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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for selectably vending or renting articles to a customer,
comprising:
article storage means for storing a plurality of articles in discrete,
identifiable locations,
mode selection means for enabling the customer to select among a vend mode,
a rent mode and a return mode,
article selection means for enabling the customer to select a desired
article to be vended or rented,
customer access means for dispensing the selected article to the customer
in the vend and rent modes and receiving the article from the customer in
the return mode,
article identification means for receiving information representative of
the identity of the article being returned in the return mode,
article transport means for transporting the selected article from the
storage means to the customer access means in the vend and rent modes and
transporting the article from the customer access means in the return mode
to an available empty discrete location in the storage means closest to
said transport means, and
memory means for storing information about the coordinates of stored
articles and available empty discrete locations in the storage means.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further including customer
identification means for receiving information about the customer, and
control means coupled to the customer identification means, the mode
selection means, the article selection means, the article identification
means, the article transport means, and the memory means for receiving
information about the customer and the selected article, causing said
information to be stored in the memory means, causing the article
transport means to transport the selected article from the storage means
to the customer access means and causing the information in the memory
means representative of the locations of articles in the storage means to
be altered to indicate removal of the selected article from its location
in the storage means, all when in the vend or rent modes, and for
receiving information about the customer and the returned article, causing
said information to be stored in the memory means, causing the article
transport means to transport the returned article from the customer access
means to the storage means and causing information in the memory means
representative of the locations of articles in the storage means to be
altered to indicate the placement of the returned article, all when in the
return mode.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for
automatically placing articles to be stored in the storage means and for
automatically storing in the memory means information representative of
the stored article and its corresponding location in the storage means.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for causing the
transport means to automatically generate calibrating signals
representative of movement of the transport means in two coordinates and
for automatically storing the calibration signals in the memory means.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising modem means for
communicating between the apparatus and a host processor.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for selectably
programming the control means to perform operator-definable functions.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means associated with
said article for uniquely keying the article to the apparatus in the
return mode.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means operatively
associated with the customer access means for mating with the means for
keying for permitting operation of the customer access means only when the
means for keying mates with the customer access means.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article storage means
comprises a plurality of individual storage locations, each definable by
cylindrical coordinates.
10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the customer identification
means comprises a credit card reader.
11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mode selection means
comprises a plurality of customer-actuatable pushbuttons.
12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article selection means
comprises a numeric keypad.
13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article identification
means comprises an optical scanner.
14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the optical scanner comprises
a bar code reader.
15. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory means comprises a
magnetic storage medium.
16. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic storage medium
comprises a floppy disk.
17. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article transport means
comprises first means pivotable about an axis, second means pivotable with
said first means and linearly movable along the axis, and third means
linearly movable along the axis with the second means for reciprocal
movement toward and away from the axis.
18. Apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising means for moving
the first means, second means and third means to any of a plurality of
locations definable by cylindrical coordinates.
19. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means comprises a
microcomputer.
20. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for accepting
cash from the customer.
21. Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising means for enabling
the customer to choose between a cash mode of operation and credit mode of
operation.
22. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the customer access means
comprises means thereon for preventing insertion of objects other than
articles into the interior of the apparatus.
23. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for receiving
information representative of the condition of an article being returned
in the return mode, and means operatively associated with the
first-mentioned means for preventing subsequent rental of an article not
in condition to be rented.
24. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means operatively associated
with the article identification means in the return mode for causing
articles unacceptable for return to be placed in a discrete location in
the storage means and for causing the coordinates of that discrete
location to be entered into the memory means along with information
identifying that discrete location as containing an article not available
for further vending or renting.
25. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the customer access means
comprises means pivotably movable between open and closed positions and
having article receiving means being in radial alignment with the
transport means when in the closed position and being manually accessible
by a customer when in the open position.
26. Apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising locking means
associated with the customer access means for permitting movement of the
customer access means between the closed and opened positions only when an
article is to be dispensed to a customer in the vend or rent mode or
received from a customer in the return mode.
27. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage means comprises a
portion of the surface of a right cylinder, the storage means having a
plurality of radially-spaced dividing walls extending parallel to the axis
of the cylinder, the dividing walls having means for receiving therein a
plurality of axially-spaced shelves arranged to lie substantially in
axially-spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder, the walls
and shelves defining discrete, identifiable storage locations
therebetween.
28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the walls are provided with
resilient means for releaseably retaining articles in the storage
locations.
29. Apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the resilient means are formed
integral with the walls.
30. Article storage and transport means comprising:
a storage means comprising a portion of the surface of a right cylinder,
the storage means having a plurality of radially-spaced dividing walls
extending parallel to the axis of the cylinder, the dividing walls having
means for receiving therein a plurality of axially-spaced shelves arranged
to lie substantially in axially-spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of
the cylinder, the walls and shelves defining discrete, identifiable
storage locations therebetween, each storage location being definable by
cylindrical coordinates,
article transport means coaxial with the axis of the cylinder, said
transport means including first means pivotable about the axis, second
means pivotable with said first means and linearly movable along the axis,
and third means linearly movable along the axis with the second means for
reciprocal movement toward and away from the axis along a radial
direction, said transport means having a home position to which it return
after operation thereof, said article transport means having means for
moving the first means, second means and third means to any of a plurality
of locations definable by cylindrical coordinates, and
means in operative association with said transport means for transporting
an article to an available discrete, identifiable storage location in said
storage means closest to the home position of said transport means.
31. Apparatus for selectively vending or renting articles to a customer,
comprising:
a cabinet,
article storage means in the cabinet for storing a plurality of articles in
discrete identifiable locations, each individual storage location being
definable by cylindrical coordinates,
customer identification means for receiving information about the customer,
mode selection means for enabling the customer to select among a vend mode,
a rend mode, and a return mode,
article selection means for enabling the customer to select a desired
article to be vended or rented,
customer access means in the cabinet for dispensing the selected article to
the customer in the vend and rent modes and receiving the article from the
customer in the return mode,
article identification means adjacent the customer access means for
receiving information representative of the identity of the article from
the customer in the return mode,
article identification means adjacent the customer access means for
receiving information representative of the identity of the article being
returned in the return mode,
article transport means for transporting the selected article from the
storage means to the customer access means in the vend and rent modes and
transporting the article from the customer access means to an available
empty discrete location in the storage means in the return mode, the
article transport means having first means pivotable about an axis, second
means pivotable with said first means and linearly moveable along the
axis, and third means linearly moveably along the axis with the second
means for reciprocal movement toward and away from the axis, and having
means for moving the first means, second means and third means to any of a
plurality of locations defined by cylindrical coordinates,
memory means for storing information about the customer, the selected
article, and the coordinates of articles and available empty discrete
locations in the storage means,
information receiving means for receiving information representative of the
condition of an article being returned in the return mode, and means
operatively associated with said information receiving means for
preventing subsequent rental of an article not in condition to be rented.
32. Apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising means for causing
the transport means to automatically generate calibrating signals
representative of movement of the transport means in two coordinates and
for automatically storing the calibration signals in the memory means.
33. Apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising modem means for
communicating between the apparatus and a host processor.
34. Apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising means for
selectively programming the control means to perform operator-defineable
functions.
35. Apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising means associated
with said article for uniquely keying the article to the apparatus in the
return mode and means operatively associated with the customer access
means for mating with the means for keying for permitting operation of the
customer access means only when the means for keying mates with the
customer access means.
36. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the customer identification
means comprises a credit card reader.
37. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the mode selection means
comprises a plurality of customer-actuatable pushbuttons.
38. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the article selection means
comprises a numeric key pad.
39. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the article identification
means comprises an optical bar code reader.
40. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the memory means comprises a
floppy disk.
