Abstract:
A dispensing mechanism in a vending machine includes a rack, a first sliding rail, a second sliding rail, and a goods carrier. The first sliding rail is slidably mounted to the rack and the second sliding rail is slidably mounted to the first sliding rail. The goods carrier is secured to the second sliding rail. The goods carrier defines a space for accommodating goods and horizontal movements thereof allow the delivery of purchased goods individually.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from China Patent Application No. 201210547384.X filed on Dec. 17, 2012 in the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the contents of the China Application are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure generally relates to vending machines, and particularly relates to dispensing mechanisms in vending machines. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Vending machines have been in common use for purchasing a variety of items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, cologne, consumer products and even gold and gems. A vending machine typically includes a dispensing mechanism for dispensing items to customers after the customers insert currency or credit into the vending machines. However, the conventional dispensing mechanism may be inflexible and not equipped to increasing demands. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    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. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a dispensing mechanism used in a vending machine. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a partially assembled view of the dispensing mechanism of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of the dispensing mechanism apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing mechanism along a line V-V of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    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.” 
         [0014]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an embodiment of a dispensing mechanism used in a vending machine. The dispensing machine includes a goods carrier  10 , a U-shaped connecting member  20 , a rack  30 , a first sliding rail  40 , a second sliding rail  50 , a first sliding bar  60 , a second sliding bar  70 , a latching member  80 , a plurality of screws  901  and  903 , and a plurality of nuts  904 . 
         [0015]    The goods carrier  10  includes a bottom plate  102  and two sidewalls  104 . The two sidewalls are perpendicular to the bottom plate  102 . The two sidewalls are parallel to each other. Each of the two sidewalls  104  defines a plurality of mounting holes  105 . The bottom plate  102  and the two sidewalls  104  define a space for accommodating goods. 
         [0016]    The U-shaped connecting member  20  includes a first connecting plate  22 , a second connecting plate  24 , and a connecting plate  26 . The first connecting plate  22  and the second connecting plate  24  extend upwards from two opposite sides of the connecting plate  26 . The first connecting plate  22  and the second connecting plate  24  are parallel to each other. The first connecting plate  22  defines a plurality of threaded holes  222 . The second connecting plate  24  defines a plurality of notches  242  and a plurality of mounting holes  244 . Each of the notches  242  faces up. 
         [0017]    The rack  30  includes an elongated plate  301 , a pair of restricting plates  302 , a pair of blocking flanges  303 , and a blocking plate  304 . The restricting plates  302  extend from two opposite sides of the elongated plate  301  and are perpendicular to the elongated plate  301 . The blocking plate  304  is located at a first end of the elongated plate  301  and the blocking flanges  303  are located at a second end of the elongated plate  301 . The blocking plate  304  is substantially perpendicular to the elongated plate  301 . The elongated plate  301  defines a plurality of securing holes  305 . The rack  30  may be secured to other structure (not shown) though the securing holes  305 . 
         [0018]    The first guiding rail  40  is elongated. A cross section of the first guiding rail  40  is substantially Σ-shaped. Referring to  FIG. 5 , the first guiding rail  40  includes a pair of first outer sliding portions  401  and a pair of first inner sliding portions  402 . 
         [0019]    A pair of first resisting protrusions  403  is located at a first end of the first guiding rail  40  and a pair of blocking protrusions  404  is located at a second end of the first guiding rail  40 . A stopping plate  405  is located at the first end of the first guiding rail  40 . 
         [0020]    The second guiding rail  50  is substantially U-shaped. The second guiding rail  50  includes two second outer guiding portions  501  and a mounting wall  502 . The two second outer guiding portions  501  extend from two opposite sides of the mounting wall  502 . The mounting wall  502  defines a plurality of mounting holes  504 . A pair of second resisting protrusions  503  is located at an end of the second guiding rail  50 . 
