Abstract:
A sample product dispenser limits access to product samples by providing an access door that alternates between a locked state and an unlocked state via a timer having a predetermined cycle. By use of this timed access, consumers who may attempt to take an improper number of free samples are significantly restricted. The dispenser may have various mechanisms for limiting access to a predesignated number of products per cycle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/785,133, filed Mar. 23, 2006, herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Product marketing strategies often involve providing prospective customers with free product samples in the hope that those who sample the product will be induced to buy it. The delivery of free product samples has been achieved in numerous ways. For example, single sample units have been mailed to prospective customers. 
         [0003]    Single sample units have also been provided to prospective customers at a point of sale with the hope that a sample will induce the individual into an immediate sale of the sampled product. Such point of sale samples have been traditionally provided by a product representative or marketing personnel. The presence of such a person at the sample point of sale is advantageous for a number of reasons, one being that the sample provider can manage and control the distribution of the samples and prevent a dishonest person from improperly taking a large number of them. This preserves samples for other prospective customers. 
         [0004]    However, the presence of a product representative, marketing personnel, or sales person, while advantageous for a number of reasons, can be costly, and is not warranted in every situation. However, without a person physically present to control the distribution, it is possible that a dishonest person could improperly take a large number of samples and deprive other potential customers from sampling the product. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    According to various embodiments of the present invention, a mechanism is provided that restricts access to product samples that utilizes a timer. Access to the product is only permitted at certain timed intervals and thereby a dishonest user would find it much more difficult to improperly take a large number of samples. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The invention is described with reference to various preferred embodiments shown in the drawings and described in the following text. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1A  is an isometric line drawing of an embodiment of the product dispenser; 
           [0008]      FIG. 1B  is a pictorial illustration showing the embodiment of the product dispenser shown in  FIG. 1A  that is loaded with product samples and has advertising affixed to the exterior; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a pictorial schematic diagram of the product access locking mechanism. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0010]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate a simple embodiment of the present product dispenser  10 , which comprises a product storage area  20  or bin in which product samples  50  are stacked. Ideally, the sizes for samples of various products can be standardized so that a reconfiguration of the storage area  20  is not required when changing products, or the size can be optimized so that it can properly hold a large range of different product sizes. In the embodiment shown, a two-chambered storage area  20  is provided in which two chambers  22  are separated by a partition  24 . In a preferred embodiment, the storage area  20  is made of a clear material to allow the product packaging to show through. 
         [0011]    Any practical configuration, however, could be used for such a storage area, including variations on the number of chambers and sizes of respective chambers. In a preferred embodiment that is made for marketing a wide range of pre-packaged consumable goods, each of the two chambers  22  are dimensioned as 2⅞×3½×34⅞. 
         [0012]    When product samples are stacked in the storage area  20 , they may be accessed via the product access area  30  by the user. In its simplest form, the dispenser  10  is designed to operate in a gravity feed manner so that a sample  50  is always available in the product access area  30 . 
         [0013]    The access area  30  is designed such that it has a tray  32  into which a single product sample is provided by the gravity feed mechanism. By default, a tray cover  34  covers the tray  32 . When the dispenser  10  is in an accessible mode, the user can move the tray cover  34  which, e.g., pivots around a product cover pivot axle  40  to access the sample  50  in the tray  32 . When the dispenser  10  is in an inaccessible mode, the tray cover  34  is locked so that it cannot be moved or pivoted, thereby preventing access. Tray dimensions in a preferred embodiment are 7½″×5″. 
         [0014]    A product restrictor mechanism  34 ′, such as a blocking or trap door, may be implemented that prevents the user from accessing more than one product when the tray access cover  34  is opened. Such a door is well-known in the arts and operates to be in an open position permitting the product to drop into the tray  32  when the access cover  34  is closed, but then swinging into position to close off the storage area  20  from access when the access cover  34  is open. This could also serve as the mechanism that allows a sample to be provided in the tray  32  when the door is opened. 
         [0015]    More elaborate mechanisms can be provided, but are not necessary for the purposes of the invention. For example, any system that utilizes a controller for actuating electrical and electro-mechanical components for release of the product may be utilized as well and controlled in a precise manner. Other forms of mechanical restrictors that hold additional samples out of reach until the door is closed may be utilized. It is also possible to simply provide an alarm that could sound if the cover  34  remains open for too long of a period of time, suggesting that a customer may be taking more than one sample. This alarm could be implemented in a graded form to increase in volume over time. Some form of flashing alarm could also be implemented. 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the locking mechanism  100  that is utilized to control access. In this embodiment, the tray cover  34  is mounted to the product cover pivot axle  40 , which is generally free to rotate. However, the pivot axle  40  also comprises a cutout  42 , illustrated by example here as a 90° notch, that is configured to engage with a locking mechanism  140  that may be configured as an engaging arm or dog and having an engaging portion  142  to engage with the cutout  42  and prevent rotation of the axle  40 . 
