A papermaking machine for the production of a fibrous web including a plurality of rollers and a structured fabric moving along the rollers. The structured fabric includes a plurality of weft yarns and a plurality of warp yarns woven with the plurality of weft yarns to produce a weave pattern, the plurality of warp yarns being a plurality of paired warp yarn sets. Each paired warp yarn set including a first warp yarn and a second warp yarn. Within the weave pattern the first warp yarn forms a float over at least four weft yarns and weaves with a single weft yarn immediately adjacent with the float. The second warp yarn having an inverse pattern to the first warp yarn, with the second warp yarn weaving with another single weft yarn that is not adjacent to the single weft yarn with which the first warp yarn is woven.

A fabric for forming a fibrous paper web having an embossed surface is provided that includes at least longitudinal and transverse threads interwoven with one another in a weave repeat defining a machine side and a paper side. Some of the longitudinal threads form embossing threads having projecting paper side floats on the paper side of the fabric passing over more than one transverse thread. The fabric includes at least a first woven fabric layer forming the paper side on its outside and having longitudinal and transverse first threads interwoven with one another and a second woven fabric layer forming the machine side on its outside and having longitudinal and transverse second threads interwoven with one another. At least some of the longitudinal second threads form embossing threads, which penetrate the first woven fabric layer for forming the paper side floats and connect the two woven fabric layers.

A gripper head for the insertion of weft threads on a gripper weaving machine as well as a gripper weaving machine with such a gripper head. The gripper head thread clamp for the weft thread is controlled in a contact-free manner and with high transfer reliability of the weft thread even in the machine center.

A device for manufacturing a fabric has a plurality of automatically working apparatus arranged next to one another on at least one carrier for manufacturing a leno weave (a leno weave apparatus). Two leno threads are fed to each leno weave apparatus. The device has at least one weft thread picking device; wherein the weft thread is introduced into the shed of leno threads raised by a plurality of leno weave apparatus. The weft thread is bound using at least two leno threads at a plurality of points behind the weft thread over the width of the fabric. At least one of the leno weave apparatus arranged in the end region of the fabric carries out a higher number of interlacings for achieving a homogenized warp tension distribution over the width of the fabric; and/or the lowering of the shed is carried out by the leno weave apparatus over the width of the fabric at different times for achieving a homogenized warp tension distribution.

An anti-“Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)” chitosan containing antibacterial High Wet Modulus (HWM) rayon fiber textile for medical usage is made of the steps as following: chitin flakes made from natural shrimp or crab shells are deacetylated to generate chitosan with a high deacetylation degree of 90% or more. Next chitosan is dissolved in acetic acid and regenerated by caustic soda to form a chitosan antibacterial nanoparticles slurry, then added to HWM viscose rayon process, and spinning to produce a chitosan containing antibacterial HWM rayon fiber. The antibacterial amino groups of chitosan and the hydroxyl groups of rayon cellulose combine together via hydrogen bonding. Therefore, the fiber becomes the anti-MRSA antibacterial HWM rayon fiber containing amino groups (—NH3+). Finally the resulting HWM rayon fiber is conducted via a yarn spinning or/and weaving process to procure a medical textile with chitosan content.

A weaving machine for producing a woven fabric has a shedding device to form a loom shed of warp material, a weft insertion device for inserting a preferably tape-shaped or band-shaped weft material into the loom shed, a drawing-off device for drawing off the finished fabric in a drawing-off direction, fabric movement device for moving the fabric back and forth in the warp direction to bring the last inserted weft material into contact with the binding point or fabric edge. A shed limiter device limits the opening of the loom shed from above and below the warp, and is movable back and forth in the warp direction. The shed limiter device only loosely bounds the fabric and essentially without actively clamping or pinching or contacting the fabric and/or the last inserted weft material, at least while moving in the direction opposite the drawing-off direction.

A method weaves pile fabrics with at least two different pile heights (a, b) in the same pile row, wherein the fabrics have weft threads, ground warp threads and pile-warp threads (1, 2), wherein these pile-warp threads are interlaced in the fabric, according to a pattern, in a figure-forming manner or are inwoven in a non-figure-forming manner, and which, when they are figure-forming, form pile with a well-defined pile height. The method includes a first set of pile warp threads, under light strain and at least a second set of pile warp threads under a higher strain. A device for manufacturing such fabrics is described.

