WO2025111367A1 - Powder dispensing vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A powder-dispensing vending machine is a device intended to provide users with a vending machine that allows users to dispense powder mix or powder drinks into their beverage container at convenient locations. More specifically, the device is a wall mounted system that allows users to buy and/or use their membership perks to access a selection of workout supplements in a powdered form. To that end, the device comprises a plurality of powder holding tubes mounted within a clear receptacle, along with payment and dispensing means integrated within the device. A customer may select with the help of a touch screen what they would like, and the present invention will dispense a predetermined amount of powder into their water bottle. Preferably, the device is mounted conveniently over/near a drinking water source.

Description

Powder Dispensing Vending Machine

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. provisional patent application serial number 63/601,090 filed on November 20, 2024.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vending machine that can dispense powders. More specifically, the present invention is a wall-mounted system that is preferably mounted within a fitness facility that allows users to buy and dispense different kinds of powders, such as supplements, protein powders, hydration powders, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has been proven that exercise can help manage mental and/or physical health conditions for human beings. The number of fitness industry businesses in the U.S. has increased year-over-year over the past decade. Further, in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the adoption of fitness activities and products among individuals of all genders, age groups, and geographic locations. Furthermore, utilizing a paid membership program at a local gym has been shown to work positively for modern-day society in attaining their fitness goals. Extra protein, combined with regular exercise, can help users gain muscle, change their body composition, or meet their daily protein needs. To that end, users have turned towards protein powders as nutritional supplements to aid weight loss and help tone their muscles. Further, different kinds of pre-workout and post workout drinks and supplements are available in the market that have been proven to improve the overall wellbeing and energy levels of users who are following a healthy workout routine. However, it is often a task to remember to carry such supplements and/or drinks on the way to the gym and it might be too tiring to wait to get home to prepare a post workout drink. Thus, if such powders and supplements were available at the workout facility, it would be easier and more beneficial for users. However, a vending machine or service that can dispense protein powders is a rare find in the current market.

An objective of the present invention is to provide users with a vending machine that allows users to dispense powder mix into their beverage at convenient locations. More specifically, the present invention is a wall mounted system that allows users to buy or use their membership perks to access a selection of workout supplements in powdered form. In other words, a customer may select with the help of a touch screen what they would like (example: an intra workout supplement helps recover and fuels their workout), and the present invention will dispense a predetermined amount of powder into their water bottle or container of choice. Mounted conveniently over/near a water source, the user may then take the water bottle with the powder, fill it up with water and mix it, and make a drink for them to enjoy and benefit from.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a powder dispensing vending machine. It is an aim of the present invention to provide users with a vending machine that allows users to dispense powder mix or powder drinks into their beverage container at convenient locations. More specifically, the present invention is a wall mounted system that allows users to buy and/or use their membership perks to access a selection of workout supplements in a powdered form. To that end, the present invention comprises a plurality of powder holding tubes mounted within a clear receptacle, along with payment and dispensing means integrated within the device. A customer may select with the help of a touch screen what they would like (example: an intra workout supplement helps recovery and fuels their workout), and the present invention will dispense a predetermined amount of powder into their water bottle. Preferably, the present invention is mounted conveniently over/near a water source. This is so that the users may then take the water bottle with the powder, fill it up with water and mix it, and make a drink for them to enjoy and benefit from at the fitness center. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram of the electronic infrastructure of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a system diagram of the dispensing mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the main frame showcasing the electronic infrastructure of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top-front perspective view of the present invention, wherein a drinking-water dispensing system is mounted adjacent to the powder-dispensing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

In reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 5, the present invention is a powder vending machine.

