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. 05, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1997
Applicant:
Inventor:
William S Credle, Jr, Stone Mountain, GA (US);
Assignee:
The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, GA (US);
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B65B / ; B65B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
53 485 ; 53 483 ; 53168 ; 53398 ; 53448 ;
Abstract
A vending machine is provided for packaging a plurality of articles into a unitary package. This vending machine includes a packaging area and a packer. The packer affixes a carrier to the discrete articles in the packaging area to form the package. The formed package is then discharged from the vending machine. The present vending machine therefore provides for forming a plurality of articles into a package within a single vending machine. A consumer can select what articles, such as different brands of beverage containers, which are combined to form the package. Also, the number of articles for each package can be selected by the consumer.