Krh Thermal Systems

Mark A Hopkins

Thom Thomas

Paul T Rudewicz

Denis P Turner

Gregory Elliott

Jack R Prescott

Argelio Olivera

John Christopher Huculak

James W Bradfield

Michael Kanyon

Edward Durbin

John D Smead

Dale Weber

Robert K Chan

Donald Morrison

Stanley Arai

Michael E Rudder

Nader Nazarifar

Shawn X Gao

David Domash

Robert Palino

John C Huculak

Kenneth Sinera

Kenneth Sineri

In accordance with the present invention, a vending machine includes a number of failure control devices that monitor and control the functioning of the various components in the vending machine to ensure uniform quality of food products to be sold to a customer. One specific embodiment includes plurality of oven failure control devices, a freezer failure control device and a power failure control device. When a microcontroller in the vending machine determines the occurrence of a failure, the microcontroller displays a failure message on a customer display and discontinues vending food until the failure is corrected, for example, by an operator. In another aspect of this invention, the vending machine includes a mechanism for operating a door of a refrigeration compartment of the vending machine. The mechanism includes a motor driven rotary link coupled to a roller that moves in a slot of the door.

Vending machine with mechanised freezer door and failure control devices

Vending machine including multiple failure control devices

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

An air dispensing apparatus for providing an oscillating mass of hot air to facilitate crisping and browning of a trayed foodstuff includes an oscillating shoe extending from an air introduction chamber having a blower and a volute duct exit and an insulating shaft rotatively connecting an inner end of the shoe to the volute duct exit. The shaft includes a square cross-section portion which transfers torque from a crank-driven oscillator link directly to a matching square cross-section bore or aperture in a side wall of the shoe inner end. A hitch pin at the opposite shaft end prevents axial shaft movement. The insulating shaft eliminates arcing between the volute and the shoe. The invention also includes an improved separator screen for grounding a perforated plate to the air introduction chamber and an overall housing to prevent arcing therebetween.

Food cooking hot air dispensing apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Laguna Niguel, CA, United States of America

Mark A Hopkins