Patent ID: 7213722

Claim:
A dispenser for items of merchandise comprising: a housing for storing a plurality of the items, said housing having: a top end, a bottom end; opposing sides, a front and a back; an entrance opening defined proximate the top end of the housing for inserting said items into the housing; a discharge opening defined in the front of the housing and proximate the bottom end thereof for removing said items out from the housing; an arcuate passageway formed in the housing; said passageway arising in the entrance opening and terminating in the discharge opening; and a flexible one-way retaining member having a first end fixedly mounted on the housing proximate the entrance opening; said retaining member further having a free end that always projects into the passageway and toward the discharge opening; said free end being adapted to substantially prevent any of the previously inserted items from being withdrawn from the housing through the entrance opening.