Abstract:
The present invention relates to dispenser packages comprising a housing which defines a chamber and chamber opening for holding dispensable objects and a lid for selectively opening and closing access to the chamber through the chamber opening. In one embodiment, the dispenser package may be a candy dispenser having a housing and a rotatable top secured to the top of the housing.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to dispenser packages. More particularly, the present invention relates to hand-held candy dispenser packages. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various designs for candy dispenser packages are known in the prior art. They range from simple paper boxes to more elaborate plastic containers with hinges or flaps to dispense the candy. Some prior art candy dispensers include means to reseal the package to maintain the freshness of any unused candy. The design of candy packages must meet the needs of the manufacturer and the consumer. 
     A consideration in designing candy packages is ease of manufacture. More elaborate designs typically require more components to be produced and then assembled. This adds to the cost of materials, the cost of tooling and the time that it takes to manufacture and assemble the product. Ultimately, complicated candy dispenser packages increase the price of the final product. Thus, simpler designs are preferred to reduce the manufacturing time and cost. 
     Another manufacturing concern is the ease of which the package is filled. It is preferred to have a package design that can easily be filled with the product and then sealed to be ready for shipment. Prior art packages typically require complicated machinery to fill such packages with candy. The more steps required to fill the package also add to the cost of production. 
     From the consumer&#39;s perspective, ease of operation and attractiveness are important considerations in designing candy packages. For instance, it is preferable to have a package that can be easily opened with one hand. It is also preferable for the consumer to be able to easily reseal the package after removing a desired quantity of candy to maintain the freshness of the candy remaining in the package. 
     Another consideration is the ability for the consumer to be able to select the size of an access opening to the product. This will allow for the selective removal of a small or large quantity of candy. In prior art packages, the opening provided by the manufacturer is often too small or too large. Thus, the candy product either clogs the opening making it difficult to remove or comes out too fast. 
     Another consideration is the durability of the package. Frequently, candy packages are pushed into pants pockets or in a purse and are subjected to rigorous flexing and prolonged contact with other items. Less durable candy packages often fail and expose the candy to elements outside the package such as dirt or lint, etc. 
     While the market is filled with various candy package designs, there remains a need for a design that incorporates the foregoing needs of the manufacturer and consumer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses these needs as follows. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a dispenser package comprising a housing defining a chamber for holding dispensable objects; the housing includes opposing side walls and an open section through which the dispensable objects can be placed into and removed from the chamber: A lid is arranged on the housing for selectively opening and closing access to the chamber through the open section in the housing. The lid is preferably secured to the side walls of the housing and is rotatable about an axis of rotation between an open position where the dispensable objects can be removed from the chamber and a closed position where the dispensable objects cannot be removed from the chamber. 
     Preferably, the a lid of the dispenser package is partially cylindrical. The lid may have an arcuate top section extending between at least one pair of opposing side walls. It is also preferable for at least one pair of the side walls of the lid and the housing to include pins extending along the axis of rotation, and the other pair of opposing side walls of the lid and the housing to include an aperture in which corresponding ones of the pins are arranged. 
     More preferably, the pins extend inwardly along the axis of rotation from the pair of opposing side walls of the lid. In this preferred embodiment, the housing includes apertures in the side walls in which corresponding ones of the pins are arranged. 
     It is also preferred that the arcuate top section of the dispenser package includes a surface that extends less than 360° about the axis of rotation. It is also preferred that the dispenser is sized to be hand-held. 
     Preferably, the dispenser lid has a projection and the top section of the housing includes a ledge, where the projection and ledge collectively act as a stop to limit the rotation of the lid in the fully open position. It is also preferable that the lid of the dispenser includes a handle used for rotating the lid between the open and closed positions. In another preferred embodiment, the dispenser package is a candy dispenser and the dispensable objects are solid pieces of candy. 
     In yet another preferred embodiment, the lids of the candy dispenser has a substantially cylindrical shell configuration including an arcuate top section having a surface that defines a perimeter and extends less than 360° around the axis of rotation. The top section of the lid also includes an open area that extends around the remainder of the 360° perimeter. It can be said that the open area of the top section is notched out in order to provide an advantageous dispensing port. 
