Abstract:
A dispenser cartridge receptacle is disclosed comprising: a body having a rear face, a front face, a top and a bottom; a tab member disposed opposite said front face and attached thereto by a tab offset member; and two side extensions, each having a top and a bottom, extending outwardly from said front face; wherein said front face and two side extensions define a cavity therebetween for receiving dispenser cartridges therein.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to the field of dispensers for consumable products, and more specifically to the field of dispenser systems for dispensing protective coverings.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The subject invention is directed to a new and useful dispenser package receptacle, a dispenser package and a standoff mount for the package. The subject invention also relates to methods for dispensing items from dispenser packages using dispenser package receptacles.  
         [0003]     A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a dispenser cartridge receptacle having a body having: a rear face, a front face, a top and a bottom; a tab member disposed opposite the front face and attached thereto by a tab offset member; and two side extensions, each having a top and a bottom, extending outwardly from the front face; wherein the front face and two side extensions define a central cavity therebetween for receiving dispenser cartridges therein.  
         [0004]     The dispenser cartridge receptacle may also include an inner finger extending outwardly from each of the side extensions; and an inner receiving groove defined by one of the side extensions, the inner finger of the side extension, a portion of the front face adjacent to the one of the side extensions, the tab member offset and a portion of the tab member opposite the portion of the front face. The inner receiving groove may have a width of approximately 10.4 centimeters.  
         [0005]     The dispenser cartridge receptacle may also have an outer finger extending outwardly from each of the side extensions and an outer receiving groove defined by the outer and inner fingers of the side extensions and the tab member. The outer receiving groove may have a width of approximately 24.3 centimeters.  
         [0006]     Another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cartridge standoff mount adapted to be received into a dispenser cartridge receptacle, having: a base member having top and bottom surfaces; at least two front surfaces having undersides and top sides, the front surfaces being attached to the top surface of the base member by inner vertical members disposed between the undersides of the front surfaces and the top surface of the base member; the front surfaces further having extensions which extend beyond the inner vertical members and being substantially parallel to the top surface of the base member; a central channel defined by the front surface extensions, the inner vertical members and the top surface of the base member; and a top slot defined by adjacent ones of the top surface extensions.  
         [0007]     The cartridge standoff mount may also have an outer vertical members extending downwardly from the underside of the top surfaces and spaced apart from inner vertical members and a pass through channel defined by one of the undersides of the top surfaces, and the outer and inner vertical members extending from the one of the top surfaces. The top slot may have a width of approximately 3 cm.  
         [0008]     The present invention also discloses a method of dispensing items from a cartridge containing items to be dispensed through an aperture in the cartridge having the steps of: providing a cartridge adapted for mounting in a cartridge receptacle and inserting the cartridge into a receptacle for receiving the cartridge so that the aperture is accessible to a user. In this embodiment, the cartridge receptacle, includes a body having a rear face, a front face, a top and a bottom; a tab member disposed opposite the front face and attached thereto by a tab offset member, the front face, tab offset member and tab member defining a slot therebetween; and two side extensions, each having a top and a bottom, extending outwardly from the front face; the front face and two side extensions defining a central cavity therebetween for receiving dispenser cartridges therein.  
         [0009]     The cartridge may receive the tab member in the step of inserting the cartridge into the receptacle, and the cartridge receptacle may further have: an inner finger extending outwardly from each of the side extensions; and an inner receiving groove defined by one of the side extensions, the inner finger of the side extension, a portion of the front face adjacent to the one of the side extensions, the tab member offset and a portion of the tab member opposite the portion of the front face.  
         [0010]     The cartridge may be inserted into the inner receiving groove in the step of inserting the cartridge into the receptacle, and the inner receiving groove may have a width of approximately 10.4 centimeters. Additionally, the cartridge receptacle may further have: an outer finger extending outwardly from each of the side extensions; and an outer receiving groove defined by the outer and inner fingers of the side extensions and the tab member. The cartridge may be inserted into the outer receiving groove in the step of inserting the cartridge into the receptacle. The outer receiving groove may have a width of approximately 24.3 centimeters.  
