CN1759425A - Vending machine for dispensing bags - Google Patents

Abstract

Vending machine (10) houses two rows of four stacks of bags (13), differing in material or size. On coin actuation, bag (13) on the top of a selected stack is gripped by suction cup (27) and moved so that it falls into compartment (14), from where it is externally accessible. Suction cup (27) is movable, by a pneumatic ram, to-and -fro along horizontal arm (24) to grip, say, bag (13) of a rear stack and bring it forward so that it can be deposited in compartment (14). Arm (24), in turn, is movable up or down vertical arm (36) that, in turn, is movable horizontally along guide track (28) so that different stacks can be accessed.

Description

Vending machine for dispensing bags

technical field

The present invention relates to dispensing machines, and more particularly to automatic vending machines for dispensing merchandise to customers in response to payment for the merchandise.

Background technique

Currently, most Australian retailers offer non-biodegradable plastic bags that end up in landfill or waste. Some of these bags are recycled in supermarket collection bins, but this represents a very small percentage of the total number of bags used.

Australians throw away 6 million plastic bags every year. That equates to 12,000 bags being discarded a minute, most of which are thrown away after one use.

Plastic bags clog drains and kill thousands of seabirds, marine mammals and fish every year. Turtles, dolphins and orcas have died from intestinal blockages after eating them thinking they were jellyfish.

Plastic bags pollute curbside recycling, which can remain in the environment for thousands of years without breaking down and presents a landfill problem.

There has long been debate about the use of plastic bags but little action. Most supermarket chains have already adopted the practice of asking customers if they want a bag. They have designed chintz bags and experimented with box systems.

15分(26分)塑料袋税，已经削减了95％的丢弃袋子数。This dynamic of change is constructive. Introduced by Ireland in March 2002

The 15-cent (out of 26) plastic bag tax has cut the number of bags discarded by 95%.

Federal governments in several countries have warned that they will consider taxing or seizing plastic bags if consumers do not reduce their use of plastic bags.

Recent surveys have shown that about 70% of consumers are concerned about plastic bags damaging the environment.

There are options available. One is a biodegradable plastic bag that contains cobalt inside. Cobalt decomposes plastic within 1 to 3 years. The other is a bag of cornstarch that biodegrades in 4 to 6 weeks.

There are a variety of systems available for dispensing merchandise purchased from vending machines.

A system is provided for selling products such as beverages and other food products, preferably individually packaged, in response to product selections made by a customer at a remote location, from a storage unit to a customer terminal at the remote location, via Pneumatic conduit conveying equipment that moves product from a storage section to a distribution unit at a remote location for sale. For example, at gas stations, the system can sell food, beverages or car care products to customers by billing them in a fuel billing system that includes credit card readers integrated with self-service fuel pumps to process fuel purchases. The product is preferably moved by means of a conveyor within a reusable carrier or within its own product packaging container used as a carrier.

Another system uses an existing product vending machine as a storage and loading device with an interface unit that replaces the vending machine door for a pneumatic vending and transfer system. The product dispensing terminal is connected to the storage and loading device via the conveying tube of the pneumatic conveyor, the storing and loading device comprising a loading mechanism configured to load the products dispensed by the dispensing mechanism into the conveying tube. The pneumatic conveyor includes a counterpressure source operable to apply a counterpressure to the product within the conveyor tube to gradually decelerate the product passing through the tube to the product dispensing terminal. The gate is selectively movable into or out of the product path proximate the outlet end of the transfer tube to stop product decelerated by the back pressure source and to release the stopped product for transfer to the product at the product dispensing terminal. customer. The loading mechanism includes a movable element connected at one end to the blower and including an opening portion configured to receive the product dispensed by the dispensing mechanism and to replace it with the received product positioned between the blower and the tube. Seal the inlet end of the transfer tube. The movable member is preferably a barrel member pivotally mounted so as to be movable between an open position for receiving product dispensed by the dispensing mechanism and a closed position closing off the inlet of the delivery tube.

