The Coca-Cola Company

The Cola-Cola Company

Crystal Gaye Burdette

William J Saunders

Eddie Wayne King

Bassam Hassan Fakhoury

Justin L Westfahl

A vending machine includes a vending machine face having an access panel therein for providing access to a graphics piece in the vending machine face. The access panel is movable from a closed position prohibiting access to the graphics piece, to an open position permitting access to the graphics piece for removal of the graphics piece. The access panel allows a person to change the graphics piece without opening the vending machine door. A locking mechanism is provided for locking the access panel in the closed position. The access panel is openable by using a special key or tool which is different from the key used to open the vending machine door. This allows the vending machine owner to give someone the task of changing the graphics piece without having to worry about the security of the money inside the vault area by giving that person only the special key to the access panel instead of a key to the vending machine door. Without the special key, the graphics piece is securely held in the vending machine face to prevent theft of the graphics piece. The access panel may be incorporated into the exterior trim of the face, such as the upper trim piece.

Access panel for a vending machine face

Contour vending machine face

A vending machine face has a number of modules that are mechanically fastened to an underlying frame. These modules can be easily removed and replaced in the field so that the appearance of a vending machine can be changed with promotions, new interactive pieces can be added, the location of the vend selection buttons can be changed, recessed display compartments can be used and/or different light boxes with various graphics can be inserted and removed. This arrangement will provide for the ability to completely change the appearance of the vending machine on site. The vending machine can be customized for specific account location and can be switched from one promotion to another relatively easily. A frame for holding the modules is provided. The frame and modules be a door for the vending machine. This door can be flat or have a contoured, undulating outer face. Also, the door can be rectangular or have other shapes as desired.

Vending machine face

A vending machine is provided with a cabinet having a plurality of slanted shelves. These shelves will feed to an elevator which can be located in the center of the vending machine, to one side of the vending machine or at the rear of the vending machine. Packaged beverages will feed by gravity from the shelves to the elevator and then be delivered to the delivery port in the face of the cabinet. This delivery port will be at a convenient height for the consumer. The shelves in the cabinet are readily reconfigurable such that their positioning within the cabinet can be easily altered. Gravity release devices are provided on each shelf for discharging the packaged beverages to the elevator. These gravity release devices are powered by an activation device on the elevator. Thus, electrical connections or the like are unnecessary for the individual shelves.

Growing community of inventors

Marietta, GA, United States of America

Crystal Gaye Burdette