Abstract:
An apparatus for dispensing a fully threaded bobbin to an operator upon the depositing of an empty bobbin into the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a housing defining a storage compartment for storing the bobbins. The housing has a first opening for depositing the empty bobbins therein and a second opening for dispensing the full bobbins therefrom. A tray is mounted to the housing within the storage compartment for orienting and feeding fully threaded bobbins and a top and bottom slide are provided for transporting the full bobbins from the tray to the second opening. An actuator lever is slidably coupled to a lever channel for activating the apparatus. A release hinge is mounted to the top slide and operatively coupled to the acutator lever for releasing a single full bobbin from the top slide and to the second opening in response to the actuator lever being activated from a fully extended position to an actuated position and an empty bobbin being deposited into the first opening and lever channel. An accommodator is operatively coupled between the actuator lever and the try for orienting the bobbins for transportation in the top slide for cooperation with the release hinge.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/216,841, filed Jul. 7, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing a filled, or threaded, bobbin when an empty bobbin is deposited into the apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Bobbins are used in the sewing industry to supply thread to a sewing machine. Thread is pre-wound onto the bobbin, and the bobbin is then placed on the sewing machine. The thread is pulled from the bobbin as the machine functions. Bobbins are useful in that the amount of thread and type of thread can be controlled. Specifically, a bobbin can be pre-wound with a pre-determined quantity of thread to minimize waste, and make changing a machine from one sewing job to another more efficient. 
     A problem associated with the use of bobbins in this manner is controlling the inventory of new and used bobbins. As known in the art, when the thread on a bobbin is exhausted, the empty bobbin may be re-used. Specifically, new thread may be wound onto the used, empty bobbin and the bobbin can then be re-circulated with a different type and/or amount of thread. Empty bobbins, however, are sometimes carelessly discarded or lost, thereby depleting the supply of empty bobbins to be re-used. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide an apparatus for dispensing a filled, or re-threaded, bobbin, once an empty bobbin has been exhausted and deposited into the apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided for dispensing a fully threaded bobbin to an operator upon the depositing of an empty bobbin into the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a housing defining a storage compartment for storing the bobbins. The housing has a first opening for depositing the empty bobbins therein and a second opening for dispensing the full bobbins therefrom. A tray is mounted to the housing within the storage compartment for orienting and feeding fully threaded bobbins. At least one slide is provided for transporting the full bobbins from the tray to the second opening. An actuator lever is slidably coupled to the housing for activating the apparatus. A release hinge is mounted to a portion of the slide and operatively coupled to the actuator lever for releasing a single full bobbin from the slide and the second opening in response to the actuator lever being activated from a fully extended position to an actuated position and an empty bobbin being deposited into the first opening. An accommodator is operatively coupled between the actuator lever and the tray for orienting the bobbins for transportation in the slide for cooperation with the release hinge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bobbin dispenser in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a center divider; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the bobbin dispenser shown with a tray removed; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tray; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a top slide and related components; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a bottom slide; and 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a lever channel and related components. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a bobbin dispenser apparatus of the present invention is generally shown at  10  in FIG.  1 . 
     The dispenser  10  includes a housing  12  that defines a storage compartment  14 . The housing  12  can be made from any material such as steel, plastic, wood, or the like. The housing  12  includes a top  16  which is either removable, or in the alternative, hinges in such a way that the top  16  can be opened up to allow access to the compartment  14 . A center divider  18  is disposed in the compartment  14  and is supported by the housing  12  such that the compartment  14  is divided into an upper compartment  20  and a lower compartment  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the center divider  18  includes a full bobbin opening  24  for allowing bobbins to fall from the upper compartment  20  into the lower compartment  22  as will be discussed below. The center divider  18  further includes an empty bobbin opening  26  located adjacent to the full bobbin opening  24 , the function of which is discussed below. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the housing  12  further includes a first planar wall  28  and a second planar wall  30  opposite the first wall  28 . The first  28  and second  30  walls are interconnected by a third planar wall  32  and an opposite fourth planar wall  34 . The walls  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34  define the storage compartment  14  and support the center divider  18  between the upper and lower compartments  20 ,  22 . A first opening  36  and a second opening  38  are formed in the first wall  28 . The first opening  36  communicates with the upper compartment  20  of the compartment  14  and the second opening  38  communicates with the lower compartment  22  of the compartment  14 . A third opening  40  and a fourth opening  42  are formed in the fourth wall  34  and are in communication with the upper compartment  20  and the lower compartment  22 , respectively. 