The following description is in reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 5. According to a preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a main frame 2, a plurality of canisters 4, a plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms 6, and an electronic infrastructure 8. According to the preferred embodiment, the main frame 2 is a rectangular box that is laterally mounted to a wall surface and houses the plurality of holding tubes. The other components of the present invention are also laterally integrated along the main receptacle. To that end, the main frame 2 comprises an upper compartment 10, a collection area 12, a separating ledge 14, a first frame end 16, and a second frame end 18. Preferably, the first frame end 16 is positioned opposite to the second frame end 18 about the main frame 2. In other words, the first frame end 16 constitutes a top end of the main frame 2, and the second end constitutes a bottom end of the main frame 2. The main frame 2 may be made of a plurality of sturdy materials such as hard plastic, metal, stainless steel, acrylic, glass, etc. However, it should be noted that the main frame 2 may comprise any other shape, size, material, components, arrangement of components etc. that are known to one of ordinary skill in the art, as long as the intents of the present invention are not altered.

In the preferred embodiment, the upper compartment 10 is positioned adjacent to the first frame end 16, and the plurality of canisters 4 is mounted within the upper compartment 10. Preferably, the plurality of canisters 4 are cylindrical tubes made of a sturdy food grade material (FDA approved) and are capable of housing various supplements and protein powders in a safe and hygienic manner. However, the plurality of canisters 4 may comprise any other shape, material, components and arrangement of components that are known to one of ordinary skill in the art, as long as the objectives of the present invention are fulfilled.

As seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the collection area 12 is positioned adjacent to the second frame end 18, and the separating ledge 14 is positioned in between the upper compartment 10 and the collection area 12. Preferably, the collection area 12 is a place right under each of the plurality holding tubes wherein users can place their water bottle or any container of choice to collect the selected powder when it is being dispensed. The separating ledge 14 separates the upper compartment 10 from the collection area 12. Further, the separating ledge 14 houses the major components of the electoral infrastructure of the present invention.

According to the preferred embodiment, the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms 6 dispenses powder drinks from the plurality of canisters 4 or holding tubes, upon payment and confirmation. To that end, the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms 6 is positioned within the collection area 12. More specifically, each of the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms 6 is operatively coupled to a corresponding canister 20 from the plurality of canisters 4, wherein each of the plurality of powderdispensing mechanisms 6 is used to dispense a predefined product amount within the corresponding canister 20.

According to the preferred embodiment, a user is able to dispense a specific powder by following these steps. Firstly, the user selects the powder of choice in a specific quantity, followed by making the necessary payment through card, cash, or membership perks. In order to accomplish these functionalities with ease, the present invention comprises the electronic infrastructure 8. To that end, the electronic infrastructure 8 is laterally integrated onto the main frame 2, adjacent to the separating ledge 14. More specifically, the electronic infrastructure 8 is operatively coupled to the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms 6, wherein the electronic infrastructure 8 is used to actuate each of the plurality of powder dispensing mechanisms to dispense the predefined product amount within the corresponding canister 20. Further, the predefined product amount may be a prepackaged dissolvable serving of the supplement that may be utilized the same way, wherein the dissolvable film is made of a food grade and safe material.

A more detailed description of the present invention follows.

According to the preferred embodiment, the electronic infrastructure 8 may comprise a microcontroller 22, a payment system 24, and at least one HID 26 (human interface device). As seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the microcontroller 22 is mounted within the main frame 2, and the payment system 24 and the at least one HID 26 are externally mounted onto the separating ledge 14. In order to accomplish the intended functionalities of the present invention, the microcontroller 22 is electronically connected to the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms 6, the at least one HID 26, and the payment system 24. The microcontroller 22 is preferably a programmable integrated circuit (IC) that controls the functionalities of the components connected to the microcontroller 22. As seen in FIG. 5, the payment system 24 is positioned offset from the at least one HID 26.

Continuing with the preferred embodiment, the electronic infrastructure 8 may further comprise a power source 28 to provide electrical power to all the electrical components of the present invention. Preferably, the power source 28 is laterally integrated onto the main frame 2, and the power source 28 is electrically connected to the plurality of powder dispensing mechanisms, the microcontroller 22, the payment system 24 and the at least one HID 26. The power source 28 is preferably a rechargeable battery that is connected to an external power outlet. The HID 26 is preferably an interactive touch screen device that can enable users to select the powder of their choice based on their needs. However, the at least one HID 26 may comprise any other technology and components such as switches, buttons, voice activation controls, etc. The payment system 24 may comprise a card reader, a scanner, a subscription reader, or any other payment and/or redeeming systems that are known to one of ordinary skill in the art, as long as the intents of the present invention are not altered.