This lanyard, which is movable by elasticity between a rest position and a stretched position, comprises a tubular sheath made from non-stretchable material, and a set of elastic threads joined to the sheath. According to the invention, the elastic threads define at least one longitudinal weaving zone in which they are woven on one surface of the sheath only, each weaving zone being proper to form a bending zone of the lanyard, in the rest position, in which the elastic threads are folded onto themselves.

A golf swing practice apparatus which includes a rotating drum having an optical sensor mounted inside the drum that is capable of swiveling in a direction perpendicular to the rotational direction of the drum and capable of detecting a change in swivel position or swivel angle; an elongated cord including a proximal end secured to the drum and a distal end secured to a golf ball; a base member having an impact area over which a user may swing a golf club; and a frame structure secured to the base member and to the rotating drum whereby the frame structure holds the rotating drum in an elevated position above the impact area.

Systems and methods for controlling the output of a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, a battery pack contactor is opened in response to battery pack current. The system and method may reduce battery pack degradation and increase system flexibility.

A circuit for connecting a first accumulator line to a second accumulator line from an accumulator is described. The accumulator is provided for charging and discharging electrical energy via the accumulator lines. Each accumulator line has a positive pole and a negative pole for charging and discharging electrical energy. The circuit has at least one first switch which is provided for disconnecting and connecting two similar poles of the two accumulator lines.

A battery pack, and a method of controlling the battery pack are disclosed. The battery pack detects consumption current when a load is not turned on, and shuts off power when a load is turned off or in stand-by mode, thereby preventing consumption current of the load from flowing.

A disclosed battery protecting circuit includes a battery protecting IC powered by a voltage of a secondary battery; another battery protecting IC powered by a voltage of another secondary battery connected to the secondary battery in series; and a constant voltage output unit which receives a maximum voltage obtained by adding voltages of the secondary battery and the other secondary battery in series and outputs a constant voltage upon receipt of a control signal from an output terminal of the battery protecting IC or the other battery protecting IC.

A system for detecting a short-circuited ultracapacitor cell in a machine is disclosed. The system may have a memory that stores instructions and one or more processors capable of executing the instructions. The one or more processors may be configured to perform cell balancing among ultracapacitor cells arranged within two or more ultracapacitor modules, each ultracapacitor module including at least two ultracapacitor cells connected in series. The one or more processors may be further configured to measure a module voltage generated by each of the plurality of ultracapacitor modules after performing the cell balancing and before applying a load of the machine to the ultracapacitor modules, and determine whether an ultracapacitor cell among the plurality of ultracapacitor cells is short-circuited based on a comparison of the measured module voltages.

Systems and methods to determine cell capacities of a vehicle battery pack. Cell capacities may be determined using state of charge (SOC) estimates for the cells and a charge count for the battery pack. The SOC estimates may be determined when the SOC of the battery pack is below a lower threshold and above an upper threshold. Error values may also be generated for the cell capacity values.

A method for electrically charging a high-voltage battery of a subject vehicle includes resolving a geographic location of the subject vehicle at a remote charging site, electrically charging the high-voltage battery through a connection of the subject vehicle to an electric power outlet at the remote charging site, monitoring cumulative electric power flow to the high-voltage battery of the subject vehicle, communicating the cumulative electric power flow to a central server, and reconciling billing for the cumulative electric power flow between an owner of the subject vehicle and an owner of the remote charging site.

Systems and methods for in-vehicle charging of pallet jack batteries are provided. An example system allows using a power source of a host vehicle configured to provide power at voltage levels lower than the operating voltage of the pallet jack battery stack. The system may allow, for example, charging a 24 volts pallet jack battery stack from a 12 volts power source of the host vehicle. The system may further comprise an interconnecting circuit having a plurality of contactors electrically coupling the batteries in parallel for charging and serially for discharging. The system may further comprise a voltage monitoring circuit to detect whether the pallet jack is connected to the host vehicle power source for charging. Based on the detection, the voltage monitoring circuit may reconfigure the interconnecting circuit to electrically couple the pallet jack batteries in parallel.

A battery includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a first battery module, a second battery module, and a third batter module. The first battery module and the second battery module includes a first pole, a second pole, a plurality of battery cells, a charge and disconnect device, a disconnect device, and a bridging device. The third battery module includes a first pole, a second pole, a plurality of battery cells, a first disconnect device, a second disconnect device, and a bridging device. The first and second poles of the first battery module are connected in series with the first terminal and the first pole of the third battery module. The first and second poles of the second battery module are connected in series with the second terminal and the second pole of the third batter module.

