Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
33~
FIELD_OF_THE_INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dispensing device
in which a loading chute is adapted to feed articles to a
rotating dispensing mechanism which through its rotation
takes the articles from the loading chute to an opening
through which the articles are dispensed.
_ACKGROUND OE THE INVENTION_____________________
There are presently available many different types
of dispensing machines most of which have complicated
inte~nal mechanisms to provide for the dispensing of
articles from the machines. These complicated mechanisms
are often subject to premature breakdowns resulting in
inefficient operation and frequent maintenance to the
machines.
According to most applications these dispensing
machines are coin operated and coin operated vending
machines have two further common drawbacks in addition to
those described above. Firstly, many of the coin
operated vending machines will accept coins even when the
machines are empty so that the coin is lost without any
articles being dispensed from the machine to the user.
Secondly, some coin operated vending machines are subject
to constant pilfering because the article loading region
is reachable through the dispensing opening without
requiring the insertion of a coin into the machines.
SUMMARY_OF_THE_PRE~ENT_INVENTION
The present invention provides a dispensing device
comprising a rotatable operating member moveable from an
initiate position through an operate position to operate
~0 dispensin~ means which rotates for dispensing articles
(
3'r~2
1 from the dispensing device, a chute for loading the
articles in the device and Eor feeding the articles to
the dispensing means and a locking member which moves
along the chute as the articles are fed to the dispensing
means. The locking member is adapted to move to a
locking position for engaging the dispensing means and
for preventing its rotation ~hen the chute has been
emptied. The operating member is held away from the
initiate position when the locking member moves to the
locking position to indicate that the chute requires
further loading.
The system is extremely simple with very few moving
components which substantially reduces the likelihood of
any breakdowns within the device. In fact, the device is
preferably set up such that the feed to and from the
dispensing means is strictly gravity operated, further
decreasing the likelihood of malfunctions.
According to an aspect of the invention the
dispensing device is set up for coin operation. According
to this aspect a coin opening is provided on and carried
with the rotatable operating member. The coin opening is
positioned on the operating member such that it is
accessible to an appropriate coin when the operating
member is in the initiate position. When the operating
member is held away from the initiate position by the
locking member the coin opening is inaccessible to the
same appropriate coin so that the coin cannot be lost in
the machine after it has been emptied.
The device may used to dispense a plurality of
different types of goods. By way of example, the device
3~3~
1 is used for the vending of both boxed sanitary napkins
and individual tampons with the chute and the dispensing
means being arranged to accommodate either of these two
items.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIO~ OF THE DRAWINGS
_________________________________
The above as well as other advantages and features
of the present invention will be described in greater
detail according to the preferred embodiments of the
present invention wherein:
Figure 1 is a front perspective view showing a coin
operated dispensing machine according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention:
Figure 2 shows in perspective a rotating drum
dispenser and a locking member adapted to lock the drum
when the dispenser has been emptied;
Figure 2a shows the same dispenser as shown in
Figure 2 rotated to a different position Erom that shown
in the earlier figure;
Figure 3 shows in perspective a partially exploded
view of the dispensing arrangement of Fiyure 1 when used
to dispense a boxed article;
Figures 4 through 7 are side views of the
arrangement shown in Figure 3 showing in sequence the
coin operating of the device for the dispensing of the
boxed articles;
Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 3 except that
it shows the device when used to dispense individual
tampons; and,
Figures 9 through 12 are side views showing in
sequence coin operating o:E the device of Figure 8 during
31 ~.~3;~.~9Z
1 the dispensing oE the tampons.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The preferred embodiment structure shown in Figure 1
comprises a housing formed from a rearward box portion 1
and a forward door 5 adapted to close the box portion.
The internal dispensing mechanism of the device is
located within the housing.
The housing further includes a flange region 3 at
the open face of box 1 and a skirt 4 on the flange
region. Door 5 is provided with a skirt 6 adapted to
overlie skirt 4 when the door is closed to essentially
eliminate unauthorized access to the internal dispensing
mechanism. The box is further provided with catches 7
and 8 adapted to receive locking bars 9 controlled by
swivel handle 10 on the door for locking the unit closed.
