Abstract:
A vending machine which dispenses goods without risk of damage to the goods or the customer includes a cabinet, a receiving tray and a merchandise catch basket moveably received in the receiving tray. The cabinet includes a cabinet body and a door rotatably attached to the cabinet body. A number of merchandise shelves are located in the cabinet body and bought goods slide rather than drop into the catch basket. A first opening is defined in the door, and the receiving tray is attached to an inside of the door and the customer is prevented from interfering with or taking the bought goods until they are at rest in the merchandise catch basket which is moved out to be accessible to the customer.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, more particularly to an automatic vending machine. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Vending machines allow customers to buy a lot of merchandise twenty four hours a day. When the customer retrieves the bought item from a merchandise catch opening of the vending machine, the customer can be hurt by energy of direct dropping motion. Therefore, there is room for improvement within 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 isometric view of an automatic vending machine in accordance with an embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the automatic vending machine of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of  FIG. 2 , and a merchandise catch basket of the automatic vending machine located in a first position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , and the merchandise catch basket of the automatic vending machine is located in a second position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    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.” 
         [0011]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an automatic vending machine in accordance with an embodiment. The automatic vending machine comprises a cabinet  10  and a plurality of merchandise shelves  112  received in the cabinet  10 . The cabinet  10  comprises a cabinet body  11  and a door  12  rotatably attached to the cabinet body  11 . 
         [0012]    A first opening  121  and a second opening  123  (see  FIG. 4 ) are defined in an outside of the door  12 . A receiving tray  20 , communicating with the first opening  121 , is located on an inside of the door  12 . The first opening  121  is substantially a rectangle. The receiving tray  20  comprises two side panels  22  and a rear panel  23  connected to the two side panels  22 . The two side panels  22  extend from opposite edges of the first opening  121 . In one embodiment, each side panel  22  is substantially perpendicular to the door  12  and the rear panel  23 , and the rear panel  23  is substantially parallel to the door  12 . A sliding slot  221  is defined in each side panel  22 . 
         [0013]    A first merchandise guiding member  99  and a second merchandise guiding member  100  extend from the door  12 , and both are located and stacked above the receiving tray  20 . In one embodiment, the first merchandise guiding member  99  extends rightly and downwardly so that towards the receiving tray  20 , and the second merchandise guiding member  100  extends left and downwardly. one end of the first merchandise guiding panel  99  is located above one end of the second merchandise guiding member  100 , so that merchandises drops on the first merchandise guiding member  99  can drop into the second merchandise guiding member  100 . In one embodiment, bought items of merchandise drop on the first merchandise guiding member  99  and then drop into the second merchandise guiding member  100 . In one embodiment, each of the first and second merchandise guiding members  99 ,  100  is substantially L-shaped. 
         [0014]    A securing block  30  and an accommodating block  50  are attached to the inside of the door  12 . The securing block  30  is located between the accommodating block  50  and the securing block  30 , and a pivoting hole  31  is defined in the securing block  30 . An accommodating space  51 , communicating with the second opening  123 , is defined in the accommodating block  50 . A pair of accommodating holes  52  is defined in the accommodating block  50 , and a punching hole  54 , corresponding to the pivoting hole  31 , is defined in the accommodating block  50 . 
         [0015]    A merchandise catch basket  60  is slidably received in the receiving tray  20 . The merchandise catch basket  60  comprises a bottom plate  61 , a front plate  62  extending from the bottom plate  61 , a rear plate  63 , and two side plates  64 . In one embodiment, the front plate  62  is substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate  61 , and the two side plates  64  are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the front plate  62 . A length of the front plate  62  is less than a length of the first opening  121 , so the front plate  62  can extend through the first opening  121  and be accessible from the outside of the door  12 . A length of the rear plate  63  is greater than the length of the first opening  121 . Two resilient members  70  are secured to opposite sides of the rear plate  63 . 
         [0016]    A pushing post  81  is slidably received in the sliding slot  221  and is used to move the merchandise catch basket  60 . A rotating shaft  82  is rotatably received in the pivoting hole  31 . A connecting shaft  83  is connected to the pushing post  81  and the rotating shaft  82 , and the connecting shaft  83  defines a receiving slot  831 . A driven post  84  is connected to the rotating shaft  82  and comprises a pressing portion  841  and a connecting portion  842  connected to the pressing portion  841 . In one embodiment, the connecting portion  842  is substantially perpendicular to the pressing portion  841 . A foot treadle  90  is received in the accommodating space  51 . Two poles  91  are located on opposite sides of the foot treadle  90 . 
         [0017]      FIGS. 3-4  illustrate assembly of the automatic vending machine in accordance with an embodiment. In assembly, the merchandise catch basket  60  is received in the receiving tray  20 , and the front plate  62  is towards the first opening  121  and located inside of the door  12 . The free end of the resilient member  70  abuts the inside of the door  12 . The pushing post  81  abuts the rear plate  63  and is slidably received in the two sliding slots  221 , and one end of the pushing post  81  is received in the receiving slot  831 . The rotating shaft  82  extends through the pivoting hole  31 . A first end of the rotating shaft  82  is engaged with the connecting shaft  83  by means such as soldering. A second end of the rotating shaft  82  extends though the punching hole  54 . The driven post  84  is received in the accommodating space  51 , and the connecting portion  842  is engaged with the second end of the rotating shaft  82  by means such as soldering. The foot treadle  90  is received in the accommodating space  51 . The two poles  91  are engaged in the two accommodating holes  52 , to be rotatably engaged in the accommodating block  50 . The backside of the foot treadle  90  constantly resists the pressing portion  841 . 
         [0018]    The merchandise catch basket  60  is moveable between a first position (see  FIG. 3 ) and a second position (see  FIG. 4 ). In the first position, the foot treadle  90  is located in an original state; the front plate  62  is located on the inside of the door  12 ; the resilient member  70  abuts the inside of the door  12 ; and the pushing post  81  abuts the rear panel  23  and is engaged in a first end of the sliding slot  221 . In the second position, the foot treadle  90  is stepped on; the resilient member  70  is deformed; the pushing post  81  is disengaged from the rear panel  23  and engaged in a second opposite end of the sliding slot  221 ; and the front plate  62  extends through the first opening  121  and is then located on the outside of the door  12 . 
         [0019]    In use, the merchandise catch basket  60  is located in the first position. Bought items of merchandise drop into the first merchandise guiding member  99 , from the merchandise shelves  112 , and further drop into the merchandise catch basket  60 , via the second merchandise guiding member  100 . The foot of the customer extends through the second opening  123  and steps on the foot treadle  90 , and the foot treadle  90  is rotated about the two poles  91  to urge the driven post  84  and the rotating shaft  82  to rotate together. When the rotating shaft  82  is rotated, the pushing post  81  is slid in the sliding slot  221  in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the door  12 , to push the merchandise catch basket  60  away from the rear panel  23 , and the resilient member  70  is deformed. Until the pushing post  81  is engaged in the second end of the sliding slot  221 , the front plate  62  extends through the first opening  121  to be located in the second position. Therefore, customer can catch the bought item of merchandise from the merchandise catch basket  60 . After customer catches the merchandise from the merchandise catch basket  60 , the foot treadle  90  is rotated back by the release of the resilient member  70  and the merchandise catch basket  60  is pushed back to the first position. 
         [0020]    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 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.