Candy dispenser

An indeterminate outcome actuation mechanism for a confectionary item dispenser having a dispenser housing with a dispenser housing opening, a reservoir disposed within the dispenser housing and having a reservoir chute aligned with the dispenser housing opening, and a dispenser shield between the dispenser housing and the reservoir, the dispenser shield having a dispenser shield wall with a dispenser shield opening there through, and being movable between a dispensing position where the dispenser shield opening is aligned with the dispenser housing opening and the reservoir chute and a non-dispensing position where the reservoir chute is covered by the dispenser shield wall, the indeterminate outcome actuation mechanism comprising:

• an actuation mechanism input device engageable by a user of the confectionary item dispenser and having an input device normal position and an input device actuation position;
• and
• a dispenser shield drive member engaging the dispenser shield when the actuation mechanism input device is displaced from the input device normal position toward the input device actuation position to cause the dispenser shield to move between the dispensing position and the non-dispensing position, wherein the dispenser shield drive member allows the dispenser shield to move each instance of the actuation mechanism input device being displaced from the input device normal position to the input device actuation position so that the dispenser shield may be disposed in either one of the dispensing position and the non-dispensing position when the actuation mechanism input device is displaced back to the input device normal position.

A confectionary item dispenser comprising:

• a dispenser housing having a dispenser housing opening;
• a reservoir for holding confectionary items disposed within the dispenser housing and having a reservoir chute aligned with the dispenser housing opening;
• a dispenser shield disposed between the dispenser housing and the reservoir, the dispenser shield having a dispenser shield wall with a dispenser shield opening there through, wherein the dispenser shield is movable between a dispensing position where the dispenser shield opening is aligned with the dispenser housing opening and the reservoir chute so that a confectionary item disposed within the reservoir chute can be dispensed through the dispenser shield opening and the dispenser housing opening, and a non-dispensing position where the reservoir chute is covered by the dispenser shield wall to retain the confectionary item within the reservoir chute;
• an indeterminate outcome actuation mechanism disposed within the dispenser housing and operatively connected to the dispenser shield, the indeterminate outcome actuation mechanism comprising an actuation mechanism input device engageable by a user of the confectionary item dispenser, wherein the indeterminate outcome actuation mechanism engages the dispenser shield to cause the dispenser shield to move between the dispensing position and the non-dispensing position when the actuation mechanism input device is displaced from an input device normal position toward an input device actuation position so that the dispenser shield may be disposed in either one of the dispensing position and the non-dispensing position when the actuation mechanism input device is displaced back to the input device normal position;
• an upper lock arm operatively connected to the actuation mechanism input device;
• and
• a lower lock arm operatively connected to the actuation mechanism input device,
• wherein the upper lock arm extends to prevent the confectionary items from entering the reservoir chute and the lower lock arm retracts to allow the confectionary item in the reservoir chute to be dispensed from the reservoir chute when the actuation mechanism input device is in the input device normal position, and
• wherein the upper lock arm retracts to allow the confectionary items to enter the reservoir chute and the lower lock arm extends into the reservoir chute to prevent the confectionary item therein from dispensing when the actuation mechanism input device is displaced toward the input device actuation position.