EP1688069A1 - Device for storing and dispensing products and display unit equipped with such devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a plate (10) which is mounted sliding in vertical and parallel rails (9) which are arranged at the level of an opening (12). The rails are inside a distribution pipe (6) and inclined with respect to a radial plane (13) of the distribution duct, where the angle of inclination of the rails is situated in a projecting angular sector which is defined by the plane (13) and a vertical plane (14). An independent claim is also included for a display rack comprising a granular and powdery products storing and dispensing device.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for storing and dispensing products and a display equipped with such devices.

It relates to the technical field of receptacles comprising particular means for dispensing powdery or granular products, such as powders, confectionery, hardware or any other similar product.
It also relates to the technical field of displays for stores comprising several product distribution bins in which the products mentioned above are stored.

When products are sold in bulk, it is convenient to store a certain amount in a container and can easily remove the amount desired by the buyer.
In the case where the products are of the food type, it is necessary that the hands of the buyer-user can not come into contact with them.
In an attempt to solve this problem, product storage and distribution devices are known, comprising a container closed by a lid and provided with a dispensing duct. Usually, a passage is made on the lid so that a rake or spoon can be inserted inside the container. By manipulating the handle of this rake, the user can bring a specific quantity of products to the dispensing duct and only has to collect them in a bag provided for this purpose. Generally, the distribution duct protrudes with the wall of the container. It is oriented outwards and downwards so that the products brought by the rake fall by gravity into the bag collecting them.

In order to control the quantity of the products to be dispensed, patent FR 2 702 351 A1 (Dillard) discloses a valve system arranged at the outlet of the distribution duct. The user must manually rotate this valve around a hinge to clear or close the passage of the distribution duct.
This solution is however not satisfactory because the action of the weight of the accumulated products against the valve may actuate the latter which requires the use of a flexible metal reinforcement booster complexifying the design of the device.

Also known from patent GB 2.219.279.A (Showcard), a device for storing and dispensing products of the powdery or granular type, comprising a container provided with a closure lid, one of the walls of said container having a part lower inclined forwards and on which is arranged a distribution duct directed downwards and having an opening, a passage being provided on the upper part of said wall so that a gripping means allows to bring said products to said duct , a plate being slidably mounted in two parallel rails arranged at said opening to intercept or leave free passage of said products. The plate is disposed in a radial plane of the conduit, that is to say that it is perpendicular to the axis of said conduit.
Although easy to implement, this solution has certain disadvantages. Indeed, the arrangement of the plate does not allow it to automatically return to the closed position, the user to slide manually not only to open, but also to close the exit of the conduit. This situation can be detrimental when a user forgets to return the plate in the closed position, the next user may drop all or part of the products when he brings them back into the distribution duct with the rake.
In addition, the plate being positioned perpendicular to the opening, against the latter, the positioning of a bag around the conduit of distribution is not possible. The user is therefore embarrassed to recover products that may fall to the ground.

The object of the present invention is to alleviate this state of affairs, in particular because it makes it possible to obtain a device for storing and dispensing products of the type described in patent GB 2,219,279.A, the dispensing duct according to US Pat. invention opening manually according to the quantity chosen by the user and closing automatically once the user has recovered the desired quantity of products.
The invention also aims to provide a storage device and distribution of simple design, easy to use and inexpensive.

These objects are achieved by a device for storing and dispensing products of the powdery or granular type, comprising a container provided with a closure lid, one of the walls of said container having a lower part inclined towards the front and on which is arranged a distribution duct directed downwards and comprising an opening, a passage being provided on the upper part of said wall so that a gripping means makes it possible to return said products to said duct, a plate being slidably mounted in two parallel rails arranged at said opening to intercept or leave free the passage of said products, characterized in that said rails are inclined with respect to a radial plane of said duct, the angle of inclination of said rails being in the defined angular sector salient by said radial plane and a vertical plane. This particular inclination of the plate makes it possible to automatically return the latter by gravity in the closed position when it is manually placed in the open position by the user, this technical solution avoiding having to use return means of the type spring or any other similar means that may complicate the design.

