Patent Description:
Plaster dispensers are generally known from the prior art. For example, <CIT> S1 describes a plaster dispenser with a front area and two sidewalls defining a space in which a plaster pack can be placed. However, empty plaster packs can only be removed with quite some effort, while the plaster dispenser is further complicated to produce.

<CIT>discloses a plaster dispenser for moving plasters individually from a plaster pack including several plasters.

<CIT> relates to a storage receptable for multiple adhesive bandage pack including front and rear walls joined at their lower extremities.

In <CIT> a plaster dispenser is disclosed which is constructed as a box fastened to a wall.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a plaster dispenser such that its production is cost effective and particularly easy, while further exchanging plaster packs is made as effortless as possible.

The objective is solved by a plaster dispenser for removing plasters individually from a plaster pack, wherein the dispenser has an inner space for accommodating the plaster pack. According to the invention, the dispenser consists of two walls being a front wall and a rear wall creating the inner space for accommodating the plaster pack. In other words, the dispenser only consists of the front wall and the rear wall. The dispenser does not comprise side walls for confining the inner space. The inner space is thus confined in its thickness direction by the front wall and the rear wall, while it is open to both sides in its width direction. This results in the great advantage that an empty plaster pack can easily be removed to the side.

The dispenser is also open to the lower side such as to insert a new plaster pack. Since gravity acts downwardly, the plaster pack is securely held by the dispenser. To remove an empty plaster pack, it can be pushed to the upper side and then swiped to the left or to the right side where the dispenser is configured open and thus be removed. Since the dispenser is only configured of the front and the rear wall, it can be constructed easily in only one injection molding step which significantly improves its manufacturing. The entire plaster dispenser is advantageously made of one piece and one material, e.g., from plastic, which considerably makes its production easy and cost effective.

The front wall can be slightly curved while the rear wall can be configured plane. Especially, the rear wall is shorter than the front wall. In particular, the length of the rear wall is less than <NUM> %, more preferred less than <NUM> %, of a length of the front wall.

The front wall and the rear wall can enclose an angle which can be between <NUM>° and <NUM>°, preferably between <NUM>° and <NUM>°. If the front wall is curved the angle can be still determined by placing an imaginary line between the ends of the respective wall in length direction and determining the angle between those.

According to the invention, the free edge of the rear wall has an inwardly projecting rear shoulder projecting into the inner shape. The rear shoulder can further project outwardly such that when the dispenser is fastened at a wall, particular at an upper or middle part of the dispenser, the rear wall is at an angle to the wall. The angle is preferably between <NUM>° and <NUM>°, most preferred between <NUM>° and <NUM>°.

The rear wall with its rear shoulder at its free edge can have a T-shape in cross section of the dispenser. The rear shoulder can in a cross section of the dispenser be at a right angle to the rear wall. The cross section can be in thickness direction.

Particular, a part of the rear shoulder projects outwardly while another part projects inwardly. Especially, the part projecting outwardly is longer than the part projecting inwardly. In other words, the rear shoulder projects further outwardly than inwardly.

Especially the length of the part of the rear shoulder projecting outwardly in a cross section of the dispenser is at least twice as long as the part of the rear shoulder projecting inwardly.

According to the invention, the free edge of the front wall has an inwardly protruding front shoulder projecting into the inner space. Further, the front shoulder does preferably not protrude outwardly. The front wall with its front shoulder at its free edge can have an L-shape in cross section of the dispenser. The front shoulder in a cross section of the dispenser can be at a right angle to the front wall. According to the invention, a first edge of the plaster pack is engageable with the rear shoulder of the plaster dispenser, while a second edge of the plaster pack is engageable with the front shoulder of the plaster dispenser such that the plaster pack is securely held.

The length of the part of the rear shoulder protruding inwardly is at least a tenth, more particular at least an eighth of the length of the rear wall. The length is at most a quarter of the length of the rear wall.

The length of the front shoulder protruding inwardly especially in a cross section of the dispenser is at most one eighth of the length of the front shoulder and/or at least one thirtieth of its length.

The front wall as well as the rear wall each have at least one opening for fastening means for fastening the dispenser on the wall. Especially, the front wall has an opening for each opening of the rear wall. These openings are aligned such that the dispenser can be fastened on a wall for example by fastening means, such as screws. Especially, the front wall and the rear wall can each have two openings.

The rear wall can have a circumferential projection around each opening protruding outwardly for ensuring that the rear wall is at an angle to a wall at which the dispenser can be fastened. Furthermore, the circumferential projection can serve for guiding the fastening means which serve to fasten the dispenser at the wall.

The front wall can have a recess for providing improved access to the inner space and thus to the plaster pack. The recess is preferably arranged in the middle of the front wall in its width direction. It can extend at least along a seventh of the width of the front wall. Especially, the width of the front wall and the rear wall is the same.

Furthermore, the rear front can have a recess. The recess is preferably arranged in the middle of the rear wall in its width direction. The recess can be larger than the recess of the front wall. It can extend at least along a quarter of the width of the rear wall.

The recess of the front wall and/or the rear wall can be disposed such that it divides the free end of the respective wall as well as the respective shoulder into two parts. The shoulder is not disposed in the area in which the recess is disposed. The rear shoulder and/or the front shoulder extends continuously along at least <NUM> %, preferably along <NUM> %, most preferred along <NUM> % of the width of the dispenser, except for the recess.

In a further aspect of the invention, it relates to a system of a plaster dispenser and a plaster pack. The plaster dispenser is configured according to any of the features as described above.

