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:
Mar. 16, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 01, 2001
Paul L. Mason, II, Inwood, WV (US);
Automated Merchandising Systems, Kearneysville, WV (US);
Abstract
An optical vend-sensing system for reliably detecting the dispensing of an article, is presented. The system includes two parallel reflecting surfaces, each mounted at opposite sides of a vend space through which the article falls upon selection by a consumer. An emitter generates an optical beam which is reflected off each of the reflecting surfaces such that the reflected beam traverses across the vend space. A detector senses the reflected beam and communicates with a machine control unit. In response to the detector sensing that the reflected beam has been interrupted, the machine control unit terminates the vending operations of a mechanism controlling the dispensing of the article.