Crane Merchandising Systems, Inc.

Crane Company

Other

William Edwin Booth

Brian Lee Duncan

David Boyd Whitten

Paul Kevin Griner

Thomas Hunot

A dry well food warmer assembly and method for warming food with a serving pan, comprises a housing having a well, surrounding wall structure and bottom wall; a heating element within the well generally oriented parallel to the floor, and a blower rotatably mounted for blowing air toward the outer wall and about the heating element. A baffle is located above the heating element and generally parallel to the floor and element, with a plurality of suitably sized intake and passageway openings for airflow and directioning. The method comprises energizing the element to heat air within the well, energizing the blower to rotate generally perpendicularly to blow outwardly to and past the element toward the outer structure, to pass outside and above the baffle, and through the baffle towards the blower. A pan and food within it positioned within the well can be heated by the assembly and method.

Dry well food warmer assembly and method

An optical vend sensing system for use in vending machines employs a row of light emitters on one side of a region through which a vend product passes during delivery and a row of light detectors on the opposite side. Each detector is substantially aligned with a corresponding one of the emitters, and is capable of receiving light from any of more than one of the emitters when that emitter is activated. The emitters are individually activated in sequential, round-robin fashion and multiple detectors are monitored for each emitter when activated. Interruption of detectible beams between an activated emitter and one of the multiple emitters monitored for the activated emitter. Power applied to an activated emitter is calibrated in steps to a minimum level sufficient to ensure detection by all monitored detectors of light emitted by an activated emitter, plus a safety margin.

Optical vend sensing system for product delivery detection

The present invention provides for a vending system wherein a monitoring system verifies that a product ordered by a vending customer is actually delivered through a delivery area to the customer. If the product ordered is unavailable either because of an out of stock situation or a blockage of the delivery path for that product, the present invention allows the customer to request a refund or order a second product. Additionally, the present invention helps to prevent theft of product from the vending system.

Method and system for accomplishing product detection

The present invention provides for a vending system wherein a monitoring system verifies that a product ordered by a vending customer is actually delivered through a delivery area to the customer. If the product ordered is unavailable either because of an out of stock situation or a blockage of the deliver path for that product, the present invention allows the customer to request a refund or order a second product. Additionally, the present invention helps to prevent theft of product from the vending system.

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Saint Louis, MO, United States of America

William Edwin Booth