GB2168328A

GB2168328A - Dispensing device for e.g. nuts

Info

Publication number: GB2168328A
Application number: GB08431687A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen William Clarke
Original assignee: Smith T G
Current assignee: Smith T G
Priority date: 1984-12-14
Filing date: 1984-12-14
Publication date: 1986-06-18
Also published as: GB2168328B; GB8431687D0

Abstract

A dispenser for nuts or other particulate or granular material has a storage compartment defined by two flat sheets (10) and two other pieces (12, 14) glued between the sheets (10). The base of the storage compartment has two downwardly-inclined walls (18, 22) which direct material in the storage compartment towards a gap (32) between the walls (18, 20). Pivotally mounted in the gap (32) is a flap (38) which may be pivoted inwardly of the dispenser by a handle (42) to allow material to be dispensed through the gap (32), and into a container via a chute (24). The flap is biased into the closed position by means of a rubber band passing underneath the handle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dispensing device The invention relates to a device for dispensing particulate or granular material, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a device for dispensing nuts and/or dried fruit.

At present, nuts, dried fruit and the like which are on display unpacked in shops are stored in large drums or other containers. When a customer requires some of the produce on display, it is usually the case that handfuls of the produce are placed in a bag or other container until the desired amount is obtained. A scoop is usually provided for this purpose, but is frequently ignored. This practice may be acceptable when a shopkeeper is responsible for selecting and weighing the produce, but in many shops, especially supermarkets, a self-serve system is used in which customers choose the produce themselves and take it for weighing and pricing at a nearby point. Obviously this presents a hygiene problem which may be unacceptable to customers and to health authorities.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for dispensing particulate or granular material, e.g. nuts and/or dried fruit, in a hygienic way and also in a way which may be easily performed by a customer.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a device for dispensing nuts or other particulate or granular material, comprising a storage compartment having a base which comprises two downwardly inclined portions forming an aperture therebetween for dispensing of material, and a closure device comprising a member movable between substantially sealing abutment with at least one of the downwardly inclined portions to prevent the dispensing of material through the aperture and another position in which the member is spaced apart from the said downwardly inclined portion to allow the dispensing of material through the aperture.

Preferably, the closure device comprises a pivotally mounted flap which, in use, is held in substantailly sealing abutment with the portion by the weight of the material.

Preferably, the flap is secured to a cylinder which is pivotally mounted on the device, and preferably a handle is attached to the cylinder.

Preferably, the closure device is biased into substantially sealing abutment with the portion by means of resiliently deformable means, e.g. a spring or a rubber band.

Preferably, the storage compartment comprises four substantially vertical side walls.

Preferably, there are means for guiding material into a container after the material has passed through the aperture, and preferably the means comprises a chute.

Preferably, the chute comprises part of a downwardly inclined portion, and preferably the chute extends underneath the other downwardly inclined portion.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nut dispenser according to the invention, with its lid removed; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the nut dispenser, looking in the direction of arrow II in Figure 1, with the lid in position; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the nut dispenser looking in the direction of arrow Ill in Figure 2.

A nut dispenser comprises two clear flat plastic sheets 10, e.g. an acrylic plastics such as "Perspex" (Registered Trade Mark). Two other pieces 12, 14 of the same plastics material are glued between the two sheets 10. The piece 12 comprises a vertical portion 16 and a portion 18 bent at an angle of about 120" to the vertical portion 16. The piece 12 is of constant width throughout.

The piece 14 comprises a vertical portion 20 and a portion 22 bent at an angle of about 135" to the vertical portion. At the lower end of the portion 22 is a dispensing chute 24 which comprises a downwardly-tapering portion 26 edged by two upstanding flanges 28, forming a dispensing mouth 30.

The dispensing chute 24 and the lower end of the portion 22 extend beneath the lower end of portion 18 leaving a gap 32 therebetween.

Also connected horizontally between the two vertical sheets 10 beneath the lower end of portion 18 is a dispensing gate 34. This gate comprises a hollow plastics tube 36 extending across substantially the whole distance between the plates 10, onto which is affixed a plastics flap 38 which extends across substantially the whole length of the tube 36. The tube and flap are pivotally mounted with respect to the plates 10 by means of supporting pins passing through holes (not visible) in the plates 10, the enlarged heads 40 of which pins, for preventing disengagement of the tube 36 from the holes, are shown in the Figures. A handle 42 comprises a thin metal bar bent into a flat-bottomed Ushape, the flat-bottomed U-shaped portion then being bent downwards at 44 relative to the remaining straight portions. The free ends of the handle are secured to the tube 36.

A rubber band 46 passes underneath the handle at 44. The ends of the band pass through holes 48 drilled in the plates 10 and are prevented from slipping through the holes by means of bent plastics retaining pins 50.

A lid 52 comprises a flat sheet 54 of the same plastics material as the sheets 10, with the ends bent at right angles to provide two flanges 56 to hook over and abut the upper parts of portions 16 and 20 when in position, as in Figures 2 and 3. The underside of the sheet 54 is provided with two glued-on straight bars 58, of the same material as the sheets 10, which, when the lid is in position, abut the inner faces of the sheets 10.

In use, the dispenser is stood on the bases of the sheets 10. The lid 52 is removed and nuts are placed in the cavity defined by the plates 10, the portions 16, 18 of the piece 12, the portions 20, 22 of the piece 14, the tube 36 and flap 38. The flap 38 is kept in contact with the portion 22 by the weight of nuts on the fiap. The flap is also kept in contact with portion 22 by the upward force of the rubber band 46 on the handle 42, but the rubber band 46 is not necessary, it is used only because it produces a better "feel" on the handle for users of the dispenser.

In order to dispense nuts from the dispenser, a container is placed beneath the dispensing mouth 30 and the handle 42 is displaced downwardly by a user. This displacement of the handle causes the tube 36 to pivot and thus the flap 38 is moved away from the portion 22, allowing nuts to travel underneath the flap, down the chute 24 and out of the mouth 30 into the container below when a desired quantity of nuts has been dispensed, the handle is released and the weight of nuts on the upper surface of the flap 38 presses the flap against the portion 22 to prevent any more nuts from being dispensed.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing nuts or other particulate or granular material, the device comprising a storage compartment having a base which comprises two downwardly inclined portions forming an aperture therebetween for dispensing of material, and a closure device comprising a member movable between substantially sealing abutment with at least one of the downwardly inclined portions to prevent the dispensing of material through the aperture and another position in which the member is spaced apart from the said downwardly inclined portion to allow the dispensing of material through the aperture.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure device comprises a pivotally mounted flap which, in use, is held in substantially sealing abutment with the portion by weight of the material.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flap is secured to a cylinder which is pivotally mounted on the device.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, comprising a handle attached to the cylinder.

5. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the closure device is biased into substantially sealing abutment with the portion by means of resiliently deformable means.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the resiliently deformable means comprises a spring.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the resiliently deformable means comprises a rubber band.

8. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the storage compartment com prises four substantially vertical side walls.

9. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising means for guiding material into a container after the material has passed through the aperture.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the guiding means comprise a chute.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the chute comprises part of a downwardly inclined portion.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the chute extends underneath the other downwardly inclined portion.

13. A device for dispensing nuts or other particulate or granular material, substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.