WO1993022748A2

WO1993022748A2 - Improvements in and relating to dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1993022748A2
Application number: PCT/GB1993/000917
Authority: WO
Inventors: Maq Rahman; Tom Clarke
Original assignee: Hotnuts (Vending) Limited
Priority date: 1992-05-07
Filing date: 1993-05-04
Publication date: 1993-11-11
Also published as: AU4268993A; GB2281906A; GB9422535D0; WO1993022748A3; GB9209827D0

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing heated items of food or confectionery such as roasted nuts comprises a hopper for storing such items and a dispenser comprising an elongate trough like receptacle supported for rotation within the confines of an outlet orifice of the hopper. The dispenser is rotatable between upstanding and inverted positions in which items of food are respectively retained within and discharged from the receptacle. A heating chamber is positioned to receive items dispensed from the hopper.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DISPENSING APPARATUS

This invention relates to dispensing apparatus. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention concerns a vending machine for dispensing heated items of food or confectionery, especially heated nuts. The invention also relates, however, to apparatus for dispensing other items, for example cups and the like from vending machines.

Coin and token operated vending machines are well known for dispensing a wide variety of products. Vending machines are also known which dispense hot drinks and items of heated food or confectionery. Such machines normally include some form of heater which is activated to heat discrete portions of liquid or food and rely on a

SUBSTITUTESHEET sεries of sequentially operated dispensers to ensure that the drink or food is ultimately dispensed to the customer in the required condition and amount, and in an appropriate container. On many occasions, these desired criteria are not consistently met by known vending machines. In particular, such machines suffer from problems which prevent accurate quantities of food or drink being consistently dispensed, this sometimes leading to blockage of the dispenser and ultimate breakdown of the machine, and an inability to provide an effective seal for items of food or confectionery stored in the machine (a particular problem when the stored food includes nuts) , and an excessively long heating cycle. A further disadvantage with existing vending machines is that the containers (eg. cups) into which the items or liquid is to be dispensed are not always dispensed in time to collect the dispensed items. Also specially designed cups must be employed for use in such dispensing apparatus.

The present invention sets out to provide dispensing apparatus which does not suffer from, or at least alleviates, some or all of the problems set out above.

According to the present invention in one aspect there is provided apparatus for dispensing items from a hopper, the apparatus comprising an open sided receptacle adapted to be supported within an outlet orifice of the hopper to close the same, the receptacle being rotatable between a first position in which it is open to receive

SUB ite s present in the hopper and a second inverted position in which it dispenses its contents.

According to the present invention in another aspect, there is provided an assembly of dispensing apparatus and a hopper for retaining items to be dispensed, the inlet of the hopper being closed by a removable lid and the hopper outlet being closed by a dispenser comprising an open sided receptacle supported for rotation between a first position in which items present in the hopper enter and are retained within the receptacle and a second inverted position in which the receptacle contents are discharged from the receptacle.

Means may be positioned below the dispenser to define a lower seal for the assembly, the sealing means being movable selectively to enable items dispensed from the hopper to leave the assembly.

In a further aspect the present invention provides apparatus for dispensing heated items of food or confectionery, the apparatus comprising a hopper for storing such items, a dispenser comprising an elongate trough like receptacle supported for rotation within the confines of an outlet orifice of the hopper and rotatable between upstanding and inverted positions in which items of food are respectively retained within and discharged from the receptacle, and a heating chamber positioned to receive items dispensed from the hopper.

A sealing member may be positioned between the

SUBSTITUTE dispenser and the heating chamber, the sealing member being movable between a first position in which it defines a seal for the hopper and a second position in which it allows items dispensed from the dispenser to enter the heating chamber.

The heating chamber may include an oven assembly which comprises an open sided trough which receives and retains for the duration of the heating cycle items of food or confectionery dispensed from the hopper; the walls of the oven assembly are preferably lined with or constructed from heat reflecting material. The trough may be mounted for rotation whereby retained items which have been heated for a set period of time are discharged. Two or more hoppers may be located within the apparatus, each such hopper including a dispenser dimensioned and positioned to close off an outlet orifice of the respective hopper.

In a still further aspect the present invention provides a vending machine including a hopper for storing items to be dispensed and a dispenser positioned within an outer orifice of the hopper to close the same, the dispenser comprising a rotatable open sided receptacle supported for rotation between a first position in which items present in the hopper can enter and be retained and a second position in which the receptacle is inverted to dispense its contents.

In a still further aspect, the present invention

SUB provides dispensing apparatus for cups, containers and the like, the apparatus comprising a plurality of rotatable cam surfaces each defining a spiral path, the cam surfaces being positioned so that, in use, they lie in contact with the outer circumference of a cup to be dispensed, and including a surface against which a radially extending lip of the cup can seat prior to being dispensed.

