GB2449897A

GB2449897A - Dispenser for single use medical items

Info

Publication number: GB2449897A
Application number: GB0710926A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan William Stollery; Kim Marie Jones
Original assignee: Altevo Ltd
Current assignee: Altevo Ltd
Priority date: 2007-06-07
Filing date: 2007-06-07
Publication date: 2008-12-10
Also published as: GB0710926D0; WO2008149070A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dispenser for single use medical articles, such as pens and hand-held medical diagnostic aids, such as thermometers. The dispensing system comprises a dispensing apparatus 2 and at least one hand-held article 10 for dispensing by said apparatus. The dispensing apparatus comprises a dispensing passage 12, and supporting means 35, 36, the extent of said passage 12 being defined at least in part by the supporting means 12, 15, and the supporting means being arranged to support a hand-held article 10 ready for subsequent dispensing through said passage. The article comprises a body 17 and a pull tab 22, and said pull tab extending from said body 17, wherein: the pull tab 22 of said article 10 is accessible for a user to grip in preparation of pulling said article out from the dispensing passage 12. The body 17 includes flexure means 18 which permits the body 17 to flex when pulled by the pull tab 22. The supporting means 35, 36 provides insufficient clearance for the body 17 of the article to pass through said passage 12 until the body is caused to flex by pulling of the pull tab 22, whereupon the flexed body is dispensed through said passage 12.

Description

Dispensing Hand-held Items

BACKGROUND

a. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the dispensing of hand-held items, and in particular to an apparatus and method for dispensing such items, and to items such as pens and hand-held medical devices and medical diagnostic aids for dispensing from a dispenser b. Related Art The control of infection of patients in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' surgeries has become an ever more pressing concern with the rise of infectious bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics, in particular methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MSRA). In the United Kingdom alone there are thought to be about 5,000 deaths a year from infections caught in hospitals but some experts believe the number could be as high as 20,000.

Research has shown that high levels of MRSA are present on everyday items in hospitals Samples taken from an intensive care unit at a London hospital found MRSA on charts, bins, pens, medical notes, phones and computer keyboards.

There was also MRSA present on staff aprons and hands. The most common route for MRSA infection is between patients or via a doctor or nurse. Hospital staff can spread MRSA by using such items after having contact with patients Research has also shown that if someone has MRSA on their hands, the bacteria would be left on the next four surfaces touched by that person. Once MRSA is on an item it will remain there for up to 80 days unless that item is cleaned.

Patent document Wa 2006/100423 therefore proposes the use in clinical environments of single-use pens in order to control and reduce cross-contamination of bacteria, viruses and fungi. The single-use pens have ink sufficient only for a single use by a doctor or nurse when writing notes at a patient's bed-side After notes have been written, the pen is immediately discarded so that the health care professional does not transmit any infectious organisms or agents on the pen to the next patient's bed-side The pens described in WO 2006/100423 each have an identical conical hollow shape having an open end, allowing the pens to be stacked in a compact arrangement one inside another. The dispenser has a dispensing aperture from which the pointed end of an end-most pen in the stack projects.

An advantage of this arrangement is that the outermost pen in the stack about to be dispensed covers over and therefore protects the subsequent pen from any external contact or contamination until such time as the outermost pen has been dispensed.

A number of limitations have been noted with such a pen dispensing system. First, owing to the conical shape, the pens are bulkier to hold, which decreases the attractiveness of using the single-use pen. If the single use pens are not conventionally shaped and easy and convenient to use, then a person may still prefer to use their own multiple use pen. The dispenser also does not ensure that only one pen at a time is dispensed, because in certain circumstances it may be possible for a user gripping the wider portion of the protruding conical pen to apply sufficient force to pull out two or more pens at once It is an object of the present invention to provide a more convenient and reliable arrangement for dispensing hand-held items.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a dispensing system, comprising a dispensing apparatus and at least one hand-held article for dispensing by said apparatus, the apparatus comprising a dispensing passage, and Supporting means, the extent of said passage being defined at least in part by the supporting means, and the supporting means being arranged to support a hand-held article ready for subsequent dispensing through said passage, and said article comprising a body and a pull tab, and said pull tab extending from said body, wherein: -the pull tab of said article is accessible for a user to grip the pull tab in preparation of pulling said article out from the dispensing passage; - said body includes flexure means which permits the body to flex when pulled by the pull tab; -the supporting means provides insufficient clearance for the body of the article to pass through said passage until the body is caused to flex by pulling of the pull tab, whereupon the flexed body is dispensed through said passage.