     As discussed in the background section, bobbins as shown at  8 , which are pre-wound with thread, are used in the sewing industry to supply thread to a sewing machine. The dispenser  10  is designed to accept a used bobbin, i.e. a bobbin without thread, and dispense a new or full bobbin, i.e. a bobbin with thread. In particular, the used bobbin is inserted into the third opening  40  and the full bobbin is dispensed out the second opening  38 . The specifics of how the bobbin is dispensed and the working components of the dispenser  10  are discussed in greater detail below. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the dispenser  10  includes a tray  44  that holds and orients the full bobbins  8  in the upper compartment  20 . The tray  44  is mounted above the divider  18  and supported by the side walls  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 . As best shown in  FIG. 4 , the tray  44  includes a reservoir  46  defined by sidewalls  48  and a bottom  50  for holding the full bobbins. The bobbins  8  are placed to move in a rolling orientation in order to be easily dispensed from the tray  44 . The reservoir  46  is tilted to cause the full bobbins  8  to roll along the bottom  50  toward a release channel  52 . The release channel  52  runs along one side of the tray  44  and includes an angled, or ramped, sidewall  54  to assist in aligning the full bobbins in a manner to be dispensed. The tray  44  also includes an opening  56  in the sidewall  48  adjacent the end of the release channel  52  for insertion of an accommodator  58 . The accommodator  58  is a wedge shaped block slidably supported by the housing  12  for movement in and out of the opening  56  so as to assist in orienting the dispensing of the bobbins as is further discussed below. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 5 , full bobbins are fed from the tray  44  to a top slide  60 . An upper guide  62  is mounted to an upper end  64  of the top slide  60  to assist in guiding the full bobbins from the release channel  52  to within the top slide  60 . A lower end  66  of the top slide  60  is mounted to the center divider  18  over the full bobbin opening  24 . 
     The top slide  60 , including the attached upper guide  62 , includes a generally U-shaped channel  68  defined by first and second side walls  70 ,  72  and a floor  74  extending between the side walls  70 ,  72 . The floor  74  is slightly wider than the thickness of a bobbin standing on edge. In particular, the floor  74  is wide enough to allow the bobbin to freely roll thereon and is narrow enough to prevent the bobbin from toppling over so as to keep the bobbin on its edge, thereby allowing the bobbin to roll. The full bobbin opening  24 , show in  FIG. 2 , is of a complementary width to the floor  74  such that a bobbin can fall through the opening  24  and into the lower compartment  22  while maintaining its rolling orientation. 
     The top slide  60  further includes an arcuate groove  76  formed in each of the side walls  70 ,  72  approximately half way between the upper end  64  and the lower end  66  of the top slide  60 . A release hinge  78  is disposed in the groove  76  perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the top slide  60 . The release hinge  78  includes a lateral bar  80  having a pair of spaced apart bushings  82 . The bar  80  is seated in the groove  76  with the bushings  82  straddling the side walls  70 ,  72  so as to limit lateral movement of the release hinge  78 . 
     A valve  84  is mounted to the lateral bar  80  between the bushings  82 . The valve  84  is an arcuate shaped member made of metal, plastic or the like. The valve  84  has a major portion  86  that hangs from the lateral bar  80  towards the lower end  66  of the top slide  60 , and a minor portion  88  that hangs from the lateral bar  80  towards the upper end  64  of the top slide  60 . As is discussed below, the valve  84  is used to control the movement of the bobbins in the channel  68 . 
