Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a housing with a recording unit, and a medium support part. The housing has a first medium path through which the recording medium is configured to pass. The medium support part is slidable with respect to the housing in a sliding direction. The medium support part has a second medium path through which the recording medium is configured to pass. The first and second medium paths have openings that are at least partially disposed on a sliding plane defined between the housing and the medium support part. A wall of the first medium path on one side in the sliding direction and a wall of the second medium path on the other side in the sliding direction are arranged not to contact with respect to each other while the medium support part slides towards the one side in the sliding direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tissue paper supply case comprising a case body for containing tissue paper, a lid having a slot-like take-out hole for taking out the tissue paper therethrough, a platform member mounted within the case body for placing the tissue paper thereon, and means for energizing the platform member from the bottom of the case body toward the lid, wherein the lid is provided on its inner surface with a plurality of lid projections formed in parallel rows to the take-out hole on both sides of the take-out hole, which lid projections are tapered each having a protrusion height becoming larger with increasing distance from the take-out hole, and the platform member is provided on its upper surface with a plurality of platform projections formed in parallel rows to the take-out hole on both sides of the position facing the take-out hole, which platform projections are tapered each having a protrusion height becoming larger with increasing distance from the position facing the take-out hole and wherein the p

Abstract: A utensil dispensing tray that cooperates with a dispenser. The tray includes at least one feature that causes the utensil, such as a knife, fork, spork, or spoon, to rotate from a first orientation to a second orientation for presentation as the utensil drops into the tray. The tray also includes one or more features that result in the utensil being consistently positioned in its second orientation within a dispensing area of the tray.

Abstract: In order to provide a card case in which cards can be securely discharged one by one to the last one, it comprises a storage case which has a card insertion inlet and a card discharging opening, can accommodate several cards inside and comprises a lower case and an upper case; a card push-up piece for pushing up the stored cards as a whole toward the upper case; a card discharging unit with a component with a locking part for locking the uppermost one of the several cards and provided on the upper case so as to be slidable toward the card discharging opening; a guide part provided close to the card discharging opening so as to incline the tip of the card obliquely downward; and a stopper provided close to the card discharging opening so as to prevent the second and lower cards (from the uppermost one) of the several cards from being pushed out of the card discharging opening.

Abstract: In some aspects, an analyte sensor is provided for detecting an analyte concentration level in a bio-fluid sample. The analyte sensor has a base with first and second ends, a concave recess in the first end, a second end receiving surface, and a sidewall extending between the ends. An electrode may be provided on the receiving surface with an electrochemically-active region coupled to the electrode. A conductor in electrical contact with the electrode may extend along the sidewall and may be adapted to be in electrical contact with a first contact of an analyte meter. Manufacturing methods and systems utilizing and dispensing the analyte sensors are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: A napkin dispenser has a body and a stand that supports the dispenser on a horizontal surface. The body has two main sections, a first upstream section that is straight and extends over the majority of the length of said body, and a second downstream section that extends at an angle relative to the first section and communicates with a dispensing opening. When the dispenser is supported by the stand on a horizontal surface, each of the first and second sections forms an oblique angle relative to the horizontal surface, with the first section forming an angle that is more nearly vertical, and the second section forming an angle that is more nearly horizontal.

Abstract: A container for storing and dispensing wipes that includes an extendable orifice. The orifice is extendable into the storage space of the wipes container to position an opening in close proximity with the top of a stack of wipes stored in the container. The extendable orifice may also act to reduce moisture loss in the case of wet-wipes and reduce the occurrence of fall-back.

Abstract: A tissue dispensing device for use with a standard tissue carton is formed as a helical coil spring that is highly stretchy and has a top coil that is fastened around a dispenser aperture in a top surface of the tissue carton with the remainder of the helical coil spring inserted into a space between the top surface of the tissue carton and top of the stack of tissues within the carton with a bottom coil thereof resting on top of the stack of tissues. The helical coil spring forms an open circular space within its coils under gravity that provides a vertically-extending support structure for supporting a tissue next to be dispensed from the tissue stack in a vertical standing position with a leading part thereof extending through a membrane opening of the dispenser aperture of the tissue carton to enable a user to grasp the leading part to withdraw the next tissue to be dispensed.

Abstract: A bandage dispensing device dispenses bandages with an upper protective layer of its packaging removed so that a person can dispense a bandage using only one hand. A separator placed near an opening in a wall of the housing of the device separates the upper protective layer from a roll of interconnected bandages so that only a bandage and a lower protective layer emerge from the housing of the device. The separator has at least one arm that protrudes from the side wall of the housing in a perpendicular direction and separates an upper protective layer of the packaging. The upper protective layer that has been separated by the separator gathers inside of the housing. In the roll of packaged bandages, the upper protective layer is releasably attached to the lower protective layer.