A method for scheduling a charge of a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) includes receiving, by a load management system, PEV information from a PEV plugged into an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE); transformer information from a transformer management system, the transformer information relating to a transformer associated with the EVSE; determining, by the charging information based on the PEV information and transformer information; providing the charging information to the PEV.

Disclosed herein is a battery pack including a battery cell array including two or more battery cells, each of which has an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure disposed in a battery case together with an electrolyte in a sealed state, arranged in a lateral direction, a protection circuit module (PCM) connected to an upper end of the battery cell array to control an operation of the battery pack, a pack case in which the battery cell array and the protection circuit module are disposed, and a plate-shaped reinforcing member mounted between the pack case and the battery cell array to increase mechanical strength of the pack case.

An apparatus for minimizing self-discharge of a smart battery pack is provided. During initial storage of the smart battery pack (100), prior to be being charged, a self-discharge protection circuit (110) disables smart battery circuitry (130). A minimal current drain is maintained while the smart battery circuitry (130) is disabled. Upon coupling of the smart battery pack (100) to a charger, the protections circuit (110) enables the smart battery circuitry (130). Battery packs having to be shipped with partially drained cells as part of shipping precaution requirements are no longer faced with the additional drainage problem previously caused by the smart battery circuitry (130) during storage.

A semiconductor device for battery control includes a CPU, a first bus coupled to the CPU, a second bus not coupled to the CPU, and a protective function circuit for protecting a battery from stress applied thereto. The semiconductor device also includes a non-volatile memory storing trimming data, a trimming circuit to perform trimming required to allow the protective function circuit to exert a protective function, and a bus control circuit capable of selectively coupling the first bus and the second bus to the non-volatile memory. The semiconductor device further includes a transfer logic circuit which causes, by making the bus control circuit select the second bus, a trimming data transfer path leading from the non-volatile memory to the trimming circuit to be formed and the trimming data stored in the non-volatile memory to be transferred to the trimming circuit without involving the CPU.

A battery pack and an electronic device are disclosed. The battery pack includes a battery for storing electric energy, and a non-contacting discharging unit for receiving the stored electric energy from the battery and for transferring the stored electric energy to a power receiving unit in a non-electrically contacting manner. The electronic device includes a main body and the battery pack. The main body includes a power receiving unit. The battery pack is for mounting to and supplying power to the main body.

A discharge device actively discharges a main capacitor in an electric-power system of an electric-drive vehicle and comprises a discharge branch of a circuit connected in parallel to the capacitor and including a discharge transistor biased to “conduction” mode when the capacitor must be discharged. A control device is connected to a “gate/base” terminal of and controls the transistor, biasing the transistor to the mode when the capacitor is required to fee discharged. A control transistor maintains the discharge transistor in a “non-conductive” state when the control transistor is in the mode. The control transistor is in the state for the discharge transistor to be in the mode. A safety capacitor is interposed between the terminal and a power supply and charges when the discharge transistor is in the mode, causing a progressive decrease of current at the terminal, until the discharge transistor is biased to the state.

The excitation overcurrent detection unit for the doubly-fed electric machine is provided with a function to determine an excitation current magnitude relationship among three phases. The firing pulse is held to on-state or off-state to cause the largest-current phase and the second-largest-current phase to charge the DC capacitor by the operation of diodes. The conduction ratio of the third-largest-current phase or minimum current phase is controlled according to the detected current value to protect against a possible short-circuit across the DC capacitor. When the voltage of the DC capacitor exceeds a preset value, the voltage is suppressed by operating active or passive power devices.

A rotary electric machine for a vehicle that is capable of starting synchronous rectification through switching elements after having ensured absence of a short circuit fault. The rotary electric machine includes a multi-phase armature winding, a switching element set that includes a plurality of pairs of upper-arm and lower-arm switching elements to form a bridge rectification circuit together with the armature winding, an on/off-timing setter that sets on/off-timing of each switching element, a switching element driver that drives each switching element at the on/off-timing set by the on/off-timing setter; and a synchronous control start determiner that determines timing when an energization period for the upper-arm switching element and an energization period for the lower-arm switching element occur alternately as start timing of the synchronous rectification.