     It is preferable for the lid of the candy dispenser to comprise opposing side walls and to have support members connected between the arcuate top section and corresponding ones of the opposing side walls. Most preferably, the candy dispenser is sized to be hand-held and where the lid has a projection and the top section of the housing includes a ledge collectively acting as a stop to limit the rotation of the lid in a fully open position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present dispenser package in a closed position. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present dispenser package in a fully open position. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the dispenser package shown in FIGS.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the present dispenser package taken along line IV—IV. 
     FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the present dispenser package taken along line V—V of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view of the present dispenser package taken along line VI—VI of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is an isolated side cross-sectional view of only the housing of the present dispenser package taken along line VII—VII of FIG. 3 
     FIG. 8 is the same side cross-sectional view of the dispenser package of FIG. 5 where dispensable objects are randomly arranged in the housing chamber. 
     FIG. 9 is the same side cross-sectional of the dispenser package of FIG. 8 where the dispensable objects are orderly arranged in the housing chamber. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A dispenser package is shown in FIGS. 1-9. The dispenser package  10  includes a housing  12  that defines a chamber therein for retaining solid pieces of candy  60 , or other dispensable objects. It is preferable that the entire dispenser package  10  be made of a polymeric material, such as plastic. However, the material of which the dispenser package  10  is made is not a limited feature of the present invention. Thus, other materials may be suitable. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1-7, the housing  12  includes a front wall  14  and an opposing rear wall  16 . The housing  12  also includes a left side wall  18  and an opposing right side wall  24 . The left and right side walls  18  and  20  include a rounded top section as best shown in FIGS. 1-3. However, it should be appreciated that the top portion of the left and right side walls  18  and  20  can include various geometric configurations in alternate embodiments. 
     The left side wall  18  includes an aperture  20  near the top portion and a notch  22  at the peak of the top portion. The right side wall  24  is symmetrical and thus also includes an aperture  26  and a notch  28  at the peak of the top portion. The purpose of the corresponding apertures  20  and  26  will be apparent when discussed below in correspondence with the dispenser lid  38 . As shown in FIG. 2, an imaginary axis of rotation R extends through the center of corresponding left and right side apertures  20  and  26 . 
     FIGS. 1-9 illustrate that the housing  12  includes a base  30  connected to the front and rear walls  14  and  16 , and to the left and right side walls  18  and  24 . In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-9, the base  30  is connected to the bottom of the housing  12  by a suitable adhesive that meets all required FDA standards. However, in alternate embodiments, the base  30  can be connected to the walls  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  24  by a friction fit constructions. Still further, the housing  12  may be an integrally molded structure where the base  30  does not require connection through the use of adhesive material or other conventional techniques. 
     The housing  12  also includes an open top section  32  as illustrated in FIGS. 2-9. The front wall  14  includes a top edge  34 , and the rear wall  16  includes a top edge  36  that defines the size of the open top section  32  extending between the top portions of left and right side walls  18  and  24 . The top edge  34  of front wall  14  and the top edge  36  of rear wall  16  provide corresponding stops with respect to portions of the lid  38  as discussed further below. 
     Although the configuration and dimensions of the housing  12  can vary in alternate embodiments, it is preferable that the dispenser package  10  be sized for hand-held uses. In one preferred embodiment, and by way of example only, the base  30  is shown in FIG. 1 as having a total length L of about 48 mm and defining a depth D of about 18 mm. In a preferred range, the length L may be between about 30-60 mm and the depth D may be between about 10-30 mm. 
     Similarly, the height of the front and rear walls  14  and  16  is shown in FIG. 1 by reference letter H and may be about 70 mm in a preferred embodiment. In a preferred range, the height H may be between about 40-100 mm. All of the foregoing ranges are provided by way of example only. The actual dimensions of the various portions of the housing  12  can be smaller or larger than those set forth above. Also by way of example, the diameter “A” of the left and right apertures  20  and  26  may be about 2 millimeters. 
     A significant aspect of the present invention relates to the construction of the lid  38  and its relationship to the housing  12 . In particular, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1-5,  8  and  9 , the lid  38  has the general configuration of a hollow cylinder as it includes a top section having an arcuate outer surface  40 . A front handle  42  extends along substantially the entire length of the arcuate outer surface  40  and projects slightly outwardly therefrom. 
     A rear stop  44  also extends along substantially the entire length of the arcuate outer surface  40  and projects outwardly therefrom spaced from the handle  42 . In alternate embodiments, it should be understood that the handle  42  and the rear stop  44  need not extend along substantially the entire length of the arcuate outer surface  40 . In fact, the handle  42  and rear stop  44  are optional features of the lid  38 . 
