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US 12,588,770 B2Granted
Methods and apparatus for cup dispensing
AssigneeLancer Corporation
InventorJames Elexander Bruce, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cup dispenser (10) and associated methods are provided in which the cup dispenser (10) is tiltable (including rotation) between a dispensing position and a loading position. In the loading position, cups are easily loaded into the cup dispenser (10). A rolling-element bearing (30) may, among other mechanisms, be employed to facilitate the movement.
Claims19
A method of operating a cup dispenser having a plurality of cup housings each adapted to house a plurality of cups, each cup housing comprising a cup dispensing end and a cup loading end, the method comprising:
- providing a tilting apparatus comprising an inner ring and an outer ring in rotating engagement, whereby the outer ring is coupled to a surface and the inner ring is coupled to the cup housings;
- rotating the tilting apparatus whereby the inner ring rotates in relation to the outer ring while the outer ring remains stationary with respect to the surface, thereby tilting the cup housings between a cup dispensing position and a cup loading position, wherein in the cup loading position, the cup loading ends of the cup housings are accessible for cup loading;
- and
- in the cup loading position, loading cups into one or more of the cup housings.
1 more element
A cup dispenser, comprising:
- a plurality of cup housings each adapted to house a plurality of cups, each cup housing comprising a cup dispensing end and a cup loading end;
- and
- a tilting apparatus comprising an inner ring and an outer ring in rotating engagement, whereby the outer ring is coupled to a surface and the inner ring is coupled to the cup housings such that rotation of the inner ring in relation to the outer ring, with the outer ring stationary with respect to the surface, allows the cup housings to tilt between a cup dispensing position and a cup loading position;
- wherein in the cup loading position, the cup loading ends of the cup housings are accessible for cup loading.
1 more element
A cup dispenser, comprising:
- a plurality of cup housings each adapted to house a plurality of cups, each cup housing comprising a cup dispensing end and a cup loading end;
- a coupling member coupled to the cup housings;
- and
- a rolling-element bearing comprising an inner ring and an outer ring in rotating engagement, whereby the outer ring is coupled to a surface and the inner ring is coupled to the coupling member such that rotation of the inner ring in relation to the outer ring, with the outer ring stationary with respect to the surface, allows the cup housings to tilt between a cup dispensing position and a cup loading position;
- wherein in the cup loading position, the cup loading ends of the cup housings are accessible for cup loading.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.