US20030121932A1 - Apparatus for dispensing flat articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser for flat articles comprises a container holding the flat articles and a driving means on the container operated by a user for engaging and dispensing the article. The apparatus allows the user to dispense with the typical manipulations required to obtain access to a wrapped article such as chewing gum and the like. The preferred driving means includes a roller that can frictionally engage a flat article and be rotated by the user to dispense the article through a slot in the container.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This invention was first disclosed in Disclosure Document No. 492752 filed Apr. 24, 2001 and specifically incorporated by reference herein.[0001]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing articles and more particularly to a device for dispensing strips of consumables such as Listerine Stripes or the like which might otherwise require unwrapping to enable access to the consumable prior to its use.[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• In many instances, chewing gums and candies and the like are individually wrapped in order to keep the pieces separated prior to consumption and then the pieces are enclosed in yet another container that serves both as a protective cover and a holder for a plurality of such pieces. While this has worked well for the intended protective functions, the user has always had to confront the tedious manipulations required to obtain access to the wrapped piece.[0003]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• It has been found that such disadvantages can be overcome by providing a dispensing apparatus in accordance with the invention. In accordance with the invention, such a dispensing apparatus comprises a container for holding in stacked sequence a plurality of strips of a consumable, said container having a slot therein through which a consumable may exit the container, and driving means for engaging a topmost one of the sequence and propelling it out of said container through said slot. The driving means includes a roller mounted on an axle that can be rotated by the user.[0004]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
• FIGS. 1A and 1B are a sectional side and top view respectively of a container in accordance with the invention;[0005]
• FIGS. 2A and 2B are a respective sectional top view and side view of a second embodiment of the container in accordance with the invention;[0006]
• FIG. 2C is a section through the container illustrating a preferred mounting arrangement for the thumbwheel shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B;[0007]
• FIG. 3 is a side view of yet another embodiment of the container in accordance with the invention;[0008]
• FIG. 4 illustrates the axle having a pinion thereon;[0009]
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rubber rollers through which the axle is to be inserted; and[0010]
• FIG. 6 shows the angle arm with the hinged rack thereon.[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate at[0012]10 a first embodiment of a container in accordance with the invention.Container12 of molded plastic or like materials well known to those in the art is fabricated so as to receive a plurality of consumable articles in the form of strips, one of which is illustrated at14. A roller16, preferably made of rubber, is received on axle18, the axle18 being suitably mounted for rotation at each side ofcontainer12 so as to be rotatable within thecontainer12. Thumbwheel20 is attached at one end of axle18 so that rotation of thethumbwheel20 by a user's finger or thumb will cause the rotation of roller16, which, as illustrated, is pressing upon strip14 and in frictional engagement with it, to thereby propel the strip14 outwardly throughslot22. Thus the strip14 can be readily engaged by the user's fingers or mouth so as to avoid having to deal with unwrapping or otherwise manipulating the strip before consuming or otherwise using the strip.
• FIGS. 2A and 2B are respective top and side views of another embodiment of the invention. As seen in these[0013]Figures container40 receivesthumbwheel42 that protrudes throughtop portion44 ofcontainer40. FIG. 2C is an end section illustrating a preferred method for mounting thethumbwheel42. As seen in FIG. 2C,top portion44 includes molded ears or flaps46aand46bhaving holes therein for receivingaxle48 on whichthumbwheel42 is affixed. With this arrangementtop portion44 ofcontainer40 acts as a leaf-spring such that pressure onthumbwheel42 will cause it to move downward into engagement with the top one50 of the stack of strips shown at52. It will also be understood that rotation of the thumbwheel in a clockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 2B) by a thumb or other digit will propel thestrip50 from the container throughslot54. So in using this apparatus, one depressesthumbwheel42 through the space indicated at56 into frictional engagement with thetopmost strip50 while simultaneously rotatingthumbwheel42 topropel strip50 throughslot54.
• FIG. 3 is a side view in section illustrating yet another embodiment of the invention. As seen in FIG. 3,[0014]container60 has a closable angle-arm62 hinged for example as shown at64. Axle66, also shown in FIG. 4, having pinion68 mounted thereon, is rotatably received incontainer60 in a suitable manner that may be similar to that shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 illustrates a pair ofrollers70aand70b,preferably made of rubber, which are received on axle66 and engage as seen in FIG. 3 with aconsumable strip72.
• In accordance with the invention,[0015]rack74 is hingeably mounted on angle-arm62 so that the teeth onrack74 mesh with teeth on pinion68. It thus will be appreciated that the action of moving the hinged angle-arm62 downwardly toward theconsumable strip72 will rotate pinion68 to thereby cause the rotation ofrollers70aand70bto propel the consumable strip from thecontainer60 through slot76.
• A preferred hinge arrangement of the angle arm is shown in FIG. 6. As illustrated, angle-[0016]arm62, preferably of molded plastic, includesspur78 that serves as a counter-force to the downward movement of angle-arm62. When not in use, angle-arm62 may be secured in closed position oncontainer60 by any suitable means well known in the art.

Claims (4)

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus comprising a container for holding in stacked sequence a plurality of strips of a consumable article, said container having a slot therein through which a strip may exit the container, driving means for engaging a topmost one of the sequence and propelling it out of said container through said slot.

2. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the driving means is at least one rubber roller for engaging the strip and a thumbwheel connected to the rubber roller for rotating the rubber roller.

3. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the container further comprises an angle-arm hinged to a portion of the container and said driving means comprises an axle rotatably mounted on the container and at least one roller for engaging a topmost one of the sequence being mounted on the axle, pinion means mounted on said axle and a rack hingeably mounted on the angle-arm for engaging the pinion on said axle for propelling the topmost strip as the angle-arm is moved toward the strip in said container.

4. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the driving means comprises a roller and a mounting means for said roller wherein the roller on said mounting means is movable into engagement with the topmost one of the sequence of strips.

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