Four such rotatable cam surfaces may be provided, means being provided selectively to impart rotation to the cam surfaces. The cam surfaces may be carried by rotatable spindles spaced generally equally about the circumference of a cup to be dispensed. The rotatable spindles may carry pinnion wheels driven by racks coupled to a drive motor.

The cam surfaces may be driven such that one or more rotate in a clockwise sense and the other or others rotate in an anti-clockwise sense.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a front view partly in section to an enlarged scale of dispensing and heating apparatus of the vending machine illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view from above of the dispensing apparatus illustrated in Figure 2;

SUBSTITUTESHEET Figure 4 is a side view partly in section of the dispensing apparatus illustrated in Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a side view of cup dispensing apparatus of the vending machine illustrated in Figure 1; and

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a plan view from above and a side view of the cup dispensing apparatus illustrated in Figure 5.

The vending machine illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a housing 1 (conveniently produced from steel or a similar metal or material) closed by a lockable lid 2, a lockable front panel 3 and a base 4 supported on legs 5 and wheels 6. The legs 5 and wheels 6 may either support the housing or be provided for cosmetic purposes, the housing including a rear mounted bracket to enable the housing to be secured to and/or supported by an adjacent wall. Within the upper section of the housing 1 a hopper assembly 7 is provided for storing items of food or confectionery to be dispensed. The upper open end of the hopper assembly is closed by a tightly fitting rεleasable sealing plate 8 (indicated in broken line) . The hopper assembly 7 has a transparent, e.g. plastics, window 9 and is illuminated internally for display purposes. When in position, the sealing plate 8 defines an upper seal for the hopper assembly.

As will be seen more clearly from Figures 2 to 4, the hopper assembly illustrated is divided into two side-by- side hoppers 10 to enable different items or quality of

SUBSTITUTE items to be dispensed from the same machine. It will be understood, however, that only one such hopper or more than two hoppers may be provided. Each hopper is constructed from or lined with a suitable material, for example a polycarbonate material approved for use with food. The machine illustrated operates to dispense hot nuts and the hoppers 10 may be filled from above with, for example, peanuts and cashew nuts respectively. It will be understood, however, that other items including other items of food or confectionery can readily be dispensed from a machine in accordance with the invention.

Positioned within the outer orifice 11 of each hopper 10 is a dispenser in the form of an open sided cylindrical trough 12 of, for example, stainless steel, supported at each end on stub shafts 14 for rotation about its longitudinal axis. The dispensers 12 fit snugly in the orifices 11 to close the same. An electric motor 15 is connected one to each input stub shaft 14 of each dispenser 12 to impart rotation thereto. Each dispenser 12 is rotatable between a starting position in which its trough-like interior is filled with nuts present in one of the hoppers 10 and an inverted position in which it dispenses a measured^' quantity of nuts onto an inclined chute 16. As mentioned, each dispenser 12 effectively seals the hopper orifice in which it is located whereby nuts only flow to the chute 16 when a dispenser 12 is inverted by operation of its motor 15.

SUBSTIT Positioned to one side of each dispenser 12 is a pivotably mounted flap 17 and on its other side a fixed plate 19. Each flap 17 is biased by a spring 18 to make contact with a surface of the adjacent dispenser to define a closure plate for the hopper plate 19 lies adjacent to arm in contact with its adjoining dispenser. In the event that one or more nuts become lodged between one dispenser and its adjoining flap 17, the latter automatically moves away from the dispenser against the action of its spring 18 to allow the nut or nuts to pass to the chute 16. Without the ability selectively to pivot, blockages could occur which may ultimately lead to breakdown of the vending machine.

A pivotably mounted sealing plate 20 connected to an electric motor 21 is positioned below the chute 16 to seal off the lower open end of the hopper assembly 7 when the plate 20 is in its raised position. When so positioned, the lower sealing plate 20 and the upper sealing plate 9 provide an airtight seal to the hoppers 10 and their contents. The plate 20 is movable by the motor 21 to a lowered inclined position to allow nuts to flow to an oven chamber 22 in which nuts dispensed from the hopper assembly are heated. Supported for rotation within the oven chamber 22 is an open sided stainless steel cylindrical heating receptacle 23. An electric motor '24 operates to impart rotation to the receptacle 23 between a receiving position in which its open side is positioned

SUBSTITUTE i mediately below the chute 16 and closure plate 20 and an inverted dispensing position in which its contents are discharged to a lower chute 25.

The walls 19 of the oven chamber 22 are constructed of or clad with a highly reflective material to minimise heat loss and heating time. Heating for the chamber is provided by a heat lamp 26 positioned in front of a reflective shield 27.

As will be seen from Figure 1, a cup dispensing assembly 28 is provided to cause a cup 29 selectively to be positioned immediately^' below the chute 25 on operation of the machine.