The plaster pack is preferably essentially box-shaped. It is configured to at least in part fit into the inner space of the dispenser. The plaster pack has a first edge on a first side to engage with the rear shoulder. Alternatively or additionally, the plaster pack can have a second edge on a second side to engage with the front shoulder of the plaster dispenser. The two sides of the plaster pack are preferably at different sides of the plaster pack in thickness direction.

The first edge is engageable with the rear shoulder of the plaster dispenser, while the second edge is engageable with the front shoulder of the plaster dispenser. In this way the plaster pack is held such that it does not fall out of the dispenser. An engagement can mean that the at least one edge lies on at least one shoulder. Furthermore, both edges can lie on a shoulder respectively. This secures the plaster pack in the inner space despite of the fact that the inner space is open to the downward direction and thus the direction of gravity. In other words, the engagement prevents the plaster pack from falling out of the dispenser. The plaster pack, especially when empty, however, can still be lifted to the upper direction, thus against gravity, such that it is unengaged and can be slid to the side.

The first and/or the second edge can be configured as a wall of a protrusion or an intrusion into the plaster pack. Further, the plaster pack can have a constriction which creates the edge.

In schematic representation, the figures show:.

<FIG> shows a perspective representation of a plaster dispenser <NUM> which has a front wall <NUM> and a rear wall <NUM>, wherein the rear wall <NUM> is considerably shorter than the front wall <NUM>.

The front wall <NUM> as well as the rear wall <NUM> have two ends in their respective length direction, at one end of which they are connected to each other, as well as a respective free end. The front wall <NUM> has a free end 11a and the rear wall <NUM> has a free end 13a. At the free end 11a of the front wall, <NUM> the front shoulder <NUM> is disposed, while at the free end 13a of the rear wall <NUM>, the rear shoulder <NUM> is disposed.

Between the front wall <NUM> and the rear wall <NUM>, an inner space <NUM> is formed which is open to the downward side in <FIG> as well as to both sides of the dispenser <NUM>, since the plaster dispenser <NUM> does not have side walls. The front wall <NUM> has a front shoulder <NUM> at its edge, in other words at its free end 11a.

The front wall <NUM> has a recess for an improved access to the inner space <NUM> which can accommodate a plaster pack <NUM>. The front shoulder <NUM> is divided by the recess <NUM> into two parts. The rear wall <NUM> also has a recess <NUM> which divides the rear shoulder <NUM> into two parts.

The front wall <NUM> as well as the rear wall <NUM> have openings <NUM> for allowing fastening means to fasten the plaster dispenser <NUM> at a wall. The front wall <NUM> can have reinforcement bars <NUM> reinforcing the rear shoulder <NUM>.

In <FIG> a side view of the plaster dispenser <NUM> of <FIG> is shown. Since there is no side wall, the inner space <NUM> can be well seen. Furthermore, the front wall <NUM> which is slightly curved and the rear wall <NUM> can be seen which at its free ends, namely at its edges, have the front shoulder <NUM> and the rear shoulder <NUM>.

The front shoulder <NUM> protrudes inwardly into the inner space <NUM>, while the rear shoulder <NUM> protrudes inwardly as well as outwardly. The rear shoulder <NUM> forms a T of the edge of the rear wall <NUM>. It has a first part 16a protruding outwardly and a second part 16b protruding inwardly. The first part 16a is protruding farther outwardly than the second part 16b is protruding inwardly.

Furthermore, around the openings <NUM> in the rear wall <NUM>, circumferential projections <NUM> protrude outwardly (see also <FIG>). Furthermore, in <FIG> it can be seen that the length <NUM> of the front wall <NUM> is far greater than the length <NUM> of the rear wall <NUM>. In addition, it can be seen that the two walls have an angle <NUM> which they enclose.

<FIG> shows an imaginary wall <NUM> to which the dispenser <NUM> can be fastened. The rear wall <NUM> and the wall <NUM> have an angle <NUM> which they enclose.

In <FIG> a side view from below onto the dispenser of <FIG> is shown. The front shoulder <NUM> as well as rear shoulder <NUM> can be viewed easily as well as the recesses <NUM> which divide the respective shoulders into two parts. Further, the openings <NUM> in the front wall <NUM> can well be seen. Further, <FIG> shows the width <NUM> of both the front wall <NUM> and the rear wall <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a system between a plaster dispenser <NUM> and a plaster pack <NUM>. The plaster pack <NUM> protrudes into the inner space <NUM> between the front wall <NUM> and the rear wall <NUM> of the plaster dispenser <NUM>, which is configured according to <FIG>.

Claim 1:
A plaster dispenser (<NUM>) for removing plasters individually from a plaster pack (<NUM>),
wherein the dispenser (<NUM>) has an inner space (<NUM>) for accommodating the plaster pack (<NUM>),
wherein
the dispenser (<NUM>) consists of two walls being a front wall (<NUM>) and a rear wall (<NUM>) creating the inner space (<NUM>) for the plaster pack (<NUM>).
characterized in that
the free edge (13a) of the rear wall (<NUM>) has an inwardly protruding rear shoulder (<NUM>) projecting into the inner space (<NUM>),
wherein the free edge (11a) of the front wall (<NUM>) has an inwardly protruding front shoulder (<NUM>) projecting into the inner space (<NUM>), and
wherein the rear shoulder (<NUM>) is engageable with a first edge of the plaster pack (<NUM>) and the front shoulder (<NUM>) is engageable with a second edge of the plaster pack (<NUM>) such that the plaster pack (<NUM>) is securely held.