41. Apparatus according to claim 31, including means operatively associated
with the article identification means in the return mode for causing
articles unacceptable for return to be placed in a discrete location in
the storage means and for causing the coordinates of that discrete
location to be entered into the memory means along with information
identifying that discrete location as containing an article not available
for further vending or rental.
42. Method of automatically selectably vending or renting articles to a
customer, comprising the steps of:
storing a plurality of articles in discrete, identifiable locations in a
storage means,
enabling the customer to select among a vend mode, a rent mode and a return
mode,
enabling the customer to select a desired article to be vended or rented,
dispensing the selected article to the customer in the vend and rent modes
and receiving the article from the customer in the return mode,
receiving information representative of the identity of the article being
returned in the return mode,
automatically transporting the selected article by a transport assembly
from a storage location to a customer access means for dispensing the
selected article in the vend and rent modes and automatically transporting
the article in the return mode from the customer access means to an
available empty storage location closest to said transport assembly, and
storing information about the customer, the selected mode, the selected
article, and the coordinates of article and available empty discrete
locations in the storage means in a memory for later retrieval and
processing.
43. Apparatus for selectably vending or renting articles to a customer,
comprising:
article storage means for storing a plurality of articles in discrete,
identifiable locations,
mode selection means for enabling the customer to select among a vent mode,
a rent mode and a return mode,
article selection means for enabling the customer to select a desired
article to be vended or rented,
customer access means for dispensing the selected article to the customer
in the vend and rent modes and receiving the article from the customer in
the return mode,
article identification means for receiving information representative of
the identity of the article being returned in the return mode,
article transport means for transporting the selected article from the
storage means to the customer access means in the vend and rent modes and
transporting the article from the customer access means to any available
empty discrete location in the storage means in the return mode,
memory means for storing information about the coordinates of stored
articles and available empty discrete locations in the storage means,
information receiving means for receiving information representative of the
condition of an article being returned in the return mode, and
means operatively associated with said information receiving means for
preventing subsequent rental of an article not in condition to be rented.
44. Apparatus for selectably vending or renting articles to a customer,
comprising:
article storage means for storing a plurality of articles in discrete,
identifiable locations,
mode selection means for enabling the customer to select among a vend mode,
a rent mode and a return mode,
article selection means for enabling the customer to select a desired
article to be vended or rented,
customer access means for dispensing the selected article to the customer
in the vend and rent modes and receiving the article from the customer in
the return mode,
article identification means for receiving information representative of
the identity of the article being returned in the return mode,
article transport means for transporting the selected article from the
storage means to the customer access means in the vend and rent modes and
transporting the article from the customer access means to any available
empty discrete location in the storage means in the return mode,
memory means for storing information about the coordinates of stored
articles and available empty discrete locations in the storage means, and
means operatively associated with the article identification means in the
return mode for causing articles unacceptable for return to be placed in a
discrete location in the storage means and for causing the coordinates of
the discrete location to be entered into the memory means along with
information identifying that discrete location as containing an article
not available for further vending or rental.
45. Apparatus for selectable vending or renting articles to a customer,
comprising:
article storage means for storing a plurality of articles in discrete,
identifiable locations,
mode selection means for enabling the customer to select among a vend mode,
a rent mode and a return mode,
article selection means for enabling the customer to select a desired
article to be vended or rented,
customer access means for dispensing the selected article to the customer
in the vend and rent modes and receiving the article from the customer in
the return mode,
article identification means for receiving information representative of
the identity of the article being returned in the return mode,
article transport means for transporting the selected article from the
storage means to the customer access means in the vend and rent modes and
transporting the article from the customer access means to any available
empty discrete location in the storage means in the return mode,
memory mean for storing information about the coordinates of stored
articles and available empty discrete locations in the storage means,
keying means associated with said article for uniquely physically keying
the article to the apparatus in the return mode, and
means operatively associated with the customer access means for physically
mating with said keying means for permitting operation of the customer
access means only when said keying means mates with the customer access
means.
