Sanitized vending machine having cup shielding mechanism

Abstract

A sanitized vending machine includes product and cup dispensing mechanisms and an actuation mechanism. The product dispensing mechanism, holding product items, rotates through a product dispensing cycle to dispense them. The cup dispensing mechanism, holding a stack of cups, rotates through a cup dispensing cycle to dispense an empty cup to an intermediate location in a drop chute spaced above a final discharge location. Dispensing cycles occur in a predetermined sequence enabling the dispensed product items to be received in a previously dispensed empty cup. A cup shielding mechanism is actuated, in response to an access door being pivoted from a closed to open position, to translate from a retracted to extended position wherein any person reaching past the open access door into the machine is obstructed from being able to reach the empty cup at the intermediate location where the cup will receive product items during the next actuation cycle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sanitized vending machine, comprising:
 a product dispensing mechanism adapted to hold a plurality of product items and rotate through a product dispensing cycle during which said product dispensing mechanism dispenses one or more of product items;   a cup dispensing mechanism adapted to hold at least one stack of cups and rotate through a cup dispensing cycle during which said cup dispensing mechanism dispenses a cup from the stack;   a drop chute disposed below and in communication with said product and cup dispensing mechanisms and being adapted to receive and guide dispensed product items and a dispensed cup to an intermediate location in said drop chute, being spaced below said product and cup dispensing mechanisms and above a discharge location, where the dispensed cup is temporarily retained awaiting receipt of dispensed product items therein, said drop chute being further adapted to release the dispensed cup in response to receipt of the dispensed product items therein and guide the same to the discharge location below said drop chute;   an actuation mechanism including
 a rotatable actuator being adapted upon actuation to cause rotation of said product and cup dispensing mechanisms, and 
 a handle coupled to said rotatable actuator and adapted to be turned by a user to actuate said rotatable actuator by rotating said rotatable actuator through an actuation cycle that causes rotation of said product and cup dispensing mechanisms through said respective product and cup dispensing cycles in a predetermined sequence so that the dispensed product items during a next actuation cycle are received in the dispensed cup being located at said intermediate location thereby ensuring that only a cup with product items therein is dropped to said discharge location during each actuation cycle; 
   an access door being movable between a closed position and an opened position to allow a user to remove a dispensed cup containing product items from the discharge location when the access door in said opened position; and   a cup shielding mechanism disposed adjacent to said drop chute and the discharge location and being actuated, in response to said access door being pivoted from said closed position to said opened position, to translate from a retracted position to an extended position wherein said extended position any person reaching past said opened access door into said housing is obstructed from being able to reach the dispensed cup disposed at the intermediate location in said drop chute above the discharge location where the cup will receive product items during the next actuation cycle.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said cup shielding mechanism comprises a bed disposed adjacent to, below and rearwardly of said drop chute and adjacent to, above and rearwardly of the discharge location such that said bed extends horizontally in a rearward direction away from said access door. 
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 2  wherein said cup shield mechanism also comprises a plank slideably mounted on said bed so as to be translatable relative to said bed between said retracted and extended positions. 
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 3  wherein said cup shield mechanism also comprises a track formed on a top side of said bed in which said plank is slidably mounted. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 3  wherein said cup shield mechanism also comprises an arm fixed to and extending rearwardly from a back side of said access door such that said arm pivotally moves with said access door. 
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 5  wherein said cup shield mechanism further comprises a resiliently yieldable arrangement stationarily anchored spaced above said access door and extending between and interconnecting to an end of said arm, a rear end of said plank and a rear end of said bed so as to cause said plank to slide relative to said bed to said extended position in response to said access door being pivoted open, wherein said plank underlies the bottom of an empty cup at said intermediate location in said drop chute, and to the retracted position in response to said access door being pivoted closed, wherein said plank is withdrawn from under the empty cup at said intermediate location in said drop chute. 
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 6  wherein said resiliently yieldable arrangement is a spring-and-cable arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 6  wherein said resiliently yieldable arrangement is an angular spring arrangement. 
     
     
         9 . A sanitized vending machine, comprising:
 a housing;   a product dispensing mechanism mounted in said housing, said product dispensing mechanism being adapted to hold a plurality of product items and rotate through a product dispensing cycle during which said product dispensing mechanism dispenses one or more of product items;   a cup dispensing mechanism mounted in said housing, said cup dispensing mechanism being adapted to hold at least one stack of cups and rotate through a cup dispensing cycle during which said cup dispensing mechanism dispenses a cup from the stack;   a drop chute mounted in said housing below and in communication with said product and cup dispensing mechanisms, said drop chute being adapted to receive the dispensed product items and cup and guide the dispensed product items and cup to an intermediate location in said drop chute, being spaced below said product and cup dispensing mechanisms and above a discharge location, where the dispensed cup is temporarily retained awaiting receipt of dispensed product items therein, said drop chute being further adapted to release the dispensed cup in response to receipt of the dispensed product items therein and guide the same to the discharge location below said drop chute;   an actuation mechanism mounted to said housing and including
 a rotatable actuator being adapted upon actuation to cause rotation of said product and cup dispensing mechanisms, and 
 an external handle coupled to said rotatable actuator and adapted to be turned by a user to actuate said rotatable actuator by rotating said rotatable actuator through an actuation cycle that causes rotation of said product and cup dispensing mechanisms through said respective product and cup dispensing cycles in a predetermined sequence so that the dispensed product items during a next actuation cycle are received in the dispensed cup being located at said intermediate location thereby ensuring that only a cup with product items therein is dropped to said discharge location during each actuation cycle; 
   an external access door mounted to said housing and being movable between a closed position and an opened position to allow a user to remove a dispensed cup containing product items from the discharge location when the access door in said opened position; and   a cup shielding mechanism mounted in said housing adjacent to said drop chute and the discharge location and being actuated, in response to said access door being pivoted from said closed position to said opened position, to translate from a retracted position to an extended position wherein said extended position any person reaching past said opened access door into said housing is obstructed from being able to reach the dispensed cup disposed at the intermediate location in said drop chute above the discharge location where the cup will receive product items during the next actuation cycle, said cup shielding mechanism comprising
 a bed disposed adjacent to, below and rearwardly of said drop chute and adjacent to, above and rearwardly of the discharge location such that said bed extends horizontally in a rearward direction away from said access door; 
 a track formed on a top side of said bed; and 
 a plank slideably mounted in said track on said bed so as to be translatable relative to said bed between said retracted and extended positions. 
   
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 8  wherein said cup shield mechanism also comprises an arm fixed to and extending rearwardly from a back side of said access door such that said arm pivotally moves with said access door. 
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 9  wherein said cup shield mechanism further comprises a resiliently yieldable arrangement stationarily anchored spaced above said access door and extending between and interconnecting to an end of said arm, a rear end of said plank and a rear end of said bed so as to cause said plank to slide relative to said bed to said extended position in response to said access door being pivoted open, wherein said plank underlies the bottom of an empty cup at said intermediate location in said drop chute, and to the retracted position in response to said access door being pivoted closed, wherein said plank is withdrawn from under the empty cup at said intermediate location in said drop chute. 
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 10  wherein said resiliently yieldable arrangement is a spring-and-cable arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . The machine of  claim 10  wherein said resiliently yieldable arrangement is an angular spring arrangement.