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:
Aug. 17, 1993
Filed:
Oct. 01, 1991
Leonard A Ficken, Manchester, MO (US);
Donald G Hovinga, St. Charles, MO (US);
Unidynamics Corporation, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A refrigerated food module stores and dispenses refrigerated foods from within a housing of a vending machine. The vending machine is of the type adapted for storing unrefrigerated foods and has a selection panel from which foods can be selected. The selected food is dispensed to a receiving device from which it can be retrieved by a customer. The refrigerated food module includes an insulated housing for containing the refrigerated foods and a self-contained refrigeration unit for cooling the insulated housing. Dispensing mechanisms are located in the insulated housing for dispensing a selected refrigerated food to the receiving device. A portion of the insulated housing is movable between a closed position in which it is in sealing engagement with the insulated housing and an open position in which the dispensing mechanisms in the insulated housing can dispense the refrigerated foods to the receiving device. The vending machine selection panel is interconnected with the dispensing mechanisms in the insulated housing so that a refrigerated food can be selected from the selection panel to be dispensed from the insulated housing. The movable portion of the insulated housing is moved to its open position when a refrigerated food is selected and returns to its closed position after the selected refrigerated food is dispensed from the insulated housing.