JP3372255B2 - Packaging vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vending apparatus for selectively dispensing one of a plurality of packages (74). The vending apparatus includes an outer cabinet 10; an isolated freezer compartment (12) within the outer cabinet for storing the plurality of packages disposed within the outer cabinet, the freezer compartment having a thermal barrier (14) for maintaining a frozen environment within the freezer compartment in isolation of the ambient temperature air filling the remaining interior space of the outer cabinet; a mechanism (68) for opening the thermal barrier; a picker (52) for selectively removing the selected package from the freezer compartment, the picker being located outside the freezer compartment in between operating cycles and entering the freezer compartment for removing one of the packages only during the removal operation; and a controller (40) for automatically controlling the picker and opening mechanism in response to a customer's selection. <IMAGE>

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a device for selectively dispensing a predetermined one of a plurality of packages. More particularly, the apparatus of the present invention utilizes a constant negative pneumatic picker for removing frozen food packages having different shapes and sizes from thermally isolated storage compartments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION To date, most of the mechanisms used in various packaging and product dispensing machines move various mechanical parts or otherwise handle the packaging to be dispensed.
Utilizes a large number of motors, switches and solenoids. Most of such devices have one dedicated motor, switch and / or solenoid for each row, each column or each type of product or package to kick or eject the desired package or product from the machine. In need. Thus, in the case of a machine with a nine product rack configuration, it would typically require nine motors, switches and / or solenoids each to eject one product from each rack.

Such machines generally encounter a number of drawbacks. One such drawback is the fact that any machine with such a configuration is commonly subject to numerous mechanical failures due to factors such as deterioration, exposure, poor assembly, misalignment and the like. . In addition, if the mechanical component must operate in a frozen environment such as found in frozen food or ice cream vending machines,
The tendency to cause malfunctions has increased significantly.

In addition, each motor, switch and / or solenoid is expensive, resulting in an increase in the overall cost of the machine, namely capital or assembly costs. The elimination of such mechanical parts typically reduces production costs and future maintenance and repair costs.

Furthermore, the extra machine occupies a useful space where the product can be placed. The loss of product storage space requires workers to visit the machine's grounding site more frequently to carry the product, resulting in increased operating costs and reduced profitability.

For the above and other reasons not pointed out herein, numerous attempts have been made to develop packages and product dispensers that have as few motors, switches, solenoids and other mechanical devices as possible.

An example of such a package and product dispenser is the device disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,787,533 to Haroutel et al. The dispenser disclosed in this U.S. patent dispenses mail parcels of different sizes and types. This device utilizes an independently controlled and monitored horizontal and vertical carriage to position the product holding device in front of the desired article. However, this device still has a relatively large number of electromechanical components that are relatively complex to assemble and expensive to operate and maintain. Furthermore, the disclosed mechanism is not configured for low temperature operation and is therefore not suitable for dispensing cold food products.

US Pat. No. 5,025,950 to Trouteaud et al.
The publication discloses a device for storing and dispensing ice cream packed in uniform containers stored in a rotatable carrier or carousel. However, this device does not solve the above-mentioned problems. First, each rotatable carrier would need to be motorized itself. Also, the device is significantly limited in capacity. Furthermore, and most probably, all of the disclosed device mechanics will be exposed to a low temperature environment.

As briefly mentioned above, mechanical failures are common to vending machines that cool the product, especially those that use a motor or solenoid to dispense the product from the cooler. Since the motor and solenoid are located in the cooler, they are subject to low temperatures and flocculating liquid. Under such severe operating conditions, there is a high possibility that the motor and solenoid will malfunction. US Patent No. 5,02
The device of 5,950 is as vulnerable as other prior art machines and also encounters the other problems mentioned above.

German patent application 2,455,673 discloses a machine for selling frozen food packages in which a motor-driven sliding carriage is used to position a suction device above the package to be dispensed. Next, the entire suction device is lowered by the electric drum and cable system to bring the suction device into contact with the package. Then, the suction device is activated and pulled out to the dispensing position together with the package. However, this device has the inefficiency of consuming a large amount of energy to cool a large non-storage space, as the entire mechanism is still exposed to the cool environment of the cooler.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for dispensing products stored in a chilled or frozen state with fewer moving parts than known devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a frozen food dispenser configured such that moving parts susceptible to low temperatures are exposed to a low temperature environment only during the dispensing process.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a frozen food dispenser that has a much larger storage capacity in the area to be cooled than in known frozen food dispensers.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a frozen food dispenser having different shapes, weights and sizes.

