Techtronic Industries Company Limited

Techtronic Power Tools Technology Limited

The Coca-cola Company

Maytag Corporation

Daniel J Bowen

Stuart R Miller

J Luke Jenkins

Sean Campbell

Matthew Corbin

C Keith Long

Tyler Rowe

Nicholas Norton

Ryan T Harrison

Robert E McCracken

Lawrence Blair Ziesel

John S Miller

John Wiley Jasmin

Michael C Mayne

Battery pack

Battery pack carriage assembly

A collet for connecting a tool to a driver includes a shaft having an end. The collet includes a body including a first end that connects to the driver and a second end having an internal space partially defined by a frustoconical bore and a plurality of jaws disposed within the space. Each of the jaws includes a body having a frustoconical surface arranged to engage the frustoconical bore and an engagement member coupled to each body to move between an unlocked and a locked position. Rotation of the tool about the axis in a first direction biases the engagement member toward the unlocked position to allow movement of the tool with respect to the jaws, and rotation of the tool about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction biases the engagement member toward the locked position wherein the tool is fixed with respect to the jaws.

Rotary tool including a collet

A collet for connecting a rotary tool to a rotary tool driver, the rotary tool including a shaft having a shaft end and a shaft diameter includes a body including a first end configured to connect to the rotary tool driver and a second end configured to receive the rotary tool. A magnet is disposed within the body and is positioned to magnetically engage and contact the shaft end to inhibit movement of the rotary tool along a shaft rotational axis. A support member is disposed within the body and is configured to support the shaft for rotation about the shaft rotational axis.

A release mechanism for a vending machine includes a frame for supporting a plurality of hinged plates which are movable between article retention and dispensing positions. As the release mechanism is moved to the dispensing position, a sub-plate member of one of the plurality of plates projects into a dispensing path and abuts an article to be dispensed to force the article along the dispensing path. A pusher link is used to shift the sub-plate member, with the pusher link being adapted to extend through a central opening provided in a main plate member when the release mechanism assumes the article dispensing position.

Article release mechanism for a vending machine

A vending machine for increasing consumer interest in the vending process and vended product includes a tipping mechanism. The tipping mechanism is positioned at a first end of a shelf, and modifies the orientation of an article being delivered from the shelf to a conveyor. The tipping mechanism causes the article to be tipped from an upright orientation to a perpendicular, lateral orientation. The tipping mechanism includes a ramp supported by the shelf, a spacer that provides the ramp with an incline from the shelf, and a product rotator extending from the shelf toward the conveyor. The conveyor then delivers the article to a vend port, where it is dispensed in the upright position. The conveyor may be mounted on internal elevator that carries the conveyor between one or more shelves and the vend port. A transparent window is provided on the face of the vending machine whereby a consumer can view the dispensing operations.

Transparent front vending machine

Growing community of inventors

Aiken, SC, United States of America

Daniel J Bowen