         [0011]     These and other aspects of the subject invention will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings described herein.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the subject invention pertains will more readily understand how to make and use the subject invention, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein with reference to the drawings.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a mounting structure of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the mounting structure of  FIG. 1  operatively attached to a product package.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a receptacle structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3B  is a wire-frame perspective view of a receptacle structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, including two cartridges mounted therein.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is top view of the receptacle structure of  FIGS. 3A and 3B .  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a mounting bracket of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a mounting bracket of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a dispenser cartridge of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a dispenser cartridge of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of another preferred embodiment of a dispenser cartridge of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a top view of the cartridge dispenser depicted in  FIGS. 7 and 8 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is a top view of the cartridge dispenser depicted in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.  
         [0026]     Generally speaking, the present invention includes a mounting structure, which may be operatively affixed to a product package. The mounting structure may then be operatively coupled to a receptacle structure, which is in turn affixed to a structure such as a chair, high chair, wall, table or the like.  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  depicts a mounting structure  1 , which includes two or more front faces  30 , side surfaces  32  and faces  35 . Central channel  10  runs transversely through mounting structure  1  and is defined by inner vertical members  33 , base member  31  and front surface extensions  36 , which extend from front surfaces  30  over a portion of base member  31 . Central channel  10  has two ends and is generally rectangular in cross section. It includes generally rectangular apertures  11  on each end and top slot  12  positioned opposite from base member  31 . Top slot  12  is formed between two or more front surfaces  30  and base member  31 . Base member  31  also has a bottom surface, not shown, which faces away from top slot  12 . This bottom surface effectively forms the underside of mounting structure  1 .  
         [0028]     Front surfaces  30  are fixedly attached to base member  31  by means of inner vertical members and angled faces  21 . Angled faces  21  may be formed at any angle relative to the plane of base member  31 , up to an including 90 degrees. Outer vertical members  34  extend downwardly from front surfaces  30 , forming pass through channels  40  between the outer vertical members  34  and inner vertical members  33 . Pass through channel opening  41  is formed in faces  35 .  
         [0029]     Mounting structure  1  is shown operatively attached to package  13  in  FIG. 2  on the underside of structure  1  (not shown). This attachment may be achieved by means of adhesive, hook-and-loop fabric, tape, or any other means which securely maintains mounting structure  1  in contact with package  13 . Alternatively, mounting structure  1  may be integrally formed with a package for dispensing items.  
         [0030]     With reference to  FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  4 , package  13  may be operatively attached to receptacle  50 , which may in turn be mounted on a surface, by sliding mounting structure  1  into central cavity  53  of receptacle  50 . Mounting structure  1  may then be retained in receptacle  50  by means of central channel  10 , which operatively mates with tab member  60 . Additionally, a bottom plate of receptacle  50  (not shown) may help to maintain package  13  in receptacle  50  by providing upward support to package  13 . Likewise, mounting structure  1  may include flanges or fingers on its side surfaces  32  (not shown) which operatively mate with inner slots  71  and/or outer slots  72  of receptacle  50 , thereby helping to maintain package  13  in receptacle  50 .  
         [0031]     Package  13  may be maintained on a surface without use of a receptacle by passing fastening means such as rope, string, tape, hook and loop fabric or the like through pass through channel opening  41  into pass through channel  40 , and then secured about a suitable structure such as a chair back or the like.  
         [0032]     Ultimately, receptacle  50  may accept and maintain any package configured to be operatively received and maintained by receptacle  50 .  
         [0033]      FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  4  depict a receptacle structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Receptacle structure  50  includes rear face (not shown) and front face  52 . A central cavity  53  is formed adjacent to front face  52  between side extensions  70 , which extend substantially perpendicularly from front face  52 . Each side extension  70  includes an outer finger  74  and inner finger  73  that extend substantially perpendicularly from side extension  70  into central cavity  53 . Inner slot  71  is formed between inner finger  73  and front face  52 . Outer slot  72  is formed between inner finger  73  and outer finger  74 . Outer slots  72  and inner slots  71  are open at the top of receptacle  50  and closed at the bottom.  
