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Gumball machine with lights and sound

  • US 8,651,321 B2
  • Filed: 05/23/2011
  • Issued: 02/18/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A gumball machine, comprising:

  • a gumball container that contains a plurality of gumballs;

    a neck portion coupled to the gumball container, the neck portion having a switch and gumball dispensing assembly that includes an actuator that is operatively coupled to a switch;

    an elongated transparent housing having an upper end coupled to the neck portion, and a lower end, the housing having therein an electrical strip that extends vertically within the housing, the switch electrically coupled to the electrical strip;

    a base coupled to the lower end of the elongated housing and having a bottom portion that is seated on a surface;

    a speaker positioned inside the base and electrically coupled to the switch via the electrical strip to produce sound when the switch is turned on;

    a plurality of lighting elements arranged in series along the electrical strip and electrically coupled to the switch to produce flashing light when the switch is turned on; and

    a power supply housed inside the base and electrically coupled to the switch, the speaker and the lighting elements via the electrical strip;

    wherein the actuator is a knob, and the switch and gumball dispensing assembly comprises a gear coupled to the knob, and a rotating platform that has a circumferential skirt, with a bump provided on the edge of the skirt, such that turning of the knob causes the gear to engage a portion of the platform to rotate the platform, and rotation of the platform causes the bump to engage the switch to turn on the switch, which also causes a gumball to be dispensed from the gumball container, such that flashing lights and sound are produced simultaneously as a gumball is being dispensed.

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