GB2258456A - Tablet dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A tablet dispenser comprises a moulded, upwardly-open body portion (2) of circular cross-section, a plurality of flexible tabs (4) integral with the body portion and spaced around, to extend upwardly from, the upper circumference thereof whereby gaps are defined between adjacent tabs (4), and a lid portion (12) encasing the tabs (4) whereby said tabs (4) underlie the inner surface of the lid portion (12). The lid portion (12) has an aperture (22) therein and is rotatable on the body portion (2) between a closed position in which the aperture (22) in the lid portion overlies a tab (4) and an open position in which the aperture (22) in the lid portion (12) is aligned with a gap between two adjacent tabs. <IMAGE>

Description

TABLET DISPENSER This invention relates to dispensers from which can be poured or shaken one or more tablets such as, for example, artificial sweeteners.

It is well established practice to provide moulded dispensers of this type comprising an upwardly-open body portion of generally cylindrical or tapering cylindrical shape for containing the tablets and into the upper end of which is fitted a dispensing unit provided with an aperture through which, on inversion of the dispenser, one or more tablets can be shaken.

The dispenser is completed by a lid rotatably mounted on the dispensing unit and also provided with an aperture therethrough.

When the dispenser is not in use, the lid is rotated to misalign the apertures in the lid and the dispenser to prevent removal of the contents of the body portion.

When it is desired to dispense a tablet, the lid is rotated to align said apertures whereby a tablet can be shaken from the dispenser.

Such dispensers comprise three separate moulded components each of which requires the provision of its own separate moulding tool, making the product expensive to manufacture, while the three components of each dispenser must be carefully assembled, adding to the overall cost of the product. Furthermore, the end product is of significant weight in view of the relatively substantial nature of the conventional dispensing unit.

It would be desirable to be able to provide a tablet dispenser cf relatively simple construction and significantly less expensive to manufacture than heretofore.

According to the present invention there is provided a tablet dispenser comprising a moulded, upwardly-open body portion of generally circular cross-section, a plurality of flexible, circumferentially-spaced tabs integrally moulded with the body portion around the upper end thereof to extend upwardly therefrom whereby gaps are defined between adjacent tabs, and a lid portion located on the upper end of the body portion to encase the tabs whereby said tabs underlie the inner surface of the lid portion, said lid portion having an aperture formed therethrough and being rotatable relative to the body portion between a closed position in which the aperture in the lid portion overlies a tab and an open position in which the aperture in the lid portion is aligned with a gap between two adjacent tabs.

It will be appreciated that such a dispenser comprises only two components which are relatively easily assembled one onto the other.

Preferably the lid portion is a press snap-fit onto the body portion, said body portion conveniently being provided with a circumferential ridge therearound adjacent the upper end thereof and the lid portion including a depending side wall provided with an internal circumferential projection around the free edge thereof adapted to snap under said ridge on assembly of the dispenser.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lid portion includes a top wall of generally truncated conical shape centrally from the inner face of which depends a circular boss, the free ends of the tabs, on assembly of the dispenser, engaging said boss to determine the operative positions of said tabs closely underlying the tapering inner surface of the top wall of the lid portion.

Conveniently the body portion and the lid portion are provided with co-operating means thereon such that, on initial assembly of the dispenser, the lid portion is located in its closed position on the body portion. Said means may comprise at least one guide bar formed on the outer regions of the body portion between the upper end thereof and the circumferential ridge and extending at an acute angle to the longitudinal central axis of the body portion, and at least one co-operating stud provided on the inner face of the depending side wall of the lid portion.

Preferably the dispenser further includes means reacting between the lid portion and the body portion to determine the open and the closed positions of the lid portion relative to the body portion, which means may comprise said stud on the inner face of the side wall of the lid portion and a pair of circumferentially spaced indents or projections on the body portion below said circumferential ridge.

By way of example only, an embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figs. la and 1 show the body portion of a dispenser according to the invention in plan view from above and vertical section respectively; Figs. 2a and 2b show an assembled dispenser according to the invention in plan view from above and vertical section respectively, and Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c show the steps associated with assembly and use of the dispenser of Figs. 2a and 2b in isometric view.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated dispenser comprises a body portion or housing 2 of moulded plastics material the circular cross-section of which increases slightly from bottom to top.

Integrally moulded with the upper edge of the housing 2 are a plurality of flexible, circumferentially spaced tabs 4 each having a normal rest position extending upwardly and inwardly of the body portion 2 as shown in Fig. ib. Conveniently there are six equi-spaced tabs 4 defining therebetween gaps 6 the width of which is greater than the maximum diameter of the tablets to be dispensed from the housing 2.

A circumferential ridge 8 is integrally moulded around the upper regions of the body portion 2 for reasons which will become apparent, the ridge 8 having a substantially horizontal lower surface.

The body portion 2 further includes a pair of diametrically-opposed angled guide bars 10 each integrally moulded with the body portion and each extending from the upper end of the body portion to the ridge 8 as best seen in Figs. 3a and 3b, and a pair of circumferentially spaced stops (not shown) located immediately below the ridge 8, all for reasons to be detailed below.

The dispenser is completed by a moulded lid indicated generally at 12 and including a generally truncated conical top wall 14 from which depends a cylindrical side wall 16.

