First in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer
A first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer is assembled from a plurality of support panels and spacer dowels which interconnect the support panels in a spaced-apart, parallel relationship. Each support panel has right and left faces, and each face is equipped with at least one supply rail which slopes downward from the front to the back of the panel, and a retrieval rail beneath the supply rail, from which it is fed, and which slopes downward from back to front. Two adjacent, spaced-apart support panels provide sets of opposed rails, which form at least one supply track and one retrieval track for storing cans. At least three spacer dowels interconnect each adjacent pair of support panels. The end of each dowel is inserted into an interconnection aperture in a support panel and rotated 90 degrees to lock it in place.
This application has a priority date based on provisional patent application No. 60/595,136, which was filed on Jun. 8, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to shelf units for storing and dispensing individual cans of food or beverage. More particularly, the present invention comprises an improved gravity-feed rack that is assembled from at least two side panels which are held together in a parallel arrangement by connector dowels.
2. History of the Prior Art
Storing cans of food or beverage on a shelf can be not only cumbersome, but dangerous. Ideally, a homeowner would should would to use the oldest food first. However, when cans are stacked on shelf, it is frequently necessary to completely rearrange the cans so that the earliest purchased are the most accessible. Even when properly arranged, it can be difficult to determine which are the earliest purchased cans. Stacked cans can also be unstable, especially during the process of rearrangement. If cans are stored on a high shelf in a pantry, for example, a falling can cause potentially serious injury to the homeowners toes or feet, can fall on a child's head or, less significantly, dent a hardwood floor.
Gravity racks for dispensing cylindrical cans have long been known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,628 to Ross (1991) discloses a GRAVITY-OPERATED BOTTLE AND CAN DISPENSING RACK which is constructed from a pair of rigid, generally parallel, and spaced-apart side walls which interconnect with a rear wall. A pair of upper and lower lengthwise included shelves extend generally transversely between the opposing sides. The upper shelf is inclined downwardly interiorly from an access end of the rack, while the lower shelf is inclined downwardly from the rear wall towards the access end. Containers roll from the upper shelf at the rack access end into the interior of the rack, through a transfer throat, and then down the lower ramp back to the rack access end.
Another examples of a gravity-feed can dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,145 to Knots et al. (1959) titled BIN DISPENSER. This dispenser includes three laminar body members which are arranged in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship. A pair of outer body members are mirror images of one another, having downwardly inclined, serpentine-like can tracks on only one side thereof. A center body member has similar can tracks on both sides thereof. The three body members are maintained in the spaced-apart relationship by a plurality x of hollow spacer tubes and a plurality 2x of threaded shafts. Spacer tubes are positioned longitudinally between adjoining pairs of body members, with spacer tubes between each adjoining pair being coaxial with those of the other adjoining pair. Each threaded shaft penetrates all three body members, and is coaxial with a pair of coaxially-aligned spacer tubes. Each threaded shaft is secured at both ends so as to clamp all three body members together.
Another gravity-feed can dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,126, to Deffner, et al. (1978) titled STORAGE AND DISPENSING RACK, which discloses a modular dispensing rack comprising a plurality of identical, interchangeable shelf components. The components may be quickly and conveniently coupled together to create vertical racks of selective desired sizes. The individual shelves are slightly downwardly inclined to assist gravity-feed, and each comprises integral side rails of different heights adapted to accommodate varying sizes of cans without jamming. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,903 to Eckert (1980) titled GRAVITY FEED CAN DISPENSER FOR BEVERAGE COOLERS. Eckert's improvement is the provision of stackability and side-by-side interconnection of multiple dispensers.
Of less relevance to the present invention are certain vending machine systems which employ broad principles of gravity-feed technology, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,706 to Gross (1968), and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,345 to Baxendale (1974).
