Title: CUP DISPENSERThis invention relates to cup dispensers.
Plastic and paper cups are today used in many applications since such cups can be thrown away when used and in this way washing up etc. is avoided.
However, although plastic and paper cups are relatively cheap, they nevertheless add up to a sizeable figure when they are used in any quantities. Therefore, when the cups are being supplied as part of a service i.e. in drink vending machines, it is highly desirable that the cup should not be available for anybody to take but purely supplied when a drink is required. Various proposals have been made to this end i.e. to provide for the feed of paper or plastic cups singly from a stack of such cups.
However, existing methods are either very complex, or can go wrong if slight variants of the cups are used.
This latter can cause jamming and prevent the machine from operating until attended to by a service engineer.
One attempt at solving this problem is disclosed inBritish Patent Specification No. 2145071 which relates to a cup dispenser comprising stack means for receiving a stack of cups, first retaining means for retaining the lowermost cup of a stack, second retaining means for retaining the next lowest cup in the stack, ejection means for engaging the lowermost cup and separating it from the stack and a drive mechanism for actuating the first and second retaining means and the ejection means such that the first and second retaining means operate substantially alternately and the ejection means operates when said first retaining means is released, wherein the first and second retaining means comprise detent levers engageable under the rim of an associated cup and wherein the ejection means comprise ejection levers engageable with the upper edge of the rim of a cup, at least three of each type of lever being provided, the levers of each type being spaced equidistantly around the cup position so as to provide at least a three point support for the cups.
The detent levers were pivotally mounted on a first ring or annulus surrounding the cups, the levers being movable between non-engagement and engagement positions with the cups by means of a cam arrangement. The sides of the detent levers facing away from the cups were formed as cam surfaces which were arranged to co-operate with an outer ring arranged to act on said cam surfaces.
The inner ring or annulus was stationary while the outer ring was arranged to be driven up and down by means of an electromagnet and a return spring.
While this prior arrangement operates satisfactorily it is rather complicated and requires the use of two sets of detent levers for dispensing cups one at a time.
An attempt to improve on this prior cup dispenser by providing a simpler but equally reliable arrangement is disclosed in British Patent Specification No. 2221672 which relates to a cup dispenser comprising stack means for receiving a stack of cups said stack means taking the form of a cylindrical member having an enlarged diameter region through which a stack of cups is arranged to pass during dispensing operations; an inner ring mounted for reciprocating movement in said enlarged diameter region, the axial length of the inner ring being less than that of the enlarged diameter region to permit said reciprocating movement; a plurality of first detent levers for retaining the lowermost cup of a stack, said detent levers being pivotally mounted on the inner ring; a plurality of second detent levers having means for retaining the next lowermost cup in the stack; and a plurality of ejector levers; the arrangement being such that movement of the inner ring in a first direction is effective to cause the first detent levers to release the lowermost cup and the ejector levers to engage over the rim of said cup while the remaining cups in the stack are retained in the dispenser by engagement of the next lowermost cup in the stack by the second detent levers and movement of the inner ring in a second opposite direction is effective to cause the ejector levers to push the lowermost cup clear of the stack and to cause the second detent levers to release the cup which is now the lowermost cup in the stack while the first detent levers engage said cup.
While this second cup dispenser was simpler and more reliable than the first-mentioned cup dispenser, it still involved the use of complicated lever mechanisms.
The present invention aims to provide a cup dispenser which is even simpler in operation than the abovedescribed cup dispensers but without sacrificing reliability.
According to the present invention, there is provided a cup dispenser which comprises a stacking means in the form of a cylindrical member for receiving a stack of cups and through which the cups are arranged to pass during dispensing operations; an annular ring mounted for limited rotational movement at the upper end of said cylindrical member, said ring having an inner diameter which is at least equal to the inner diameter of the cylindrical member and having a series of teeth on its outer surface; a plurality of pinions mounted for engagement with the teeth of the ring; and a plurality of wedges divided into two sets, a respective wedge of each set being mounted for rotation with a respective pinion and the arrangement being such that, in a first rotational position of the ring, one set of wedges project through respective slots in the side wall of the cylindrical member and are capable of being engaged by the rim of the lowermost cup in a stack of cups loaded in the dispenser to support said stack of cups, rotation of the ring to a second position being effective to drive the pinions to move said one set of wedges to a position in which the lowermost cup is freed to fall out of the cylindrical member while, at the same time, the other set of wedges are moved to project through the or further slots in the side wall of the cylindrical member to engage the rim of the next lowest cup in the stack to prevent that cup and the remaining cups in the stack from falling out of the dispenser and return of the ring to the first position being effective to move the said other set of wedges out of engagement with the cup rim while, at the same time, the said one set of wedges are returned to the position in which they are engageable by the rim of the cup which is now the lowest cup in the stack.
Any number of wedges greater than one may be provided in each set although two, three or four are preferred.
Preferably, the said one set of wedges are located below the said other set of wedges and the wedges associated with each respective pinion are arranged to project through the same slot in the side wall of the cylindrical member.
The upper wedges desirably have inclined lower surfaces which are engageable over the top of the rim of the lowermost cup to force it free from the stack to ensure that the cup is ejected from the dispenser. This ejection is preferably achieved by ensuring that the lowermost ends of the inclined surfaces of the upper wedges are located at a lower level than the upper surfaces of the lower wedges.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the annular toothed ring and cylindrical member are mounted in a substantially square housing having a pinion mounted at each corner. Each pinion carries two wedges from which it will be seen that each set of wedges consists of four wedges. A cylindrical extension preferably extends from the cylindrical member in a downwards direction to steady the fall of the cups from the dispenser.
