Abstract:
An article dispensing apparatus has a housing defining a first chamber and a second chamber that are divided by a dividing wall, a lid covering the second chamber and a cover covering the first chamber, with the first chamber holding a plurality of articles, and an opening provided in the dividing wall to allow an article to pass through to the second chamber. A figure is retained inside the second chamber, the figure having a pair of arms that are normally positioned adjacent the opening in the dividing wall to receive an article that is transferred from the first chamber via the opening in the dividing wall. An actuator is coupled to the figure to push the figure upwardly through the lid so that the figure, and the article held in the arms of the figure, are delivered outside the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to article dispensing machines, and in particular, to a candy or gumball machine that delivers a candy or gumball via a figure that pops out of a container or box. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Gumball machines have been popular novelty items for a long time. Children and adults alike have enjoyed dispensing a gumball from a traditional spherical transparent container. However, there is a need to provide increased amusement and fun through different ways of dispensing candy or gumball. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a gumball machine that provides additional fun and novelty for the user. 
         [0006]    In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, the present invention provides an article dispensing apparatus having a housing defining a first chamber and a second chamber that are divided by a dividing wall, a lid covering the second chamber and a cover covering the first chamber, with the first chamber holding a plurality of articles, and an opening provided in the dividing wall to allow an article to pass through to the second chamber. A figure is retained inside the second chamber, the figure having a pair of arms that are normally positioned adjacent the opening in the dividing wall to receive an article that is transferred from the first chamber via the opening in the dividing wall. An actuator is coupled to the figure to push the figure upwardly through the lid so that the figure, and the article held in the arms of the figure, are delivered outside the housing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a candy dispensing machine according to the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the machine of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged front view of part of the interior of the machine of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the components of  FIG. 3  shown with the support plate turned upwards to show its bottom view. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are enlarged views illustrating how a gumball is delivered to the hands of the figure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates the sliding lock. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the candy dispensing machine of the present invention has a container  21  that houses a figure F which can be pushed out of the container through an opening  38  covered by a pivoting lid  1 . 
         [0015]    The container  21  has a shell (as best shown in  FIG. 2 ) that has a base wall  45 , a top wall  2 , a left side wall  40 , a rear wall  41 , and a front wall  42 , with a four-sided opening  39  provided in the front wall  42 . A separate right side wall  28  can be slidably fitted between the front wall  42  and the rear wall  41 . A transparent window  24  can be fitted into the opening  39 . A central dividing wall  25  can be fitted inside the container  21 , between the front wall  42  and the rear wall  41 , such that the central wall  25  and its ramps  43  are visible to the outside via the window  24 . An inverted U-shaped opening  44  is provided at the base of the dividing wall  25 , with two ramps  43  attached to the dividing wall  25  and angled to direct a gumball or candy towards the inverted U-shaped opening  44 . The dividing wall  25 , the front wall  42  (with its window  24 ), and portions of the side walls  40  and  28  together define a first chamber C that holds a plurality of candy or gumballs G. The first chamber C can be accessed from the top (to add gumballs) by a pivoting cover  3  that is part of the top wall  2  of the container  21 . Even though gumballs G are described in the embodiments herein, the present invention can be used to dispense other objects and articles. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4  and  7 , a sliding lock  18  is retained by rails  46  on the base wall  45  for sliding motion along the base wall  45 . The sliding lock  18  has a hooked end  181  at one end of a shaft  184 , a catch head  183  at the opposite end of the shaft  184 , and a center hook  182  extending from the shaft  184  thereof at a location adjacent the catch head  183 . The catch head  183  has an angled surface  185 , and defines a space  186  between the catch head  183  and the shaft  184 . A spring  187  is carried on a post (not shown) extending from the rail  46 , and normally biases the shaft  184  towards the direction D shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a support plate  20  is mounted on top of the base wall  45  and the sliding lock  18  via screws threaded through screw wells  201  and  451  on the support plate  20  and the base wall  45 , respectively. The screw wells  201 ,  451  also function to space the support plate  20  from the base wall  45  to accommodate the sliding lock  18  and the figure spring  35  which are housed inside a spring housing  202  secured to the bottom of the support plate  20 . The figure spring  35  extends through an opening  203  in the support plate  20 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , a gumball delivery tray  17  is seated above the support plate  20  at the location of a T-shaped opening  204  on the support plate  20 . A post  205  is positioned adjacent the opening  204 , and a spring  34  extends from the post  205  through the opening  204  to a hook  171  on the bottom of the delivery tray  17  to normally bias the delivery tray  17  towards the opening  44  in the central wall  25 . The spring  34  normally biases the delivery tray  17  towards the support plate  20  so that the delivery tray  17  can receive another gumball G from either ramp  43 . 
         [0019]    The figure F is secured to a figure holder  15  that is removably engaged to the sliding lock  18 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the figure F and the figure holder  15  are retained inside an enclosing wall  16  that is positioned in a second chamber defined by the rear wall  41 , the dividing wall  25 , and portions of the side walls  40  and  28 . The figure F can be a representation of a boy, and having head portions  8 ,  9 , body portions  10 ,  11 , hands  12 ,  13 , and a cap  7 . However, the figure F can be the representation of any other person, animal or object. The figure holder  15  can be a circular plate that has two hooked elements  162 ,  163  extending from the bottom of the circular plate. These hooked elements  162 ,  163  are adapted to removably engage the hooked end  181  and the center hook  182 , respectively, of the sliding lock  18 . The enclosing wall  16  can have an opening  161  that is aligned with the opening  44  in the central wall  25 , and at the location where the hands  12 ,  13  of the figure F are positioned when the figure F is completely housed inside the container  21  with the hooked elements  162 ,  163  engaging the hooked end  181  and the center hook  182 , respectively. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a first gear set  5  is operatively connected with a link  19 . The first gear set  5  is housed in a gear housing that is made up of two separate cover elements  4  and  6 . The gear housing is in turn retained inside the figure F between the body portions  10  and  11 . The link  19  extends through an opening  151  in the figure holder  15 , and also extends through the gears in the first gear set  5  in a manner such that movement of the link  19  up and down through the first gear set  5  will result in a clicking sound. The clicking sound is caused by notches  191  provided along the surface of the link  19  traveling through the teeth of the gears in the first gear set  5 . 