     An actuation rod  90  extends downwardly from the lateral bar  80  and outside of the channel  68  and along side of the side walls  70 ,  72 . The actuation rod  90  is used to rotate the lateral bar  80  and valve  84  to facilitate releasing the bobbins one at a time from the top slide  60 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a bottom slide  92  is mounted within the lower compartment  22  of the dispenser  10 . As best shown in  FIG. 6 , an upper end  94  of the bottom slide  92  includes a lower guide  96  for connecting the bottom slide  92  to the center divider  18  opposite the lower end  66  of the top slide  60 . The lower guide  96  is therefore aligned with the full bobbin opening  24  in the center divider  18 . The bottom slide  92  includes a channel  98  defined between spaced apart sidewalls  100 ,  102 , similar to the channel  68  within the top slide  60 , for maintaining the bobbin on its edges and thus allowing the bobbin to roll downward. 
     A lower end  104  of the bottom slide  92  extends through the second opening  38  within the second wall  30 . The lower end  104  includes U-shaped cutouts  106  in each sidewall  100 ,  102  to allow an operator to retrieve a full bobbin that has been dispensed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the dispenser  10  includes an actuator lever  108  to facilitate the release of a bobbin from the dispenser  10  once an empty bobbin has been inserted into the third opening  40 . As best shown in  FIG. 7 , the actuator lever  108  rests within a lever channel  110 , defined by spaced apart and parallel sidewalls extending between a front end  112  and rear end  113 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lever channel  110  is supported by the divider  18  within the upper compartment  20 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the front end  112  of the lever channel  110  mates with the inside of the first wall  28  and aligns with the first opening  36  therein. The actuator lever  108  is slidably disposed into the upper compartment  20  through the first opening  36  for movement between a fully extended position and an actuated position. A lever spring  114  is disposed about the lever  108  and between opposite ends thereof for biasing the lever  108  outwardly from the compartment  14  to the fully extended position. The actuator lever  108  also includes a forked end  116  defined by spaced apart and parallel fingers  118 ,  120  that is located within the lever channel  110 . 
     An accommodator bracket  122  including opposing L-shaped ends  124 ,  126  is mounted to the top side of the actuator lever  108  by the end  124 . The accommodator  44  is mounted to the other end  126  of the accommodator bracket  122  opposite the actuator lever  108 , and aligns with the accommodator opening  56  in the tray  44 , as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     An actuation spring support bracket  128  is fixedly mounted to the sidewalls of the lever channel  110 . The actuation spring support bracket  128  straddles the lever channel  110  and includes a mounting clip  130 . An actuation spring  132 , such as a compression coil spring, interconnects the clip  130  and the distal end of the actuation rod  90  opposite the lateral bar  80 , as shown in FIG.  3 . The actuation spring  132  biases the release hinge  78  to a starting position where the major portion  86  of the valve  84  is rotated downwardly into the channel  68  of the top slide  60 . When hinge  78  is in the starting position, the actuation rod  90  extends into the lever channel  110 . 
     An empty bobbin slide  134  attaches generally perpendicularly to the lever channel  110 . The empty bobbin slide  134  includes spaced apart and parallel sidewalls  136 ,  138  extending between first and second ends  140 ,  142  defining a channel  144  therebetween for receiving a bobbin. The first end  140  is connected to the sidewall of the lever channel  110  adjacent the rear end  113  and the opposite second end  142  is connected to the fourth wall  42  and aligned with the third opening  40  therein. The rear end  113  of the lever channel  110  ends directly aligned with the empty bobbin opening  26  in the center divider  18 . 
     In operation, the tray  44  of the dispenser  10  is initially filled with full bobbins  8 . At least a few of the full bobbins fall into the release channel  52  and subsequently roll down the top slide  60  until stopped by the major portion  86  of the valve  84 . Specifically, when a bobbin rolls down the channel  68 , the bobbin rolls under the minor portion  88  and is stopped by the major portion  86 . 
