EP2045785A2 - Machine de distribution de menus frais - Google Patents

Machine de distribution de menus frais Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2045785A2
EP2045785A2 EP08380278A EP08380278A EP2045785A2 EP 2045785 A2 EP2045785 A2 EP 2045785A2 EP 08380278 A EP08380278 A EP 08380278A EP 08380278 A EP08380278 A EP 08380278A EP 2045785 A2 EP2045785 A2 EP 2045785A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
product
machine
user
compartment
control unit
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Withdrawn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
EP08380278A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2045785A3 (fr
Inventor
Pedro Zalbide Elustondo
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
Publication of EP2045785A2 publication Critical patent/EP2045785A2/fr
Publication of EP2045785A3 publication Critical patent/EP2045785A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
    • G07F9/10—Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
    • G07F9/02—Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/02—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/64—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles in which the articles are individually suspended from stationary supports
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07G—REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
    • G07G1/00—Cash registers
    • G07G1/0036—Checkout procedures
    • G07G1/0045—Checkout procedures with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader

Definitions

  • the present invention is comprised within the field of article-dispensing machines. More specifically, the present invention is a fresh food (food or fresh products such as for example menus of the day) dispensing machine.
  • current vending machines are oriented to dispensing small products and single references, not to multiple references such as a menu of the day may be (a menu consists of several references).
  • current vending machines resolve expiry date problems reliably and easily, since the products that they dispense normally have expiry dates of weeks or months, or some even do not have expiry dates (for example, a swimming cap-dispensing machine in a swimming pool).
  • the dispensing machine object of the present invention solves the previously mentioned problems. It is a dispensing machine specially developed for dispensing fresh menus (menus of the day). The majority of these machines can be managed by catering companies and can be located in small- and medium-sized businesses, offices, petrol stations, and in general premises that are not currently prepared for offering menus of the day.
  • the machine automatically adjusts the expiry date of each menu, without the need for the person in charge of refilling it to enter said date manually.
  • the present invention offers, among others, the following advantages: automatic control of expiry dates, dispensing of selected items one by one or as a menu, automatic 24-hour monitoring with integrated events management, automatic quality control of the refilling of menus; remote stock control and stock control online via the web, electronic payment means (without coins), system for requesting menus in advance.
  • the invention relates to a fresh menu dispensing system according to claim 1.
  • Preferred embodiments of the system are defined in the dependent claims.
  • the fresh menu dispensing system object of the invention comprises a machine of the type having refrigeration means to keep the products it dispenses fresh, selection means for the user to select options and a control unit; and a control centre connected remotely to the control unit of the machine.
  • the dispending machine additionally has:
  • the control unit is configured:
  • the control centre has a database in which each unique identifier of the product has information assigned thereto with at least the expiry date of each product, the prefixed weight of the product and the type of product that it is.
  • the control centre has the inventory of the machine in real time and is configured:
  • the present system additionally allows a user to reserve a product at least one day in advance.
  • the machine preferably has user identification means connected to the control unit and the control unit is configured to:
  • the control centre is configured to reserve the product for said user in the event of having said product in a compartment of the machine with an acceptable expiry date.
  • the control centre can additionally receive from the control unit at least one of the following pieces of data:
  • the system preferably has temperature control means for each row of compartments, said means being controlled by the control unit, which determines the temperature of each row of compartments.
  • product can refer either to an individual item or a complete menu made up of several items. In the same way, a single menu or several items, elements making up a menu, of the same type, can be stored in each compartment.
  • Each compartment can have a door to access the same and door opening means activated by the control unit.
  • Figure 1 schematically shows the dispensing machine object of the invention.
  • the fresh menu dispensing machine 1 has a series of compartments 2, controllable one by one by the control unit 9 of the machine 1, in which the fresh products 3 to be dispensed (fresh food menus, with a short expiry period) are placed, which menus are each generally made up of several articles or products (normally first course, second course, dessert, drink, bread).