According to a feature of the invention for frankly intercepting the products in the conduit, the latter is inclined forward and the rails are vertical.
To constrain the products to fall vertically and facilitate their recovery either in a bag or a container placed at the opening, or in a recovery tank when the recovery devices of the invention are arranged on a display, a partition vertical is arranged in front of the opening of said distribution duct.
In an alternative embodiment and to limit the size of the present device, the distribution duct is vertical. In this case, the angle of inclination of the rails is advantageously greater than 45 ° to promote rapid automatic return of the plate in the closed position.

The storage and dispensing devices of the type described above are generally intended to be arranged in one or more columns on the shelves of a store display, a wide choice of products being then proposed. This type of display is for example described in the patent FR 2.702.351.A1 cited above.
When a user is using, sometimes products do not fall into the recovery bag and are scattered on the floor. For this reason, a recovery tray is usually arranged under the display. However, the distribution ducts projecting forward, it happens that products, falling, hit the duct of a storage and distribution device disposed at a lower floor and bounce to no longer fall into the tray. recovery, but on the ground.

Another object of the invention is therefore to provide a display for products of the powdery or granular type preventing said products from falling to the ground.

This object is achieved by a display rack having shelves and a recovery tray in its lower part, characterized in that products storage and distribution devices of the type comprising a forward inclined duct, are arranged on said shelves in at least one column and in that the distribution ducts are arranged on the containers according to the floor so that the openings are not positioned directly above a distribution duct located at a lower floor. In this way, the falling products can not hit the walls or ducts of the devices arranged at lower levels and are fully collected in the recovery tank.
According to another characteristic of the display, devices comprising a vertical duct may be arranged on at least one shelf below the shelves on which are arranged the other devices mentioned above. The falling products of the latter can not hit the walls or ducts of the devices comprising a vertical duct. This solution has the advantage of limiting the number of positions of the distribution ducts inclined forward so that the openings of the devices having such ducts are not positioned directly above a distribution duct located at a lower floor. .
According to a preferred feature of the invention, the display unit comprises at least two lower shelves on which are arranged the devices comprising a vertical duct, the distribution ducts of said devices being arranged on the containers according to the floor so that the openings not positioned directly above a distribution duct on a lower floor. In this way, the falling products of these devices can not hit the ducts of the devices arranged at lower levels and are fully collected in the recovery tank.
And to prevent the falling products from colliding with the walls of the devices arranged at lower levels, the devices comprising a vertical duct and located at a lower floor are set back relative to the opening of said devices located on higher floors.

• la figure 1 représente une vue en perspective d'un dispositif de stockage et de distribution de produits selon un mode préféré de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe verticale du dispositif représenté à la figure 1, le couvercle étant mis en position ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe verticale du dispositif objet de l'invention dans une variante de réalisation ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de profil du présentoir objet de l'invention ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de face du présentoir objet de l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following description, given by way of indicative and nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a device for storing and dispensing products according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1, the cover being placed in position;
• Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device according to the invention in an alternative embodiment;
• Figure 4 is a side view of the display object of the invention;
• Figure 5 is a front view of the display object of the invention.

The device of the invention is intended to store and distribute powdery or granular products such as powders, hardware, preferably confectionery, sweets or any other similar products.

Referring to Figure 1, the device of the invention comprises a container 2 of substantially parallelepiped shape in which are stored powdery or granular products.

To simplify the design, this container is constituted by a plate substantially in the form of "J" lying, said plate being closed by two vertical side plates (Figure 1).

This container will advantageously be transparent material, for example glass, plastic or any other equivalent material, without influence on the properties of stored products.

The container 2 is closed on the top by a removable cover 1 used for filling said container. Once positioned, this cover prevents hands to access the inside of the container and come into direct contact with the stored products.
The lid 1 can be made in one piece or in two parts, one part remaining fixed and the other part being foldable for filling.

As shown in Figure 1, the container 2 has a front wall having a lower portion 5 inclined to the horizontal and extending outwardly of said container. The upper part of this front wall is inclined relative to the horizontal and extends inwardly of said container.
A passage 4 is made on the upper part of the front wall to let a gripping means 3 inside the container 2, the user using this means to enter a quantity of products determined.
So that the user manipulates the gripping means 3, the latter comprises a handle protruding from the container 2. It advantageously comprises at its end in contact with the products to be taken, a rake for easy recovery of said products. The rake may also be replaced by a metering-type element according to the type of product to be sampled.
According to a preferred embodiment and with reference to Figure 1, the passage 4 is a groove extending in the direction of the length of the container and of width substantially greater than the diameter of the handle of the gripping means 3, so as to that the rake can rotate in all directions to reach any area of the container, no part of the container must be inaccessible.

