Patent ID: 7278554

Claim:
A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a product from a container located therein which is provided with a valve assembly having a valve and a depressable actuator for actuating the valve, comprising: a housing having a backing plate and a cover plate pivotally connected to said backing plate, said cover plate being moveable with respect to said backing plate from an open, container-loading position to a closed, non-dispensing position and to a closed, product-dispensing position, said cover plate and said backing plate together forming a cavity adapted to enclose and hold the container; an opening in a bottom portion of said housing through which the product is dispensable; and a connecting member attached to an inner surface of said cover plate and extending into said cavity formed by said cover plate and said backing plate so as to engage the depressable actuator, said connecting member positioned and configured so that movement of said cover plate from the closed, non-dispensing position to the closed, product-dispensing position in a first generally horizontal direction causes movement of the depressable actuator in a second generally vertically upward direction to actuate the valve and dispense product from said opening, wherein said connecting member includes a cam surface and the depressable actuator includes a cam follower, said cam surface and the cam follower cooperating such that said cam surface engages the cam follower to move the depressable actuator in the second direction when said cover plate is moved in the first direction.