Abstract:
A vending machine includes a frame and a dispensing assembly. The frame includes a first rigid coil and a second rigid coil which rotate to dispense goods. The dispensing assembly includes a dispensing, a first mounting member, and a second mounting member. Each of the first and second mounting members is rotatably secured to the frame and each supports a rigid coil of opposite helical twist. The dispensing member can rotate clockwise and anticlockwise. When the dispensing member is rotated clockwise, a pawl and ratchet arrangement on the first mounting member engages to rotate dispensing the first rigid coil, whilst an opposing pawl and ratchet arrangement on the second mounting member simply rides over the teeth of the second mounting member and causes no rotation. When the dispensing member is rotated anticlockwise, the roles are reversed dispensing.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to vending machines, and particularly to a vending machine with reduced number of driving motors. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    In many vending machines, the dispensing assembly includes rigid coils and motors. The motor rotates the coil causing products to be pushed along a channel to eventually drop into a bin accessible by a customer. Generally, each vending machine includes more than 6 partitions, each frame includes more than 8 channels, and each channel secures one dispensing assembly. Thus, more than 48 motors are used in one vending machine, which increase costs of the vending machine and causes more complexity in the assembly process of the dispensing assembly. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    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. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of one embodiment of a vending machine. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from a different aspect. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a first mounting member of the vending machine of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a partially assembled of a dispensing assembly of the vending machine of  FIG. 1 , but without a mounting case. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an assembled, isometric view of the vending machine of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    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.” 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  show one embodiment of a vending machine. The vending machine includes a frame  10 , a dispensing assembly  200 , and a plurality of rigid coils  300  (only two of the plurality of rigid coils  300  shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  5 ). 
         [0013]    The frame  10  includes a bottom plate  11 , a mounting plate  12 , and a plurality of dividing plates  13  secured to the bottom plate  11 . In one embodiment, the plurality of dividing plates  13  are secured to each other and substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate  12  and the bottom plate  11 , and the bottom plate  11  is substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate  12 . A goods channel  15  is defined between every two dividing plates  13 . The mounting plate  12  defines a plurality of through holes  121  each corresponding to the goods channel  15 . 
         [0014]    The dispensing assembly  200  includes a dispensing member  20 , a mounting case  30 , a driving gear  40 , a first driven gear  50 , a second driven gear  60 , a first mounting member  71 , a second mounting member  72 , a first blocking module  81 , and a second blocking module  82 . 
         [0015]    The dispensing member  20  can rotate the driving gear  40  in either direction. In one embodiment, the dispensing member  20  is a motor. 
         [0016]    The mounting case  30  is used for receiving the driving gear  40 , the first driven gear  50 , the second driven gear  60 , the first mounting member  71 , the second mounting member  72 , the first blocking module  81 , and the second blocking module  82 . The dispensing member  20  can be secured to the mounting case  30 . 
         [0017]    The driving gear  40  defines a plurality of straight teeth  41 . 
         [0018]    The first driven gear  50  defines a first receiving hole  501  and a first straight portion  51  and a first ratchet portion  52  secured to the first straight portion  51 . The first straight portion  51  defines a plurality of first straight teeth  511 . The first ratchet portion  52  defines a plurality of first ratchet teeth  521 . Each of the plurality of first ratchet teeth  521  is oblique relative to each of the plurality of straight teeth  511 . 
         [0019]    The second driven gear  60  defines a second receiving hole  601  and a second straight portion  61  and a second ratchet portion  62  secured to the second straight portion  61 . The second straight portion  61  defines a plurality of second straight teeth  611 . The second ratchet portion  62  defines a plurality of second ratchet teeth  621 . Each of the plurality of second ratchet teeth  621  is oblique relative to each of the plurality of straight teeth  611 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the first mounting member  71  includes a first mounting tray  711 , a first mounting portion  712  secured to a first side of the first mounting tray  711 , and a first installation post  713  secured to a second side of the first mounting tray  711 . The first installation post  713  defines a first ring slot  7131 . Two first mounting posts  715  extend from the second side of the first mounting tray  711 . 
         [0021]    The second mounting member  72  includes a second mounting tray  721 , a second mounting portion  722  secured to a second side of the second mounting tray  721 , and a second installation post  723  secured to a second side of the second mounting tray  721 . The second installation post  723  defines a second ring slot  7231 . Two second mounting posts  725  extend from the second side of the second mounting tray  721 . 
         [0022]    The first blocking assembly  81  includes a first blocking member  811  and a first resilient member  812 . The first blocking member  811  defines a first mounting hole  8112  and includes a first blocking portion  8113 . In one embodiment, the first blocking member  811  is a pawl substantially in the shape of a comma, the first blocking portion  8113  is curved, and the first resilient member  812  is an extension spring. 
