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US 6,551,183 B2Granted
Snack dispenser and coin bank
AssigneeMag-Nif Incorporated
InventorsWilliam J. Knox, Jr., Paul Tamulewicz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A snack dispenser and coin bank is disclosed. The assembly includes a housing and a shaft member making up a portion of the housing. A first storage area is located in the housing for storing associated snacks and a dispenser is movably mounted in the shaft for selectively dispensing the associated snack. A depositing member is movably mounted in the housing for selectively allowing the deposit of associated coins in the housing, the depositing member being operatively connected to the dispenser. An actuator is mounted on the dispenser, and when the actuator is moved to one position, it actuates the dispenser and the depositing member. A method of saving coins and receiving a snack is also provided.
Claims22
A snack dispenser and coin bank, comprising:
- a housing;
- a shaft member comprising a portion of said housing;
- a first storage area located in said housing for storing associated snacks;
- a dispenser movably mounted in said shaft for selectively dispensing the associated snack;
- a depositing member movably mounted in said housing for selectively allowing the deposit of associated coins in said housing, said depositing member being operatively connected to said dispenser;
- and
- an actuator mounted on said dispenser, wherein when said actuator is moved to one position, it actuates said dispenser and said depositing member.
4 more elements
A snack dispenser and coin bank, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first storage area located in said housing for storing associated snacks;
- a dispenser movably mounted in said housing for selectively dispensing the associated snack, said dispenser comprising a supply cylinder, a feed cylinder and a channel extending therebetween;
- a depositing member movably mounted in said housing for selectively allowing the deposit of associated coins in said housing, said depositing member being operatively connected to said dispenser;
- and
- an actuator mounted on said dispenser, wherein when said actuator is moved to one position, it actuates said dispenser and said depositing member.
3 more elements
A snack dispenser and coin bank, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first storage area located in said housing for storing associated snacks;
- a dispenser movably mounted in said housing for selectively dispensing the associated snack;
- a ramp located in said housing for delivering the associated snack to a user;
- the ramp including a first end and a second end and defining an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the associated snack to be dispensed;
- a tray communicating with said ramp second end to receive the associated snack to be dispensed;
- a depositing member movably mounted in said housing for selectively allowing the deposit of associated coins in said housing, said depositing member being operatively connected to said dispenser;
- and
- an actuator mounted on said dispenser, wherein when said actuator is moved to one position, it actuates said dispenser and said depositing member.
6 more elements
A snack dispenser and coin bank, comprising:
- a housing;
- a dispenser movably mounted in said housing, the dispenser comprising a supply cylinder, a feed cylinder and a channel extending therebetween;
- the supply cylinder of the dispenser including a first end and a second end and defining an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the associated snack to be dispensed;
- an outer surface of the second end of the supply cylinder of the dispenser receivably engaging a spring, wherein the spring is mounted in a spring housing defined by a portion of said housing;
- a depositing member mounted in said housing for selectively allowing the deposit of associated coins in said housing, said depositing member being operatively connected to said dispenser;
- and
- an actuator mounted on the dispenser for selectively actuating said dispenser and said depositing member.
4 more elements
A snack dispenser and coin bank, comprising:
- a housing;
- a dispenser movably mounted in said housing, the dispenser comprising a supply cylinder, a feed cylinder and a channel extending therebetween;
- a depositing member mounted in said housing for selectively allowing the deposit of associated coins in said housing, said depositing member being operatively connected to said dispenser;
- and
- an actuator mounted on the dispenser, the actuator comprising a knob and a stem depending from said knob, said stem comprising an angled distal surface for engaging an associated snack and orienting the associated snack in one direction when the actuator and the dispenser are moved in relation to the housing.
2 more elements
A snack dispenser and coin bank, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first storage area located in said housing for storing associated snacks;
- a spring located in said first storage area, the spring defining a first position and a second position and receiving an associated snack to be dispensed when in the first position;
- the spring depositing the associated snack to be dispensed to a portion of the first storage area when said spring is in the second position;
- a dispenser mounted in said housing for selectively acting on the spring and dispensing the associated snack;
- a depositing member mounted in said housing for selectively allowing the deposit of associated coins in said housing, said depositing member being operatively connected to said dispensing member;
- and
- an actuator mounted on the dispenser, for selectively actuating said dispenser and said depositing member.
5 more elements
A snack dispenser and coin bank, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first storage area located in said housing for storing associated snacks;
- a dispenser mounted in said housing for selectively dispensing the associated snack;
- a second storage area located in said housing for storing associated coins;
- a depositing member mounted in said housing for selectively allowing the deposit of the associated coins into said second storage area, said depositing member being operatively connected to said dispenser;
- at least one coin chute extending between said depositing member and said second storage area, said at least one coin chute defining a first end, a second end that defines an exit point from the coin passage into the second storage area, and an inner diameter greater than that of a coin denomination for which the coin chute is designed;
- a slot defined by said first end of said at least one coin chute, wherein said slot is of a width and length slightly larger than a largest cross section of a coin of a denomination for which the passage is designed;
- a lever arm included in said first end of said at least one first coin chute, the lever arm having a projection extending into a portion of the defined slot, and wherein the lever arm cooperates with said dispenser;
- and
- an actuator mounted on the dispenser, for selectively actuating said dispenser and said depositing member.
7 more elements
A method of saving coins and receiving a snack, comprising:
- placing at least one coin in an aperture defined at one end of a coin chute in a housing holding snacks;
- pressing an actuator knob mounted on the housing;
- releasing the coin and a snack into, respectively, a coin chute and a snack dispensing ramp;
- causing the coin and the snack to each travel in generally downward direction;
- depositing the coin in a coin storage area in the housing;
- and
- receiving the snack.
4 more elements
A snack dispenser and coin bank, comprising;
- a housing;
- a dispenser mounted in said housing for selectively dispensing an associated snack;
- a depositing member mounted in said housing for selectively allowing the deposit of an associated coin into said housing;
- at least one coin chute extending between said depositing member and said housing, said at least one coin chute defining a first end and a second end and an inner diameter greater than that of a coin denomination for which the coin chute is designed;
- and
- at least one coin deflector positioned in said coin chute for deflecting the travel of a coin in said coin chute from an inlet end to an exit end thereof, wherein said depositing member is located adjacent said inlet end of said coin chute and said at least one coin deflector is located downstream from said depositing member.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.