Patent Abstract:
The present invention provides a dispenser tray for eye shield tenses made from a single blank of material. The dispenser tray and blank each include a top panel, a front panel, a first side panel, a second side panel and a bottom panel.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/817,411, filed Apr. 30, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    N/A 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0003]    The present invention generally relates to a dispenser for lenses for eye shields. The eye shields can be used in connection with medical, dental, or other applications. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Healthcare professionals often use disposable eye shields to prevent splatter of bodily fluids such as spittle and blood from entering the eyes to prevent potential infections. Healthcare professionals need to be able to have quick and ready access to such eye shields. Often, the lenses are stored separately from the frames. The present invention provides storage and dispensing access to eye shield lenses. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a dispenser tray for eye shield lenses made from a single blank of material. A blank includes a top panel and a front panel attached to the top panel along a first fold line. The front panel includes at least one edge tab at an outer edge and a pair of slots spaced along the first fold line. The front panel also includes first and second tabs attached along second and third fold lines. The blank also includes a first side panel attached to the top panel along a fourth fold line, and a first front flap attached to the first side panel along a fifth fold tine and a slot located along the fifth fold line. A first back flap is attached to the first side panel along a sixth fold line. A second back flap is attached to the top panel along a seventh fold line. A first back tab is attached along an eighth fold line to the first back flap. A second side panel is attached to the top panel along a ninth fold line. A third back flap is attached to the second side panel along a tenth fold line. A second front flap is attached to the second side panel along an eleventh fold line. A slot is located along the eleventh fold line. 
         [0006]    A bottom panel is attached to the second side panel along a twelfth fold line. A detachable panel is attached to the bottom panel along a thirteenth perforated fold line. The detachable panel includes at its outer edge a first tab attached to the outer edge along a fold line. A fourth back flap is attached along a fourteenth fold line to the bottom panel. A second back tab is attached along a fifteenth fold line to the fourth back flap. A glue panel is attached to the bottom panel along a sixteenth fold line. In another embodiment, the second and third fold lines attaching first and second tabs to the front panel each include a notched portion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a blank for forming a dispenser tray made in accord with the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective rear view of a dispenser tray in accord with the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective front view of a dispenser tray in accord with the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the frames being dispensed from a dispenser view in accord with the present invention; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a blank for forming a dispenser tray made in accord with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
         [0014]    Referring to the FIGS., a blank  10  for constructing the dispenser tray  12  of the present invention is provided in  FIG. 1 . The tray  12  is preferably constructed from a single blank  10  of material such as cardboard or plastic, although, any suitable material may be used. The blank  10  includes a top panel  14 . Attached to the top panel  14  along a first fold line  16  is a front panel  18 . The front panel  18  includes a pair of edge tabs  20  at an outer edge  22 . A pair of slots  24  is spaced along the first fold line  16 . The front panel  18  includes first and second tabs  26  and  27  attached along second and third fold lines  28  and  29 . 
         [0015]    A first side panel  30  is attached to the top panel  14  along a fourth fold line  32 . Attached to the first side panel  30  along a fifth fold line  34  is a first front flap  36 . First front flap  36  and tab  26  are detachably connected along a first cut line  38 . A slot  40  is located along fifth fold line  34 . Attached to the first side panel  30  along a sixth fold line  41  is a first back flap  43 . 
         [0016]    Attached along a seventh fold line  42  to top panel  14  is a second back flap  44 . The second back flap  44  includes a stepped portion  46 . Attached along an eight fold line  48  to the first back flap  44  is a first back tab  50 . 
         [0017]    A second side panel  52  is attached along a ninth fold line  54  to the top panel  14 . Attached to the second side panel  52  along a tenth fold line  56  is a third back flap  58 . Attached to the second side panel  52  along an eleventh fold line  60  is a second front flap  62 . Second front flap  62  and second tab  27  are detachably connected along a second cut line  64 . A slot  66  is located along the eleventh fold line  60 . 
