Article dispensing apparatus

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6425495
  • Patent Number
    6,425,495
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, November 6, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 30, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
An article dispensing apparatus with a novel structure is provided for lifting and taking out articles such as candies, stored in a stack within a case body, one by one from the top one. The article dispensing apparatus has a case body for storing articles in a stack. A dispensing opening that can take out the stored articles one by one from the top one is formed in the upper part of the case body, and an elastic member for biasing the stored articles toward the dispensing opening is provided in the lower part of the case body. A pair of engaging members are provided in the vicinity of the dispensing opening of the case body for engaging the both sides of the top article among a plurality of articles biased by the elastic member to prevent the plurality of articles from being dispensed from the dispensing opening. A rotating body is rotatably provided in the upper part of the case body, and a pair of holding pieces are provided in the rotating body for holding the both sides of the. top article among a plurality of articles while releasing the engagement of the pair of engaging members.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




This invention relates to an article dispensing apparatus for taking out articles such as candies, which are stored in a stack in a case body, in an order from the top one.




2. Description of the Related Art




There is known a conventional article dispensing apparatus for taking out articles in an order from the top one in a stack stored in a case body such as the one disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 6-92379. An article dispensing apparatus disclosed in that application has a case body for storing flat articles such as chewing gum stacked in the vertical direction and is provided in the upper part of the case body with a dispensing device for pushing the stored articles one by one in an order from the top one so that the articles can be taken out. A sliding member is provided in the dispensing device for engaging the top article among a plurality of articles biased by an elastic member and making the article protrude from a front opening.




The conventional article dispensing apparatus as described above has a problem in that it simply slides the top article and cannot separate an article one by one from other articles to dispense it. The apparatus is made so that articles stored in a stack within the case body can be pushed by the sliding member of the apparatus and taken out one by one from the top one.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention has been devised in view of the above drawbacks and it is an object of the present invention to provide an article dispensing apparatus with a novel structure, which can lift an article, such as a candy stored in a stack within a case body, one by one from the top one and dispense it.




In order to attain the above and other objects, an article dispensing apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention comprises:




(a) a case body for storing articles in a vertical stack;




(b) a dispensing opening formed in the upper part of the case body for taking out the stored articles one by one in an order from the top one, and an elastic member provided in the lower part of the case body for biasing the stored articles to the dispensing opening;




(c) a pair of engaging members provided in the vicinity of the dispensing opening of the case body for engaging both sides of the top article among a plurality of articles biased by the elastic member to prevent the plurality of articles from jumping out from the dispensing opening; and




(d) a rotating body rotatably provided in the upper part of the case body, and a pair of holding pieces provided in the rotating body for holding the both sides of the top article among the plurality of articles while releasing the engagement of the pair of engaging members.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an overall perspective view of an article dispensing apparatus in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 2

is an assembled perspective view of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is an assembled perspective view of

FIG. 2

with a over slid;





FIG. 4

is a perspective view showing the state in which an article is held;





FIG. 5

is a fragmentary sectional view of a main part of

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 6

is a perspective view showing the state in which an article is taken out; and





FIG. 7

is a fragmentary sectional view of a main part of FIG.


6


.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




An article dispensing apparatus embodying the present invention is now described based on FIG.


1


through FIG.


7


. An article dispensing apparatus


1


in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention comprises a case body


4


for storing articles


2


in a vertical stack. A dispensing opening


36


is formed in the upper part of the case body


4


, through which the stored articles


2


can be taken out one by one in an order from the top one, and an elastic member


81


is provided in the lower part of the case body


4


for biasing the stored articles


2


toward the dispensing opening


36


.




A pair of engaging members


70


and


70


are provided in the vicinity of the dispensing opening


36


of the case body


4


for engaging both sides of the top article


2


among a plurality of articles


2


biased by the elastic member


81


and for preventing the plurality of articles


2


from jumping out from the dispensing opening


36


. A rotating body


55


is rotatably provided in the upper part of the case body


4


, and a pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


are provided in the rotating body


55


for holding both sides of the top article


2


among the plurality of articles


2


while releasing the engagement of the pair of engaging members


70


and


70


.




When the plurality of articles


2


are stored in a vertical stack within the case body


4


, although the plurality of articles


2


are biased toward the dispensing opening


36


by the elastic member


81


, the plurality of articles


2


are prevented from jumping out from the dispensing opening


36


because both sides of the top article


2


among the plurality of articles


2


are engaged by the pair of engaging members


70


and


70


(see FIG.