The cup dispensing apparatus is illustrated in greater detail in Figures 5 to 8. Cups 30 in the form of transparent plastics containers which are slightly convergent in shape and include around their rim a slightly protruding lip are positioned within a cylindrical retainer 31 with the lip of the lowermost cup resting on a ledge 32 provided towards the base of the retainer. The retainer 31 is supported by a bracket 33 secured to the rear and/or side wall of the housing 1. Positioned below the outlet of the retainer 31 are four rotatable cams 34 having cam surfaces 35 which are of spiral construction. The cams 34 are mounted on upstanding spindles 36 and are spaced evenly about the retainer outlet such that the cam surfaces 35 make contact with the outer circumference of the lowermost cup retained

SUBSTITUTESHEET in the retainer. The spindles 36 carry toothed pinnions 37 which engage toothed racks 38 driven by an electric motor 39. The motor 39 operates to impart linear motion to each rack 38, the latter imparting rotational motion to the pinnions and spindles. The spindles on one side of the cup 30 rotate in a clockwise direction and the spindles on the other side rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and the rotational movement imparted to the cup 30 causes it to be drawn downwardly thereby releasing its lip from the ledge 32 and causing it to be dispensed via a chute 41.

A coin or token receiving mechanism 42 is provided for operation of the machine.

In use, the hoppers 10 are filled with, for example, peanuts and cashew nuts. The nuts flow into and fill the troughs of the dispensers 12 positioned in each hopper orifice. As a coin or token is inserted into the mechanism 31 and the nuts to be dispensed are selected, the appropriate motor 15 is activated to rotate the respective stub shaft 14 and dispenser to cause a measured quantity of nuts to be dispensed. Should one or more nuts become lodged between the outer circumference of the dispenser and flap 17 _t the latter is moved outwardly against the action of its spring to allow the lodged nuts to pass to the discharge side of the hopper assembly. At the same time that the motor 17 operates to rotate the dispensers 12, so the motor 21 of the sealing plate 20

SUBSTITUT operates to rotate the latter to allow the dispensed nuts to flow into the oven receptacle 23. As the nuts enter the oven receptacle so the heater operates to begin the heating process. After a given period of time, the heater switches off and the oven is rotated by the motor 24 to cause the heated nuts to pass via the chute 25 to fill a cup 29 dispensed by the assembly 28.

At the same time, the cup dispensing apparatus operates to dispense a cup to receive the nuts discharged from the oven chamber.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of dispensing apparatus in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention described herein.

SUBSTITUTESHEET

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing items from a hopper, the apparatus comprising an open sided receptacle adapted to be supported within an outlet orifice of the hopper to close the same, the receptacle being rotatable between a first position in which it is open to receive items present in the hopper and a second inverted position in which it dispenses its contents.

2. An assembly of dispensing apparatus and a hopper for retaining items to be dispensed, the inlet of the hopper^" being closed by a removable lid and the hopper outlet being closed by a dispenser comprising an open sided receptacle supported for rotation between a first position in which items present in the hopper enter and are retained within the receptacle and a second inverted position in which the receptacle contents are discharged from the receptacle.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 including means positioned below the dispenser to define a lower seal for the assembly, the sealing means being movable selectively to enable items dispensed from the hopper to leave the assembly.

4. Apparatus for dispensing heated items of food or confectionery, the apparatus comprising a hopper for

SUBSTITU storing such items, a dispenser comprising an elongate trough like receptacle supported for rotation within the confines of an outlet orifice of the hopper and rotatable between upstanding and inverted positions in which items of food are respectively retained within and discharged from the receptacle, and a heating chamber positioned to receive items dispensed from the hopper.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including a sealing member positioned between the dispenser and the heating chamber, the sealing member being movable between a first position in which it defines a seal for the hopper and a second position in which it allows items dispensed from the dispenser to enter the heating chamber.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the heating chamber includes an oven assembly which comprises an open sided trough which receives and retains for the duration of the heating cycle items of food or confectionery dispensed from the hopper.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the walls of the oven assembly are lined with or constructed from heat reflecting material.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the trouσh is mounted for rotation wherebv

SUBSTITUTESHEET retained items which have been heated for a set period of time are discharged.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein a plurality of hoppers is located within the apparatus . each such hopper including a dispenser dimensioned and positioned to close off an outlet orifice of the respective hopper.

10. A vending machine including a hopper for storing items to be dispensed and a dispenser positioned within an outer orifice of the hopper to close the same, the dispenser comprising a rotatable open sided receptacle supported for rotation between a first position in which items present in the hopper can enter and be retained and a second position in which the receptacle is inverted to dispense its contents.

11. Dispensing apparatus for cups, containers and the like, the apparatus comprising a plurality of rotatable cam surfaces each defining a spiral path, the cam surfaces being positioned so that, in use. they lie in contact with the outer circumference of a cup to be dispensed, and including a surface against which a radially extending lip of the cup can seat prior to being dispensed.

12. ADDaratus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the cam

SUBSTITU surfaces are carried by rotatable spindles spaced generally equally about the circumference of a cup to be dispensed.

13. Dispensing apparatus substantially as herein described and as described with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

SUBSTITUTESHEET