| Merchandise drawer comprising an extending device for vending machines -> Monitor Keywords |
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Merchandise drawer comprising an extending device for vending machinesMerchandise drawer comprising an extending device for vending machines description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060238082, Merchandise drawer comprising an extending device for vending machines. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The invention relates to a merchandise compartment with pullout device for vending machines, by means of which device the merchandise compartments are slidably mounted. [0002] Vending machines of the most diverse kinds have been known for some time, in which the merchandise is kept in merchandise compartments and dispensed from the merchandise compartments when a customer requires. [0003] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,707 describes a vending machine in which merchandise compartments of different dimensions contain different merchandise. The dimensions of the merchandise compartments are based on the dimensions of the merchandise items. At the request of the customer, an item of merchandise is taken from a merchandise compartment and dispensed to the customer by means of an extractor that is moved to the merchandise compartment. [0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,119 describes a dispensing means for merchandise compartments in the form of a spiral that pushes the separate items forwards out of the merchandise compartment by rotating about its own axis. The patent also proposes that a plurality of merchandise compartments with such dispensing means be arranged above and beside each other in a vending machine. [0005] German patent DE 19946609 (Wurlitzer GmbH) also describes a vending machine that has merchandise compartments arranged in horizontal compartment groups. Each merchandise compartment in a compartment group has its own dispensing means. [0006] Other vending machines are known from DE 19532728 (Wurlitzer GmbH), DE 3912903 (Wurlitzer GmbH) and DE 9016741 (Wurlitzer GmbH). These patents likewise describe merchandise compartments disposed above and beside each other and from which items of merchandise are separately dispensed. [0007] A common feature of all previously described vending machines and arrangements of compartments is that access to the merchandise compartments, for example to replenish or maintain said merchandise compartments, may prove difficult. This is the case, on the one hand, when the merchandise compartments are small and/or arranged very closely above or beside each other, and are relatively deep. On the other hand, due to the specific dispensing means of the merchandise compartments (e.g. the helical coil in U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,119), it may be necessary to provide more space in order to correctly position the merchandise in the merchandise compartments and/or the dispensing means of the merchandise compartments. In particular, more space may also be necessary whenever the dispensing means or any partition walls between portions of the merchandise compartments are to be repositioned, maintained or replaced. [0008] The technical problem of the invention is to develop a merchandise compartment and a vending machine to enable more convenient and simpler access to the merchandise compartments in order to fill or maintain the merchandise compartments or the vending machines than is possible in the prior art. [0009] According to the invention, this problem is solved in a merchandise compartment of the kind initially specified by providing the merchandise compartment with a pullout device comprising at least one locking element that locks the merchandise compartment in at least one pullout direction when in a locking position, that releases the merchandise compartment for displacement in at least one pullout direction when in a release position, and permits the merchandise compartment to tilt in a pulled-out end position into a tilted filling position, wherein said locking element locks when in the tilted filling position and prevents the merchandise compartment from falling out unintentionally. [0010] One advantage of the merchandise compartment with pullout device according to the invention is that the merchandise compartment can be pulled out completely from the vending machine and can then move easily from this pulled-out position into a tilted position for filling or maintenance. It is possible in this position to have very convenient access to the entire merchandise compartment. The merchandise compartment can be accessed to a greater extent from above, instead of from the front, as was the case hitherto. Filling and maintenance of the merchandise compartments is significantly facilitated in the pulled-out, tilted and stable position. [0011] In one preferred embodiment, the merchandise compartment with pullout device has rollers and/or guide rails for slidable mounting. The rollers, the guide rails and the locking element are arranged in such a way that they enable the merchandise compartment to be locked in place, to be freely slid and to be tilted into the tilted position for filling. [0012] The rollers are preferably attached to the outside of the merchandise compartment and are guided by the guide rails in the pullout direction. The guide rails are attached to the inside of a vending machine, for example. [0013] One or more guide rails preferably have a U-shaped profile in which the rollers are guided. The U-shaped profile of the guide rail preferably includes a first, lower running edge and