6


). In this state, when the rotating body


55


is rotated downward to the front direction as shown in

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


hold both sides of the top article


2


while releasing the engagement by forcing open the pair of engaging members


70


and


70


. Then, when the rotating body


55


is rotated upward to the back direction as shown in

FIGS. 6 and 7

, the pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


hold both sides of the top article


2


, and can separate the article


2


from other articles


2


and take it out.




One embodiment in accordance. with the present invention is now further described with reference to the drawings. An article dispensing apparatus


1


comprises a case body


4


and a dispensing device


51


. The case body


4


comprises a storing frame


3


for storing articles


2


such as lemon candies, chewing gum and marbles in a vertical stack, and a cover member


85


for storing the storing frame


3


. The storing frame


3


consists of a sliding frame


5


with its front opening and a mounting frame


7


attached to the upper end of the sliding frame


5


and is molded integrally with synthetic resin. The sliding frame


5


is formed generally in the shape of a letter C with its front opening and comprises a left side plate


9


, a right side plate


10


, a rear plate


11


and a bottom plate


12


. An engaging piece


13


is formed in the vicinity of the bottom plate


12


.




The mounting frame


7


provided at the upper ends of the left side plate


9


and the right side plate


10


is formed with its upper part open and comprises a lower wall


15


, a right wall


16


, a rear wall


17


, a left wall


19


and a front wall


20


. An opening


18


communicating with an inside of the sliding frame


5


is formed in the lower wall


15


. A bearing recess


21


generally in the shape of a letter C is formed in the front wall


20


. Bearing walls


22


and


23


are formed in both sides of the bearing recess


21


, and semicircular bearing recesses


24


and


25


are provided in the bearing walls


22


and


23


.




A cover


31


is mounted to the opening of the mounting frame


7


by screws


30


. The cover


31


is molded with synthetic resin and comprises an upper frame member


33


generally in the shape of a letter C with its front part


32


open and forms a dispensing opening


36


substantially in its center by the upper frame member


33


and the front wall


35


. The front wall


35


provided in the front part of the dispensing opening


36


has a curved and inclining surface


37


.




Bearing walls


39


and


40


are formed in the front part of the cover


31


, and bearing recesses


41


and


42


in semicircular shape are provided in the bearing walls


39


and


40


. When the cover


31


is attached to the mounting frame


7


by the screws


30


, the bearing recesses


24


and


25


of the mounting frame


7


and the bearing recesses


41


and


42


of the cover


31


contact to form bearing holes


43


and


44


. Supporting shafts


50


and


50


formed in the lower part of an open-close plate


46


are rotatably mounted in the bearing holes


43


and


44


.




An arm member


47


is formed in the front part of the open-close plate


46


, a boss


49


is provided in the top end of the arm member


47


and the supporting shafts


50


and


50


are protrudingly mounted to the both ends of the boss


49


. The open-close plate


46


is formed in a shape to be fit in the upper frame member


33


, and the arm member


47


is disposed between the bearing walls


39


and


40


. The open-close plate


46


rotates with the supporting shafts


50


and


50


as its center, fits in the upper frame member


33


when touching the front wall


35


and closes the dispensing opening


36


. Further, a hooking protrusion


48


for hooking a pawl is formed in the boss


49


for ease of opening the open-close plate


46


.




A dispensing device


51


in an animal shape is provided in the cover


31


. The dispensing device


51


comprises supporting members


52


and


52


in a leg shape fixed to the cover


31


by the screws


30


and


30


, and a rotating body


55


in a body shape rotatably attached by supporting shafts


53


and


53


between the pair of supporting members


52


and


52


. A pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


in an arm shape are provided in the rotating body


55


.




Fixing frames


60


and


60


generally in the shape of the letter C in the cross-section are formed in the upper parts of the left side plate


9


and the right side plate


10


of the sliding frame


5


. The fixing frames


60


and


60


are connected to the lower wall


15


of the mounting frame


7


in their upper ends, and inserting openings


61


and


61


formed in the lower wall


15


are formed to extend through to the inside of the fixing frames


60


and


60


. Engaging edges


63


and


63


are formed in side walls


62


and


62


of the fixing frames


60


and


60


by openings


65


and


65


. In addition, engaging stepped parts


67


and


67


are formed in the upper parts of the positions opposing the engaging edges


63


and


63


in the left side plate


9


and the right side plate


10


.