The above objects, and others not specifically mentioned herein, are achieved by the present invention broadly related to a vending device for selectively dispensing one of a plurality of packages. That is, the vending machine of the present invention is particularly well suited for frozen and chilled foods such as ice cream. The vending machine of the present invention includes an outer cabinet in which storage means for storing a plurality of packages is arranged. The storage means is provided with a displaceable thermal barrier and cooling means for cooling the interior of the storage means to a predetermined temperature. The thermal barrier can be displaced by opening means provided to open the thermal barrier.

The apparatus of the present invention is provided with a package take-out means for selectively taking out the selected package from the storage means.
The take-out means is arranged outside the storage means between operating cycles and enters the storage means only for taking out one of the packages during the dispensing operation. The distribution operation is controlled by the control means for automatically controlling the package take-out means and the opening means according to the customer's selection, and for holding the inventory map and sensing the operating condition.

The take-out means includes a picker that comes into contact with the package to be taken out, an xy positioning means that positions the picker above the package, and a z-positioning means that selectively moves the picker up and down above the package. And have. The raising is performed by constant blower means forming a constant negative air pressure connected to the picker by an air hose. The blower means and the z-positioning means are controlled by the control means, which in turn actuate these means in response to a signal transmitted by the picker's sensing means for sensing contact between the picker and the package. . The package is then
Raised and placed in the distribution area, while the thermal barrier is placed in its original position, preserving the cold environment of the storage area and protecting the movable electromechanical parts of the device, which are sensitive to cold temperatures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 shows a plurality of packages according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a vending device that selectively dispenses one of the packages, FIG. 2 being one of the plurality of packages according to FIG. 1 with the front door removed. FIG. 4 is a front view of one embodiment of a vending machine that selectively dispenses two, FIG. 3 illustrates a left wall of an outer cabinet removed and a portion shown in cross-section for simplicity of illustration and description. FIG. 4 is a left side view of an example of an automatic vending apparatus for selectively dispensing one of the plurality of packages according to FIG. 1, according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cartridge utilized with one embodiment of the device, FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a cartridge utilized with one embodiment of the vending machine constructed in accordance with the present invention according to FIG. 4, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view of another cartridge used with the embodiment of FIG. 7, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of another cartridge used with the embodiment of the vending apparatus configured according to the present invention according to FIG. FIG. 8 is a detailed perspective view of a part of a vending device for selectively dispensing one of the packages according to FIG. 1, partly shown in cross section, 9 is a detailed bottom view of a part of the vending device for selectively distributing one of the plurality of packaging bodies according to FIG. 8, and FIG. A detailed cross-sectional view of a portion of a vending machine that selectively dispenses one FIG. 11 is a detailed side view of a part of the vending machine that selectively distributes one of the plurality of packaging bodies according to FIG. 1, and FIG. 12 is a plurality of packaging bodies according to FIG. FIG. 13 is a detailed side view of another embodiment of a portion of a vending device that selectively dispenses one of the packages of FIG. 13, FIG. FIG. 14 is a detailed side view of another embodiment of a portion of a dispensing vending device, FIG. 14 is a portion of a portion of the vending device that selectively dispenses one of the plurality of packages according to FIG. FIG. 15 is a detailed side view of another embodiment of a vending machine for selectively dispensing one of a plurality of packages constructed in accordance with the present invention. is there.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a vending machine 2 having an outer housing 3 having a main door 4 is shown. A customer take-out door 5 is arranged below the door 4, while a visual glass 6 is arranged above. Selection switch 8 labeled coin receiver 7 near visual glass 6
And are installed.

2 and 3, a cabinet 10 of the apparatus is shown with a freezer compartment 12 located at the bottom. The freezer compartment 12 has an open top covered by a slide panel 14 arranged on a slide door track 15, the slide panel 14 comprising:
A thermal barrier is provided to keep the cooled environment in the freezer compartment 12 at 0 ° to -20 ° F. The cooled environment is provided by a cooling system 16 located at the bottom of the equipment cabinet.

