Patents Examined by Kelvin L Randall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10555796
    Abstract: Dental tool storage systems and containers are disclosed herein. A dental tool storage system can include a plurality of flossers that can include a flossing head having: a first arm; a second arm; a connecting member; and a filament extending from the first arm to the second arm; and a handle portion extending from the flossing head. The dental tool storage system can include a dental tool storage container having an internal volume defined by: a top; a bottom; and a plurality of sides. The internal volume can be sized and shaped to receive the plurality of flossers in a stack extending at least partially between the top and bottom of the internal volume. The dental tool storage unit can include a dispensing feature and a fixation feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Sacks Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Devin S. Chodorow
  • Patent number: 10546100
    Abstract: A tablet dispenser may include a body having a base for resting on an underlying foundation in use. The body may include a tablet drop channel that extends in a direction at an angle (?) relative a base plane formed by the base, and a support structure for accommodating at least two tablet cartridge units may be arranged one above the other in relation to the base. Each tablet cartridge unit may have an opening allowing a tablet from the associated tablet cartridge unit to be released into the tablet drop channel via gravitational force, whereby each tablet cartridge unit is inclined at an angle (?) relative the base plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Medicpen AB
    Inventor: Åke Zetterström
  • Patent number: 10540838
    Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes: an article discharging apparatus including a lower pedal and an upper pedal; an out-of-stock detection switch configured to: be turned to a first state when the lower pedal is turned to a second standby attitude; and be turned to a second state when the lower pedal is turned to any attitude other than the second standby attitude; and a controller configured to determine that an article has been dispensed from an article storage passage by the fact that the out-of-stock detection switch is turned to the first state when the article discharging apparatus is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Tachi, Kenji Muto, Shirou Takeuchi, Tatsurou Sugaya
  • Patent number: 10532878
    Abstract: A pill case (100) includes a pocket (9) which receives one pill (10) from an accommodation unit (8) in which a plurality of pills (10) are accommodated, and an extraction port (11) for ejecting the pill (10) in the pocket (9) to the outside. The pill case (100) includes a manipulation unit (for example, pill ejection button (4) and pill tray (5)) which converts a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) cannot be ejected through the extraction port (11) to a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) can be ejected through the extraction port (11) by being manipulated by a user. The pill case (100) includes a moving unit which is moved by indirectly or directly receiving a pressure from the pill (10) in the pocket (9) according to the moving manipulation to the manipulation unit, and a detection unit which detects that the moving unit is moved up to a position of the moving unit which corresponds to a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) can be ejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: NEC CORPORATION, NEC PLATFORMS, LTD
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Homma, Yasushi Nakano
  • Patent number: 10529165
    Abstract: This invention is an automatic lid dispenser that can include a hopper assembly for receiving and storing an inventory of lids; a dispensing assembly disposed adjacent to the hopper assembly for receiving lids from the hopper assembly; a plurality of pinions included in the dispensing assembly wherein the pinions include pinion threads spaced apart to contact a lid edge; a drive assembly included in the dispensing assembly having a drive motor cooperatively associated with the pinions to rotate the pinions to dispense a lid; and, a ramp disposed under the dispensing assembly for receiving the lid and redirecting the lid external the housing containing the dispensing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Inventors: Todd A. Marquis, Brooke Breunig
  • Patent number: 10521620
    Abstract: A card handling device is provided comprising a housing having an entrance aperture through which a card can be delivered and an exit aperture from which the card can leave the housing, wherein the exit aperture is located lower than the entrance aperture. A floor member is provided within the housing, onto which a card is delivered after passing through the entrance aperture. The floor member is movable between a first orientation in which it extends towards the exit aperture such that a card can slide along the floor member, under the influence of gravity, towards the exit aperture, and a second orientation in which it extends away from said exit aperture so that in use a card can slide along the floor member under the influence of gravity away from the exit aperture. A control system is also provided for controlling movement of the floor member between the first orientation and the second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: ASAHI SEIKO (EUROPE) LTD.
    Inventor: Marcus Willis
  • Patent number: 10494201
    Abstract: A method for providing nestable cones to a plant tray that includes recesses. For quickly and effectively carrying this out, use is made of a device, which comprises i) a head and ii) a support surface for a stack of cones, wherein a first wall section of a first cone is engaged by the head and the remainder of the stack of cones is stopped by means of a stack stop, after which the engaged cone is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Maan Intellectual Properties B.V.