Engaging members


70


and


70


are inserted from the inserting openings


61


and


61


are detachably attached to the fixing frames


60


and


60


. The engaging member


70


is formed of an elastic material such as synthetic resin and has an inserting piece


71


in a flat shape to be inserted from the inserting opening


61


. A pair of engaging pawls


72


and


72


to be engaged by engaging portions (not shown) of the fixing frame


60


are formed in the bottom edge of the inserting piece


71


. An engaging protrusion


73


for engaging with the engaging edge


63


is protrudingly mounted in the lower part of the inserting piece


71


. A bent stepped portion


75


for engaging with the engaging stepped portion


67


is formed substantially in the center of the inserting piece


71


. An inclining surface


76


is formed in the upper part of the inserting piece


71


and a stopper piece


79


to which an engaging protrusion


77


is protrudingly mounted is provided in the rear part of the inserting piece


71


.




A push-up member


82


attached to one end of a coil spring


81


and to be biased toward an opening


18


by the coil spring


81


is slidably provided in the sliding frame


5


in the vertical direction. The other end of the coil spring


81


is fixedly engaged in an engaging piece


13


. A guiding protrusion


83


is formed in the front surface of the push-up member


82


.




The sliding frame


5


is housed in a cover


85


generally in a rectangular shape. The cover


85


is molded with synthetic resin. A guiding groove


87


for guiding the guiding protrusion


83


of the push-up member


82


is formed in a front wall


86


of the cover


85


. Supplemental cover portions


91


and


92


for covering the fixing frames


60


and


60


are formed in both side walls


89


and


90


of the cover


85


. An engaging pawl


95


to be engaged in an engaging hole


14


formed in the lower wall


15


of the mounting frame


7


is formed in the upper part of a rear wall


93


of the cover


85


.




In the article dispensing apparatus with the above-mentioned structure, whose ordinary state is shown in

FIG. 2

, when an engaging pawl


95


is detached from the engaging hole


14


of the mounting frame


7


and the cover


85


is slid downward as shown in

FIG. 3

, a top end


88


of the guiding groove


87


engages in the guiding protrusion


83


and pushes down the push-up member


82


against the elasticity of the coil spring


81


.




When articles


2


are stored in stack in the vertical direction in the sliding frame


5


and the cover


85


is slid upward to engage the engaging pawl


95


in the engaging hole


14


of the mounting frame


7


, a plurality of articles


2


are pushed upward by the push-up member


82


biased by the elasticity of the coil spring


81


, and the top article


2


among the plurality of articles


2


is engaged in the engaging protrusions


77


and


77


of the engaging members


70


and


70


as shown in FIG.


7


. The article


2


may also be stored from the dispensing opening


36


.




When the dispensing opening


36


is opened by rotating the open-close plate


46


and the rotating body


55


is rotated forward as if it is fallen down, the pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


touch the inclining surfaces


76


and


76


of the engaging members


70


and


70


and rotate to hold the top article


2


while pushing open the stopper pieces


79


and


79


of the engaging members


70


and


70


against the elasticity of the material. When the pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


hold the top article


2


, the stopper pieces


79


and


79


are fully opened and the engagement of the engaging protrusions


77


and


77


provided in the stopper pieces


79


and


79


relative to the article


2


is released.




When the rotating body


55


is rotated backward to be raised, the pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


hold the top article


2


and take it out of the storing frame


3


as shown in

FIGS. 6 and 7

. The article


2


second from the top is not pulled out together with the top article


2


even if the top article


2


is taken out because the article


2


second from the top touches the front wall


86


of the cover


85


, and will become the top article


2


by being engaged by the engaging protrusions


77


and


77


of the engaging members


70


and


70


, which have returned to their original position by the elasticity of the material.




Thus, when the rotating body


55


is rotated forward and then raised backward, the pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


lift and take out one of the articles


2


. If the supporting members


52


and


52


are formed in the shape of animal legs, the rotating body


55


is formed in the shape of animal body and the pair of holding pieces


56


and


56


are formed in the shape of animal arms, the article dispensing apparatus


1


can take an action as if an animal toy lifts and takes out the article


2


. In addition, if the rotating body


55


is biased backward by an elastic member such as a spring, it may not be necessary to raise the rotating body


55


backward manually because it is raised backward by the elastic restoration power of the elastic member, although it needs to be pressed down when it is rotated down forward.




