EP1991474B1

EP1991474B1 - Continuous strip of sachets for sugar or other foodstuffs, and associated dispenser

Info

Publication number: EP1991474B1
Application number: EP07736675A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Domenico De Bellis; Francesco De Bellis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-03-08
Filing date: 2007-03-07
Publication date: 2009-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-07
Also published as: ITPI20060027A1; EP1991474A2; WO2007102185A2; WO2007102185A3; DE602007001589D1

Description

Technical Field

The present invention concerns the technical field relating to the production of appliances suitable for the distribution for sachets for sugar or for other food, primarily in public places, but also at home, in office, communities, commercial businesses, private and public corporations, etc.

Background Art

It is known that, under the current regulations on the subject matter, the production of sugar sachets has increased in quantity, since the traditional sugar bowls have been prohibited by law on hygienic grounds, as they represented a potential carrier of contamination by being readily accessible to all customers or displaying the product in such a way as to be exposed to corruption, either visible or not.
The sugar sachet, obviously solves all these problems, as being perfectly sealed, welded or glued, therefore isolating the food.
The imposed legislative amendment has caused managers of the businesses problems as to the layout and presentation of the sachet to customers; they are most commonly inserted in open containers, trays, etc., holding a certain bulk amount, which is replaced as the sachets are used up.
While the system used is objectively easier and straightforward, it has however a few drawbacks, from an aesthetic, practical and hygienic point of view, since taking the sachet from an open container necessarily implies that externally it comes into contact with other surrounding sachets which, even if sealed, may retain germs or bacteria that, once opened, may come into contact with the food itself.
Considering the high number of customers drawing on the same container every day, total hygienic safety cannot obviously be guaranteed. Furthermore, this system does not prove very rational and tidy, both in terms of aesthetics and volume taken up.
Another drawback is constituted by the increased transport costs. The sugar sachets are presently sold in bags where they are placed in bulk, thus increasing the volume of such bags. At the present time there is no system capable of increasing the capacity of a sugar sachet container.
At this moment in time there are no systems capable of rationally supplying sugar sachets, or other food, in such a way as to reduce encumbrances, facilitating their taking and avoiding the chaotic presence of many sachets on a resting surface.
FR 1420517 discloses the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Disclosure of invention

The present invention aims at eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks, providing a dispenser as defined in claim 1, which helps the distribution and the pulling out of sachets for sugar or other food, in a quick and easy way.
This system, even if conceived for single use - sugar dispenser together with sachet packaging system - can be divided into two variables of use, also independent, having autonomous functionality and advantages.
This invention relates to a dispenser combined with a continuous strip, according to the invention. A container, which typically has an opening intended for pulling out the strip, is fitted to contain the strip of sachets at least partially overlapping. The space between two adjoining sachets and/or their volume is such as to allow the aforementioned overlapping.
The strip is suitably folded on itself in a way as to form sachet sub-strips which are laid according to the main direction of the container, essentially on parallel planes. Particularly, each sub-strip contains the same number of sachets, which is preferably of two at the minimum.
Alternatively, the container is fitted to contain a strip of sachets which is coiled around an axis, typically the container's axis of symmetry.
The present invention also comprises any kind of dispensers of sugar sachets, or other food, shaped as previously described, where said sachets may be contained and from which they may conveniently issue in order to be pulled apart.
According to this invention, the dispenser is capable of supplying food sachets, which may be linked or joint in such a way as to form a continuous strip or band of sachets which are placed in a row thanks to the aid of tools which enable and/or facilitate the separation of the adjoining sachets. Said dispenser typically has an opening for pulling out the strip, the tools acting in such a way as to enable and/or facilitate the separation of the sachet to be supplied from the immediately preceding one.
Conveniently, the tools enabling and/or facilitating the separation of the adjoining sachets comprise a releasable retention device, such as a peg, which helps blocking the sachets near the opening. The retention device is typically placed between an input of the dispenser, through which a strip of sachets is inserted, and the output opening to block the sachets in transit between the input and the output and, in particular, to block the sachet next to the one coming out.
The retention device is suitably fitted with two opposing tips acting as a peg on the opposite edges of the sachet to be blocked by means of a return spring which releases the retained sachet through a strength exerted against the action of said spring. In particular, the device is designed for gradually releasing the retained sachet and gradually blocking the adjoining sachet through a strength acting in the direction of the strip or band's drive towards the output opening. While strength can be applied by pulling mechanical parts, it is typically exerted by an electric appliance that grabs and pulls an edge of the last sachet in the series towards the outside of the dispenser, thus moving the strip forward of one position.
Conveniently, said dispenser comprises at least one cutting and/or engraving unit where the part of material between the two sachets must be placed in order to proceed with cutting or tearing.
The invention suitably includes a dispenser which is composed of:

at least one housing for the sugar sachets;
at least an opening enabling the issuing of sugar sachets, or other food, in any case linked together;
at least one spring blocking the sachet next to the one being issued, so that, when the first sachet being issued is pulled, it separates from the other.

The dispenser may be elastic, at least in the area where the hard spring is placed, and typically includes another weaker spring which directs the following sachets, so that they reach the point of issue in an orderly and well-positioned way. For instance, the sachets' position may be higher than the issuing opening or may placed sideways. As an option, a cutting unit may be placed on the opening in order to aid the tearing of the sachet being issued.
According to another practical solution, the dispenser includes two opposing wings which act as a guide for the sachets of the strip or band towards the exit opening. Said wings are driven against each other by a spring in such a way as to retain the sachet placed between them. The spring is adjusted so as to allow the sachet to slide between the two wings when a strength acting in the drive direction of the strip or band towards the exit opening with intensity exceeding a given threshold is applied.
Conveniently, one of the two wings may present a ridge enabling the retention of the sachet of the strip or band which is next to that released by the pair of wings.
According to another practical solution, the dispenser is fitted with a sensor generating a signal which can detect the space between the two sachets and a controller which is sensitive to said signal. In fact, the controller is configured to control the power feed instruments of the strip or band in such a way as to issue one sachet at a time through the opening, retaining the immediately preceding sachet. The strip or band cutting instruments are typically present in the space between the sachet being issued and the immediately preceding one, since said cutting instruments can worked via the controller.
Conveniently, the issue of the sachet is carried out through a control which can be activated by a user device, since the controller is sensitive to said control.
The advantages of the present invention lie in the fact that it is possible to house several sugar sachets, or other food, in a quite limited space and in an orderly way; that said sachets may not be visible to the public; that each single user takes his/her sachet without simultaneously touching the adjoining sachets; that there is no need to frequently replace the sugar sachets, or other food, since the system ensures a high sachet capacity; that it enables a better organisation of the work in public places allowing customers to easily take the sugar sachet, or other food.
These and further advantages, purposes and characteristics of the present invention can be better understood by every expert in this field, by reading the following description and referring to the enclosed drawing, given as practical examples of the invention, but not to be considered restrictive.

