Device for displaying snack articles for sale

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to devices for displaying articles for sale.

Background of the invention

Vending machines or automats are widely used for providing snack foods. Where the physical appearance of the item to be sold is important, but there is still a high level of standardization, it is useful for the vending machine to include a window to allow viewing of the items therewithin. Typically, the items are arranged in rows or shelf elements and each item within the row or shelf element is substantially identical. A forwarding means is required to move each item along, so that as one item is vended, by being placed opposite a vending port, for example, the next item is brought up into its place.

Heated snacks, such as dough coated nuts, require carefully controlled conditions, and simple vending machines are thus unsuitable for storing and selling heated snacks.

Description of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that is suitable for heating and displaying heated snacks.

A first aspect relates to a device for displaying snack articles for sale or complimentary, said device comprising:

- a rotatable carousel comprising a plurality of compartments, such as three or more, each adapted for receiving a stack of snack containers;

- a housing adapted for covering a part of said carousel; wherein said carousel comprises:

- a base;

- a base plate comprising a centrally positioned hole or cut-out;

- an elongated metal tube, preferably of aluminium, copper, and mixtures thereof, with a tube wall defining a lumen, said tube being mounted vertically on said base plate such that its tube wall is flanking said hole or cut-out;

- an electrical heating element mounted on said base and extending through said hole or cut-out and into the lumen of said tube; and

- at least two protruding heat distribution plate elements, preferably of aluminium, copper, and mixtures thereof, distributed, preferably evenly, at the circumference of said tube, wherein said plate elements together with said base plate define the compartments of said carousel; wherein said base comprises a mechanism configured for rotating said base plate relative to said base; wherein the base comprises an opening leading into said compartments, said opening being of a size allowing for the removal therethrough of a single container from a stack of containers within one of said compartments.

The carousel may turn in its entirety, or alternatively, only some of the internal parts of the carousel may turn. Preferably, the base plate is adapted for being rotated relative to the base. The heat distribution plate elements are preferably mounted to the tube to better receive and distribute the heat from the electrical heating element. Alternatively, the metal tube may be adapted for being rotated relative to both the base and the base plate. In the latter configuration, the tube may be adapted for being connected to a drive shaft, such as a motor drive shaft, or alternatively operably connected to a lever arm. Furthermore, the heat distribution plate elements are mounted to the tube, thereby being used to push the stacks of snack containers positioned there between, thereby sliding the stacks of snack containers across the base plate.

Preferably, the elongated metal tube is releasably fastened to the base. Preferably, the heat distribution plate elements are releasably fastened to the metal tube and the base plate, e.g., via brackets or flanges formed therein. The housing may also be releasably fastened to the carousel, e.g., to the base or the base plate. These embodiments allow the user to exchange single components of the device if broken or damaged.

In one or more embodiments, the base plate is adapted for being rotated relative to said base. In one or more embodiments, the mechanism is based on friction transmission. Preferably, the mechanism comprises a disc or wheel operably connected to a lever arm, said disc or wheel configured for acting on the base plate when the lever arm is activated. The disc or wheel may be coated with a friction increasing material, such as an elastomeric material, e.g., rubber, silicone, or the like.

In one or more embodiments, the elongated metal tube is adapted for being rotated relative to the base and base plate, and wherein the heat distribution plate elements are mounted to the tube.

In one or more embodiments, the device further comprises a thermostat, preferably mounted within the base of the carousel, configured for regulating the temperature within said compartments by activating or deactivating said electrical heating element.

In one or more embodiments, the base is configured with a cavity adapted for receiving the edge of a tabletop, and a fastening means adapted for fastening the base to said tabletop. Especially if the mechanism comprises a disc or wheel operably connected to a lever arm, the user will pull in the entire device, why it needs to be fastened to a support, such as a tabletop.

A second aspect relates to the use of a device according to the present invention for displaying heated snack articles for sale or complimentary.