An xy beam 18 is suspended above the slide panel 14 and outside the freezer compartment 12 between y rails 20 mounted opposite each other near the top of the side 22 of the cabinet. . The beam 18 has ball bearing rollers 22 supported on y-rails 20 at both ends. X-guide rails 24 are disposed on both longitudinal edges of the xy beam 18 which carries another ball bearing roller 26 mounted on an xy carriage 28. The lateral movement of the xy carriage 28 is achieved by the xy beam.
It is performed by an X motor 30 which is suspended at a predetermined position on the lower side of 18. The xy carriage 28 and the X motor 30 are xy
Connections can be made in a variety of ways, such as by an endless chain engaging toothed sprockets (not shown) provided on both carriage 28 and X motor 30. The movement of the xy beam 18 is similarly performed by disposing the Y motor 32 that drives the Y axis 34. The Y-axis 34 has, at each end, a gear 35 that meshes with a rack 37 having teeth. The positions of the xy carriage 28 and the xy beam 18 are defined by an X position sensor 36 and a Y position sensor 38, respectively, which are disposed adjacent the freezer compartment 12 of the present invention. The distance measurements are supplied to an automatic control system 40 which controls and coordinates all the movements of the. The above arrangement for positioning the xy carriage 28 above the correct dispensed product is:
Collectively, it can be referred to as an xy positioning means.

A blower motor 42 is housed between the apparatus cabinet 10 and the freezer compartment 12. A flexible air hose 44 is connected to the blower motor 42, and the other end of the air hose 44 is connected to an xy carriage 28 consisting of an air conduit 46. The xy carriage 28 is a hose that extends downward from the carriage and is longitudinally compressible.
It has a picker guide tube 48 accommodating 50,
The hose 50 preferably self-retracts to the normal compression position. The picker guide tube 48 has an z-origin (origi) on its outer surface, the purpose of which is described in more detail below.
n) Sensor 51 is attached.

The hose 50 has an upper end connected to the air conduit 46 and a lower end provided with a picker head 52. Picker head 52
Comprises a counterweight against a sudden end closing vacuum and has a generally cylindrical upper portion 53 with a frustoconical lower end 55 for reasons explained below.
A Z motor 54 mounted on the xy carriage 28 is attached to a Z reel 56 around which two Z cables 58 are wound.
The cable 58 is a Z reel 56 that is rotated by the Z motor 54.
Z-pulley 60 that is wound around and then aligned with cable 58
Through which the cables 58 are equidistant from each other and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide tube 48. The cable 58 is attached to the top of the picker head 52 and can be provided with a cable slack removal system utilizing a spring attached to a counterweight or slidable pulley. Instead of using two cables on the outside of the air hose 50, it is possible to use a single cable extending in the air hose 50 with a common axis.

Next, referring to FIG. 8-10, the picker head
A through hole 62 is formed in the center of 52. The hole 62 is tapered from a wide inner cone guide 63 near the upper portion of the picker head 52 to a portion having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the hose 50. The hose 50 is attached to the interior of the hole 62 by any of a number of suitable means including clamps, friction, screws or glue. Picker head
A package sensor ring 64 is arranged around the rear end of the hole 62 at the terminal end of 52. A flexible circular rubber gasket 66 is attached to the outside of the sensor ring 64 to better conform to the shape of the package during operation of the present invention. The sensor ring 64 can be substantially rigid. Alternatively, the sensor ring 64 may be formed from a flexible air hose to provide a shock absorbing function during the product removal operation so that the product is pushed, for example, by sudden movement or accidental contact with an adjacent article. Even when shaken or shaken, it can promote the formation of a perfect air seal between the product and the rubber gasket 66. In this alternative embodiment, the sensing function normally performed by the sensor ring 64 is performed by a moveable plunger switch that is co-axially located within the bore 62 of the picker head 52 and extends below the rubber gasket 66. it can.

2 and 3, the xy carriage 28 is secured to a sliding panel cable 68 which is a closed loop cable. The cable 68 winds around a series of sliding door pulleys 70 and is secured to the sliding panel 14.
The cable 68 is arranged with the pulley 7-so that the sliding panel 14 slides from the upper closed position behind the track 15 when the xy carriage 28 is moved towards the rear of the cabinet 10. Has been done. When the xy carriage 28 is moved rearward toward a starting position proximate to the front of the cabinet 10, the sliding panel 14 is also moved rearward to the closed position.

