DISPENSER OR SIMILAR DISCHARGING CONTAINER

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispenser or similar discharging container, particularly for tablets or similar bulk material (3), having a housing (1) and a gate (2) disposed in the housing (1) in a movable fashion, a dispensing opening (4) for individual pieces of material (3) being released by activating the gate (2), and a ramp (9) for conducting the material (3) in the direction of the dispensing opening (4) being established on part of the dispenser 92), wherein the dispenser is characterized in that the ramp (9) is movable relative to the part (2) of the dispenser for changing the position of the material (3).

Description

The present invention concerns a dispenser or similar discharging container, in particular for tablets or such an individual item pieces and with a housing and a pusher movably disposed in the housing, in which a discharge opening for individual items can be released during the operation of the pusher, and in which a ramp is affixed to guide the item in the direction of the discharge opening at one part of the dispenser.

With an object according to the specification of claim 1, a so-called bridge formation occasionally occurs with individual items, for instance sweetener tablets. The individual tablets or other item pieces then pile up at or on the ramp and at other parts of the dispenser, so that supply to the discharge opening is blocked. No isolation takes place, and removal through the discharge opening is not possible. The user has then operated the dispenser by hand, for example, in vain and has to shake it or tap against it, the permanent integrity of the dispenser has been compromised, and the items contained therein may be damaged. In the following, a supply means is understood to be a ramp for tablets or similar, especially items capable of rolling down the ramp in the direction of the discharge opening.

It is therefore the task of the present invention to improve a dispenser with respect to supplying the items, preferably those capable of rolling toward the discharge opening.

The task is accomplished by an object according to the specification of claim 1, which is further developed based on the part identified.

The ramp leading or guiding the foodstuff to the discharge opening is constructed to be movable against the part of the dispenser to which it is affixed, in order to effect by its action the positioning of the individual item pieces or the tablets and to cause them to change position. The item piece, which can be mutually blocked at or on the ramp to the discharge opening, destroys the bridge built up by changing position, and isolation can proceed further as a result. By moving the ramp, in particular by pivoting, the tablets are preferably partially raised or pushed to the side, so that a new ordering can arise to take up the initial position on the ramp. If the ramp restricts the dispenser reservoir from supplying the item, the dimensions of the reservoir are altered by moving the ramp during or after operating the dispenser. The movement of the ramp, a pivoting movement, for example, is preferably effected with a pusher, whose movement during or after operating the dispenser is transferrable directly or indirectly to the ramp.

The ramp is preferably made flexible, for instance out of a flexible plastic bar.

Particularly advantageous is a ramp construction as a part of the pusher, which is movably disposed in the housing to operate the dispenser, as a result of which the ramp can be constructed as a movable part, preferably integral with this dispenser. Ramp and dispenser can thus be manufactured as a single piece and can then be installed in the housing.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the ramp is part of the housing and can be moved past by moving the dispenser, for example. Also within the scope of the invention, a two-part ramp, which is partially a part of the pusher and also a part of the housing, is provided, in order to be able to take the distinctive constructive features of a respective dispenser into consideration.

The introduction of force at the ramp occurs in an advantageous manner using a dispenser catch, also movable. The ramp is consequently not moved or is only moved through the operation of the dispenser exclusively or through the movement of the pusher by moving directly against a stationary ledge, an edge, or such, but it can be moved by a part which is itself movably disposed. Operation of the dispenser, and a thereupon concomitant movement of the pusher, is translated by the catch, as a result of which the movement of the ramp can be deliberately controlled and is, for example, moderated compared with the total movement of the pusher.

For this, it is possible, for example, to modify the movement of the ramp using an energy reservoir after operating the dispenser. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the dispenser, the catch is constructed as a spring, which again produces the same initial state after manual operation of the dispenser. The spring is consequently moved upon operating the dispenser, whereby a change in position by the individual parts of the spring is brought about relative to the other parts of the dispenser. Using the spring parts and their change in position, movement of the ramp can be controlled, in which the movement of the spring is transferred to the respective desired site on the ramp.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the ramp is flexibly constructed. This, then, can serve as an additional energy reservoir and can support the return of the dispenser to its initial state before operation. For instance, ramps can operate in a catch construction as springs and springs can operate as double springs.

It is advantageous, in addition, if the spring is fitted with a bulge, using which can improve the

• introduction of force at the ramp. The bulge is preferably integrally constructed with the spring as a plastic tip part.