46. Apparatus for selectively vending or renting articles to a customer,
comprising:
a cabinet,
article storage means in the cabinet for storing a plurality of articles in
discrete identifiable locations, each individual storage location being
definable by cylindrical coordinates,
customer identification means for receiving information about the customer,
mode selection means for enabling the customer to select among a vend mode,
a rent mode, and a return mode,
article selection means for enabling the customer to select a desired
article to be vended or rented,
customer access means in the cabinet for dispensing the selected article to
the customer in the vend and rent modes and receiving the article from the
customer in the return mode,
article identification means adjacent the customer access means for
receiving information representative of the identity of the article being
returned in the return mode,
article transport means for transporting the selected article from the
storage means to the customer access means in the vend and rent modes and
transporting the article from the customer access means to an available
empty discrete location in the storage means in the return mode, the
article transport means having first means pivotable about an axis, second
means pivotable with said first means and linearly moveable along the
axis, and third means linearly moveable along the axis with the second
means for reciprocal movement toward and away from the axis, and having
means for moving the first means, second means and third means to any of a
plurality of locations defined by cylindrical coordinates,
memory means for storing information about the customer, the selected
article, and the coordinates of articles and available empty discrete
locations in the storage means, and
means operatively associated with the article identification means in the
return mode for causing articles unacceptable for return to be placed in a
discrete location in the storage means and for causing the coordinates of
that discrete location to be enter into the memory means along with
information identifying that discrete location as containing an article
not available for further vending or rental.
47. Apparatus according to claim 31, further including control means
coupled to the customer identification means, the mode selection means,
the article selection means, the article identification means, the article
transport means, and the memory means for receiving information about the
customer and the selected article, causing said information to be stored
in the memory means, causing the article transport means to transport the
selected article from the storage means to the customer access means and
causing the information in the memory means representative of the
locations of the articles in the storage means to be altered to indicate
removal of the selected article from its location in the storage means,
all when in the vend or rent mode, and for receiving information about the
customer and the returned article, causing said information to be stored
in the memory means, causing the article transport means to transport the
returned article from the customer access means to any available memory
location in the storage means and causing information in the memory means
representative of the locations of articles in the storage means to be
altered to indicate the placement of the returned article in the available
empty location, all within the return mode.
48. Apparatus according to claim 31, further including means for
automatically placing articles to be stored in an available empty location
in the storage means closest said transport means and for automatically
storing in the memory means information representative of the stored
article and its corresponding location in the storage means.
49. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transport means includes
an assembly for releasably engaging articles when in said article storage
means and said customer access means, said assembly having a home position
to which it returns after operation of said transport means, said
transport means transporting the article from the customer access means in
the return mode to an available empty discrete location in the storage
means closest to said home position of said assembly.
50. Apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the position of said transport
means is adjacent said customer access means.
51. Method according to claim 42, wherein said transport assembly has a
home position to which it returns after operation thereof, and wherein the
transporting of the article from the customer access means in the return
mode is to an available empty discrete location in the storage means
closest to said home position of said transport assembly.
52. Method according to claim 51, wherein the position of said transport
means adjacent said customer access means.
53. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said article comprises a
videocassette.
54. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said article comprises a video
cassette.
55. Apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said article comprises a
videocassette.
56. Apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said article comprises a
videocassette.
57. Apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said article comprises a
videocassette.
58. Apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said article comprises a
videocassette.
59. Method according to claim 42, wherein said article comprises a
videocassette.
60. Article storage and transport means according to claim 30, wherein said
article comprises a videocassette. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a machine for vending or renting
videocassettes and for accepting return of rented videocassettes. As used
herein, "videocassettes" includes prerecorded or blank videocassettes or
videodiscs.
With the proliferation of home videocassette recorders, there has also
arisen a market for pre-recorded videocassettes for home viewing.
