Self-adjusting cup dispenser and method

[57] ABSTRACT

Improved self-adjusting cup dispenser and method of dispensing a stack of cups having curled rims employing biasing means for biasing worm dispensers radially inward toward a dispenser throat, and cam means for automatically momentarily and simultaneously camming the worm dispensers radially outward once each revolution to allow them to accept and dispense cups whose diameters vary outside of manufacturer’s tolerance range for a stack of cups of a certain designated size.

Claims, 10 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED JAN 2 81975

3,862,702

SHEET 1 OF 2

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PATENTED JM28I975

3.862.702

SHEET 2 OF 2

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FIG. 6 44

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FIG. 10 ₄₄

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3,862,702

SELF-ADJUSTING CUP DISPENSER AND METHOD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to dispensers for dispensing disposable cups.

Dispensers for disposable cups of the type employing rotatable dispensing worms are well known in the art. Typically, they have a circumscribing worm and groove formation about their peripheries. The dispensing worms are commonly positioned about an opening in a frame designed to receive a vertical stack of nested disposable cups having tapered side walls. The worms are usually gear or chain sprocket driven to rotate in a cooperative manner so that the leading knife edges of the worm formations separate the lowermost cup from the stack and pass the separated cup downwardly through the circumscribing groove while the flat-tops of the knife edges support the next cup which is then the lowermost of the stack.

Cups of a particular stack are commonly designated as having, and are expected to have, the same diameter. However, it is well known that, as manufactured, cup diameters vary within certain manufacturers’ tolerance ranges which for example can total about 1/8 inch. Cup diameters of a stack sometimes vary beyond the tolerance ranges because cups and/or their brims become out-of-round, distorted or deformed due for example to exposure to high temperatures during storage or due to abuse during storage and/or handling.

Probably one of the most serious and common limitations of known disposable cup dispensers is their inability to automatically self-adjust or self-compensate to properly dispense without malfunctioning cups whose diameters vary as mentioned. Conventional cup dispensers have no built-in automatic self-adjusting acceptance and dispensive capability to compensate for manufacturer’s tolerances, or for distortions and deformations. They jam and cannot accommodate and dispense such cups without manual adjustments being made to the dispensers. Commonly, if the outside diameter of the cup to be dispensed is larger than manufacturer’s specifications, the outermost peripheral walls of the dispensing worms engage the lowermost cup body sidewall somewhat below its brim and thereby prevent the brim of that cup from entering the worm grooves. This prevents the dispensing worms from dispensing any additional cups from the stack.

In view of such and other limitations of conventional disposable cup dispensers, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved automatic disposable cup dispenser which automatically self-adjusts to accommodate and properly dispense distorted, deformed cups whose diameters vary above and below manufacturer’s tolerance ranges for a stack of cups of a designated size.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved self-adjusting disposable cup dispenser which can dispense cups of varying diameters within a stack without loss of contact or separating and dispensing efficiency between the dispensing worms and cups.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selfadjusting automatic worm feed disposable cup dispenser wherein the dispensing worms are biased inwardly but do not crush the disposable cups.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved self-adjusting automatic worm feed dispos2 able cup dispenser wherein opening cams are connected to respective dispensing worms and biased inwardly to cooperate with frame means to momentarily move the dispensing worms independently substantially radially outward once for each revolution of the dispensing worms to allow the dispenser to dispense a stack of nested cups which vary within the diameter range preset on the cup dispenser.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such an improved self-adjusting disposable cup dispenser wherein the cams cooperate with a cam ring mounted on the dispenser frame.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such an improved self-adjusting automatic worm feed disposable cup dispenser wherein the stack of cups is fed to the dispenser in a cylindrical cartridge having a cam ring attached thereto for cooperation with an opening cam.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of dispensing a stack of nested cups having curled rims by biasing a series of dispensing worms radially inward toward the cups and automatically momentarily and simultaneously camming each dispensing worm radially outward once each revolution of the dispensing worms to allow them to self-adjust, accept and dispense all cups from the stack though some of the cups vary outside of manufacturer’s diameter tolerance range for the particular designated cup size of the stack.

