Patents Assigned to Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.
-
Publication number: 20230408210Abstract: A vending machine cooling system incorporating R290 or other flammable refrigerant where there is no risk of the flammable refrigerant leaking inside the vending machine and possibly being ignited, through use of an unjointed dual walled refrigerant transport structure within the evaporator assembly positioned within the interior of the vending machine.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2022Publication date: December 21, 2023Applicant: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventor: Paul Mason
-
Patent number: 11222499Abstract: An ADA compliant vending machine that raises vended product to a desired height, and specifically to a new and improved vended product delivery mechanism that moves between lowered and raised positions within a delivery bin within a vending machine, in a coordinated manner with the opening and closing of a delivery door, that raises the vended product for delivery to a customer at the desired height, and where front and rear delivery bin walls can be shaped to interlock with conforming shaped front and rear edges of the delivery mechanism to prevent vended product from becoming wedged or stuck there between.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.Inventor: Paul Mason
-
Publication number: 20200066083Abstract: An ADA compliant vending machine that raises vended product to a desired height, and specifically to a new and improved vended product delivery mechanism that moves between lowered and raised positions within a delivery bin within a vending machine, in a coordinated manner with the opening and closing of a delivery door, that raises the vended product for delivery to a customer at the desired height, and where front and rear delivery bin walls can be shaped to interlock with conforming shaped front and rear edges of the delivery mechanism to prevent vended product from becoming wedged or stuck there between.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2018Publication date: February 27, 2020Applicant: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventor: Paul Mason
-
Patent number: 10068408Abstract: A vending machine is provided with an internal product holding assembly where product to be vended is held or stacked within each of a plurality of product holding compartments formed by a plurality of spaced apart stacking walls. Compartment depth is variable, so as to dispense varying length products, by a movable rear wall movably mounted to one side of a stacking wall so as to be incrementally adjustable within the compartment between a plurality of selected fore and aft positions. The stacking walls have a hollow interior housing an adjusting mechanism for incrementally moving the depth controlling rear wall, with the adjusting mechanism being operable from the front of the product holding assembly and retainable at a selected position.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2015Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventor: Paul Mason
-
Publication number: 20160240033Abstract: A product retrieval mechanism for vending machines that permits collection of varying size products at a first level yet presents such products for collection at a raised height to make retrieval more convenient. The retrieval mechanism utilizes a movable floor within the hopper that movable between a lowered position and a higher position for presenting the product at a higher retrieval point relative to the floor upon opening of the hopper.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2015Publication date: August 18, 2016Applicant: AUTOMATED MERCHANDISING SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Kenneth B. Tenney, David Mark Campbell, Michael Vincent Smith, Daniel W. Ahl, SR.
-
Patent number: 9147303Abstract: A product retrieval system for vending machines that permits collection of varying size products at a first level yet presents such products for collection at a raised height to make retrieval more convenient. The retrieval system utilizes a rotary hopper that includes an actual bottom as well as a technical or false bottom that does not lower the depth of the rotary hopper in its ability to receive dispensed product on the actual bottom, with the technical bottom presenting the product to a higher retrieval point relative to the floor upon rotation of the rotary hopper to an open condition.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2011Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventors: Marcus Loignon, David Campbell
-
Patent number: 8140187Abstract: A multi-drawer and doored vending system in which each drawer has one or a plurality of compartments each holding an items to be vended, and each doored compartment contains at least one item for vending. Drawer control is provided by a drawer opening and position control system comprising an array of spaced apart control tabs on each drawer, a drawer lock and release assembly, and a progressively movable drawer position control bar to control drawer opening in conjunction with the control tabs. Each doored compartment also employs a lock and release assembly. A control system is provided to control user interface, to maintain product inventory counts and to control the vending process. This involves verifying the identity of a user seeking to obtain a vended item, verifying any other system or pre-vend requirements, and permits limited access to a drawer and compartment corresponding to an approved vend selection. An item return compartment is also included.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2008Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.Inventors: David M. Campbell, Marcus A. Loignon, Michael V. Smith, Yaron Bukchin
-
Patent number: 7988015Abstract: A vending machine includes at least one width-adjustable storage rack, the storage rack having a fixed wall and a movable wall connected to the fixed wall by at least one connecting link; and an adjustment mechanism constructed and adapted to position the movable wall relative to the fixed wall and to thereby vary an interior width between the fixed and movable walls. Two movable walls can be connected to a single fixed wall.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2007Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventors: Paul L. Mason, II, David A. Sprankle
-
Patent number: 7742837Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2008Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventors: James M. Hair, III, Kyriakos P. Spentzos
-
