AU2021220190A1 - Eyewear dispensing assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a dispensing assembly (10) for dispensing articles, such as disposable eyewear (e.g., face shields, safety glasses, goggles, etc.), face masks, gloves, etc. The dispensing assembly includes a container (12) having a plurality of exterior panels (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30). The exterior panels define an internal chamber (16) and a dispenser opening (18) on the container including a first portion (18A) and a second portion (18B) defined by a flap (14) on one of the plurality of external panels. The dispensing assembly also includes a folded portion (34) contained within the internal chamber. The folded portion includes a plurality of folded sections configured together and is disposed adjacent an article storage area (36). The article storage area is configured to receive a plurality of articles. The flap functions as a retention mechanism and the folded portion functions as a ramp to facilitate the removal of an individual article from the article storage area within the internal chamber in an efficient manner.

Description

EYEWEAR DISPENSING ASSEMBLY

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/975,905, filed on February 13, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/085,295, filed on September 30, 2020, which are each incorporated herein in their entireties by reference thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to a dispensing assembly, and more particularly to an eyewear (e.g., face shield, safety glasses, goggle, etc.) dispensing assembly and methods of making same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A variety of single use, disposable products such as eyewear (e.g., face shields, safety glasses, goggles, etc.), face masks, gloves, and the like are often packaged in bulk in dispensing cartons. These dispensing cartons frequently have an opening or dispensing orifice cover for removal of the articles individually from the carton.

Because such single use, disposable products are often used in healthcare settings as personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent hazardous biological fluids from coming into contact with healthcare professionals, it is important for healthcare professionals to have efficient and easy access to these products.

In the case of protective eyewear in particular, single use, disposable products may be shipped in a container or box in bulk, and the products may remain the container or box until needed. When a face shield, protective glasses, or goggles is needed, a healthcare worker typically locates the container, opens the container, removes a single face shield, pair of glasses, or goggles from the container, and then closes the container. This process can be time-consuming, particular in a fast-paced healthcare environment where the amount of time to don personal protective equipment can make a difference in patient outcomes. Further, it is common for eyewear to be shipped separately and then need to be assembled by the user, which elevates the need for a user to assemble. In this regard, it would be helpful if the packaging in which the eyewear was shipped could provide a consistent means of storing and dispensing the eyewear, where eyewear is typically handled in a loose bulk polybag.

As such, a need exists for new and improved dispensing assemblies for dispensing personal protective equipment (PPE) products. More specifically, assemblies that effectively dispense individual products, e.g., eyewear (e.g., face shields, safety glasses, goggles, etc.) without a risk of the additional products in the dispenser being dispensed as well would be welcomed in the art in order to reduce waste. The need for such assemblies is particularly apparent for larger volume packages having contents that move around substantially and may be easily removed from a dispenser opening, particularly in a health care environment.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly includes a container comprising a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, wherein the front panel, the rear panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel define an internal chamber; a flap, wherein the flap is present on the front panel to define an opening in the front panel, wherein the opening includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is defined by the first side panel and a first edge of the flap and the second portion is defined by the second side panel and a second edge of the flap; and a folded portion contained within the internal chamber, the article dispensing component comprising a first panel and a second panel configured together to form an article storage area, the article storage area configured to receive a plurality of articles, wherein the first panel is stationary and the second panel is biased towards the first panel via one or more flexible members, the first and second panels comprising one or more aligned recesses configured to receive the one or more flexible members.

In another embodiment, the flap can be separated from an upper portion of the front panel via a border or fold line.

In still another embodiment, the front panel can include a base portion positioned below the flap. Further, a lower edge of the flap can be separated from an upper edge of the base portion of the front panel. In addition, the lower edge of the flap can be separated from the upper edge of the base portion by a distance ranging from about 0.5 millimeters to about 2 millimeters.

In yet another embodiment, the flap can have a height ranging from about 50 millimeters to about 80 millimeters.

In one more embodiment, the flap can have a width ranging from about 25 millimeters to about 50 millimeters.

In an additional embodiment, a ratio of a height of the flap to a width of the flap can range from about 1.05 to about 2.5

In another embodiment, the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap can each include a plurality of radii of curvature.