Numerous other advantages and objects of this invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the description which follows, which, taken in conjunction with the drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation partly in section and with portions broken away showing a portion of the improved self-adjusting cup dispenser of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view partially in section taken substantially along line 2—2 of FIG. 1, showing the relative positions of the cam lobe and the cam ring when a stack of cups is initially loaded into the dispenser as in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view partly in section and with portions broken away showing the relative positions of the lowermost cup of a stack and a dispensing worm when a cam lobe engages the cam ring.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation with portions broken away taken substantially through the lowermost cup brim showing its position relative to the worm dispenser.

FIG. S is a top view partially in section and with portions broken away, taken substantially along line 5—5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view partially in section with portions broken away showing the positions of the lowermost cups of a stack relative to a dispensing worm when the curled brim of the lowermost cup engages the large diameter sidewall of the dispensing worm when the cam lobe is not engaging the cam ring.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation with portions broken away taken substantially through the brims of the two lowermost cups, showing their positions relative to the dispensing worm of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top cross sectional view with portions broken away taken substantially along line 8—8 of FIG. 6.

3,862,702

FIG. 9 is a top cross sectional view with portions broken away taken substantially along line 9—9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged top plan view partly in section and with portions broken away, showing the relative positions of the lowermost cups of a stack and a dispensing worm when an opening cam lobe again engages cam ring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As a preferred, exemplary embodiment of this invention, FIG. 1 shows a portion of the improved selfadjusting disposable cup dispenser 10 of this invention. More particularly FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical tube or cartridge 12 containing a vertical stack C of nested cups numbered 1, 2 and 3 having curled rims 14 and body beads 14'. Tapered body sidewall 15 of lowermost cup 1 is shown diametrically opposingly abuttingly engaged at junction 17'just under body bead 14' by peripheral walls 16 of two of a series of rotary dispensing worms 18 affixed to worm shafts 20 journaled within pivot arms 22 in turn journaled upon pivot and drive shaft 24 mounted within housing 26. Rotary dispensing worms 18 are driven by suitable drive means, including means such as a motor (not shown), through pivot and drive shaft 24 which in turn drives gear means generally designated 28 which includes connecting means including planetary gears comprising sun gear 30, timing gears 32 and planetary gears 34. Pinmounted to worm shafts 20 above dispensing worms 18 are rotary cams 36 respectively having cam lobes 38 thereon and grooves 40 for receiving biasing means, here, garter spring 42 which encompasses cams 36 and biases rotary shafts 20 and their respective dispensing worms 18 and cams 36 radially inward so that cams 36 rotatingly abuttingly engage skirt 44 of annular cam ring 46. Cam ring 46 is separate from frame means 50 and can be separate from or, as shown, affixed to cartridge 12 and inserted within frame opening 48.

FIG. 1 also shows that dispensing worms 18 have worm and groove formations, the leading edge of worm formation 51 being in the form of a knife edge 52 having a flat-top which forms a first land portion 54 which drops vertically to a second land portion 56 which runs up to the beginning of a groove generally designated 58 formed between circumscribing- and gradually thickening worm formation 51 which spirals downwardly around the main body of rotary dispensing worm 18 and terminates at worm end 60 adjacent dispensing area 62. The main body of each dispensing worm 18 is substantially cylindrical and comprises an upper sidewall 64 which gradually tapers outwardly at 66 into larger diameter lower sidewall 68. The upper portion of each dispensing worm 18 comprises a frusto-conical portion 70 having an orienting wall 72 for orienting cup stack C when it is first loaded or deposited into dispenser throat 74._____________