Provided interiorly of the housing is a vertically
extending storage chute 13 with a rotating drum 21
provided immediately beneath the chute. A handle 17 is
journalled to the drum and extends through opening 47
provided in door 5 when the door is closed. A coin
insert having a coin receiving portion 19 is provided
immediately above handle 17 such that the coin insert is
also exposed through door opening 47. A coin guide 49 is
provided on the door to facilitate the insertion of coins
at the coin insert when the door is closed.
A dispensing chamber 43 is provided within the
housing immediately beneath rotatable drum 21. When the
door is closed chamber 43 is exposed through door opening
45 which aligns with the chamber. A coin receiving box
3~
1 51 is provided immediately beside chamber 43 within the
housing.
Chute 13 although generally rectangular is provided
with a pair of opposed channel regions 15 which are best
seen in Figures 3 and 8. A locking member 33 also shown
in Figures 3 and 8, but best shown in Figure 2 is adapted
to slide downwardly within chute 13 guided by channel
regions 15. This locking member which has a main body
portion 41 is provided at its outer ends with a pair of
lug portions 35. Each of these lug portions has opposed
thin regions 37 facing upwardly in Figure 2 as well as
opposed thicker regions 39 facing downwardly in Figure 2.
Referring to Figure 2a, rotating drum 21 is provided
with an article receiving recess generally indicated at
23 and including a box receiving region 25 as well as a
roll receiving region 27. Provided at the periphery of
the rotating drum, away from the article receiving recess
are a first pair of opposed slots 29 as well as a second
pair of opposed slots 31. As can be seen in E'igure 2
slots 31 are slightly wider than slots 29 to cooperate
with locking member 33 as described below.
Referring again to Figures 3 and 8, drum 21 is
provided with a stem 22 connected directly through a
supporting plate 20 to the rotating handle 17.
Therefore, when handle 17 is rotated drum 21 rotates with
the handle.
~ andle 17 is locked against rotation until an
appropriate coin is inserted into the coin slot 19 which
releases a standard coin lock mechanism not shown in the
drawings. The releasing of the coin lock mechanism
3~7~
1 allows rotating of handle 17.
In order to insert an appropriate coin into the coin
insert 19, handle 17 must be in the zero or initiate
position shown in Figures 3 and 8 because the coin insert
rotates with handle 17 and once the handle is rotated
away from the initiate position the coin insert is no
longer accessible to the appropriate coin.
When there are articles stored in chute 13 handle 17
assumes the zero or initiate position through the coin
lock mechanism which i5 spring loaded to move the handle
to the zero position. This allows insertion of an
appropriate coin into the dispenser without fear of the
dispenser being empty. Furthermore, one very important
feature of the present invention is that drum 21 in all
positions of rotation completely blocks the lower end of
chute 13 from the dispensing cavity 43 and door opening
45. This feature in combination with the tamper
resistent construction of the housing makes the unit
essentially pilfer-proof.
Figures ~ through 7 show the unit when used Eor the
dispensing of the boxed napkins as indicated at N. These
boxes are stored in chute 13 supported from beneath by
drum 21 with locking member 33 sitting atop the upper
most box in the chute. The locking member is positioned
such that body portion 41 is supported by the boxes with
lugs 35 fitted in the channels 15 to either side of the
chute. The locking member is positioned such that the
thinner lug portions 37 are turned downwardly for the
dispensing of the napkins.
In Figure 4 coin C is inserted into coin insert 19
1 allowing handle 17 to be rotated away from the initiate
position. At about 180 degrees rotation as shown in
Figure 5 box receiving recess 25 is turned upwardly
beneath the lower end of the chute such that the lower
most napkin box falls into the box receiving region of
the article recess. At the same time the remaining boxes
move down a position with locking member 33 dropping down
with the boxes. The lower end of the chute is covered by
a shroud 26 which is bowed outwardly at 28 to allow the
box in the drum to rotate away from the chute for
continued rotation of handle 17 beyond the Figure 5
position with the napkin box being carried with the drum
to the Figure 6 position where the napkins fall from the
box receiving region down into cavity 43. As will be
seen in Figure 6 drum 21 continues to rotate when there
are further napkins in the chute so that handle 17 can be
rotated slightly beyond the Figure 6 position back to the
zero position of Figure 4.