A circular boss 18 extends downwardly from the central underside of the top wall 14, while a series of six equally-spaded studs 20 project inwardly of the side wall 16 around the free edge thereof as best seen in Fig. 2b.

An aperture 22 is formed in the top wall 14 of the lid 12 of a size such that the tablet contents of the housing 2 can pass readily therethrough.

On assembly of the dispenser, and referring in particular to Fig. 3, the housing 2 is filled with the relevant tablets, for example artificial sweeteners, the lid 12 is located above the housing 2 and the lid is pushed down onto the housing 2. In so doing, the tabs 4 are received within the side wall 16 of the lid 12 and engage the underside of the top wall 14 of the lid 12.

Continued depression of the lid 12 causes the tabs 4 to flex inwardly to underlie the angled region of the top wall 14, the studs 20 on the lid 12 eventually snapping under the ridge 8 surrounding the housing 2 to retain the lid 12 on the housing 2. In this assembled condition of the dispenser, and as seen in Fig. 2b, the tabs 4 lie closely adjacent the top wall 14 of the lid 12 with their free ends closely adjacent to, to be located by, the outer wall of the boss 18.

On assembly, it is desired that the aperture 22 in the lid 12 overlies one of the tabs 4 so that the dispenser is initially closed. This is ensured by the locations of the guide bars 10 on the housing 2 and the equi-spaced studs 20 within the side wall 16 of the lid 12 - as the lid 12 is depressed onto the housing 2, and if the aperture 22 and a tab 4 are not aligned, a stud 20 on the lid 12 engages each guide bar 10 whereby the lid 12 is rotated relative to the housing 2 on downward movement of the lid 12 and such that, on complete assembly, the aperture 22 overlies a tab 4 as seen in Figs. 2a and 2b.

Once assembled the lid 12 can be rotated relative to the housing 2 from the closed position to an open position to align the aperture 22 with a gap 6 between two adjacent tabs 4 whereby one or more tablets can be poured or shaken from the housing 2 on inversion of the dispenser.

Conveniently the dispenser includes means reacting between the lid 12 and the housing 2 to define said open and closed positions. For example one of the studs 20 within the side wall 16 of the lid portion 12 may engage with the aforementioned spaced stops on the housing 2 below the ridge 8 to determine said open and closed positions.

Thus there is provided a lightweight dispenser of relatively simple construction that is relatively cheap to manufacture and assemble and which enables tablets to be dispensed therefrom in conventional manner. The flexible tabs 4 engaging the underside of the top wall 14 of the lid 12 ensure a substantially dust-tight seal to the dispenser in its closed condition, while the provision of the boss 18 to locate the free ends of the tabs substantially prevents inadvertent undesirable downward movement of the tabs 4 from their normal operative positions.

Clearly the precise construction of the dispenser can vary from that described and illustrated. In particular, the number and locations of the tabs 4 and gaps 6 can be altered to suit particular requirements, while the means for aligning the aperture 22 and tabs 4 on assembly, as well as the means for defining the open and closed rotary positions of the lid 12, may be other than as detailed above.

Other modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (9)

1. A tablet dispenser comprising a moulded, upwardly-open body portion of generally circular crosssection, a plurality of flexible, circumferentially-spaced tabs integrally moulded with the body portion around the upper end thereof to extend upwardly therefrom whereby gaps are defined between adjacent tabs, and a lid portion located on the upper end of the body portion to encase the tabs whereby said tabs underlie the inner surface of the lid portion, said lid portion having an aperture formed therethrough and being rotatable relative to the body portion between a closed position in which the aperture in the lid portion overlies a tab and an open position in which the aperture in the lid portion is aligned with a gap between two adjacent tabs.

2. A tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which the lid portion is a press snap-fit onto the body portion.

3. A tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 2 in which the body portion is provided with a circumferential ridge therearound adjacent the upper end thereof and the lid portion includes a depending side wall provided with an internal circumferential projection around the free edge thereof adapted to snap under said ridge on assembly of the dispenser.

4. A tablet dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the lid portion includes a top wall of generally truncated conical shape centrally from the inner face of which depends a circular boss, the free ends of the tabs, on assembly of the dispenser, engaging said boss to determine the operative positions of said tabs closely underlying the tapering inner surface of the top wall of the lid portion.

5. A tablet dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the body portion and the lid portion are provided with co-operating means thereon such that, on initial assembly of the dispenser, the lid portion is located in its closed position on the body portion.

6. A tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 5 together with claim 3 in which said co-operating means comprise at least one guide bar formed on the outer regions of the body portion between the upper end thereof and the circumferential ridge and extending at an acute angle to the longitudinal central axis of the body portion, and at least one co-operating stud provided on the inner face of the depending side wall of the lid portion.

7. A tablet dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 and further including means reacting between the lid portion and the body portion to determine the open and the closed positions of the lid portion relative to the body portion.

8. A tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 7 together with claims 3 and 6 in which said means reacting between the lid portion and the body portion comprise said stud on the inner face of the side wall of the lid portion and a pair of circumferentially spaced indents or projections on the body portion below said circumferential ridge.

9. A tablet dispenser substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.