Cartridge based dispenser system and method

Abstract

A dispenser cartridge receptacle is disclosed comprising: a body having a rear face, a front face, a top and a bottom; a tab member disposed opposite said front face and attached thereto by a tab offset member; and two side extensions, each having a top and a bottom, extending outwardly from said front face; wherein said front face and two side extensions define a cavity therebetween for receiving dispenser cartridges therein.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of dispensers for consumable products, and more specifically to the field of dispenser systems for dispensing protective coverings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention is directed to a new and useful dispenser package receptacle, a dispenser package and a standoff mount for the package. The subject invention also relates to methods for dispensing items from dispenser packages using dispenser package receptacles.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a dispenser cartridge receptacle having a body having: a rear face, a front face, a top and a bottom; a tab member disposed opposite the front face and attached thereto by a tab offset member; and two side extensions, each having a top and a bottom, extending outwardly from the front face; wherein the front face and two side extensions define a central cavity therebetween for receiving dispenser cartridges therein.

The dispenser cartridge receptacle may also include an inner finger extending outwardly from each of the side extensions; and an inner receiving groove defined by one of the side extensions, the inner finger of the side extension, a portion of the front face adjacent to the one of the side extensions, the tab member offset and a portion of the tab member opposite the portion of the front face. The inner receiving groove may have a width of approximately 10.4 centimeters.

The dispenser cartridge receptacle may also have an outer finger extending outwardly from each of the side extensions and an outer receiving groove defined by the outer and inner fingers of the side extensions and the tab member. The outer receiving groove may have a width of approximately 24.3 centimeters.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cartridge standoff mount adapted to be received into a dispenser cartridge receptacle, having: a base member having top and bottom surfaces; at least two front surfaces having undersides and top sides, the front surfaces being attached to the top surface of the base member by inner vertical members disposed between the undersides of the front surfaces and the top surface of the base member; the front surfaces further having extensions which extend beyond the inner vertical members and being substantially parallel to the top surface of the base member; a central channel defined by the front surface extensions, the inner vertical members and the top surface of the base member; and a top slot defined by adjacent ones of the top surface extensions.

The cartridge standoff mount may also have an outer vertical members extending downwardly from the underside of the top surfaces and spaced apart from inner vertical members and a pass through channel defined by one of the undersides of the top surfaces, and the outer and inner vertical members extending from the one of the top surfaces. The top slot may have a width of approximately 3 cm.

The present invention also discloses a method of dispensing items from a cartridge containing items to be dispensed through an aperture in the cartridge having the steps of: providing a cartridge adapted for mounting in a cartridge receptacle and inserting the cartridge into a receptacle for receiving the cartridge so that the aperture is accessible to a user. In this embodiment, the cartridge receptacle, includes a body having a rear face, a front face, a top and a bottom; a tab member disposed opposite the front face and attached thereto by a tab offset member, the front face, tab offset member and tab member defining a slot therebetween; and two side extensions, each having a top and a bottom, extending outwardly from the front face; the front face and two side extensions defining a central cavity therebetween for receiving dispenser cartridges therein.

The cartridge may receive the tab member in the step of inserting the cartridge into the receptacle, and the cartridge receptacle may further have: an inner finger extending outwardly from each of the side extensions; and an inner receiving groove defined by one of the side extensions, the inner finger of the side extension, a portion of the front face adjacent to the one of the side extensions, the tab member offset and a portion of the tab member opposite the portion of the front face.

The cartridge may be inserted into the inner receiving groove in the step of inserting the cartridge into the receptacle, and the inner receiving groove may have a width of approximately 10.4 centimeters. Additionally, the cartridge receptacle may further have: an outer finger extending outwardly from each of the side extensions; and an outer receiving groove defined by the outer and inner fingers of the side extensions and the tab member. The cartridge may be inserted into the outer receiving groove in the step of inserting the cartridge into the receptacle. The outer receiving groove may have a width of approximately 24.3 centimeters.

These and other aspects of the subject invention will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the subject invention pertains will more readily understand how to make and use the subject invention, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a mounting structure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting structure of FIG. 1 operatively attached to a product package.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a receptacle structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a wire-frame perspective view of a receptacle structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, including two cartridges mounted therein.

FIG. 4 is top view of the receptacle structure of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a mounting bracket of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a mounting bracket of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a dispenser cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a dispenser cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of another preferred embodiment of a dispenser cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the cartridge dispenser depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the cartridge dispenser depicted in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Generally speaking, the present invention includes a mounting structure, which may be operatively affixed to a product package. The mounting structure may then be operatively coupled to a receptacle structure, which is in turn affixed to a structure such as a chair, high chair, wall, table or the like.

FIG. 1 depicts a mounting structure 1, which includes two or more front faces 30, side surfaces 32 and faces 35. Central channel 10 runs transversely through mounting structure 1 and is defined by inner vertical members 33, base member 31 and front surface extensions 36, which extend from front surfaces 30 over a portion of base member 31. Central channel 10 has two ends and is generally rectangular in cross section. It includes generally rectangular apertures 11 on each end and top slot 12 positioned opposite from base member 31. Top slot 12 is formed between two or more front surfaces 30 and base member 31. Base member 31 also has a bottom surface, not shown, which faces away from top slot 12. This bottom surface effectively forms the underside of mounting structure 1.

