Device for automatically supplying drinks and foodstuffs

Claim 1

A device for dispensing products such as foodstuffs in locations such as hotel rooms, said device comprising: a receptacle assembly having therein a plurality of receptacles arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of said receptacles adapted to contain therein a product, said receptacle assembly being modular and comprising: two symmetrical opposite lateral end elements spaced and positioned parallel to each other, each said end element having thereon inwardly facing slide elements; a plurality of intermediate partition elements arranged parallel to each other and parallel to said end elements, each said partition element having thereon oppositely facing slide elements; said end elements and partition elements being laterally spaced to provide a desired said plurality of columns, a plurality of groups of shelves positioned between each pair of adjacent partition elements and between each end element and adjacent partition element, each said shelf fitting on said slide elements, the shelves of each group being spaced, and the spacing between shelves of each of said plurality of groups being the same, thus providing a desired said plurality of rows; and said end elements, partition elements and shelves defining therebetween said plurality of receptacles, each said receptacle having a product withdrawal opening; means for cooling at least a portion of said rows of receptacles; each said receptacle having a swingable door pivotably connected thereto to pivot from a first position blocking the respective opening thereof to a second position unblocking said opening thereof and whereat a product contained in said receptacle may be withdrawn; electrical detection means associated with each of said doors for detecting movement thereof from said first position to said second position and for producing an electric signal representative of such movement, said detection means of each said receptacle being codified to produce an electric signal weighted to represent the value of the product in said each receptacle; and electronic circuit means, operatively connected to all of said detection means, for receiving said signals from said detection means and for accumulating said signals as a record of consumption of products from said assembly.

Claim 2

A device for dispensing products such as foodstuffs in locations such as hotel rooms, said device comprising: a receptacle assembly having therein a plurality of receptacles arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of said receptacles adapted to contain therein a product, said receptacle assembly being modular and comprising: two symmetrical opposite lateral end elements spaced and positioned parallel to each other, each said end element having thereon inwardly facing slide elements; a plurality of intermediate partition elements arranged parallel to each other and parallel to said end elements, each said partition element having thereon oppositely facing slide elements; said end elements and partition elements being laterally spaced to provide a desired said plurality of columns, a plurality of groups of shelves positioned between each pair of adjacent partition elements and between each end element and adjacent partition element, each said shelf fitting on said slide elements, the shelves of each group being spaced, and the spacing between shelves of each of said plurality of groups being the same, thus providing a desired said plurality of rows; and said end elements, partition elements and shelves defining therebetween said plurality of receptacles, each said receptacle having a product withdrawal opening; means for cooling at least a portion of said rows of receptacles; each said receptacle having a swingable door pivotably connected thereto to pivot from a first position blocking the respective opening thereof to a second position unblocking said opening thereof and whereat a product contained in said receptacle may be withdrawn; electrical detection means associated with each of said doors for detecting movement thereof from said first position to said second position and for producing an electric signal representative of such movement, said detection means of each said receptacle being codified to produce an electric signal weighted to represent the value of the product in said each receptacle; and electronic circuit means, operatively connected to all of said detection means, for receiving said signals from said detection means and for accumulating said signals as a record of consumption of products from said assembly.