Patent ID: 6406107
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: A47F

Abstract:
A gravity feed packaged product dispenser comprising:(A) a housing with an inner chamber of sufficient size and shape to hold a plurality of packaged products stacked vertically, the housing comprising: (i) a bottom wall with an inside floor surface, (ii) a rear wall with an inside surface, (iii) a right wall with an inside surface, (iv) a left wall with an inside surface, and (v) a front wall with a lower edge, (B) the housing having a front opening extending frontwardly from the inner chamber having a height bounded by the lower edge of the front wall and the inside floor surface, (C) a right side guide device comprising: (a) at least one right side guide member capable of extending inwardly into the inner chamber from the inside surface of the right wall, the member comprising: (i) an outer edge connected to the inside surface of the right wall by a vertical living hinge, and (ii) an elongate vertical inner edge extending inwardly disposed to guide a right side of packaged products stacked vertically in the housing, and (b) at least one locking means for each right side guide member to lock the right side guide member at a chosen angle from the inside surface of the right wall, (D) a left side guide device comprising: (a) at least one left side guide member capable of extending inwardly into the inner chamber from the inside surface of the left wall, the member comprising: (i) an outer edge connected to the inside surface of the left wall by a vertical living hinge, and (ii) an elongate vertical inner edge extending inwardly disposed to guide a left side of packaged products stacked vertically in the housing, and (b) at least one locking means for each left side guide member to lock the left side guide member at a chosen angle from the inside surface of the left wall, (E) a rear guide device comprising: (a) at least one rear guide member capable of extending inwardly into the inner chamber from the inside surface of the rear wall, the member comprising: (i) an outer edge connected to the inside surface of the rear wall by a vertical living hinge, and (ii) an elongate vertical inner edge extending inwardly disposed to guide a rear side of packaged products stacked vertically in the housing, and (b) at least one locking means for each rear side guide member to lock the rear guide member at a chosen angle from the inside surface of the rear wall, and (F) a front opening height control device comprising: (a) at least two front opening height control members capable of extending upwardly into the inner chamber from the inside floor surface of the bottom wall, each of the members comprising: (i) an outer edge connected to the inside floor surface of the bottom wall by a horizontal living hinge, and (ii) an elongate horizontal inner edge extending upwardly disposed to adjust the height of the front opening and guide a bottom side of the bottom packaged product of the packaged products stacked vertically in the housing, and (b) at least one locking means for each front opening height control member to lock the front opening height control member at a chosen angle from the floor surface of the bottom wall.