Patent Publication Number: US-8967428-B2

Title: Gum dispenser for dispensing gum by vertical lifting

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a 371 application of International Application No. PCT/KR2010/000366, filed Jan. 20, 2010, which in turn claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0061124, filed Jul. 6, 2009, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a gum dispenser for dispensing gum with an up and down movement of a gum container which is characterized in that a container per se has a sealing part and makes it possible to precisely discharge a piece of gum at a time without having any defects in a container during an actual use or distribution and has easier operation and formation. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The gum formed in a tablet shape is sealingly stored in a container made from a plastic or the like; however the container has a disadvantage in that it is needed to take out one or more gums with fingers by opening a lid or a container is made upside down, thus taking out a certain number of gums. In this case, it is almost impossible to precisely take out a desired number of gums because the container is inherently designed to have only a storing function. 
     The Korean utility model registration number 424929 filed by the same applicant as the present invention is directed to overcoming the above problems and is basically designed to discharge a piece of gum at a time in such a way that a gum container is divided into an inner container and an outer container with the inner container being designed to move upward and downward. 
     The above structure is characterized in that with gums being stored in the inner container  10 , the gums move upward and downward as they are caught by an up and down movement shaft  21  of the outer container  20 , the gums are placed one by one on a support stopper  22  secured to an upper side of the up and down movement shaft  21 , a piece of gum is discharged through a discharge hole  31  formed at the lid  30  secured to the inner container  10 , thus taking out the gum. 
     In the above constructions, there are disadvantages in that with the gums being filled in the inner container, when two gums are placed on the support stopper  22  secured to the upper side of the up and down movement shaft  21 , the discharge hole  31  formed at the lid  30  match one to one with the support stopper  22  of the up and down movement shaft, which prevents the gum from being discharged. 
     When the up and down movement shaft  21  is molded integral with the outer container  20 , cuttable pieces  21   a  are formed as the up and down movement shaft  21  is divided at regular intervals so as to accommodate a moisture absorbent at the up and down movement shaft in an attempt to prevent the gums stored in the inner container  10  from being moisturized. In this case, it is impossible to manufacture an up and down movement shaft in a precise upright posture since it might be bent inwardly or might be curved owing to a distortion in the course of a cooling procedure due to the nature of plastic. 
     While the inner container  10  repeatedly moves upward and downward along the up and down movement of the outer container  20 , vibrations occur, which make a smooth operation impossible. In addition, a lot of formation time is needed during the formation procedure. 
     Since the lid  30  is concurrently secured to both the inner container and the outer container for sealing the container during the storage or transportation, the up and down movement shaft  21  of the outer container  20  pressurizes a cuttable cover  32  forming the discharge hole  31  of the lid  30 , so a cutting line, which helps easily cut the cuttable cover  32 , might be broken or the up and down movement might be bent. The cuttable cover  32  might not be cut off when pulling a pulling part  34  formed at the cuttable cover  32  by means of the above pressurization, in other words, the pulling part might be broken instead. 
     The support cover of the up and down movement shaft is in part exposed from the upper side of the discharge hole, with the cuttable cover  32  of the lid being removed for the gum which will be discharged as the inner container moves upward and downward in the outer container and can be easily picked up, thus pressurizing the cuttable cover of the lid. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the problems encountered in a conventional gum dispenser which moves upward and downward. 
     To achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that wings inclined in an inward direction of a discharge hole of a lid in which an up and down movement shaft moves upward and downward are formed and divided, so when a gum is placed at an upper side of the up and down movement shaft and moves upward as the inner container moves upward and downward, a piece of gum can be placed on an upper side of the up and down movement shaft at a time with the aid of the inclined wings. 
     The up and down movement shaft is formed of a plurality of cut-away pieces, thus inserting a moisture absorbent into the interior of the up and down movement shaft, and at the same time, the center of each cut-away piece is made weight-balanced so as to prevent a distortion or a bending which occurs as the cut-away pieces are spaced apart, thus improving the uniformity in terms of cooling in the curse of its mold formation and enhancing an upright structure. 
     It is appreciated that a ventilation hole is formed at a support surface of the inner container so that an inner container can repeatedly move up and down along an up and down movement shaft of the outer container in an easier way. 
     The cuttable cover is more protruded than the basic surface of the lid for an easier cutting of the cuttable cover which is provided for sealing the lid and a reduction of defective products. A grooves is formed at a connection part where the pulling part cuts off the cuttable cover, which makes it possible to more easily cut off the cuttable cover when the pulling part is pulled. 
     ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS 
     The present invention is characterized in that gum can be precisely discharged one by one at a time, and no defects occur in terms of the gum in the course of distribution, and a reliable operation and a good molding performance can be provided. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein; 
         FIG. 1  is a disassembled perspective view illustrating an assembly structure according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view illustrating a state that an up and down movement shaft comes into close contact with a lid according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a backside of a lid according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a bottom surface of an inner container according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view illustrating an operation state of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a view of an operation of a use start according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a view of an operation state of a conventional gum dispenser. 
       