FIG. 2 is a top plan view partially in section showing a portion of the improved self-adjusting cup dispenser of this invention. More particularly, FIG. 2 shows garter spring 42 biasing four worm shafts 20 radially inward so that cams 36 abuttingly engage cam ring skirt 44 which surrounds and is affixed to cartridge 12. FIG. 2 also shows worm peripheral walls 16 engaging tapered cup side wall 15 at junction 17' and the relative positions of cam lobe 38, worm knife edge 52 and taper 66. FIG. 1 is substantially what would be seen if FIG. 2 were viewed from along line 1—1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the right side of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with portions broken away. More particularly, FIG. 3 shows cam lobe 38 abuttingly engaging cam ring skirt 44. This moves worm shaft 20 substantially radially outward against the bias of garter spring 42, creates a gap between worm peripheral wall 16 and cup tapered side wall 15 and thereby allows the lowermost cup 1 and stack C which it supports to drop from the position shown in FIG. 1 where the stack is supported by the diametrically opposing engagement of worm peripheral walls 16 with cup tapered sidewall junction 17', to the position shown in FIG. 3 wherein curled rim 14 of the lowermost cup rests on worm second land portion 56 adjacent the beginning of groove 58. The distance that cam lobe 38 extends beyond regular circumference of cam 36 can be made slightly greater than the distance that taper 66 extends from dispensing worm upper side wall 64, so that the outer periphery of curled rim 14 of lowermost cup 1 passes easily over the outer wall of taper 66.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of dispensing worm 18 showing the position of rim 14 of cup 1 relative to worm second land 56, groove 58 and worm knife edge 52. More particularly, FIG. 4 shows that given the circumferential contour of cup curled rim 14, the portion of worm second land 56 that cup rim 14 rests on is radially offset from worm knife edge 52 and taper 66, and is before the beginning of downwardly sloping land portion 57 at the beginning of groove 58.

FIG. 5 is a top cross sectional view with portions broken away taken substantially along line 5—5 of FIG. 3 and shows the spacing between rim 14 and worm upper side wall 64 and between peripheral wall 16 and cup junction 17, bead 14', junction 17', and tapered side wall 15.

FIG. 6 shows the positions of rims 14 of cups 1 and 2, relative to dispensing worm 18 after worm shaft 20 has rotated some to remove cam lobe 38 from the abutting engagement with cam ring skirt 44 that is shown in FIG. 3. As cam lobe 38 loses contact with cam ring skirt 44, the radially inward bias of garter spring 42 immediately brings the outer periphery of rim 14 of cup 1 into engagement with smaller diameter worm upper side wall 64. As dispensing worm 18 rotates in a counter clockwise direction, rim 14 of cup 1 maintains its abutting engagment with dispensing worm 18 while it rides over dispensing worm taper 66 onto lower side wall 68 because the rims of the cups shown protrude further from the junction 17 between the rims 14 and tapered side wall 15 than cam lobes 68 protrude from the circumference of cams 36. As shown in FIG. 6 engagement or registration of rim 14 of cup 1 against lower side wall 68 prevents the normal circumference of cam 36 from abuttingly engaging cam ring skirt 44 and will do so as long as cup rim 14 rides in abutting engagement with lower side wall 68.

FIG. 6 also shows that the lower portion of worm formation 51 which gradually thickens and slopes downward from knife edge 52, forces cup 1 downward into groove 58 and thereby separates cup 1 from cup 2 whose tapered side wall 15 portion between body bead 14' and rim 14 is now engaged by worm peripheral wall 16. This diametrically opposing engagement between worm peripheral walls 16 and cup side wall 15 supports cup 2 and stack C.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of dispensing worm 18 showing that with respect to FIG. 6, rim 14 of lower

3,862,702 most cup 1 rides in groove 58, and rim 14 of cup 2 remains in contact with peripheral walls 16 above worm first land portion 54 until lobe 38 hits cam ring skirt 44 when it will drop vertically to second land portion 56.

FIG. 8 is a top cross sectional view with portions broken away taken substantially along line 8—8 of FIG. 6 and showing that tapered side wall 15 of cup 2 is engaged by worm peripheral wall 16. The dashed line on the worm represents worm lower side wall 68 which lies beneath first land 54.

