CAN-TYPE SODA VENDING MACHINES WHICH ARE CURRENTLY USED ON BOARD SHIP REQUIRE VALUABLE STORAGE SPACE FOR THE CANS.

CAN-TYPE SODA VENDING MACHINES WHICH ARE CURRENTLY USED ON BOARD SHIP REQUIRE VALUABLE STORAGE SPACE FOR THE CANS. SYRUP/CUP-TYPE MACHINES DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY DO RESULT IN SPILLAGE WHEN THE SHIP PITCHES OR ROLLS. SPACE IS A VALUABLE COMMODITY ON BOARD SHIPS AND ANY INNOVATION WHICH ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM AND PRODUCES SODA WITHOUT SPILLAGE WILL BE OF GREAT BENEFIT. FMI'S PROPOSED SOLUTION WILL BE A NEW MACHINE DESIGN THAT CONTAINS A FIXED FILL COMPARTMENT IN A NEW SYRUP/CUP-TYPE MACHINE. THE DESIGN WILL PREVENT SPILLAGE DURING THE FILL CYCLE AND ALSO AFTER THE CUP IS REMOVED. MOST OF THE NEW MACHINES WILL BE DESIGNED WITH PROVEN COMPONENTS. FMI INTENDS TO PROVIDE PROOF OF CONCEPT OF THE FIXED FILL COMPARTMENT BY EXPERIMENTING WITH A BREADBOARD MODEL. THE RESULTS OF THIS WORK WILL BE A DESIGN LAYOUT AND A BREADBOARD OF THE CRITICAL FILL COMPARTMENT. MR. ROBERT SYKES, PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, HAS BEEN DESIGNING MACHINERY FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS WHICH HAVE INCLUDED BEVERAGE DISPENSING MACHINES. COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE PRODUCT FOR USE ON OTHER NONSTABLE PLATFORMS SUCH AS COMMERCIAL SHIPPING IS A VIEW WHICH IS SHARED BY TWO MANUFACTURERS WHO ARE TEAMED WITH FMI FOR THIS PROJECT.