  • the products 3 placed in each compartment can be, rather than complete menus, items or articles of the same type (for example, a seafood dish); the menu will thus be formed selecting items from different compartments (for example, pasta from a compartment A, meat from a compartment B, and dessert from a compartment C).
  • Each compartment 2 has a door 2' (in Figure 1 only an open door 2' is depicted) which is controlled by the control unit 9 of the machine 1.
  • each compartment 2 has weighing means 7 responsible for weighing the products 3 that different fresh food menus allow.
  • the machine 1 further has a main door that is used to avoid losses of coldness.
  • the machine can be used in two different settings: as a complete menu, that is, with the products or items of each menu in only one niche, or with the customer choosing the products or items of each menu (without a set menu), which would imply that the items of the same type are in each niche.
  • the process of using the machine in both cases is very similar: the person opens the main door once the control unit 9 has electrically unblocked the opening system of the main door, after the customer is authenticated and a control centre 10, to which the machine 1 is connected, ensures that he or she has enough credit to buy the items.
  • the end customer selects the product 3 (fresh food menu or an individual item from the menu) through selection means 11, for example a keyboard or a touch screen, or decides on the items from said menu by opening the corresponding compartment 2.
  • selection means 11 for example a keyboard or a touch screen
  • the control unit 9 ensures that the product removals do not exceed the available credit.
  • the machine can indicate to the user from which compartment he or she must extract the product by means of a warning light, or an indication on an LCD display of the machine, an audio message, etc.
  • the customer closes the main door and the machine recalculates the stocks of each compartment 2 and updates the transaction.
  • the process is similar. Once the main door is open, the different doors 2' of the compartments 2 are deactivated so that the refiller has quick access to all of them or can pull out the tray to facilitate the refilling from its upper part (the tray is blocked for everything that does not have the right to refilling).
  • the refilling process is as follows:
  • the dispensing machine 1 is refrigerated to adequately preserve the fresh products in the machine, normally a few days.
  • the machine has an integrated temperature control for each row or tray of compartments, which control is carried out continuously 24 hours a day and with an alarm included.
  • the control unit 9 prevents the dispensing of menus and sends a warning to the control centre 10 to inform an operator to come and solve the malfunction.
  • the machine 1 allows several payment means, including electronic payment.
  • This vending system involves very large payments for what is usual in the sector.
  • the price to be paid ranges from 30 cents to 3-6 euros, for example. People do not always have so much change, and therefore the coin-operated payment system does not have so much validity in this sector.
  • Another contemplated payment means is online electronic payment. In this case the user uses a C3 card or pays with a credit or debit card. In both cases the payment is without coins.
  • the third payment means is offline payment, that is, the person is identified and the company in which he or she works is charged at the end of the week or month for all his or her expenses in these machines. This means allows applying the subsidy that some companies apply to their users, a subsidy usually reaching 40% of the total cost.
  • the present invention allows automatic control of the refilling and dispensing of menus because the weight of each compartment 2 is monitored, which allows knowing if the refilling has been carried out correctly (it detects if products are lacking in the refilling) and if in the dispensing the customer has collected all the products of which the menu consists.
  • the expiry dates are automatically adjusted in the refilling process. Furthermore, the sale of food with an expired expiry date is prevented.
  • the menu-compartment assignment is carried out by the control unit 9 during the refilling process. After the user specifies the menu that he or she wants, he or she can access the compartment containing the products of that menu (and with an acceptable expiry date), indicating to the user which compartment is selected. This control ensures that menus with expired expiry dates are not dispensed.
  • the door 2' has for this an opening mechanism activated by the control unit 9 when the conditions are fulfilled.
  • the machine does not have an intermediate door 2' per compartment 2
  • the user must simply take from each niche what he or she wants.
  • the machine 1 detects the variation in weight and records it. If the machine has an intermediate door 2' per compartment, the user must press said door and it will open, the user then being able to remove the item. When it is removed, due to the variation in weight, it is accounted for. In this case the menu will be that adjusted to the user's liking.
  • the user can also reserve a certain menu one day (or even several days) in advance. This pre-selection will have priority over later customer requests.
  • the menu is reserved as follows:
  • the control unit 9 controls what is replaced and what is dispensed, and passes this data to the control centre 10 which in turn controls the inventory of the machine 1 in real time since every transaction is carried out against the control centre 10.
  • the control centre 10 is what knows what there is in each machine at all times. For this reason these machines require an Internet connection (cable or wireless).