Bag and bag storage dispensers are also known. They usually include a housing that is secured to a mounting surface, preferably on the inside of a kitchen cabinet door. The housing has an integral frame that supports the wrapper or bag or other planar object during storage. The frame depends from a vertical base that mounts directly to the mounting surface. Horizontal support panels extend outwardly from the door and base. Auxiliary support panels may also extend outwardly from the door and plinth. The auxiliary plate extends parallel below the main support plate. Each plate includes at least one elongated hole through its surface, and there may be more than one. The holes are preferably parallel to each other and perpendicular to the base. An extension leg extends outwardly from each hole toward the base. Each leg has a foot at one end which secures the leg to the board. The foot includes a follower that moves within the bore. The other end of the leg includes a tip, the resilient end facing the surface of the cabinet door or other base attachment. The push member ensures that each leg is properly pushed against the cabinet door or other essential accessory surface.

Simpler distributors are known. One such dispenser is a dispenser comprising an upper surface and a front surface, with a cut-out therebetween, with a slit extending from the side of the cut-out along the front surface. A stack of plastic bags or sheets of plastic to be picked is placed in the dispenser and the bags are drawn out one at a time by grabbing the topmost one through the cutouts and pulling outward through the cutouts and slits.

There are also automatic bag systems for supermarket checkouts. These machines usually have some form of heat sealer for the operation involving the roll of plastic that forms the surrounding portion of the bag located inside the machine.

All of the above dispensers typically dispense disposable plastic bags. As mentioned above, these bags present or cause environmental problems. None of the above dispensers are suitable for dispensing reusable bags.

Contents of the invention

The present invention relates to a vending machine for dispensing bags which at least partially overcomes the above disadvantages or provides consumers with an advantageous or economical choice.

In its broadest form, the invention resides in a vending machine for dispensing bags comprising: an enclosure having an interior and an exterior; a storage compartment for storing bags located within the interior of the enclosure; a dispensing chamber accessible from outside the housing; a suction device arranged to allow movement between the storage chamber and the dispensing chamber, the suction device being adapted to grab a bag stored in the storage chamber and hold it during the movement and a control device for controlling the movement of the suction device.

It is particularly preferred to dispense paper or other types of reusable bags with a dispenser according to the invention. However, the invention in its broadest form may be used for dispensing other types of bags, such as high density polyethylene woven bags. Other types of bags distributed may be, alternatively or in addition to the types described above, such as bags made of calico or other types of cloth, or bags comprising biodegradable materials.

In one form, the invention resides in a vending machine for dispensing paper bags comprising: a housing having an interior and an exterior; a storage compartment for storing paper bags located within the interior of the housing; a dispensing chamber accessible from the outside of the housing; a suction device arranged to allow movement between said storage chamber and said dispensing chamber, said suction device being adapted to grasp a paper bag stored in said storage chamber, during movement holding and releasing the paper bag into the dispensing chamber; and control means for controlling movement of said suction means.

In another form, the invention resides in a paper bag vending machine for dispensing paper bags comprising: a housing having an interior and an exterior; a storage compartment for storing bags located within the interior of the housing; a a dispensing chamber accessible from the outside of the housing; a mobile bag device arranged to allow movement between the storage chamber and the dispensing chamber, the mobile bag device being adapted to grasp the sub-bags stored in the storage chamber; a bag to hold the sub-pouch during movement and to release the sub-pouch into the dispensing chamber; and control means for controlling the movement of said moving bag means.

In use, the vending machine may be located in a supermarket and a user may approach the machine to insert money. This will activate the suction unit which will then move to dispense the number of bags corresponding to the fee paid by the user. Money or fees paid by users can initiate a distribution cycle. The machine is especially concerned with the dispensing of bags, as they are stronger than low-density polyethylene plastic bags, which are easily deformed and may even be damaged by suction devices. Plastic bags can also cause clogging of the suction device.

The housing is preferably rectangular in shape having a front wall, two opposing side walls, a rear wall, a base and an upper wall. At least a portion of the front wall may suitably be transparent.

The interior of the housing can be divided into upper and lower parts. Preferably the upper part can accommodate storage compartments and necessary devices, while the lower part can accommodate motors or devices for generating energy. This is advantageous for the appearance of the machine, especially if the front wall of the machine is transparent. The front wall may comprise more than one panel. Each upper and lower portion has at least one plate.

