally, the communication system
414 may communicate with a plurality of other similarly connected vending machines
in the same general area and communicate therewith using the wire-line interface or
wireless communication. Even furthermore, communication system 414 can provide for
communication with multiple vending machines and/or a local server/controller, in
a local site along a LAN (local area network), LAWN (a local area wireless network)
or a WAN (wide area network). The remote computer may comprise a database which receives
and/or accumulates the operational data from one or more vending machines, which data
is then accessible (via, e.g., the Internet, using a wired or wireless connection)
using appropriate encryption, to others, such as route drivers, machine operators,
machine owners, product suppliers, etc. Furthermore, the remote site may give feedback
to the vending machines, such as authorization information, which can control its
operation, such as allow its continued operation.
[0060] Many of the benefits of the invention described herein could also be particularly
useful in an article dispensing apparatus of the type having a refrigerated compartment,
such as a chest freezer including various doors thereon (such as described for the
ice cream dispenser in
US patent 5, 240,139), in combination with the forenoted methods and apparatus for creating, sensing and/or
maintaining suction at the gripping end of the suction hose.
[0061] While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to
preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In fact, many
such changes are already noted in this description. Those skilled in the art will
recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many
more equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described specifically
herein.. For example, although a suction providing air hose 220 has been disclosed
in the described preferred embodiments, in fact a solid element having a gripper at
its free and, such as a mechanically operated claw (or an electromagnetic device or
even a self-contained suction generator), could also be used. Such equivalents are
intended to be encompassed in the scope of the appended claims.
[0062] A camera that studies product, for spiral or bin machine which studies article after
it falls into retrieval area. And can alert controller to disable dispensing from
one or more of the article storage areas.
[0063] A bar code or other image/vision recognition system for verifying stored article
and/or proper operation and dispensing of article.
- a robotic mechanism for bringing stored articles to the article ID system. The robotic
mechanism can be selectively controlled so as to improve the reliability of article
identification, i.e., movement of article past the ID system can be slowed, and for
flexible bag articles, the article may be "jigged" so as to change the flex of the
bag and thereby improve scanning of a bar-code or better optical recognition of an
image
- Scanning for article ID can be at any time for verification and operation purposes,
i.e., not just during or as part of a vend cycle, but also between cycles.
- Proper operation and dispensing of article may include adherence to predetermined
rules, and interaction with the control system for reporting and enforcement purposes,
as well as further control of the vending machine for furthering the enforcement purposes.
Article identified as unauthorized can be put back in bin, or dispensed and then further
article dispensing from that storage area can be disabled
- Article ID apparatus can also be manually used by the machine operator for inventory
management.
- Use of an optical ID system for spiral/Gravity feed machines to identify article package
type, etc. prior to being dispensed, e.g., while article is falling (or rolling, in
the case of beverage container etc.) or already landed at the customer retrieval area.
- Determination of article ID is made during a dispensing operation, after dispense
is initiated and the cycle is irreversible.
- Article ID for inventory management, Pay As You Vend (PAYV) equipment financing, or
for calculating incentives based on proper operation and/or adherence to rules
[0064] Addition of circuitry enabling remote connectivity of the vending machine for inventory
management, as well as for operational control.
[0065] The present disclosure includes the subject matter set out in the following clauses:
1. In an article dispensing apparatus:
- a storage volume for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes;
- an article extracting device including a hose which is continuous from its coupling
to a source of article securing energy in a hose supply volume to a free end, for
being controllable positioned within the storage volume for selectively becoming secured
to and extracting an article from the storage volume;
- a positioning mechanism coupled to the hose and responsive to control signals for
moving within a fixed volume adjacent to the hose supply volume and orthogonal to
the longitudinal axis of the stored articles, for positioning the free end of the
hose in alignment with a selected one of the longitudinal axes, said positioning mechanism
also moving said hose in said fixed volume ;
- a drive mechanism coupled to the hose for moving the free end thereof along a direction
aligned with the longitudinal axis, said positioning and drive mechanisms both imparting
retraction and storage requirements upon the hose; and
- a control apparatus for initiating an article dispensing operation, and causing controlled
movement of the article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a
selected article is dispensed by the dispensing apparatus.
2. The apparatus of clause 1, wherein the article extracting device comprises a suction
sustaining hose.
3. The apparatus of clause 1 or 2, wherein the vacuum hose comprises a continuous
length of flexible tubing from a hose storage area to its free end.
4. The apparatus of clause 1 or 3, wherein the hose is guided from the hose storage
area to the positioning mechanism so that it travels in substantially the same plane
as positioning mechanism travels.
5. The apparatus of clause 1 or 4, wherein the drive means is carried by said positioning
mechanism, and comprises a controllably driven roller mechanism for frictionally engaging
the flexible tube so as to cause controlled extension of the free end thereof into
and out of the article storage area.
6. The apparatus of clause 5, wherein said hose includes corrugations, and wherein
the driven roller mechanism comprises a set of opposed contoured and toothed rollers,
positioned so as to engage the hose corrugations.