In still another embodiment, the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap can each include a first radius of curvature ranging from about 3 millimeters to about 5 millimeters.

In yet another embodiment, the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap can each include a second radius of curvature ranging from about 11 millimeters to about 14 millimeters.

In one more embodiment, the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap can each include a third radius of curvature ranging from about 45 millimeters to about 70 millimeters.

In an additional embodiment, the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap can each include a fourth radius of curvature ranging from about 2.5 millimeters to about 4 millimeters.

In another embodiment, the folded portion can include a plurality of folds. Further, the folded portion can include a horizontal section extending from an upper edge of a base portion of the front panel to a fold, wherein the fold can be located between the front panel and the rear panel with respect to a horizontal direction or x-direction, wherein the fold can be folded at an angle to define an angled section of the folded portion extending from the fold to the rear panel, wherein the angled section can have an angle ranging from about 100° to about 170° with respect to the horizontal or x-direction.

In one more embodiment, at least one of the front panel, the rear panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel can be constructed of carton cardboard stock, paperboard, heavy structural paper, container stock, corrugated paperboard, plastic coated paper, a plastic sheet, a wax-coated paper, or a combination thereof.

In another embodiment, the folded portion can be constructed of carton cardboard stock, paperboard, heavy structural paper, container stock, corrugated paperboard, plastic coated paper, a plastic sheet, a wax-coated paper, or a combination thereof.

In still another embodiment, the articles can include personal protective equipment. Further, the personal protective equipment can include protective eyewear. For example, the protective eyewear can include a face shield, glasses, or goggles.

In a further embodiment, the dispensing assembly can include at least one insert configured to retain the articles within the internal chamber. Moreover, the at least one insert can be configured to cover at least a portion of the opening. Further, the at least one insert can be a dust cover insert configured to cover the entire opening. Moreover, the at least one insert can include an elongated portion configured to prevent tangling of the articles within the internal chamber.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of one embodiment of a dispensing assembly for dispensing a plurality of articles, such as eyewear (e.g., face shields) according to the present disclosure, where the dispensing assembly includes a panel having a flap and an internal chamber containing a folded portion, where the flap and folded portion facilitate dispensing of the articles from the assembly;

FIG. 2 illustrates an empty perspective view of one embodiment of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates an empty front view of one embodiment of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a side panel view of one embodiment of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure, where the specific arrangement of the folded portion in the internal chamber is shown in detail;

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure, where the specific arrangement of the flap and the folded portion are shown in detail;

FIG. 6 illustrates a panel view of one embodiment of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure, where the specific arrangement of the folded portion and a plurality of articles to be dispensed from the internal chamber is shown in detail;

FIG. 7 illustrates a zoomed-in front view of one embodiment of dispensing assembly of FIG. 1, where the dispensing assembly includes a panel having a flap and an internal chamber containing a folded portion, where the flap and the folded portion facilitate dispensing of the articles from the assembly according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 8A illustrates a front view of a dust cover insert of the dispensing assembly;

FIG. 8B illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure, where the dust cover insert of FIG. 8A is inserted in the container;

FIG. 9A illustrates a front view of a retaining insert according to one particular embodiment of the dispensing assembly;

FIG. 9B illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure, where the retaining insert of FIG. 9A is inserted in the container;

FIG. 10A illustrates a front view of a retaining insert according to one particular embodiment of the dispensing assembly;

FIG. 10B illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure, where the retaining insert of FIG. 10A is inserted in the container; and

FIG. 10C illustrates a top view of the dispensing assembly of FIG. 10B having the retaining insert inserted into the container.

Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Generally speaking, the present invention is directed to a dispensing assembly for dispensing articles, such as personal protective equipment including but not limited to disposable eyewear (e.g., face shields, safety glasses, goggles, etc.), face masks, gloves, etc. The dispensing assembly includes a container having a plurality of panels (e.g., a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel) that define an internal chamber for storing the articles until the articles need to be dispensed. One of the panels (e.g., the front panel) includes a dispenser opening on the container including a first portion and a second portion defined by a flap on one of the plurality of panels (e.g., a flap on the front panel). The dispensing assembly also includes a folded portion contained within the internal chamber. The folded portion includes a plurality of folded sections (e.g., a plurality of horizontal (x) direction sections, vertical (y) direction sections, and angled sections) defined by a plurality of folds. Further, the folded portion is disposed adjacent an article storage area, and the storage area is configured to receive a plurality of articles. The dispensing assembly may also include at least one insert, such as a retaining insert, that is configured to support the articles and prevent tangling of the articles within the container. The insert can be a dust cover insert that covers the dispenser opening during transport or storage. The present inventors have found that the specific design of the flap allows it to function as a retention mechanism and that the specific design of the folded portion allows it to function as a ramp to facilitate the removal of an individual article from the article storage area within the internal chamber in an efficient manner.

Moreover, the present inventors have found that the specific design of the one or more inserts can prevent tangling of articles within the container from occurring during shipping or storage.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of one embodiment of a dispensing assembly 10 for dispensing a plurality of articles 38, such as eyewear (e.g., face shields) according to the present disclosure, where the dispensing assembly 10 includes a panel having a flap and an internal chamber containing a folded portion, where the flap and the folded portion facilitate dispensing of the articles from the assembly of an exemplary dispensing assembly 10 or package for dispensing articles 38 such as, for example, disposable eyewear (e.g., face shields, safety glasses, goggles, etc.) face masks, examination gloves, paper products (e.g., tissues, paper towels, etc.), dust mitts, or the like. As shown, the dispensing assembly 10 includes a container 12 having a plurality of panels including front panel 20, rear panel 22, top panel 24, bottom panel 26, first side panel 28, and second side panel 30. The plurality of panels may be constructed of any suitable material such as, for example, carton cardboard stock, paperboard, heavy structural paper, container stock, corrugated paperboard, plastic coated paper, a plastic sheet, a wax-coated paper or the like, or a combination thereof.

Further, as shown in FIGs. 1-3 the exterior panels of the container 12 define an internal chamber 16 and an opening 18 on, for instance, the front panel 20, of the container 12 for dispensing articles therethrough. The opening 18 can include a first portion 18A and a second portion 18B defined by a flap 14 near a base portion 40 of the front panel 20, the first and second side panels 28 and 30, and an upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 of the front panel 20. Specifically, the first portion 18A can be defined by a first edge 15A of the flap 14, an edge 29 of the first side panel 28, and the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40, while the second portion 18B can be defined by a second edge 15B of the flap 14, an edge 31 of the second side panel 30, and the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40. The opening 18 can further include finger holes 19 disposed on the first and second side panels 28 and 30.

Each of the finger holes 19 can be a rounded shape, such as a half-circle extending from the edges 29 and 31 into the side panels 28 and 30, respectively. The finger holes 19 can have a diameter of about 1 inch to provide sufficient size and space for a user to reach into the holes 19 with their fingers to assist with removing contents from the opening 18.

Further, as shown, the flap 14 can be defined or separated from an upper portion 41 of the front panel 20 by a border or fold line 44 and a lower edge 42 of the flap 14 can be separated from the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 of the front panel 20 by a distance or height H2 (see FIG. 7). The various features of the flap 14 will be discussed in more detail with respect to FIG. 7 below, but it is to be understood that the flap 14 generally functions as a retention mechanism to hold the articles 38 to be individually dispensed in the article storage area 36 of the internal chamber 16 of the container 12 until an article 38 is ready to be individually dispensed, at which time the folded portion 34 in the folded portion area 32 serves as a ramp to assist a user in removing an article 38 from the container 12 by grasping the article 38 from one or both sections 18A and 18B of the opening, whereby the lower edge 42 of the flap 14 moves away from the rear panel 22 to allow for sufficient space to remove the article 38. In other words, the user overcomes the retention mechanism feature of the flap 14 to remove an article 36 as the folded portion 34 acts as a ramp to guide an individual article 36 toward and through the opening 18. In this manner, the flap 14 holds the articles 36 within the internal chamber 16 of the container until an article 36 is needed by a user. In addition, in certain embodiments, it should be understood that either or both of the side panels 28, 30 or the top panel 24 may be configured to open, thereby allowing insertion during packaging or removal as needed of a plurality of articles 36 as described herein.

