AU2019100396A4 - Launcher mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

H:\Interwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\PLW\18704428_I.docx-Il/04/2019 -9 A launcher mechanism for a dispensing device, comprising: a frame sized to be positioned within the dispensing device; a launcher arm having a container-receiving end portion and an opposed end portion pivotably connected to the frame such that the launcher arm is pivotable between a raised position and a lowered position; a biasing mechanism connected between the launcher arm and the frame to bias the launcher arm to the raised position; and an actuator configured to apply force to the launcher arm via an engaging member to pivot the launcher arm from the raised position to the lowered position against the biasing mechanism, wherein said launcher arm is released from engagement with the engaging member when in the lowered position, thereby allowing the launcher arm to be biased back to the raised position. II/Z-4 F4l "I-

Description

- 1 Launcher mechanism [0001] The invention relates to a launcher mechanism for ejecting contents from within a dispensing device such as a cooler.

[0002] Coolers or ice boxes are insulated boxes for keeping contents, eg cans of beer, cool. Conventionally, the cooler has an insulated hinging lid, and the user lifts the lid to retrieve contents of the cooler.

[0003] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a launcher mechanism for a dispensing device, comprising:

a frame sized to be positioned within the dispensing device;

a launcher arm having a container-receiving end portion and an opposed end portion pivotably connected to the frame such that the launcher arm is pivotable between a raised position and a lowered position;

a biasing mechanism connected between the launcher arm and the frame to bias the launcher arm to the raised position; and an actuator configured to apply force to the launcher arm via an engaging member to pivot the launcher arm from the raised position to the lowered position against the biasing mechanism, wherein said launcher arm is released from engagement with the engaging member when in the lowered position, thereby allowing the launcher arm to be biased back to the raised position.

[0004] The actuator may be configured to retract after a predetermined time interval to move the engaging member back to a resting position.

[0005] The launcher arm may comprise a hook for engaging with a cam of the engaging member, wherein the cam is rotated when the engaging member is at an extended position

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-2corresponding to the launcher arm being in the lowered position, thereby releasing the hook from engagement with the cam.

[0006] The launcher mechanism may further comprise a magazine for receiving a plurality of containers, the magazine comprising an outlet positioned in use to dispose a container into the container-receiving end portion of the launcher arm when the launcher arm is in the lowered position.

[0007] The launcher mechanism may further comprise a container-retention mechanism at a bottom region of the frame, the container-retention mechanism being movable between a blocking position to retain said plurality of containers within the magazine and an unblocking position to release a container from the magazine into the container-receiving end portion when the launcher arm is in the lowered position.

[0008] The container-retention mechanism may comprise a lever biased to the blocking position, and pressure of the container-receiving end portion on the lever when the launcher arm is in the lowered position may move the lever against the bias to the unblocking position.

[0009] The actuator may be activated via a remote controller.

[0010] The present invention also provides a dispensing device comprising the launcher mechanism as described.

[0011] The dispensing device may comprise an aperture in a lid of the dispensing device in which the container-receiving end portion of the launcher arm is sealingly received when the container-receiving end portion is in the raised position.

[0012] The dispensing device may be a cooler.

[0013] The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cooler with a launcher mechanism according to an embodiment;

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-3 Figures 2 to 10 are perspective views of the launcher mechanism;

Figures 11 to 13 illustrate various components of the launcher mechanism;

Figures 14 and 15 illustrate the launcher mechanism within a cooler;

Figures 16 and 17 are side elevation views illustrating the launcher mechanism with launcher arm in lowered and raised positions respectively;

Figures 18a to 18d illustrate the sequence of movement of the launcher arm being lowered and subsequently released to return to the raised position;

Figures 19a to 19c are detailed views of the actuator, engaging member and launcher arm according to one embodiment as the launcher arm is lowered;

Figures 20a to 20e are detailed views of the hook of the launcher arm disengaging and subsequently re-engaging with the cam of the engaging member according to one embodiment;

Figures 21 to 24 are detailed views of the hook and cam;

Figures 25 and 26 are side elevation views of the launcher mechanism with launcher arm in lowered and raised positions respectively; and

Figures 27 to 30 are detailed views of the container retention mechanism according to one embodiment.