According to a preferred embodiment, the front wall may comprise 3 panels, an upper front panel, a middle front panel and a lower front panel. The central front panel may preferably be or include an access door for accessing the interior of the upper part of the machine. The lower front wall may preferably be or include an access door for accessing the interior of the lower part of the machine.

Typically the housing can be manufactured from a light but strong material such as metal, obviously except for the transparent part. These can be manufactured from engineering plastics to maintain strength and remain transparent. The enclosure may have a structural frame to which the walls may be mounted. The frame basically provides all the strength and rigidity to the machine, making it lightweight yet strong.

At least one of the front, rear or side walls may suitably have an access panel or door to allow access to the interior of the machine. This is necessary for maintenance of the machine or for loading of bags. The door can be suitably hinged and the door can occupy all or part of the wall. The door is burglar-proof and lockable. There can be more than one door.

For example, there may typically be a door or access panel to allow users to enter the dispensing chamber. The door need not be located on the rear or side walls, but is preferably located on the front wall of the enclosure. The door is preferably only openable during the dispensing cycle and closed at all other times.

The casing may contain one or more reinforcements to reduce damage to the casing and also to increase the safety of the machine. For example, the corners of the housing may be reinforced to prevent damage to them, or the housing may be reinforced around any access panels to facilitate locking of the housing.

The housing can be suitably mounted on wheels or casters to allow easier movement of the machine. Wheels prevent movement of the machine when it is not expected. Such secure wheels are known and any type can be used.

For example, the housing may be fitted with lifting lugs to allow it to be moved with a lifting device or fork lift. Assuming the machine is quite heavy, the lugs may need to be lifted.

The storage compartment may suitably be rectangular or box-like in shape with an open top into which the suction means may extend. There may be more than one storage chamber within each machine, and if this is the case, the storage chambers may accommodate bags of different sizes.

The storage compartment can be suitably shaped to suit the shape of the bag to be stored and dispensed. It is contemplated that multiple bags of different shapes could be used with the machine.

Part of the storage compartment may suitably be transparent so that an indication of the contents of the bags placed therein can be obtained from outside the machine. Other parts of the storage compartment can generally be manufactured from a strong material such as metal.

The storage compartment may suitably not be in close abutment with the bag. The chamber walls may be spaced a small distance from the edge of the bag. The spacing should not be too large to prevent the bags from drifting during movement.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the storage compartment may comprise a base, a front wall and an opposite rear wall, and two opposite side walls. The base can have a movable base or a movable plate that can move up and down and is located on the base. Bags can be properly placed on the removable tray during loading of the storage compartment. The movable disc can be moved upwards by providing a spring or other type of elastic means when the bag is in use. The movement of the disc can be controlled. The disc can be moved upwards in small increments as the bag is dispensed to allow the bag to remain in position attached to the suction device until the storage compartment is empty.

The movable disc can move the bag towards the suction device.

In another embodiment, the base may be fixed and the suction device may be moved within the storage compartment towards the bag. The suction device may be a suction cup or a suction powered clamp or pliers.

A suction device may be associated with the movable arm assembly. The arm assembly may be an extendable arm member associated with a suction cup, a substantially vertical positioning arm and guide means or rails for positioning the arm. The extendable arm member is adapted to extend through or into the storage compartment.

The extendable arm element is fixed in length and the suction cup is extended due to the operation of the pneumatic ram. A pneumatically operable suction cup is movable back and forth along the length of the extendable arm member. The arm member extends in a direction perpendicular to the machine front wall and is preferably long enough to allow the suction cups to extend to any bag in the storage compartment.

The arm element may also be associated with a substantially vertical positioning arm. The arm element can move up and down on the positioning arm so as to follow the height of the bag in the storage compartment.

Positioning arms can be associated with guide rails to allow simple movement across the width of the storage device. The guide rails may be provided with stops at the extremities of movement to prevent movement beyond these boundaries. The guide rail is preferably associated with the upper region of the upper part of the machine. The positioning arm can suitably depend from the guide rail.