In an alternate embodiment, the present invention may be able to dispense packaged products or sachets of prepacked protein/food supplements from the plurality of canisters 4 through the plurality of dispensing mechanisms 6.

According to the preferred embodiment, the dispensing system dispenses powder drinks from the plurality of holding tubes, upon payment and confirmation. More specifically, the corresponding canister 20 may contain a prepackaged dissolvable serving of the supplement that may be utilized the same way, wherein the dissolvable film is made of a food grade and safe material. To that end, each of the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms 6 may comprise a mechanism actuator 30 and a gravitybased dispenser 32. Preferably, the electronic infrastructure 8 is operatively coupled to the mechanism actuator 30, wherein the mechanism actuator 30 is used to receive at least one activation instruction from the electrical infrastructure. The mechanism actuator 30 30 may be a closure lid or a hatch that holds the selected amount of preferred powder until the gravity -based dispenser 32 is operated. As seen in FIG. 1, the gravity-based dispenser 32 is a lever that needs to be pushed/pulled by the user to initiate dispensing. In other words, the mechanism actuator 30 is operatively coupled to the gravity-based dispenser 32, wherein the gravity-based dispenser 32 is used to execute the at least one activation instruction from the mechanism actuator 30 and is used to release the predefined product amount from the corresponding canister 20. However, it should be noted that the plurality of dispensing mechanisms may comprise any dispensing technology that is known to one of ordinary skill in the art, parts of which include, but are not limited to a vend motor, a cradle, a level bar, a dispenser lever, etc.

Continuing with the preferred embodiment, the main frame 2 may further comprise an outer covering 34 and a top cover 36. Preferably, the outer covering 34 is transparent, and the outer covering 34 is laterally mounted about the upper compartment 10. In other words, the main frame 2 may comprise a see-through front surface and an openable top cover 36. This is so that the plurality of canisters 4 and the quantity of different powders is made visible to a person outside of the device. Preferably, the top cover 36 is hingedly connected onto the first frame end 16. More specifically, the top cover 36 is removably attached onto the first frame end 16. The openable top cover 36 allows users to open, close, and lock the top cover 36 for accessing and refilling the powders and securing the contents within the main receptacle. In other words, the top cover 36 is a cover that is lockable for the staff to open and close the machine to refill the containers.

In order to dispense the powder selected by a user, the present invention may further comprise a plurality of apertures 38, wherein the plurality of apertures 38 traverses through the separating ledge 14. Each of the plurality of canisters 4 are in fluid communication with a corresponding aperture 40 from the plurality of apertures 38, such that the selected powder may be dispensed out through the corresponding aperture 40. In other words, there is a hole under each of the canisters to dispense the powder drink within that holding tube or canister. This arrangement prevents cross contamination and each powder in the holding tube is dispensed in a clean and hygienic fashion. In other words, each of the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms 6 is hermetically connected with the corresponding canister 20 through a corresponding aperture 40 from the plurality of apertures 38.

As seen in FIG. 5, the present invention may further comprise a water-bottle resting feature 42, wherein the water-bottle resting feature 42 being integrated into the collection area 12. Preferably, the collection area 12 is a place right under each of the plurality of apertures 38 and holding tubes wherein users can place their water bottle or any container of choice to collect the selected powder when it is being dispensed. In other words, the collection area 12 is an open area with a sign that shows the water-bottle resting feature 42, and the container may include, but not limited to plastic water bottle, hydro flask, coffee mug, or any container that fits within the slot or collection area 12.

It should be noted that the present invention may comprise any other electrical or electronic components such as sensors, wires, buttons, etc. that are needed for the smooth functioning of the present invention.