In order to be able to deliberately transfer a movement from a catch to the ramp, it is advantageously provided with a support appendage, which preferably operates together with the catch. Alternatively, it can also be provided that the support appendage is provided as a support element rather than another means of transmitting pressure.

The support appendage is in particular constructed flexibly, as a result of which the relative movement of the ramp relative to a stationary part, for example, can be better transmitted, since the support appendage can be lined up during ramp movement, so that squeaking, for instance, can be prevented by slipping the ramp onto a part of the housing. It is especially advantageous here to provide the support appendage with a tip, whereby force is transmitted over only a small surface area to the ramp. It also lies within the scope of the invention to connect the ramp and a spring firmly to one another by means of a flexible or rigid support appendage, so that upon moving the spring, the ramp is always moved in correspondence with the linkage through the support appendage.

In order to be able to guarantee flexibility in the materials used, these are advantageously manufactured from a polyformaldehyde or polyoxymethylene, called POM for short. POM exhibits a high stiffness, low wear, and an accentuated recorded dimensional stability.

The ramp is advantageously disposed in a lower area of the dispenser in front of the isolating chamber.

Furthermore, the pusher is connected to a projection in an advantageous [embodiment] of the invention by means of a pre-determined breakage tab, which presses against an edge of the housing upon operating the pusher. Preferably, this involves an upper edge of the housing. If the projection is separated by means of the breakage tab when operating the pusher, due to pressing on the edge of the housing, this is an indication of the dispenser having been used and of a loss of integrity. Preferably, the projection is set back from the edge of the dispenser and thus makes a slight operation of the dispenser possible, allowing movability of the pusher. This often occurs with piling up in the dispenser. The dispenser according to the invention consequently also preserves its integrity during a pile-up. Only a short distance from projection to edge is needed for this, which can be selected depending on how large the loading of the pusher is during pile-up. The distance is hereby chosen such that it is not necessary to operate the pusher to remove tablets or such item pieces, and at the same time, springs of the pusher, if available, prevent further operation of the pusher in the housing. Advantageously, the distance of the projection to the edge is at least 0.5 mm, and 1 mm is particularly advantageous.

Further advantages and particulars of the invention may be deduced from the following description of the schematic illustrations in the figures.

Shown are:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a dispenser according to the invention in the unoperated position.

FIG. 2 is the object according to FIG. 1 in an operated position.

FIGS. 3-7 are partial sections of further embodiment example.

Identically or similarly operating parts are numbered identically in the following, as an aid.

FIG. 1 discloses a dispenser according to the invention constructed as a sweetener dispenser, with a housing 1, in which a pusher 2 is installed. In a lower area of the dispenser, several tablets 3 are seen, which cannot be individually discharged through a discharge opening 4 due to the bridge formation indicated. Customarily, isolation occurs here by taking a single tablet 3 into an isolating chamber 6, which thus passes over a bar 7 and causes a shift in the pusher in direction A from reservoir 8.

From the reservoir 8, the tablets 3 to be isolated are guided over a ramp 9 in the direction of the discharge opening 4. The ramp 9 is connected integrally with the pusher 2 and thus can be manufactured as a tip part in a work step. At its bottom in back, a spring or a spring element 11, which is depicted in the representation as having passed in its extension without restriction through a floor or a lower wall 12 of the housing 1, is, after introduction into the housing 1, in the initial position, depicted by dashed lines.

Advantageously, the ramp 9, which is flexibly constructed, is movable down as far as possible relative to the pusher 2, using the nose 13 of the pusher, thus ensuring a resultant inadvertent expansion of the reservoir 8.

Two bulges 14 on the spring element 11 serve to capture the tip 16 of a support appendage 17 of the ramp 9.

The pusher 2, which has two bars 19 on the side wall of the housing 1, includes a button 18, which is disposed at the upper end of the dispenser closing an opening at the top of the housing. The pusher 19 is connected by means of the button 18 to a projection 21, which guarantees the integrity of the dispenser. In a removal action, the projection 21 is pressed against an upper edge 22 of the housing 1 and is thus separated by the button 18. A distance B is pre-set between the surrounding edge 22 and the also encircling appendage 21, which makes possible a pile-up and a slight pressure of the pusher 2 on the housing 1, without compromising integrity.