The combination of the three parts of the arm assembly allows the suction device to move along the three axes of the storage chamber and reach each bag disposed therein.

The suction device may be associated with grippers with enhanced contours to assist in gripping or moving the bag.

The movable discs in the storage compartment can be suitably moved using compressed air or pneumatics. Other methods of movement are conceivable, for example hydraulics. A pneumatic ram may be applied to the movement of the disc.

The storage compartment can be removed from the housing.

This may allow the storage compartment to be more easily loaded with bags and thus refilled. The storage compartment can be mounted on wheels which ensure that any unintended movement of the storage compartment is prevented.

The storage compartment can be loaded with bags in a horizontal, flat position. This position may allow the suction device to more easily grasp and hold the bag. Alternatively, the bag may be folded to provide a more stable unit for lifting or grasping. Bags can be associated with any number of packages if desired. The packs may be held together using any means, but packs in cardboard or the like are particularly preferred.

The dispensing compartment may suitably be located within the housing at a location proximate to the storage compartment. It can be arranged such that the bag provided in the storage compartment is not accessible even through any access door of the housing. This prevents loss of the bag.

The access door to the dispensing chamber (if provided) may only be open for a portion of the dispensing cycle. At all other times, the access door may be closed in the final step of the dispense cycle to ensure the access door is in the closed position. Preferably, the dispensing cycle is not initiated when the access door is open. There may be a "cutout" switch to prevent operation of the machine when the door is open.

The shape of the dispensing compartment may be such as to allow easy access to the bag located therein when the user opens the access door. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the dispensing chamber is arranged between the central front wall part and the lower front wall part. The dispensing chamber may have a curved base wall adapted to prevent any bag removed from the storage chamber from falling into the housing and to ensure user access to the bag removed from the storage chamber.

The shape of the dispensing portion may be such that it is accessible from the front of the machine, but prevents a user from entering the interior of the machine to obtain the pouches disposed therein. The dispensing chamber may have curved walls positioned towards the base of the housing to allow any bags within the dispensing chamber to be directed downwards and forwards.

The suction device according to the invention may be any type of device that utilizes suction to grasp the bag. In particular, for grasping and holding the bag, suction air may be applied directly to the bag, or alternatively, suction may be applied to the closing jaws or other gripping means to grasp the bag. The suction means preferably comprise pneumatically operable suction cups. The suction cups are suitably manufactured from a resilient material such as rubber.

As before, the attachment of the suction device to the bag can be achieved by moving the bag towards the suction device or moving the suction device towards the bag. The suction device can be moved towards the bag using the extendable arm member into the storage chamber. The extendable arm element can be extended due to the action of a pneumatic head. A pneumatically operable suction cup may be located at the end of the extendable arm member.

The suction means may suitably be associated with rails or some other type of guiding means to allow easy movement between the storage compartment and the dispensing compartment. Rails or guides may have stops at the ends of motion to prevent motion beyond these boundaries. The suction device can be stopped or paused at various point locations along the guide rail. The position and movement of the adsorption device can be controlled.

The control means may suitably be associated with the means for receiving bag charges. The control means may be separate from the means for receiving the payment, but in use the two may be connected to allow the control means to initiate a dispensing cycle once the payment has been made. Proximity switches, photoelectric sensors can be associated with the control unit to allow correct positioning of the extraction unit relative to the storage and dispensing compartments.

The means for receiving payment may receive any form of payment including, but not limited to, credit cards, electronic funds transfer (EFT), coins, notes, or any combination of these. The means for receiving the charge can identify the amount of the charge and provide change if necessary. To give a level of control over the selection of the type and number of bags to be dispensed, a keypad or touch screen may be incorporated with the device.

If the machine contains bags of more than one size, the control means allows the user of the machine to select the desired bag size.

The control device preferably controls all moving parts of the machine, including: the suction device, the movable tray in the storage compartment (if applicable), the arm assembly combined with the suction device (if applicable), for receiving charges and making change , the means for opening the access door to the dispensing chamber, and the power supply for the machine including the air source used in the machine's pneumatics.

The control means may also control the movement and position of the adsorption means, preferably via a feedback control loop.

