WO2012100317A1 - Distributeur comportant un tambour de distribution - Google Patents

Distributeur comportant un tambour de distribution Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2012100317A1
WO2012100317A1 PCT/CA2011/000081 CA2011000081W WO2012100317A1 WO 2012100317 A1 WO2012100317 A1 WO 2012100317A1 CA 2011000081 W CA2011000081 W CA 2011000081W WO 2012100317 A1 WO2012100317 A1 WO 2012100317A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
recess
article
dispensing
magazine
dispensing drum
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CA2011/000081
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Josef W. Schwarzli
Original Assignee
Beaver Machine Corporation
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Beaver Machine Corporation filed Critical Beaver Machine Corporation
Priority to PCT/CA2011/000081 priority Critical patent/WO2012100317A1/fr
Publication of WO2012100317A1 publication Critical patent/WO2012100317A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/02—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines
    • G07F11/04—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
    • G07F11/10—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other two or more magazines having a common delivery chute
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/02—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines
    • G07F11/04—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from non-movable magazines in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
    • G07F11/16—Delivery means
    • G07F11/24—Rotary or oscillatory members

Definitions

  • This invention relates to vending machines.
  • this invention relates to machines for vending articles.
  • Vendible products are of a variety of different shapes and sizes.
  • One popular example of such vending machines is a so called “bulk vender,” colloquially known as a “gumball machine,” which is typically designed to vend spherical articles such as gumballs but is also capable of vending articles having a generally spherical or ovular shape such as certain types of nuts, which are capable of being vended out of a bulk merchandise bin because the orientation of the product in the merchandise bin does not affect the dispensing mechanism.
  • Such vending machines are typically actuated by a coin mechanism, which has a manually rotatable handle that is released when a coin or coins of the correct domination are inserted into a coin slot, as is well known.
  • One manner of maintaining an article in a select orientation for dispensing is by disposing a magazine in a vender.
  • the magazine holds a plurality of articles in a stack, in a particular orientation, and can thus deliver an article to a dispensing mechanism in a desired orientation.
  • a vending machine operator who may be responsible for hundred of vending machines, to have to service each vending machine as infrequently as possible, and it is therefore advantageous to include as much merchandise as possible in the vending machine.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine embodying the invention
  • Figure 2 is a partial front elevational view of the magazines and dispensing drum in the vending machine of Figure 1, with all magazines containing articles;
  • Figure 3 is a partial front elevational view of the magazines and dispensing drum with articles depleted from the upstream magazine;
  • Figure 4 is a partial front elevational view of the magazines and dispensing drum with articles depleted from two of the three magazines;
  • Figure 5 is an exploded view of the dispensing drum and drum carrier showing a locking mechanism for arresting rotation of the dispensing drum in the preferred embodiment
  • Figure 6 is a partial cross sectional side elevation of the vending machine of Figure 1;
  • Figure 7 is a partial side elevation of the dispensing region showing a dog for locking a door to the dispensing chute in a rest position;
  • Figure 8 is a partial side elevation of the dispensing portion of Figure 7 showing the dog in an engaged position; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the locking dog.
  • the invention provides a vending machine for vending articles, comprising a rotatable dispensing drum comprising a wall comprising at least one recess sized to receive a single article, a mechanism for rotating the dispensing drum about a rotational cycle, a plurality of magazines, each magazine for containing articles in a stack, each magazine being in communication with the dispensing drum and disposed such that a proximate article in the magazine contacts the dispensing drum, the wall of the dispensing drum blocking the delivery of the proximate article from the magazine until an empty recess comes into alignment with the proximate article during rotation of the dispensing drum and the proximate article is forced into the recess, the proximate article in the recess blocking the delivery of any other proximate article into the recess, and a dispensing portion into which the proximate article in the recess is dispensed from the recess as the dispensing drum is rotated further along its rotational cycle.
