Abstract:
A candy dispenser transfers candy packaged in a loading container through a valve into a dispensation magazine when the dispenser is in a first orientation. The candies can subsequently be dispensed from the magazine when the dispenser is inverted. A manually-operated plunger mechanism then removes the candies from the magazine. The dispenser provides a sanitary container for the candies and also provides operating interest to the user. Additional candies can be loaded into the dispensation magazine by replacing the loading container.

Description:
The present invention relates to a new and improved manual dispenser for small items, such as candy. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Small items, and in particular candy, are often packaged in clear, tubular containers, allowing the contents to be seen. Dispensation of the contents is performed either by emptying the contents of the tube into an open container, such as a dish or bowl from which the contents are taken as desired, or by pouring the contents directly into the hand. The latter method of dispensation makes it difficult to dispense a controlled number of the candies, as they tend to fall and pour as a mass rather than in a controlled manner. Return of the over-dispensed quantity to the container is often done, but this raises sanitary issues, particularly when the candies are being dispensed by a child. Children in particular often share such candies, and the re-dispensing of an initially overly generous amount of candies can result in the candies being subject to contact with numerous hands and their subsequent returns to the container. 
     It is accordingly a purpose of the present invention to provide a dispenser for small objects, such as candies, which allows dispensation in a controlled manner. 
     A further purpose of the present invention is to provide such a dispenser which may be utilized with conventional tubular containers for the candies, and which allows reloading of the dispenser. 
     Yet a further purpose of the present invention is to provide such a dispenser for candies and the like which is economical and convenient to operate, and which allows the candies to be dispensed in a sanitary manner. 
     A still further purpose of the present invention is to provide such a dispenser which can provide a level of interest in operation to the user, particularly when the user is a child. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the foregoing and other objects and purposes, a dispenser constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing having a first end to which a first, loading container bearing candies or other small objects is affixed and a second end having a dispensation magazine or reservoir. A passageway extends through the housing, and connects the first container to the dispensation magazine, allowing the candies in the chamber to be loaded into the magazine. With the candies loaded into the magazine, a manual dispensing mechanism associated with the magazine allows the candies to be dispensed, one at a time, from the magazine. The dispensing mechanism may be located in the housing, allowing the candies to be dispensed through a sidewall of the housing. In a preferred embodiment a manually-operated valve is associated with the passageway between the first container and the magazine, allowing the candies to pass under the influence of gravity from the first container to the magazine when the apparatus is in a first orientation but not back to the first container when the apparatus is inverted; the dispenser mechanism operates when the apparatus is in the inverted position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A fuller understanding of the present invention will be accomplished upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment of the invention, when reviewed in association with the annexed drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical candy container with which the present apparatus may be used; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention in a first position, showing candies loaded in the dispensation magazine; 
     FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the lower portion of the dispenser apparatus, taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a plunger mechanism utilized in connection with the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 4 depicting the passage of candies into the dispensing magazine from the loading container; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention in a second, dispensing position; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG. 7 detailing the dispensation of a candy; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line  10 — 10  of FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention allows the incorporation of known cylindrical or tubular candy holders/packaging  12  as part of the dispensing apparatus  10  of the invention. The cylindrical packaging  12  bears contents, such as gumballs  14 , the open end of the cylindrical packaging being sealed by a removable stopper  16 . The candy dispenser  10  of the present invention includes a main body or housing  18 , to which the cylindrical packaging  12  is affixed at a first end and which forms a first, loading container for the apparatus, while a dispensation magazine  22  is affixed to a second end of the housing. The loading container and dispensation magazine are connected by a passageway in the housing. A dispensing mechanism is associated with the dispensation magazine to allow the candies loaded into the magazine to be individually dispensed. The dispensing mechanism may be located in the housing, and includes manually-operable plunger unit  20  extending from the sidewall of the housing. The candies are ejected by the plunger through the opposite portion of the housing sidewall. 
     It is preferred that the dispenser apparatus be gravity operated. Thus, the candies originally in loading container  12  pass into dispensing magazine  22  when the apparatus is in a first orientation shown in FIG. 2, and are dispensed when the apparatus is inverted to the second orientation shown in FIG. 7, in which the candies in the dispensing magazine are gravity-loaded into the dispensing mechanism in the housing. To prevent the return of the candies into the loading container  12  when the apparatus is in the second orientation, a valve is provided in association with the passageway between the dispenser container  12  and the magazine  22 . With the valve in the open position, the candies originally located in the cylindrical container  12  can pass into the dispensing magazine  22  when the apparatus is in the first orientation depicted in FIG.  2 . The valve is then moved to the closed position, sealing the dispensation magazine  22  from the cylindrical container  12 , and the apparatus  10  is inverted to the second orientation shown in FIG.  7 . In that orientation, manual activation of the plunger  20  allows individual dispensation of the candies. 
     With further reference to FIG. 6, housing  18 , which may be formed of an appropriate plastic, includes a cylindrical fitting  24  at its first end providing a friction-fit mounting for the open end of the loading container  12 . The fitting serves as an entranceway for the internal main passageway  26  through the housing which leads to the dispensation magazine  22 , which may be in the form of a container or cup. The dispensation magazine may be formed with a peripheral shoulder  28  at its upper edge, which shoulder engages a mating internal groove at the lower end of the housing to both maintain the magazine in connection with the housing and to permit relative rotation therebetween, as will be discussed. The magazine may also be of an appropriate plastic. While it is preferred that the loading container  12  be sealed at its distal end, whereby a new container is mounted to the apparatus to refill the dispensing magazine, it is recognized that the container  12  may be provided with another sealable aperture to allow candies to be reloaded into the container. The loading container is preferably transparent, so that the user can observe the “disappearance” of the candies as they fall into the dispensing magazine. While FIG. 2 shows the candies after they have fallen from the loading container  12  into the dispensation magazine  22 , it is to be recognized that the apparatus is preferably oriented in the second, inverted position shown in FIG. 8 when a new loading container is to be attached to the housing  18  to prevent spillage. The apparatus is then re-inverted to the position of FIG. 2 to allow the candies to drop into the dispensation magazine. 
