Abstract:
A dispenser for dispensing small items such as pieces of candy is disclosed herein. The dispenser includes an outer housing and an inner housing slidably coupled to the outer housing, the outer housing and the inner housing defining a main cavity thereinbetween. The dispenser includes a pocket within the inner housing that can be separated from the main cavity by slidable movement of the inner housing with respect to the outer housing. The outer housing includes a divider for at least substantially blocking off the pocket from the main cavity when the inner housing moves from a closed position to an open position such that small items cannot enter the pocket. When the inner housing is in the closed position, a small item can enter the pocket but cannot be accessed from outside the small item dispenser, and, when the inner housing is in the open position, the pocket can be accessed from outside the small item dispenser without small items being able to enter the pocket from the main cavity.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to dispensers. More particularly, the present invention relates to dispensers for dispensing small items such as pieces of candy. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Containers for storing and dispensing small items such as tablets or pieces of candy are well known. Some examples of small item dispensers may include a removable screw top, a peelable seal, a slidable cover, or a snap-fit cap or opening. Once these closures are opened, the items within the containers may be freely poured from the container. One problem often encountered with the dispensers found in the art is that their designs make it difficult for users to control the amount of items to be dispensed from the container. A person wanting one, two, or a few tablets or pieces of candy often has a difficult time controlling the amount of items dispensed from the container and usually has to resort to discarding the unwanted pieces. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a dispenser adapted for easily dispensing small items such as pieces of candy. In one example embodiment, the dispenser includes an outer housing and an inner housing slidably coupled to the outer housing, the outer housing and the inner housing defining a main cavity thereinbetween. The dispenser includes a pocket within the inner housing that can be separated from the main cavity by slidable movement of the inner housing with respect to the outer housing. The outer housing includes a divider for at least substantially blocking off the pocket from the main cavity when the inner housing moves from a closed position to an open position such that small items cannot enter the pocket when the inner housing is in the open position. When the inner housing is in the closed position, a small item can enter the pocket but cannot be accessed from outside the small item dispenser, and, when the inner housing is in the open position, the pocket can be accessed from outside the small item dispenser without small items being able to enter the pocket from the main cavity. 
         [0004]    Examples representative of a variety of inventive aspects are set forth in the description that follows. The inventive aspects relate to individual features as well as combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description merely provide examples of how the inventive aspects may be put into practice, and are not intended to limit the broad spirit and scope of the inventive aspects. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a dispenser in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 , the internal features of the dispenser shown with hidden lines; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a right side elevational view of the dispenser of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7A  is a close-up view of a portion of the dispenser of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7B  illustrates the dispenser of  FIG. 7  in an open position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of an outer housing of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 , the internal features of the outer housing shown with hidden lines; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a right side elevational view of the outer housing of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a front elevational view of the outer housing of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the outer housing of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  is a bottom plan view of the outer housing of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  is a rear perspective view of an inner housing of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 15  is a right side elevational view of the inner housing of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 16  is a rear elevational view of the inner housing of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 17  is a front elevational view of the inner housing of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 18  is a top plan view of the inner housing of  FIG. 14 ; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 19  is a bottom plan view of the inner housing of  FIG. 14 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]      FIGS. 1-8  illustrate a dispenser  10  in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The dispenser  10  includes an outer housing  12  and an inner housing  14 . The outer housing  12  is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 9-13  and the inner housing  14  is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 14-19 . The inner housing  14  is configured to be inserted into the outer housing  12  after being loaded with small items  18  to be dispensed. As will be discussed in further detail below, when the dispenser  10  is assembled, the inner housing  14  is configured to slide with respect to the outer housing  12  for individually dispensing the small items  18  stored within the dispenser. 
