FR2629061A1 - Card dispensing device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a card dispensing device. …<??>This device essentially comprises a cassette 10 comprising a hollow body 11 and a lid 12 capable of sliding with respect to this body. The hollow body 11 is designed to contain a stack of cards, the upper card of which 13' can be extracted simply by displacing the lid 12 in a sliding manner by means, on the one hand, of a spring which pushes the cards against the inner surface of the lid 12 and, on the other hand, of fixed stop pieces 19 and 20 integral with this inner surface. …<??>The cassette is essentially intended for containing, protecting and dispensing visiting cards. … …

Description

1 2629061

CARD DISPENSING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a device for dispensing cards, in particular business cards, comprising a cassette for storing a card.

stack these cards.

Business cards are generally presented in traditional boxes or in flexible and transparent sleeves. Traditional boxes are bulky and impractical. Soft pouches

do not provide good protection for the cards.

The present invention proposes to overcome these drawbacks by providing a device for dispensing cards, and in particular business cards, which makes it possible both to protect these cards and to isolate them one by one from the stack.

for distribution.

For this purpose, the device according to the invention is characterized in that this cassette comprises a hollow body arranged to contain the cards, a cover sliding relative to this hollow body, and means for separating a business card from the stack and to partially extract it from the cassette. According to a preferred embodiment, the means for separating a card and for extracting it comprise a spring for pushing the stack into abutment against the inner surface of the cover and at least one fixed stop, integral with this surface for sliding the upper card. at the same time as the

lid.

The fixed stop preferably has a height substantially equal to the thickness

of a card contained in the cassette.

To allow the extraction of a card from the cassette, the body may include on its front face a clearance whose height is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of a card - 2 - contained in the cassette, and the length at least equal to the width: .ur of

this card.

The spring advantageously comprises at least one blade curved in the direction of the cover, at its free ends, and fixed to the bottom of the

cassette in its central area.

The body of the cassette is preferably equipped with two grooves arranged

along the two side faces and in which the cover is engaged.

The cover may include on its upper face a protruding pusher or in: reux which makes it possible to ensure its sliding movement relative to the

corp; hollow of the cassette.

The present invention will be better understood by reference to the description

of an exemplary embodiment and of the accompanying drawing in FIG. I shows a perspe-ctive view of the dispenser device according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of this device when the cassette is closed, FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of this device when the cover is pushed back relative to the body of the cassette, and FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of this device when the cover is returned to its rest position and when a card is extracted from the cassette. As shown in the figures, the card dispenser device, 'essentially designed to contain business cards or advertising cards of different formats, essentially comprises a cassette composed of a hollow body I and a cover] -. i2 sliding in relation to this hollow corns. The hollow body 1 is arranged to contain a stack of cards; 3 which are pushed against the inner surface of the cover 12 by one or more leaf springs 14. This re.sort 14 may be constituted by a relatively single urn - 3- blade. wide, mounted substantially in the middle of the bottom 15 of the hollow body 11 of the cassette 10 or of several identical blades arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the cassette. Each blade comprises a central zone 16 which is retained by gluing, welding, engagement in a groove or any other suitable means, at the bottom 15 of the hollow body 11, and two curved end sections 17 and 18 which bear against the lower surface. of the stack of cards 13. Under the action of this spring, the upper card of the stack 13 is constantly resting against the

inner surface of cover 12.

The cover 12 is equipped with two studs 19 and 20 which protrude from the inner surface of the cover 12. In the rest position of this cover, these studs are housed in two suitable recesses provided in the face 21 opposite the face. front 22 of the hollow body 11 of the cassette 10. The height of these studs 19 and 20 is equal to or slightly less than the thickness of one of the cards 13 contained in the cassette. These studs constitute fixed stops integral with the interior surface of the cover and intended, as shown more specifically in FIG. 3, to drive the upper card 13 'of the stack of cards 13, when the cover is moved in the direction of the arrow A. To allow the extraction of the card 13', the front face 22 of the hollow body II of the cassette 10 may include a clearance 23, the height of which is at least equal to the thickness of one of the cards 13 and the length of which is at least equal to the width of these cards. In the example produced, this clearance is arranged in such a way that a sufficient gap to allow the passage of a card is provided between the face

front 22 of the hollow body 11 and the cover 12 of the cassette.

To allow easy sliding of the cover 12, the side faces 24 and 25 are preferably each provided with a longitudinal groove 26, respectively 27, in which the side edges of the cover are engaged.

cover 12.

Furthermore, to facilitate handling, a pusher 28, which may be protruding or recessed, is provided on the upper or outer surface.

cover 12.

-4 - The cassette 10 can be made of any suitable material, either metal, or a rigid synthetic material, or a composite material. In the rest position illustrated in FIG. 2, the cards 13 are enclosed in the hollow body II and protected by the cover 12. They are therefore protected from any external damage liable to degrade them. To extract a card, the operator pushes the cover 12 in the direction of arrow A as shown in fig. 3. Thanks to the fixed stops 19 and 20, the movement of the cover 12 causes the movement of the upper card 13 'of the stack of cards 13, pressed against the inside face of this cover thanks to the leaf spring 14. The other cards of the pile are

stopped by the stop formed by the inner surface of the front face 22.

When the operator returns the cover 12 to its initial position as shown in FIG. 4, the card 13 'remains partially extracted from the cassette thanks to the fact that the ends of the cards of the stack of cards 13 are pressed against the cover by the curved end section 17 of the spring 14, and form a non-return stopper for the 13 'card. To achieve this result, it is of course necessary to have a smooth inner surface of the cover such as can be obtained with a molded synthetic material, an anodized or polished aluminum etc. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described,

but could extend to various variations obvious to those skilled in the art.

In principle, the cassettes are designed to contain business cards of a determined size. However, their dimensions can be fixed in such a way that they can accommodate different card formats. In the drawings, the thickness of the cards has been deliberately exaggerated to make it possible to understand the operation of the device. In practice,

the stack of cards preferably contains between 10 and 30 business cards.

Claims (8)

Claims 1. Card dispenser device, in particular business cards, comprising a cassette for storing a stack of these cards, characterized in that this cassette (10) comprises a hollow body (11) arranged to contain the cards (13), a cover (12) sliding relative to this hollow body, and means for separating a business card from the stack and for extracting it partially from the cassette. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for separating a card and for extracting it comprise a spring (14) for pushing the stack into abutment against the inner surface of the cover (12) and at least one fixed stop (19, 20), attached to this surface to move the card top (13 ') at the same time as the cover. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the fixed stop (19, 20) has a thickness substantially equal to that of a card contained in the cassette. 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the body (11) has on its front face (22) a clearance (23) whose height is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of a card contained in the cassette (10), and the length at least equal to the width of this card. 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring (14) comprises at least one blade curved towards the cover at its free ends, and fixed to the bottom (15) of the cassette in its central zone (16). 6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the body of the cassette comprises, along two opposite side faces (24, 25), two grooves (26, 27) in which the cover (12) is engaged. - 6 - 7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover (12) is provided on its upper face with a protruding pusher (28). 8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover (12) is provided on its upper face with a hollow plunger.