Krh Thermal Systems

Jack R Prescott

Thom Thomas

Paul T Rudewicz

Mark A Hopkins

Gregory Elliott

James W Bradfield

Michael E Rudder

Michael Kanyon

Donald Morrison

Edward Durbin

John D Smead

Stanley Arai

Dale Weber

Kenneth Sinera

Kenneth Sineri

A vending machine includes a refrigeration compartment, an oven compartment, structure for transferring a food product from the refrigeration compartment to the oven compartment, and structure for transferring the food product from the oven compartment to a user of the vending machine. The vending machine provides automated handling and cooking of packaged food products that enables a hot cooked food to be delivered to a customer in a cool package sleeve. The vending machine also includes a system for inventory control that enables vertical storage of packaged food products while minimizing crushing of packaged food products at the bottom of a stack. A magazine empty indicator automatically indicates when an inventory magazine is empty. An oven door latch mechanism eliminates the possibility that the oven can be operated while the oven door is open.

Vending machine including refrigeration and oven compartments

A food vending machine contains a motor-driven inventory carousel which rotates to position food items at a desired index position. A control unit, for example a computer, reduces the power delivered to the inventory carousel as the desired index position is approached. The mechanical drive for the inventory carousel includes a modified geneva mechanism, which also serves to reduce the acceleration forces on the inventory carousel as it rotates from position to position.

Method of controlling inventory carousel in vending machine

Growing community of inventors

Laguna Hills, CA, United States of America

Jack R Prescott