         [0027]    It will be appreciated that a variety of different types of items  18  can be dispensed from the dispenser  10  (see  FIG. 7B ). Preferred items  18  include pieces of candy. In one embodiment, the pieces of a candy can include pieces of hard candy. In a preferred embodiment, the items  18  can include liquid filled (e.g., mint filled) candy. In one example embodiment, the items  18  can include balls or spheres of candy including outer gelatin coatings and an inner liquid candy filling (e.g., a mint filling). 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 9-13 , the outer housing  12  includes a generally rectangular configuration with a top wall  16 , a bottom wall  20 , a rear wall  22 , a right sidewall  24 , a left sidewall  26 , and an open front end  28 . The right and left sidewalls  24 ,  26  define major sides of the outer housing  12 . As defined herein, the term “major side of the outer housing” is a side having a larger surface area than the other sides of the outer housing  12 . 
         [0029]    The outer housing  12  includes a dispensing opening  30  defined at the bottom wall  20 . The dispensing opening  30  is used for dispensing items  18  stored within the dispenser  10 . The outer housing  12  also includes a divider  32  extending from the rear wall  22  toward the front open end  28 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the divider  32  includes a first longer portion  34  and a second rearwardly offset shorter portion  36 . The longer portion  34  is configured to extend over the dispensing opening  30 . The longer portion  34  is adjacent the right sidewall  24  of the outer housing  12 . The shorter portion  36  is located between the longer portion  34  and the left sidewall  26  of the outer housing  12 . As will be discussed in further detail below, when the inner housing  14  is slidably moved relative to the outer housing  12 , the divider  32  is configured to separate one small item from a remainder of the plurality of small items within the dispenser  10  in dispensing that single item. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , in the depicted embodiment, the longer portion  34  of the divider  32  includes a pointed tip  38 . The pointed tip  38  is configured to facilitate the separation of two adjacent small items  18  as the inner housing  14  is slid with respect to the outer housing  12 . For example, in an embodiment housing small items  18  that include balls or spheres of candy, the pointed tip  38  follows the outer contour of the small items  18  and facilitates separating the items. 
         [0031]    Still referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the open front end  28  of the outer housing  12  defines a generally curved shape  40  that is concave toward the rear end  42  of the outer housing  12 . As will be discussed in further detail below, the curvature of the open front end  28  allows the inner housing  14  of the dispenser  10  to be exposed to the outside of the dispenser  10  at a front end  44  of the dispenser. In this manner, the inner housing  14  can be grasped, squeezed, and slidably moved with respect to the outer housing  12  for dispensing small items  18  from the dispenser  10 . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , the outer housing  12  defines an upper lip  46  and a lower lip  48  adjacent the open front end  28  of the outer housing  12 . In assembling the dispenser  10 , once the inner housing  14  is inserted within the outer housing  12 , the upper and the lower lips  46 ,  48  are configured to contact portions of the inner housing  14  to prevent the inner housing  14  from separating from the outer housing  12  (see  FIGS. 7 and 7A ). And, once the dispenser  10  is assembled, the inner housing  14  is biased toward the open front end  28  of the outer housing  12 . 
         [0033]    Now referring to  FIGS. 14-19 , the inner housing  14  includes a top wall  50 , a rear wall  52 , a right sidewall  54 , a left sidewall  56 , a front wall  58 , and a bottom wall  60 . The left sidewall  56  defines a major side of the inner housing  14 . As defined herein, the term “major side of the inner housing” is a side having a larger surface area than the other sides of the inner housing  14 . 
