Device for dispensing beverage cans

Abstract

The present device for dispensing beverage cans is mounted in a refrigerator whose front door is provided with a dispensing opening and comprises: a chute disposed in the interior of the refrigerator to lodge a plurality of beverage cans; a dispensing porthole externally carrying a cradle and being inferiorly and horizontally articulated to the front door, to be displaced between a closed position, blocking the dispensing opening, and an open position, projecting inclinedly to the interior of the refrigerator; and an extracting lever medianly and horizontally articulated internally to the refrigerator to be displaced, by the porthole, from a non-operative position to an operative position, in which it releases the first beverage can of the chute, gravitationally rolling said can over the dispensing porthole towards the cradle.

1 . A device for dispensing beverage cans through a dispensing opening provided in the front door of a refrigerator, comprising:
 a chute disposed in the interior of the refrigerator and configured to receive and lodge a plurality of beverage cans disposed side by side, to be sequentially discharged through an outlet opening of the chute;   a dispensing porthole externally carrying a cradle and being inferiorly and horizontally articulated in the front door, internally to the refrigerator, so as to be manually and angularly displaced between a closed position, in which it blocks the dispensing opening, positioning the cradle externally to said dispensing opening and manually accessible to the user, and an open position, in which it projects inclinedly upwards and inwards of the refrigerator, so as to block the dispensing opening with the cradle; and   an extracting lever that is medianly and horizontally articulated internally to the refrigerator, so as to be angularly displaced, upon the displacement of the dispensing porthole to an open position, from a non-operative position to an operative position, in which it displaces the first beverage can of the chute, releasing it through an outlet opening of said chute and gravitationally conducting it to the cradle, rolling said beverage can over the dispensing porthole.   
   
   
       2 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the chute is mounted in the interior of the refrigerator and comprises at least one support track disposed according to a direction transversal to the plane of the front door and having a front end in which is defined an outlet opening of the chute, said support track housing a plurality of beverage cans. 
   
   
       3 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the chute comprises at least two support tracks disposed one over the other and interconnected by one of the ends, in a serpentine-shaped stack, the upper support track presenting an open inlet end, for feeding the beverage cans. 
   
   
       4 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the front end of the support track, in which is defined an outlet opening of the chute, is provided with a lower stop against which is laterally seated and retained the first beverage can lodged in the chute. 
   
   
       5 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the beverage cans are gravitationally forced towards the lower stop, close to the outlet opening of the chute, by inclination of the respective support track. 
   
   
       6 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the chute is superiorly provided with engaging device to be coupled with the respective suspension means provided under a horizontal inner wall of the refrigerator. 
   
   
       7 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the engaging means take the form of oblong orifices made in an upper wall portion of the chute and dimensioned to be removably fitted in suspension device in the form of pins pending from a horizontal inner wall of the refrigerator. 
   
   
       8 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing porthole is constantly forced to a closed position by a return spring operatively associated with the front door and with the dispensing porthole. 
   
   
       9 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the dispensing porthole comprises:
 an outer casing in the form of a trunk-pyramidal tray of rectangular contour, whose closed smaller base incorporates, externally, a front projection configured to superiorly define the cradle of cylindrical concave shape and, inferiorly, a pending flange to be manually held by the user;   an inner casing rearly closing the outer casing and defining a cam surface;   a thermal insulating filler disposed in between the two casings; and   a gasket mounted around the outer casing, to be seated against a trunk-pyramidal seat provided in the front door, around the dispensing opening, when the dispensing porthole is displaced to a closed position.   
   
   
       10 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the outer casing inferiorly incorporates two pairs of ears provided with respective axially aligned holes, each pair of ears journaling a pin around which is mounted a return spring having an end cooperating with the front door and the other end cooperating with the dispensing porthole, each pin projecting outwards from the respective pair of ears, to be journaled in a hole made in the front door, close to one of the sides of the dispensing opening, so as to define a lower horizontal articulation of the dispensing porthole in the front door of the refrigerator. 
   
   
       11 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the front door carries, in its inner side, a protective cover circumferencially and rearly surrounding the dispensing opening and the dispensing porthole and being provided with a rear window in whose lower region is medianly articulated the extracting lever. 
   
   
       12 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the extracting lever comprises:
 an extracting portion;   a conducting portion defining an extension of the extracting portion; and   a cam follower portion projecting transversally forward of the extracting lever, in its median articulation region, said cam follower portion being displaced by the dispensing porthole, when the latter is conducted to the open position, so as to displace, upwardly, the extracting portion and therewith, the first beverage can of the chute and, downwardly, the conducting portion of the extracting lever, making said first beverage can gravitationally roll over the extracting lever and over the dispensing porthole, until seating on the cradle.   
   
   
       13 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the chute comprises at least one support track lodging a plurality of beverage cans and having a front end in which is defined an outlet opening of the chute, and provided a lower stop, against which is laterally seated and retained the first beverage can lodged in the chute, the upward displacement of the extracting portion ( 60 ) upwardly displacing said first beverage can, releasing the can from the lower stop and allowing it to gravitationally roll over the extracting lever and over the dispensing porthole, until reaching the cradle. 
   
   
       14 . Dispenser device, as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the extracting lever incorporates, on both sides of its median articulation portion, two shaft portions to be journaled in a pair of side cradles incorporated in the lower region of the rear window of the protective cover, each shaft portion carrying a helical spring cooperating with the protective cover and the extracting lever, so as to constantly force the latter to a non-operative position.