The control means suitably controls the machine so that the tasks required for dispensing the bags are performed in the desired form or sequence to complete the dispensing of the bags. The control device may be a programmable logic controller (PLC).

The control means may preferably comprise a MODEM in communication with the digital counting means. This component may allow the inventory level of bags in each dispensing machine and/or machine performance to be monitored from a remote location. The remote location may be a central location suitable for monitoring the number of bags in a number of machines distributed over an area.

Each dispensing machine is preferably equipped with a stock level indicator.

The dispensing machine is preferably coin actuated and includes control means for activating the suction means and any other internal operations of the dispensing machine in response to receiving an indication of the correct amount of money.

Preferably a pneumatic system is used to control the movement of the bags from the storage chamber to the dispensing chamber.

The pneumatic system is adapted to include a compressor that is activated in response to detection of receipt of the appropriate amount of charge and remains operable during each cycle of operation of the machine.

The bags used in the machine can be of any type suitable for flat packaging. Bags can be any size or type of paper, such as small, medium, or large bags, bags with integral handles, and wax-lined bags for moist and/or frozen foods.

In another form, the invention resides in a method for dispensing bags from a dispensing machine, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of bags in a storage compartment, receiving a charge for the bags from a user, operating a license to dispense bags in said storage compartment and a dispensing A suction device that moves between the chambers so that it grabs the bag stored in the storage chamber, the suction device holds the bag during the movement, and the suction device releases the bag into the distribution chamber for use by received by the user.

The step of receiving payment can take place at any stage of the process, and the payment can even be performed remotely.

As mentioned above, more than one type of bag can be obtained from one machine. One dispensing machine can dispense bags of different size options, as well as bags of different manufacturing material options, if appropriate. In particular, the storage chamber may have a plurality of chambers, each chamber storing a plurality of bags of different sizes and/or bags made of different materials. These bags of different sizes and materials can provide the user with an economical choice in the type of bag to purchase from the vending machine. The control device can control the operation of the suction device according to the user's selection of the bag desired by the user of the machine, and provide the bag to the user.

According to an alternative embodiment, the storage compartment of the machine may be in the form of a rotatable carousel. The carousel can store multiple bags or groups of bags in or on it. The carousel may suitably be an indexing carousel, and the movement of the carousel may bring the bag or groups of bags into alignment with the suction means. The suction device can then move the bag or group of bags from the carousel to the dispensing chamber. The carousel may have one or more vertically arranged upper and lower levels, and the suction device may be adapted to move bags or groups of bags from any position within either level. Preferably, the suction device may be positioned towards the front of the machine and the carousel may be rotated to orient the bag or group of bags to be dispensed from the machine towards the suction device. The suction device then does not have to extend its movement distance around the machine in order to access the bag.

Any particular indexing device may be used to enable the angle conversion or control of the carousel. In particular rotary or linear actuators may be used to control the position or movement of the carousel.

The dispensing machine of the present invention may also preferably include an information screen located on the front or upper part of the machine. The information screen may suitably take the form of a playback device capable of playing pre-recorded messages, for example about damage caused by single-use plastic bags. In fact, information screens can be interactive. The information screen may display television or other signals as appropriate.

Description of drawings

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, showing the internal structure.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the vending machine of Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3 is a front view of the vending machine of Fig. 1 .

Fig. 4 is a side view of the vending machine of Fig. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the automatic vending machine of FIG. 1 as viewed from the rear.

Detailed ways

According to one aspect of the invention, a vending machine 10 is provided.

The vending machine 10, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a generally rectangular housing 11 having an interior and an exterior. A storage compartment 12 for storing bags 13 is located in the interior of the casing 11 towards the center of the machine. There are a plurality of storage sub-chambers 23, each for storing bags of different sizes or bags of different materials. The storage compartment 12 is located above the dispensing compartment, and the bags 13 taken out of the storage compartment 12 are placed in the dispensing compartment so that the bags 13 are accessible to users who purchase them.