FIG. 9 is a top cross sectional view with portions broken away taken substantially along line 9—9 of FIG. 6 and showing the outer periphery of rim 14 of lowermost cup 1 abuttingly engaging lower side wall 68.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation with portions broken away showing the positions of cups 1, 2 and 3 relative to dispensing worm 18 and showing cam lobe 38 abuttingly engaging cam ring skirt 44 one revolution after the lobe last abuttingly engaged skirt 44 in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 shows that when cam lobe 38 abuttingly engages cam ring skirt 44 this second time, cam ring 44 moves worm shaft 20 and dispensing worm 18 radially outward to dispense cup 1 by freeing it from abutting engagement with lower side wall 68 of groove 58. Cup 2 is dropped from the position where its side wall 15 was engaged by peripheral wall 16 (FIG. 6) to worm second land 56 so that its rim 14 rests on the radially outer portion of second land 56 at a point thereon radially offset toward the reader from taper 66 and knife edge 52 in the manner shown in FIG. 4.

As dispensing worm 18 of FIG. 9 continues to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, rim 14 of cup 2, like that of cup 1 as previously explained, passes over taper 66 and abuttingly engages larger diameter lower side wall 68 as it is passed downwardly along groove 58 until it is dispensed by the radially outward movement of shaft 20 and dispensing worm 18 when cam lobe 38 hits cam ring skirt 44, as shown in FIG. 9. The portion of tapered side wall 15 of cup 3 above bead 14' and below rim 14 is engaged by peripheral wall 16 and diametrically opposingly held in a position wherein its rim 14 is vertically spaced from first land 54 until cam lobe 38 hits cam ring skirt 44 when cup 3 will drop to worm second land 56 as occurred with cup 2 in FIG. 9. This process continues for the lowermost and next lowermost cups until each successive nested cup is serially accepted and dispensed from stack C. When the last cup, here, cup 4, is dispensed, garter spring 42 will move worm shafts 20 radially inward until cams 36 abuttingly engages cam ring skirt 44.

To operate the improved self-adjusting cup dispenser of this invention, stack C is placed vertically within throat 74 of dispenser 10. If cam lobes 38 are not abuttingly engaging cam ring skirt 44 at the time of loading, the inward bias of garter spring 42 will cause worm peripheral walls 16 to engage cup body tapered side wall 15 at junction 17' under body bead 14', if there is one, and cup brim 14 of lowermost cup 1 will not seat on either worm first land 54 or second land 56. If, at loading, cam lobe 38 is abuttingly engaging cam ring skirt 44, throat 15 will be enlarged, lowermost cup 1 will drop and its brim 14 will sit upon one of the land portions. Which land it drops upon depends upon which one the cam lobe overlies. If, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, cam lobe 38 is positioned so that its high point is radially aligned over a point on second land 56 adjacent the beginning of groove 58, brim 14 of cup 1 will drop to that point on second land 56 where lead line 56 touches the second land. As dispensing worms 18 rotate in a counterclockwise direction, the outer periphery of the curl of brim 14 will engagingly ride on small diameter upper side wall 64 and engagingly ride over taper 66 and on larger diameter lower side wall 68 within groove 58. As brim 14 of cup 1 enters groove 58, leading knife edge 52 passes over brim 14 and the lower surface of worm formation 51 which slopes downwardly as the worm thickens, engages the top of brim 14 and forces cup 1 vertically downward through groove 38 and throat 74. As knife edge 52 is passing over brim 14 of cup 1, worm peripheral wall 16 engages tapered side wall 15 of cup 2 above body bead 14', to thereby stop its downward movement and thereby support cup 2 and stack C in throat 74. Cup 2 will be held by peripheral walls 16 until dispensing worms 18 and cams 36 rotate a full revolution. At one full revolution when cam lobe 38 abuttingly engages cam ring skirt 44, dispensing worm 18 will be moved radially outward to again open throat 15 and thereby simultaneously release cup 1 from abutting engagement with large diameter lower side wall 68 while releasing tapered side wall 15 of cup 2 from engagement with peripheral side walls 16. The releasing of cup 1 dispenses the cup from the dispenser, while the releasing of cup 2 drops the cup downward so that its brim sits on second land 56 adjacent the beginning of groove 58. As dispensing worms 18 rotate during their second revolution the procedure repeats itself so that cup 2 is forced downwardly into groove 58 while peripheral walls 68 engage tapered side wall 15 and hold cup 3 in stack C in place until cam lobe 38 again abuttingly engages cam ring skirt 44 to dispense cup 2 from the dispenser and to drop cup 3 onto second land 56 adjacent the beginning of groove 58. This cyclical action continues until all cups of stack C are dispensed from the dispenser.

