AU2004101032A4 - A Dispenser for Merchandising and Dispensing Tubing - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Name of Applicant Names of Inventors: Address for Service: Invention Title: PPI Corporation Pty. Ltd.

Wendy Trinder David Chappell CULLEN CO Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street Brisbane Qld 4000 Australian A Dispenser for Merchandising and Dispensing Tubing The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it, known to us: 2 0 0A Dispenser for Merchandising and Dispensing Tubing Field of the Innovation o The present innovation relates generally to dispensers for dispensing products such as tubing. Although the present innovation will be described with particular reference to dispensing tubing which is wound on spools it will be appreciated that the oinnovation may be used to dispense other products such as wire and tape which are owound on spools.

0 Background Art Products such as tubing are usually wound on to spools after they are manufactured to provide a convenient means for handling and dispensing such products.

Although large consumers of tubing will often purchase complete spools of tubing in order to meet their requirements, it is often not economic and also wasteful for smaller consumers of tubing to do so as the amount of tubing which is wound on a spool is often far in excess of the requirements of smaller consumers. Smaller consumers usually will only purchase the amount of tubing which they require to satisfy their relatively small requirements and this often involves such consumers unwinding the amount of tubing which they require from a spool and then using a knife or other suitable cutting implement to cut the required amount from the rest of the tubing so that they need only purchase the amount of tubing which they have cut.

Many stores which cater for smaller consumers of tubing and which have their tubing wound on spools, allow their customers to purchase any amount of tubing which they require from a spool without requiring them to purchase the whole spool.

Such stores will often mount the spools of tubing on some sort of dispenser to make it easier for their customers to dispense the amount of tubing which they require from the spools. Such dispensers typically include an axle which is secured relative to some sort of support such as a wall and which extends through a respective aperture in the centre of each spools so that the spools are able to rotate relative to the axle to facilitate the unwinding of the tubing which is wound on the spools.

3 0 Although dispensers of the aforementioned type operate satisfactorily, it can be awkward to replace empty spools which are mounted on them. This is particularly the case if a plurality of spools is mounted on a single axle of such a dispenser as it o will often be necessary to remove a number of the spools from the axle in order to remove an empty spool. Moreover, such dispensers are fairly basic and do not include I any convenient locations where product descriptions and prices may be displayed such othat they can be readily viewed by customers.

oIt would therefore be desirable to have a dispenser for dispensing tubing from 1 spools which provides for ready replacement of empty spools and which enables information such as product descriptions and prices to be displayed so that they can be readily viewed by customers.

Object of the Innovation It is an object of the present innovation to overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art mentioned above, or to provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

Other objects and advantages of the present innovation will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, a preferred embodiment of the present innovation is disclosed.

According to an aspect of the present innovation there is provided a dispenser for dispensing a product such as tubing from a spool, the dispenser comprising a spool support for supporting at least one spool of product such that the product can be dispensed from the spool, and a hood moveable relative to the spool support between a closed position and an opened position, wherein when the hood is in the closed position the spools of product supported by the spool support are substantially covered by the hood and the product is able to be dispensed from the spools, and wherein when the hood is in the opened position the spools are substantially uncovered to facilitate replacement of the spools.

The dispenser provides a convenient means for dispensing products such as tubing which is wound on spools and is particularly suited for use in stores to 1- 4

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Smerchandise and dispense such products. The spool support facilitates ready replacement of the spools supported thereby and the hood provides a convenient location for placing information such as product descriptions and prices.

o The dispenser may be used to dispense a variety of products which are wound on spools. For example, the dispenser may not only be used to dispense tubing from spools but may alternatively be used to dispense other products such as wire and 0tape which are wound on spools.

oThe spool support may be of any suitable design which is able to support at least one spool of product such that the product can be drawn from the spool while the spool is retained relative to the spool support. Preferably, the spool support is in the form of a rack which is able to support at least one spool of product such that the spool is able to rotate relative to the rack while the product stored thereon is drawn from the spool. The rack preferably includes a plurality of members which are assembled to form the rack. In one form, the rack comprises a pair of opposed and separated side support members, and at least one bottom support member extending therebetween. The side support members are preferably in the form of brackets which are securable to a support such as a wall. The brackets may each have one or more hooks for mounting the brackets on a support. If the rack has a plurality of bottom support members it is preferred that the bottom support members are in the form of rails which are arranged relative to each other so that they are able to support at least one spool. If the rack has a single bottom support member it is preferred that the bottom support member is arcuate in shape so that it is able to support at least one spool.

The hood may be of any suitable type which can move relative to the spool support between a closed and an opened position. In a preferred form the hood is hinged relative to the spool support such that the hood can be opened and closed. The hood may include a window for allowing the spools which are supported by the spool support to be viewed when the hood is in the closed position.

The dispenser may have any suitable dimensions to accommodate any desired number of spools of any size. In a preferred form the dispenser is 900 mm wide.

0 0Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the present innovation may be more fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to o the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 depicts an exploded perspective and an assembled perspective of a i rack of a dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present innovation; OFigure 2 illustrates a pair of the racks depicted in figure 1 being mounted on a Ogondola display; S1Figure 3 is an exploded perspective of a portion of the dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present innovation which illustrates how the hood of the dispenser is secured to the rack thereof; and Figure 4 depicts dispensers according to the preferred embodiment of the present innovation when the dispensers are fully loaded with spools of tubing and when the hood of the lower dispenser is closed and the hood of the upper dispenser is open.

Best Mode Referring to figure 1, a rack 20 for holding a plurality of spools of tubing or other product includes a pair of brackets 21 and rails 22. Each bracket 21 includes a plurality of mounting hooks 23 extending from a rear edge thereof. Three apertures 24 and a single aperture 25 also extend through each bracket 21.

