EP0899698A1 - Machine distributrice de mais éclatés - Google Patents

Machine distributrice de mais éclatés Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0899698A1
EP0899698A1 EP97500146A EP97500146A EP0899698A1 EP 0899698 A1 EP0899698 A1 EP 0899698A1 EP 97500146 A EP97500146 A EP 97500146A EP 97500146 A EP97500146 A EP 97500146A EP 0899698 A1 EP0899698 A1 EP 0899698A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
machine
fact
previous
popcorn
door
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97500146A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Carlos Galceran Martorell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to EP97500146A priority Critical patent/EP0899698A1/fr
Publication of EP0899698A1 publication Critical patent/EP0899698A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/0064—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for processing of food articles
    • G07F17/0078—Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a hot or cooked condition, e.g. popcorn, nuts
    • G07F17/0085—Food articles which for processing need cooking in a liquid, e.g. oil, water
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/0064—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for processing of food articles
    • G07F17/0078—Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a hot or cooked condition, e.g. popcorn, nuts

Definitions

  • This present invention refers, as shown in its title, to a popcorn dispensing machine, of the so-called pay-in-advance type, including a series of elements to allow preparing a given volume of popcorn in the moment it is required, altering said volume according with the amount inserted by the client in the machine's coin slot.
  • Popcorn dispensing machines are presently known that work automatically and comprise only one corn storage hopper and a product dispenser which is controlled by a coin slot in such a way that when a given amount is inserted in the coin slot, the dispenser allows passing a given volume of corn from the hopper onto a lower receiving bin where corn is popped to form popcorn by means of a hot air stream from a heating device, the popcorn issuing the machine through a dispensing opening due to the expansion they undergo when taking form and to the push of the hot air stream coming from inside the shell.
  • the corn storage hopper in these machines is placed upon the heated receptacle and is fitted, in its lower opening, with the above-mentioned dispenser;
  • this dispenser is generally composed of a turning windlass having several radial compartments where corn is collected at the rate they coincide with the hopper opening;
  • this dispenser is closed in its inside by means of a cover having an opening with a section similar to that of a windlass radial compartment, the corn held in every compartment falling into the heated receptacle when the compartment coincides with the opening in the lower cover during the windlass turning motion.
  • the windlass turning amplitude is automatically set according with the money amount being inserted in the coin slot; the dispenser being thus able to deliver to the heated compartment the corn held in one or more of its radial compartments.
  • This invention machine has been projected to automatically dispense several kinds of popcorn, to which end it will suffice with introducing in a coin slot a money amount that may be variable and then select in a keyboard the preferred kind of popcorn.
  • the machine in question has a shell fitted with a front door having its relevant locking means; inside the shell there is an electric control circuit, several bins containing raw products from which the different kinds of popcorn are obtained, independent driving feeders which make such container bins relate with a volumetric doser, a pay-in-advance coin slot, a heating device to make popcorn and a dispenser of folded paper cups.
  • control circuit comprises a microprocessor that drives the various devices included in the machine, in order to supply a folded paper cup and a predetermined volume of popcorn, after the customer has inserted the relevant amount of money in the coin slot and has selected the kind of popcorn desired by pressing a keyboard.
  • the various bins disposition allows the machine to prepare and dispense popcorn having several flavours when said bins are loaded with the relevant raw products.
  • Every feeder comprises a duct linking the relevant bin with the volumetric doser, a worm screw housed inside the duct and a motor device to apply a turning motion to the worm screw thus provoking an ascending move to the product inside the duct.
  • Feeder motors are driven in a selective manner by the microprocessor whenever an amount of money is inserted in the coin slot and relevant product is selected by pressing the keyboard relevant keys; product feeding is stopped when the microprocessor receives a signal from a photoelectric cell set in the doser; this signal takes place when the cell detects the existence of a given volume of product inside the doser.
  • This cell may be found assembled on the doser with the possibility of moving in the vertical sense, which allows modifying the volume of product supplied in every delivery, which depends on the photoelectric cell position.
  • the volume of product supplied for every delivery may be altered by the microprocessor, keeping the feeder working until some time after having received the photoelectric cell signal.
  • Doser has in its lower area a discharge chute which remains usually closed by the sliding flap.
  • This flap is driven by a motor element controlled by the microprocessor; both these elements being mutually related by means of an eccentric and connecting rods which make the flap move longitudinally when the motor turns, placing the flap at a doser opening or closing position.