However, once the final napkin box has been dispensed
as shown in Figure 7, there is nothing to block the
locking member away from the drum and therefore lug
portions 37 of locking member 33 drop down into the
peripheral slots 29 on drum 21. This locks the rotating
drum and holds handle 17 and coin insert 19 away from the
zero position making the coin insert totally inaccessible
to the insertion of further coins into the unit. As will
be seen in Figure 7 the locking of the drum does not
occur until the drum has been rotated such that the last
napkin box has cleared beyond shroud portion 26 allowing
the box to drop down into the dispensing cavity.
3~2
1 When the unit is used to dispense tampons as shown
in Figures 9 through 12 the tampons which are slightly
wider than the napkin boxes, are Eitted directly into
channels 15 of chute 13. Furthermore locking member 33
is reversed such that the wider lug portions 39 of the
locking member are turned downwardly. Tbese lug portions
seat directly atop the tampons which are again supported
from beneath by drum 21.
The dispensing of the tampons T is generally the
same as the dispensing of the napkins described above
with the exception that the actual movement of the
tampons to cavity 43 is slightly retarded relative to the
napkin dispensing and as such the locking of drum 21
during the dispensing of the last tampon must also be
slightly retarded.
More specifically, when the tampons are loaded in
the chute as described above, and with handle 17 in the
Figure 9 coin receiving position, coin insert lg is
accessible to an appropriate coin. AEter the coin is
inserted the handle can be released to rotate drum 21
such that the article receiving recess is exposed to the
stacked tampons. The lowermost tampon rides over the
relatively narrow box receiving region to the cut away
roll receiving region 27 where the tampon drops down into
a dispensing position. It will be noted that the
dispensing position for the tampon is rearward of the
dispensing position for the napkins producing the
retarded dispensing mentioned aboveO Continued rotation
of the drum to the Figure 11 position results in the
tampon dropping from the drum into the dispensing
3c~
1 cavity. The handle is then released and the spring in
the coin lock mechanism automatically returns the handle
to the Figure 9 position as long as there are further
tampons in the chute blocking the locking member away
from the drum.
During the dispensing of the final tampon from the
dispenser chute 13 is emptied as the tampon falls down
into the roll receiving recess so that the lug portions
39 of locking member 33 ride on the periphery of the
drum. The drum is rotated in order to move the tampon to
the dispensing cavity past shroud 26. Premature locking
of the lug portions into slots 29 which would otherwise
prevent the clearing of the tampon past the shroud is
prevented by virtue of the downward positioning of thick
lug portions 39 which ride over the thinner peripheral
slots. This allows the drum to be rotated far enough to
drop the tampon into the dispensing cavity as shown in
the Figure 12 position. At the same time that the tampon
is dropped from the drum lug portions 39 align with the
wider peripheral slots 31 which are adapted to receive
the thicker lug portions and lock the drum in the Figure
12 position. As will be seen, the coin insert is held
away from the coin insert position so that no further
coins can be placed in the unit after it has been emptied.
With both the napkins and the tampons the principle
of operation is the same i.e. to hold the coin insert
away from the coin receiving position when the chute is
empty although the positioning of operating handle 17 is
slightly different from one application to the other.
According to the napkin dispensing arrangement the handle
1 is prevented Erom rotating a full 360 degrees so that it
cannot ret~rn to the initiate position whereas according
to the tampon dispensing arrangement the handle is
rotated beyond 360 degrees and prevented from returning
to the 360 degree position by the locking member.
As will be seen from the description above, the
dispensing system of the present invention is extremely
simple requiring very few moving components making it
inexpensive from both a manufacturing as well as a
maintenance standpoint. Furthermore, the system when
used in a coin operated vending machine is essentially
pilfer-proof while at the same time being adapted to
assure that coins cannot be lost in the unit when all the
articles have been dispensed resulting in customer
satisfaction.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
invention have been described herein in detail it will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations
may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of
the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
