Patent Application
20140014673
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, more particularly to a vending machine and merchandises outputting method of the vending machine.
2. Description of Related Art
Vending machines allow customers to buy a lot of merchandises twenty fours a day, such as buying water, papers and so on. When the customer retrieves the merchandises from the vending machine, a shielding plate is pushed by the customer to obtain the merchandises from a cabinet of the vending machine. However, a gap is left between the shielding plate and the cabinet. It is possible to obtain merchandises directly through the gap without paying. Therefore, there is room for improvement within 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 cabinet 20 includes a receiving portion 21, a first side panel 23, and two parallel second side panels 25. An entrance 27, for the merchandise to drop into the cabinet 20, is defined in the cabinet 20. In one embodiment, the receiving portion 21 is arcuate, and a concave slot 210 is defined in the receiving portion 21, for receiving the merchandise. A securing flange 211 extends from a first edge of the receiving portion 21, and two mounting flanges 213 extend from opposite second edges of the receiving portion 21. In one embodiment, the securing flange 211 is substantially parallel to the first side panel 23 and perpendicular to the two mounting flanges 213.
A first electromagnet 40 is secured to an inner surface of the securing flange 211. Each of the two mounting flanges 213 is attached to each of the two second side panels 25, and two sensors 50 are secured to each of the two mounting flanges 213. A second electromagnet 60 is secured to a top portion of the first side panel 23. The sensors 50 detect whether the merchandise is received in the cabinet 20 and if so transmit a signal to the first and the second electromagnets 40, 60. For example, when the sensors 50 detects that the merchandise is received in the cabinet 20, a signal is sent to the first and the second electromagnets 40, 60 to power off the first electromagnet 40, and the second electromagnet 60 is energized to attract the shielding plate 30. Until the sensors 50 detect that the merchandise is in the cabinet 20, the second electromagnet 60 is powered off, and the first electromagnet 40 is energized to attract the shielding plate 30. A securing hole 251 is defined in each of the two second side panels 25.
Two retaining pieces 31 extend from opposite edge of the shielding plate 30. Each of the two retaining pieces 31 defines a retaining hole 311. The retaining holes 311 and the securing holes 251 are together used to secure a rotating post 70. Thus, the shielding plate 30 can be rotatably secured to the two second side panels 25 by the rotating post 70. In one embodiment, the shielding plate 30 is an iron plate.
In use, when the merchandise drops into the cabinet 20, the sensors 50 detect the merchandise in the cabinet 20, the first electromagnet 40 is switched of, and the second electromagnet 60 is switched on. The shielding plate 30 is rotated from the lower position to the higher position, to make contact with the second electromagnet 60. Simultaneously, the two resilient members 80 are deformed. Thus, the entrance 27 is covered by the shielding plate 30, and the customers have no access to the merchandise or additional merchandise through the entrance 27. When the merchandise is lifted out of the cabinet 20 from the opening 11 by customers, the sensors 50 detect the removal of the merchandise from the cabinet 20, and the second electromagnet 60 is switched of, and the first electromagnet 40 is switched on. The shielding plate 30 rotates from the higher position to the lower position, to again make contact with the first electromagnet 40. Simultaneously, the two resilient members 80 are released from compression. Thus, the opening 11 is again covered and closed by the shielding plate 30, to prevent buyer access through the opening 11.
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012102426300 | Jul 2012 | CN | national |