         [0018]    A bottom panel  68  is attached along a twelfth fold line  70  to the second side panel  52 . Attached to the bottom panel  68  along a thirteenth perforated fold line  72  is a detachable panel  74 . The detachable panel  74  includes at its outer edge  76  a pair of tabs  78  that cooperate with slots  24  as will be described below. Tabs  78  are attached to the outer edge  76  along fold lines  79 . The bottom panel  68  also includes a cutout  80  formed by perforated line  82 . 
         [0019]    Attached along a fourteenth fold line  84  to bottom panel  68  is a fourth back flap  86 . The fourth back flap  86  includes a stepped portion  88  that cooperates with stepped portion  46  to form the back of the dispenser tray  12 . Attached along a fifteenth fold line  90  to the fourth back flap  86  is a second back tab  92 . Attached to the bottom panel  68  along a sixteenth fold line  94  is a glue panel  96 . 
         [0020]    The embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  is very similar to that of  FIG. 1 . However, in  FIG. 5 , tabs  26  and  27  are slightly small than the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . Moreover, the second and third fold lines  28  and  29  attaching first and second tabs  26  and  27  to the front panel  18  each include a notched portion  100 . 
         [0021]    To construct the dispenser tray  12 , the first side panel  30 , top panel  14 , second side panel  52 , and bottom panel  68  are folded inward along fold lines  32 ,  54 , and  70 . The first tab  26  and second tab  27  and are separated along cut lines  38  and  64 , respectively. First tab  26  is folded inwardly along fold line  28  and second tab  27  is folded inwardly along fold line  29 . First front flap  36  is folded inwardly along fold line  34 . Second front flap  62  is folded inwardly along fold line  60 . Front panel  18  is folded inwardly along fold line  16 . Detachable panel  74  is folded inwardly along fold line  72 . Second and fourth back flaps  44  and  86  are folded inwardly along fold lines  42  and  84 . First and third back flaps  43  and  58  are folded inwardly along fold lines  41  and  56 . First and second back tabs  50  and  92  are folded inwardly along fold lines  48  and  90 . Glue panel  96  is folded inwardly along fold line  94 . 
         [0022]    The first, second, third, and fourth back flaps  43 ,  44 ,  58  and  86 , and first and second back tabs  50  and  92  auto-erect to form a back wall  98  of die tray  12 . The second and fourth back flaps  44  and  86  meet such that the stepped portions  46  and  88  intersect. First and second back tabs  50  and  92  are glued to the inner surfaces of the second and fourth back flaps  44  and  86 . First and third back flaps  43  and  58  are glued to the inner surface of the first and second back tabs  50  and  92 . 
         [0023]    First and second front flaps  36  and  62  are folded inwardly until substantially perpendicular to top panel  14 , as is front panel  18 . Tab  26  is inserted into slot  40 . Tab  27  is inserted into slot  66 . Tabs  78  are inserted into slots  24 . Glue panel  96  is glued to the inner surface of the first side panel  30 . This is a closed position for the tray  12  as shown in  FIG. 2 . When constructed the dispenser tray  12  includes the back wall  98  described above, a removable front wall  100  formed by the detachable panel  74 , a top wall  102  formed by top panel  14 , a bottom wall  104  formed by the bottom panel  68 , and side walls  106  formed by first and second side panels  30  and  52 . 
         [0024]    For use, the detachable panel  74  is removed along perforations  72  and  82 , and the tabs  78  removed from slots  24 . The dispenser tray  12  is shown in  FIG. 3  with the detachable panel  74  removed, exposing the front panel  18 , and creating cutout  80  in the bottom panel  68 . Cutout  80  allows better access to lenses  108  within the tray  12  ( FIG. 4 ). Tabs  20  retain the lenses within the tray  12  until removed by the user. The tray  12  can be mounted on a wall or in a holder (not shown) such that the tray  12  can be easily replaced when the supply of glasses or frames therein is exhausted. 
         [0025]    While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1