Abstract:
A dispensing device in a vending machine to prevent an accidental loss of goods when being operated by a customer includes a bracket, a shaft, a first mounting member, a second mounting member, and a sleeve. The first mounting member includes two first sidewalls. The second mounting member includes two second sidewalls. The sleeve is secured around the shaft. Each first sidewall and each second sidewall cooperatively define an installation opening rotatably receiving the shaft therein. The sleeve is limited between the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls, preventing the shaft from moving up and down.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to vending machines, and particularly to a dispensing device in vending machines. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A direct type dispensing device for dispensing products from vending machines may include a bracket, a tray, and a shaft. The bracket often includes a base for placing the products thereon. The tray is located under the base. The tray is secured to the shaft. The shaft is rotatable under an action of a motor to rotate the tray, to release the base from a position where the base is held and supported. When the tray supports the base, the products are blocked by the base and cannot drop down for the customer. When the tray releases the base, the base is free, causing one product to drop down to the customer bin by gravity. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    Many aspects of the embodiments herein 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. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of one embodiment of a dispensing device of a vending machine. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of circled portion II of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of a second mounting plate, a second mounting member, and a blocking member of the dispensing device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an exploded, isometric view of a first mounting plate, a first mounting member, and another blocking member of the dispensing device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the first mounting member of the dispensing device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is an assembled, isometric view of the dispensing device of  FIG. 1 , with a pushing member in an initial position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of circled portion VII of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 6 , but showing the pushing member in an operating position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 8 , taken along line IX-IX. 
       
    
    
     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]      FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of a dispensing device in a vending machine. The dispensing device includes a bracket  10 , a shaft  31 , a tray  35 , a plurality of pairs of mounting members, and a plurality of blocking members  40 . The bracket  10  comprises a first mounting plate  11  and a second mounting plate  12  opposite to the first mounting plate  11 . A pair of bases  51  is pivotably mounted to the first mounting plate  11  and the second mounting plate  12 . 
         [0015]    Each pair of mounting members includes a first mounting member  21  secured to the first mounting plate  11  and a second mounting member  22  secured to the second mounting plate  12 . The tray  35  is mounted to a distal end of the shaft  31 . In one embodiment, the tray  35  is a section of a circle with an interior angle smaller than 180 degrees, that is, smaller than a full semicircle. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  illustrate a plurality of jacking members  33  mounted on the shaft  31 . Each jacking member  33  includes a mounting portion  331  secured to the shaft  31  and a jacking portion extending from the mounting portion along a direction substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the shaft  31 . A plurality of sleeves  32  is secured around the shaft  31 . In at least one embodiment, the sleeves  32  are made of plastic. 
         [0017]      FIGS. 3-5  illustrate each first mounting member  21  including a first bottom wall  211  and two first sidewalls  212  perpendicularly extending from opposite edges of the first bottom wall  211 . A pair of first positioning pieces  213  perpendicularly extends from the first bottom wall  211 . Each first positioning piece  213  is located between the two first sidewalls  212  and is substantially perpendicular to each first sidewall  212 . A distance between the first positioning pieces  213  is substantially equal to an outer diameter of each sleeve  32 . Each first sidewall  212  defines a first cutout  2120 . In at least one embodiment, the first cutout  2120  is semicircular. A diameter of the first cutout  2120  is smaller than the distance between the first positioning pieces  213 . The first cutout  2120  is aligned between the first positioning pieces  213 . A length of each first sidewall  212  is substantially equal to a width of the first mounting plate  11 . 
         [0018]    Each second mounting member  22  comprises a second bottom wall  221  and two second sidewalls  222  perpendicularly extending from opposite edges of the second bottom wall  221 . A pair of second positioning pieces  223  perpendicularly extends from the second bottom wall  221 . Each second positioning piece  223  is located between the two second sidewalls  222  and is substantially perpendicular to each second sidewall  222 . A distance between the second positioning pieces  223  is substantially equal to an outer diameter of each sleeve  32 . Each second sidewall  222  defines a second cutout  2220 . In one embodiment, the second cutout  2220  is semicircular. A diameter of the second cutout  2220  is smaller than the distance between the second positioning pieces  223 . The second cutout  2220  is aligned between the second positioning pieces  223 . A length of each second sidewall  222  is substantially equal to a width of the second mounting plate  11 . 
