Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Reciprocating conveying surface
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-13
2004-02-10
Valenza, Joseph E. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Reciprocating conveying surface
C141S174000, C141S190000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688460
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vending machine, and more particularly to a cup transfer device for use in a vending machine that transfers a supplied cup from a cup supply device between a cup supply unit and a low material discharging hole.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional cup transfer device
10
of a vending machine is shown in FIG.
1
. The cup transfer device
10
of the vending machine shown in
FIG. 1
is an undisclosed prior art of the applicant, and thus, it cannot be used as prior art against the present invention.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, the conventional cup transfer device
10
of the vending machine comprises a cup holder
20
and a driving means
30
. A cup holding unit
22
is formed at the cup holder
20
for embracing a cup
40
supplied by a cup supply device
50
.
The driving means
30
includes a motor
32
and a gear box
34
. The rotation force of the motor
32
is amplified by the gear box
34
, and is transferred through a rotary shaft
36
to the cup holder
20
. Accordingly, the cup holder
20
secured to the rotary shaft
36
rotates.
For the conventional cup transfer device
10
of the vending machine with the above construction, if the rotary shaft
36
is rotated by the motor
32
, the cup holder
20
secured to the rotary shaft
36
rotates and the cup
40
is moved between the cup supply unit
50
and an ice cream discharge hole
60
of the vending machine.
However, according to the conventional cup transfer device
10
of a vending machine with the above construction, if an abnormal case is encountered that hinders rotation of the cup holder
20
or a malfunction occurs, there is no means to correct the operation of the device.
Examples of device malfunction can be encountered when the cup
40
is separated from the cup holding unit
22
or when the cup
40
that is in the cup holding unit
22
is not in good condition. In another example, the cup
40
might be stuck between the cup transfer device
10
and peripheral objects of the ice cream vending machine (not shown).
In the case of a malfunction, if the motor
32
continues its operation, it can damage the cup transfer device
10
, the peripheral objects, or the motor
32
. In addition, if a user's hand is inserted in the vending machine while the cup transfer device
10
is operating, the user might hurt his/her hand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the related art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cup transfer device of a vending machine capable of preventing the cup transfer device, peripheral objects, and a motor from being damaged, even when an abnormal rotation of the cup holder is occurred.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cup transfer device of a vending machine that can secure the safety of a user from the cup transfer device, even when the user's hand is inserted into the vending machine carelessly during the cup transfer device is operating.
The above object of the present invention is accomplished by providing a cup transfer device of a vending machine comprising a cup holder; means for driving the cup holder; and means for selectively controlling power transmitted from the driving means to the cup holder.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the driving means comprises a motor and a rotary shaft driven by the motor. The cup holder is rotatably connected with the rotary shaft. The power control means includes a first clutch disk connected with the rotary shaft capable of moving in an axial direction, a second clutch disk secured to the cup holder, and a resilient member for urging the first clutch disk in the direction of the second clutch disk.
In the preferred embodiment, the above object of the present invention is accomplished by providing a cup transfer device of a vending machine comprising a motor; a rotary shaft driven by the motor; a cup holder rotatably connected with the rotary shaft; a first clutch disk connected with the rotary shaft capable of moving in an axial direction; a second clutch disk secured to the cup holder; and a resilient member for urging the first clutch disk in the direction of the second clutch disk. The first clutch disk and the second clutch disk may comprise uneven members for engaging with each other by sides sloping relative to their respective axes.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3860108 (1975-01-01), Farfaglia
patent: 3951303 (1976-04-01), Hobden et al.
patent: 4318465 (1982-03-01), Calvert et al.
patent: 4558802 (1985-12-01), Molison
patent: 4564123 (1986-01-01), Noshi
patent: 4625776 (1986-12-01), Mikkelsen
patent: 5261467 (1993-11-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 5400838 (1995-03-01), Schjerven et al.
patent: 6116460 (2000-09-01), Kim et al.
patent: 6213174 (2001-04-01), Cook et al.
patent: 1202676 (1998-12-01), None
patent: 7014972 (1970-07-01), None
patent: 835285 (1960-05-01), None
Ladas & Parry
Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co. Ltd.
Valenza Joseph E.
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