Each bracket 21 is secured to a respective end of each rail 22 by a screw 26.

The threaded portion of each screw 26 is inserted into a respective aperture 24 and is then screwed into the end of an associated rail 22. Each rail 22 extends between a pair of corresponding apertures 24 of the brackets 21. The screws 26 are not tightened at this stage of the assembly of the rack Referring to figure 2, the mounting hooks 23 of the brackets 21 are suitable for mounting the brackets 21 and therefore the rack 20 on a pair of upstanding posts of a gondola display 31. Each post 30 includes a plurality of regularly spaced slots 32 in an outwardly facing surface of the post 30. The mounting hooks 23 of each bracket 21 are each received by a respective slot 32 of the post 30 to which the bracket t6 0 21 is mounted such that the bracket 21 is secured relative to the post 30. After a rack has been mounted on the gondola display 31, the screws 26 of the rack 20 may then be tightened. The screws 26 of the rack 20 are not tightened prior to mounting the o rack on the gondola display 31 as it is easier to align and insert the mounting hooks 23 of the rack 20 into the slots 32 of the display 31 when the screws 26 are not tightened.

Referring to figure 3, once the rack 20 has been mounted on the gondola odisplay 31 a hood 40 can then be secured relative to the rack 20 such that the hood ois hinged relative to the rack 20 and is able to be moved relative to the rack between an opened and a closed position. The hood 40 includes a pair of opposed o side wall panels 41 and a curved top panel 42 which extends between the side wall panels 41. Each side wall panel 41 includes an aperture 43 which receives a flanged sleeve 44. Each side wall panel 41 is secured to a respective bracket 21 of the rack by a hexagonal nut 45 and a bolt 46. The nut 45 is retained inside a complementary hexagonal-shaped recess in an end of the sleeve 44 which prevents the nut 45 from rotating relative to the sleeve 44. The threaded portion of the bolt 46 is passed through the aperture 25 in the bracket 21 and then through the sleeve 44 so that the nut 45 which is retained in the sleeve 44 can then be screwed onto the threaded portion by suitably rotating the bolt 46 until the bolt has been firmly tightened.

Movement of the hood 40 relative to the rack 20 is limited by the uppermost rails 22 at the front and rear of the rack 20. When the hood 40 is opened by lifting the front of the top panel 42, a rear edge 48 of each side wall panel 41 contacts the rear rail 22 of the rack 20 and prevents the hood 40 from opening any further. When the hood 40 is closed by lowering the front of the top panel 42, a front edge 49 of the top panel 42 of the hood 40 contacts the front rail 22 of the rack 20 and prevents the hood 40 from closing any further.

The rack 20 and hood 40 which is hinged thereto form a dispenser 50 for merchandising and dispensing a product such as clear vinyl tubing which is stored on a plurality of spools 51 as depicted in figure 4. The hood 40 of the dispenser 50 is able to be hinged relative to the rack 20 of the dispenser 50 between an opened and a closed position. The spools 51 can be placed on and removed from the rack 20 when the hood 40 is in the opened position. When the hood 40 is in the closed position, 7

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0 tubing is able to be drawn from the spools 51 between the rack 20 and the hood 40 by pulling on the portion 52 of the tubing which protrudes from the dispenser 50 between the rack 20 and the hood 40. In this way, tubing or other product such as wire or tape o which is stored on the spools 51 is able to be dispensed from the dispenser 50 in a convenient and efficient manner.

The dispenser 50 is able to hold a plurality of spools 51 on which may be ostored the same or different products. For example, the dispensers 50 depicted in ofigure 4 may each hold a plurality of spools 51 that each have tubing, such as clear 1 vinyl tubing, of different cross-sectional dimensions wound thereon, The tubing stored on the spools 51 held in the upper dispenser 50 may have dimensions of 3, 4, 6, and 8 mm, respectively. The tubing stored on the spools 51 held in the lower dispenser 50 may have dimensions of 10, 12.5, 16, and 19 mm, respectively. It is also conceivable that a single dispenser may hold a plurality of spools 51 on which completely different products are wound. For example, wire may be wound on some of the spools 51 while tubing is wound on others.

The top panel 42 of the hood 40 includes a window 53 which allows the various products stored on the spools 51 to be viewed when the hood 40 is in the closed position. Immediately below the window 53 on the top panel 42 is a label location 54 where descriptive labels and price tags may be affixed or written for the various products which are dispensed by the dispenser Throughout the specification and the claims (if any), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to apply the inclusion of the stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Throughout the specification and claims (if any), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "substantially" or "about" will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications to the innovation described herein will be apparent without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The variations and modifications as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and 'set 8 0 0 ambit of the innovation as herein set forth.

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Claims (4)

1. A dispenser for dispensing a product such as tubing from a spool, the dispenser comprising a spool support for supporting at least one spool of product such o that the product can be dispensed from the spool, and a hood moveable relative to the spool support between a closed position and an opened position, wherein when the hood is in the closed position the spools of product supported by the spool support are substantially covered by the hood and the product is able to be dispensed from the ospools, and wherein when the hood is in the opened position the spools are substantially uncovered to facilitate replacement of the spools.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the spool support is adapted to support a plurality of spools.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 or 2, wherein the hood is hinged relative to the spool support.

4. The dispenser of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hood includes a window for allowing the spools that are supported by the spool support to be viewed when the hood is in the closed position. A dispenser for dispensing a product such as tubing from a spool, the dispenser being substantially as herein described with reference to figures 2 to 4 of the drawings. DATED this 7 h day of December 2004 PPI CORPORATION PTY. LTD. By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.