GB2190229A - Gift vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A gift vending machine 10 dispenses gifts from a compartment 20 in the machine on insertion of a coin or token, the compartment also containing an animated puppet display 30 that is activated on insertion of the coin or token and possibly also intermittently. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gift vending machine This invention concerns gift vending machines.

Gift vending machines usually comprise a compartment wherein the gifts, usually in the form of two-part, hollow capsules, such as eggs containing a novelty item or even tokens, are visible and a coin or token operated mechanism for dispensing a gift upon insertion of a coin or token.

The object of this invention is to provide a gift vending machine that includes an animated display.

According to the invention there is provided a gift vending machine comprising a compartment from which gifts are dispensed, a mechanism for dispensing a gift and an animated display.

The animated display will preferably be enclosed in a compartment, at least a part of which is transparent, and that compartment may also contain the gifts. Alternatively there may be a separate compartment for the gifts.

The preferred form of compartment for the animated display is box-shaped with at least one, preferably three, of its vertical faces transparent.

The display compartment preferably has an open bottom and overlies a compartment for the gifts. The display compartment is preferably removable from or hingedly connected to a base of the machine to provide access to the gift compartment for filling.

The base of the machine preferably contains the mechanism for dispensing the gifts. The mechanism is preferably coin or token operated and preferably includes a turntablewith an opening therein large enough for one gift at a time to pass through. The turbtable is spreferably caused to rotate by an electric motor to which electric power is supplied when a coin or token is inserted into an activating mechanism, possibly under microprocessor control.

The turntable then rotates until a predetermined number of gifts, usually one on top thereof passes through the opening thereof and onto a dispensing tray accessible at the front of the machine. Alternatively the turntable could rotate a predetermined number of times to dispense one gift per revolution. As soon as one gift has passed through the turntable it rotates further so that there is no longer a passage through to the dispensing tray.

The speed of rotation of the motor is preferably adjustable according to the size of gift to be dispensed i.e. slower for larger gifts and faster for smaller gifts so that, for example, only one gift is dispensed at a time.

The animated display may be linked to the insertion of a coin or token into the activating mechanism. The animated display may also be arranged to operate intermittently between gift dispensings.

The animated display preferably operates according to two or more, preferably three different programmes so as to provide a variety of movement and sound. Selection of the programme may be sequential or random. The variety of programmes may be provided at dispensing of a gift and/or therebetween.

Controlling of the display programmes can be by means of a microprocessor.

Referring to the preferred machine, the animated display preferably comprises two or more puppet figures that are electrically powered for movement and/or to speak. The electrical power for the puppets may be switched on at the same time as the dispensing mechanism i.e. at insertion of a coin or token into the activating mechanism.

The puppet figures will probably contain suitable mechanical linkages for movement thereof preferably according to a set routine that lasts for predetermined time for insertion of a coin or token into the activating mechanism. In addition, voices for the puppets may be provided preferably to coincide with their movement. The voices may be provided as recordings say on tape or record or may be produced electronically.

Preferably the animated display will be provided on a platform supported from the rear of the compartment therefor and below which the gifts may be seen. The puppets can be well known characters either specifically or generally, such as the characters from a Punch and Judy show, pirates, cowboys and indians or Laurel and Hardy, or can be non-human or non-animal objects given human characteristics or features, such as hamburgers or hot dogs.

The machine may have wheels for ease of transport. In a preferred embodiment wheels or castors are provided at the rear of the machine only and feet at the front of the machine upon which the machine can be slid along the floor. power supply will probably be from mains electricity, although battery power may be used.

The coin or token collection mechanism will probably be provided on the machine at a convenient height for insertion of a coin or token. However, for that a coin or token collection box would normally have to be fixed to the inside of the machine at that height. That places pressure on the fixings due to the weight of coins or tokens in the box, which can lead to damage. Therefore, it is proposed herein that the coin or token collecting box be mounted on the floor of the machine of the invention and that a funnel or tube be provided to direct coins or tokens from the collection mechanism into the collecting box.

The collecting box is preferably in two parts, an outer or cover part to which the funnel or tube is attached that surrounds a separabdle inner part into which the coins or tokens fall. The two parts of the collecting box preferably are lockable to each other.

Suitably, the inner part has a barrel lock, rotation of which moves an arm attached thereto through a slot in the outer part so that the inner part cannot be withdrawn. Additionally, a further locking means, such as a padlock may be fastened to the arm when through the slot. The dispensing tray is preferably so shaped as to allow a gift to be withdrawn therefrom but to limit entry of a hand into the machine itself. Thus, the front of the tray may be so shaped and spaced from the front of the machine that a hand may be inserted to remove a gift but not rotated or bent so as to prevent insertion of fingers into the machine itsefl through the gift dispensing opening of the machine.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a gift dispensing machine generally; and Figure 2 shows the gift dispensing machine of Figure 1 in more detail.

Referring to the drawings, a gift dispensing machine 10 comprises a base 12 that has wheels 14 at its rear corners and legs 16 at its front corners. The base 12 contains the mechanisms and electrical circusitry for operating the machine which will be described in more detail below.

The top part of the base 12, provides a basin 18 for the gifts (not shown) prior to dispensing. The gifts will usually be of the type wherein a novelty iten is contained in a hollow, two-part capsule such as an egg.

Above the base and hingedly connected at 19 is an open-bottomed box-shaped compartment 20. The compartment 20 has three transparent vertical faces 21, 22 and 23 or glass or of plastics material whilst its rear vertical surface 24 is opaque. The compartment 20 is hingedly connected to the base so that it can be raised to give access for filling the basin 18 with gifts.

Within the compartment 20 on a shelf 26 is an animated puppet display 30, here shown as punch and Judy characters. The pupets 30 are electrically and mechanically animated and voices therefor are provided electrically. Other puppet characters may be provided instead of punch and Judy as desired.

To operate the machine a coin or token activated mechanism 32 is provided in the base with a coin or token collection box 33 below.

Upon insertion of a coin or token electrical power usually mains electricity, is switched on to an electric motor 34 that rotates a turntable 36. The turntable 36 has an opening 38 therein through which a gift can pass once the opening is ower a chute 40 that leads to a dispensing tray 42 at the front of the machine. Once one gift has passed through the opening, the turntable rotates further so that no more gifts can pass through the opening.

Microswitches are used to control movement of the turntable. The microswitches are preferably position adjustable so as to cope with wear and tear.

Furthermore, electrical power is also swtiched on to electrical motors for animating the puppets via suitable mechanical linkages in the pupets themselves and means for providing voices for the puppets. The various movements and voices as well as movement of the turntable are all microprocessor controlled, the microprocessor circuit board being shfown at 44. Voice projection is via speaker 46 positioned at the front of the base.

As well as puppet characters, other novelty objects may be used, such as hamburgers, hot dogs and the like.

Claims (8)

1. A gift vending machine comprisisng a compartment from which gifts are dispensed, a mechanism for dispensing a gift and an animated display.

2. A gift vending machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the animated display is linked to the insertion of a coin or token into a activating mechanism.

3. A gift vending machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the animated display is also arranged to operate intermittently.

4. A gift vending machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the animated display comprises two or more puppet figures that are electrical powered for movement and/or to speak.

5. A gift vending machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the animated display operates according to two or more different programmes.

6. A gift vending machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said programmes are selected randomly.

7. A gift vending machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said programmes are selected sequentially.

8. A gift vending machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.