4-7, one embodiment of a cartridge 72 that may be used in connection with the present invention is shown. The cartridge 72 has a substantially rectangular wall 73 and a floor 75.
With one open end, and a frozen food package inside
74 will be placed. With particular reference to FIGS. 5 and 7, different sized packages 74 can be centered within a standard sized cartridge 72 by using a package positioner 76, the positioner having a predetermined location. Can be fixed to the cartridge or can be removably inserted into a receiving means (not shown) in the cartridge 72. The use of cartridges to hold packages can be easily pre-loaded in a central position in the manner of an assembly line, new stocking can be done more quickly, and packages with more shapes and sizes. A number of advantages can be gained such that the body 74 can be properly placed in the same basic outer unit.

Referring to FIGS. 11-14, there is shown another embodiment of covering the open top of the freezer compartment 12. One embodiment shown in FIG. 11 has a multi-member cover 78 constituted by a large number of panel members 80 that slide above or below adjacent panel members 80. The cover 82 of FIG. 12 is composed of a plurality of hinged members 84, the members 84 being adapted to be folded with respect to each other. The cover 86 of FIG. 13 is
It is a single unit connected to the freezer compartment 12 by at least one hinge 88. In this example,
The cover 86 is opened by an arcuate movement in the vertical direction, and this movement is performed only by a separate motor or by the cover 86.
Can be started by a separate motor acting to partially open, and then by a mechanical link (not shown) depending from and cooperating with the xy beam 18. The cover 90 in FIG. 14 is a single flexible member that slides on the track 15.

At the time of use, the customer inserts money into the money receiver 7,
The selection switch 8 is selected. The automatic control system 40 determines the correct stack of packages and activates the X-motor 30 for xy
The carriage 28 is moved from left to right to a position corresponding to the deposit. When the xy carriage 28 reaches the correct position, the M motor 30 is turned off, moving the entire xy beam 18 which moves the xy carriage 28 forward or backward.
The motor 32 is started. The sliding panel 14 attached to the xy carriage 28 by the cable 68 opens to the xy beam 18 in proportion to the backward travel. At the end of the full opening cycle, the sliding panel 14 closes following the forward movement of the xy beam 18. When the xy beam 18 reaches the x, y coordinates of the selected package, the Y motor 32 is turned off and the Z motor 54 is activated. This causes the reel 56 to rotate, unwind the Z cable 58, and lower the picker head 52 into the freezer compartment 12. When the picker head 52 enters a given cartridge 72, it is guided by the frustoconical lower end and contacts the wall 73 of the cartridge.
Therefore, when the X motor 30 and the Y motor 32 operate so as to position the picker head 52 above the cartridge, the frustoconical lower end 55 positions the picker head 52 correctly and the cartridge position is not aligned. To compensate.
Similarly, the upper end 53 of the picker head 52 contacts the wall 73 of the cartridge as it descends, thus providing a uniform cross section of a constant length sufficient to prevent the picker head 52 from tilting to one side. Have. Rubber gasket 66
When any part of the above contacts the package, the package sensor ring 64 is activated and the Z motor 54 is turned off. The blower motor 42 is turned on to suck up the package against the rubber gasket 66. Then, the Z motor 54 is reversed to wind the Z cable 58 around the Z reel 56 and lift the picker head 52 together with the package from the freezer compartment 12. The picker head 52 is pulled up around the guide tube 48 by a tapered inner conical guide until the Z origin sensor 51 is activated and the Z motor 54 is turned off.

The Y motor 32 is then activated in reverse until the xy beam 18 is returned to its original position and the sliding panel 14 is simultaneously closed. When the Y motor 32 and the blower motor 42 are deactivated, the package is opened and falls behind the customer's take-out door 5. The X motor 30 is driven in reverse until the xy carriage 28 is returned to its original position, which completes the entire operating cycle.