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
  • Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
EP08380278A 2007-09-27 2008-09-26 Machine de distribution de menus frais Withdrawn EP2045785A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ES200702536A ES2293858B1 (es) 2007-09-27 2007-09-27 Maquina dispensadora de menus frescos.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2045785A2 true EP2045785A2 (fr) 2009-04-08
EP2045785A3 EP2045785A3 (fr) 2009-04-29

Family

ID=39166530

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP08380278A Withdrawn EP2045785A3 (fr) 2007-09-27 2008-09-26 Machine de distribution de menus frais

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2045785A3 (fr)
ES (1) ES2293858B1 (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3003066A1 (fr) * 2013-03-06 2014-09-12 Alliance Ind Metallurg De Bretagne Aimb Armoire de stockage et de distribution de produits a acces securise
US9295345B2 (en) 2014-03-26 2016-03-29 Sanden Vendo America, Inc. Open air food display case with automatic closing mechanism
US9795228B2 (en) 2014-03-26 2017-10-24 Sanden Vendo America, Inc. Open air food display case with automatic closing mechanism
CN111383009A (zh) * 2020-02-24 2020-07-07 北京辰森世纪科技股份有限公司 称重处理方法及装置、存储介质、计算机设备
US10993551B2 (en) 2017-10-18 2021-05-04 Sanden Vendo America, Inc. Shelving angle adjustment mechanism and related methods
US11533784B2 (en) 2019-09-24 2022-12-20 Sanden Vendo America, Inc. Hot food merchandising unit with roller grill

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20240112787A1 (en) * 2022-05-06 2024-04-04 Vendrx, Inc. Systems and methods for managing beneficial products

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6131399A (en) 1997-12-04 2000-10-17 Hall; Donald M. Refrigerated vending machine
US20030204289A1 (en) 2002-04-25 2003-10-30 Banerjee Dwip N. Automated vending
EP1496481A2 (fr) 2003-07-10 2005-01-12 L'unione Di Amulio Gubbini Unité du support pharmacologiques éloignée

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5468110A (en) * 1990-01-24 1995-11-21 Automated Healthcare, Inc. Automated system for selecting packages from a storage area
US6204763B1 (en) * 1999-03-22 2001-03-20 Jujitsu Limited Household consumable item automatic replenishment system including intelligent refrigerator
US20020183882A1 (en) * 2000-10-20 2002-12-05 Michael Dearing RF point of sale and delivery method and system using communication with remote computer and having features to read a large number of RF tags
EP1840854B1 (fr) * 2000-10-20 2011-04-06 Promega Corporation Procédé d'identification par radiofréquence et système de distribution de produits
CA2430181A1 (fr) * 2003-05-27 2004-11-27 Cstar Technologies Inc. Systeme et methode de suivi des stocks
NL1024563C2 (nl) * 2003-10-17 2005-04-20 Frans Jozef Klinkers Uitgifte-automaat voor voedingswaren.

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6131399A (en) 1997-12-04 2000-10-17 Hall; Donald M. Refrigerated vending machine
US20030204289A1 (en) 2002-04-25 2003-10-30 Banerjee Dwip N. Automated vending
EP1496481A2 (fr) 2003-07-10 2005-01-12 L'unione Di Amulio Gubbini Unité du support pharmacologiques éloignée

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3003066A1 (fr) * 2013-03-06 2014-09-12 Alliance Ind Metallurg De Bretagne Aimb Armoire de stockage et de distribution de produits a acces securise
US9295345B2 (en) 2014-03-26 2016-03-29 Sanden Vendo America, Inc. Open air food display case with automatic closing mechanism
US9795228B2 (en) 2014-03-26 2017-10-24 Sanden Vendo America, Inc. Open air food display case with automatic closing mechanism
US10993551B2 (en) 2017-10-18 2021-05-04 Sanden Vendo America, Inc. Shelving angle adjustment mechanism and related methods
US11533784B2 (en) 2019-09-24 2022-12-20 Sanden Vendo America, Inc. Hot food merchandising unit with roller grill
CN111383009A (zh) * 2020-02-24 2020-07-07 北京辰森世纪科技股份有限公司 称重处理方法及装置、存储介质、计算机设备

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2045785A3 (fr) 2009-04-29
ES2293858B1 (es) 2009-04-01
ES2293858A1 (es) 2008-03-16

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