The pull tab may be affixed to the body proximate the flexure means. This helps to enhance the force at the flexure means to aid flexing of the body when pulled by the pull tab. The pull tab may also be permanently affixed to the body, so that the pull tab may not accidentally be removed from a body which has not yet been dispensed The dispensing passage may have an elongate shape approximately corresponding with that of the article to be dispensed. Thus, the dispensing passage may have a first end and a second end, the supporting means being provided at one or both of the ends.

Also according to the invention, there is provided a method of dispensing at least one hand-held article from a dispensing apparatus, said article comprising a pull tab and flexure means, and the apparatus comprising a dispensing passage, said passage being defined by surfaces and said surfaces being separated by a distance which is less than a corresponding dimension of said article, the method comprising the steps of.

-positioning said article ready for dispensing through said passage, such that said pull tab is manually accessible, and such that the movement of a portion of said article through said passage is inhibited by the lack of clearance between said article and said passage; -gripping said pull tab and pulling said article in a direction towards the passage, and thereby causing said article to flex and move into said passage where said movement is not inhibited by said lack of clearance; -continuing to pull said article until said article has flexed sufficiently to provide clearance for said artcle to be dispensed from said passage.

The body may be an elongate body having opposite first and second ends. The supporting means may then be arranged to support the article at the first end and/or at the second end of the body.

The pull tab may be affixed to the body between opposite first and second ends of the elongate body.

In one embodiment of the invention, the body is flexible over its extent in a direction transverse to the plane of the body. The flexure means may therefore be provided by the flexibility of the body over its extent.

Alternatively, the body may have a locally flexible portion, in which case, the flexure means is provided by the flexibility of the locally flexible portion.

For example, the flexure means may be a localised weakness in the body proximate the second end. If the body is formed from a plastic material, the localised weakness may be a local thinning of the plastic material.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexure means is provided by a flexing hinge in the body.

The hand-held article may be a limited-use writing instrument, or may be a hand-held article comprising a medical device, for example a medical diagnostic aid such as a flexible thermometer, or may be another article used in an application where hygiene is important, for example the food preparation industry.

Therefore, according to the invention, there is also provided a limited-use writing instrument for dispensing from a dispenser, the writing instrument having an elongate body, said body having a first end and a second end, a nib at the first end of said body, a pull tab extending from said body, and flexure means whereby said body may flex in a direction transverse to the length of the body, wherein said body when supported at said first and second ends and pulled by the pull tag in said transverse direction flexes in said direction transverse to the length of the body, thereby reducing the distance in a straight line between said first and second ends.

The writing instrument may be any hand-writing instrument which dispenses by friction, by contact or otherwise a substance on a writing medium. Examples include a pen having its own supply of ink, for example a ballpoint pen or a felt tip pen, or non-ink based writing instruments such as a wax tip pen and also graphite tip writing instruments such as a pencil.

The body may have a flattened cross-section along its length. When the body is part of a writing instrument, the writing instrument may therefore preferably be shaped such that it will lie on a flat supporting surface in a stable orientation with a Jabejling surface facing upwards. The writing instrument may be colour coded, or provided with a labelling portion on the flattened surfaces of the wnting instrument on which identification information may be written This will in use help to identify the writing instrument.

The invention further provides a hand-held medical device for dispensing from a dispenser, the device having a body, said body having a substantially planar form with a peripheral region and a central region, a pull tab extending from said body, and flexure means whereby said body may flex in a direction transverse to the plane of the body, wherein said body when supported in said peripheral region and pulled by the pull tag in said transverse direction flexes in said direction transverse to the plane of the body, thereby reducing the extent of the body in a plane extending between said supported peripheral regions The medical device may be a medical diagnostic device, or any other type of hand-held device used in a medical or clinical environment.

The dispensing apparatus may comprise a housing, the dispensing passage terminating at an aperture in the housing, the aperture having an elongate shape approximately corresponding with that of the article and having a first end and a second end, the supporting means being provided at one or both of the ends.

