Automatic cleaning at a self-service dispensing device
Methods are provided for automatic cleaning of gripper belts and rollers within a self-service dispensing device. In an embodiment, a cleaning station located in a storage bin of the dispensing device is used to perform the automatic cleaning. The cleaning station is retrofitted into an existing storage bin of the dispensing device. In another embodiment, an interactive slot mechanism of the dispensing device is modified to hold a cleaning case and provide cleaning fluid to clean the belts and/or rollers. In another embodiment, a cleaning case contains a reservoir of cleaning fluid and a pad saturated with the cleaning fluid to clean the internal belts and roller. Furthermore the cleaning case may contain an automatic lid to maintain saturation of the pads and to keep debris from the cleaning case itself.
1. A cleaning case for cleaning a dispensing device that dispenses items from fixed locations within the dispensing device, the fixed locations having at least one size and shape, the cleaning case sized and shaped according to a size of at least one fixed location and at least one product dispensable therefrom, the cleaning case comprising a hollow reservoir for holding a cleaning fluid and an abrasive pad within the hollow reservoir of the cleaning case the abrasive pad saturated with the cleaning fluid when the cleaning fluid is present, the cleaning case including and exposed only by at least one cleaning port that exposes the abrasive pad saturated with cleaning fluid to a dispensing surface to be cleaned, a number of cleaning ports including the at least one cleaning port and limited to a number of surfaces to be cleaned, each of the at least one cleaning ports sized according to a particular dispensing surface to be cleaned, the abrasive pad saturated with cleaning fluid present on a surface of the cleaning case where exposed by the at least one cleaning port to clean dispensing surfaces of the dispensing device, the cleaning case including at least one filling point to receive cleaning fluid to refill the cleaning case; and
wherein the abrasive pad includes a felt core configured to wick the cleaning fluid and a lightly abrasive nylon fabric that is exposed by the at least one cleaning port against the surfaces to be cleaned.