Turning now to FIGs. 4-5, the folded portion 34 positioned in the folded portion area 32 of the internal chamber 16 of the container 12 of the dispensing assembly 10 is shown in more detail. The folded portion 34 is folded so that it forms a ramp adjacent the bottom panel 26 of the container 12 and is defined by a first end 46 and a second end 48. As shown, when the folded portion 34 is inside the container 12, the first end 46 is positioned between the front panel 20 and the midpoint M of the side panels 18, 20 midpoint M below the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 of the front panel 20. Meanwhile, the second end 48 is positioned where the lower panel 26 and the rear panel 30 meet at the bottom of the container 12. In order to have a ramped shape to guide the articles 38 to be dispensed from the inner chamber 16, the folded portion 34 is folded at various locations between the first end 46 and the second end 48. Specifically, a first fold F1 is formed at a right angle to define a middle horizontal section 52 extending in the x-direction between a midpoint M of the side panels 18, 20 and partially towards the front panel 20 near the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 in the y-direction, where the middle horizontal section 52 is defined by the first end 46 and the first fold F1 of the folded portion 34. Further, the folded portion 34 also includes a middle vertical section 54 extending in the y-direction that is defined by the first fold F1 and a second fold F2, which is formed at a right angle, where the first fold F1 and the second fold F2 are generally aligned adjacent or at the midpoint M of the side panels 18, 20 and adjacent the bottom panel 26. In addition, the folded portion 34 includes a lower horizontal section 56 extending in the x-direction that is defined by the second fold F2 and a third fold F3, which is formed at a right angle where the bottom panel 26 and the front panel 20 meet. Moreover, the folded portion 34 also includes a front vertical section 58 extending in the y-direction that is defined by the third fold F3 and a fourth fold F4, which is formed at a right angle adjacent the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 of the front panel 20. Furthermore, the folded portion 34 includes an upper horizontal section 60 extending in the x-direction that is defined by the fourth fold F4 and a fifth fold F5, which is generally aligned with the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 of the front panel 20 in the y-direction and at or adjacent the midpoint M of the side panels 18, 20 in the x-direction. As shown, the fifth fold F5 is folded at a first angle qi that ranges from about 100° to 170°, such as from about 115° to about 165°, such as from about 130° to about 160° with respect to the x-direction in order to form a ramp in the folded portion 34. In other words, the upper horizontal section 60 extending from the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 of the front panel 20 to a fold F5, where the fold F5 is located between the front panel 20 and the rear panel 30 in the x-direction, wherein the fold F5 is angled to then define an angled section 62 that extends from the fold F5 to the rear panel 30, where the angled section 62 also has an angle ranging from about 100° to about 170°, such as from about 115° to about 165°, such as from about 130° to about 160° with respect to the horizontal or x-direction. As also shown, the angled section 62 of the folded portion 34, which can be called the ramped portion of the folded portion 34, is defined by the fifth fold F5 and a sixth fold F6, which has a second angle 02 that ranges from about 10° to 80°, such as from about 15° to about 65°, such as from about 20° to about 50° with respect to the y-axis and which is located adjacent the rear panel 22. The folded portion 34 also includes a rear vertical section 64 extending in the y-direction adjacent the rear panel 22 that is defined by the sixth fold F6 and the second end 48 of the folded portion 34.

Further, like the container 12, the folded portion 34 may be constructed of any suitable material such as, for example, carton cardboard stock, paperboard, heavy structural paper, container stock, corrugated paperboard, plastic coated paper, a plastic sheet, wax-coated paper or the like, or a combination thereof. Regardless of the particular material from which the folded portion 34 is formed and referring to FIG. 6, the specific arrangement of the folded portion 34, including the location of the fold and the angles of the folds create a ramp that facilitates the individual, on-demand dispensing of the articles 38 from the article storage area 36 of the internal chamber 16 of the container 12 in that the ramp guides the articles 38 toward the dispenser opening 18. For instance, when the articles are face shields 38 have shields 66 and arms 68 that are stacked one on top of the other in the article storage area 36, as the face shield 38 is grasped by one or both arms 68 by a user and pulled towards the first section 18A and the second section 18B of the opening 18 (see FIG. 1), the angled or ramped section 62 of the folded portion 34 guides the face shield 38 towards the opening as the user grasping the face shield overcomes the retention mechanism provided by the flap 14 in the front panel 20 so that the individual face shield 38 being grasped can be dispensed.