7. The apparatus of clause 1 or 4, wherein said hose is guided by at least 2 sets
of redirecting rollers, one set positioned at an exit for the hose from the hose storage
area, and the other set carried by said positioning mechanism at an entrance to the
hose drive means.
8. The apparatus of clause 7, wherein each set of said redirecting rollers comprises
at least one pair of orthogonally positioned rollers on one side of said hose, and
at least one other roller for keeping said hose in contact with said orthogonally
positioned rollers.
9. The apparatus of clause 1 or 4, wherein the article extracting device is constrained
to move in the storage volume in the plane of the positioning mechanism up to a point
where the re-directing rollers direct the free end of the extracting device into alignment
with a selected one of the longitudinal axes in the storage volume.
10. The apparatus of clause 1 or 4, wherein the article extracting device comprises
a hollow tube and uses vacuum pressure for grasping article.
11. The apparatus of clause 1 or 4, wherein the article extracting device comprises
a solid member, having an article grasping mechanism at it's end.
12. The apparatus of clause 1 or 4, wherein the positioning mechanism travels in a
plane using rectangular (x/y) movement.
13. The apparatus of clause 1 or 4, wherein the positioning mechanism travels in a
plane using one of radial (R, theta) movement or curvilinear movement.
14. The apparatus of clause 3, wherein an interior side wall of a cabinet portion
of the article dispensing apparatus forms a space adjacent to the article storage
area, which space forms said hose storage area.
15. The apparatus of clause 14, wherein said set of redirecting rollers positioned
at an exit of the hose storage area are attached to said interior side.
16. The apparatus of clause 3, wherein an end of said hose opposite said free end
is coupled to a source of vacuum.
17. The apparatus of clause 16, wherein said source of vacuum comprises a source of
relatively high air flow and relatively low suction.
18. The apparatus of clause 16, wherein said source of vacuum comprises a source of
relatively lower air flow and relatively higher suction.
19. The apparatus of clause 3, wherein the hose storage area is positioned in a plane
of the cabinet so as to not be intersected by the longitudinal axis of the article
storage area.
20. The apparatus of clause 3, wherein said continuous length of hose is constrained
to move in a gravity activated loop within the hose storage area.
21. The apparatus of clause 20, wherein the gravity activated loop is formed by a
rolling deadweight.
22. The apparatus of clause 6, including a rotating coupling at the free end of said
hose, to allow for hose rotation without rotation of article as said hose is driven
out of said storage area
23. An article dispensing apparatus, comprising:
- a storage area for storing articles along a plurality of longitudinal axes;
- an article extracting device including a free end for selectively extracting an article
from the storage volume;
- a positioning mechanism coupled to the article extracting device and responsive to
control signals for positioning the free end of the device in alignment with a selected
one of the longitudinal axes
- a drive mechanism coupled to the article extracting device for moving the free end
thereof in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axes in the storage area;
- user interface and control apparatus for allowing a user of the dispensing apparatus
to initiate an article dispensing operation, and to cause controlled movement of the
article extracting device and the positioning mechanism so that a selected article
is extracted from the article storage area and moves along a common path to a dispensing
area of the dispensing apparatus, and
- an article identification device, mounted within the dispensing apparatus, and operated
so as to provide identification of an article before, during or after it moves along
the common path.
23a. The apparatus of clause 23, wherein the article identification device uses optics
to provide article identification, and is directed to image or scan the articles when
they move in the common path.
24. The apparatus of clauses 23 or 23a, wherein the article identification device
comprises a bar code scanner.
25. The apparatus of clause 23, wherein the article identification device comprises
an imaging system, such as an analogue or digital, still or video, camera, coupled
to an image analysis device that recognizes predetermined images (color/pattern or
texture, etc) thereby providing article identifications during the dispensing operation.
26. The apparatus of clause 23, wherein the drive means causes the article extracting
device to perform a discontinuous movement in the area of the article identification
device, as the article moves from the article storage area to the dispensing area.
27. The apparatus and a business method in accordance with clause 23, wherein the
article identification is used by the user interface and control apparatus for making
all or part of the apparatus inoperable.
27a. A business method in accordance with clause 27, wherein partial inoperability
of the apparatus prevents dispensing of articles from at least one of the longitudinal
storage axes.
28. A business method in accordance with clause 23 or 27, wherein inoperability of
the apparatus is used as an enforcement mechanism to stimulate adherence by an operator
or owner of the apparatus to predetermined rules.
28. A business method in accordance with clause 23 or 28, wherein inoperability of
the apparatus is used as an enforcement mechanism to stimulate reporting of sales
and inventory data to a central authority.
29. A business method in accordance with clause 23 or 28, wherein inoperability of
the apparatus is used as an enforcement mechanism to stimulate adherence to plan-o-grams
(proper article layout by person stocking the apparatus with article, i.e., the route
driver).
30. A business method in accordance with clause 29, wherein an incentive or bonus
is provided to the route driver for adherence to the plan-o-grams.