         
           
             
                 
               
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   &lt;Descriptions of reference numerals of key elements&gt; 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
              
                 
                     
                 
              
             
             
                 
                 
              
                 
                   10: inner container 
                   11: support surface 
                 
                 
                   11a: through hole 
                   12: up and down movement surface 
                 
                 
                   13: up and down movement hole 
                   14: reinforcing rib 
                 
                 
                   20: outer container 
                   21: up and down movement shaft 
                 
                 
                   21a: cut-away piece 
                   21b: engaging shoulder part 
                 
                 
                   22: support stopper 
                     
                 
                 
                   30: lid 
                   31: discharge hole 
                 
                 
                   32: cut-away cover 
                   32a: cutting line 
                 
                 
                   33: connection part 
                   34: pulling part 
                 
                 
                   cut-away groove 
                   36: inclined wings 
                 
                 
                     
                 
              
             
           
         
       
     
    
    
     BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     In the present invention, a gum dispenser for dispending gum by vertical lifting comprises an inner container  10  moving up and down as it is inserted in an up and down movement shaft  21  of an outer container  20 ; and a support stopper  22  being engaged to an upper side of the up and down movement shaft  21 , with the gum being placed at its upper side one by one at a time, and the placed gum is discharged through a discharge hole  31  formed at a lid  30  tightly secured to the inner container  10 , wherein the up and down movement shaft  21  is injection-molded integrally with the outer container  20 , and the up and down movement shaft  21  is formed of a plurality of cut-away pieces  21   a  having cut-away spaces at regular intervals in such a way to store a moisture absorbent removing moisture from the gum stored in the inner container  10 , thus accommodating the moisture absorbent in the interior, and a support stopper is detachably engaged to an upper side of the up and down movement shaft, thus preventing, by the support stopper, the inner container from freely escaping, and each cut-away piece  21   a  forming the up and down movement shaft  21  is thicker at a cut-away side with its center being thinner relatively. 
     Modes for carrying out the Invention 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the basic structure of the present invention is characterized in that with gum being stored in the inner container  10 , it moves up and down as it is inserted into the up and down movement shaft  21  of the outer container  20 , and a support stopper  22  is engaged to the upper side of the up and down movement shaft  21 , and the escapes can be prevented while the inner container is engaged to the up and down movement shaft of the outer container, and gum is placed thereon one by one at a time, and the placed gum is discharged through the discharge hole  31  formed at the lid  30  stably secured to the inner container  10 . 
     At the inner container  10  moving up and down along the up and down movement shaft  21  of the outer container  20  are formed a support surface  11  substantially curved to support gum and a up and down movement surface  12  with a certain surface area for preventing a leftward and rightward movement during the up and down movements. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the discharge hole  31  of the lid  30  keeps being covered by means of the cuttable cover  32  having a puling part  34  for cutting along the cutting line  32   a  and is integrally formed of the lid  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the up and down movement shaft  21  is injection-molded integrally with the outer container  20 , and the up and down movement shaft  21  is formed of a plurality of cut-away pieces  21   a  forming cut-away spaces at regular intervals in such a way to accommodate a moisture absorbent absorbing moisture from the gum stored in the inner container  10 . An engaging shoulder part  21   b  is formed at an upper side of the up and down movement shaft  21  for engaging the support stopper  22 . 
     Each cut-away piece  21   a  forming the up and down movement shaft  21  is formed with a thick thickness at left and right sides of the cut-away part with its center being thin, so the injection molding is easier, and a friction surface with the up and down movement surface  12  of the inner container is reduced, thus achieving an easier up and down movement. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the support surface  11  of the inner container  10  moving up and down as it is inserted into the up and down movement shaft  1  is inclined, so the gum stored in the inner container  10  naturally falls by its weight, and since the inclined portion are curved, and the rim portion of an up and down movement hole  13  rises a little, so the falling gum is prevented from gathering at the center of the up and down movement hole  13 , and a plurality of through holes  11   a  are formed at the support surface  11  which provides an easier formation, and an air pressure problem at the up and down movement shaft  21  of the outer container  20  can be overcome during the up and down movements. 
     The up and down movement surface  12  is thicker than the inner container  10 , and a reinforcing rib  14  is formed at an up and down movement surface and a backside surface of the support surface  11  of the inner container, so it is possible to overcome the problems that the up and down movement surface  12  does not move up or down due to contraction occurring as it is engaged with the outer container  20  while the gum is stored for a long time, and a deformation problems can be prevented as well, so a smooth up and down movement can be obtained. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , the lid  20  engaged to the inner container  10  is also engaged with the outer container  20  in a sealing engagement way. When in use, the opening rim  37  is removed, and the outer container  20  and the inner container  10  are separated and move up and down. Here, the inner container  10  and the lid  30  are engaged in a sealing way. 
     As the inner container  10  moves up and down in the interior of the outer container  20 , the discharge hole  31  formed at an upper side of the lid  30  and the cuttable cover  32  with a cutting line  32   a  are protruded a little higher than the upper surface of the lid  30  for the gum to be discharged one by one at a time. A cut-away groove  35  is formed at the connection part  33  connected with the cutting line  32   a  of the pulling part  34  so that the cutting line  32   a  can be easily cut when the pulling part  34  is pulled to cut the cuttable cover  32 . In the above construction, when the pulling part  34  is pulled, the cut-away groove  35  becomes contracted, and then the cutting line  32   a  is first pulled, and then the cutting line  32   a  can be easily cut, thus preventing the damages of the pulling part  34 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the inclined wings  36  inclined toward the inner side of the hole  31  of the lid  30  are separated, the construction of which helps precisely discharge the gum in such a way that when the inner container  10  moves up and down with a plurality of gum being placed at the upper surface of the up and down movement shaft in a state that the gum is fully filled in the inner container as the inner container  10  moves up and down, the gum can be placed one by one at a time at an upper side of the up and down movement shaft.