초록 ▼

A mobile vending trailer is provided. In at least one embodiment, a solar-powered mobile vending apparatus includes: a portable chassis; a housing; at least one vending machine configured to be stored and transported in the housing; a solar panel array configured to capture sunlight and convert the

A mobile vending trailer is provided. In at least one embodiment, a solar-powered mobile vending apparatus includes: a portable chassis; a housing; at least one vending machine configured to be stored and transported in the housing; a solar panel array configured to capture sunlight and convert the captured sunlight into electricity, thereby to provide solar power to the vending machine; a plurality of batteries configured for charge from the electricity generated from the solar panel array in order to provide power to the at least one vending machine; a controller configured to control the solar panel array and the plurality of batteries; and at least one lift configured to lower and raise the vending machine. The solar-powered mobile vending apparatus is adapted for use both off-grid and on-grid. In various embodiments, the apparatus also includes one or more of a wind turbine, generator, inverter, and combiner.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A solar-powered mobile vending apparatus comprising: a portable trailer chassis;a trailer housing disposed upon the portable trailer chassis, the trailer housing having mounts disposed upon a top external surface configured for a plurality of fixedly mounted and angle-adjustable solar panels;at l

1. A solar-powered mobile vending apparatus comprising: a portable trailer chassis;a trailer housing disposed upon the portable trailer chassis, the trailer housing having mounts disposed upon a top external surface configured for a plurality of fixedly mounted and angle-adjustable solar panels;at least one vending machine configured to be stored and transported in the housing upon the portable trailer chassis;at least one lift assembly disposed within the portable chassis and configured to lower the housing, in entirety, from a first level to a second level and to raise the housing from the second level to the first level;a solar panel array, fixedly mounted upon the trailer housing mounts yet angle-adjustable to obtain a desired angle relative to the sun and having the plurality of solar panels, configured to capture sunlight and convert the captured sunlight into electricity, thereby to provide solar power to the at least one vending machine disposed within the trailer housing;a plurality of batteries disposed within the trailer housing and configured for charge from the electricity generated from the solar panel array in order to provide power to the at least one vending machine;a control system, located securely within the trailer housing, having a plurality of control components to control the plurality of batteries and the solar panel array, and to provide online internet connectivity, remote accessibility, and remote monitoring, the control system further comprising: a solar array combiner configured to combine a plurality of inputs from the each of the plurality of solar panels; andan inverter to convert between direct current (DC) as used by the plurality of batteries and alternating current (AC) as used to power the at least one vending machine; anda grid-tie inverter coupled to the solar array combiner and configured to convert direct current from the solar panel array into alternating current and feed the alternating current into the utility power grid, thereby to feed a net outflow of power generated by the solar panel array greater than any amount of power drawn down from the utility power grid into the utility power grid when the mobile vending apparatus is on-grid, attached electrically coupled to the utility power grid;wherein the solar-powered mobile vending apparatus is adapted for use both off-grid and electrically uncoupled from the utility power grid and on-grid and electrically coupled to the utility power grid. 2. The mobile vending apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least one lift configured to lower the at least one vending machine from a first level in the housing to a second level and to raise the at least one vending machine from the second level to the first level. 3. The mobile vending apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an electrical generator to provide an additional power source to the plurality of vending machines when solar power is unavailable or the plurality of batteries is consumed. 4. The mobile vending apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a wind turbine, having a plurality of blades pushed by wind, and configured to extract energy from the wind to create wind power, thereby to provide wind power to the at least one vending machine when solar power is unavailable. 5. The mobile vending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable chassis further comprises: at least two wheels disposed upon opposing ends of a common axle;an axle support frame; andat least one lift assembly disposed within the portable chassis and configured to lower the housing, in entirety, from a first level to a second level and to raise the housing from the second level to the first level;wherein the at least two wheels and the axle support frame are retractable to allow for operation of at least one lift configured to lower the at least one vending machine from a first level in the housing to a second level and to raise the at least one vending machine from the second level to the first level. 6. The mobile vending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one vending machine further comprises a plurality of vending machines, the mobile vending apparatus further comprising: a shared user interface and a shared dispenser disposed upon the housing of the mobile vending apparatus and coupled internally within the housing to each of the plurality of vending machines, wherein a user has access to an inventory of each of the plurality of vending machines through the shared user interface and receives an order through the shared dispenser. 7. A wind-powered mobile vending apparatus comprising: a portable trailer chassis;a trailer housing disposed upon the portable trailer chassis, the trailer housing having mounts disposed upon an external surface configured for a wind turbine fixedly mounted to the external surface;at least one vending machine configured to be stored and transported in the housing upon the portable trailer chassis;wherein the wind turbine, having a plurality of blades pushed by wind, is configured to extract energy from the wind to create wind power, thereby to provide wind power to the at least one vending machine disposed within the trailer housing;at least one lift assembly disposed within the portable chassis and configured to lower the housing, in entirety, from a first level to a second level and to raise the housing from the second level to the first level;a plurality of batteries disposed within the trailer housing and configured for charge from the electricity generated from the wind turbine in order to provide power to the at least one vending machine;a control system, located securely within the trailer housing, having a plurality of control components to control the plurality of batteries and the wind turbine, and to provide online internet connectivity, remote accessibility, and remote monitoring; anda grid-tie inverter coupled to the control system and configured to feed a net outflow of power generated by the wind turbine greater than any amount of power drawn down from the utility power grid into the utility power grid when the mobile vending apparatus is on-grid, attached electrically coupled to the utility power grid;wherein the wind-powered mobile vending apparatus is adapted for use both off-grid and electrically uncoupled from the utility power grid and on-grid and electrically coupled to the utility power grid. 8. The wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: at least one lift configured to lower the at least one vending machine from a first level in the housing to a second level and to raise the at least one vending machine from the second level to the first level. 