US 11,752,779 B2
Food service cup dispensers, systems, and methods
Michelle Lynn Auda, Atlanta, GA (US); Daniel Huffaker, Kennesaw, GA (US); Brandon Seth Cross, Atlanta, GA (US); Daniel James Geddes, Appleton, WI (US); Nathaniel Michael Peterson, Champlin, MN (US); Andrew James Carlson, Hopkins, MN (US); Aaron Lee Sinclair, Tyrone, GA (US); Jason Aaron Morgan, Appleton, WI (US); Lenox Gregory Wilson, Alpharetta, GA (US); Mikhail Tikh, St. Louis Park, MN (US); Robert Earl Simon, Plymouth, MN (US); Ryan David Carignan, Suamico, WI (US); and Alex Vaughn Grady, Covington, GA (US)
Assigned to GPCP IP Holdings LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by GPCP IP Holdings LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Dec. 3, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/110,987.
Application 17/110,987 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/212,142, filed on Dec. 6, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/944,585, filed on Dec. 6, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/712,465, filed on Jul. 31, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/597,516, filed on Dec. 12, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0086529 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. B41J 3/407 (2006.01); G07F 13/10 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 3/40733 (2020.08) [B41J 3/40731 (2020.08); G07F 13/10 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cup dispenser for providing on-demand cup printing for a food service order, the cup dispenser comprising:
a cup source configured to hold one or more cups, wherein each of the one or more cups comprises an open end and a closed end and a sidewall extending therebetween;
a printing module comprising a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on a sidewall of a first cup so as to form a printed first cup, wherein the at least one of order information or personalization information is based on the food service order associated with the first cup; and
a dispensing section configured to enable a user to access the printed first cup, wherein, the printed first cup includes the order information or personalization information printed thereon when the printed first cup is accessible in the dispensing section,
wherein the printer is configured to print the at least one of order information or personalization information on the sidewall of the first cup when the first cup is in a horizontal orientation, wherein, when the first cup is in the horizontal orientation, at least one of a central axis of the first cup extending through each of the first cup's open and closed ends or a portion of the sidewall of the first cup is horizontal during printing of the first cup, and
wherein the printing module is configured to receive the first cup from a first stack of cups at a first printing position such that the first cup is disposed in the horizontal orientation and a second cup from a second stack of cups at a second printing position such that the second cup is disposed in a horizontal orientation, and wherein a printer head of the printing module is configured to print on both of the first cup disposed in the first printing position and the second cup disposed in the second printing position.