  • the invention further provides a vending machine for vending articles, comprising a rotatable dispensing drum comprising a wall comprising at least one recess sized to receive at least one article, a mechanism for rotating the dispensing drum about a rotational cycle, a plurality of magazines, each magazine for containing articles in a stack, each magazine being in communication with the dispensing drum and disposed such that at least one proximate article in the magazine contacts the dispensing drum, the wall of the dispensing drum blocking the delivery of the at least one proximate article from the magazine until an empty recess comes into alignment with the at least one proximate article during rotation of the dispensing drum and the at least one proximate article is forced into the recess, the at leastone proximate article in the recess blocking the delivery of any other proximate article into the recess, and a dispensing portion into which the at least one proximate article in the recess is dispensed from the recess as the dispens
  • a vending machine 10 comprises a housing 12, for example formed from sheet metal, having an article storage portion 14 which may conventionally be provided with a transparent glass or plastic window through which articles 2 can be viewed, and a secure dispensing portion 16 contained within the housing which in the embodiment shown comprises a dispensing chute 18 allowing communication between the interior and the exterior of the housing 12.
  • a dispensing drum 30 is contained within the dispensing portion 16, for example rotationally mounted in a drum holder 40, illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.
  • the dispensing drum 30 comprises at least one recess 32 sized to receive a single article 2 contained within the article storage portion 14 of the housing 12.
  • the single article 2 may be a single product, such as (without limitation) a cigar, chocolate bar or pen; or it may be a plurality of products packaged as a unit, for example (without limitation) a roll or carton of mints, candies, chocolate confectioneries, toys or any other vendible article, packaged as a unit in a wrapper composed of paper, cellophane, foil, plastic or any other suitable packaging material.
  • the dispensing drum 30 further comprises an axle 34 rotationally fixed to the wall 38 of the dispensing drum 30, for example extending through and fixed to hub 35, and providing a structure for keyed attachment, in the example shown a squared portion 36 of the axle 34, to a mechanism for rotating the dispensing drum 30 about a rotational cycle.
  • the dispensing drum 30 is preferably formed from metal, for example cast in zinc or aluminum, but may be formed from plastic or any other suitable material.
  • the mechanism for rotating the dispensing drum 30 about the rotational cycle comprises a coin mechanism 15.
  • a coin mechanism referenced by way of example only because any suitable coin mechanism may be used without affecting the operation of the invention, can be found in U.S. Patent No. 5,383,545 issued January 24, 1995, which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • the mechanism for rotating the dispensing drum 30 need not be a coin mechanism, but can include any suitable mechanism such as a simple crank, a loader, rack and pinion arrangement or any other mechanism capable of rotating the dispensing drum 30, and the invention is not intended to be so limited.
  • the invention provides a plurality of magazines 50a, 50b, 50c.
  • Each magazine 50 is formed from a sheet material, for example metal or plastic, and dimensioned to contain the article desired to be dispensed in a stack.
  • three magazines 50a, 50b and 50c are provided in side-by-side relation. It is advantageous to arrange the magazines 50a, 50b, 50c in this fashion because a single magazine sidewall 52 can serve as a sidewall for adjacent magazines 50. However, it is possible to instead space the magazines 50 apart if desired.
  • each magazine 50 (the bottom end in the embodiment illustrated) is in communication with the dispensing drum 30 and disposed such that a proximate article to 2' at the proximate end of the magazine 50 is blocked by the circumferential wall 38 of the dispensing drum 30 from being delivered out of the magazine 50.
  • the magazines 50 are thus preferably disposed such that the ends of the magazines 50 that deliver articles 2 (the lower ends in the illustrations) are adjacent to one another and immediately adjacent to the dispensing drum 30, but spaced from the dispensing drum 30 sufficiently to allow the dispensing drum 30 to rotate in the drum holder 40.
  • the magazines 50 may for example be fixed to the housing 12 or to a floor (not shown) of the storage portion 14.
  • the dispensing drum 30 comprises a single dispensing recess 32.
  • the dispensing drum 30 is preferably oriented such that the recess 32 is in communication with the dispensing end of the most upstream magazine 50a.
  • the dispensing drum 30 is supported in a drum holder 40 preferably comprising a bottom portion 40a and a top portion 40b which are affixed together, for example via brackets 41, to rotatably support the dispensing drum 30 with the bushings 34a trapped in the bearing members 42 so that the dispensing drum 30 rotates within the drum holder 40.
  • the axle 34 of the dispensing drum 30 preferably comprises a bearing 34a at each end.