    Inventor: Edward Keijzer
  • Patent number: 10486889
    Abstract: Provided is a small drug feeder that includes a container that can restrict the width or height of drugs so that the feeder can handle a wide range of drugs having various different shapes or sizes and be easily adjusted so as to be adapted to individual drugs. A width restricting member that increases or decreases a width of a space over a peripheral portion is disposed so as to face a discharging mechanism that discharges drugs to the outside of a container at speed higher than that of the peripheral portion. An interval between the width restricting member and the discharging mechanism is changed in accordance with a width of a target of measurement held in a measurement chamber. The height of drugs placed on the peripheral portion is restricted by a height restricting member in accordance with the height of the target of measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHO, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshihito Omura
  • Patent number: 10490015
    Abstract: A pushcart vending system that includes a plurality of pushcarts, a vending unit, a track and a gate assembly attached to the track and coupled to the vending unit. Each pushcart includes a lightweight body attached to a rigid frame mounted on wheels. The body is configured to pivot vertically over the frame assembly thereby enabling rigid frames on adjacent pushcarts to be stacked. Attached to each frame assembly is a catch bar assembly that includes a wear plate that extends into an offset, longitudinally aligned slot formed on the track. Attached to the wear plate is an upper roller and a lower roller that travel over the outside surface and the inside surface, respectively, on the track. A gate assembly is dual directional to allow pushcarts to be individually dispensed and returned from the same end of the track thereby enabling the system to be setup in small staging areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Inventor: Kambiz Katoozian
  • Patent number: 10478022
    Abstract: In one example, a wipe dispensing system includes a housing that defines an internal wipe storage area, a lid rotatably connected to the housing, a fluid reservoir disposed within the housing, and a pump in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir. A fluid discharge manifold is in fluid communication with the pump and is arranged proximate to a portion of a wipe dispensing path. The lid is operably disposed with respect to the pump such that depression of the lid causes discharge of fluid from the pump through the fluid discharge manifold, and also causes partial dispensation of a wipe from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: The Clorox Company
    Inventors: Aidee Duarte, Damon Campbell, Tim Lau, Roger Sharpe
  • Patent number: 10479588
    Abstract: A combination medicine container and dispenser allows a user to select one of a plurality of medicament compartments to selectively dispense a single medicament of the medicaments held in the container at a time through easy manipulation of a selectively locking dispensing means. A rotating dispensary at a bottom of the bottle allows rotation of the dispensary relative to the bottle structure(s) for transfer of a single medicament from the bottle to the dispensary, and out of the bottle. The dispensary has several compartments, each dimensioned for a differently sized medicament to dispense medicaments of different sizes from the bottle. An insert has removable segments corresponding to the compartments of the dispensary providing selection of medicament dispensing compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Inventor: Donald T. Sanders
  • Patent number: 10479589
    Abstract: A cassette for dispensing pharmaceuticals includes a base defining an outlet and having a drive member. The drive member is configured to be rotated. The cassette also includes a plurality of plate assemblies supported by the base in a stacked configuration. Each plate assembly includes a plate body defining an opening aligned with the outlet, and a disk coupled to the drive member and defining a plurality of cubbies. Each disk is rotatable relative to the corresponding plate body by rotating the drive member of the base to selectively align each cubby with the opening in the plate body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: RXSAFE LLC
    Inventors: William K. Holmes, Aaron Arsenault
  • Patent number: 10478023
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods in which a sheet product dispenser comprises a front cover moveably coupled with a housing back, and an overfill prevention protrusion disposed in an internal storage space defined by the front cover and housing back. The interior storage space is configured to hold a plurality of stacked sheets. The front cover and/or the housing back includes an opening for dispensing the plurality of sheets. The overfill prevention protrusion is configured to gradually interfere with the plurality of stacked sheets from fitting in the interior storage space. For example, the protrusion may be configured to prevent the plurality of stacked sheet from stacking in a linear fashion (e.g., in a fashion parallel to a wall of the housing back).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Solaris Paper, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Agnew Osborne, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10482703
    Abstract: An earplug dispensing mechanism defining a longitudinal axis, and including separator and index assemblies. The separator assembly includes a platform, a guide wall and bores. The guide wall projects from the platform to define a well for receiving earplugs. The bores each extend from an entrance opening to an exit opening. The index assembly is rotatably coupled to the separator assembly, and includes a handle, a plate, and a mixing body. The plate is connected to the handle and defines a dispensing aperture. The mixing body has an upper end, a lower end, and an exterior surface defined by a cone portion and a paddle portion. The cone portion tapers in diameter. The paddle portion projects radially from the cone portion at the lower end. The exterior surface is asymmetrical to encourage earplug mixing within the well, and to impede earplugs from entering a bore open to the dispensing aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David M. Rudek, Ralf F. Korte, Guenter M. Zilligen
  • Patent number: 10467844
    Abstract: A vending machine with a transparent electronic display includes a pair of lighting strips for illuminating a storage compartment which holds retails goods. A door frame assembly covers the front of the storage compartment. A cover glass is placed in front of and spaced apart from the transparent electronic display. A series of brackets connect the cover glass and the transparent electronic display to a door frame assembly and cover the gap between the cover glass and the transparent electronic display, masking the region located beyond the brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc.
