Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to dispensing devices and, more particularly, to a dispenser of cotton material in user-defined portions. With the present invention, a user is able to obtain cotton ball type material of selected sizes automatically upon the press of a button. 
     Cotton balls or swabs are most often used in the medical community during medical procedures, whether to apply a medicament such as iodine to a wound, to absorb fluids such as blood, or to wipe away unsanitary substances. Similarly, cotton balls are often used in the home environment for similar purposes. Cotton materials used for these purposes are often sold in packages of multiple predetermined size balls or in bulk form in which individual pieces must be torn off for use. 
     Although assumably effective for their intended use, both types of traditional packaging has its disadvantages. For instance, to obtain a single cotton ball from a package of cotton balls requires a user to physically handle multiple balls that may be stuck together and then return unneeded cotton balls to the package. Similarly with a bulk of cotton material, the entire bulk must be physically handled in order to tear off a desired quantity. In either case, the required handling of the cotton may introduce undesirable contamination to unused cotton balls or to the bulk of cotton. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to have a cotton dispenser that is powered and which dispenses the precise amount of cotton desired by a user. Further, it would be desirable to have a cotton dispenser that does not require any physical handling of stored cotton by a person. In addition, it would be desirable to have a cotton dispenser that enables a user to pre-load or re-load a spool of cotton into a housing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A cotton dispenser according to the present invention includes a spool configured to receive a cotton strand thereabout and that rotates when the cotton strand is unwound therefrom. The dispenser includes a feed assembly downstream from the spool configured to receive an end of the cotton strand and unwind it from the spool when actuated. A cutting assembly is downstream from the feed assembly and configured to receive the cotton strand from the feed assembly. The cutting assembly includes a blade movable from a retracted configuration not in contact with the cotton strand and an activated configuration that severs the received cotton strand. The cotton dispenser includes a discharge chute in operative communication with the cutting assembly for guiding severed cotton portions to an outlet opening. A first input switch is electrically configured to actuate the feeding assembly so long as the input button is depressed and to actuate the cutting assembly when released. 
     Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a powered cotton dispenser that enables a user to dispense a selected size or number of cotton portions at the press of a button. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a powered cotton dispenser, as aforesaid, that unwinds cotton from a pre-loaded spool so long as an input button is depressed and then automatically cuts the unwound portion when the input button is released. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide a powered cotton dispenser, as aforesaid, that selectively delivers a user-selected quantity of cotton or a predetermined quantity of cotton. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide a powered cotton dispenser, as aforesaid, that indicates when the pre-loaded supply of cotton is running low. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a powered cotton dispenser, as aforesaid, that enables a user to replace a pre-loaded cotton spool or to manually wind a new strand of cotton about an original spool. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide a powered cotton dispenser, as aforesaid, that is easy to use and cost-effective to manufacture. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cotton dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a sectional view taken along line  2   a - 2   a  of  FIG. 2   b;    
         FIG. 2   b  is a side view of the cotton dispenser as in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the cotton dispenser as in  FIG. 1  with the housing removed; 
         FIG. 4   a  is a front view of the cotton dispenser as in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4   b  is a sectional view taken along line  4   b - 4   b  of  FIG. 4   a;    
         FIG. 5  is an isolated perspective view of the feeding and cutting assemblies as in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating the operative and electronic components of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A cotton dispenser according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 6  of the accompanying drawings. The cotton dispenser  10  includes a spool  40 , a feed assembly  50 , and a cutting assembly  70 . With the cotton dispenser  10 , a strand of cotton (not shown) may be controllably removed from the spool  40 , cut into a desired size, and dispensed as described below. 
     The cotton dispenser  10  includes a housing  20  having a main portion  22  and a discharge chute  30 . The main portion  22  of the housing  20  includes a floor  24  with at least one side wall  26  extending upwardly therefrom such that the housing  20  defines an interior space. A removable access lid  28  is removably coupled to an upper edge of the side wall  26  such that the lid  28  prevents access to the interior space when in a closed configuration and enables access thereto when removed. It is understood that the lid  28  may be hingedly attached or coupled in a friction fit arrangement, snap fit arrangement, or the like. Access to the interior space enables replacement or replenishment of the spool  40  as will be described in greater detail later. 
     A base  42  having a circular configuration is rotatably mounted to the floor  24  of the main portion  22  of the housing  20 . Specifically, the base  42  is axially mounted to the housing floor  24  and is free to revolve about its axis when urged to do so as will be described later. In addition, the base  42  may include a plurality of bearings or similar rollers  44  spaced apart about a circumferential edge that may be in contact with the housing side wall  26  so as to enhance the smoothness and efficiency of rotation of the base  42 . 
     The spool  40  preferably includes a generally cylindrical configuration and is vertically coupled to the base  42 . The spool  40  is mounted in an upstanding or vertical configuration within the housing interior space ( FIG. 2   a ). The cylindrical configuration of the spool  40  enables an elongate strand of cotton to be wound thereabout and then unwound by a user during operation of the cotton dispenser  10 . The spool  40  and base  42  are rotated together as the cotton strand is unwound according to the description herein. It is understood that the spool  40  may be removably coupled to the base  42  such that the spool  40  may be selectively removed so that a user may wind a new strand of cotton thereabout or just replace the spool  40  with a pre-wound quantity of cotton. 