  • a heating device which comprises in its lower part an opening through which the filtered air driven by a pump enters; inside the heating device there is an electric resistance to heat the air draft and a cylindrical receptacle on which is positioned a cover fitted with a rear entrance for the corn supplied by the doser to enter and a front exit through which the already formed popcorn goes out.
  • the above-mentioned receptacle shows on its periphery a plurality of tangential intakes through which the hot air accedes to its inside; the tangential disposition of said fins provokes the circulating hot air to form inside the receptacle an ascending helicoidal draft which pushes the already formed popcorn towards the exit defined in the cover.
  • the exit defined in the heating device cover is confronted with a vertical duct assembled on the door inside.
  • the front wall of this duct is formed in clear material and is confronted with a clear plate inserted in a window defined in the door itself, in such a way as to allow customer to watch through the duct clear plate and wall how the popcorn required comes down to fall into a collecting box which is accessible from the outer side of the door.
  • Said collecting box has room enough for the customer to place inside a previously unfolded paper cup so that the popcorn being dispensed fall inside it.
  • this machine includes inside its shell an automatic paper cup dispenser, which is accessible to the consumer; this dispenser supplies one paper cup whenever a customer requires one of the products available, which means a number of important advantages such as impeding that cups be pilfered and the undesirable rumpling thereof.
  • This cup dispenser comprises a box containing the folded cups, a roller set underneath the box, a motor to drive said drawing-in roller when the microprocessor is activated and a photoelectric cell to induce the motor stopping when it detects a mark close to the rear end of the paper cup drawn in by the roller.
  • the cup dispenser is assembled on the door inside, the latter having a slot through which the cup drawn in by the roller partially protrudes, thus allowing customer to pick it up to unfold the cup and place it in the popcorn collecting box in such a way as to make popcorn fall into it.
  • the machine under discussion comprises a shell (1) fitted with a front door (2) allowing access to the various devices fitted inside the machine.
  • each of the bins (3) being fitted with a feeder (4) composed of a duct (4a) inside which there is a worm gear (4b) linked to a motor (4c). Turning of one of the motors (4) makes the worm gear linked to it turn and thus the corn conveyance from the relevant bin (3) towards a volumetric doser (5).
  • Motors (4) are driven by a microprocessor (6) to which a payment-in-advance coin slot (7) is connected as well as a keyboard (8) by keying in which the customer may select the kind of popcorn desired.
  • the volumetric doser (5) comprises a compartment (5a) in which the product conveyed by any one of the feeders (4) is introduced.
  • This compartment has in its lower part a discharge chute fitted with a closing flap (5b) which is driven by a motor (5c) through a worm gear (5d) and a number of connecting rods (5e) which force it to describe alternative motions, thus placing it in the opening or closing position.
  • the assembly of the photoelectric cell on the compartment (5a) is performed by means of a support (5g) which is vertically sliding, thus allowing to modify the volume of product supplied by the machine in every serve.
  • This modification of the product volume supplied may be performed by a microprocessor, keeping the cell at a fixed position; in this case, the microprocessor will keep the feeder motor (4c) working until a predetermined time has elapsed from the moment it receives the photoelectric cell's (5f) signal.
  • a heating device comprising a lower opening through which the filtered air driven by a pump (9a) may accede, an electric resistance (9b) that heats the circulating air and a cylindrical receptacle (9c) on which a cover (9d) is placed; this cover 9d is provided with a rear intake (9e) for the corn supplied by the doser to come in and a front exit (9f) through which the already formed popcorn will come out.
  • Said receptacle (9c) has on its periphery a number of tangential intakes (9g) through which the heated air accedes to its inside; the tangential positioning of said intakes (9g) enables forming inside the receptacle (9c) a helicoidal hot air stream having an ascending direction, which enables the popcorn move towards the cover (9d) exit.
  • a vertical duct (10) which, when the door (2) is closed, faces the heating device exit (9f).
  • the duct (10) front wall (10a) is clear and is faced to the clear plate (2a) inserted in the door (2) itself.
  • Such dispenser (12) comprises a box (12a) in which the folded paper cups (13) are stacked; underneath said box (12a) is placed a roller (12b) linked to a motor (12c) which drives it with a turning motion controlled by the microprocessor (6), and a photoelectric cell (12d) which stops the motor (12c) when the former detects a mark printed close to the cup's (13) rear end.
  • the door (2) shows, facing the box (12a) lowermost end, a slot (2c) through which a cup (13) driven in by the roller (12b) protrudes, thus allowing a customer to pick it up, unfold it and introduce it in the box (11) to collect the popcorn dispensed by the machine.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Grain Derivatives (AREA)
EP97500146A 1997-08-28 1997-08-28 Machine distributrice de mais éclatés Withdrawn EP0899698A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP97500146A EP0899698A1 (fr) 1997-08-28 1997-08-28 Machine distributrice de mais éclatés

