The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 15, 1992
Filed:
Jan. 16, 1991
Christopher B Wright, San Francisco, CA (US);
Wright Food Systems, Inc., San Francisco, CA (US);
Abstract
An automated food vending system includes a vending machine having a plurality of stacks and dispenser mechanisms for dispensing standardized food package units, a microwave oven having a code reader located in a predetermined position in an interior cavity of the oven, and the food package units having standardized shapes corresponding to the vending stacks and to the microwave oven cavity. The food packages have a code for controlling the microwave oven printed in a predetermined position which is readable automatically by the code reader when the package unit is inserted in the oven. The dispenser mechanism has a configuration which allows it to be installed in existing vending machines for canned beverages. It may be fromed as a pair of pivotable holding members spaced apart in the widthwise direction of the holding stack, or as a pair of continuous belts spaced apart in the depthwise direction of the holding stack. The interior of the oven may be shaped to hold two or more different standardized package shapes, and can have a drive element for controllably moving the package past the code reader. The food package is formed with a quadrangular-sided tray portion and a rectangular, laterally projecting lip around the upper edges of the tray portion, and has the code printed extending in a linear direction. Alternatively, the food package unit is formed with a cylindrical shape and has the code printed extending in a circumferential direction.