     As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the lid  38  includes generally circular opposing left and right side walls  46  and  50 . The arcuate outer surface  40  extends between, and is connected to, the opposing left and right side walls  46  and  50 . The left side wall  46  of the lid  38  includes an outwardly extending integral post  48 , while the right side wall  50  also includes an outwardly extending integral post  52 . 
     FIGS. 2,  3  and  6  illustrate that the lid  38  also includes left and right side support members  54  and  56  that are integrally connected to, and extend at an angle between, opposing portions of the inner surface of the arcuate top section of the lid. The support members  36  are optional features of the lid  38  and are intended to provide additional structural integrity and durability. 
     When the lid is in assembled position as shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  4 ,  6 ,  8  and  9 , the left and right side posts  48  and  52  extend into corresponding apertures  20  and  26  near the top of the left and right side walls  18  and  24  of the housing  12 . The axis of rotation R thus extends through the center of the left and right side posts  48  and  52  of the lid  38 . 
     As also evident from FIGS. 3-5,  8  and  9 , the lid  38  includes an open area (unnumbered), which can also be described as a notched out area. The open area extends approximately half way around the circumference of left and right side walls  46  and  50 , while the arcuate top surface  40  extends around the other half of the circumference of left and right side walls  46  and  50 . Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the arcuate top surface  40  can be said to extend about 180° around an imaginary circumference of the generally cylindrical shaped lid  38 , and the notched out open area (unnumbered) also extends about 180° around the imaginary circumference. It should be appreciated that in alternate embodiments, the arcuate top surface  40  may extend greater or less than 180° around the imaginary circumference, through which the axis of rotation R extends, when the lid  38  is in assembled position on the housing  12 . 
     As clearly shown in FIGS. 4-9, the housing  12  defines a chamber  58  in which pieces of candy  60 , or other dispensable objects, can be retained. FIG. 8 illustrates solid pieces of candy  60  randomly displaced within the chamber  58  while FIG. 9 illustrates pieces of candy  60  neatly stacked within the chamber  58  of the housing  12 . 
     One advantage of the present invention is that after the housing  12  is manufactured, the open top section  32  thereof facilitates filling of the chamber  58  with solid pieces of candy. After the chamber  58  has been filled with candy  60  as illustrated in FIG. 8 (randomly) and FIG. 9 (orderly), the lid  38  is then preferably placed into assembled position with the left and right mounting posts  48  and  52  arranged within corresponding left and right side apertures  20  and  26  of side walls  18  and  24 . 
     In operation, the lid  38  can rotate about the axis R between a fully closed position (as shown in FIGS. and  4 ) and a fully open position (as shown in FIGS. 2,  5 ,  8  and  9 ). When the lid  38  is in a fully closed position, the handle  42  will preferably abut the top edge  34  of front wall  14 . In order to open the lid  38 , a user can simply place a finger beneath the outwardly projecting handle  42  and rotate the lid  38  about the axis R until the handle  38  is at a desired distance from the top edge  34  of front wall  14 , such as that shown in FIG.  2 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9, the stop member  44  projects outwardly from the arcuate outer surface  40  of the lid  38  spaced from the handle  42  at an angle of about 90° with respect to the cylindrical circumference of the lid  38 . Although the handle  42  can be rotated about the axis R to various degrees of open positions, the stop member  44  is useful to limit rotation of the handle  42  in a fully opened position as shown in FIGS. 2,  5 ,  8  and  9 . In particular, the stop member  44  will abut the top edge  36  of rear wall  16  when the lid  38  is rotated to a fully open position. 
     The structural features of the dispenser package  10  including the unique lid  38  and the combination between the lid  38  and housing  12  provides several additional advantages over prior art dispenser packages. The advantages include, but are not limited to, enhanced durability, the option of one handed use by the customer, simplified manufacturing procedures, simplified filling procedures (due to the top being applied after the product is filled in the chamber of the housing), decreased manufacturing costs, the ability to seal and reseal the dispenser package, and the ability of the user to select the size of the dispenser port opening. 
     It should be appreciated that although preferred embodiments of the present invention are discussed above, those of skill in the art are encouraged to modify the disclosed structure and arrangement of various features of the present dispenser package without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the claims set forth below.