As described above, the first aspect of the present invention has an effect that an article dispensing apparatus with a novel structure that could not conventionally be obtained that can lift and take out articles such as candies stored in stack in a case body one by one in an order from the top one can be provided. The article dispensing apparatus, unlike conventional ones that slide out the top article, employs an interesting motion in that it separates the top article from other articles to take it out as if it lifts out the article. If a rotating body for taking out the article is formed in the shape of an animal, the article dispensing apparatus can be extremely novel and unique because it makes motions as an animal toy when it lifts and takes out the article. Further, since the article is held and lifted, it may be a spherical article, such as a marble, without being limited to a flat article such as in the dispensing apparatuses of past.




Thus, it is seen that an article dispensing apparatus is provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the preferred embodiments which are presented for the purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims which follow:



Claims
  • 1. An article dispensing apparatus, comprising:a case body for storing articles in a vertical stack; a dispensing opening formed in the upper part of the case body for taking out the stored articles one by one in an order from the top one, and an elastic member provided in the lower part of the case body for biasing the stored articles to the dispensing opening; a pair of engaging members provided in the vicinity of the dispensing opening of the case body for engaging both sides of the top article among a plurality of articles biased by the elastic member to prevent a plurality of articles from being dispensed from the dispensing opening; and a dispensing device in a creature shape comprising a rotating body rotatably provided in the upper part of the case body, and a pair of holding pieces provided in the rotating body for holding the both sides of the top article among the plurality of articles while releasing the engagement of the pair of engaging members, wherein the case body comprises a storing frame for storing the articles in the vertical stack and a cover member for the storing frame, wherein the articles are candies, pieces of chewing gum or marbles, wherein the storing frame includes a sliding frame with a front opening and a mounting frame that is attached to the upper end of the sliding frame and is molded integrally with synthetic resin, wherein the sliding frame is formed generally in the shape of a letter C, wherein the sliding frame comprises a left side plate, a right side plate, a rear plate, and a bottom plate, and wherein an engaging piece is formed in the vicinity of the bottom plate.
  • 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the mounting frame is provided at the upper ends of the left side plate and the right side plate, wherein the mounting frame is formed with its upper part open and comprises a lower wall, a right wall, a rear wall, a left wall, and a front wall, wherein an opening communicating with an inside of the sliding frame is formed in the lower wall, wherein a bearing recess generally in the shape of a letter C is formed in the front wall, and wherein bearing walls are formed in both sides of the bearing recess and semi-circle bearing recesses are provided in the bearing walls.
  • 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein a cover is mounted to the open upper part of the mounting frame by screws, wherein the cover is molded with synthetic resin and comprises an upper frame member generally in the shape of a letter C with its front part open and wherein the cover forms a dispensing opening substantially in its center by the upper frame member in the front wall, and wherein the front wall is provided in the front part of the dispensing opening and has a curved and inclining surface.
  • 4. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein bearing walls are formed in a front part of the cover and bearing recesses in semi-circular shape are provided in the bearing walls, wherein the bearing recesses of the mounting frame and the bearing recesses of the cover contact to form bearing holes, and wherein supporting shafts formed in the lower part of an open-close plate are rotably mounted in the bearing holes.
  • 5. The apparatus of claim 4,wherein an arm member is formed in the front part of the open-close plate, wherein a boss is provided in the top end of the arm member, wherein supporting shafts are protrudingly mounted to both ends of the boss, wherein the open-close plate is formed in a shape to fit in the upper frame member, wherein the arm member is disposed between the bearing walls, wherein the open-close plate rotates with the supporting shafts as its center, fits in the upper frame member when touching the front wall and closes the dispensing opening, and wherein a hooking protrusion for hooking a pawl is formed in the boss.
  • 6. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein the dispensing device in a creature shape is provided in the cover, wherein the dispensing device comprises supporting members in a leg shape fixed to the cover by screws and a rotating body in a body shape rotably attached by supporting shafts between the pair of supporting members, and wherein a pair of holding pieces in an arm shape are provided in the rotating body.
  • 7. The apparatus of claim 6,wherein fixing frames generally in the shape of the letter C in the cross-section are formed in the upper parts of the left side plate and the right side plate of the sliding frame, wherein the fixing frames are connected to the lower wall of the mounting frame in their upper ends and wherein inserting openings formed in the lower wall are formed to extend through to the inside of the fixing frames, wherein extending edges are formed in side walls of the fixing frames by the openings, and wherein engaging stepped parts are formed in the upper parts of the positions opposing the engaging edges in the left side plate and the right side plate.