A dispensing chamber 14 accessible from the outside of the housing 11 is provided adjacent to the storage chamber 12 . The adsorption device 15 is provided relative to the storage chamber 12 . The suction device 15 is movable between the storage chamber 12 and the distribution chamber 14 . The suction device 15 is adapted to go through a dispensing cycle in which it grabs the bag 13 stored in the storage chamber 12, holds the bag 13 during its movement from the storage chamber 12 to the dispensing chamber 14, and releases the bag 13 to the dispensing chamber. Room 14. Control means 16 are provided to control the movement of the adsorption means 15 .

Housing 11 is generally rectangular having a front wall 17 , two opposing side walls 18 , 19 , a rear wall 20 , a base 21 and an upper wall 22 . At least part of the front wall 17 is transparent to allow a user to view the operation of the machine 10 . The front wall is shown to comprise a plurality of sections, an upper front wall section 17a, a middle front wall section 17b and a lower front wall section 17c. The upper front wall portion 17a is associated with logos identifying the bags that are available and the companies that may sell the bags. As shown in Figure 1, the machine has a structural frame 32 to which the walls are connected and secured. This requires the walls to be relatively light, while the structural frame 32 provides the necessary strength and rigidity.

The front wall 17 has an access panel. Typically the entire middle front wall portion 17b is an access panel to allow access to the interior of the machine 10 to allow the loading of bags 13 . The entry panel 17b is hinged and occupies the entire middle front wall portion 17b. Access plate 17b is secured against theft and is lockable.

A further access panel 17c may be provided close to the lower part of the machine to allow access to the lower part of the machine. The machine including any motors, compressor 30 or vacuum pump is in the lower part of the machine. Also contained in the lower part of the machine is storage means for money and/or change to be provided. The lower part can also be equipped with side ventilation areas 33 to cool down the motors of the machine. These side ventilation areas 33 are removable to allow additional access to the lower part.

Housing 11 is mounted on wheels (not shown) to allow for easier movement of machine 10 . The wheels are secured to prevent movement of the wheels when not desired.

The storage chamber 12 is generally rectangular in shape with an open top into which the adsorption device 15 can extend. As shown in Figure 1 there is more than one storage chamber 12 in the machine, so that the storage chambers 12 can accommodate bags 13 of different sizes or made of different materials. The storage chamber comprises 4 sub-chambers 23 twice as deep as they are wide.

The storage compartment 12 has a base, a front wall and an opposite rear wall, and two opposite side walls. It also includes internal partition walls in order to divide the storage chamber 12 into a plurality of sub-chambers 23 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the base of the storage compartment is fixed and the suction device 15 is movable in the storage compartment 12 to the bag 13 .

The storage compartment 12 is detachable from the housing 11 . This makes it easier to load the storage compartment 12 with bags 13 . The entry door 17b is secured at the closed position. The dispensing cycle does not start when the access door 17b is open.

The bags 13 loaded in the storage chamber 12 are arranged in a horizontal, flat position. This position makes it easier for the suction device 15 to grasp and hold the bag 13 .

Dispensing chamber 14 is disposed within housing 11 at a position adjacent to storage chamber 12 .

A user may have access to the dispensing chamber 14 regardless of the portion of the dispensing cycle.

Dispensing chamber 14 is shaped to be accessible to a user. It is located between the middle front wall portion 17b and the lower front wall portion 17c. The dispensing chamber has a curved base wall adapted to prevent any bag removed from the storage chamber 12 from falling into the housing 11 and to ensure that the bag removed from the storage chamber is accessible to the user.

The dispensing portion 14 is shaped to be accessible from the front of the machine and prevents a user from entering the interior of the machine to obtain the bag disposed therein. The dispensing chamber 14 has curved walls disposed towards the base of the housing 11 in order to allow downward and forward guidance of any bag 13 within the dispensing chamber 14 .

The suction device 15 is a pneumatically operable suction cup 27 . The suction cup 27 is made of rubber.

The movable arm assembly is used to move the suction cup 27 towards the bag. The arm assembly includes an extendable arm member 24 associated with a suction cup 27 , a substantially vertical positioning arm 36 and guide means or rails 28 for positioning the arm 36 . The extendable arm member 24 is adapted to extend through or into the storage compartment 12 . The extendable arm element 24 is fixed in length and the suction cup 27 is extended due to the operation of the pneumatic ram. The pneumatically operable suction cup 27 is movable back and forth along the length of the extendable arm member 24 . The arm member 24 extends in a direction perpendicular to the front wall of the machine and is long enough to enable the suction cup 27 to reach any bag in the storage compartment 12 .