31. A business method in accordance with clause 30, wherein the apparatus includes
an optional interior display so the route driver can monitor the bonus or incentive
program
32. An article storage and retrieval system / apparatus and or dispensing apparatus/
system which includes
- a) At least one article retrieval mechanism;
- b) At least one article identification system including at least one article identification
device and/or input device(such as a bar code scanner or camera and vision or optical
identification system );
- c) Said article dispensing apparatus having a plurality of article storage areas wherein
articles are stored in an aligned manner; and
- d) At least one control system coupled to said article retrieval mechanism for controlling
said dispensing system and said article Identification system;
- e) Wherein the number of aligned article storage areas is greater than the number of
article id input devices, and/or
- f) Wherein articles stored in storage area can be identified automatically, independent
of human intervention (i.e., without handheld scanners, as used by route operators
at the machine) , and/or
33. The apparatus of clause, whereby an article stored in the storage areas can be
identified by the article id system :
When the article is in the storage area ( by Positioning/moving the id system in the
storage area).
34. The apparatus of clause, whereby an article stored in the storage areas can be
identified by the article id system :
After the article has been removed from the storage area
- a) and before being placed back in the storage area, or
- b) and before being placed into a separate storage area (i.e., placed aside, and not
vended), or
- c) and before coming to rest in article retrieval area, or
- d) Whereby storage area has repositioning means in order to reposition id input device
or article so as to increase the ability to identify the article; or
34. The apparatus of clause, whereby an article stored in the storage areas can be
identified by the article id system :
By removing the article from the container and moving (includes spiral dropping or
robot pass-over) the article adjacent to an identification area where the article
can be identified,
- a) Prior to article coming to rest in article retrieval area, or
- b) Prior to article being placed back in storage area of origin, or
- c) Prior to article moving to a new storage area, or
- d) Within the article retrieval area.
35. An article storage and retrieval system / apparatus and or dispensing apparatus/system
which includes
a) At least one article retrieval mechanism;
b) At least one electrical article identification system including at least one article
identification device and/or input device(such as a bar code scanner or camera and
vision or optical identification system );
c) Said article dispensing apparatus having a plurality of article storage areas wherein
articles are stored in an aligned manner; and
d) At least one control system coupled to said article retrieval mechanism for controlling
said dispensing system and said article Identification system;
e) Whereby article identification is achieved with a single input device(one camera,
one scanner, one magnetic code reader etc.), and/or
f) Whereby the article id system includes a tamper detection mechanism, which outputs
a signal which disables operation of at least a portion of said apparatus upon detection
of tampering, and/or
g) Whereby article id system is substantially stationery at all times.
h) Whereby article id system and/or input device moves in a specified pattern so as
to assist the identification process, and/or
i) Whereby article id system includes one or more cameras which identify the article
while article is "falling" due to gravity dispensing mechanism, such falling being
typical in a spiral or soda dispenser, and/or
j) Whereby the article id system includes one or more camera/video systems or input
devices, positioned so as to identify articles while they are still resting in the
storage area(s) , and/or
k) Whereby article is identified by a camera(s) once article is resting in retrieval
area of a dispensing system, and/or
l) Whereby the article dispenser includes at least a two axis dispensing mechanism such
as a crane type or articulated arm type or a multi-axis positioning type gantry or
multi-axis article positioning system, and/or
m) Whereby the controls include an internal or external memory capability for holding
digitized information including, amongst other things, the identification information
for various possible articles to be stored in the article storage area(s) , and/or
n) Whereby multi-axis article retrieval mechanism carries the article adjacent to the
id system input device:
- 1) In a controlled fashion, and/or
- 2) In an organized pattern of passes past the id system in order to identify the article
- a) until the control system successfully recognizes the article, and/or
- b) until a predetermined amount of time elapses prior to abandoning identification procedure/search,
and/or
n) Whereby, in the event that a specific article is not successfully identified, a
computer system is able to interpolate/assume the article id of that specific article
based on the successful id of other articles which have previously been identified
and which were stored and retrieved from the same aligned storage area as the unidentified
article.
36. An article retrieving apparatus, comprising:
a storage area for storing articles along at least one longitudinal axis in a stack;
an article dispensing device for moving an end article from the stack of articles
in the storage area along a path to a retrieval area; and
an article identification device, mounted within the article retrieving apparatus,
said article dispensing device moving the article in a predetermined pattern past
the article identification device, so as to provide identification of the article
being moved.
37. The apparatus of clause 36, wherein the article identification device uses imaging
optics to provide article identification.
38. The apparatus of clauses 36, wherein the article identification device comprises
a bar code scanner.
39. Apparatus according to clause 36, wherein the article identification provided
by the article identification device is used by the user interface and control apparatus
for:
- a) shutting down or disabling further dispensing of articles in alignment with one
or more of the longitudinal axes.
40. Apparatus according to clause 39, wherein disabling of said dispensing is overcome,
or re-enabled, in response to input to the control portion of the user interface and
control apparatus of an encoded authorizing signal.
41. Apparatus according to clause 39, wherein disabling of said dispensing is overcome,
or re-enabled, in response to the passage of time.