A fault tolerant electrical machine including: a plurality of phases; a detector arranged to detect a fault in at least one of the phases; and a controller arranged to intentionally cause a fault in at least one other of the phases such that the vector sum of the second harmonic power vectors of the remaining phases is zero.

An alternator has rectifying module groups. The rectifying module groups form a bridge circuit. The rectifying module groups have a load dump protection judgment section for monitoring an output voltage of rectifying module groups. When the monitored output voltage exceeds a first threshold voltage, the load dump protection judgment section provides to a control section an instruction to turn on MOS transistors in a lower arm of the bridge circuit at a time when a predetermined delay time has elapsed. When a second threshold voltage is lower than the first threshold voltage and the monitored output voltage becomes less than the second threshold voltage after the monitored output voltage exceeds the first threshold voltage, the load dump protection judgment section provides to the control circuit an instruction to turn on the MOS transistors in the lower arm after the MOS transistors are turned off during a predetermined time length.

An electrical machine includes a stator having a main armature winding, an exciter field winding, and a transformer primary winding. A rotor is operatively connected to rotate relative to the stator, wherein the rotor includes an exciter armature winding operatively connected to the exciter armature winding for field excitation therebetween, a main field winding operatively connected to the main armature winding for field excitation therebetween, and a transformer secondary winding operatively connected to the transformer primary winding to form a rotating transformer. A generator control unit is operatively connected to the main armature winding, exciter field winding, and transformer primary winding to control the main armature and exciter field windings based on excitation in the primary winding received from the transformer secondary winding.

A self-excited alternator for generating electrical energy. The alternator includes a stator, a rotor, and an exciter. The rotor includes conductors which are integrated within the rotor via one of a casting process, a welding process, or a fastening process. The exciter includes a magnet producing a static magnetic field, and a rotatable conductive member coupled to the shaft and electrically coupled to the one or more conductors. The rotatable conductive member is operable to output the direct current to the one or more conductors upon rotation within the static magnetic field, thus exciting the alternator.

The regulator/brush-holder assembly (1) comprises a support (2) and an electrical circuit (5, 6) comprising a regulating element (5) connected by microwires to a trace circuit (6). The electrical circuit further includes a filtering circuit (10) separate from the regulating element and connected by microwires to the trace circuit. According to one particular embodiment, the filtering circuit comprises an insulating substrate (11) and surface-mounted components (C1, C2, S1, S2, V). A ground plane (19) and/or one or more ground pads may be provided for connection to a ground trace of the trace circuit. The filtration frequencies of the filter circuit extend from 100 kHz to 1 GHz.

The rotary electrical machine is capable of functioning as a generator and outputs a continuous output voltage (Ub+) that is adjustable by an excitation current. The digital regulator (2) of the machine comprises an excitation current control means (7) and a control loop (6) that includes a device (10) for measurement, by sampling, of the output voltage (Ub+), the measurement device generating a signal sampled at a predetermined first sampling frequency (F1 e). The machine has a bandwidth that is limited by a predetermined first cutoff frequency (F1 c). The measurement device includes an apparatus for oversampling such that the first sampling frequency (F1 e) is greater than twice the first cutoff frequency (F1 c), and the control loop also includes an apparatus (12) for decimating the sampled signal.

A mobile device case includes a reel assembly, including a reel, a supporting plate, and a hub between the reel and the supporting plate. The hub includes a first cavity between the hub and the supporting plate for housing a spring, and a second cavity between the hub and the reel for housing a flat flexible cable (FFC). The spring is wound in a first direction, while the FFC is wound in a second direction. The FFC includes a first end for electrically coupling to a female jack connector of a device. A female connector is electrically coupled to a second end of the FFC for engaging a male jack connector of user-provided headphones. When the reel rotates in the first direction, the spring tightens and the FFC loosens. When the reel rotates in the second direction, the spring loosens and the FFC tightens.

It is provided a power supply device and a power acquisition device for an electromagnetic induction-powered electric vehicle that increase a power transfer efficiency by maximizing a lateral deviation tolerance and by minimizing a gap between the power acquisition device and the power supply device while preventing the power acquisition device from colliding with an obstacle present on a road and being damaged by the collision.