The various features of the flap 14 that allow it to serve as a retention mechanism to hold the articles 38 inside the container until dispensing is desired are now discussed in detail with respect to FIG. 7. Specifically, with the dispensing assembly 10 of the present disclosure, the flap 14 extends from the upper portion 41 of the front panel 20 and is defined by a border or fold line 44 to an upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 of the front panel 20. As shown, the flap 14 has a height H, which also defines the height of the first section 18A and the second section 18B of the opening 18, in the y-direction ranging from about 50 millimeters to about 80 millimeters, such as from about 55 millimeters to about 75 millimeters, such as from about 60 millimeters to about 70 millimeters. In addition, the flap 14 has a width W in the z-direction ranging from about 25 millimeters to about 50 millimeters, such as from about 30 millimeters to about 45 millimeters, such as from about 35 millimeters to about 40 millimeters at its narrowest point near the lower edge 42. As such, the ratio of the height H to the width W of the flap 14 ranges from about 1.05 to about 2.5, such as from about 1 .25 to about 2.25, such as from about 1.5 to 2. In addition, to allow for a user to apply adequate force to overcome the retention mechanism component of the flap 14, the flap 14 does not contact the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 of the front panel, and the lower edge 42 of the flap 14 and the upper edge 50 of the base portion 40 are separated by a distance or height H2 in the y-direction ranging from about 0.5 millimeters to about 2 millimeters, such as from about 0.75 millimeters to about 1 .75 millimeters, such as from about 0.1 millimeters to about 1 .5 millimeters. The flap 14 also includes various radii of curvature spaced along both edges (e.g., first edge 15A and second edge 15B) of the flap 14 that define the openings 18A and 18B. For instance, each edge 15A and 15B of the flap 14 includes four radii of curvature RC1 , RC2, RC3, and RC4 extending from an area of the flap 14 closest toward the top panel 24 to an area of the flap 14 closest to the bottom panel 26 in the y-direction, where the fourth radius of curvature RC4 at each edge 15A, 15B is where each edge 15A, 15B meets the lower edge 42 of the flap 14.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first radius of curvature RC1 positioned near the fold line or border 44 can range from about 3 millimeters to about 5 millimeters, such as from about 3.25 millimeters to about 4.75 millimeters, such as from about 3.5 millimeters to about 4.5 millimeters. Further, the second radius of curvature RC2 can range from about 11 millimeters to about 14 millimeters, such as from about 11.5 millimeters to about 13.5 millimeters, such as from about 12 millimeters to about 13 millimeters, while the third radius of curvature RC3 can range from about 45 millimeters to about 70 millimeters, such as from about 50 millimeters to about 65 millimeters, such as from about 55 millimeters to about 50 millimeters. In addition, the fourth radius of curvature RC4 can range from about 2.5 millimeters to about 4 millimeters, such as from about 2.75 millimeters to about 3.75 millimeters, such as from about 3 millimeters to about 3.5 millimeters. Without intending to be limited by any particular theory, the present inventors have found that the rounded edges formed by the various radii of curvature allow for the repeated deflection of the flap 14 without damage to the packaging material by providing a curved edge instead of a corner which would increase stress.