An overall method of operation of the present invention may comprise the following steps. Firstly, a customer approaches the present invention and scans their code that confirms their membership. For customers who don’t have a membership, they would be prompted to pay with a card or other payment options, instead of scanning their membership code. Secondly, they select what powder they would like from the selection of powders within the plurality of holding tubes. Subsequently, the screen prompts the user to place the bottle underneath the selected powder. Once the customer confirms and the container is placed, the machine dispenses the predetermined amount of the selected powder into the bottle. Following dispensing, the customer removes the bottle and takes it to a water source nearby.

The customer can now fill the bottle with water and make a drink out of it within the facility. It is preferred that the present invention is mounted adjacent to a drinking water source, such that users may collect their powder of choice and make a drink within the vicinity of the fitness facility. Accordingly, as seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the present invention may further comprise a drinking water dispensing machine 44, wherein the drinking water dispensing machine 44 is mounted adjacent to the main frame 2. The water source is not integrated with the present invention to prevent clogging and clotting. Thus, the present invention is a user-friendly, convenient, and healthy addition to all fitness facilities.

It should be noted that the present invention may work as a standalone vending machine and may be mounted at any location and/or site (other than fitness facilities) and need not be adjacent to a water source.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A powder dispensing vending machine comprising: a main frame; a plurality of canisters; a plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms; an electronic infrastructure; the main frame comprising an upper compartment, a collection area, a separating ledge, a first frame end, and a second frame end; the first frame end being positioned opposite to the second frame end about the main frame; the upper compartment being positioned adjacent to the first frame end; the collection area being positioned adjacent to the second frame end; the separating ledge being positioned in between the upper compartment and the collection area; the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms being positioned within the collection area; the plurality of canisters being mounted within the upper compartment; each of the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms being operatively coupled to a corresponding canister from the plurality of canisters, wherein each of the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms is used to dispense a predefined product amount within the corresponding canister; the electronic infrastructure being laterally integrated onto the main frame, adjacent to the separating ledge; and the electronic infrastructure being operatively coupled to the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms, wherein the electronic infrastructure is used to actuate each of the plurality of powder dispensing mechanisms to dispense the predefined product amount within the corresponding canister.

2. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 1 further comprising: the electronic infrastructure comprising a microcontroller, a payment system, and at least one HID (human interface device); the microcontroller being mounted within the main frame; the payment system and the at least one HID being externally mounted onto the separating ledge; and the microcontroller being electronically connected to the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms, the at least one HID, and the payment system.

3. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 2 further comprising: the electronic infrastructure comprising a power source; the power source being laterally integrated onto the main frame; and the power source being electrically connected to the plurality of powder dispensing mechanisms, the microcontroller, the payment system and the at least one HID.

4. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 2, wherein the payment system is positioned offset from the at least one HID.

5. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 2, wherein the at least one HID is an interactive touchscreen device.

6. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 1 further comprising: each of the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms comprising a mechanism actuator and a gravity-based dispenser; the electronic infrastructure being operatively coupled to the mechanism actuator, wherein the mechanism actuator is used to receive at least one activation instruction from the electrical infrastructure; and the mechanism actuator being operatively coupled to the gravity -based dispenser, wherein the gravity -based dispenser is used to execute the at least one activation instruction from the mechanism actuator and is used to release the predefined product amount from the corresponding canister.

7. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 1 further comprising: the main frame further comprising an outer covering and a top cover; the top cover being removably attached onto the first frame end; and the outer covering being laterally mounted about the upper compartment.

8. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 7, wherein the outer covering is transparent.

9. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 1 further comprising: a plurality of apertures; the plurality of apertures traversing through the separating ledge; and each of the plurality of powder-dispensing mechanisms being hermetically connected with the corresponding canister through a corresponding aperture from the plurality of apertures.

10. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 1 further comprising: a water-bottle resting feature; and the water-bottle resting feature being integrated into the collection area.

11. The powder dispensing vending machine of claim 1 further comprising: a drinking water dispensing machine; and the drinking water dispensing machine being mounted adjacent to the main frame.