Article of manufacture for storing and dispensing an object

Details Article of manufacture for storing and dispensing an object Article of manufacture for storing and dispensing an object

1999-10-29

2001-09-18

Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3651)

Article dispensing

With discharge assistant

Fluid pressure

C221S279000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06290096

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to an article of manufacture for containing articles. More particular, the invention relates to an article of manufacture suitable for storing and dispensing objects that are thin and flimsy, such as objects forming the ends of light-tight packages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Currently rolls of photographic film and paper are packaged in several different ways to facilitate room light loading into cooperating apparatus which dispenses or otherwise uses the film or paper. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,148,395 (Apr. 10, 1979, by Syracuse et al., and entitled “Roll Package”) and 5,515,970 (May 14, 1996, by Ritchie et al., and entitled “Light-Tight Package”) each discloses a package which includes a pair of flexible opaque end disks or covers attached to the ends of the core of the roll and an attached leader attached to the leading end of the length of film or paper forming the roll. A peripheral portion of each disk is folded over and adhered to the edge of an underlying convolution of the leader.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,171 (Jul. 28, 1992, by Chase et al., and entitled “Light-Tight Packaging Method For Photosensitive Web Roll”) discloses a package that includes a pair of similar end disks and a leader. After a first convolution of the leader is wrapped onto the roll, peripheral portions of the end disks are folded over the first convolution. A second convolution is then wrapped onto the roll to capture the folded-over peripheral portions between the first and second convolutions and to make the package light-tight.
An existing practice for installing end disks on light-tight packages of the sort described above include manually grasping an end disk from a stack and then fastening it to the ends of the core. Another practice includes using a vacuum suction device to pick out a single end disk and then transfer it the core of the roll. Each of the above practices, however, has numerous shortcomings that the present invention solves. In particular, an operator will invariably damage thin, flimsy, end disks when handling them manually. Moreover, multiple end disks are dispensed although only one is intended.
Although not directly related to the problem faced by the inventors, U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,076 (Apr. 22, 1980, by Brown, and entitled, “Cup Dispenser”) discloses a dispenser of cups that has a slidable plate for supporting a stack of cups and an end plate having a cavity through which the cups are dispensed one at a time. The patent does not provide means for storing and urging thin, substantially flat objects through the cavity.
Therefore a need persists in the art for an article of manufacture for storing and dispensing objects comprising thin an flimsy materials that is simple to use, protects the fragile object from damage, and is cost effective to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an article of manufacture that can store and dispense a plurality of objects.
It is another object of the invention to provide an article of manufacture that can dispense an object without affecting the next adjacent object in the stack.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, an article of manufacture for storing and dispensing at least one object, said at least one object having a loading side, said article of manufacturing comprising:
a body having a base plate and a stripper plate structurally associated with the base plate, said stripper plate having a removed section therein;
a biased support plate structurally associated with the base plate for slidably supporting said at least one object thereon between said base plate and said removed section of said stripper plate; and,
a fluid in communications with said loading side of said at least one object for urging said at least one object from said biased support plate and then through said removed section of said stripper plate.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3391827 (1968-07-01), Govatsos
patent: 4148395 (1979-04-01), Syracuse et al.
patent: 4199076 (1980-04-01), Brown
patent: 5133171 (1992-07-01), Chase et al.
patent: 5515970 (1996-05-01), Ritchie et al.

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