     The feed assembly  50  is situated downstream of the spool  40  ( FIGS. 2   a ,  3   a , and  5 ). The feed assembly  50  preferably includes a rotary motion feed configuration although a linear feed configuration would also work. More particularly, the feed assembly includes a pair of counter-rotating rollers  52  that are powered by a motor  60  and which essentially pinch the strand of cotton therebetween. When the pair of rollers  52  is actuated to rotate, the strand of cotton is continuously pulled from the spool through the rollers  52 . It is understood that an end of the cotton strand may have to be initially inserted into the rollers when a filled spool  40  is first inserted into the housing  20 , but remains pinched between the pair of rollers  52  after that. 
     The cotton dispenser  10  includes a motor  60  situated in the interior space of the housing  20 . The motor  60  is operatively and electrically connected to the feed assembly, such as with a gear train  46  ( FIG. 5 ). When the motor  60  is energized, the pair of rollers  52  is actuated to rotate and rotation thereof pulls the cotton strand therethrough. In other words, actuation of the rollers unwinds the cotton strand from the spool  40 , rotating the spool  40  as the cotton is unwound. 
     The cutting assembly  70  is situated downstream from the feed assembly  50 . Preferably, the cutting assembly  70  is immediately adjacent or even integrally constructed with the feed assembly  50  ( FIG. 5 ). Specifically, the cutting assembly  70  includes a blade  72  that is slidably movable between a retracted configuration not in contact with the cotton strand ( FIG. 5 ) and an activated configuration at which the strand of cotton pulled through the pair of rollers  52  is severed. The cutting assembly  70  further includes means for actuating the blade to move from the normally retracted configuration to the activated configuration. Preferably, the means for actuating the blade  72  is a solenoid  74  operatively coupled to the blade  72  opposite the blade sharp edge such that the solenoid  74  pushes the blade to the activated condition quickly, automatically, and with high velocity when the solenoid  74  is energized. 
     The discharge portion  30  of the housing  20  includes side walls  32  connected to the side wall  26  of the main portion  22 . The main portion  22  and discharge portion  30 , in fact, may be a unitary or integral construction ( FIG. 1 ). The walls of the discharge portion  30  define an opening, such as an open bottom  34  situated substantially in alignment with the downstream portion of the cutting assembly  70 . In other words, as portions of the strand of cotton are severed, they fall through the discharge portion opening  34 . 
     Preferably, the power source  76  is a battery although A/C power would also work. The housing  20  defines a battery compartment  29 —preferably below the floor  24  of the main portion  22  as shown in  FIG. 2   a  although other positions within the housing  20  would also work. The cotton dispenser  10  includes a first input switch  78  situated on the outside of the housing  20 , such as on the side wall  32  ( FIG. 1 ) so as to be conveniently accessible to a user. For embodiments having only a single input switch, the first input switch  78  may be referred simply as “an input switch.” The first input switch  78  is electrically connected to the power source  76 , motor  60 , and solenoid  74 . The first input switch  78  is configured, such as through wiring, circuitry, or processor programming to energize and to continue energizing the motor  60  when the switch is depressed and continues to be depressed. In other words, the motor  60  actuates the pair of rollers  44  to pull/unwind the strand of cotton from the spool  40  into the rollers  52  until the first input switch  78  is released. The first input switch  78  is also electrically connected to the solenoid  74  and configured, through wiring, circuitry, or programming to energize the solenoid  74  to activate when the first input switch  78  is released. It is well known in the art that when a solenoid is energized, its shaft is immediately and automatically extending outwardly or “popped out.” In the present case, activation of the solenoid  74  causes the blade  72  to be slidably moved so as to sever the strand of cotton that is extended from the feed assembly  50  past the blade  72 . When it is described above the first input switch  78  “energizes” the motor  60  or solenoid  74 , it is understood that the first input switch  78  may simply permit power from the power source  76  to be directed to the motor  60  or solenoid  74 , respectively, as indicated in the block diagram of  FIG. 8 . 
     In some embodiment, the cotton dispenser  10  may also include a second input switch  80  that is also electrically connected to the power source  76 , motor  60 , and solenoid  74 . However, the second input switch  80  is configured to energize the motor  60  to operate for a predetermined amount of time. In other words, a predetermined amount of the cotton strand would be unwound and fed through the pair of rollers  52  before the solenoid  74  would be energized to activate the blade  72 . The duration of motor activation may be regulated by a timer circuit  82  coupled to the second input switch  80 . In this embodiment, all of the cotton portions discharged through the discharge portion/chute  30  would be identical in weight, volume, and configuration. 
     In some embodiments, a photosensor  84  may be mounted inside the interior space of the housing  20  generally adjacent the spool  40 . The photosensor  84  may include a companion reflector  86  mounted opposite the main body of the photosensor  84  for reflecting a light back to the main body. In operation, the photosensor  84  may be positioned to detect when a predetermined level of the cotton strand has been removed. The photo sensor  84  may be electrically coupled to a warning light  88  and activates the light  88  when the photo sensor  84  detects the low cotton level. The photo sensor  84 , of course, is electrically connected to the power source  76 . 
     In use, a user may initially open the lid  28  and insert a spool  40  pre-wound with cotton or remove an empty spool  40  and manually wind it with cotton. Then the strand of cotton may be initially inserted between the pair of rollers  52  of the feed assembly. When a cotton ball is desired, the first input switch  78  may be depressed and held until a desired amount of cotton has been drawn from the spool  40 . Upon releasing the button, the cutting assembly  70  is actuated to sever the cotton and it is automatically discharged. In some embodiments, the warning light  88  will be illuminated when the supply of cotton is too low. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.

Technology Category: b