  • 8. The apparatus of claim 7,wherein engaging members are inserted from the inserting openings and are detachably attached to the fixing frames, wherein the engaging members are formed of an elastic material and have an inserting piece in a flat shape to be inserted from the inserting opening, wherein a pair of engaging pawls to be engaged by engaging portions of the fixing frame are formed in the bottom edge of the inserting piece, wherein an engaging protrusion for engaging with the engaging edge is protrudingly mounted in the lower part of the inserting piece, wherein a bent stepped portion for engaging with the engaging stepped portion is formed substantially in the center of the inserting piece, and wherein an inclining surface is formed in the upper part of the inserting piece and a stopper piece to which an engaging protrusion is protrudingly mounted is provided in the rear part of the inserting piece.
  • 9. The apparatus of claim 8,wherein a push-up member attached to one end of a coil spring and biased toward an opening by the coil spring is slidably provided in the sliding frame in the vertical direction, wherein the other end of the coil spring is fixedly engaged in an engaging piece, and wherein a guiding protrusion is formed in a front surface of the push-up member.
  • 10. The apparatus of claim 9,wherein the sliding frame is housed in a substantially rectangular cover, wherein the cover is integrally formed of synthetic resin, wherein a guiding groove for guiding the guiding protrusion of the push-up member is formed in a front wall of the cover, wherein supplemental cover portions for covering the fixing frames are formed in both side walls of the cover, and wherein an engaging pawl to be engaged in an engaging hole formed in the lower wall of the mounting frame is formed in the upper part of a rear wall of the cover.
  • 11. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein the supporting members are formed in the shape of creature legs, the rotating body is formed in the shape of creature body and the pair of holding pieces are formed in the shape of creature arms.
  • 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the rotating body is biased backward by an elastic member and is raised backward by the elastic restoration power of the elastic member, and wherein the elastic member is a spring.
  • 13. An article dispensing apparatus, comprising:a case body comprising a storage frame that defines a storage space that receives the articles in a stacked relation, the storage frame having an open top end and including a sliding frame with a front opening and a mounting frame attached to the upper end of the sliding frame, the mounting frame including a cover that is structured to open and to close the open top end; an elastic member provided in a lower part of the case body for biasing the stored articles to the open top end; and a dispensing device disposed on top of the mounting frame, the dispensing device including a rotating body rotatably provided in an upper part of the case body, the rotating body including a pair of holding pieces, the holding pieces being structured to hold sides of the top article among the plurality of articles, wherein the article dispensing apparatus is structured to move the cover to open the open top end before rotating the holding pieces to hold the sides of the top article.
  • 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the article dispensing apparatus forms a creature shape.
  • 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the holding pieces form appendages of the creature shape.
  • 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sliding frame includes a left side plate, a right side plate and a bottom plate.
  • 17. The apparatus of claim 16,wherein the mounting frame is disposed at upper ends of the left side plate and the right side plate, and wherein the mounting frame includes a lower wall in which is formed an opening that communicates with an inside of the sliding frame.
  • 18. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the mounting frame is molded with synthetic resin, and wherein the mounting frame includes a front wall disposed in a front part of the open top end, the front wall having a curved and inclining surface.
  • 19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:a pair of engaging members, disposed in the vicinity of the open top end, that engage sides of the top article among the plurality of articles biased by the elastic member.
  • 20. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the dispensing device includes supporting members, and wherein the rotating body is rotatably attached by supporting shafts between the supporting members.
  • 21. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein a push-up member attached to one end of a coil spring and biased toward an opening by the coil spring is slidably provided in the sliding frame in the vertical direction, wherein the other end of the coil spring is fixedly engaged in an engaging piece, and wherein a guiding protrusion is formed in a front surface of the push-up member.
  • 22. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the sliding frame is housed in a substantially rectangular housing, wherein the housing is integrally formed of synthetic resin, and wherein a guiding groove for guiding a guiding protrusion of a push-up member is formed in a front wall of the housing.
  • 23. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the rotating body is formed in a shape of a creature body, and wherein the pair of holding pieces are formed in a shape of creature arms.
  • 24. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the rotating body is biased backward by a second elastic member and is raised backward by elastic restoration power of the second elastic member.
  • 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the second elastic member is a spring.
  • 26. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the articles are candies, pieces of chewing gum or marbles.
  • 27. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the case body stores the articles in a vertical stack.
  • 28. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sliding frame has a cross section that forms generally a C-shape.
  • 29. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mounting frame is molded integrally to an upper end of the sliding frame with synthetic resin.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
10-339326 Nov 1998 JP
Parent Case Info

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/431,651 filed Nov. 1, 1999 and now abandoned.

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Continuations (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/431651 Nov 1996 US
Child 10/007544 US