     To prevent return of the candies to the loading container when the apparatus is inverted to the second orientation, a valve is provided in association with the passageway  26 . The valve may be in the form of an inwardly-directed flange or cover  32 , best seen in FIGS. 3 and 8, extending from the dispensation magazine sidewall at the upper end of the magazine. Relative rotation of the magazine with respect to the housing allows the cover to alternatively block or expose the lower end of the main passageway  26 , thus controlling passage of the candies between the loading container and the magazine. FIGS. 3 and 6 depict the cover  32  displaced from the main passageway  26 , exposing the passageway and allowing the candies to pass from the loading container to the magazine, while FIG. 8 depicts the cover closing the main passageway, preventing the return of the candies into the loading container with the apparatus inverted. Alternative constructions, such as a one-way flap valve, may also be used. 
     To allow controlled dispensation of the candies from the dispensation magazine  22 , a manually-operated dispensing mechanism is employed. The mechanism may be mounted to the magazine, or preferably to the housing, whereby it becomes operative when the apparatus is inverted to the second orientation as shown in FIG.  7 . 
     As further seen in the figures, such as in FIG. 4, the dispensing mechanism may include a second passageway  34  in the housing  18  which connects with the dispensation magazine  22 . The lower end of the passageway is shown closed by the cover  32  when the main passageway is exposed, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, but such closing is not required. The passageway  34  connects the dispensation magazine  22  to a transverse receiving bore in the housing for plunger  36 , best seen in FIG.  5 . As shown therein, plunger body  38  is provided with throughbore  40  dimensioned to accept a candy unit  14 . The plunger handle  54  is mounted to an end of the body, and may be provided with a distal finger pad  42 . Flange  44  extends upwardly from the upper surface of the body. The plunger is located in the transverse receiving bore in the housing  18  with spring  46 , mounted between the plunger flange  44  and opposed internal housing wall  48 , biasing the plunger into a first position as shown in FIG. 4, in which the plunger throughbore  40  is aligned with the passageway  34 . Guide pin  56  affixed to the plunger body reciprocates in slot  58  formed in housing  18  and is retained by plate  60 . 
     As previously indicated, the dispensation magazine  22  may be rotated with respect to the housing  18 , whereby the flange/cover  32  is rotated between alternative positions in which it seals or exposes the lower end of main passageway  26 . These orientations correspond to the designations “close” and “open” as shown in FIG.  2 . As depicted, when the dispensation magazine is rotated to the “open” position, (seen in FIG.  3 ), the flange  32  exposes the lower end of passageway  26  and closes the second passageway  34 , allowing the candies in cylinder  12  to fall through the main passageway  26  into the dispensation magazine  22  when the apparatus is oriented as shown in FIGS. 2,  4  and  6 . On the other hand, when the dispensation magazine  22  is rotated to the “close” position, the flange substantially blocks the main passageway  26 , preventing the candies from returning from the dispensation magazine to the cylindrical package when the apparatus is inverted to the position of FIG. 7, while at the same time exposing the end of the second passageway  34  to allow the candies to enter therein for dispensation. As indicated, the closing of the second passageway is not necessary for the operation of the apparatus. 
     As depicted in FIGS. 7-9, with the dispenser apparatus positioned as shown in FIG.  7  and the dispensation magazine in a “close” position, the second passageway  34  is exposed, allowing a candy  14  to fall thereinto from the magazine  22  under the influence of gravity and from there to pass into the aligned, accepting throughbore  40  in the plunger assembly  36 . With finger pressure applied to the plunger pad  42  to overcome the bias of spring  46 , the plunger is shifted transversely in the accepting bore, whereby the throughbore  40  is placed exterior to the housing as depicted in FIG. 9, allowing the candy  14  received thereby to fall into the hand  50  of the user. A second candy item  14  can remain in the passageway  34 , and drops into the throughbore  40  when the plunger returns to its initial position. Subsequent action on the finger pad dispenses the second candy. The action may be repeated as long as candies remain in the dispenser magazine, the candies being dispensed on an individual basis as desired. 
     Rotation of the dispenser magazine with respect to the housing may be controlled by the use of a pin  50  extending outwardly from the magazine which alternatively engages one of a pair of stops  52  formed into the housing wall and which defines the desired covering positions for the flange/cover  32 , as shown in FIG.  2 . After dispensation, if it is desired to refill the magazine  22 , a replacement cylindrical package  12  is affixed to the apparatus when in the orientation of FIG. 7, to prevent spillage of the candies. The apparatus is then re-inverted to the position of FIG. 2, and the dispensation magazine  22  rotated to the “open” position, clearing the main passageway and allowing the candies in the cylindrical package to fall into the dispensing magazine. The magazine is then rotated to the “close” position, preventing the candies from re-entering the cylindrical package  12 , and the dispenser is returned to the position of FIG.  7 . So oriented, the candy in the magazine  22  may be again dispensed. Alternatively, if it is desired to clear the candies from the dispenser and return them to the cylindrical package, such as when it is desired to substitute a different candy, the dispensation magazine is merely rotated back to the open position while in the orientation of FIG. 7, the candies falling under the influence of gravity from the magazine into the cylindrical package. The cylindrical package can then be removed from the apparatus and replaced with a different one.