Upon operating the button 18, the pusher 2 shifts inside the housing in direction A, whereby the spring element 11 tightens up in support at the floor or the wall 12. The tip 16 is captured by both of the bulges 14, as a result of which the support element 17 moves the ramp 9 upward. Thus a possible bridge formation is preserved, and the individual tablets 3 are then in front of the space and are thickly packed to advantage in the isolating chamber.

By operating the button 18 and shifting the pusher 2 downward, the isolating chamber 6 restricted by the upper and lower walls formed of bars, is separated from the supply space by means of the bar 7, which is not part of the pusher 2, and the opening 4 is released by the further restriction 24 related to the housing 1, whereupon the item in the isolating chamber 6, as dashed lines and indicated by the arrow C falls out of the dispenser. After operation, the pusher 2, by means of the spring element 11 constructed as a leaf spring, for example and also initially through the flexible ramp 9, which acts as a double spring at the beginning of the movement back, is pushed back again into its initial position shown in FIG. 1. The part of the spring element 11 that has passed through in FIG. 2 shows the same position in a relaxed and limited state without the floor 12.

The spring element 11 constructed as a plastic leaf spring is integrally connected to the pusher 2 and the ramp 9, which reduces the number of production steps.

The movement of the pusher 2 by means of which the operation is transferred through the combination of moving the spring element and the introduction of force across the tip 16 to the ramp 9 is only part of it. Based on the disposition of the support appendage, various severe swings of the ramp 9 could be effected here. This is similarly true for the disposition of the bulges 14.

Further different embodiment examples of the invention for the spring element on the ramp may be deduced from FIGS. 3 through 7. Thus in FIG. 3 the support appendage 17 is constructed as a truncated element, which is supported on the leaf spring 11 and slides partially over and across it. It is similarly true for the support element 17 according to FIG. 4, whose tip can be constructed flexibly, if necessary. The support appendage 17 according to FIG. 5 discloses a base side 24 which, at the moment of setting the spring element 11, runs approximately parallel to its surface extension. Thus an especially good introduction of force can be effected at the ramp 9.

In the embodiment example according to FIG. 6, the force is transmitted through a bar 26 disposed between ramp 9 and spring element 11 and a support appendage 17. The bar transmits the movement of the spring element 11 in accordance with the effective lever ratio relative to a fictive rotation point.

The embodiment example according to FIG. 7, finally, discloses a support appendage 17 constructed as a flexible bar between spring element 11 and ramp 9, which makes a support appendage superfluous. An appendage 27 is provided merely to prevent it from bending too far and thus to protect the bar.

Claims

1. A dispenser for individual item pieces (3), said dispenser comprising a housing (1) and a pusher (2) movably disposed in the housing (1), in which a discharge opening (4) for individual pieces (3) can be released during the operation of the pusher (2), and in which a ramp (9) is affixed to guide the item (3) in the direction of the discharge opening (4) on a part (2) of the dispenser, wherein the ramp (9) is movable relative to the part (2) of the dispenser for changing the position of the item (3).

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the ramp (9) is affixed to the pusher (2).

3. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the ramp (9) is flexibly constructed.

4. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the ramp (9) is constructed as part of the pusher (2) and is integral with it.

5. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the ramp (9) is part of the housing (1).

6. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the ramp (9) is disposed in a lower area of the dispenser in front of an isolating chamber (6).

7. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein a dispenser catch (11), also movably disposed, is constructed to transfer force to the ramp (9).

8. A dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the catch (11) of the dispenser is constructed as a spring element.

9. A dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the catch (11) exhibits at least one bulge (14) acting upon the movement of the ramp (9).

10. A dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the catch (11) and ramp (9) are connected to one another by a stationary flexible bar (17, 24).

11. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the ramp (9) is provided with a support appendage (17) using which movement of the pusher (2) is transferred to the ramp (9).

12. A dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the support appendage (17) is flexibly constructed.

13. A dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the support appendage (17) exhibits a tip (16).

14. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein when operating the pusher (2) against an edge (22) of the housing (1), a projection (21) is connected by a pre-determined breakage tab to the pusher (2).

15. A dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the projection (21) exhibits a distance (B) enabling reduced movement of the pusher (2) without hitting the edge (22) for this.

16. A dispenser according to claim 15, wherein the distance (B) is at least 0.5 mm.

17. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the ramp is flexibly constructed.

18. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the ramp is constructed as part of the pusher and is integral with it.

19. A dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the catch exhibits at least one bulge acting upon the movement of the ramp.

20. A dispenser according to claim 12, wherein the support appendage exhibits a tip.