The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of a cup dispenser according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the dispenser shown in Fig. 1; andFig. 3 is a section taken on the line III-III in Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.
Referring to the drawings, the cup dispenser according to the invention comprises a substantially cuboid housing 1 having substantially square top and bottom surfaces in each of which is provided a large circular aperture. A cylindrical member 2 extends through the housing 1 frorn the latter's top to bottom surfaces and is joined thereto, for example by welding, the inner diameter of the cylindrical member being substantially equal to the diameter of the apertures in said top and bottom surfaces of the housing and co-terminous therewith. The upper end of the cylindrical member is stepped to form a reduced diameter region and an annular ring 3 is mounted for rotation over this stepped region at the upper end of the cylindrical member. The outer surface of the ring 3 is provided with a series of gear teeth.
Mounted at each corner of the housing 1 on a respective shaft 5 is a respective pinion 4 whose teeth are arranged to mesh with the teeth of the toothed ring 3.
Each shaft 5 is rotatably mounted in the housing and each pinion 4 is fixedly mounted on its respective shaft 5 so that the two components rotate together.
A sleeve 6 is mounted on each shaft 5 for rotation therewith and each sleeve carries a pair of wedges 7 and 8. The upper wedge 7 of each pair has a substantially planar upper surface and an inclined lower surface.
Similarly, the lower wedge 8 of each pair also has a substantially planar upper surface and an inclined lower surface with the upper surface being located at a higher level than the lowermost part of the associated upper wedge. The cylindrical member 2 is provided with four rectangular slots 9 in its side wall through which the wedges 7 and 8 can project as will be hereinafter described.
A cylindrical extension 10 extends downwardly from the housing 1 the extension having an inner diameter which is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 2 and being essentially co-terminous therewith. If desired, the cylindrical extension 10 may be formed integrally with the cylindrical member 2 but it can also be formed as a separate component and connected to the cylindrical member 2 or to the housing 1, for example by welding.
In use, the toothed ring 3 is moved to the position shown in the drawings in which the lower wedges 8 project through the slots 9 in the wall of the cylindrical member 2. A stack of cups (not shown) can then be loaded into the cup dispenser and it will be found that the rim of the lowermost cup will rest on the upper surfaces of the lower wedges 8. When it is desired to dispense a cup, the toothed ring 3 is rotated by suitable means (not shown) in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 which causes the pinions 4 engaging therewith to rotate in the opposite direction.
Rotation of the pinions 4 causes the sleeves 6 to rotate with the shafts which causes the wedges 7 and 8 to move.
Before the lower wedges 8 move clear of the rim of the lowermost cup, the upper wedges 7 pass through the slots 9 and their upper surfaces engage under the rim of the second lowermost cup in the stack. Further movement of the ring 3 causes the lower wedges 8 to pass through the slots 9 so that these wedges are no longer in the path of the lowermost cup and this cup is then free to fall out of the dispenser throug'n the cylindrical extension 10. Should the lowermost cup fail to fall free however, for example because it is stuck to the next lowermost cup, the inclined lower surfaces of the wedges 7 will engage over the top of the rim of the lowermost cup and force it away from the next lowermost cup.It is for this reason that the lower ends of the inclined surfaces of the wedges 7 are located at a lower level than the upper surfaces of the wedges 8 because the lowermost cup is then forced off the next lowest cup so that it can then fall through the cylindrical extension 10.
However, should the upper wedges 7 fail to dislodge the lowermost cup from the stack, this can still be achieved by the lower wedges 8 as will be hereinafter explained.
Once the toothed ring 3 has been rotated fully in the said clockwise direction in which the upper wedges 7 have been moved by the pinions 4 fully into the path of the stack of cups and the lower wedges 8 have been fully retracted through the slots 9, the toothed ring 3 is rotated in the opposite direction which is effective first to move the lower wedges 8 back through the slots 9 to impede the passage of the stack of cups. If the lowermost cup has failed to fall from the stack or has not been dislodged by the upper wedges 7, the inclined lower surfaces of the lower wedges 8 will engage over the rim of the lowermost cup and force the cup still further downwards to eject it from the dispenser.At the same time, the wedges 7 are moved clear of the rim of what is now the lowest cup in the stack so that the stack can drop slightly until the rim of the lowest cup is engaged by the lower wedges 8. The various components of the cup dispensing mechanism have now returned to the position shown in the drawings and the procedure can be repeated to dispense further cups.
It has been found that the dispensing mechanism according to the invention is extremely reliable in operation and that a cup is reliably dispensed each time the mechanism is operated. This is ensured by the use of inclined surfaces on both the upper wedges 7 and lower wedges 8 which provides a double action for the ejection of cups from the dispenser. If desired, the lower wedges 8 may be thicker than the upper wedges 7 to ensure still further separation of the lowest cup from the stack.
The toothed ring 3 may be operated by any suitable means such as a lever, bowden cable, electric motor or solenoid as will be evident to those skilled in the art.
The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment but variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the shafts 5, sleeves 6 and wedges 7 and 8 may be formed as integral components and the pin ions 4 may also be formed integrally with these components.
Further, the toothed ring 3 need not necessarily be mounted on a stepped region at the upper end of the cylindrical member but could be mounted to rotate over the top of said member, being retained in place by the pinions 4 or other suitable means.