9. The wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: an electrical generator to provide an additional power source to the plurality of vending machines when wind power is unavailable or the plurality of batteries is consumed. 10. The wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a solar panel array, having a plurality of solar panels disposed upon the housing, configured to capture sunlight and convert the captured sunlight into electricity, thereby to provide solar power to the at least one vending machine when wind power is unavailable. 11. The wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 7, wherein the portable chassis further comprises: at least two wheels disposed upon opposing ends of a common axle;an axle support frame; andat least one lift assembly disposed within the portable chassis and configured to lower the housing, in entirety, from a first level to a second level and to raise the housing from the second level to the first level;wherein the at least two wheels and the axle support frame are retractable to allow for operation of at least one lift configured to lower the at least one vending machine from a first level in the housing to a second level and to raise the at least one vending machine from the second level to the first level. 12. The wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one vending machine further comprises a plurality of vending machines, the mobile vending apparatus further comprising: a shared user interface and a shared dispenser disposed upon the housing of the mobile vending apparatus and coupled internally within the housing to each of the plurality of vending machines, wherein a user has access to an inventory of each of the plurality of vending machines through the shared user interface and receives an order through the shared dispenser. 13. A combined solar-powered and wind-powered mobile vending apparatus comprising: a portable trailer chassis;a trailer housing disposed upon the portable trailer chassis, the trailer housing having mounts disposed upon a top external surface configured for a plurality of fixedly mounted and angle-adjustable solar panels and the trailer housing having mounts disposed upon a side external surface configured for a fixedly mounted wind turbine;at least one vending machine configured to be stored and transported in the trailer housing upon the portable chassis;a solar panel array, fixedly mounted upon the trailer housing mounts yet angle-adjustable to obtain a desired angle relative to the sun and having the plurality of solar panels, configured to capture sunlight and convert the captured sunlight into electricity, thereby to provide solar power to the at least one vending machine disposed within the trailer housing;a wind turbine, having a plurality of blades pushed by wind, and configured to extract energy from the wind to create wind power, thereby to provide wind power to the at least one vending machine disposed within the trailer housing;at least one lift assembly disposed within the portable chassis and configured to lower the housing, in entirety, from a first level to a second level and to raise the housing from the second level to the first level;a plurality of batteries disposed within the trailer housing and configured for charge from the electricity generated from the solar panel array and the wind turbine, in order to provide power to the at least one vending machine;a control system, located securely within the trailer housing, having a plurality of control components to control the plurality of batteries, the wind turbine, and the solar panel array, and to provide online internet connectivity, remote accessibility, and remote monitoring, the control system further comprising: a solar array combiner configured to combine a plurality of inputs from the each of the plurality of solar panels; andan inverter to convert between direct current (DC) as used by the plurality of batteries and alternating current (AC) as used to power the at least one vending machine; anda grid-tie inverter coupled to the solar array combiner and configured to convert direct current from the solar panel array into alternating current and feed the alternating current into the utility power grid, thereby to feed a net outflow of power generated by the solar panel array or the wind turbine greater than any amount of power drawn down from the utility power grid into the utility power grid when the mobile vending apparatus is on-grid, attached electrically coupled to the utility power grid;wherein the solar-powered mobile vending apparatus is adapted for use both off-grid and electrically uncoupled from the utility power grid and on-grid and electrically coupled to the utility power grid. 14. The combined solar-powered and wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: at least one lift configured to lower the at least one vending machine from a first level in the housing to a second level and to raise the at least one vending machine from the second level to the first level. 15. The combined solar-powered and wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: an electrical generator to provide an additional power source to the plurality of vending machines when solar power and wind power are unavailable or the plurality of batteries is consumed. 16. The combined solar-powered and wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 13, wherein the portable chassis further comprises: at least two wheels disposed upon opposing ends of a common axle;an axle support frame; andat least one lift assembly disposed within the portable chassis and configured to lower the housing, in entirety, from a first level to a second level and to raise the housing from the second level to the first level;wherein the at least two wheels and the axle support frame are retractable to allow for operation of at least one lift configured to lower the at least one vending machine from a first level in the housing to a second level and to raise the at least one vending machine from the second level to the first level. 17. The combined solar-powered and wind-powered mobile vending apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one vending machine further comprises a plurality of vending machines, the mobile vending apparatus further comprising: a shared user interface and a shared dispenser disposed upon the housing of the mobile vending apparatus and coupled internally within the housing to each of the plurality of vending machines, wherein a user has access to an inventory of each of the plurality of vending machines through the shared user interface and receives an order through the shared dispenser.