The invention relates to a device for inductively transmitting electrical energy to displaceable consumers (F1-F13) that can be moved along a track, having a primary conductor arrangement (2) divided into route segments (3-7) that are electrically separated from each other, and extending along the track, wherein individual route segments (3-7) are each associated with at least one current source (3'-7') for imprinting a continuous current into each of the route segments (3-7), and to a corresponding method. The aim of the invention is to supply the displaceable consumers in an energy-saving manner with electric energy matched to demand, and to allow short reaction times when operating the device. This aim is achieved by providing the device with a means (11) for determining the total power of the displaceable consumers (F1-F13) present in each of the individual route segments (3-7) and with a means (11) for actuating the current sources (3'-7') for applying the electrical continuous current corresponding to the total power required for each route segment (3-7), or by determining, according to the method, the required total power of the displaceable consumers (F1-F13) present in each route segment and applying an electrical continuous current to each route segment (3-7) by means of the associated current source (3'-7'), said current corresponding to the total power required therein.

An article transport facility in which driving electric power can be supplied from an electricity supply line to an article transport vehicle so that it can travel through a crossing portion properly regardless of whether it is traveling along a first path or a second path. The switching device of the article transport facility is configured to switch a position change rail to a first position and a second position. The electricity supply line is supported by a first travel rail such that electric power can be supplied to the article transport vehicle traveling along the first travel rail and along the position change rail in the first position and is supported by the second travel rail such that electric power can be supplied to the article transport vehicle traveling along the second travel rail and along the position change rail in the second position.

An electrically powered mining vehicle including a frame rollingly supported on a surface for movement over the surface. An electric motor is coupled to the frame for proving power to the vehicle. A cable is electrically coupled to the electric motor for supplying electricity thereto and a cable management system is coupled to the frame and arranged to receive and payout the cable as the vehicle moves over the surface. A sheave bracket is coupled to the frame and arranged to direct the cable into the cable management system and includes a lower plate arranged substantially horizontally, a plurality of vertical rollers that are coupled to the lower plate and are arranged to guide the cable into the cable management system, and a horizontal roller that is coupled to the lower plate and arranged to elevate the cable above the lower plate.

An ultra slim power supply device for supplying power to an electric vehicle in a contactless manner includes at least one power supply track buried in a road. Each power supply track includes a plate-shaped magnetic core extending along the road, a plate or strip shaped magnetic field generator arranged above the magnetic core through which an alternating current is supplied to generate a magnetic field, a plate or strip shaped insulating body positioned between the magnetic core and the magnetic field generator to isolate them from each other, and a housing for enclosing the magnetic core, the magnetic field generator and the insulating body.

A cable reel assembly comprises a hub configured to house a field communication distribution box with front and rear flanges projecting radially outward from front and rear edges of the hub. A cable receiving trough is formed between the flanges in which a communications cable may be wound. A nesting ring which is smaller in diameter that the front and rear flanges projects outward from the second flange. The nesting ring of a first cable reel assembly is positionable within an area surrounded by the first flange of a second cable reel to facilitate stacking of the cable reels.

For the coupling of two parallel contact wires of an elastic contact line system with a rigid contact line system, which has a power track (3) and a contact wire (4) affixed thereon, an elongated cantilever (5) is provided in a transition area, whose rigidity increases in the longitudinal direction from the elastic contact line system to the rigid contact line system. The two contact wires (1, 2) of the elastic contact line system are located along the cantilever parallel to the first contact wire (4), which is, in turn, clamped over the entire length of the cantilever. All three contact wires (1, 2, 4) are affixed on several multiple clamps (9) in the area of the cantilever (5), which clamps are located in a distributed manner along the cantilever. The multiple clamps (9) are located in recesses (12) of the cantilever.

An arrangement of a rail for suspended conveyors or suspended cranes and a slip contact holder mounted thereon, wherein the rail comprises a profile body and a profile head connected thereto and disposed above the profile body, wherein the profile body is C-shaped in cross section, forms a hollow space for chassis, and has a slit open to the bottom, and the profile head comprises upper, substantially horizontal profile walls and the slip contact holder is disposed within the hollow space and attached to the upper profile walls. A plurality of punchouts are disposed in the upper profile walls, disposed in at least one row and at regular, repeated distances as seen in the longitudinal direction of the rail, and barb-like catch pawls are disposed on the slip contact bolder and engage with the punchouts in order to attach thereto.