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP97500146A EP0899698A1 (fr) 1997-08-28 1997-08-28 Machine distributrice de mais éclatés

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0899698A1 true EP0899698A1 (fr) 1999-03-03

Family

ID=8230089

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97500146A Withdrawn EP0899698A1 (fr) 1997-08-28 1997-08-28 Machine distributrice de mais éclatés

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0899698A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011100934A1 (fr) * 2010-02-17 2011-08-25 Jiri Jandos Dispositif de dosage et de production de crackers chauds
CN106174025A (zh) * 2016-07-26 2016-12-07 刘嘉 一种全自动爆米花机
CN112288953A (zh) * 2020-09-24 2021-01-29 广州市广绅电器制造有限公司 一种可弃杯的自动售卖冰淇淋机快速稳定售卖的控制方法
CN112950853A (zh) * 2021-03-05 2021-06-11 浙江佰润科技有限公司 一种爆米花自动售卖机

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2256108A1 (de) * 1971-11-12 1973-05-24 Albert Mascret Selbsttaetige einrichtung zum kochen bzw. backen und zur ausgabe von portionen warmer nahrungsmittel
US4171667A (en) * 1976-11-26 1979-10-23 Laredo Systems, Inc. Popcorn vending apparatus
US5020688A (en) * 1989-05-31 1991-06-04 Power Patrick J Hot popcorn microwave vending machine
US5263405A (en) * 1993-03-01 1993-11-23 Esp Products, Inc. Hot air corn popper for packaging
WO1996029888A1 (fr) * 1995-03-28 1996-10-03 Show-Pop International, Inc. Mecanisme de distribution de grains de mais eclates
WO1997006699A1 (fr) * 1995-08-16 1997-02-27 Rowe International, Inc. Distributeur de pop-corn

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2256108A1 (de) * 1971-11-12 1973-05-24 Albert Mascret Selbsttaetige einrichtung zum kochen bzw. backen und zur ausgabe von portionen warmer nahrungsmittel
US4171667A (en) * 1976-11-26 1979-10-23 Laredo Systems, Inc. Popcorn vending apparatus
US5020688A (en) * 1989-05-31 1991-06-04 Power Patrick J Hot popcorn microwave vending machine
US5263405A (en) * 1993-03-01 1993-11-23 Esp Products, Inc. Hot air corn popper for packaging
WO1996029888A1 (fr) * 1995-03-28 1996-10-03 Show-Pop International, Inc. Mecanisme de distribution de grains de mais eclates
WO1997006699A1 (fr) * 1995-08-16 1997-02-27 Rowe International, Inc. Distributeur de pop-corn

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011100934A1 (fr) * 2010-02-17 2011-08-25 Jiri Jandos Dispositif de dosage et de production de crackers chauds
CN106174025A (zh) * 2016-07-26 2016-12-07 刘嘉 一种全自动爆米花机
CN112288953A (zh) * 2020-09-24 2021-01-29 广州市广绅电器制造有限公司 一种可弃杯的自动售卖冰淇淋机快速稳定售卖的控制方法
CN112288953B (zh) * 2020-09-24 2021-11-12 中绅科技(广东)有限公司 一种可弃杯的自动售卖冰淇淋机快速稳定售卖的控制方法
CN112950853A (zh) * 2021-03-05 2021-06-11 浙江佰润科技有限公司 一种爆米花自动售卖机
CN112950853B (zh) * 2021-03-05 2022-05-06 浙江佰润科技有限公司 一种爆米花自动售卖机

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