The dispensing assembly 10 of the present invention can further include a dust cover insert 100 as shown in FIGS. 8A-B. The dust cover insert 100 includes a body 102 that can be formed from a single flat sheet design. The body 102 can include an elongated portion 104 and a dust cover portion 106. The dust cover portion 106 is configured to cover the openings 18A and 18B of the container 12 when the dust cover insert 100 is inserted within the container 12. The dust cover portion 106 has a dust cover body 108 having a first side tab 110, a second side tab 112, and a lower tab 114 extending from the dust cover body 108, as shown in FIG. 8A. The dust cover body 108 may be defined by a lower edge 116, from which the lower tab 114 protrudes, a first side edge 118, from which the first side tab 110 protrudes, a second side edge 120, from which the second side tab 112 protrudes, and first and second upper edges 122 and 124, respectively. Optionally, the dust cover body 108 may have a first side upper angled edge 126 extending between the first side edge 118 and the first upper edge 122, and a second side upper angled edge 128 extending between the second side edge 120 and the second upper edge 124. However, it is to be understood that the dust cover body 108 may be formed in any suitable shape to cover the dispenser opening 18. Moreover, transitions between adjacent edges of the insert 100 may be radiused, as shown between upper edges 122 and 124 and the elongate portion 102, or angled, as shown, e.g., between the first side edge 118 and the first side tab 110. The dust cover body 108 may have a width in the z-direction approximately equal to the width of the dispenser opening 18 and/or the front panel 20, and a height in the vertical y- direction at least as tall as the height H of the dispenser opening 18. The first and second upper edges 122 and 124 can be in communication with and extend from the elongated portion 104 of the body 102 of the dust cover insert 100. For instance, as shown in FIG. 8A, the first and second upper edges 122 and 124 can be generally collinear with each other. The first side tab 110 can be folded along a line 111 to distinguish the first side tab 110 from the body 108 of the dust cover portion 106. The line 111 may be generally collinear with the first side edge 118. The second side tab 112 can be folded along a line 113 to distinguish the second side tab 112 from the body 108 of the dust cover portion 106. The line 113 may be generally collinear with the second side edge 120. The lower tab 114 can be folded along a line 115 to distinguish the lower tab 114 from the body 108 of the dust cover portion 106. The line 115 can be generally collinear with the lower edge 116.

As shown in FIG. 8B, when the dust cover insert 100 is inserted into the container 12 with the dust cover portion 106 towards the bottom side 26 of the container 12, the dust cover body 108 can cover the openings 18A and 18B of the container 12. As shown in FIG. 8B, the first side tab 110 can be disposed along the first side panel 28 of the container 12, and the second side tab 112 can be disposed along the second side panel 30 of the container 12, when the dust cover insert 100 is inserted within the container 12. Moreover, the lower tab 114 may be disposed along the front panel 20 when the insert 100 is inserted within the container 12. For instance, the lower tab 114 may be inserted such that it is disposed between the base portion 40 of the front panel 20 and the front vertical section 58 of the folded insert 34 (see FIG. 6). If the lower tab 114 is folded along the line 115, then the lower tab 114 may be disposed at an angle relative to the front panel 20 of the container 12.

Thus, by covering the dispenser opening 18, the dust cover insert 100 can provide protection of the eyewear from any damage or wear and tear from shipping and/or a storage environment. Moreover, as will be described in further detail below, the elongated portion 104 of the dust cover insert 100 can act as a retaining system by preventing eyewear frames from tangling among each other within the container 12, e.g., during shipment.

Additionally or alternatively, the dispensing assembly 10 may include a retaining insert, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 9A-B and 10A-C. Referring now to FIGS. 9A-B, a first embodiment of a retaining insert 160 is shown. The retaining insert 160 can be formed from a single flat sheet having a retaining body 162 and a pull tab 172. The retaining insert 160 may be constructed of any suitable material such as, for example, carton cardboard stock, paperboard, heavy structural paper, container stock, corrugated paperboard, plastic coated paper, a plastic sheet, a wax-coated paper or the like, or a combination thereof. The retaining insert 160 may be defined by a first side edge 164, a second side edge 166, a lower edge 168, and an upper edge 170. A line 171 , which may be visible or invisible, may separate the retaining body 162 from the pull tab 172. The retaining body 162 is configured to be inserted within the container 12 such that the retaining body 162 blocks at least a portion of the openings 18A and/or 18B to retain the eyewear articles 38 within the container and prevent eyewear articles 38 from being removed when the retaining insert 160 is in place. The retaining body 162 may have a dimension lengthwise that is about the same as a length or height of the container 12. The pull tab 172 is configured to extend or protrude from the top panel 24 of the container 12. A user may pull the pull tab 172 to remove the retaining insert 160 from the container 12 without opening the top panel 24. Once the retaining insert 160 is removed, a user is enabled to access the eyewear articles 38 through the dispenser opening 18.