  • the bearing 34a may for example be a Teflon (trademark) annular ring or other low friction structure which allows the dispensing wheel 30 to rotate readily in bearing members 42 disposed at opposite ends of the drum holder 40, which may be formed from metal or plastic.
  • the drum holder 40 further comprises a slot 44 (best seen in Figures 4 and 5) allowing passage of an article 2 into the dispensing chute 18 at the point in the rotational cycle when the dispensing recess 32 is in alignment with the slot 44.
  • the embodiment of the apparatus 10 illustrated provides an optional lockout mechanism, preventing the coin mechanism 15 from turning through a rotational cycle when there are no more articles 2 in the magazines 50.
  • a weight 60 having at least a lower end configured to nest in the recess 32 is disposed on top of the stack of articles 2 in the most downstream magazine 50c.
  • the weight 60 may for example be cast in zinc or aluminum, and has a magnet 62 embedded in or otherwise affixed to one end 60a of the weight 60.
  • the locking dog 70 which may be cast or stamped out of metal thick enough to remain rigid under normal operating conditions, comprises a support 72 formed as an inverted U-shaped channel, which hooks over the floor of the notch 43 so that the dog 70 can pivot in at least one direction, as shown in Figures 7 and 8 and latch onto the dispensing drum 30.
  • a first arm 74 extends upwardly toward the most downstream magazine 50c, and comprises an extension 76 which projects toward the magazine 50c and supports a magnet 78.
  • a second arm 80 extends downwardly toward the dispensing drum 30, and comprises a projection 82 which extends toward the hub 35 of the dispensing drum 30.
  • the hub 35 of the dispensing drum 30 is provided with an aperture 37 (best seen in Figures 2 to 5) capable of receiving the projection 82, to lock the coin mechanism 15 in the manner described below.
  • the magazines 50 are loaded with articles 2, for example tubular articles 2 such as cigars or tampons.
  • the three magazines 50a, 50b, 50c may be fully loaded, i.e. stacked with articles 2 up to the tops of the magazines 50, and the weight 60 is placed on top of the stack of articles in the most downstream magazine 50c with the magnet 62 facing the locking dog 70.
  • the proximate article 2' i.e. proximate to the dispensing drum 30 and thus the next article to be dispensed from the magazine 50
  • a user inserts the correct coinage into the coin mechanism 15 and rotates the handle.
  • the recess 32 containing the article 2 from the most upstream magazine 50a travels along the rotational cycle toward the dispensing point aligned with slot 44 in the drum holder 40.
  • the article 2 contained in the dispensing recess 32 effectively blocks the proximate articles 2' in the other two magazines 50b, 50c from being delivered into the recess 32, so no article 2 can be delivered from magazines 50b, 50c.
  • the dispensing drum 30 must then be returned to the rest position shown in Figure 2.
  • a user will rotate the coin mechanism 15 until it can no longer be rotated due to the absence of the correct coinage, which will return the coin mechanism 15 to the rest position; however, if the current user does not do so, the next user will rotate the coin mechanism 15 to the rest position so that the coin slot becomes accessible and coins can be inserted.
  • the next article 2 at the bottom of the stack now the proximate article 2') in the most upstream magazine 50a falls into the dispensing recess 32 to be vended to the next user.
  • a proximate article 2' will be delivered into the dispensing recess 32 in the dispensing drum 30 when the dispensing recess 32 has reached the next downstream magazine 50b.
  • the proximate article 2' from the magazine 50b falls into and fills the recess 32, preventing the delivery of the proximate article 2' from the most downstream magazine 50c into the dispensing recess 32 until all of the articles 2 in the magazine 50b have been depleted.
  • the projection 82 may be hook-shaped as shown to provide a more secure locking engagement to the aperture 37.
  • the aperture 37 is disposed at a point before the coin mechanism 15 has passed its "free play" zone at the start of the rotational cycle, and is preferably long enough to allow the so the coin mechanism 15 to revert to the rest position so that the user can retrieve their coin(s) once it they realize that the apparatus 10 is not vending merchandise.
  • the magazines 50a, 50b, 50c are disposed above the dispensing drum 30.
  • This provides the advantage that the proximate article 2' will be delivered by a magazine 50 into the empty recess 32 under the influence of gravity.
  • mechanical means for example a spring, forcing articles 2 toward the proximate end of each magazine 50 and thereby achieving the same effect.
  • the magazines 50 do not need to abut one another and could be arranged in a 'fan' or other configuration as desired.
  • the recess 32 is configured with a rounded leading edge that forms a gentler slope into the recess 32. This allows a product more time to drop into the recess 32 if the user turns the coin mechanism 15 quickly, and reduces the possibility of the recess 32 'skipping past' a proximate article 2'.
  • a single article 2 is delivered into the recess 32 as the recess 32 passes a magazine 50.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)

