Bead dispenser

Abstract

An apparatus for storing and dispensing beads is provided. The apparatus includes a turn table located in a loading chamber and on which the beads are kept for dispensing, wherein the turn table includes a central opening and a plurality of protrusions that enable an agitation and a guidance of the beads towards the central opening during a spinning of the turn table, a wheel rotationally mounted in the housing that includes a cavity formed at a circumferential edge. The apparatus further includes an actuator for manually triggering a vertical rotation of the wheel so as to move the cavity from a first alignment position with the transition channel to a second alignment position with a dispensing hole to dispense there through one of the items stored in the cavity, and for triggering the spinning of the turn table to agitate and dispense the beads through the central opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for storing and dispensing items comprising:
 a loading chamber situated at an upper end of a housing of the apparatus and used for storing the items to be dispensed;   a turn table located in the loading chamber and on which the loaded items are kept for dispensing, wherein the turn table includes a central opening and a plurality of protrusions that enable an agitation and a guidance of the loaded items towards the central opening during a spinning of the turn table;   a wheel rotationally mounted in the housing near a lower end of the housing, wherein the wheel includes a cavity formed at a circumferential edge of the wheel for storing one of the items received from the turn table through a transition channel, and wherein the wheel includes a shaft that extends centrally in opposite directions from each side of the wheel; and   an actuator for manually triggering a vertical rotation of the wheel so as to move the cavity from a first alignment position with the transition channel to a second alignment position with a dispensing hole to dispense there through one of the items stored in the cavity, and for triggering the spinning of the turn table to agitate and dispense the loaded items through the central opening.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a cap that defines internally the loading chamber, and wherein the cap includes an opening through which the items can be loaded. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the cap includes a rotatable cover to close the cap opening thereby preventing the items from spilling out. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the cap includes a slidable flap or a hinged flap for closing the cap opening. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the turn table includes a hollow cylindrical protrusion extending from a bottom surface and having vertical teeth extending radially and outwardly, wherein the shaft includes a cylindrical protrusion having horizontal teeth extending radially and outwardly, and wherein the actuator includes a vertical body having at an upper end a set of vertical teeth facing sideways and configured to engage with the vertical teeth of the turn table teeth, and at a lower end a set of horizontal teeth facing downwards and configured to engage with the horizontal teeth of the wheel. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator further includes a groove in a vertical middle area, which in turn includes a notch that extends from a rear end of the groove and is configured to communicate with a spring that biases the actuator to a resting position. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tube element that fits within the central opening, wherein the tube element includes a top part that includes two diametrically opposed openings formed by two vertical walls and a cover that is connected to top ends of the two vertical walls.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of the two openings is a bit taller and/or wider than a longest side of the items so as to accept there through one of the items at a time when moved towards the central opening during a spinning of the turn table. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transition channel, which provides a pathway for the items between the central opening of the turn table and the cavity of the wheel, is shaped as a cylindrical tube that is sized and shaped to contain a single line of items. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the turn table is configured to have a slightly slanted top surface from a circumference edge to the central opening to facilitate the sliding of the items into the central opening. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are angularly distributed on the turn table, each of which may have a triangular shape with angled sides oriented towards the central opening. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the turn table further comprises an additional plurality of protrusions that are radially oriented and angularly distributed, and are configured to enhance the agitation and the guidance of the loaded items towards the central opening during a spinning of the turn table. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is large enough to accept there within one of the items, and has rounded edges at a top end to facilitate a sliding or falling of items there within. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the cavity is formed with a vertically positioned opening facing away from the wheel to allow for visual confirmation of a presence of one of the items there within. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the cavity includes a glass-like see-through portion facing away from the wheel to allow for visual confirmation of a presence of one of the items there within. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the turn table is rotationally supported by a circular flange extending from an internal circular wall of the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the turn table and the circular flange are made of a plastic having low friction properties, thereby permitting the turn table to spin easily within the loading chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of semi-circular bearings extending from opposing internal walls of the lower of the end of the housing, and on which opposite ends of the shaft can be rotationally mounted.