Arm member 24 is associated with a substantially vertical positioning arm 36 . The arm member 24 is movable up and down on the positioning arm 36 to follow the level of the bag in the storage compartment 12 .

Positioning arms 36 are associated with guide rails 28 to allow easy movement across the width of storage compartment 12 . The guide rails 28 are provided with stops at the extremities of movement to prevent movement beyond these boundaries.

The combination of the three parts of the arm assembly allows the suction device 27 to move along the three axes of the storage chamber 12 and to reach each bag arranged therein.

The control means 16 are associated with receiving payment means 29 for the bag 13 . The control means 16 are connected to means 29 for receiving payment, so that the control means 16 initiates a distribution cycle when payment of the charge is completed.

The pneumatic system operating the suction cup 27 and arm assembly includes a compressor 30 which is activated in response to detection of receipt of an appropriate amount charge and which may remain operational during each cycle of the machine.

In this specification and claims, the word "comprise" and its derivative word "comprising" include each stated integer, but do not exclude the inclusion of one or more other integers.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS 1. A vending machine for dispensing bags, comprising: a housing having an interior and an exterior; a storage compartment for storing bags located within said housing interior; a dispensing chamber accessible from the exterior of said housing a suction device arranged to allow movement between said storage chamber and said dispensing chamber, said suction device being adapted to grasp said bag stored in said storage chamber, hold said bag during movement, and releasing said bag into said dispensing chamber; and control means for controlling movement of said suction means. 2. The vending machine of claim 1, further comprising means for receiving payment for the bag prior to dispensing the bag, the dispensing cycle being initiated when payment is complete. 3. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said vending machine dispenses at least one bag selected from the group consisting of paper bags, high density polyethylene woven bags, printed Cloth bags, cloth bags and bags containing biodegradable materials. 4. A vending machine for dispensing paper bags, comprising: a housing having an interior and an exterior; a storage compartment for storing paper bags located within said housing interior; a dispensing chamber accessible from the exterior of said housing a suction device arranged to allow movement between said storage chamber and said dispensing chamber, said suction device being adapted to grasp said paper bag stored in said storage chamber, hold said paper bag during movement, and releasing a paper bag into said dispensing chamber; and control means for controlling movement of said suction means. 5. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said storage compartment comprises a base, a front wall and a rear wall opposite to said front wall, and two opposite side walls, said base and a The movable disc that is positioned above the base and can move up and down is connected. 6. The vending machine of claim 5, wherein said movable tray is positioned proximate to said base when said storage compartment is full and dispenses said bags in small increments An upward movement allows the bag to always be in position engaged with the suction device until the storage compartment is empty. 7. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said storage compartment includes more than one storage area, each of said storage areas accommodates bags of different sizes. 8. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the bags loaded in the storage chamber are arranged in a horizontal and flat position. 9. The automatic vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing chamber is provided with an access door, the access door is only opened for a part of the dispensing cycle, and the dispensing cycle is not closed when the access door is opened. run. 10. A vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said suction means is associated with a guide means to allow easy movement between said storage chamber and said dispensing chamber. 11. A vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means is associated with means for receiving a charge for the bag such that when payment of the charge is complete the control means initiates a dispensing cycle. 12. The vending machine of claim 1 wherein said control means includes communication means having digital counting means to enable monitoring of the level of storage of bags in the vending machine from a remote location. 13. A method for dispensing bags from a vending machine, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of bags in a storage compartment, receiving a charge for the bags from a user, operating a device allowing movement between said storage compartment and a dispensing compartment suction means for gripping said bag stored in said storage chamber, said suction means holds said bag during movement, and said suction means releases said bag into said dispensing chamber , to be charged by the user. 14. The vending machine of claim 1, further comprising an information screen located at the front of the vending machine, said information screen capable of playing pre-recorded information, such as about corrupted information.

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