An electrically powered mining vehicle including a frame rollingly supported on a surface for movement over the surface. An electric motor is coupled to the frame for proving power to the vehicle. A cable is electrically coupled to the electric motor for supplying electricity thereto and a cable management system is coupled to the frame and arranged to receive and payout the cable as the vehicle moves over the surface. A sheave bracket is coupled to the frame and arranged to direct the cable into the cable management system and includes a lower plate arranged substantially horizontally, a plurality of vertical rollers that are coupled to the lower plate and are arranged to guide the cable into the cable management system, and a horizontal roller that is coupled to the lower plate and arranged to elevate the cable above the lower plate.

A mobile power pack includes a cover over a guide track which includes first, second, third, and fourth turning points. A sliding block defines a sliding groove to receive a ball, and the slotted ball interacts with the guide track. An elastic element is connected to the sliding block. When a cable is pulled out, the sliding block slides from the first turning point to the second turning point. When the pull on the cable is released, the elastic element restores to cause the sliding block to move until the ball reaches the third turning point, to lock the cable in position. When the cable is pulled and released, the sliding block slides until the ball reaches the fourth turning point, allowing the cable to be retracted into the body of the power pack.

The method according to the invention aims to optimize the operation of a reversible traction substation (Sk) of a power supply system (4) for railway vehicles, said reversible substation being able to be commanded in a traction operating mode or a braking mode. This method includes: determining a current value (Mc) of a favored operating mode;maximizing at least one optimization function (F) that depends on the current value of the favored operating mode, based on instantaneous values (G(t)) of multiple operating properties of the substation (Sk);computing optimized values (Popt(t)) for multiple configuration parameters of the substation (Sk) from maximized values (Gmax(t)) of the operating properties.

A method for producing process vapor and boiler feed steam in a heatable reforming reactor for producing synthesis gas. The sensible heat of a synthesis gas produced from hydrocarbons and steam can be used so that two types of vapor are produced during the heating and evaporation of boiler feed water and process condensate. The method also includes a conversion of the carbon monoxide contained in the synthesis gas. The method includes an optional heating of the boiler feed water using the flue gas from the heating of the reforming reactor. The sensible heat of the synthesis gas and of the flue gas originating from the heating can be used more efficiently. The disadvantages from the flue gas heating, which are caused by the fluctuating heat supply in the flue gas duct, are avoided. A system for practicing the method is also disclosed.

An evaporator surface structure of a circulating fluidized bed boiler having a furnace that is enclosed by sidewalls and has a bottom and a ceiling. The evaporator surface structure includes at least one vertical and separate evaporator surface unit that is spaced apart from the sidewalls of the furnace. The at least one evaporator surface unit (i) is formed of planar water tube panels that extend from the bottom of the furnace to the ceiling of the furnace, and (ii) consists of two cross-wise joined vertical water tube panels.

The present invention proposes a gap-filler insert (20) for use with cooling plates (12, 12') for a metallurgical furnace, the cooling plates (12, 12') having a front face (14, 14') directed towards the interior of the furnace, an opposite rear face (16, 16') directed towards a furnace wall (10) of the furnace and four edge faces (18, 18'). In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the gap-filler insert (20) comprises a metal front plate (24) with a front side (24) facing the interior of the furnace and anchoring means (28, 28', 30, 30', 32, 34) for mounting the front plate (24) between two neighboring cooling plates (12, 12') in such a way that the front plate (24) extends between the edge faces (18, 18') of both cooling plates (12, 12'), and that the front side (26) of the front plate (24) is flush with the front faces (14, 14') of both cooling plates (12, 12').

Disclosed is a container system that is adapted to be accessed by horse mounted users. The container system finds particular application in storing equestrian implements, such as riding crops. The container is mounted at an elevated height upon a fence and additionally includes rounded forward faces. Thus, the container is easy to access by riders and presents less of a danger to the horse and its rider. Furthermore, the container is advantageously formed from a weather resistant plastic material.

Flower vending machine and method of use of the same, with the object of preventing fogging of a display space comprised within said machine, said display space being accessible by means of at least one hatch covered by a transparent sheet to which is directed a flow of air to preventing fogging of the interior of the display space. In the method of use of said machine the cooling system is stopped, the flow of air is introduced and an air extractor external to the display space is activated. All this prevents the fogging of the display space, thereby guaranteeing excellent visibility of the flowers as well as their optimum preservation.

An electro-mechanical vend-sensing system includes at least one biased member mounted on a side of the vend space having a first potential voltage. A contact strip with a second potential voltage is positioned beneath the biased member. A controller circuit senses when the biased member contacts the contact strip, which indicates that a article has been appropriately vended to the customer.