[0014] As illustrated in the Figures, the present invention provides a launcher mechanism 10 for a dispensing device 100, comprising a frame 2 sized to be positioned within the dispensing device 100, a launcher arm 4 having a container-receiving end portion 6 and an opposed end portion 8 pivotably connected to the frame 2 such that the launcher arm is pivotable between a raised position (eg as illustrated in Figure 17) and a lowered position (eg as illustrated in Figure 16). A biasing mechanism 12 is connected between the launcher arm 4 and the frame 2 to bias the launcher arm to the raised position. An actuator 14 is configured to apply force to the launcher arm 4 via an engaging member 5 to pivot the launcher arm 4 from the raised position to the lowered position against the biasing mechanism 12. The launcher arm 4 is released from

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-4engagement with the engaging member 5 when the launcher arm 4 reaches its lowered position, thereby allowing the launcher arm 4 to be biased back to the raised position. The biasing mechanism 12 may comprise two springs positioned to connect the launcher arm 4 to opposite ends along the width of the frame 2.

[0015] For brevity, the following description refers to the dispensing device 100 as a cooler; however, it is envisaged that the launcher mechanism 10 could alternatively be installed in other containment/dispensing devices such as vending machines, cupboards, lockers, drawers, etc.

[0016] In one embodiment (shown more clearly in Figures 20a to 20e, and Figures 21 to 24), the launcher arm 4 comprises a hook 40 for engaging with a cam 42 of the engaging member 5. As the actuator 14 is activated, it pushes on engaging member 5, thereby lowering the engaged launcher arm 4. The cam 42 is configured to be rotated (eg by a trigger 43) when the engaging member is at an extended position (as illustrated in Figure 20b), which corresponds to the launcher arm 4 being in its lowered position, thereby releasing the hook 40 from engagement with the cam 42, and allowing the launcher arm 4 to be biased back to its raised position.

[0017] Subsequently, the actuator 14 may be retracted to move the engaging member 5 back to its resting position. In one embodiment, the actuator 14 may be configured to retract after a predetermined time interval. As the engaging member 5 returns to the resting position, the cam 42 once again engages with the hook 40 of the launcher arm 4.

[0018] The launcher mechanism 10 may further comprise a magazine 18 for receiving a plurality of containers 22. The magazine 18 comprises an outlet 20 positioned in use to dispose a container into the container-receiving end portion 6 of the launcher arm 4 when the containerreceiving end portion is in the lowered position. The magazine 18 may be separately formed from the launcher arm and frame (as illustrated in the example drawings), or may be integrally formed therewith. For brevity, the contents of the cooler to be launched by the launcher mechanism 10 have been referred to as containers 22, intended to include cans, bottles, sachets, boxes, etc. In one example, the magazine 18 is sized to receive twenty-two 375ml-sized cans.

[0019] As illustrated more clearly in Figures 27 to 30, the launcher mechanism may further comprise a container-retention mechanism 46 at a bottom region of the frame. The containerH:\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\PLW\l8704428_l.docx-l 1/04/2019

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-5 retention mechanism 46 is movable between a blocking position to retain the plurality of containers 22 within the magazine 18 and an unblocking position to release a container 22 from the magazine 18 into the container-receiving end portion 6 when the launcher arm 4 is in the lowered position. In one example, the container-retention mechanism 46 comprises a lever which is biased to the blocking position in which a retention portion of the lever extends upwardly to retain the containers 22 within the magazine 18. Pressure of the container-receiving end portion 6 on the lever when the launcher arm 4 is in the lowered position moves the lever against its bias to the unblocking position in which the retention portion of the lever is lowered or otherwise moved to allow a container 22 to be released into the container-receiving end portion 6. Alternative container-retention mechanisms such as a pivoting closure flap may be used, as well as alternative means of moving the container-retention mechanism to the unblocking position, eg using sensors.

[0020] The launcher mechanism 10 may further comprise a receiver 28 so that the actuator may be activated via a remote controller 30, eg an infrared or radio-frequency identification (RFID) controller, or via a mobile device connected to the launcher mechanism via Bluetooth or other internet of things (IOT) networks. The launcher mechanism may be powered via a battery 32, eg a rechargeable battery, a wall-mounted electrical outlet, or any other suitable means.