Front surfaces 30 are fixedly attached to base member 31 by means of inner vertical members and angled faces 21. Angled faces 21 may be formed at any angle relative to the plane of base member 31, up to an including 90 degrees. Outer vertical members 34 extend downwardly from front surfaces 30, forming pass through channels 40 between the outer vertical members 34 and inner vertical members 33. Pass through channel opening 41 is formed in faces 35.

Mounting structure 1 is shown operatively attached to package 13 in FIG. 2 on the underside of structure 1 (not shown). This attachment may be achieved by means of adhesive, hook-and-loop fabric, tape, or any other means which securely maintains mounting structure 1 in contact with package 13. Alternatively, mounting structure 1 may be integrally formed with a package for dispensing items.

With reference to FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4, package 13 may be operatively attached to receptacle 50, which may in turn be mounted on a surface, by sliding mounting structure 1 into central cavity 53 of receptacle 50. Mounting structure 1 may then be retained in receptacle 50 by means of central channel 10, which operatively mates with tab member 60. Additionally, a bottom plate of receptacle 50 (not shown) may help to maintain package 13 in receptacle 50 by providing upward support to package 13. Likewise, mounting structure 1 may include flanges or fingers on its side surfaces 32 (not shown) which operatively mate with inner slots 71 and/or outer slots 72 of receptacle 50, thereby helping to maintain package 13 in receptacle 50.

Package 13 may be maintained on a surface without use of a receptacle by passing fastening means such as rope, string, tape, hook and loop fabric or the like through pass through channel opening 41 into pass through channel 40, and then secured about a suitable structure such as a chair back or the like.

Ultimately, receptacle 50 may accept and maintain any package configured to be operatively received and maintained by receptacle 50.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 depict a receptacle structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Receptacle structure 50 includes rear face (not shown) and front face 52. A central cavity 53 is formed adjacent to front face 52 between side extensions 70, which extend substantially perpendicularly from front face 52. Each side extension 70 includes an outer finger 74 and inner finger 73 that extend substantially perpendicularly from side extension 70 into central cavity 53. Inner slot 71 is formed between inner finger 73 and front face 52. Outer slot 72 is formed between inner finger 73 and outer finger 74. Outer slots 72 and inner slots 71 are open at the top of receptacle 50 and closed at the bottom.

Tab member 60 is a generally planar member positioned substantially parallel to front face 52 and is maintained at a fixed distance from front face 52 by tab member offset 61. Tab member slots 62 are formed between tab member 60, tab member offset 61, and front face 52. Inner receiving grooves 63 are formed in the space defined by the combination of inner slots 71, tab member slots 62 and the portion of front face 52 located therebetween. Outer receiving groove 64 is formed in the space between and including outer slots 72 and is further defined by the face of tab member 60.

A bottom plate (not shown) may be configured to generally conform to the shape of central cavity 53 and may include inner tabs and outer tabs which correspond to inner slot 71 and outer slot 72 respectively. The bottom plate may also includes a rear groove which conforms to tab member 61 and slots 62. The bottom plate may be operatively placed within central cavity by inserting it at the top of receptacle 50 and downwardly sliding the bottom plate until it rests at the bottom of slots 71 and 72, corresponding to the bottom of receptacle 50. In this manner, the bottom plate may form a support surface for objects placed in receptacle 50. Alternatively, the bottom plate may be integrally formed with or affixed to receptacle 50.

Receptacle 50 may also include mounting holes 81 formed in front face 52 and extending through to rear face 51 to permit direct mounting of the unit onto a surface such as a wall, chair back, or the like by means of screws, nails or similar means. Alternatively, mounting holes 81 may align with mounting holes 103 in tab 102 of mounting bracket 100, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. In such embodiments, mounting bracket 100 may include clamping member 101. In operation, clamping member 101 is placed around any suitable structure such as a chair leg, chair arm post, column or the like. Thereafter, clamping bolts 104 may be passed through openings 105 and may be tightened to retain mounting bracket 100 securely on the structure to which it is mounted. Receptacle 50 may then be affixed to tab 102 by means of nut-and-bolt assemblies placed through mounting holes 81 and 103. Alternatively, receptacle 50 may be adapted to clip or clamp onto tab 102.