     A user may deposit an empty bobbin  146  through the third opening  40  and into the empty bobbin slide  134  such that the bobbin is standing on an end face. When the actuator lever  108  is in the fully extended position, the forked end  116  is biased to a position closest to the front wall  28  which is behind the point where the empty bobbin slide  134  mates with the lever channel  110 . In addition, the release hinge  78  is in the starting position with the distal end of the actuation rod  90  extending into the lever channel  110  in front of the point where the empty bobbin slide  134  mates with the lever channel  110 . Therefore, when the empty bobbin is deposited to the empty bobbin slide  134 , the bobbin will slide downward on its end face and topple over on its edges into the lever channel  110  in front of the forked distal end  116  and behind the distal end of the actuation rod  90 . The channels and intersection of the empty bobbin slide  134  and the lever channel  110  are configured such that when the empty bobbin reaches the lever channel  110 , the bobbin is positioned in a rolling orientation. 
     To receive a new full bobbin, the operator activates the actuator lever  108  to move the lever  108  to the actuated position. Specifically, the operator pushes the actuator lever  108  toward the first wall  28  against the bias of the lever spring  114 . As the actuator lever  108  advances, the forked end  116  slides forward to contact the empty bobbin that is standing in the lever channel  110 . Upon further advancement of the lever  108 , the forked end  116  extends to the rear end  113  of the lever channel  110 , thereby pushing the empty bobbin past the rear end  113  and causing the empty bobbin to fall through the empty bobbin opening  26  and into the lower compartment  22 . 
     As the empty bobbin is pushed along the lever channel  110  toward the rear end  113 , the empty bobbin contacts the distal end of the actuation rod  90  and causes the release hinge  78  to rotate counter-clockwise as viewed by  FIGS. 3 and 5 . The counter-clockwise rotation rotates the lateral bar  80  such that the major portion  86  of the valve  84  is rotated upward and out of the channel  68 . Simultaneously, the minor portion  88  is rotated downward into the channel  68 . The minor portion  88  lowers into the channel  68  in front of a subsequent full bobbin directly behind the bobbin held by the major portion  86  of the valve  84 . After the major portion  86  is rotated fully upward and out of the channel  68 , a single full bobbin will roll freely down the channel  68  while all the other full bobbins stacked behind are being held by the minor portion  88  of the valve  84 . 
     The single full bobbin rolls forward down the remainder of the top slide  60 , until the bobbin falls downward through the full bobbin opening  24 . The bobbin is then caught by the lower guide  96  which delivers the bobbin further downward into bottom slide  92 . The bobbin rolls down through bottom slide  92  and exists out the first opening  36  into the cutouts  80  for retrieval by an operator. The remaining full bobbins continue to be held in place by the minor portion  88  of the valve  84 . 
     Once the empty bobbin has been pushed beyond the rod  90 , the actuation spring  134  causes the actuation rod  90  to snap back to the starting position. Hence, the lateral bar  80  rotates clockwise back to the starting position. The major portion  86  of the valve  84  will rotate back downward into the channel  68 , and the minor portion  88  will rotate upward out of the channel  68 . The subsequent full bobbins within the channel  68  will roll forward until the first bobbin rests against the major portion  86  of the valve  84 . 
     Simultaneously with the actuation of the actuator lever  108 , the accommodator  58  is forced into the accommodator opening  56  and into the supply of bobbins. The accommodator  58  helps to shift the bobbins so the bobbins may fall within the release channel  52  and become correctly oriented such that they may roll forward to the top slide  60 . 
     The actuation of the actuator lever  108  therefore deposits an empty bobbin into the lower compartment  22  while simultaneously releasing a single full bobbin for retrieval by the operator. Actuation of the actuator lever  108  without first depositing an empty bobbin will not release a full bobbin. Without an empty bobbin placed in the lever channel  110 , the forked distal end  116  will pass underneath the actuation rod  90 . Hence, the empty bobbin acts as a coupler to couple the forked distal end  116  to the actuation rod  90 . 
     Once the actuator lever  108  has been fully actuated, the empty bobbin has dropped into the empty bobbin opening  26 , and the fill bobbin has been dispensed, the operator will release the actuator lever  108 . The lever spring  114  automatically biases the lever  114  to the original starting position such that the dispensing operation may be repeated. 
     The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
     Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practised other than as specifically described.