Steven J Carroll

US Patent:

20110060693, Mar 10, 2011

Filed:

Sep 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/877559

Inventors:

Frank M. Consiglio - Las Vegas NV, US
Jenna M. Consiglio - Las Vegas NV, US
Steven W. Carroll - Acworth GA, US
Richard Burney - Waco TX, US
Larry E. Hieb - Murphy TX, US
Walid Hassib Lel Aouar - Dallas TX, US
Vishal Dali - Richardson TX, US
Michael S. Behrend - Ft. Worth TX, US
Randall S. Meyer - Dallas TX, US

Assignee:

Sanden Vendo America, Inc. - Dallas TX
CFL International, LLC - Las Vegas NV

International Classification:

G07F 11/34
G06F 17/00
B65D 83/00
G06F 7/00
B65G 11/08
B65G 11/20
A47B 81/00
G07F 11/00
F16F 1/00
G06Q 99/00

US Classification:

705308, 221 1, 193 39, 221 10, 312211, 312198, 267 80

Abstract:

The present invention provides machines, methods and apparatus for automatically vending, damping, delivering and returning large heavy product containers such as 5-gallon water bottles. In some embodiments, damping methods and apparatus are provided to gently transfer large heavy product containers from one level to another inside a vending machine. In some embodiments, methods and apparatus including adjustable support rails are provided for handling different sized large heavy product containers inside a vending machine. In some embodiments, delivery methods and apparatus are provided for use with large heavy product containers. In some embodiments, methods and apparatus for returning large product containers are provided. Some or all of these features may be provided in a single vending machine, or in multiple machines, and multiple features or machines may be controlled by a single computer processor.