When the cartridge 72 is empty, the automatic control system 40 that monitors the picker head lowering from the signal received from the lowering measuring means (not shown) excludes the empty cartridge from the inventory,
By reversely operating the Z motor 54, the picker head 52
Is returned, the picker head 52 is repositioned above another cartridge 72, and the steps described above are continued. The contents of the inventory that determines the arrangement of the packages are stored in the automatic control system 40. The data as to which cartridge 72 correlates with which select switch 8 is programmed by the operator, for example during a week's loading. When the loading is completed or one of the machines is stopped, the automatic control system 40
Sends the picker head 52 downward into each cartridge 72 and determines whether it has any content, depending on the signal sent or not sent by the sensor ring 64.

The above embodiments are merely examples, and many modifications and changes can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the blower motor 42 can be attached to the XY carriage 28, as shown in FIG. All such modifications and changes are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-1-317929 (JP, A) JP-A-61-214093 (JP, A) JP-A-55-157091 (JP, A) JP-A-53- 57899 (JP, A) (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G07F 11/00 G07F 9/10

Claims (32)

(57) [Claims] 1. An outer cabinet (10), a storage means (3) having a freezing compartment (12) in the outer cabinet (10), and a freezing compartment (12) of the outer cabinet (10). A heat separation means (1 to selectively separate from the rest of the interior
4) and a package take-out means (3) for performing a package take-out cycle for selectively taking out a predetermined package (74) from the freezing compartment (12).
0, 32, 42, 44, 50, 52, 54, 66), and the package take-out means engages the picked-up package with the picker head (52), and the picker head in the storage means. Drive means (30, 32, 54) for moving the heat separation means (14) to and from the storage means, and further, opening means for alternately activating and deactivating the heat separating means (14) before and after the package take-out cycle. (32, 68, 70) and a plurality of packages comprising: the opening means (32, 68, 70) and the control means (40) for controlling the drive means of the package extraction means in response to the customer's selection. (74) In an automatic vending device that selectively distributes one of the (74), the heat separating means is arranged substantially horizontally on the freezing compartment, and the package take-out means is arranged in the freezing compartment. A drive that is located outside and is always outside the freezer compartment during the package take-out cycle Vending apparatus characterized by having a 42). 2. An outer cabinet (10), a storage means (3) having a freezing compartment (12) in the outer cabinet (10), and the freezing compartment (12) in the outer cabinet (10). A heat separation means (1 to selectively separate from the rest of the interior
4) and a package take-out means (3) for performing a package take-out cycle for selectively taking out a predetermined package (74) from the freezing compartment (12).
0, 32, 42, 44, 50, 52, 54, 63, 66), and the package take-out means stores a picker head (52) that engages with a package to be taken out, and the picker head. Drive means (30, 32, 54) for moving into and out of the storage means, and further, the heat separation means (14) is alternately activated and deactivated before and after the package take-out cycle. A plurality of opening means (32, 68, 70) and control means (40) for controlling the opening means (32, 68, 70) and the drive means of the package take-out means in response to the customer's selection. In an automatic vending device that selectively distributes one of the packages (74), the drive means (30, 32, 54) is arranged outside the freezing compartment and is always frozen during the package take-out cycle. An automatic vending machine that is located outside the room. 3. An outer cabinet (10), a storage means (3) having a freezing compartment (12) in the outer cabinet (10), and the freezing compartment (12) of the outer cabinet (10). A heat separation means (1 to selectively separate from the rest of the interior
4) and a package take-out means (3) for performing a package take-out cycle for selectively taking out a predetermined package (74) from the freezing compartment (12).
0, 32, 42, 44, 50, 52, 54, 63, 66), and the package take-out means stores a picker head (52) that engages with a package to be taken out, and the picker head. Opening that comprises drive means (30, 32, 54) for moving into and out of the storage means, and that activates and deactivates the heat separation means (14) alternately before and after the package unloading cycle. A plurality of packages comprising means (32, 68, 70) and control means (40) for controlling the opening means (32, 68, 70) and the drive means of the package take-out means in response to the customer's selection. In a vending machine that selectively dispenses one of the bodies (74), the picker head (52) moves within the freezer compartment substantially along one directional axis during a package unloading cycle. An automatic vending machine characterized by that. 4. The picker head (52) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the picker head (52) moves in the freezing compartment along substantially one directional axis during a package removal cycle. The described vending machine. 5. The drive means (30, 32, 54) for moving the picker head (52) is arranged outside the freezing compartment (12) and is always located outside the freezing compartment. The automatic vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that all mechanical, electromechanical or electronic parts are located outside the storage means (3) during successive package unloading cycles. The automatic vending machine according to any one of 1. 7. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit (42) of the package take-out means has a blower motor. 8. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the drive section (42) of the package take-out means has a suction means. 9. The package take-out means positions the picker head horizontally above a predetermined package x-.