As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" or "approximately" one particular value and/or to "about" or "approximately" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about", it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It should be noted that embodiments and features described in the context of one of the aspects of the present invention also apply to the other aspects of the invention.

Brief description of the figures

Figures 1a and 1b show side views of a device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a side view of a device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention where parts of the housing and base are removed.

Figure 3 shows a side view of a device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention where a stack of snack containers is removed to show the plate element.

Figure 4 shows a side view of a device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention where the stacks of snack containers are removed together with one of the plate elements to better show the tube.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a part of a device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention, where the heating element is exposed.

Figure 6 shows a top view of a device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention, where the lid has been removed.

Detailed embodiments of the invention

The following description is to be seen as a non-limiting example of a device 100 according to various embodiments of the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, the general scheme of the invention is shown, where Figure 1A shown an opaque housing, while Figure 1B shows a transparent housing, allowing the user to see the products (snack containers 210) within the device. In general, the device 100 comprises a rotatable carousel 200, and a housing 300. The rotatable carousel 200 is here shown with four compartments (see also Figure 6) with a stack of snack containers 210 therein. Although the device also may be configured as a tabletop standing version, the present example is shown for attachment to the edge of a tabletop (not shown). The base 220 is configured with a cavity 600 adapted for receiving the edge of a tabletop, and a fastening means 610 adapted for fastening the base 220 to said tabletop. The housing 300 is adapted for covering a part of the carousel 200, and may e.g., comprise windows as shown in Figure 1B.

The carousel 200 comprises a base 220, a base plate 225 (see Figures 2-5) with a centrally positioned hole 230 (see Figure 5), an elongated metal tube 235 (see Figures 4 and 6), an electrical heating element 240 (see Figure 5), and four heat distribution plate elements 250 (see Figures 2-6). Obviously, the number of distribution plate elements 250 may vary, depending on the size of the device and/or the size of the products 210 to be displayed. The heat distribution plate elements 250 are preferably made of aluminium, copper, or mixtures/alloys of the two materials, and are distributed, preferably evenly, at the circumference of the tube 235. These materials are great heat conductors. In the present configuration, the heat distribution plate elements 250 are pairwise formed in the same sheet material (see Figures 5 and 6), i.e., one sheet material is bent to form two heat distribution plate elements 250. The two sheet materials are connected in the top via a bracket 260. Furthermore, the two sheet materials are mounted to the base plate 225 via a flange formed in the sheet material. The plate elements 250 together with the base plate 225 define the compartments of the carousel 200. The base 220 comprises an opening 215 leading into the compartments. The opening 215 is of a size allowing for the removal therethrough of a single container 210 from the stack of containers 210 that are fronting the opening 215, i.e., it is not possible to remove multiple containers at the time.

The elongated metal tube 235 is preferably of aluminium, copper, or mixtures/alloys of the two. These materials are great heat conductors. The tube 235 is mounted vertically on the base plate 225 such that its tube wall is flanking the hole 230.

The electrical heating element 240 is mounted on the base 220 and extends through the hole 230 (Figure 5) and into the lumen of the tube 235. The base 220 also comprises a mechanism 400 configured for rotating the base plate 225 relative to the base 220. Although this mechanism 400 may be embodied in many different ways, a preferable embodiment is shown in the figures. The mechanism 400 is here shown comprising a disc or wheel 410 operably connected to a lever arm 420 (Figure 2). The disc or wheel 410 is configured for acting on the base plate 225 when the lever arm 420 is activated, thereby rotating the base plate 225. The disc or wheel 410 is coated with a friction increasing material 430, such as an elastomeric material, e.g., rubber, silicone, or the like.

References

100 Device

200 Carousel

210 Container

215 Opening

220 Base

225 Base plate

230 Hole or cut-out

235 Tube

240 Heating element

250 Plate elements

260 Bracket

300 Housing

400 Mechanism

410 Disc or wheel

420 Lever arm

430 Coating of a friction increasing material

500 Thermostat

600 Cavity

610 Fastening means