         [0021]    The first sliding bar  60  defines a plurality of though holes  602 . A ball  604  is received in each of the plurality of through holes  602 . A cross section of the first sliding bar  60  is substantially oval. 
         [0022]    The second sliding bar  70  is similar to the first sliding bar  60 . The second sliding bar  70  defines a plurality of though holes  702 . A ball  704  is received in each of the plurality of through holes  702 . A cross section of the second sliding bar  70  is substantially oval. 
         [0023]    The latching member  80  is rotatably mounted to the second connecting plate  24  of the U-shaped connecting member  20 . The latching member  80  includes a main plate  801  and a handling portion  802 . The handling portion  802  extends from a free end of the latching member  80 . The latching member  80  is rotatable about an axis  803 . The main plate  801  defines a cutout  804 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , in assembly, the first guiding rail  40  is slidably mounted to the rack  30 . The first outer sliding portions  401  of the first guiding rail  40  are engaged with the restricting plates  302  of the rack  30 . Each first outer sliding portion  401  and the corresponding restricting plate  302  define a first receiving space in which the first sliding bar  60  is received. The first sliding bar  60  is sandwiched between the first outer sliding portion  401  and the corresponding restricting plate  302 . Thus, the first guiding rail  40  is slidable relative to the rack  30 . 
         [0025]    The second sliding rail  50  is slidably mounted to the first guiding rail  40 . The second outer guiding portions  501  of the second guiding rail  50  are engaged with the first inner sliding portions  402  of the first guiding rail  40 . Each second outer sliding portion  501  and the corresponding first inner sliding portion  402  define a second receiving space in which the second sliding bar  70  is received. The second sliding bar  70  is sandwiched between the second outer sliding portion  501  and the corresponding first inner sliding portion  402 . Thus, the second guiding rail  50  is slidable relative to the first guiding rail  40 . 
         [0026]    The first connecting plate  22  of the U-shaped connecting member  20  abuts against the mounting wall  502  of the second guiding rail  50 . The threaded holes  222  of the first connecting plate  22  are aligned with the mounting holes  504  of the mounting wall  502 . The screws  901  are inserted into the mounting holes  504  and the threaded holes  222 . Thus, the first connecting plate  22  of the U-shaped connecting member  20  is secured to the second guiding rail  50 . 
         [0027]    The screws  903  are inserted into the mounting holes  105  of the two sidewalls  104  of the goods carrier  10 . Each screw  903  is engaged with one of the nuts  904 . Thus, the screws  903  are secured to the sidewalls  104  of the goods carrier  10 . 
         [0028]    The latching member  80  is firstly rotated to an unlocked position. Outer portions of the screws  903  are aligned with and received in the notches  242  of the second connecting plate  24  of the U-shaped connecting member  20 . The latching member  80  is then rotated to a locked position wherein the cutout  804  is engaged with the outer portion of one of the screws  903 . Thus, the second connecting plate  24  of the U-shaped connecting member  20  is secured to the goods carrier  10 . Thereby, the goods carrier  10  is secured to the second sliding rail  50 . 
         [0029]    When the first guiding rail  40  moves a first certain distance in a first direction relative to the rack  30 , one end of the first sliding bar  60  abuts the first resisting protrusions  403  and another end of the first sliding bar  60  abuts the blocking flanges  303  thereby preventing the first guiding rail  40  from moving away from the rack  30  in the first direction. The blocking plate  304  prevents the first guiding rail  40  from moving away from the rack  30  in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction. 
         [0030]    When the second guiding rail  50  moves a second certain distance in the first direction relative to the first guiding rail  40 , one end of the second sliding bar  70  abuts the second resisting protrusion  503  and another end of the second sliding bar  70  abuts the blocking protrusion  404  thereby preventing the second guiding rail  50  from moving away from the first guiding rail  40  in the first direction. The stopping plate  405  prevents the second guiding rail  50  from moving away from the first guiding rail  40  in the second direction. 
         [0031]    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.