    Inventor: Marcos Diaz
  • Patent number: 10457472
    Abstract: Combination medicine containers and dispensers are shaped similar to or generally the same as standard prescription medicament containers but are configured to dispense one medicament at a time through easy manipulation of integral dispensing means. Each combination medicine container and dispenser has a bottle, a cap, and an integral dispensing mechanism that cooperate with one or more structures of the bottle and/or cap to dispense one medicament at a time from the container. In one form, the combination medicine container and dispenser is designed to allow a user to dispense a single medicament through properly applied pressure. In another form, rotation of one or more components provides dispensing of a single medicament.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventor: Donald T. Sanders
  • Patent number: 10457475
    Abstract: The invention provides an assembly for dispensing portioned amounts of materials from a container, while keeping the undispensed portions stored within the container, and displaying the dispensed portions for consumption. The cap assembly includes a body member which can reversibly engage the container, and a cap member that transfers predetermined volumes of articles from the interior of a container to a serving vessel that is accessible by an individual consumer, while leaving the remainder of the articles within the container and unavailable to a consumer. The relative position of the body and cap members block or unblock a passageway for dispensing articles through a mouth of the container. The cap member can be used multiple times to dispense additional volumes of articles from the container as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Phoenix Closures, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Nickerson, Thomas Stoneberg
  • Patent number: 10457474
    Abstract: A pill dispenser that includes a container and a cap having a pill dispensing chamber that is configured to receive a single pill. The container has a neck extending from the upper segment of the container walls that has an aperture made therethrough. The cap, which also has an aperture in its annular edge is rotatably mounted to the neck of the container. Upon inverting the pill dispenser, a pill will be received in the dispensing chamber. Thereafter, the cap is rotated a sufficient distance to cause the aperture on the cap to align with the aperture in the neck—thereby forming a passage through which a single pill is dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: T Graziano Product Development LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Graziano
  • Patent number: 10460548
    Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes: one article discharging apparatus; and another article discharging apparatus, the one article discharging apparatus and the other article discharging apparatus being capable of being combined in a back-to-back manner. The one article discharging apparatus includes: a driving source; an output gear configured to rotate by a driving force from the driving source when a discharging instruction has been given to the one article discharging apparatus; link levers where each link lever is provided rotatably about an axis of the link lever; and a controller configured to, when the output gear is rotated from the standby position by the discharging instruction, prohibit stopping of drive of the driving source to allow the rotation of the output gear until a preset prohibited time elapses from starting of the rotation of the output gear even when supply of electric power to the driving source is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shirou Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10414576
    Abstract: Provided is a dispensing box for a drug-containing ampoule. The dispensing box for the drug-containing ampoule includes a partition member including a partition wall for partitioning a plurality of unit cells in which ampoules are stored, a shutter opening or closing a lower portion of each of the unit cells partitioned by the partition member, a driving unit operating the shutter, a conveyer on which a dropping ampoule is seated when the lower end of each of the unit cells is opened, and a discharge hole defined in an end of the conveyer to dispense the ampoule seated on the conveyer when the conveyer is operated. A drug storage matrix in which the drug-containing ampoule is stored may be provided, and a shutter device for dispensing the drug-containing ampoule may be provided to easily dispense the drug-containing ampoule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: JVM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jun Ho Kim