Abstract: A dispenser for individual webs from a stack of such individual webs. The dispenser includes an outer housing defining an interior space; stacking elements mounted within the outer housing for holding a stack of individual folded webs within the interior space; a dispensing face defined in the outer housing proximate to an end of the stacking elements; a stack of individual folded webs, and at least one edge of a dispensing opening which contacts the stack of individual folded webs so that a portion of individually folded webs is exposed by the dispensing opening. In addition, a cross-section through dispensing face has a curved shape with an inflection point.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing gloves is provided which includes a housing having an exit port, the housing also formed to include a compartment which is configured to hold a plurality of gloves therein. The dispenser includes a glove pusher movably coupled to the housing. At least a portion of the glove pusher is configured to move within the compartment of the housing and push at least a portion of a glove disposed in the compartment through the exit port. A cartridge configured to be disposed into a compartment of a dispenser is disclosed. The cartridge is formed to permit a portion of a dispenser to move into the internal compartment of the cartridge to move at least one of the plurality of gloves at least partially through the at least one opening in the cartridge. A dispensing assembly also may include a stack of gloves or a cartridge containing a plurality of gloves. A method of using a glove dispenser is also provided.

Abstract: By interfolding or interleaving at least a portion of the dispensing panel of a dispenser with the first sheet in a stack of sheet material such that a leading edge of the first sheet is exposed, it is no longer necessary to reach into the dispenser to dispense the first sheet. To dispense the first sheet, the optional removable panel is torn from the dispenser, and then the already exposed leading edge of the first sheet protruding from the dispensing panel is grasped and pulled to withdraw the first sheet from the dispenser.

Abstract: A free-standing dispenser for inter-folded towels capable of being placed in a wide variety of postures having an opening which facilitates one handed dispensing.

Abstract: A center pull tissue dispenser having an openable enclosure, and a base member located within the enclosure to support a coreless roll of towel material. The end face of the roll is placed on the same base member, and an opening in a wall of the openable enclosure defining member allows dispensing of the towel material. Downstream of the support of the roll by the base there is provided a dispensing adjustment mechanism. This includes, a passageway through which the towel can pass, and a passageway restriction controlling member that is movable relative to the passageway.

Abstract: The device for dispensing multi-fold paper towels has a housing for holding a generally vertical stack of the paper towels and including a lower portion through which individual towels can be dispensed from the stack. The lower portion includes an elongated opening through which a fold of the bottommost towel can extend and be accessible for a user to grab and pull the bottommost towel from the stack. One side portion of the towels rest on a plurality of laterally spaced ribs or ramps located in the vicinity of the front edge of the opening and inclined at an angle upwardly and forwardly relative to the front edge. These ribs or ramps effectively transfer a portion of the pressure applied by the stack on the bottommost towel toward the rear, thereby reducing the force required to pull the bottommost towel from the stack. The opening preferably is shaped to cause the fold of the bottommost towel to assume a C-like shape and thereby reduce the amount of the fold readily accessible to a user.

Abstract: The object of the invention is a continuous method for charging and discharging carbonization furnaces (15) moving in a circle, in which method the charging and the discharging are effected in a closed process mainly simultaneously at the opposite ends of the furnace, and the gases are collected and cleaned. Another object of the invention is an apparatus for implementing the method. The equipment comprises carbonization furnaces (15) moving in a circle, a charging device (11, 14, 32), and a discharging device (18, 19), and at least one gas duct for each furnace, the duct being connected at the one end thereof to the furnace and at the other end to a gas collector. According to the invention, the charging device is docked in a gastight manner to the one end of the furnace by means of a docking device (35), and the discharging device is attached in a gas-tight manner to the other end of the furnace for charging and discharging mainly at the same time.

