Abstract:
A dispensing container for bead products includes a lid and a bottom part. Pulling back the lid exposes the interior of the container where the bead products are located. Recess, ridge and funnel structures at the front of the bottom part provide for feeding the beads one at a time or in a stream when the lid is pulled back. One form of the container is rectangular wherein the lid is pulled back longitudinally. Another form is V shaped wherein a shutter is provided at the end of one of the legs of the V.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to dispensing containers, and in particular it relates to a container for dispensing bead products.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The term “bead products” refers to small objects of every kind including mints or other candies, tablets, pills and the like, whether spherical, square, flat, oval or of any other shape, provided that the product is a shape which allows it to roll freely or slid within the container, especially from the main storage area thereof to the vicinity of the dispensing opening.  
         [0003]     Dispensers for such bead products are known for example as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,988,134; 4,354,619; 4,502,612; 5,123,539; 5,513,774; 6,068,126 and German Publication No. DE 32 15 520 A1.  
         [0004]     Notwithstanding the existence of previously known dispensing containers of the type for dispensing bead products, a need exists for new and improved dispensing containers.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is a purpose of the present invention to provide new and improved dispensing containers for bead products.  
         [0006]     A purpose of the present invention is to provide new dispenser containers of the present type which have a sleek ergonomic feel when held in the hand and is easily operable to dispense products by pulling back a lid to reveal the bead products in the container.  
         [0007]     The dispensing containers of the present invention can be designed to dispense only one bead product at a time or they can be designed such that when the lid is pulled back they dispense a stream of bead products. In accordance with the present invention, when constructed to dispense one bead product at a time, the internal structure of the container will be shaped so as to permit a single bead product to be delivered into a position just under the front of the lid while the lid is closed, whereupon after the lid is slid back, only that one bead product will be delivered and the container holds back the other products.  
         [0008]     In another arrangement, a more open passageway can be provided in the internal construction of the dispensing container such that when the lid is pulled back an unrestricted passageway is provided for the flow of bead products from the interior of the container and out the opening thereof so as to dispense a stream of bead products.  
         [0009]     The different embodiments of the present invention can include either internal construction, i.e., either a construction to feed one bead product at a time or a construction that permits the feeding of a stream of bead products.  
         [0010]     In accordance with one embodiment, a container of a generally rectangular shape includes a lid which rides over a bottom part which includes a front wall, side walls and a rear wall. This embodiment may include a first internal construction for delivering the bead product one at a time in the form of a recess located at the front of the bottom part and a downward projection in the lid and/or a ridge formed in the bottom part just rearward of that recess preventing additional bead products from flowing into that recess while the lid is pulled back while allowing a single bead product to flow into the recess when the lid is closed. In another arrangement, this embodiment can omit a ridge or projection so that when the lid is pulled back to open the container, a stream of bead products can flow into the recess and out of the opening.  
         [0011]     This embodiment can be constructed with a funnel from the main part of the container to the recess so that when the lid is opened, a stream of bead products can be delivered through the funnel, to the recess, and out of the container.  
         [0012]     In another embodiment of the present invention, the dispenser can be designed of generally V shape which provides a particularly nice ergonomic feel when held in the hand. On one leg of the V, there can be provided a sliding shutter which opens and closes. Apart from having a shutter (rather than the sliding lid of a rectangular container), this embodiment can operate in essentially the same manner as the first described embodiment. Specifically, a pair of walls can provide a funnel passageway toward a space just beneath the location where the shutter opens. As in the first embodiment, a downward projection from the bottom of the shutter and/or a ridge on the bottom part can allow one product to enter a position to be dispensed each time that the shutter is opened or in the alternative, by omitting a projection or ridge a funnel can be provided for dispensing a stream of bead products each time that the shutter is opened.  
         [0013]     Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved dispenser containers for bead products.  
         [0014]     It is another object of the present invention to provide improved dispensing containers for bead products which have an improved ergonomic feel.  
         [0015]     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows of the preferred embodiments. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     There follows a detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, to be read together with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a dispensing container in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view thereof;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view thereof, showing bead products to be dispensed in dotted lines;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view, taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the bottom part of the dispensing container of  FIGS. 1-5 , showing product therein;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a top front perspective view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 , showing the lid in an opened position;  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a partial cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1  but showing a modification of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, shown in the closed position;  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  is a top perspective view similar to  FIG. 9 , but in the opened position;  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of the bottom part of the embodiment of  FIGS. 9 and 10  with the lid removed;  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 14  is a top perspective view showing a modification of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , shown in the closed position;  
         [0031]      FIG. 15  is a top perspective view similar to  FIG. 14 , but in the opened position;  
         [0032]      FIG. 16  is a top perspective view of the bottom part of the embodiment of  FIGS. 14 and 15  with the lid removed;  
         [0033]      FIG. 17  is a cross sectional view taken along line  17 - 17  of  FIG. 14 ; and  
         [0034]      FIG. 18  is a cross sectional view taken along line  18 - 18  of  FIG. 14 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0035]     Referring now to the drawings, like elements are represented by like numerals throughout the several views.  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , a dispensing container  10  comprises a lid  11  having a thumb depression  12  and projection in the form of tab  13  which will block the flow of bead products at the appropriate times as discussed below. The lid  11  includes a continuous rail including side rail  14 , rear rail  15  and an opposite side rail  16 , wherein the side rails  14  and  16  ride along flanges of a bottom part  25  of the dispensing container.  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the bottom part  25  includes side walls terminating at the tops thereof by side flanges  27  and  29 , a front flange  26  and a rear flange  28 . Rails  14  and  16  of the lid  11  engage around and slide along the flanges  27  and  29 , respectively. Referring in particular to  FIG. 6 , the front of the bottom part includes a pair of funnel walls  30  which are raised to form a funnel therebetween. The front of the bottom part includes a slight incline  31  which leads to a ridge  32  beyond which there is a recess  33 .  
