Passenger vehicle-for-hire vending machine with refrigeration

Abstract

A refrigerated vending system for installation in a taxi cab is provided. The taxi cab has a driver area, a front passenger chair, a divider, and a rear passenger salon. The front passenger chair has a surface facing the rear passenger salon. The system of the invention adds a housing having an interior compartment configured to include at least a plurality of items therein and an exterior structurally adapted to seat against the surface of the front passenger chair that faces the rear passenger salon and proximal to the divider. A refrigerator is operative to cool the interior compartment of the housing. A vending control system is operative to respond to an actuation by dispensing one of the plurality of items from the interior compartment for access within the rear passenger salon. The housing so provided can be accommodated while optimally preserving the driver area and the rear passenger salon.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A refrigerated vending system for installation in a taxi cab having a driver area, a front passenger chair, a divider, and a rear passenger salon, the front passenger chair having a surface facing the rear passenger salon, comprising:
 a housing having an interior compartment configured to include at least a plurality of items therein and an exterior structurally adapted to seat against the surface of the front passenger chair that faces the rear passenger salon and proximal to the divider;   a refrigerator operative to cool the interior compartment of the housing; and   a vending control system operative to respond to an actuation by dispensing one of the plurality of items from the interior compartment for access within the rear passenger salon,   wherein the housing is accommodated while optimally preserving the driver area and the rear passenger salon.   
     
     
         2 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a control device operatively coupled to one another to create a temperature differential between the interior compartment of the housing and the taxi cab. 
     
     
         3 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein the evaporator is disposed on one side of the interior compartment and in communication therewith via ventilation openings. 
     
     
         4 . A system as in  claim 3 , further comprising a fan disposed under the evaporator. 
     
     
         5 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the items in the interior of the housing are drinks. 
     
     
         6 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the interior of the housing is further configured to include a plurality of miscellaneous items. 
     
     
         7 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a tunnel defined in the interior compartment which extends to an exit for vending one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         8 . A system as in  claim 7 , wherein the tunnel has a high sliding index. 
     
     
         9 . A system as in  claim 7 , wherein in the items are cans of drinks, the system further comprising a fixation device that is operative to fix the cans in a waiting position under the tunnel prior to vending the cans. 
     
     
         10 . A system as in  claim 9 , wherein the fixation device is releasable so as to free one of the cans and permits the freed can to exit the tunnel.