Patent Application
20140175118
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to vending machines, and particularly to a dispensing assembly for a vending machine.
2. Description of Related Art
In many gravity type dispensing devices, a dispensing assembly for dispensing products includes a bracket, a tray, and a shaft. The bracket includes a base for placing the product thereon. The tray is located under the base. The tray is secured to the shaft. A motor rotates the shaft to hold or release the base. When the tray supports the base, the product is blocked. When the tray releases the base, the base rotates and the product can drop down into the accessible bin. Generally, the shaft is inserted in a plurality of shaft sleeves, and then the shaft sleeves are secured to the bracket by screws or latches. However, the securing process of the shaft is time-consuming, and a securing structure of the shaft can be complicated and costly. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.
Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”
The bracket 10 includes a first frame 13 and a second frame 15.
The second frame 15 includes a second mounting plate 151 and a plurality of second limiting pieces 152 extending from a side of the second mounting plate 151. Each second limiting piece 152 defines a second cutout 1521. Two pairs of second pivoting pieces 153 are positioned on a bottom end of the second mounting plate 151. Each second pivoting piece 153 is substantially perpendicular to the second mounting plate 151. Each second pivoting piece 153 defines a second pivoting hole 154. The second mounting plate 151 defines a plurality of second openings 155, and two pairs of second positioning pieces 156 extend from the edges of each second opening 155. Each second positioning piece 156 defines a second positioning hole 1561. A second protrusion 157 extends from an outer surface of each second limiting piece 156. The second limiting pieces 152 are integrated with the second positioning pieces 156, the second pivoting pieces 153, and the second mounting plate 151. In one embodiment, the second cutout 1521 is semicircular.
A first arc-shaped protrusion 112 extends from a bottom surface of the first base 11. A second arc-shaped protrusion 122 extends from a bottom surface of the second base 12. Each of the first arc-shaped protrusion 112 and the second arc-shaped protrusion 122 is substantially a semicircle. A diameter of each of the first arc-shaped protrusion 112 and the second arc-shaped protrusion 122 is smaller than a radius of either the support plate 21 or the arc-shaped boss 22.
Two pairs of first pivoting posts 113 are located on the first base 11. Each pair of first pivoting posts 113 corresponds to a pair of first pivoting holes 134 of a pair of first pivoting pieces 133. Two pairs of second pivoting posts 123 are located on the second base 12. Each pair of second pivoting posts 123 corresponds to a pair of second pivoting holes 154 of a pair of second pivoting pieces 153.
The shaft 30 secures a plurality of jacking members 31. Each jacking member 31 extends along a direction substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the shaft 30.
Each blocking plate 50 includes a plate body 51 and two positioning portions 52 extending from an end of the plate body 51. Each positioning portion 52 defines a through hole 521.
The dispensing device further includes a plurality of bolts 60. Each bolt 60 includes an inserting portion 61 and a blocking portion 63. In one embodiment, a cross section of the blocking portion 63 is circular, and the through hole 521 is circular. A diameter of the blocking portion 63 is smaller than a diameter of the through hole 521.
In use, the product (not shown) is placed on the first base 11 and the second base 12. The shaft 30 is rotatable between an initial position and a first position. The shaft 30 is further rotatable between the initial position and a second position. When the shaft 30 is in the initial position, the jacking members 31 are between the first mounting plate 131 and the second mounting plate 151. The plate body 51 is received in the first opening 135 or the second opening 155. In addition, the tray 20 holds the first base 11 and the second base 12, to prevent the first base 11 and the second base 12 from rotating relative to the first frame 13 and a second frame 15. The upper surface of the support plate 21 contacts and supports both the first arc-shaped protrusion 112 of the first base 11 and the second arc-shaped protrusion 122 of the second base 12. The arc-shaped boss 22 of the support plate 21 contacts and supports both the bottom surface of the first base 11 and the bottom surface of the second base 12. Thus, the product cannot drop down from either the first base 11 or the second base 12.
When the shaft 30 is in the first position, the tray 20 is rotated over the second base 12 and completely holds the first base 11. At the same time, the jacking member 31 extends out of the first opening 135 and jacks the blocking plates 50 from the first mounting plate 131. In this position, the product on the second base 12 is rotatable relative to the shaft 30 to drop down the second base 12, allowing the product to be purchased. The blocking plate 50 extends out of the first opening 135 to hold the product to remain on the second base 12.
When the shaft 30 is in the second position, the tray 20 is rotated over the first base 11 and completely holds the second base 12. At the same time, the jacking member 31 extends out of the second opening 155 and jacks the blocking plates 50 from the second mounting plate 151. In this position, the product on the first base 12 is rotatable relative to the shaft 30 under the action of gravity to drop down the first base 11, allowing the product to be purchased. The blocking plate 50 extends out of the second opening 155 to hold the product to remain on the first base 11.
When the product is being showed and not being purchased, the shaft 30 is in the initial position. When the product is purchased, the motor drives the shaft 30 to rotate to the first position or the second position, allowing the product to drop down from the first base 11 or the second base 12. Then the motor drives the shaft 30 to rotate to the initial position, causing the tray 20 to rotate the first base 11 or the second base 12 upwards, until the tray 20 holds the first base 11 and the second base 12. The product is then prevented to drop down.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and the arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201210557655X | Dec 2012 | CN | national |