         [0038]     The embodiment of  FIGS. 1-7  operates as follows. When in a closed position one bead product  35  would move into recess  33  which is defined by funnel walls  30  and ridge  32  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Other bead products  35  could roll freely up to the bead product  35  in recess  33  but there is no room for an additional bead product in recess  33 . When desiring to dispense a single product, the user holds the dispenser in one hand and with the thumb of that hand, engages the thumb depression  12  to move the lid  11  rearwardly. As the lid moves to the opened position shown in  FIG. 7 , the one bead product  35  remains in recess  33  while tab  13  cooperates with ridge  32  to prevent any other bead products from moving into the area of recess  33  or otherwise being dispensed. The user of course turns the dispenser upside down to gravity feed the bead product which had been located in recess  33 . After that product is dispensed, the user pushes the lid forwardly, moving the tab  13  forward enough that an additional bead product can then enter recess  33 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 8  illustrates a modification of the dispensing container of  FIGS. 1-7  wherein it is internally constructed to allow feeding of a continuous stream of bead products  35 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , the modified lid  37  does not include a tab  13  or a ridge  32 , but does include a pair of funnel walls  30  which define a recess  33 , therebetween as in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-7 . The funnel walls  30  are provided in order to form a single file for a controllable stream of dispensed bead products into recess  33  and out of the dispensing container.  
         [0040]     Another embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 9-13 . The dispensing container  65  shown in these figures is primarily characterized by its V shape which is ergonomically sleek in appearance and easy to use.  FIG. 9  shows the dispensing container  65  in its closed position and  FIG. 10  shows the same dispensing container  65  in its open position. The user would grasps the right hand portion of the dispensing container between his or her fingers and palm of the right hand, leaving the user&#39;s thumb free to operate the shutter  68  by the thumb depression  70  therein to move the shutter  68  between the closed position of  FIG. 9  and the opened position of  FIG. 10 .  
         [0041]     This embodiment includes a lid  66  and a bottom part  67 , the latter of which is shown without the lid in  FIG. 11 . The bottom part  67  includes a side wall  80  which is fixed to the lid  66 . As is seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the shutter  68  includes a raised part  69 , which includes the thumb depression  70 , and a base part  71 . Referring to  FIG. 13 , the lateral sides of the base part  71  ride in the L shaped flanges  81  attached to lid  66 , and as shown in  FIG. 12 , in the closed position the front of shutter  68  abuts the wall  80 .  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the shutter  68  includes a downward projection  78 . In the closed position of  FIGS. 9, 12  and  13 , this projection is forward of the recess between the bump  76  and the ridge  77  so as to allow a bead product to enter the recess therebetween. However, in the opened position of  FIG. 10 , this projection  78  would be positioned directly above the ridge  77 , leaving a space therebetween smaller than the diameter of the bead products  45  so that the dispensing container will dispense only one bead product at a time and no additional bead products will be able to enter the recess between bump  76  and ridge  77 .  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIGS. 10-13 , but especially  FIG. 11 , the bottom part  67  includes a pair of funnel walls  75 , a front bump  76  and a rear ridge  77 .  
         [0044]     Referring to  FIGS. 9-13 , the dispensing container  65  operates as follows. In the closed position of  FIG. 9 , as more clearly shown in  FIG. 12 , bead products may freely move in the large unobstructed area rearward of the front and within the funnel walls  75  and a single bead may enter the recess between bump  76  and ridge  77 . When the shutter  68  is opened, the projection  78  in cooperation with ridge  77  will keep all bead products other than the forwardmost bead product  45  away from the opening forward of the shutter, permitting dispensing of only one bead product at a time. The shutter is then closed, permitting the bead products to move forwardly, obviously with a tilting of the dispensing container in that direction, wherein another single bead product will enter the recess between bump  76  and ridge  77  to be dispensed the next time that the shutter  68  is opened.  
         [0045]     In an alternative embodiment,  FIGS. 14-18  show a modification of  FIGS. 9-13 , where the ridge  77  and projection  78  are omitted, thus permitting the bead products  45  to form a queue behind the forwardmost bead product  45  so that a stream of bead products can be dispensed when the shutter  68  is opened. In this embodiment the elements unchanged from those previously described will use the same reference numbers as  FIGS. 9-13 . Elements modified from those in  FIGS. 9-13  will be indicated with a prime [′].  
         [0046]     Referring now specifically to  FIGS. 14-18 , raised part  69 ′ does not include a projection and bottom part  67 ′ does not include a ridge but has a recess  83 . In an alternate form, recess  83  can be omitted.  
         [0047]     In operation, while the shutter  68  is closed via raised portion  69 ′, any number of bead products  45  can collect between funnel walls  75 , wherein one bead  45  is received in the recess  83 . The remaining bead products, instead of being held against being dispensed until the next time that the shutter closes, form a queue behind the bead product in the recess  76  so that in use, after the user dispenses the product initially in the recess  76 , the user can simply tilt the front of the dispensing container downwardly to allow another bead product to run down into the recess  76  and be dispensed. This process can continue indefinitely.  
         [0048]     Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with respect to preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of numerous modifications and variations, apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.