Vending machine for an aircraft
Nowadays on commercial aircrafts, meals and beverages are usually served by the on-board personnel on trays that are transported to the respective row of seats with the aid of trolleys. The present application describes a vending machine that comprises a magazine and a selector. The magazine is adapted for accommodating or storing a plurality of products. The dispensing of a product can be triggered by actuating the selector. Such a vending machine allows each passenger to choose the respective meal or beverage, as well as the time of its consumption. In addition, the vending machine according to the invention may simplify the on-board work such that the personnel costs can be reduced.
1. A vending machine for an aircraft for dispensing a first product of a plurality of products, comprising:
a magazine configured to accommodate the plurality of products, the products having at least two dimensions, the magazine having an outlet opening, a height and a width, the height and the width of the magazine corresponding to the two dimensions of the products, respectively, such that the products accommodated within the magazine have no degree of freedom of movement in a direction of the height or in a direction of the width of the magazine and having a degree of freedom of movement only in a longitudinal direction of the magazine, the magazine further having a top cover plate and at least one hinge connecting the top cover plate to the magazine, the top cover plate being closed when the magazine is inserted into the vending machine and the top cover plate being operable to be opened for loading the magazine;
a dispensing area at a distance from the magazine;
a movable mechanical product transport container operable to receive a first one of the products from the outlet opening of the magazine and configured to securely transport the first product inside the product transport container from the magazine to the dispensing area regardless of a first product's initial position in the magazine and notwithstanding vibrations of the machine or turbulence of the aircraft;
a plurality of guide devices positioned in the vending machine configured to enable motion of the mechanical product transport container in at least one of an up-down direction, a side-to-side direction and a front-to-back direction, the mechanical product transport container being operable to be guided by the guide devices to move in at least one of the up-down direction, the side-to-side direction and the front-to-back direction, the guide devices being rails along which the product transport container is movable, the rails respectively extending in the up-down, side-to-side and front-to-back directions; and
a selector for selecting the first product of the plurality of products, wherein the selector is operable such that actuation of the selector triggers exit of the first product from the outlet opening of the magazine and into the product transporting container and subsequent dispensing of the first product at the dispensing area.
2. The vending machine of claim 1 ,
wherein the magazine is exchangeable for another of the magazine without any additional appliances such that the vending machine can be loaded with new products in-flight.
3. The vending machine of claim 1 ,
wherein dimensions of the magazine correspond to a size of the first product such that the first product is prevented from falling out of the magazine.
4. The vending machine of claim 1 ,
wherein the magazine includes a screw conveyor rotatably supported within the magazine, the screw conveyor being rotatable to advance the first product from its initial position to the outlet opening of the magazine and into the product transport container.
5. The vending machine of claim 4 , further comprising:
a motor connected to the screw conveyor for rotating the screw conveyor.
6. The vending machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor operable for monitoring the dispensing area and for determining whether the first product is situated in the dispensing area.
7. The vending machine of claim 1 ,
wherein the selector comprises a touch screen having a surface with touch regions, and the touch screen is operable such that the first product in the magazine is selectable by touching a corresponding region on the surface of the touch screen which then corresponds to the first product.
8. The vending machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a payment unit operable to accept a means of payment from the group consisting of a disposable swipecard, a credit card, a value chip, cash and a boarding ticket and the payment unit is operable to cause operation of the selector and movement of the container.
9. An aircraft comprising the vending machine of claim 1 .
10. An aircraft, comprising:
a self-service area configured for accommodating the vending machine of claim 1 .
11. A method comprising a step of using the vending machine of claim 1 in an aircraft.