         [0034]    The inner housing  14  defines a main cavity  62  for storing the small items  18  to be dispensed by the dispenser  10 . In the depicted embodiment, the main cavity  62  includes portions extending all the way from the rear wall  52  to the front wall  58  and from the top wall  50  to a bottom side  64  of the inner housing  14 . As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , a portion  66  of the main cavity  62  is tucked behind the right sidewall  54  of the dispenser  10 , communicating with the front wall  58  of the dispenser  10 . 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  6 , and  7 , the front wall  58  and portions of the right sidewall  54  and the left sidewall  56  of the inner housing  14  protrude out from the outer housing  12  when the dispenser  10  is assembled. The protruding portion of the inner housing  14  defines a button  68  that is configured to be pressed to slide the inner housing  14  rearwardly with respect to the outer housing  12  in dispensing small items. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 ,  14 , and  15 , the rear wall  52  of the inner housing  14  includes biasing members  70  extending out therefrom. When the dispenser  10  is assembled (i.e., when the inner housing  14  is slidably placed within the outer housing  12 ), the biasing members  70  contact the rear wall  22  of the outer housing  12  and bias the inner housing  14  toward the open front end  28  of the outer housing  12 . In the depicted embodiment, the rear wall  52  of the inner housing  14  defines a curved configuration for accommodating the biasing members  70  when the biasing members  70  flex inwardly after contacting the rear wall  22  of the outer housing  12 . 
         [0037]    As discussed previously and as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 7A , the front button portion  68  of the inner housing  14  includes indentations  72  adjacent the top and bottom ends thereof. The indentations  72  include vertical surfaces  73  configured to make contact with the lips  46 ,  48  of the outer housing  12  to keep the inner housing  14  within the outer housing  12 . In this manner, even though the inner housing  14  is biased toward the open front end  28  of the outer housing  12 , the inner housing  14  stays positioned within the outer housing  12 . 
         [0038]    When the inner housing  14  is at a frontmost position with respect to the outer housing  12 , the dispenser  10  can be referred to herein as being in a closed position. In the closed position of the dispenser  10 , small items  18  are not accessible from outside the dispenser  10 . The closed position is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  6 , and  7 . The inner housing  14  can be slidably moved to an open position (i.e., small item dispensing position) by squeezing the front button portion  68  of the inner housing  14  toward the rear of the outer housing  12 . The open position (see  FIG. 7B ) of the dispenser  14  may be defined as the position wherein small items  18  are accessible from an outside of the dispenser  10 . 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the main cavity  62  defines a narrower channel portion  76  as the main cavity  62  extends toward the bottom end  64  of the inner housing  14 . The channel  76  defines an open end  78  at the bottom end  64  of the inner housing  14 . The rear wall  52  of the inner housing  14  defines a slit  80  communicating with the channel portion  76 . As will be discussed in further detail below, the slit  80  is configured to accommodate the divider  32  of the outer housing  12  when the inner housing  14  is slidably moved toward the rear end of the outer housing  12 . In this manner, the divider  32  can separate a small item  18  to be dispensed from the remainder of the small items in the channel  76 . 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 15 , in the depicted embodiment, the channel  76  defines a width W C . In one example embodiment, the width W C  of the channel  76  is sized such that only a single column of items  18  can be provided within the channel  76  in a widthwise direction from front to rear. For example, in one embodiment, the width W C  is less than two times the diameter of the items  18  (e.g., spheres) held within the dispenser  10 . In a preferred embodiment, the width W C  is only slightly larger than the diameter of the items  18  held within the dispenser  10 . 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIGS. 16 and 17 , in the depicted embodiment, the channel  76  is also preferably sized to hold only a single layer of items in a direction extending from the right side to the left side of the dispenser  10 . In the depicted embodiment, the channel  76  defines a depth D C  that is sized such that only a single layer of items  18  can be provided within the channel  76 . For example, in one embodiment, the depth D C  is less than two times the diameter of the items  18  (e.g., spheres) held within the dispenser  10 . In a preferred embodiment, the depth D C  is only slightly larger than the diameter of the items  18  held within the dispenser  10 . 