         [0019]    Each blocking member  40  includes a blocking plate  41 , two pivoting portions  43  extending from the blocking plate  41 , and a pivoting post  42  extending from each pivoting portion  43 . Each of the first mounting plate  11  and the second mounting plate  12  defines a plurality of receiving holes  121  corresponding to the blocking members  40 . Two pairs of pivoting pieces  122  extend from edges of each receiving hole  121 . Each pivoting piece  122  defines a pivoting hole  1220 . A gap  124  is defined between the two pairs of pivoting pieces  122 . A width of the gap  124  is substantially equal to the diameter of the shaft  30 . A positioning piece  123  extends from a bottom edge of each receiving hole  121 . The positioning piece  123  defines a positioning opening  1230  aligned with the gap  124 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 1-7  illustrate that in assembly the blocking member  41  is placed in the receiving hole  121  with the pivoting posts  42  pivotably mounted in the pivoting holes  1220 . The blocking member  41  is rotatable relative to the first mounting plate  11  about the pivoting posts  42 . The first mounting member  21  is secured to the first mounting plate  11  by screws or other method. The second mounting member  22 , aligned with the first mounting member  21 , is secured to the second mounting plate  12 . In this position, the first cutout  2120  is aligned with the gap  124  and the positioning opening  1230  in the first mounting plate  11 , and the second cutout  2220  is aligned with the gap  124  and the positioning opening  1230  in the second mounting plate  12 . 
         [0021]    A fastener  34  is inserted into the shaft  31  through the mounting portion  331  to secure the jacking member  33  to the shaft  31 . The sleeves  32  and the jacking members  33  are staggered on the shaft  31 . 
         [0022]    The shaft  31  is placed on the second mounting plate  12  in the second cutouts  2220 , the gaps  124 , and the positioning openings  1230 . Each sleeve  32  is located between the pair of positioning pieces  223 . The jacking member  33  is aligned with the blocking plate  41 . The second mounting plate  12  is secured to the first mounting plate  11  by screws or other method. The first cutout  2120  latches with the second cutout  2220  to form a circular installation opening. The first pair of the positioning pieces  213  and the second pair of positioning pieces  223  engage the sleeve  32  therebetween. The sleeves  32  are further limited between the two first sidewalls  212  or by the second sidewalls  222 . The positioning openings  1230  opposite to each other are latched together to form a circular loop to engage the shaft  31 . The shaft  31  is connected to a motor (not shown), which rotates the shaft  30 . The tray  35  is located under the pair of bases  51  and is rotatable together with the shaft  31 . The shaft  31  is substantially perpendicular to a line connecting the two pivoting posts  42  of each blocking member  40 . 
         [0023]      FIGS. 7-9  illustrate that, in use, a plurality of products (not shown) is placed one-by-one on the bases  51 . The shaft  31  is rotatable between an initial position and an operating position. The shaft  31  is further rotatable between the initial position and a second position. When the shaft  31  is in the initial position, the jacking members  40  is between the first mounting plate  11  and the second mounting plate  12 , the blocking plate  41  is received in the receiving hole  121 , and the tray  35  holds the bases  51 , preventing the bases  51  from rotating relative to the first mounting plate  11  and a second mounting plate  12 . Thus, before a purchase is made, a product cannot be dropped down from each pair of bases  51 . 
         [0024]    When the shaft  31  is in the operating position, the tray  35  is rotated over one of the pair of bases  51 . At the same time, the jacking member  33  extends out of the receiving hole  121  and jacks up the blocking plate  41  from the receiving hole  121 . In this position, the products on the other base  51  are rotatable relative to the shaft  31  under the action of gravity and may drop down to the other base  51  if a product is purchased. The blocking plate  41  extends out of the receiving hole  121  to hold and keep the unpurchased products on the other base  51 . 
         [0025]    When the products  100  are in place but unpurchased, the shaft  31  is in the initial position. When one of the products is purchased, the motor drives the shaft  31  to rotate to the operating position, allowing one product item to drop down from one of the pair of bases  51 . Then the motor drives the shaft  31  to rotate to the initial position, causing the tray  35  to rotate one of the pair of bases  51  upwards, until the tray  35  holds the pair of bases  51 . The unpurchased products remain in place and are thus prevented from dropping down. 
         [0026]    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, including in the matters of shape, size, and the arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure. The embodiments described herein are illustrative and should not be construes to limit the scope of the following claims.