9. Y-direction positioning means (18, 28, 35, 37) is provided, Any one of Claim 1 thru | or 8 characterized by the above-mentioned.
Vending machine according to paragraph. 10. The package unloading means has z-direction positioning means (58) for selectively moving the picker head (52) up and down above a predetermined package, according to claim 1. 10. The automatic vending machine according to any one of items 9 to 9. 11. The opening means (32, 68, 70) is the x-
11. The vending machine according to claim 9 or 10, which is driven by y-direction positioning means (18, 28, 35, 37). 12. The package take-out means has a guide tube (48) for operatively connecting the picker head (52) and a drive section (42) of the package take-out means. The automatic vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11. 13. The package take-out means has a longitudinally compressible hose that operatively connects the picker head (52) and a drive section (42) of the package take-out means. Any one of claims 1 to 11
Vending machine according to paragraph. 14. The packaging removal means according to claim 1, further comprising at least one cable (58) provided with a slack correcting means. Vending machine. 15. The package take-out means has at least one cable extending in the package take-out means with a common axis.
The vending machine according to any one of paragraphs. 16. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a part of the package take-out means is compressible in a longitudinal direction. 17. The picker head (52) according to claim 1, wherein the picker head (52) has a flexible tubular element (64) terminating in a package engaging tip (66).
The vending machine according to any one of 16 items. 18. The freezing compartment (12) for the heat separating means.
Of the freezing compartment (12) and an open position in which at least a part of the upper opening of the freezing compartment (12) can be accessed. The automatic vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 17. 19. The heat separating means is at least one panel portion (1) slidably mounted on the storing means (3).
Claims 1 to 18 characterized in that it has 4)
The vending machine according to any one of paragraphs. 20. The heat separating means comprises at least one panel (86), said panel being hingedly attached to said storage means (3) so that at least one panel is opened by said opening means. Claim 1 characterized by performing a circular arc motion in the vertical direction when moving.
Item 19. The automatic vending machine according to any one of items 1 to 18. 21. The heat separation means (14) comprises at least one panel (84), the at least one panel being compressible such that the heat separation means compresses the at least one panel. The automatic vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 18, which is opened by the action of the opening means at times. 22. The heat separating means (14) has a plurality of panel members (80), the opening means of the panel members expanding the panel members to cover or compress the storage means (3). The first and second embodiments are slidably connected to each other adjacent to the longitudinal edges so that the packages can be exposed to the package removal means by stacking them on top of each other. 19. The automatic vending machine according to any one of 18 to 18. 23. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the heat separating means (14) is made of a flexible material. 24. The heat separating means (14) is opened by the movement of the package take-out means (42, 44, 50, 52, 66). Either one
Vending machine according to paragraph. 25. The picker head according to claim 1, wherein the picker head has a frustoconical lower part (55).
24. The vending machine according to any one of 24. 26. The picker head according to claim 1, further comprising a counterweight means (52) for resisting an upward force in a vertical direction applied to the picker head by sudden end closing vacuum pressure. Item 25. The vending machine according to any one of items 25. 27. The picker head is connected to the z-direction positioning means by an air hose (50) that is compressible in the longitudinal direction, so that the picker head can move without interrupting the connection. 11. The vending machine according to claim 10, characterized in that. 28. The method further comprises a gasket formed of a flexible material attached to the picker head (52) so as to seal an air gap between the picker head (52) and a predetermined package. 28. The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 27, which is characterized. 29. The package pick-up means further comprises a sensing means (64) for sensing a contact between the picker head (52) and the package (74). Item 29. The automatic vending apparatus according to any one of items 28 to 28. 30. The vending machine according to claim 29, wherein said sensing means further comprises a cable slack sensor. 31. A cartridge (72) for accommodating at least one stack of packages (74), said cartridge being arranged inside said storage means (3). The vending machine according to any one of items 1 to 30. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the cartridge is removable and has a bottom floor (75) that supports the package during loading and unloading of the cartridge from the device. Vending machine.