A second embodiment of a retaining insert 180 is shown in FIGS. 10A-10C. The retaining insert 180 can be formed from a single flat sheet 190 and may be constructed of any suitable material such as, for example, carton cardboard stock, paperboard, heavy structural paper, container stock, corrugated paperboard, plastic coated paper, a plastic sheet, a wax-coated paper or the like, or a combination thereof. The retaining insert 180 includes a retaining body 182, a first side tab 184 extending from a first or left side of the retaining body 182, a second side tab 186 extending from a second or right side of the retaining body 182, and a top tab or panel 188 extending from an upper side of the retaining body 182. The sheet 190 can include a first side fold line 194 where the retaining body 182 and the first side tab 184 meet, a second side fold line 196 where the retaining body 182 and the second side tab 186 meet, and a third side fold line 198 where the retaining body 192 and the top tab 188 meet. The fold lines 194, 196, 198 may be visible, such as with markings, printed lines or symbols, perforations, or other visible indicia, or they may not be visibly denoted on the sheet 190. When the sheet 190 is folded along the first fold line 194 and the second fold line 196, the first side tab 184 and the second side tab 186 may be folded toward each other such that the retaining insert forms a triangular shape 192 as shown in FIG. 10B and FIG. 10C.

The retaining insert 180 is configured to be inserted into the container 12 such that the retaining body 182 blocks at least a portion of the openings 18A and/or 18B to retain the eyewear articles 38 within the container 12 and prevent eyewear articles 38 from being removed when the retaining insert 180 is in place. The retaining body 182 may have a dimension lengthwise that is about the same as a length or height of the container 12 in the vertical y-direction. As described above, the first side tab 184 and the second side tab 186 are configured to fold toward each other to form a triangle shape 192 with the retaining body 182 within the container 12, as shown in FIG. 10C. When the articles are face shields 38 having shields 66 and arms 68, the arms 68 can extend around the sides of the triangle 192 formed by the first side tab 184 and the second side tab 186 in order to prevent tangling of the arms 68 within the container 12. The top tab 188 of the retaining insert 180 can fold in a direction away from the first and second side tabs 184, 186 in the x-direction such that the top tab 188 extends toward the front panel 20 of the container, as shown in FIG. 10C. In this arrangement, the top tab 188 assists to center the triangle 192 within the container 12 as shown. However, it is to be understood that the top tab 188 can be an optional feature of retaining insert 180 and that the retaining insert 180 may not include a top tab 188 and/or the top tab 188 may not be folded along the fold line 198 such that the top tab 188 does not assist in the spacing or centering of the triangle 192 in the container 12. As described above with regard to the first embodiment of the retaining insert 160, once the retaining insert 180 is removed from the container 12, a user is enabled to access the eyewear articles 38 through the dispenser opening 18.

Regardless of the particular material from which the dust cover insert 100 or retaining inserts 160, 180 are formed, the specific arrangement of the dust cover insert 100, retaining insert 160 and/or retaining insert 180, creates a support within the container 12 that prevents the articles 38 from being dislodged or unintentionally dispensed from the article storage area 36 of the internal chamber 16 of the container 12 in that the inserts 100, 160, 180 block the articles 38 from exiting from the dispenser opening 18. For instance, when the articles are face shields 38 having shields 66 and arms 68 that are stacked one on top of the other in the article storage area 36, the inserts 100, 160, 180 block at least a portion of the dispenser opening 18 such that the shields 66 cannot be pulled through the dispenser opening 18. Specifically, the dust cover insert 100, retaining insert 160 or retaining insert 180 can be inserted between the front panel 20 and the folded insert 34 of the container 12, e.g., wedged between the front panel 20 and the folded insert 34 to achieve a secure fit. Moreover, the elongated portion 104 of the insert 100, and the body portions 162 and 182 of the retaining inserts 160, 180, respectively, can facilitate supporting the face shields 38 by being disposed between the arms 68 of the shields 38 and prevent the arms 68 from being tangled.