Brief description of drawings

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a front and side view of a strip of sugar sachets, with relative detail of the division between two adjacent sachets.
Fig. 3 shows a rolled strip of sachets.
Fig. 4 shows a strip of sachets folded like a "concertina".
Fig. 5 shows a section of a dispenser for distribution of the sugar sachets, or other food, according to the invention.
Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the dispenser of Fig. 5 uncoupled.
Fig. 7 shows another practical solution of dispenser.
Fig. 8 shows an exploded view of the dispenser of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 shows a packaging containing the sugar sachets overlapped one another.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, sachets are laid so as to form a continuous strip. Each sachet 1 is lengthwise united both to the previous and next sachet. Two adjoining sachets are easy to divide by tearing, thanks to the particular dotted line 2 made e.g. by engraving, but also by other technical methods.
The strips can be rolled as depicted in Fig. 3 or folded up like a "concertina" as depicted in Fig. 4, then inserted into particular existing or new devices, and orderly cut, when taken, by suitable contrast blade 3, thanks to the above-mentioned dotted line 2.
The sachets' container (not shown in the drawings) may have any shape, for example circular or rectangular, getting however the same hygienic, aesthetic and functional result.
Fig. 5 shows a section of a particular type of dispenser for the distribution of the sugar sachets. Said dispenser consists of an external surface 4 with opening 6 for the exit of the sachets 1, 1b, 1c... Said sachets are separated each other by a segment 10 of variable length, anyway useful for the function of the system. The dispenser presents, under the external surface 4, a big neck 5 acting as a spring, a space 7 for the passage of the sachet and a second smaller neck 8 acting as a guide.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of this dispenser uncoupled, showing also the connecting wings 9.
With reference to Figs. 7 and 8, a second solution of this invention comprises a dispenser with an extended body formed by two side walls 101, fixed by ferrules 201, and a sheet-based wall 301 that fits into corresponding tracks 401 of the side walls. The back wall 301 is shaped as a slide so that a strip of sachets 1 can slide from the lower surface 8' to the upper surface of the same body and has a larger bend at the upper end directing towards a guide made by a couple of wings 501, 601 placed horizontally one in front of the other. The upper wing 601 is fixed to the structure of the body, whereas the lower wing 501 moves along a vertical axis and is forced in the direction of the other wing 601 by a spring (not shown) fixed on a support 701 shaped like a butterfly. The wings 501, 601, opposite to the back wall 301, have a rounded portion 801 to facilitate the taking of the sachet that, during the dispenser use, is from time to time present between the same wings. The movable wing 501 also has two teeth 901 to facilitate the tearing.
The dispenser is completed by a couple of side convex guards 111 and a lower support 121 placed horizontally corresponding to the notches in the side walls 101 in order to fix the device to a horizontally surface, for example a bar counter or a tailor-made structure, e.g. in Plexiglas, conveniently used also to house the sachets' container (not shown in the drawings).
The working of the dispenser can be resumed as follows. The sachets' strip is loaded in the dispenser from the base, then slides along the back wall 301 to enter between the two movable wings 501, 601 suitably open exerting a force towards down on the movable wing 501 against the spring action. The movable wing 501 is then released enabling the spring to push the movable wing 501 towards the fixed wing 601 thus pressing the sachet and therefore keeping it. The spring is regulated to support the weight of the sachets hanged along the back wall, in particular 5-6 sachets, typically 6g each, so that the strip does not fall down unloading the wings and therefore the dispenser. When the consumer wants to take the product, he/she just takes the sachet between the wings and pulls it, making the strip slide until the whole sachet is free from the wings so as to tear it. The tearing is facilitated by the dotted line 2 on the strip and by the teeth 901 of the movable wing 501 that direct the strip slightly upwards. The length of the wings, the sachets and the gap between the sachets of the strips is such to guarantee that when one sachet is pulled out, the next sachet is kept by the wings preventing the unloading of the dispenser.
The manufacturing details may, however, equally vary as regards shape, size, position of elements and type of materials used, but still remain within the range of the idea proposed as a solution and, consequently, within the limits of the protection granted by this patent for invention.
Thanks to the dispenser according to this invention, it's possible to rationalize the use of sugar sachets, or other food, getting at the same time a tidier exposition, more pleasant to look at. It's worthy to note how these results can be reached by the present invention, without increasing at all the industrial production cost of the packed product and without amending the current packaging technology, but rather reducing one passage, thus obtaining the above-mentioned advantages with no costs.
The current product packaging technology comprises at the end of the automatic cycle, the transversal cut of the strips of sachets, produced by the most various automatic packaging techniques that might be not altered, but on the contrary, the production appliances will be the same, however avoiding the last transversal cut that divides indeed the resulted strips into single-use sugar sachets, or other food. The only variant can be represented by a longer paper flap between two adjacent sugar sachets, or other food.
Obviously, it's not excluded that specific machines can be created to produce a series of sachets in a different way than the current production methods.
The finished product will be constituted by strips of suitable length, in single lengthwise series, which can be later inserted into various dispensers, suitably sized, so that the customer can take and therefore come into direct contact just with the product he/she needs, enabling by the next tearing provided in the strip the successive use of the dispenser.
The dispensers known for other kinds of use can be constructed in the most various shapes, so that the strip of sachets supplied by the manager of the area, can be placed anyway, obviously compatible with the shape of the dispenser. The most known shape of the dispenser in everyday use is the circular (coiled) one, whose tearing dispensers are used anyhow.
However the user can adopt other arrangement of the strip (circular single, double, folded, etc.), still respecting this innovative concept with all the described advantages of hygiene and handiness.
The dispenser according to this invention is mainly applied to sugar sachets, but can be used for sachets containing any kind of food.