         [0021]    The right side wall  28  can be snap-fitted or otherwise secured to the edges of the rear wall  41  and the front wall  42 . Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the inner surface of the right side wall  28  carries a second gear set that includes a small gear  32 , a middle gear  33 , and a large gear  27 . A capstan handle  29  extends through an opening  281  in the right side wall  28 , and has an inner end that is coupled to a connecting part  31  via a handle cover  30 . The small gear  32  is carried on the connecting part  31 , and its teeth operatively engage the teeth of the middle gear  33 , whose teeth in turn operatively engage the large gear  27 . The large gear  27  is carried for rotation by a gear housing  282  provided on the inner surface of the right side wall  28 , and has a latch member  271  extending from a peripheral edge thereof. The latch member  271  is adapted to engage the angled surface  185  of the catch head  183  to pull the sliding lock  18  towards the large gear  27  against the normal bias of the spring  187 . The large gear  27  also carries a plurality of bumps  272  that are spaced apart from each other in an equi-distant manner. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , a speaker  26  can be retained in a speaker mount  261  provided in the inner surface of the right side wall  28 . Wires  262  electrically connect the speaker  26  with a processor (not shown) which can be provided on a PCB (printed circuit board-not shown) mounted on the base wall  45  or on the inner surface of the left sidewall  40 . Additional wires (not shown) electrically connect the power supply to the PCB and an on/off switch  23 , and another switch  288  (described below) to the PCB and the power supply. The power supply can be embodied in the form of batteries housed in a battery compartment  47  that is provided on the base wall  45 , and which also acts as a stop member for the hooked end  181  of the sliding lock  18 . A battery cover  22  provides access to the battery compartment  47 . An on/off switch  23  is provided along the base wall  45  or the left side wall  40  for the user to actuate the machine. 
         [0023]    In operation, the figure F is normally housed inside the enclosing wall  16 , under the lid  1 , and with the hooked elements  162 ,  163  of the figure holder  15  engaging the hooked end  181  and the center hook  182 , respectively, to keep the figure F inside the container  21  against the bias of the figure spring  35 . In this position, the arms  12 ,  13  of the figure F will be positioned at the openings  44  and  161 , so that the delivery tray  17  can deliver an article (e.g., gumball G) from the chamber C through the openings  44  and  161  to be received by the arms  12 ,  13 . When the user turns the capstan handle  29 , the connecting part  31  will rotate, causing the small gear  32  carried thereon to rotate, which in turn causes the middle gear  3  to rotate the large gear  27 . As the large gear  27  rotates, the bumps  272  will contact a switch  288  that is positioned on the right side wall  28  adjacent the large gear  27 . When a bump  272  contacts this switch  288 , the circuit is closed and the speaker  26  is caused to broadcast sounds, words and/or music. In addition, rotation of the large gear  27  causes the latch member  271  to disengage the angled surface  185  of the catch head  183 , so that the natural bias of the spring  187  will bias the shaft  184  towards the direction D shown in  FIG. 7 . As the sliding lock  18  moves in the direction D, the hooked end  181  and the center hook  182  will disengage the hooked elements  162  and  163  of the figure holder  15 , respectively, so that the natural bias of the figure spring  35  will push the figure holder  15  upwardly, causing the figure F to push through the lid  1  to the position shown in  FIG. 1  where the figure F completely exits the container  21  with a gumball G held between the arms  12 ,  13  of the figure F. As the figure F moves upwardly, it contacts another switch (not shown) that closes another circuit to cause music, sounds and/or words to be broadcast at the speaker  26  again. 
         [0024]    The user can retrieve another gumball G by pushing the figure F back into the container  21 , and subsequently turning the capstan handle  29  again. When the user pushes the figure F back into the container  21 , the link  19  travels through the first gear set  5 , and the notches  191  produce a clicking sound when the link  19  passes through the gears of the first gear set  5 . The clicking sound heightens the user&#39;s senses and builds up excitement. As the figure F and the link  19  move downwardly, the bottom of the link  19  will contact the sloped top surface of the hooked end  181  of the sliding lock  18 , pushing the sliding lock  18  in a direction opposite to the direction of the arrow D (against the bias of the spring  187 ). The figure F is completely reset when the figure F is pushed to the point where the hooked elements  162 ,  163  of the figure holder  15  engage the hooked end  181  and the center hook  182 , respectively, against the bias of the figure spring  35 . In this position, the arms  12 ,  13  of the figure F will again be positioned at the opening  161 , so that the delivery tray  17  can deliver an article (e.g., gumball G) from the chamber C through the openings  44  and  161  to be received by the arms  12 ,  13 . 
         [0025]    Thus, the present invention provides a novel construction and method of delivering an article such as a gumball or candy. The article is delivered in the arms of a pop-up figure, accompanied by music, sounds and/or words. 
         [0026]    While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.