Pre-recorded videocassettes can, of course, be purchased or rented at
selected retail or rental outlets. However, pre-recorded videocassettes
are expensive, and hence few stores maintain a large inventory in such
expensive items, either for sale or rental. In addition, such stores are
not necessarily conveniently located to a large segment of the public, and
store hours may not be convenient. Accordingly, there is a need to provide
a conveniently located vending machine from which a user can purchase or
rent and return videocassettes at any time of day. For maximum customer
convenience, it would be desirable if the customer's purchase or rental
could be charged to a conventional credit card account.
A number of attempts have been made at providing such a machine. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,467 discloses a videocassette ordering
terminal at which a user can preview or order a videocassette for rental.
The terminal permits a customer to select a videocassette for rental and
return the videocassette to the terminal at the end of the rental period.
No provision is made for an outright purchase of a videocassette, however.
The rental can be charged to the customer's credit card account. A major
drawback of this machine is that, when a videocassette is returned to the
terminal, it cannot be placed back "on the shelf" for another rental
without the intervention of a human operator, who must restock the
machine. Such a machine requires a large expenditure of time, and money,
to keep it stocked. If it is not restocked frequently, its convenience,
and hence customer appeal, is greatly reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,802 is an attempt to solve the problem of how to
automatically restock the machine. In this patent, a carousel arrangement
is used in which a videocassette to be rented and returned is assigned to
a particular compartment on the carousel. There is an exact one-to-one
correspondence between the videocassette and the compartment. A
videocassette to be rented is vended from that compartment and, upon
return, is accepted back only into that compartment. This arrangement
permits some restocking, but unnecessarily limits the number of
videocassettes which can be conveniently stored in the machine.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a videocassette vending
machine for selectively vending or renting and returning videocassettes
which overcomes the problems associated with prior vending machines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an apparatus for selectably vending or renting
videocassettes to a customer, and comprises videocassette storage means
for storing a plurality of videocassettes in discrete identifiable
locations. The apparatus has customer identification means for receiving
information about the customer and mode selection means for enabling the
customer to select among a vend mode, a rent mode and a return mode.
Videocassette selection means are provided for enabling the customer to
select a desired videocassette to be vended or rented. Also provided are
customer access means for dispensing the selected videocassette to the
customer in the vend and rent modes and receiving the videocassette from
the customer in the return mode. Videocassette identification means are
provided for receiving information representative of the identity of the
videocassette being returned in the return mode. The apparatus has
videocassette transport means for transporting the selected videocassette
from the storage means to the customer access means in the vend and rent
modes and transporting the videocassette from the customer access means to
any available empty discrete location in the storage means in the return
mode. A memory means is provided for storing information about the
customer, the selected mode, the selected videocassette and the
coordinates of videocassettes and available empty discrete locations in
the storage means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the
drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,
however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements
and instrumentalities shown.
FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a videocassette vending machine in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the major components of the apparatus of the
present invention.
FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the videocassette transport means taken
along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 12.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the lines 6--6 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the lines 7--7 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the lines 8--8 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view, partially broken away, of the customer access
door of the present invention.
FIG. 10, consisting of A through C, is a flow chart illustrating the
operation of the apparatus of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like
elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a videocassette vending machine 10 in
accordance with the present invention. Vending machine 10 comprises a
cabinet 12 which in turn consists of a shell 14 and a door 16 which is
hinged along one side of shell 14 to provide access to the interior of
shell 14 from the front of cabinet 12. Mounted on the front of door 16 and
movable with it are a customer identification means in the form of credit
card reader 18. Also mounted on the front of door 16 are mode selection
push buttons 20 and a keypad 22 by means of which a customer can select a
desired videocassette to be vended or rented and enter other
numerically-coded information, e.g., a personal identification number, to
vending machine 10. A CRT display 24 is provided on the front of door 16
for displaying information and messages to the customer, and for
displaying information to the owner/operator of the machine, as will be
described in greater detail below. A printer 26 is also provided on the
front of door 16 for printing customer receipts, coupons, reports for the
owner/operator and the like.