FIG. 3B shows two smaller sized cartridges, depicted in more detail in FIGS. 7, 8 and 10, disposed in inner receiving grooves 63. Alternatively but not shown, a single, larger sized cartridge, depicted in more detail in FIGS. 9 and 11, may be disposed in outer receiving groove 64. Because the inner receiving grooves 63 and outer receiving groove 64 are offset from one another (that is, they are not co-planar), a single receptacle 50 can alternately accommodate both sizes of cartridges. Furthermore, as previously discussed, packages may also be mounted on receptacle 50 by means of tab member 60, and so receptacle 50 may accommodate no less than three types of packages and/or package mounts.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 through 11, two preferred embodiments of the dispenser cartridge of the present invention are shown. Cartridge body 110 houses the articles to be dispensed from the cartridge. Mounting structure 112 is fixed to the bottom of cartridge body 110 via mounting structure supports 116. At either end of mounting structure 112 are slots 120, formed between cartridge body 110, mounting structure supports 116 and ends 114. The dispenser cartridge depicted in FIGS. 7, 8 and 10 may be inserted into the inner receiving groove of a dispenser cartridge receptacle by placing ends 114 in inner slots 71 of the structure of FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 and accepting inner finger 73 of that structure in slots 120. Similarly, the dispenser cartridge of FIGS. 10 and 11 may be inserted into the outer receiving groove of a dispenser cartridge receptacle by inserting ends 114 in outer slots 72 of the structure of FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 and accepting outer finger 74 of that structure in slots 120.

Aperture 123 is located at the top of dispenser cartridge 110, and includes membrane 122, composed of a plastic, cellophane, or similar material. Membrane 122 includes slit 124 through which articles may be dispensed.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the pertinent art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects.

Claims

1. A dispenser cartridge receptacle comprising:

a body having a rear face, a front face, a top and a bottom;

a tab member disposed opposite said front face and attached thereto by a tab offset member; and

two side extensions, each having a top and a bottom, extending outwardly from said front face;

wherein said front face and two side extensions define a cavity therebetween for receiving dispenser cartridges therein.

2. The dispenser cartridge receptacle of claim 1 wherein:

said cavity defines two inner receiving grooves and one outer receiving groove, said inner receiving grooves and said outer receiving groove being non-coplanar.

3. The dispenser cartridge receptacle of claim 2 wherein:

said outer receiving groove is defined by said side extensions and said tab member; and

said inner receiving grooves are each defined by one side extension and said tab offset member.

4. The dispenser cartridge receptacle claim 3 wherein said front face, said tab offset member and said tab member form a channel therebetween having two opposite ends, said channel being open on one end and closed on the opposite end.

5. The dispenser cartridge receptacle of claim 1, further comprising:

an inner finger extending outwardly from each of said side extensions; and

an inner receiving groove defined by one of said side extensions, said inner finger of said side extension, a portion of said front face adjacent to said one of said side extensions, said tab member offset and a portion of said tab member opposite said portion of said front face.

6. The dispenser cartridge receptacle of claim 5, wherein said inner receiving groove has a width of approximately 10.4 centimeters.

7. The dispenser cartridge receptacle of claim 5, further comprising:

an outer finger extending outwardly from each of said side extensions; and

an outer receiving groove defined by said outer and inner fingers of said side extensions and said tab member.

8. The dispenser cartridge receptacle of claim 7 wherein said outer receiving groove has a width of approximately 24.3 centimeters.

9. A cartridge standoff mount adapted to be received into a dispenser cartridge receptacle comprising:

a base member having top and bottom surfaces;

at least two front surfaces having undersides and top sides, said front surfaces being attached to said top surface of said base member by inner vertical members disposed between said undersides of said front surfaces and said top surface of said base member, said front surfaces further having extensions which extend beyond said inner vertical members and being substantially parallel to said top surface of said base member;

a channel defined by said front surface extensions, said inner vertical members and said top surface of said base member; and

a top slot defined by adjacent ones of said top surface extensions.

10. The cartridge standoff mount of claim 9, further comprising outer vertical members extending downwardly from said underside of said top surfaces and spaced apart from inner vertical members; and

a pass through channel defined by one of said undersides of said top surfaces, and said outer and inner vertical members extending from said one of said top surfaces.

11. The cartridge standoff mount of claim 10, where in said top slot has a width of approximately 3 cm.

12. A method of dispensing items from a cartridge containing items to be dispensed through an aperture in said cartridge comprising the steps of:

providing a cartridge adapted for mounting in a cartridge receptacle; and

inserting said cartridge into a receptacle for receiving said cartridge so that said aperture is accessible to a user;

wherein said cartridge receptacle comprises:

a body having a rear face, a front face, a top and a bottom;

a tab member disposed opposite said front face and attached thereto by a tab offset member, said front face, tab offset member and tab member defining a slot therebetween; and

two side extensions, each having a top and a bottom, extending outwardly from said front face;

said front face and two side extensions defining a cavity therebetween for receiving dispenser cartridges therein.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said cartridge receives said tab member in said step of inserting said cartridge into said receptacle.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said cartridge receptacle further comprises:

an inner finger extending outwardly from each of said side extensions; and

an inner receiving groove defined by one of said side extensions, said inner finger of said side extension, a portion of said front face adjacent to said one of said side extensions, said tab member offset and a portion of said tab member opposite said portion of said front face.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said cartridge is inserted into said inner receiving groove in said step of inserting said cartridge into said receptacle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said inner receiving groove has a width of approximately 10.4 centimeters.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said cartridge receptacle further comprises:

an outer finger extending outwardly from each of said side extensions; and

an outer receiving groove defined by said outer and inner fingers of said side extensions and said tab member.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said cartridge is inserted into said outer receiving groove in said step of inserting said cartridge into said receptacle.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said outer receiving groove has a width of approximately 24.3 centimeters.