VENDING MACHINE

A vending machine includes a change cabinet, a guiding duct, and a guiding member. The change cabinet stores a plurality of coins. The change cabinet includes a bottom wall. The bottom wall defines an output opening. The guiding duct includes a bottom panel and two side panels extending from the bottom panel. The guiding member is mounted between the two side panels. The guiding member includes a guiding panel body. The change cabinet is mounted on the guiding duct to enable the output opening to be located between the two side panels. There is an acute angle defined between the guiding panel body and the bottom wall to guide a coin from the output opening to move to the bottom panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a vending machine in accordance with an embodiment. The vending machine includes a change cabinet10mountable to an outer enclosure (not shown), a guiding member30, a guiding duct50, and a shielding plate70pivotally mounted to the guiding duct50. The change cabinet10stores a plurality of coins.

The change cabinet10includes a bottom wall11. The bottom wall defines output opening111. The guiding member30includes a base panel31, and a guiding panel33extending on a slant from the base panel31. The guiding member30is V-shaped. The base panel31includes a base panel body311and two mounting flange313, extending from the base panel body311. The base panel body311defines a positioning opening3111. Each mounting flange313defines two mounting holes3131. The guiding panel33includes a guiding panel body331and two securing flanges333, extending from the guiding panel body331. The two securing flanges333are substantially perpendicular to the guiding panel body331. There is a first acute angle a defined between the guiding panel body331and the base panel body311. Each securing flange333defines two securing holes3331.

The guiding duct50includes a bottom panel51, two side panels53extending perpendicularly from the bottom panel51, a connecting panel55extending perpendicularly from the bottom panel51, an inclining panel57extending from the connecting panel55, and an extending panel59extending from the inclining panel57. The connecting panel55, the inclining panel57, and the extending panel59are connected between the two side panels53. The bottom panel51is substantially parallel to the base panel31. There is a second acute angle β defined between the inclining panel57and the bottom panel51. Each side panel53defines two through holes531corresponding to the mounting holes3131and two locking holes533corresponding to the securing holes3331. Each side panel53defines a pivot hole535.

The shielding plate70includes a shielding plate body71and two pivot portions73extending from the shielding plate body71. Each pivot portion73defines a rotating hole731. The vending machine further includes a pivot shaft75and a torsion spring77. The torsion spring77includes a spring body771and two elastic arm773extending from the spring body771. The spring body771is used for surrounding the pivot shaft75. The pivot shaft75corresponds to the rotating holes731and the pivot holes535.

FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate that in assembly, the pivot shaft75passes through one of the two pivot holes535and one of the two rotating holes731. The spring body771, of the torsion spring77, surrounds the pivot shaft75. The pivot shaft75passes through the other one of the two pivot holes535and the other one of the two rotating hole731, to be pivotally mounted to the guiding duct50. The guiding member30is placed between the two side panels53of the guiding duct50and is placed on the shielding plate70. The mounting holes3131and the securing holes3331of the guiding member30are aligned with the through holes531and the locking holes533. One of the two elastic arm773of the torsion spring77is placed in the positioning opening3111of the base panel body311. At this time, the other one of the two elastic arms773resists the inner side of the shielding plate70. A plurality of fasteners90are secured in the through holes531and the corresponding mounting holes3131and a plurality of fasteners90are secured in the locking holes533and the corresponding securing holes3331, thereby securing the guiding member30to the guiding duct50. The change cabinet10and the guiding duct50are mounted to the outer enclosure to enable the change cabinet10to be located above the guiding duct50, and to enable the output opening111of the change cabinet10to be placed between the two side panels53.

FIGS. 4 and 5illustrate that in use, when the vending machine should give the change to the customer, the change cabinet10outputs coins from the output opening111. The coins moves down along the guiding panel33and drops on the inclining panel57. The inclining panel57guides the coins to move to the bottom panel51of the guiding duct50. The shielding plate70is pushed to rotate by the customer to obtain the coins. The torsion spring77drive the shielding plate70to move back when the shielding plate70is applied without force. The shielding plate70is pushed and people cannot contact the output opening111because of the isolation of the guiding member30.