Claims

A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, the sachets being linked or joined in such a way as to form a continuous strip or band of sachets (1) which are placed in a row, which dispenser comprises tools (5, 7, 8, 501, H 601) which enable and/or facilitate the separation of the adjoining sachets and an opening (6) for pulling out the strip, characterized in that said tools act in such a way as to enable and/or facilitate the separation of the sachet to be supplied from the immediately preceding one, wherein said tools comprise a releasable retention device (5, 7, 8, 501, 601) which helps blocking the sachets near the opening, said retention device being fitted with two opposing tips (5, 501, 601) acting as a peg on the opposite edges of the sachet to be blocked.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retention device is placed between an input of the dispenser (8, 8') for the strip or band of sachets and said output opening (6) to block the sachets in transit between the input and the output and to block the sachet (1b) next to the one coming out (1).
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the retention device comprises a spring (5) which releases the retained sachet through a force exerted against the action of said spring.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 1 to 3, wherein the device is designed for gradually releasing the retained sachet and gradually blocking the adjoining sachet through a strength acting in the direction of the strip or band's drive towards the output opening (6).
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one cutting and/or engraving unit (3) where the part of material between the two sachets must be placed in order to proceed with cutting or tearing.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises:
- at least an opening (6) from which sachets come out;

- at least one spring (5) blocking the sachet next to the one being issued, so that, when the first sachet being issued is pulled, it separates from the other.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the sachets' position may be higher than the issuing opening (6).
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a cutting unit (3) placed on the opening (6) in order to aid the tearing of the sachet being issued.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 3 to 8, characterized in that it comprises another weaker spring which directs the following sachets, so that they reach the point of issue (6) in an orderly and well-positioned way.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 3 to 9, characterized in that it is elastic, at least in the portion of the spring (5).
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 1 to 10, characterized in that it includes two opposing wings (501, 601) which act as a guide for the sachets of the strip or band towards the exit opening (6), said wings being driven against each other by a spring in such a way as to retain the sachet placed between them.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in claim 11, wherein the spring is adjusted so as to allow the sachet to slide between the two wings (501, 601) when a strength acting in the drive direction of the strip or band towards the exit opening (6) with intensity exceeding a given threshold is applied.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein one.of the two wings (501) may present a ridge (901) enabling the tearing and/or retention of the sachet of the strip or band which is next to that released by the pair of wings.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a sensor generating a signal which can detect the space between the two sachets and a controller which is sensitive to said signal, said controller being configured to control the power feed instruments of the strip or band in such a way as to issue one sachet at a time through the opening, retaining the immediately preceding sachet.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that it comprises further strip or band cutting instruments in the space between the sachet being issued and the immediately preceding one, said cutting instruments being worked via the controller.
A Dispenser for sachets for sugar or for other food, as claimed in claims 14 or 15, wherein the issue of the sachet is carried out through a control which can be activated by a user device, the controller being sensitive to said control.
A combination of a dispenser as claimed in one or more of the above claims from 1 to 16 with a tidy series of sachets for sugar or for other foods.