Abstract

Un distributeur automatique servant à distribuer des articles comprend un tambour de distribution rotatif ayant une paroi comprenant au moins un évidement dimensionné pour recevoir un article, et un mécanisme pour faire tourner le tambour de distribution selon un cycle de rotation. Une pluralité de magasins contiennent les articles disposés en pile, chaque magasin étant en communication avec le tambour de distribution de sorte qu'un article suivant dans le magasin est en contact avec le tambour de distribution. La paroi du tambour de distribution bloque la fourniture d'un article jusqu'à ce qu'un évidement vide vienne en alignement avec l'article durant la rotation du tambour de distribution. L'article dans l'évidement est sorti de l'évidement lorsque le tambour de distribution continue d'être tourné au cours de son cycle de rotation.
PCT/CA2011/000081 2011-01-26 2011-01-26 Distributeur comportant un tambour de distribution WO2012100317A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/CA2011/000081 WO2012100317A1 (fr) 2011-01-26 2011-01-26 Distributeur comportant un tambour de distribution

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/CA2011/000081 WO2012100317A1 (fr) 2011-01-26 2011-01-26 Distributeur comportant un tambour de distribution

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2012100317A1 true WO2012100317A1 (fr) 2012-08-02

Family

ID=46580138

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/CA2011/000081 WO2012100317A1 (fr) 2011-01-26 2011-01-26 Distributeur comportant un tambour de distribution

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2012100317A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2014219803A (ja) * 2013-05-07 2014-11-20 株式会社森創 物品払出装置
CN108376443A (zh) * 2018-04-20 2018-08-07 佛山市长郡科技有限公司 一种自动售卖坚果的自动售货机

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB322389A (en) * 1929-01-31 1929-12-05 Thomas Nightingale Automatic vending machine
GB740098A (en) * 1954-02-09 1955-11-09 Fred Frank Johnson Improvements in bottle vending machines
WO1985003790A1 (fr) * 1984-02-22 1985-08-29 Peakmicro Limited Ameliorations en matiere d'automates a prepaiement
EP0422633A1 (fr) * 1989-10-13 1991-04-17 TECNOMET PESCARA S.p.A. Machine distributrice de boissons
JPH06208677A (ja) * 1992-10-30 1994-07-26 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd 自動販売機の商品収納装置
JPH0793653A (ja) * 1993-09-24 1995-04-07 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd 自動販売機
EP1126423A1 (fr) * 1999-08-27 2001-08-22 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Dispositif de distribution pour distributeur automatique
CA2684313A1 (fr) * 2009-11-04 2011-05-04 Beaver Machine Corporation Distributeur automatique

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB322389A (en) * 1929-01-31 1929-12-05 Thomas Nightingale Automatic vending machine
GB740098A (en) * 1954-02-09 1955-11-09 Fred Frank Johnson Improvements in bottle vending machines
WO1985003790A1 (fr) * 1984-02-22 1985-08-29 Peakmicro Limited Ameliorations en matiere d'automates a prepaiement
EP0422633A1 (fr) * 1989-10-13 1991-04-17 TECNOMET PESCARA S.p.A. Machine distributrice de boissons
JPH06208677A (ja) * 1992-10-30 1994-07-26 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd 自動販売機の商品収納装置
JPH0793653A (ja) * 1993-09-24 1995-04-07 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd 自動販売機
EP1126423A1 (fr) * 1999-08-27 2001-08-22 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Dispositif de distribution pour distributeur automatique
CA2684313A1 (fr) * 2009-11-04 2011-05-04 Beaver Machine Corporation Distributeur automatique

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2014219803A (ja) * 2013-05-07 2014-11-20 株式会社森創 物品払出装置
CN108376443A (zh) * 2018-04-20 2018-08-07 佛山市长郡科技有限公司 一种自动售卖坚果的自动售货机

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