Publication number: 20100106291Abstract: A multi-drawer and doored vending system in which each drawer has one or a plurality of compartments each holding an items to be vended, and each doored compartment contains at least one item for vending. Drawer control is provided by a drawer opening and position control system comprising an array of spaced apart control tabs on each drawer, a drawer lock and release assembly, and a progressively movable drawer position control bar to control drawer opening in conjunction with the control tabs. Each doored compartment also employs a lock and release assembly. A control system is provided to control user interface, to maintain product inventory counts and to control the vending process. This involves verifying the identity of a user seeking to obtain a vended item, verifying any other system or pre-vend requirements, and permits limited access to a drawer and compartment corresponding to an approved vend selection.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2008Publication date: April 29, 2010Applicant: Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.Inventors: David M. Campbell, Marcus A. Loignon, Michael V. Smith, Yaron Bukchin
-
Publication number: 20090261236Abstract: A transparent-front vending machine includes an optical vend-sensing system with an article sensing subsystem arranged athwart a vend space. The article sensing subsystem has two emitter/detector arrays, each having at least one emitter and a plurality of detectors. The emitter/detector arrays are arranged so that at least some electromagnetic radiation emitted by an emitter of the first array can be detected by at least two active detectors of the second array, and at least some electromagnetic radiation emitted by an emitter of the second array can be detected by at least two active detectors of the first array so that articles falling through the vend space will interrupt electromagnetic radiation between an emitter and at least one detector. At least two emitters are active at one time.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2008Publication date: October 22, 2009Applicant: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventors: Paul L. Mason, David A. Sprankle
-
Patent number: 7446302Abstract: A transparent-front vending machine includes an optical vend-sensing system with an article sensing subsystem arranged athwart a vend space. The article sensing subsystem has two emitter/detector arrays, each having at least one emitter and a plurality of detectors. The emitter/detector arrays are arranged so that at least some electromagnetic radiation emitted by an emitter of the first array can be detected by at least two active detectors of the second array, and at least some electromagnetic radiation emitted by an emitter of the second array can be detected by at least two active detectors of the first array so that articles falling through the vend space will interrupt electromagnetic radiation between an emitter and at least one detector. At least two emitters are active at one time.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2005Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.Inventors: Paul L. Mason, David A. Sprankle
-
Publication number: 20080121648Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2008Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicant: AUTOMATED MERCHANDISING SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: James M. Hair, Kyriakos P. Spentzos
-
Patent number: 7343220Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2006Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventors: James M. Hair, III, Kyriakos P. Spentzos
-
Patent number: 7246719Abstract: A vending machine includes at least one width-adjustable storage rack, the storage rack having a fixed wall and a movable wall connected to the fixed wall by at least one connecting link; and an adjustment mechanism constructed and adapted to position the movable wall relative to the fixed wall and to thereby vary an interior width between the fixed and movable walls. Two movable walls can be connected to a single fixed wall.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2004Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventors: Paul L. Mason, II, David A. Sprankle
-
Publication number: 20070158358Abstract: A vending machine includes at least one width-adjustable storage rack, the storage rack having a fixed wall and a movable wall connected to the fixed wall by at least one connecting link; and an adjustment mechanism constructed and adapted to position the movable wall relative to the fixed wall and to thereby vary an interior width between the fixed and movable walls. Two movable walls can be connected to a single fixed wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2007Publication date: July 12, 2007Applicant: AUTOMATED MERCHANDISING SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Paul Mason, David Sprankle
-
Publication number: 20070084872Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2006Publication date: April 19, 2007Applicant: AUTOMATED MERCHANDISING SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: James Hair, Kyriakos Spentzos
-
Patent number: 7191915Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2004Date of Patent: March 20, 2007Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems Inc.Inventors: James M. Hair, III, Kyriakos P. Spentzos
-
Publication number: 20060011642Abstract: A light curtain device for use in a vending machine which has at least one mechanism arranged for initiating operation upon selection by a customer for vending an article into a vend space through which the article falls into a customer-accessible hopper. The light curtain device has first and second emitter/detector arrays, each comprising at least one emitter and a plurality of detectors, said arrays being positionable and arrangeable within said vending machine so that electromagnetic radiation emitted by said at least one emitter of said first array may be detected by at least some of said plurality of detectors of said second array, and so that electromagnetic radiation emitted by said at least one emitter of said second array may be detected by at least some of said plurality of detectors of said first array, and so that articles falling through the vend space of the vending machine will interrupt electromagnetic radiation between at least one emitter and at least one detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2005Publication date: January 19, 2006Applicant: Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.Inventors: Paul Mason, David Sprankle
-
Patent number: 6794634Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2000Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Automated Merchandising Systems, Inc.Inventors: James M. Hair, III, Kyriakos P. Spentzos