WO2004075125A1

WO2004075125A1 - Hot food distributor

Info

Publication number: WO2004075125A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/000425
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paolo Lupini; Francesco Zingaretti
Original assignee: BEST RAFFAELLO Srl; ISELQUI TECHNOLOGY Srl
Current assignee: BEST RAFFAELLO Srl; ISELQUI TECHNOLOGY Srl
Priority date: 2003-02-20
Filing date: 2004-02-18
Publication date: 2004-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2005-08-20
Also published as: ITMI20030072U1

Abstract

A hot-food vending machine (1) is disclosed, comprising a payment device (4), a freezing device (3), a device (5) delivering the frozen food and one or more microwave ovens (6). Said one or more microwave ovens (6) comprise a pilot device (9), whose operation is adjusted on the basis of the reading of a bar code found on the packaging of the purchased food.

Description

HOT-FOOD VENDING MACHINE * * *

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vending machine delivering hot food, in particular pre-cooked reheated meals. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Due to the progressively shorter time devoted to the so- called lunch break in companies and to restaurant costs, which are remarkably higher than in the past, pre-cooked meals have recently gained great popularity. Such meals are sold in a special container, in which they are served hot. Such foods are usually kept warm by means of a special device, for example an oven or a metal tray suspended over a steam-generating device. This is used, for example, in many grill-rooms .

Simultaneously to this use, automatic machines delivering various types of food and beverages have also gained popularity, being found in increasing numbers and very different models. Such foods have recently been automatically delivered also already hot. It is the case, for example, of pop corn.

With the onset of the microwave oven, a vending machine of pre-cooked frozen meals has come into common use, associated with a batch of microwave ovens, which are particularly suited to defrosting. The food is collected frozen by the customer, who inserts it into the first available oven; the oven is then closed and the heating time is set, after which the food is ready to be eaten.

However, even this updated version, which per se is very useful because it allows to refill the vending machines less frequently thanks to the use of frozen foods, and which also allows to enjoy hot meals, even of reasonable quality, has some significant disadvantages. Firstly, it is difficult to correctly set the heating time of the various foods, which are often also very different from one another, thereby entailing that each vending machine must be able to deliver a single type of food without problems. Secondly, it may be vandalised by people who, without purchasing the product from the vending machine, nevertheless use the microwave oven to heat their own food, since the oven must work even if no food is collected from the vending machine, due to the fact that, reasonably, it must be possible to restart the heating process after having checked that the previous heating time was not sufficient. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disadvantages listed above are brilliantly solved by the present invention, which relates to a hot-food vending machine, comprising a payment device, possibly a freezing device, a device delivering the frozen food, and one or more microwave ovens, characterised in that said one or more microwave ovens comprise a drive device, the operation of which is adjusted on the basis of the reading of a bar code found on the packaging of the purchased food. BEST WAY TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described in further detail, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the vending machine according to the present invention; and fig. 2 is a block diagram relating to the operation of the vending machine according to the present invention. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The vending machine 1 according to the present invention appears to be a sort of container 2, wherein are housed a freezing chamber 3, a slot 4 for the insertion of money and/or prepaid cards or tokens, a drawer 5 for the removal of the purchased food, and a series of microwave ovens 6 (four shown, but there may be any number thereof, preferably between one and five) . According to the present invention, a see-through panel 7 is also provided, which allows to read a bar code on the packaging of the purchased food. Optionally, in correspondence of each of the ovens, there may be two LEDs, a red one 8 and a green one 8A.

Fig. 2 shows the technical details relating to the operation of the vending machine 1. In particular, 9 indicates an electronic card representing the drive device of the vending machine of the present invention. The card is in turn divided into four elements: a supply line 10 for the microwaves 6, a certain number of dip switches 11, a unit 12 for the acquisition of data, and a unit 13 displaying the status of each of the ovens 6. The vending machine is completed by the door switches 14 and by a buzzer 15 for each of the ovens 6.

The operation of the vending machine according to the present invention is extremely simple. The user enters money or prepaid cards or tokens into the slot 4 and chooses in a known manner a specific type of food. The packaging containing the frozen food to be defrosted is delivered to the user through the drawer 5 , in a known manner . On the food packaging a bar code is printed which allows to trace, in a manner known per se, the type of food it contained. By placing the container in front of the see-through panel 7, obviously with the bar code facing the panel, the vending machine reads and acquires the code and, through a suitable programme, is capable of retrieving information, such as for example the type of food, the package size, the microwave oven heating time. Such data are acquired in the unit 12 of the card 9. At this stage the card 9 "decides", on the basis of the data - among which also the "busy" status of the individual ovens - which supply line 10 and which status display unit 13 to activate. The red LED 8 associated to the chosen oven consequently switches off and the adjacent green LED 8A switches on.

At this stage, the user enters the open container into the associated open oven 6, closes it and waits. The door switch 14 signals the closure; the green LED 8A switches off and the red LED 8 switches on again, starting the heating process. The power supply to the oven 6 continues for as long as the time read by the unit 12 of the card 9. Once this time has elapsed, the door switch 14 allows to open the door of the oven 6; a buzzer 15 sounds to indicate that heating has finished. The user can then collect the cooked food and eat it.

The card 9 may be programmed. Preferably, it is accessible only to the vending machine manager. The programming may be carried out by means of the dip switches 11, in a manner known per se . For the purpose of programming, a microprocessor equipped with an E2PROM memory is generally provided. A device signalling the temporary non-availability of a suitable oven for the purchased food can also be provided.

Claims

1) Hot-food vending machine (1) , comprising a device (4) for payment, a device (5) for the delivery of the food to be cooked or heated, and one or more microwave ovens (6) , characterised in that said one or more microwave ovens (6) comprise a drive device (9) , the operation of which is adjusted on the basis of the reading of a bar code found on the packaging of the purchased food.

2) Vending machine as claimed in claim 1) , characterised in that it further comprises a freezing device consisting in a freezing chamber (3) .

3) Vending machine as claimed in claim 1) or 2), characterised in that said payment device consists in a slot (4) into which money is entered. 4) Vending machine as claimed in claim 1) or 2), characterised in that said payment device consists in a slot (4) into which prepaid cards or tokens are entered.

5) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said vending device consists in a drawer (5) from which the purchased food is removed.

6) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a number between one and five of said microwave ovens (6) is provided therein.

7) Vending machine as claimed in claim 6) , characterised in that said microwave ovens (6) are four.

8) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that in correspondence of each of the ovens (6) two LEDs are found, a red one (8) and a green one (8A) . 9) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said drive device consists in a card (9) comprising a supply line (10) for the ovens (6) , a certain number of dip switches (11) , a data acquisition unit (12) and a unit (13) for the display of the status of each oven (6) .

10) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that to each oven (6) is associated a door switch (14) .

11) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a buzzer (15) for each oven (6) .

12) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the microwave ovens (6) heating begins only when the door of the oven (6) is closed by the user.

13) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that to said drive device (9) is associated a processor with an E2PROM memory.

14) Vending machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further provides a device signalling the temporary non-availability of a suitable oven (6) for the heating of the purchased food.