         [0017]    It can be seen that when the locking mechanism  140  in the illustrated embodiment has its engaging end  142  engaging the notch  42 , the axle  40  will not be able to turn. However, if the locking mechanism  140  is moved a sufficient amount, e.g., by rotation about a pivot axis  144 , then the axle  40  will be free to rotate. The invention, however, is not limited to this specific configuration and may utilized any mechanism for preventing an opening of the access cover, including any form of interferential, frictional, or other mechanism. 
         [0018]    One mechanism for controllably moving the locking mechanism  140 , is a pneumatic device.  FIG. 2  illustrates an intake  110  at which a pneumatic hose is attached. The pneumatic motion transducer  120  is able to move the locking mechanism  140  from its engaged and disengaged positions via its attachment at a connection point  130  to the locking mechanism  140 . The pneumatic motion transducer  120  could also be implemented by any form of motion transducer (e.g., electro-mechanical, hydraulic, etc.). 
         [0019]    In this embodiment, applying or not applying air at the intake  110  controls whether the locking mechanism is engaged or disengaged. A biasing mechanism  150  may be applied to provide a bias in either the locking mechanism  140 , the axle  40  or both. Such a biasing mechanism may comprise a spring on a post  152 . 
         [0020]    According to an important aspect of the embodiments, the pneumatic control is engaged and disengaged according to a timer sequence that is cycled, based on control circuitry  172  that is supplied. Since the goal is to permit timed access to a single product unit, the cover  34  is locked in a closed position for some portion of the cycle (e.g., 20 seconds, 1 minute, etc.) after an access is detected, and then allowed to be opened after the locked portion timer has expired. This prevents a user from repeatedly opening and closing the dispenser  10  to access additional samples, at least in an efficient and timely manner. Each time the cover  34  is opened, the user must wait for the predetermined period of time before the cover  34  can be opened again. As noted above, a configuration may be provided that limits access to the number of product samples obtainable with each opening of the cover  34 . 
         [0021]    The control circuitry  172  can be implemented in a very simple manner (e.g., with dedicated IC timers and flip-flop circuits) or in a complex manner, involving the inclusion of a microprocessor. A power supply  170  may be included, and can be implemented as, e.g., batteries for a completely self-contained unit, although the unit could easily be designed to work on external power. 
         [0022]    According to an embodiment of the invention, an indicator light  160  is provided on the dispenser  10  so that a customer will know that the dispenser  10  is locked, but that the product samples will be accessible in some short amount of time. A label located on the dispenser  10  could indicate how long the user should wait before attempting another access. Alternately, an inexpensive countdown timer could be provided to indicate precisely how long the user should wait before trying to access the sample again. 
         [0023]    In a further embodiment of the invention, a coupon dispenser is provided on the product dispenser  10  itself, permitting the user to access both a product sample and an associated coupon at the same time. 
         [0024]    As noted above, an indicator light  160  may be provided. A blue or green indicator, e.g., could be utilized to indicate that the dispenser is available to dispense another product (by, for example, unlocking the door so that it could be lifted), or, e.g., a red indicator could be utilized to indicate that access to additional samples is restricted. Any form of indicator could be used in this manner. Additionally, a tag or sticker could be provided that would explain the significance of the indicator (e.g., “lift door when blue light is lit”). 
         [0025]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used to describe these embodiments. However, no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by this specific language, and the invention should be construed to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. The particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative examples of the invention and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, conventional electronics, control systems, software development and other functional aspects of the systems (and components of the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the invention unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
       REFERENCE CHARACTERS 
       [0000]    
       
           10  product dispenser 
           20  product storage area 
           22  storage chamber 
           24  storage partition 
           30  product access area 
           32  product access tray 
           34  product access cover 
           34 ′ product restrictor mechanism 
           40  product cover pivot axle 
           42  axle cutout 
           50  product 
           100  product access locking mechanism 
           110  pneumatic intake 
           120  pneumatic motion transducer 
           130  pneumatic transducer connection 
           140  locking mechanism/engaging arm 
           142  engaging end of locking mechanism 
           144  engaging arm pivot axis 
           150  biasing mechanism 
           152  bias spring post 
           160  indicator light 
           170  power supply 
           172  control circuitry