Article dispensing – Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article – With casing or support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-13
2002-04-02
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Article dispensing
Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article
With casing or support
C221S061000, C206S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06364156
ABSTRACT:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Our invention provides a dispenser particularly adapted to allow easy one handed, one-at-a-time dispensing of goods such as sheets of paper-like material, thin protective gloves, and the like. Our Goods Dispenser is particularly useful for goods that are not inter-folded, and therefore will not self-feed out a top opening. In preferred embodiments, our Goods Dispenser includes a provision for trash disposal, with an option of using recycled plastic shopping bags as a receptacle.
The Goods Dispenser bin has an open top through which the goods to be dispensed are loaded into a dispenser bin. The dispenser bin has a back wall and a front wall separated by spaced apart left and right side walls, and a bottom having an opening through which the goods are dispensed. The open top may or may not be fitted with a hinged or removable cover. The bin is preferably sized to accommodate the intended goods either in or removed from the container in which the goods are supplied. The back wall of the bin is adapted for mounting the bin on a convenient vertical surface, having holes for mechanical fasteners, outside surfaces suitable for the application of two-sided adhesive tape fasteners, or other provision, or combination of mounting options.
The opening in the bottom of the bin through which the goods may be withdrawn one at a time is of appropriate shape and size to suit the intended goods. Circular, oval, or elliptical openings are preferred. The opening is large enough to allow easy manual withdrawal of the goods, but small enough so that the surrounding bottom surface adequately supports the remaining supply of goods in the bin as one item of goods at a time is manually withdrawn from the dispenser. The outside surface of the front of the bin is ideal for displaying a logo, promotional information, instructions, cosmetic decoration or the like.
Preferred embodiments of our Goods Dispenser also include a provision for trash disposal that comprises hooks, clips, or other appropriate devices to removable support a trash receptacle. The mounting means may be configured to suspend a plastic shopping bag or support a plastic bin as the trash container.
For example, a preferred embodiment of our Goods Dispenser is specifically designed to accommodate and solve problems associated with storing and dispensing the fabric softener dryer sheets commonly used in home laundries to control the static charges and impart a fragrance to the clothes being dried. Dryer sheets are typically available as single sheets folded and stacked in a rectangular carton. Unlike facial tissues, which are similarly packaged but inter-folded with one another, dryer sheets are single folded. The normal orientation of the carton is with the opening up, and pulling one dryer sheet from the carton does not bring the next sheet into position for dispensing as with facial tissues. Therefore, dispensing sheets from the carton is generally a two handed operation involving holding the carton with one hand while opening the flap of the carton and pulling a sheet out with the other hand. The carton should then be closed to avoid loss of the aromatic fragrance. For lack of a better place, the carton is often left on top of the washer or dryer where workspace is at a premium. Our dispenser, mounted on a nearby vertical surface, provides convenient one handed dispensing of the sheets while reducing the clutter on and around the appliances.
Many home laundry areas are small, and counter, floor and cabinet space is limited. This often results in an inconvenient trash disposal situation. Two particular kinds of trash originate at the dryer used dryer sheets and lint
Our Goods Dispenser for dryer sheets is secured by a suitable mounting means to a vertical surface near the dryer such as a wall, closet door, cabinet, or even on a surface of an appliance. This proximity and the design of the Goods Dispenser allows convenient, fast easy one handed dispensing of the sheets without the need to locate, open, close and stow a carton. Hooks may be provided on the dispenser, for example on a skirt extending below the bottom of the bin, from which a polyethylene grocery bag may be suspended, providing very convenient trash disposal for used dryer sheets, dryer lint, and other disposables. The bag in which the trash has been collected can then be quickly removed and neatly disposed of, and another bag may be quickly hung on the dispenser. A fabric bag may be substituted as a cosmetic upgrade from the plastic bag. The visual appearance of this arrangement may be further improved by the provision of a molded plastic trash receptacle as an option to bags.
Our Goods Dispenser is well suited for the storage and dispensing of other goods as well. For example, our Goods Dispenser is well adapted for dispensing the thin protective gloves made of latex, nitrile, and the like commonly used in health care facilities, mechanical repair shops, and many other industries. Unlike the horizontally oriented dispensers commonly employed, our vertically oriented dispenser limits exposure of the gloves to airborne dust and contamination, as only one glove adjacent to the opening in the bottom of the bin is exposed to the atmosphere. Additionally, the remaining gloves gravity feed to the opening, eliminating the “fishing'” for a glove often required with a horizontally oriented dispenser when the supply is dwindling.
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Nixon Thomas L.
Smith Paul C.
Crawford Gene O.
Ellis Christopher P.
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