a second, upper running edge against which the rollers are upwardly or downwardly braced and on which the rollers run. [0014] A particularly preferred embodiment is one in which the pullout device has a locking element that is pivotably hinged to one of the guide rails by means of a rotary bolt, the rotational movement of said locking element being stopped by one or more stop members. [0015] The locking element preferably has a handle as well for pivoting the locking element between the release position and the locking position of said locking element. [0016] It is likewise preferred that the locking element be configured with a runner section that, when in the release position, forms an extension of the first, lower running edge for the rollers mounted on the merchandise compartment. In this way, the locking element acts as an extension of the guide rail. [0017] It is likewise preferred that the locking element has a stopping edge, and the merchandise compartment runs against the stopping edge with at least one roller when the locking element is in the locking position, such that the merchandise compartment is stopped in at least one of the pullout directions. In normal operation, during separate extraction and dispensing of items from the merchandise compartments, at least one roller is preferably prevented by a locking element from rolling further, with the result that the merchandise compartment is stopped. If the merchandise compartment is designed to be slidable in two or more directions, displacement in these directions can likewise be blocked by other locking elements. If the merchandise compartments have to be maintained or replenished, the locking element(s) in this configuration can be offset in such a way that the merchandise compartment is released so that it can slide in at least one of the possible pullout directions. To achieve this, the locking element(s) can be movably attached to the guide rails. [0018] One specific reason why the aforementioned locking element construction is preferred is because it enables a very compact, simple structure that includes all the necessary properties necessary for operation and maintenance of a typical vending machine. In particular, such a merchandise compartment or vending machine with such merchandise compartments can be constructed very inexpensively. [0019] In yet another preferred embodiment, the rollers of the merchandise compartments are disposed in such a way that one or more rollers are braced against the second, upper running edge of the guide rail and other rollers run simultaneously on the first, lower running edge of the guide rail. This means that the merchandise compartment can be easily displaced but without tilting prematurely. The arrangement of the rollers prevents the merchandise compartment from tilting as a result of its own weight. Tilting is not made possible until near the end of the pullout procedure, and in co-operation with the locking element. [0020] The stopping edge, the runner section and the rotary bolt of the locking element are preferably configured in such a way that when the merchandise compartment is being pulled out and a roller rolls over the runner section after passing the rotary bolt while the merchandise compartment is being tilted downward due to its own weight, said roller pivots the locking element into a locking position such that the stopping edge of the locking element blocks another, subsequent roller, and prevents the merchandise compartment from falling out of the vending machine. [0021] It is also and particularly preferred that the runner section and the rotary bolt of the locking element are configured in such a way that, when the merchandise compartments is being lifted from the tilted filling position and inserted into the vending machine, a roller pivots the locking element back into the release position on rolling over the runner section after passing the rotary bolt. [0022] When the merchandise compartment is in the tilted filling position, the running edges and the stopping edge of the locking element are preferably configured in such a way that they jointly block a roller and prevent the merchandise compartment from falling out of the vending machine. [0023] One particularly advantageous aspect of the preferred embodiment above is the very simple handling of the merchandise compartment when pulling it out and when inserting it. There is no need for any additional manipulation of complicated locking mechanisms. [0024] The locking elements are preferably disposed at the ends and/or corners on opposite sides of the merchandise compartment. This ensures optimal access to the locking elements when the merchandise compartment is to be released by operating the locking element. This also enables the merchandise compartment to be pulled out of the vending machine in at least two directions, and that the lock can be released from two sides. If access to the merchandise compartment from one particular side is rendered difficult, or for other reasons is unsuitable for maintenance or for refilling with merchandise, the merchandise compartment according to the invention can be pulled out from a different side and brought into the tilted filling position. Continue reading about Merchandise drawer comprising an extending device for vending machines... Full patent description for Merchandise drawer comprising an extending device for vending machines Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Merchandise drawer comprising an extending device for vending machines patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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