[0021] The present invention also relates to a cooler 100 comprising the launcher mechanism 10. The cooler and launcher may be provided as an integral unit, or the launcher mechanism 10 may be provided separately, to be retrofitted to a cooler. Contents of the cooler 100 may kept refrigerated by any suitable means such as ice packs, ice cubes, a thermoelectric cooling mechanism, etc.

[0022] As illustrated in Figure 15, the cooler 100 may comprise an aperture 50 in a lid 52 of the cooler, sized to receive the container-receiving end portion 6 of the launcher arm 4. Preferably, the container-receiving end portion 6 is sized for a close-fitting fit in the aperture 50. In some embodiments, sealing means may be provided around the container-receiving end portion 6 and/or the inside edge of the aperture 50 so that the container-receiving end portion is sealingly received within the aperture 50 when the container-receiving end portion 6 is in the raised position, thereby maintaining insulating properties of the lid 52. In other embodiments, a

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-6closure flap (not shown) may be hingingly positioned in the aperture 50, and openable to allow the container 22 to be ejected therethrough.

[0023] In operation, the cooler 100 with launching mechanism 10 is filled by inserting a plurality of containers 22 in the magazine 18. At this stage, the launcher arm 4 is in its raised position, preferably within aperture 50 of the closed lid 52. To eject a container 22, the user activates the actuator 14, eg via the remote controller 30. The actuator 14 applies a force on the engaging member 5 to lower the launcher arm 4. When the launcher arm 4 reaches its lowered position, a container 22 is released from the magazine 18 into the container-receiving end portion 6, and the launcher arm is released from the engaging member 5 to be biased back upwards, thereby ejecting the container 22 from the cooler 100 and launching the container 22 through the air towards the user.

[0024] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments.

[0025] The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavor to which this specification relates.

[0026] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise, and variations such as comprises and comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

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Claims (10)

1. THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

   1. A launcher mechanism for a dispensing device, comprising:

   a frame sized to be positioned within the dispensing device;

   a launcher arm having a container-receiving end portion and an opposed end portion pivotably connected to the frame such that the launcher arm is pivotable between a raised position and a lowered position;

   a biasing mechanism connected between the launcher arm and the frame to bias the launcher arm to the raised position; and an actuator configured to apply force to the launcher arm via an engaging member to pivot the launcher arm from the raised position to the lowered position against the biasing mechanism, wherein said launcher arm is released from engagement with the engaging member when in the lowered position, thereby allowing the launcher arm to be biased back to the raised position.
2. 2. The launcher mechanism of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to retract after a predetermined time interval to move the engaging member back to a resting position.
3. 3. The launcher mechanism of claim 1 or 2, wherein the launcher arm comprises a hook for engaging with a cam of the engaging member, wherein the cam is rotated when the engaging member is at an extended position corresponding to the launcher arm being in the lowered position, thereby releasing the hook from engagement with the cam.
4. 4. The launcher mechanism of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a magazine for receiving a plurality of containers, the magazine comprising an outlet positioned in use to dispose a container into the container-receiving end portion of the launcher arm when the launcher arm is in the lowered position.

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5. 5. The launcher mechanism of claim 4, further comprising a container-retention mechanism at a bottom region of the frame, the container-retention mechanism being movable between a blocking position to retain said plurality of containers within the magazine and an unblocking position to release a container from the magazine into the container-receiving end portion when the launcher arm is in the lowered position.
6. 6. The launcher mechanism of claim 5, wherein the container-retention mechanism comprises a lever biased to the blocking position, and wherein pressure of the containerreceiving end portion on the lever when the launcher arm is in the lowered position moves the lever against the bias to the unblocking position.
7. 7. The launcher mechanism of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuator is activated via a remote controller.
8. 8. A dispensing device comprising the launcher mechanism of any one of the preceding claims.
9. 9. The dispensing device of claim 8, comprising an aperture in a lid of the dispensing device in which the container-receiving end portion of the launcher arm is sealingly received when the container-receiving end portion is in the raised position.
10. 10. The dispensing device of claim 8 or 9, wherein the dispensing device is a cooler.