         [0042]    Still referring to  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the inner housing  14  includes a bulkhead  82  with an angled surface  84  adjacent the left sidewall  56  of the inner housing  14  (see also  FIGS. 14 and 15 ). The angled surface  84  is configured to direct small items  18  toward a narrower depth portion  63  of the main cavity  62  adjacent the channel  76 . With gravity, the angled surface  84  of the bulkhead  82  directs small items  18  from an upper portion  61  of the main cavity  62  that can support multiple layers toward the channel  76  that preferably holds only a single layer of small items  18 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the inner housing  14  also defines a funnel structure  86  for directing small items  18  toward the channel  76  from the front and rear ends of the dispenser  10 . As shown, the rear wall  52  includes a curved portion  88  configured for directing items from the upper wider portion  61  of the main cavity  62  toward the channel  76 . In addition, adjacent the front end of the inner housing  14 , the inner housing  14  includes a second bulkhead  90  with an angled surface  92  extending downwardly from the front wall  58  to the channel  76 . The angled surface  92  is configured to direct small items  18  from the upper wider portion  61  of the main cavity  62  toward the channel  76 . The angled surface  92  and the curved portion  88  of the rear wall  52  together form the funnel structure  86  of the inner housing  14 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 14 , the main cavity  62  of the inner housing  14  includes an open right side  94 . Small items  18  can be loaded into the main cavity  62  of the inner housing  14  from the right side  94  when the inner housing  14  is separated from the outer housing  12 . Once the small items  18  are loaded, the inner housing  14  is inserted into the outer housing  12  from the open front end  28  of the outer housing  12 . 
         [0045]    Once the dispenser  10  is assembled, the open right side  94  of the inner housing  14  is closed off by the right sidewall  24  of the outer housing  12 . The open end  78  of the channel  76  is also closed off by the bottom wall  20  of the outer housing  12  when the inner housing  14  is at the closed position (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). When the dispenser  10  is assembled, a pocket  96  is defined adjacent the bottom end  78  of the channel  76 . Although the pocket  96  can be sized to hold any number of small items  18  (depending upon the size of the small items stored in the dispenser), according to one preferred embodiment, the pocket  96  is sized relative to the small items  18  such that it can hold exactly one small item  18 . In such an embodiment, as depicted, the dispenser  10  allows the items  18  to be individually dispensed. 
         [0046]    As discussed above, when the dispenser  10  is held in a vertical orientation such that gravity acts on the small items  18 , the small items in the main cavity  62  are directed or funneled toward the channel  76 , with one small item  18   a  ending up in the pocket  96 . When the inner housing  14  is slidably moved with respect to the outer housing  12 , the pocket  96  is moved and aligns with the dispensing opening  30  of the outer housing  12 . As the inner housing  14  is slid, the divider  32  of the outer housing  12  moves through the slit  80  and closes off the pocket  96  from the rest of the main cavity  62 . The divider  32  moves between the small item  18   a  to be dispensed and an adjacent small item  18  in the channel  76 . Once the divider  32  moves past the small item  18   a  to be dispensed, the pocket  96  is sealed from the rest of the main cavity  62 . Other small items  18  cannot enter the pocket  96  until the pocket  96  is opened again by the biased movement of the inner housing  14  with respect to the outer housing  12 . 
         [0047]    When the inner housing  14  is normally in the closed position (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ), an item  18  can enter the pocket  96  of the channel  76  from the main cavity  62 , but is not accessible from outside the dispenser  10 . When the inner housing  14  is moved against bias to the open position (see  FIG. 7B ), the dispensing opening  30  aligns with the pocket  96  such that an item  18   a  within the pocket  96  can be dispensed through the opening  30 , with the divider  32  of the outer housing  12  preventing other small items  18  from entering the pocket  96 . In this manner, by slidably moving the inner housing  14  back and forth between the closed and open positions, multiple items  18  can be dispensed, preferably, one at a time, through the opening  30 . 
         [0048]    Although in the foregoing description of the small item dispenser  10 , terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “right”, and “left” were used for ease of description and illustration, no restriction is intended by such use of the terms. 
         [0049]    The above specification provides examples of how certain inventive aspects may be put into practice. It will be appreciated that the inventive aspects can be practiced in other ways than those specifically shown and described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive aspects.