Abstract: A planar article or sheet, such as a divider sheet for stacked products, and the method of supplying substantially planar articles from a supply magazine to an article transfer device, which then transfers the article to a desired location for further processing. The planar article itself can be a divider sheet for stacked beverage containers, folded paperboard cartons for carriers, or any other substantially planar article which is adapted to be consecutively arranged with other such articles in a group, and placed in a supply magazine for singular delivery to an article transfer device. The method of the present invention is specifically designed to insure that only one sheet at a time is removed from the group by the article transfer device. The sheets or articles themselves, are designed to cooperate with the supply magazine to facilitate singular delivery.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing individual thin sheet-like articles from a supply stack of articles includes a supply magazine, and a base closing off the supply magazine. The base includes a dispensing assembly which includes a reciprocatably driven roller upon which the article supply stack rests on. Two openings are located on opposite sides of the roller so that the bottommost article may be bent into one opening as the roller is driven in one direction to free it from the supply stack. Rotation of the roller in the opposite direction urges the bottommost article against a curved deflector plate out of the second opening.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing lids for soft drinks or the like from a stack held in an upright container having a discharge opening. An abutment shoulder is attached to the inside of the upright container near its discharge opening. The lowermost lid in the stack is held by the abutment shoulder. In starting position, a prong projects through the container above the lowermost lid. The prong is manually moved by a handle on the outside of the container to a position below the abutment shoulder. As the prong moves below the abutment shoulder, it flexes the lowermost lid and releases it from the abutment shoulder. The lid drops through the discharge opening as the prong is returned to starting position by a spring.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing orthodontic O-rings comprises a main body portion having at least one storage and delivery chamber for holding a plurality of O-rings lying in a single plane and an outlet for allowing dispensing of O-rings. The main body is designed such that the O-rings are restrained from freely falling from the outlet. A further embodiment of the dispenser includes an ejection mechanism for assisting in the discharge of the O-rings.

Abstract: A dispenser for sequentially dispensing one sheet at a time from a stack of sheets. A housing encloses a drive and a lift roller, and each roller has a longitudinal axis arranged in parallel aligned relationship respective to one another and spaced from the one another an amount to bring the outer peripheral surfaces thereof into rolling contact with one another. A holding post is aligned in parallel relationship with respect to the rollers and is spaced therefrom for enabling a stack of sheets to be held against the holding post and lift roller, with one outermost sheet having a marginal edge portion thereof urged against the lift roller and the opposed marginal edge portion thereof is urged against the holding post. The outer peripheral surface of the drive roller is made of high friction material while the lift roller has a relatively small segment of its outer peripheral surface made of high friction material and the remainder of the peripheral surface made of low friction material.

Abstract: A magnetic disk cartridge is provided with a dust shutter which is slidably mounted on a casing to open and close a magnetic head access opening in the casing . A V-shaped shutter spring for urging the dust shutter toward the closing position is inserted into the casing through a spring insertion opening. A magnetic disk cartridge assembly system includes a guide member which has a guide groove for holding the shutter spring in a compressed state and is adapted to bring a first end of the guide groove in close opposition to the spring insertion opening of the casing, the width of the guide groove being not larger than that of the spring insertion opening at least at the first end, and a pusher which is adapted to move the spring along the guide groove and to insert it into the spring insertion opening through the first end of the guide groove.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding flat folded cartons from a stationary magazine to a continuously moving conveyor. The magazine has a choke at its discharge end formed from parallel guides which are spaced apart a distance less than the distance between the two folded edges of the cartons. A rotary carrier is located adjacent the magazine and the conveyor. A plurality of planetary members with attached suction cups are rotatably mounted on the carrier. A fixed cam cooperates with cam followers mounted on the planetary members to cause the planetary members to rotate on their own axes as the carrier rotates to pick up cartons from the magazine, open them and deposit them gently between transport lugs on the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding cartons in succession from a stack of cartons carried in an elongated chute onto a receiving chute. The apparatus includes a support member which has a plurality of picker fingers carried thereon. The support member is moved from a carton grasping position to a carton release position. When the support member is moved to the carton grasping position, picker fingers including power-operated cylinders having enlarged gripping heads provided on the end of the piston thereof are activated for retracting the heads for grasping the edge of the last carton in the stack for lifting said carton above an abutment and allowing the carton to drop into the receiving chute when said support member is moved back to the depositing position.

Abstract: This invention relates to dispensers, primarily the dispensing of permanent wave tissue sheets and other flexible sheet members.It is the object of this invention to provide an improved and simple automatic sheet dispenser capable of dispensing individual flat sheets from a stack. The principal advavtageous feature of the invention is the unique automatic combination driving roll and sheet stop construction.

Abstract: A holder is provided for microfiche or other types of flexible sheets. The holder comprises a generally rectangular body having first and second major walls supported in substantially parallel relation to define a cavity therebetween in the body. A slot is formed along one side of the body extending between the first and second major walls through which microfiche enters and exits the cavity. A labyrinth-type lock is provided for retaining microfiche in the cavity, consisting of a projecting lip adjacent the slot on the first major wall and a ridge positioned inwardly from the lip on the second major wall. An opening is formed in the first major wall opposite the ridge to permit microfiche in the cavity to be contacted through the opening and guided around the ridge and the projecting lip for removal.