         [0034]     Tab member  60  is a generally planar member positioned substantially parallel to front face  52  and is maintained at a fixed distance from front face  52  by tab member offset  61 . Tab member slots  62  are formed between tab member  60 , tab member offset  61 , and front face  52 . Inner receiving grooves  63  are formed in the space defined by the combination of inner slots  71 , tab member slots  62  and the portion of front face  52  located therebetween. Outer receiving groove  64  is formed in the space between and including outer slots  72  and is further defined by the face of tab member  60 .  
         [0035]     A bottom plate (not shown) may be configured to generally conform to the shape of central cavity  53  and may include inner tabs and outer tabs which correspond to inner slot  71  and outer slot  72  respectively. The bottom plate may also includes a rear groove which conforms to tab member  61  and slots  62 . The bottom plate may be operatively placed within central cavity by inserting it at the top of receptacle  50  and downwardly sliding the bottom plate until it rests at the bottom of slots  71  and  72 , corresponding to the bottom of receptacle  50 . In this manner, the bottom plate may form a support surface for objects placed in receptacle  50 . Alternatively, the bottom plate may be integrally formed with or affixed to receptacle  50 .  
         [0036]     Receptacle  50  may also include mounting holes  81  formed in front face  52  and extending through to rear face  51  to permit direct mounting of the unit onto a surface such as a wall, chair back, or the like by means of screws, nails or similar means. Alternatively, mounting holes  81  may align with mounting holes  103  in tab  102  of mounting bracket  100 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . In such embodiments, mounting bracket  100  may include clamping member  101 . In operation, clamping member  101  is placed around any suitable structure such as a chair leg, chair arm post, column or the like. Thereafter, clamping bolts  104  may be passed through openings  105  and may be tightened to retain mounting bracket  100  securely on the structure to which it is mounted. Receptacle  50  may then be affixed to tab  102  by means of nut-and-bolt assemblies placed through mounting holes  81  and  103 . Alternatively, receptacle  50  may be adapted to clip or clamp onto tab  102 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 3B  shows two smaller sized cartridges, depicted in more detail in  FIGS. 7, 8  and  10 , disposed in inner receiving grooves  63 . Alternatively but not shown, a single, larger sized cartridge, depicted in more detail in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , may be disposed in outer receiving groove  64 . Because the inner receiving grooves  63  and outer receiving groove  64  are offset from one another (that is, they are not co-planar), a single receptacle  50  can alternately accommodate both sizes of cartridges. Furthermore, as previously discussed, packages may also be mounted on receptacle  50  by means of tab member  60 , and so receptacle  50  may accommodate no less than three types of packages and/or package mounts.  
         [0038]     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 through 11 , two preferred embodiments of the dispenser cartridge of the present invention are shown. Cartridge body  110  houses the articles to be dispensed from the cartridge. Mounting structure  112  is fixed to the bottom of cartridge body  110  via mounting structure supports  116 . At either end of mounting structure  112  are slots  120 , formed between cartridge body  110 , mounting structure supports  116  and ends  114 . The dispenser cartridge depicted in  FIGS. 7, 8  and  10  may be inserted into the inner receiving groove of a dispenser cartridge receptacle by placing ends  114  in inner slots  71  of the structure of  FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  4  and accepting inner finger  73  of that structure in slots  120 . Similarly, the dispenser cartridge of  FIGS. 10 and 11  may be inserted into the outer receiving groove of a dispenser cartridge receptacle by inserting ends  114  in outer slots  72  of the structure of  FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  4  and accepting outer finger  74  of that structure in slots  120 .  
         [0039]     Aperture  123  is located at the top of dispenser cartridge  110 , and includes membrane  122 , composed of a plastic, cellophane, or similar material. Membrane  122  includes slit  124  through which articles may be dispensed.  
         [0040]     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the pertinent art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects.