Patent EA-002750-B1 (EA)
Title: Dispenser
Inventor: WILSON JOHN STUART
IPC: A47F1/08
Filed: 1999-12-15
Abstract: 1. A dispenser for dispensing same-size discrete articles (P), characterized in that it comprises: a holder (34, 36, 44) for holding a plurality of such articles in a stack, the holder having a top, a bottom (44, 46), and an exit opening (60) at the bottom, through which the lowermost article in the stack can leave the holder in a transverse direction; and means (38, 40, 16, 18) defining a pathway for guiding said articles from the exit opening to a level higher than the exit opening, with each said article in the pathway pushing the article ahead of it along the pathway. 2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pathway is open or defined at least partly by walling (62) of a transparent material, so as to render the articles visible while in transit from the exit opening to said higher level. 3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pathway extends from the exit opening (60) to, and over, the top of the holder. 4. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes a cassette (20), the cassette comprising a pair of spaced cheeks (28), and a plurality of connecting elements (30) each spanning the distance between the cheeks and connecting the cheeks to one another, each cheek comprising a flat panel (34) which forms the sides of said holder and of said pathway. 5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the rear of the holder is formed by a wall (36) which projects from the flat panel (34) of each cheek towards the other cheek. 6. A dispenser as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that said pathway is formed by at least one wall (40) which projects from the flat panel (34) of each cheek towards the other cheek. 7. A dispenser as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said pathway is formed by a pair of spaced walls (38, 40) each projecting from the flat panel (34) of each cheek towards the other cheek. 8. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the bottom of said holder is formed by a wall (44) which projects from the flat panel (34) of each cheek towards the other cheek. 9. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the cheeks (28) are a mirror image of one another. 10. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that the cheeks (28) are injection moulded plastics components. 11. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that the connector elements (30) are each in the form of a length of tubing stock, the cheeks (28) each having a plurality of integrally formed spigot formations (32) thereon, and each spigot formation being a close fit in the end of a corresponding one of the connector elements. 12. A dispenser as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the connector elements (30) are each in the form of a length of plastics tubing stock. 13. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a pair of spaced sides (12), a lower rail (14), and a pair of upper rails (16, 18), the rails spanning the distance between the sides and connecting the sides together, and there being a gap between the upper rails, the cassette (20) being arranged to extend between the upper and the lower rails, such that the gap between the upper rails forms the upper end of said pathway. 14. A dispenser as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the rails (14, 14, 18) are aluminium extrusions. 15. A dispenser as claimed in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of said cassettes (20), the cassettes being arranged side-by-side in the space between the sides (12).