Card reader 18 may be any commercially-available credit card reader which
reads magnetically-coded information contained on the magnetic stripe on
the back of a conventional credit card. Card reader 18 generates digital
output signals representative of the magnetically-coded information.
Instead of or in addition to card reader 18, a coin or bill accepting unit
19 can be provided, so that a customer can rent or purchase tapes using
either a credit card or cash, or both. An appropriate pushbutton 20 may be
provided which enables the customer to choose between cash and credit
modes of operation. Customer keypad 22 may be any suitable twelve position
numeric keypad containing the digits 0 through 9 and the symbols "*" and
"#". Owner keyboard 32 may be any suitable alphanumeric keyboard for
communicating with CPU 38. Printer 26 may be any suitable 21-column
printer. Memory unit 34 may be any suitable memory. Although a floppy disk
memory is preferred, any other suitable memory unit, such as a magnetic
core memory, semiconductor memory, and the like, may be employed.
CRT 24 and modem 36 may be any suitable commercially-available devices.
Scanner 30 is preferably, but need not be, a bar code reader. When a bar
code reader is used for scanner 30, videocassettes to be vended by machine
10 are provided with a suitable bar code which can indicate, inter alia,
an identifying number, title, owner number, and the like.
A customer access door 28 is provided in door 16 for dispensing a selected
videocassette to be vended or rented and for receiving a videocassette to
be returned to vending machine 10. Mounted on customer access door 28 is
located a videocassette identification means in the form of an optical
scanner 30. (See FIG. 2.) Scanner 30 receives information relative to the
identity of a returned cassette when the cassette is inserted into
customer access door 28.
Also mounted on the interior of door 16 (see FIG. 2) are an owner/operator
keyboard 32 by means of which the owner/operator (also referred to herein
as "owner" or "operator") can communicate with vending machine 10, a
central processor unit, or CPU 38, a memory unit 34, and a modem 36 by
means of which videocassette vending machine 10 may communicate with a
host processor.
As best seen in FIG. 2, the interior of shell 14 is provided with a
videocassette storage means 40. In the plan view, storage means 40 is
arcuate in shape and encompasses a substantial portion of the
circumference of a circle centered along the axis of the videocassette
transport means, to be described in greater detail below. Storage means 40
extends from the top to the bottom of the interior of shell 14 parallel to
the axis of the videocassette transport means, and comprises a plurality
of shelves 42 which extend horizontally. Extending vertically are a
plurality of internal walls 44, 46, 48, etc., which define
vertically-oriented channels therebetween. Walls 44, 46, 48, etc., are
slotted at uniformly-spaced locations to receive shelves 42. Shelves 42
and walls 44, 46, 48, etc., define a plurality of videocassette storage
locations 50, 52, etc., which hold videocassettes to be vended. By using
this arrangement, storage space is minimized while the number of available
storage locations is maximized. For example, approximately 500 storage
locations may be provided in a cabinet only seven feet high by three feet
deep by four feet wide. Shelves 42 are canted downwardly at their external
edge 54 to facilitate insertion of videocassettes C into the storage
compartments.
Walls 44, 46, 48, etc. are provided with struckout portions 56 which extend
into storage locations 50, 52, etc. Struckout portions 56 are resiliently
deformable toward walls 44, 46, 48, etc., and help grip a videocassette
after it has been inserted into a storage location and hold it securely in
that location.
A preferred form of walls 44, 46, 48, etc., is shown in FIG. 9. As can be
seen from FIG. 9, each wall may be formed from a sheet of suitable metal,
such as galvanized stainless steel or aluminum, which is bent to form
substantially a V-shape. During the forming process, flanges 58 and 60 are
formed at the open ends of the V. Each individual wall may be attached to
an arcuate supporting shell 62 by any suitable means, such as by rivets
64. Flanges 58 and 60 of adjacent walls may be overlapped, as shown in
FIG. 9, and riveted together to shell 62. Individual walls can thus be
attached around the entire circumference of shell 62. The closed end of
the V is tapered, as at | | |