         [0023]    The second blocking assembly  82  includes a second blocking member  821  and a second resilient member  822 . The second blocking member  821  defines a second mounting hole  8212  and includes a second blocking portion  8213 . In one embodiment, the second blocking member  821  is also a pawl, the second blocking portion  8213  is curved, and the second resilient member  822  is an extension spring. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  show that, in assembly, the dispensing member  20  is secured to the driving gear  40  through the mounting case  30 . One of the two first mounting posts  715  is rotatably received in the first mounting hole  8112 , and the first blocking member  811  is rotatably mounted to the first mounting member  71 . A first end of the first resilient member  812  is secured to the other one of the two first mounting posts  715 , and a second end of the first resilient member  812  is secured to the first blocking member  811 . One of the two second mounting posts  725  is rotatably received in the second mounting hole  8212 , and the second blocking member  821  is rotatably mounted to the second mounting member  72 . A second end of the second resilient member  822  is secured to the other one of the two second mounting posts  725 , and a second end of the second resilient member  822  is secured to the second blocking member  821 . The first installation post  713  is secured to the mounting case  30  through the first receiving hole  501 . A washer  91  is engaged in the first ring slot  7131  to prevent the first driven gear  50  from sliding along the first installation post  713 . The second installation post  723  is secured to the mounting case  30  through the second receiving hole  601 . A washer  92  is engaged in the second ring slot  7231  to prevent the second driven gear  60  from sliding along the second installation post  723 . 
         [0025]    In this position, the first driven gear  50  is meshed with a first side of the driving gear  40 , and the second driven gear  60  is meshed with the diametrically opposite other side of the driving gear  40 . Central axes of the first driven gear  50 , the second driven gear  60 , and the driving gear  40  are located in one straight line. The first ratchet teeth  521  and the second ratchet teeth  621  extend obliquely opposite to each other. The first blocking portion  8113  is located between adjacent two first ratchet teeth  521 . The second blocking portion  8213  is located between adjacent two second ratchet teeth  621 . 
         [0026]    The dispensing assembly  200  is placed adjacent to the mounting plate  12 , and each of the first mounting portion  712  and the second mounting portion  722  is aligned with the through hole  121 . The dispensing assembly  200  is moved towards the mounting plate  12 , and the each of the first mounting portion  712  and the second mounting portion  722  is inserted through the through hole  121 . The mounting case  30  is secured to the mounting plate  12 . One rigid coil  300  is secured to the first mounting portion  712 , and another rigid coil  300  with an opposite helical twist is secured to the second mounting portion  722 . 
         [0027]    In use, when the dispensing member  20  is rotated in an anticlockwise direction, the driving gear  40  rotates in the anticlockwise direction. The driving gear  40  drives the first driven gear  50  and the second driven gear  60  to rotate in a clockwise direction. In this position, the first ratchet teeth  521  push the first blocking member  811  and elastically deform the first resilient member  812 . When the first blocking member  811  is lifted by a first ratchet tooth  521 , the first resilient member  812  rebounds to engage the first blocking member  811  between that first ratchet tooth  521  and a following first ratchet tooth  521 . Thus, when the first driven gear  50  is rotated in the clockwise direction, the first blocking member  811  is not able to rotate the first mounting member  71 , and the rigid coil  300  secured to the first mounting member  71  is unmoving. When the second driven gear  60  is rotated in the clockwise direction, the second blocking member  821  engages between adjacent second ratchet teeth  621  and is then rotated. In this position, the second driven gear  60  rotates the second mounting member  72  clockwise by means of the second blocking member  821 , and the rigid coil  300  secured to the second mounting member  72  is rotated to push goods out of the goods channel  15 . 
         [0028]    When the dispensing member  20  is rotated in the clockwise direction, the driving gear  40  is rotated clockwise. The driving gear  40  drives the first driven gear  50  and the second driven gear  60  to rotate anticlockwise. In this position, a second ratchet tooth  621  lifts the second blocking member  821  to elastically deform the second resilient member  822 . When the second blocking member  821  is between that second ratchet tooth  621  and the following second ratchet tooth  821 , the second resilient member  822  rebounds to being between those adjacent two second ratchet teeth  621 , but is again lifted by the next second ratchet tooth  821 . Thus, when the first driven gear  50  is rotated anticlockwise, the second blocking member  821  is not able to rotate the second mounting member  72 , and the rigid coil  300  secured to the second mounting member  72  is unmoving. When the second driven gear  60  is rotated anticlockwise, the first blocking member  811  engages between two adjacent first ratchet teeth  611  and is then rotated together with the first blocking member  811 . In this position, the first driven gear  50  rotates the first mounting member  71  anticlockwise by means of the first blocking member  811 , and the rigid coil  300  secured to the first mounting member  71  is accordingly rotated anticlockwise to push goods out of the goods channel  15 . 
         [0029]    The dispensing member  20  is capable of rotating the rigid coils  300  of two separate goods channels  15 . The number of the dispensing members  20  which are required is decreased and the assembly process of the dispensing assembly  200  is simpler and more convenient. 
         [0030]    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 the 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.