Merchandiser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9576419-B2
Application number	US-201113076531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2011
Priority date	Jul 1, 2010
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

The present application and the resultant patent provide a merchandiser. The merchandiser may include an ambient compartment with at least one ambient product therein, a temperature controlled compartment with at least one temperature controlled product therein, and a rotary internal transport system within the temperature controlled compartment so as to dispense a temperature controlled product in response to an ambient product being placed therein.

First claim

We claim:

1. A merchandiser for dispensing a number of products with a temperature controlled first product dispensed in response to an ambient second product being placed therein, comprising:
a temperature controlled compartment with a plurality of temperature controlled first products therein; and
a rotary internal transport system comprising a storage wheel within the temperature controlled compartment;
wherein the rotary internal transport system comprises an input pusher system positioned between an input wheel and one or more storage wheels; and
wherein the rotary internal transport system further comprises an output pusher system configured to push the temperature controlled first product from the storage wheel such that the rotary internal transport system dispenses the temperature controlled first product in response to the ambient second product being placed therein.

2. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the rotary internal transport system comprises an input port, a vending port, and a reject port accessible by a consumer.

3. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the rotary internal transport system comprises an input system.

4. The merchandiser of claim 3 , wherein the input system comprises a weight module and/or an identification module.

5. The merchandiser of claim 3 , wherein the input system comprises a swivel assembly so as to rotate an ambient second product from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation.

6. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the rotary internal transport system comprises an input wheel.

7. The merchandiser of claim 6 , wherein the input wheel comprises a plurality of input wheel support cups.

8. The merchandiser of claim 6 , wherein the temperature controlled compartment comprises a quick chill section and wherein the input wheel is positioned within the quick chill section.

9. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the storage wheel comprises a plurality of storage wheel support cups.

10. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the temperature controlled compartment comprises one or more constant cool sections and wherein the storage wheel is positioned within the one or more constant cool sections.

11. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the input pusher system comprises one or more input pusher arms.

12. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the output pusher system is positioned between one or more storage wheels and a vending system.

13. The merchandiser of claim 12 , wherein the output pusher system comprises one or more output pusher arms.

14. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the rotary internal transport system comprises a vending system.

15. The merchandiser of claim 1 , wherein the vending system comprises a rotary dispensing wheel.

16. The merchandiser of claim 1 , further comprising an ambient compartment with a plurality of ambient second products therein.

17. A method of dispensing a number of temperature controlled products, comprising:
receiving a selected ambient product at an input port;
identifying the selected ambient product at the input port;
maneuvering a storage wheel with a temperature controlled product corresponding to the selected ambient product positioned therein;
pushing the temperature controlled product from the storage wheel with an output pusher system; and
dispensing the temperature controlled product to a vending port.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising the steps of pushing the selected ambient product into the storage wheel and chilling the ambient product.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the selected ambient product is identified with one or more of a group consisting of:
a scanner;
an identification module;
a bar code scanner;
an RFID tag reader; a photoelectric cell;
an indicia reader;
a shape identifier;
a product selection; or
a button.

Assignees

• Carpentier Bart
• Roekens Jurgen
• Dessing Joost
• Coca Cola Co

Inventors

• Carpentier Bart
• Roekens Jurgen
• Dessing Joost

Classifications

• G07F11/26

  Endless bands · CPC title

• G07F11/08

  arranged in two columns in staggered relationship · CPC title

• G07F17/0071 Primary

  Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a cold condition, e.g. ice and ice cream · CPC title

• G07F11/42

  the articles being delivered by motor-driven means · CPC title

• G07F11/04

  in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other · CPC title