It would be desirable to provide a can dispenser that can be compactly shipped when unassembled and that can be easily assembled and is readily adapted for both home and commercial use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer is assembled from a plurality of support panels and spacer dowels which interconnect the support panels in a spaced-apart, parallel relationship. Each support panel has right and left faces, and each face is equipped with two supply rails which slope downward from the front to the back of the panel, and a retrieval rail beneath the two supply rails, from which it is fed, and which slopes downward from back to front. Two adjacent, spaced-apart support panels provide three sets of opposed rails, which form two can supply tracks and one can retrieval track. The left face of the support panel provides the right rails of the three tracks, while the right face of the opposed support panel provides the left rails. For the present embodiment, each adjacent pair of support panels are interconnected by three spacer dowels. Each support panel has six dowel interconnection apertures, which are divided into three spaced-apart groups of two; two groups near the rear of the support panel and one near the front thereof. Each group of interconnection apertures provides an anchor for the end of each of two spacer dowels which are inserted into the apertures from opposite sides of the support panel. Each interconnection aperture is generally in the shape of an irregular hexagon that is symmetrical about a pair of intersecting, perpendicular axes. Each spacer dowel has a locking head at each end thereof which is generally of the same shape as the interconnection aperture, but slightly smaller so that it can pass through the aperture. Each interconnection aperture is surrounded by a crenelated wall, the slots of which enable the spacer dowels to be locked in place with their associated interconnection apertures. A domed projection near the end of each spacer dowel distorts the crenelated wall as the dowel is axially rotated in an associated interconnection aperture until the domed projection reaches a slot in the wall. The slot provides a lower energy state that tends to retain spacer dowel in its locked position. For a present embodiment of the invention, three spacer dowels are employed to interconnect a pair of adjacent support panels. Can organizers employing any number of support panels may be assembled. If x equals the number of support panels, then 3(x-1) will be the number of spacer dowels that are required to assemble the can organizer. Each of the spacer dowels which interconnect two adjacent panels must be of the same length. Spacer dowels of any length can be made by adjusting the length of the ribbed center portion of the spacer dowel to accommodate different can sizes. The support panels and dowels are preferably injection molded from a tough polymeric thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), or other suitable thermoplastic compounds. Filler materials, such as talc may be used with the thermoplastic compounds to provide color and improve rigidity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The new first in first out can organizer will now be described in detail, with reference to the attached drawing figures.
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Spacer dowels are available in a variety of different lengths, which accommodate cans of different heights (different lengths, if the can axis is horizontal).
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The support panels 100 and the spacer dowels 400 and 1000 are preferably injection molded from a tough semi-rigid polymeric thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), or other suitable thermoplastic compounds. Filler materials, such as talc may be used with the thermoplastic compounds to provide color and improve rigidity.
Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed. For example, the intersection apertures 111, 112 and 113 and the locking heads 403A and 403B may also be generally rectangular shaped or cross shaped. In the former case, the locking head would be axially rotated about 90 degrees to lock the spacer dowel within the interconnection aperture. In the latter case, an axial rotation of about 45 degrees would be required. In addition, although three dowels are currently preferred, the can organizer may be designed so that two or four spacer dowels are employed to secure adjacent pairs of support panels in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship.
Claims
1. A first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer comprising:
- at least two support panels, each support panel having at least one supply rail and one retrieval rail on each of two opposed major faces, each support panel also having at least six interconnection apertures arranged in spaced-apart sets of two; and
- at least three spacer dowels for securing said at least two support panels in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship, each spacer dowel having a locking head at each end thereof, each locking head being insertable within an interconnection aperture and locking the dowel within the interconnection aperture when the spacer dowel is axially rotated.
2. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1, wherein each interconnection aperture and each locking head is shaped generally like an irregular hexagon that is symmetrical about a pair of intersecting, perpendicular axes.
3. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1, wherein a spacer dowel may be inserted from either side of an interconnection apertures so that the spacer dowel protrudes from either of the major faces of the support panel, thereby allowing assembly of can organizers employing any number of support panels.
4. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1, which comprises x number of support panels, and 3(x-1) number of spacer dowels.
5. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1, wherein each of said support panels and each of said spacer dowels is injection molded from a tough, semi-rigid, polymeric thermoplastic material.
6. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 5, wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), and polystyrene (PS).
7. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1, wherein each major face of a support panel has two supply rails, which are downwardly inclined from a front edge of the support panel toward a rear edge, and one retrieval rail which is downwardly inclined from an upper portion of said rear edge to a bottom portion of said front edge.
8. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1, wherein each interconnection aperture is surrounded on both major faces by a crenelated circular wall.
9. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 8, wherein each spacer dowel comprises:
- a locking head at each end thereof that, when rotated, is secured against one major face of a support panel and locks the spacer dowel within an interconnection aperture;
- an inner retainer disc inboard of each locking head, said retainer disc being secured against an opposite face of the support panel, with the support panel sandwiched between it and the adjacent locking head;
- a cylindrical coupler coupling each locking head to its adjacent retainer disc, said cylindrical coupler having a width that is equal to or just slightly greater than the thickness of the support panel in the interconnection aperture region; a ribbed center portion which spans a distance between the retainer discs at opposite ends of the spacer dowel; and
- a domed projection inboard and immediately adjacent each retainer disc, said domed projection being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spacer dowel, said domed projection having a radius that is greater than an inner radius of each crenelated wall.
10. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 9, wherein each domed projection distorts said crenelated circular wall after the locking head most near thereto is inserted in an interconnection aperture and the spacer dowel is axially rotated, said domed projection being positioned in a notch of the crenelated circular wall when said locking head is axially rotated to a locked position.
11. A first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer comprising:
- x number of support panels, each support panel having one retrieval rail and upper and lower supply rails on each of two opposed major faces, each support panel also having an even number y of interconnection apertures arranged in spaced-apart sets of two; and
- y/2(x-1) number of spacer dowels for securing said support panels in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship, each spacer dowel having a locking head at each end thereof, each locking head being insertable within an interconnection aperture and locking the dowel within the interconnection aperture when the spacer dowel is axially rotated.
12. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 11, wherein x is an integer greater than 1, and y/2 is an integer equal to 2, 3 or 4.
13. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 11, wherein each interconnection aperture and each locking head is selected from the group consisting, generally, of irregular hexagons that are symmetrical about a pair of intersecting, perpendicular axes, rectangles, and crosses.
14. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 11, wherein a spacer dowel may be inserted from either side of an interconnection apertures so that the spacer dowel protrudes from either of the major faces of the support panel, thereby allowing assembly of can organizers employing any number of support panels.
15. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 11, wherein each of said support panels and each of said spacer dowels is injection molded from a tough, semi-rigid, polymeric thermoplastic material.
16. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 15, wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), and polystyrene (PS).
17. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 11, wherein each major face of a support panel has two supply rails, which are downwardly inclined from a front edge of the support panel toward a rear edge, and one retrieval rail which is downwardly inclined from an upper portion of said rear edge to a bottom portion of said front edge.
18. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 11, wherein each interconnection aperture is surrounded on both major faces by a crenelated circular wall.
19. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 18, wherein each spacer dowel comprises:
- a locking head at each end thereof that, when rotated, is secured against one major face of a support panel and locks the spacer dowel within an interconnection aperture;
- an inner retainer disc inboard of each locking head, said retainer disc being secured against an opposite face of the support panel, with the support panel sandwiched between it and the adjacent locking head;
- a cylindrical coupler coupling each locking head to its adjacent retainer disc, said cylindrical coupler having a width that is equal to or just slightly greater than the thickness of the support panel in the interconnection aperture region; a ribbed center portion which spans a distance between the retainer discs at opposite ends of the spacer dowel; and
- a domed projection inboard and immediately adjacent each retainer disc, said domed projection being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spacer dowel, said domed projection having a radius that is greater than an inner radius of each crenelated wall, so that each domed projection distorts said crenelated circular wall after the locking head most near thereto is inserted in an interconnection aperture and the spacer dowel is axially rotated, said domed projection being positioned in a notch of the crenelated circular wall when said locking head is axially rotated to a locked position.
20. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 11, wherein spacer dowels of different lengths are provided to accommodate cans of different heights.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 8, 2006
Publication Date: Dec 14, 2006
Inventors: Michael Tippets (Spanish Fork, UT), Jared Young (Spanish Fork, UT), Douglas Furr (Orem, UT)
Application Number: 11/450,073
International Classification: A47F 1/04 (20060101);