The aforementioned description of the operation of the dispenser of this invention pertains when the cups being dispensed are relatively strong such as doublewrapped wax-coated cups and have brims which extend outwardly far enough from the junction between the brim and the tapered side wall to engage large diameter lower side wall 68. When the cups being dispensed are relatively weaker such as singlewrapped, lightly finished cups and when their brims do not extend outwardly sufficiently to engage lower side wall 68, they ride on the upper surface of worm 51 as they are passed downwardly through groove 58. The improved selfadjusting cup dispenser of this invention is therefore suitable for dispensing cups of different strengths as well as different sizes. It is also suitable for dispensing cups which do not have body beads 14' such as those that merely have tapered side walls.

The ability of the improved cup dispenser of this invention to self-adjust depends upon the cooperation of the cam means including cam ring 46 and cam 36 having lobe 38, on the biasing means including garter spring 42 and on the particular drive means employed.

The cam ring that is employed with the self-adjusting cup dispenser of this invention must have an opening whose diameter is sufficiently large to accept that of the cups to be dispensed and/or that of the cylindrical cartridge employed.

The cams employed must respectively have lobes sufficient to move each dispensing worm radially outward a distance sufficient to allow them to accept the brims

3,862,702 of cups of a stack some of whose diameters are within or, to a degree allowed by the size of the cam ring opening, without the diameter tolerance range of the stack. The extent that lobes 38 extend beyond the normal circumference of cam 36 should be such that when lobe 38 hits cam ring skirt 44, worms 51 will engage the cup side wall or brim to vertically support the stack and prevent it from falling through the dispenser throat.

The biasing means employed can be of any suitable type. Its biasing force can vary depending upon the strength of the cups to be dispensed. For the aforementioned relatively strong doublewrapped waxed-coated cups, the embracing force of garter spring 42 can be relatively strong. For weaker cups such as singlewrapped lightly finished cups, the force should be less to prevent crushing of the cups.

The drive means which can be employed in the improved self-adjusting cup dispenser of this invention can be any suitable drive means which rotatably drives the dispensing worms in time and which allows each dispensing worm 18 to move radially and to self-adjust independently of the other worms. It has been found advantageous to employ the planetary gear system and pivot arm arrangement shown herein which allows worm shafts 20 and dispensing worms 18 and cams 38 affixed thereto to respire or cyclically move radially outward and inward each time cam lobe hits and moves off of cam ring skirt 44, and which allows dispensing worms 18 to independently compensate and self-adjust radially inward or outward to previously mentioned irregularities in brim or tapered side wall diameter or circumference without loss of timing of the rotation between the respective dispensing worms. Thus for example, in FIG. 2, if the upper right hand dispensing worm were to move radially outward due for example to a pucker in the cup brim, timing gear 32 would pivot on sun gear 30 to allow that dispensing worm to move independently while maintaining the driving action of and timing between all of shafts 20, dispensing worms 18 and cam 38. Likewise, after the dispensing worm moves over the pucker, or when it moves into a concavity in the cup brim circumference, the bias of garter spring 42 would self-adjustingly move that dispensing worm radially inward to maintain contact with the cup so that that dispensing worm will cooperate with the others to dispense the cup without malfunctioning.

It has been found advantageous to use a minumum of four dispensing worms although it is more desirable to use six.

It is thought the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes can be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the improved self-adjusting cup dispenser mentioned herein and the method described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the dispenser and method hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.