GB2333289A - Multi-angle cup separating cam - Google Patents

Abstract

The cup separating cam consists of more than one separating helix angle. The first helix angle A provides separation of the cups while the second helix angle B provides a large displacement of the separated cup without the need to increase the angular movement and/or the diameter of the cam.

Description

Multi Angle Cup Separating Cam This invention relates to a cup separating cam with more than one helix angle.

Cup Splitters used in the in-cup drinks vending industry employ various methods to achieve the separation of a stack of cups. One of the most effective way of achieving the separation is by means of circular cams with a helix on their diameter similar to a screw thread. The distance of separation between the cups depends on the diameter of the cam, the thickness of the cam, the helix angle of the cam and the amount of angular movement of the cam. All these factors govern the final physical size of the Cup Splitter.

According to the present invention, the diameter of the cam is kept to a minimum, but the helix on the diameter of the cam will have more than one helix angle. The first helix angle is designed to separate one cup from the other. Once the actual separation of the cups is achieved, the first helix angle changes into a second greater helix angle. This second helix angle is no longer required to transmit a cup separating force as in the first helix angle but purely to push the already separated cup downwards to prevent any possible jamming of the falling cup which will cause malfunction of the vending machine particularly in a fully automatic type. The first and the subsequent helix angles on the cam will have different values to suit different types and sizes of cup to be separated.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with references to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1:- Shows the existing conventional cam with a single helix angle.

Figure 2:- Shows the helix angle on the developed circumference of the conventional cam.

Figure 3:- Shows the new multi helix angle separating cam.

Figure 4:- Shows the two different helix angles on the developed circumference of the new separating cam.

Claims (1)

1. Claims A separating cam consists of more than one separating helix angle. The first helix angle is designed to separate one cup from the other and the value of this angle changes according to the type and size of cup to be separated. ( see figures 2 & 4 ) The second and any other subsequent angles will have a greater helix angle or angles. ( see figure 4 ) The segment of the cam consisting of the second and any other helix angles provides a large axial displacement of the separated cups without the necessity of increasing the diameter and the angular movement of the cam to the extent that it results in the increase in size of the cup splitter unit. The already separated cup will be pushed further away from the cup above hence preventing the separated cup fromjamming instead of falling freely.

   If the cup fails to fall freely from the cup above, this will cause malfunction of the vending machine