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:
Jun. 30, 1998
Filed:
Apr. 01, 1996
Jack R Prescott, Laguna Hills, CA (US);
John D Smead, San Clemente, CA (US);
Edward Durbin, Point Richmond, CA (US);
Michael Kanyon, Sea Ranch, CA (US);
Michael E Rudder, San Francisco, CA (US);
James W Bradfield, Mill Valley, CA (US);
Gregory Elliott, Tustin, CA (US);
Stanley Arai, Aliso Viejo, CA (US);
Mark A Hopkins, Laguna Niguel, CA (US);
Donald Morrison, Anaheim, CA (US);
Paul T Rudewicz, Mission Viego, CA (US);
Kenneth Sineri, Placentia, CA (US);
Thom Thomas, Ventura, CA (US);
Dale Weber, Mission Viejo, CA (US);
KRh Thermal Systems, San Bruno, CA (US);
Abstract
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.