The plurality of articles as described herein is desirably a plurality of disposable articles. As used herein, the term “disposable” refers to a product that is so inexpensive that it may economically be discarded after only a single use. Products that are “disposable” are typically intended for single use. The term “single-use” refers to a product that is intended to be used only once and is not intended to be re-used, re-conditioned, restored or repaired after that use. Such products offer advantages in clinical settings by reducing the potential for contamination or infection. In addition, these products can enhance workflow since they are not collected and assembled for reprocessing and reuse. Examples of disposable articles include disposable eyewear (e.g., face shields, safety glasses, goggles, etc.), disposable face masks, disposable examination gloves, and the like.

While various patents have been incorporated herein by reference, to the extent there is any inconsistency between incorporated material and that of the written specification, the written specification shall control. In addition, while the disclosure has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various alterations, modifications and other changes may be made to the disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It is therefore intended that the claims cover all such modifications, alterations and other changes encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims (24)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A dispensing assembly, comprising: a container comprising a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, wherein the front panel, the rear panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel define an internal chamber; a flap, wherein the flap is present on the front panel to define an opening in the front panel, wherein the opening includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is defined by the first side panel and a first edge of the flap and the second portion is defined by the second side panel and a second edge of the flap; and a folded portion contained within the internal chamber, the article dispensing component comprising a first panel and a second panel configured together to form an article storage area, the article storage area configured to receive a plurality of articles, wherein the first panel is stationary and the second panel is biased towards the first panel via one or more flexible members, the first and second panels comprising one or more aligned recesses configured to receive the one or more flexible members.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flap is separated from an upper portion of the front panel via a border or fold line.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the front panel comprises a base portion positioned below the flap.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein a lower edge of the flap is separated from an upper edge of the base portion of the front panel.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the lower edge of the flap is separated from the upper edge of the base portion by a distance ranging from about 0.5 millimeters to about 2 millimeters.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flap has a height ranging from about 50 millimeters to about 80 millimeters.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flap has a width ranging from about 25 millimeters to about 50 millimeters.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a height of the flap to a width of the flap ranges from about 1.05 to about 2.5

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap each include a plurality of radii of curvature.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap each include a first radius of curvature ranging from about 3 millimeters to about 5 millimeters.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap each include a second radius of curvature ranging from about 11 millimeters to about 14 millimeters.

12. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap each include a third radius of curvature ranging from about 45 millimeters to about 70 millimeters.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first edge of the flap and the second edge of the flap each include a fourth radius of curvature ranging from about 2.5 millimeters to about 4 millimeters.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the folded portion includes a plurality of folds.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the folded portion includes a horizontal section extending from an upper edge of a base portion of the front panel to a fold, wherein the fold is located between the front panel and the rear panel with respect to a horizontal direction orx-direction, wherein the fold is folded at an angle to define an angled section of the folded portion extending from the fold to the rear panel, wherein the angled section has an angle ranging from about 100° to about 170° with respect to the horizontal orx-direction.

16. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front panel, the rear panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel is constructed of carton cardboard stock, paperboard, heavy structural paper, container stock, corrugated paperboard, plastic coated paper, a plastic sheet, a wax-coated paper, or a combination thereof.

17. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the folded portion is constructed of carton cardboard stock, paperboard, heavy structural paper, container stock, corrugated paperboard, plastic coated paper, a plastic sheet, a wax-coated paper, or a combination thereof.

18. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the articles comprise personal protective equipment.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the personal protective equipment comprises protective eyewear.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the protective eyewear comprises a face shield, glasses, or goggles.

21. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one insert configured to retain the articles within the internal chamber.

22. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein the at least one insert is configured to cover at least a portion of the opening.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the at least one insert is a dust cover insert configured to cover the entire opening.

24. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein the at least one insert comprises an elongated portion configured to prevent tangling of the articles within the internal chamber.