Can and bottle dispenser

• US 7,152,757 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Marino, Samuel, Pever, Steve, Huffer, Doug, Hayes, Robert, Perkins, Jay F., Kopczewski, Michael T., Float, Jamison J., Burchfield, Brent L., Gausmann, Keith, Myers, Gary, Hsu, Paul E., DeBord, Jeffrey T., Schaefer, Douglas G., Petersen, Gary, Lowery, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US10/891,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20050167440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 221/133, 221/167, 221/194, 221/196, 221/222, 221/263, 221/277, 221/115, 221/256, 221/266, 221/197
• US Class Current: 221/263
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/10 having mechanical dispensing means , e.g. with buttons or handles
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/28 for containers, e.g. flasks, bottles , tins, milk packs racks or containers with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04; for lipsticks or markers A47F7/0021; for audio/video cassettes or booklike articles A47F7/14
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/28 in which the magazines are inclined
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/32 two or magazines having a common delivery chute
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A coupling for connection of a tube comprises a coupling housing which includes a first end into which the tube is inserted, a clamping ring which is positioned in the coupling housing against a first conical surface, a sealing ring which is positioned in the coupling housing, and a return ring which is positioned in the coupling housing between the clamping ring and a second end of the housing adjacent a second conical surface that is tapered opposite to the first conical surface. The return ring is expandable and comprises a central aperture which is smaller than the external diameter of the tube. Accordingly, when the tube is pushed into the coupling housing and forced through the return ring, the return ring will expand and move along the second conical surface.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing beverage containers, the dispenser comprising:

a cabinet having the general appearance of a vending machine, but lacking any structure for monetary exchange, said cabinet including on its front a plurality of selection buttons for selecting a beverage container and a dispensing area for receiving a selected beverage container;

a plurality of vertically stacked storage bins within said cabinet for storing beverage containers; and

a dispensing mechanism for moving said selected beverage containers from said storage bins to said dispensing area.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a rotating cup.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said storage bins comprises a bottom surface for supporting said beverage containers, and wherein said bottom surface is generally horizontal, but has a first incline toward a first end of said storage bin such that said beverage containers on said bottom surface are urged towards said first end;

and wherein said dispensing mechanism is located proximate to said first end.

4. The dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a rotating cup.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said beverage containers are bottles and cans, and wherein said dispensing mechanism will dispense both bottles and cans from any of said storage bins without adjustment to said storage bins or said dispensing mechanism.

6. A dispenser for dispensing beverage containers, the dispenser comprising:

a cabinet having the general appearance of a vending machine, but lacking any structure for monetary exchange, said cabinet including on its front a plurality of selection buttons for selecting a beverage container and a dispensing area for receiving a selected beverage container;

a plurality of vertically stacked storage bins within said cabinet for storing beverage containers; and

a dispensing mechanism for moving said selected beverage containers from said storage bins to said dispensing area, wherein said dispensing mechanism is located at a first end of said vertically stacked storage bins; and

wherein said dispensing mechanism moves said selected beverage container from one of said storage bins to a vertical dispensing pathway upon receiving a selection signal from one of said selection buttons, said selected beverage container falling down said vertical dispensing pathway to said dispensing area; and

a slowing mechanism provided in said vertical dispensing pathway to slow said selected beverage container as it falls from said dispensing mechanism to said dispensing region.

7. The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein said slowing mechanism comprises a friction fabric.

8. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said friction fabric comprises a flexible webbing.

9. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said friction fabric comprises a vinyl coated polyester screen.

10. The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein said slowing mechanism comprises resiliently biased flaps extending into said vertical dispensing pathway.

11. A dispenser for dispensing bottles and cans, wherein said dispenser comprises:

a storage bin for storing bottles and cans prior to being dispensed;

a dispensing mechanism for selectively dispensing said bottles and cans in a horizontal orientation one at a time to a dispensing area; and

wherein said storage bin and dispensing mechanism will dispense bottles and cans without the need to make adjustments to said dispensing mechanism or storage bin;

wherein said storage bin has a bottom surface for supporting said bottles and cans, and wherein said bottom surface is generally horizontal, but has a first incline toward a first end of said storage bin such that said cans and bottles on said bottom surface are urged towards said first end; and

wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a rotating cup provided proximate to said first end of said storage bin.

12. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said rotating cup has the capacity to hold a single bottle or two cans.

13. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a barrier that retains a first can in said dispensing cup while a second can is dispensed to said dispensing area.

14. The dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said barrier is a wall proximate to said dispensing cup.

15. The dispenser according to claim 14, wherein said barrier is an extended portion of a trailing edge of said dispensing cup.

16. A dispenser for dispensing bottles and cans, the dispenser comprising:

an enclosed cabinet;

a plurality of storage bins within a refrigerated cabinet for storing bottles and cans, said plurality of storage bins including a bottom storage bin and at least one additional storage bin stacked sequentially on top of said bottom storage bin, wherein each of said storage bins is substantially identical with said other storage bins, and wherein each of said storage bins has a bottom surface on which said cans and bottles rest, and wherein said bottom surfaces are generally horizontal, but tilted sufficiently toward a first end of said storage bins that said cans and bottles are urged towards said first end;

a plurality of rotating cup dispensers, said plurality of rotating cup dispensers including a rotating cup dispenser associated with each storage bin at said first end of said storage bins; and

a mechanism for selectively activating a desired rotating cup dispenser to dispense a single can or bottle from one of said storage bins.