The sloped lower portion of the front wall serves to facilitate the gripping of the products and allows the user to easily return the products to a distribution duct 6 of rectangular or circular section opening into the container 2.
This duct is advantageously welded or glued to the lower part 5 and formed of plates or a transparent tube.

The distribution duct 6 projects outwardly from the container 2, directed downwards. In this way, once the products are brought to the level of the distribution duct 6, their flow takes place naturally by gravity to an opening 12 located at the lower end of said duct.
Referring to Figure 2, the distribution duct 6 can be inclined forwardly and in this case the opening 12 is advantageously in front of the upper end of the lower inclined portion 5.
In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure 3, the duct 6 may be in a vertical position, the product flow is then greater and the fall of the latter takes place vertically.

Referring to Figure 1, hooks 11, located at the opening, allow to hang a bag provided to recover the products. The user can also use a simple container which he positions at the opening 12.

To intercept or leave free the passage of the products previously introduced into the distribution duct 6, a movable plate 10 is disposed inside said distribution duct. The plate 10 is rectangular or of another shape according to the section of the distribution duct 6.
The length of this plate is such that in the intercepting position, its upper part protrudes from the closure duct 6 by a complementary passage formed on the upper part of said duct. The width of this plate is substantially equal to the internal width of said distribution duct so as to block the passage of products.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the plate 10 is slidably mounted in two vertical and parallel rails 9, arranged at the opening 12, inside the distribution duct 6. The movements of the plate 10 are shown schematically by arrows in Figures 2 and 3.
The rails 9 can be reported inside the distribution duct 6 or directly machined in the side walls of the latter.

Stoppers arranged on the rails prevent the plate 10 from completely leaving the rails 9.

To recover a quantity of products stored in the devices object of the invention, the plate 10 must be previously in the closed position. The user returns, using the gripping means 3, the products in the distribution duct 6. Once the desired quantity of products is introduced into the duct 6, the user manually actuates the plate 10 to leave free the passage of said products to a bag or a receptacle provided for this purpose.

To stop the flow of products when the quantity introduced into the duct 6 is too large or to close the duct after having recovered said products, it is advantageous that the plate 10 can automatically return to the closed position without any manipulation on the part of the user. For this reason and with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the rails 9 are inclined with respect to a radial plane 13 of the duct 6, the angle of inclination α of said rails lying in the projecting angular sector defined by said radial plane and a vertical plane 14.
The term "radial plane" should be understood in the present invention as a plane perpendicular to the axis 16 of the duct 6.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the duct 6 is inclined forwards, it is advantageous for the rails 9 to be vertical to openly intercept the products in the duct 6.
According to a preferred embodiment, when the duct 6 is inclined forwards, a partition 15 having a vertical portion, is arranged opposite the opening 12 of the duct 6 so that the products are forced to fall vertically to the outlet said conduit. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this partition is connected to the upper part of the opening 12. It can be either reported and fixed by gluing or welding on the duct 6 or be an integral part of said duct.

Referring to Figure 3, the duct 6 may be vertical. In this case, the inclination angle α of the rails 9 is preferably greater than or equal to 45 ° so that the plate 10 can quickly return to the closed position without manual intervention.

The devices of the invention are intended to be arranged on a display in a store.
Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the display is of the type comprising shelves 20 mounted in a conventional manner between two side walls 21 and on which are arranged the containers 2, the latter can be arranged in one or more columns.
The number of shelves 20 will be determined so that the devices of the invention can be easily accessible to users.
A recovery tank 22 is disposed under the openings of the storage and dispensing devices object of the invention so as to intercept products that are not recovered by the bag or the container. Advantageously, the recovery opening 23 of the tray 22 is a slot preventing the user to introduce his hands inside said tray.

Preferably, product storage and distribution devices of the type comprising a distribution duct 6 inclined forwardly are arranged on the display. These ducts 6 are advantageously equipped with a closing means of the type described above, other means for closing the duct may be employed.
Depending on the stage, the distribution ducts 6 are arranged on the containers 2 so that the openings 12 are not positioned directly above a distribution duct located at a lower floor.

For example, for a display with three shelves, the ducts 6 of the devices arranged on the upper shelf can be positioned on the left on the containers 2, the conduits of the devices arranged on the middle shelf can be positioned in the center and the ducts. devices on the lower shelf can be positioned to the right. In this way, falling products can not hit the walls or ducts of the devices arranged at lower levels and are fully collected in the recovery tank 22 provided for this purpose.
As shown in FIG. 5, the openings 4 provided for the passage of the gripping means 4 are also arranged at the same level as the ducts 6.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, devices comprising a vertical duct 6 may also be placed on shelves 20 located below the shelves on which the devices comprising a duct 6 inclined towards the front are arranged.
Referring to Figure 4, the openings 12 of the ducts 6 inclined forwards are then arranged in a vertical plane located in front of the walls of the containers 2 and ducts 6 of the devices comprising a vertical duct. The products falling from said openings are then completely collected in the recovery tank 22 provided for this purpose.

For the same reasons as mentioned above, when devices comprising a vertical duct 6 are arranged on more than one shelf 20, their ducts are arranged on the containers 2 so that the openings 12 are not positioned directly above a shelf 20. duct 6 located on a lower floor (FIG. 5).
The openings 12 of these devices being located in a vertical plane set back from the walls of the containers 2, it is advantageous to provide a solution to prevent the products falling from one of these devices provided. a vertical duct does not hit the wall of a receptacle on a lower floor.
According to a preferred embodiment solving this technical problem, the devices comprising a vertical duct 6 located at a lower floor are set back relative to the opening of said devices located on higher floors.
Other equivalent solutions may be envisaged, for example by providing a recess on the lower inclined portion of the containers 2, so that at said recess, the wall of the container is in a vertical plane set back by relative to the opening 12 of the devices arranged on upper floors.

Claims (9)

Device for storing and dispensing products of the powdery or granular type, comprising a container (2) provided with a closure lid (1), one of the walls of said container having a lower part (5) inclined towards the front and on which is arranged a duct (6) of distribution directed downwards and having an opening (12), a passage (4) being provided on the upper part of said wall so that a gripping means (3) allows to bring back said produced to said duct, a plate (10) being slidably mounted in two parallel rails (9) arranged at said opening to intercept or leave free the passage of said products, characterized in that said rails are inclined with respect to a radial plane (13) of said duct, the angle of inclination (α) of said rails being in the salient angular sector defined by said radial plane and a vertical plane (14). Device for storing and dispensing products according to claim 1, characterized in that the distribution duct (6) is inclined forwards and that the rails (9) are vertical. Device for storing and dispensing products according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a vertical partition (15) is arranged in front of the opening (12) of the distribution duct (6). Device for storing and dispensing products according to claim 1, characterized in that the distribution duct (6) is vertical. Device for storing and dispensing products according to claim 4, characterized in that the angle of inclination (α) of the rails (9) is greater than 45 °. Display stand with shelves (20) and a collection tray (22) in its lower part, characterized in that storage and dispensing devices according to claims 2 or 3 are arranged on said shelves in at least one column and in that their distribution duct (6) is arranged on the containers (2) so that their opening (12) is not positioned directly above a distribution duct (6) located at a lower floor. Display stand according to claim 6, characterized in that product storage and dispensing devices according to claims 4 or 5 are arranged on at least one shelf (20) located below the shelves (20) on which are arranged the product storage and dispensing devices according to claims 2 or 3. Display rack according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises at least two shelves (20) on which are arranged the product storage and distribution devices according to claims 4 or 5, the distribution ducts (6) of said devices being arranged on the containers (2) so that the openings (12) are not positioned directly above a conduit (6) distribution located at a lower floor. Display rack according to claim 8, characterized in that the products storage and distribution devices according to claims 4 or 5 located at a lower floor are recessed with respect to the opening (12) of said devices located on floors higher.

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