Therefore, the invention also provide a replaceable cartridge for a dispensing system, the cartridge comprising a housing, a plurality of hand-held articles within the housing, a dispensing aperture in the housing, said articles being arranged within the housing such that the next article to be dispensed from the cartridge is positioned proximate said aperture, at least one dimension of said aperture being less than the corresponding dimension of said article proximate said aperture such that said article is retained within the housing wherein -said article comprises a pull tab, said pull tab being accessible at said aperture for manually pulling said article when being dispensed from the cartridge, -said article includes flexure means which in use permits the article to flex when pulled by the puiJ tab until the article has flexed sufficiently to permit the article to pass through said aperture.

The supporting means may therefore comprise at least one ledge, for example a ledge bordering on or immediately adjacent the dispensing aperture, on which a portion of the article rests prior to dispensing.

The supporting means may therefore be provided by a feature within the cartridge. -7.-

BRIEF DESCRIPTiON OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a plan view of a replaceable cartridge for a limited-use pen dispensing system, the cartridge comprising an external housing, according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a right side view of the cartridge of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section view of the cartridge, taken along lines Ill-Ill of Figure 2, showing a plurality of limited-use pens stacked within the housing; Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the cartridge of Figure 1, showing how a lower protective cover is removed prior to dispensing of pens from the cartridge, after which a pull tab extends downwardly from the cartridge; Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to Figure 5, showing the hidden and internal features of the cartridge in dashed outline, Figure 7 is a perspective view of a replaceable cartridge for a limited-use pen dispensing system, according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, shown with a wail mounting bracket; Figure 8 shows how the cartridge of Figure 7 slots into the wall mounting bracket, with a lower protective cover strip ready for removal; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the protective cover strip after removal; Figures 10 to 12 are perspective views of a lower portion of a wall mounted replaceable cartridge for a limited-use pen dispensing system, according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, similar to that of Figure 7, but with an alternative design of the protective cover strip, and showing how the limited-use pen is dispensed; Figures 13 to 15 are perspective views of the cartridge of Figure 7, showing how the limited-use pens are dispensed; Figure 16 is an enlarged cross-section view similar to that of Figure 3, showing the limited-use pens in the housing ready for dispensing; Figure 17 is a plan view of a replaceable cartridge for a flexible disposable thermometer, the cartridge comprising an external housing, according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 18 is a right side view of the cartridge of Figure 17; Figure 19 is a cross-section view of the cartridge, taken along lines XIX-XIX of Figure 18, showing a plurality of disposable thermometer packs stacked within the housing; Figures 20 and 21 are perspective views showing how a protective lower cover is removed form the housing of Figure 17; Figures 22 and 23 are perspective views showing how disposable thermometer packs are dispensed from the cartridge; Figures 24 and 25 are enlarged perspective views of two embodiments of disposable thermometer packs according to the invention; Figure 26 is a perspective views showing how the cartridge of Figure 17 slots into the wall mounting bracket, with a lower protective cover strip ready for removal, Figure 27 is a perspective view of the wall mounted cartridge with cover strip removed and with a downwardly extending pull tag ready for dispensing; and Figure 28 is a perspective view of a wall mounted dispensing system having several replaceable cartridges for dispensing different types of hand-held article.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figures 1 to 16 show various views of three embodiments 1, 101, 201 of a replaceable cartridge for a limited-use pen dispensing system The cartridge 1, 101, 201 has a rectangular box-like housing 2, which when oriented vertically has broad rectangular front and rear faces 3, 4 and narrow left and right faces 5, 6.

The housing 2 has a closed top face 7, and opposite this face is joined to a removable lower protective cover 8, 108, 208.

The housing 2 is hollow and contains a plurality of limited-use pens 10. Each pen has a flattened cross-section, having opposite flattened wide sides 20, 23, with the pens 10 being stacked horizontally on their wide sides 20, 23 one on top of the other within a chamber 9 formed by the vertically oriented housing 2. The flattened cross-sections permit the stacking of more pens 10 inside the chamber 9. Each pen 10 also includes a non-replaceable ink cartridge 11 with insufficient ink for multiple uses of the pen.

The removable cover 8, 108, 208 protects the pens 10 within the housing until such time as the pens are to be dispensed. In the first embodiment 1 the cover 8 is a rectangular lid, extending around the four sides 3-6 of the housing, and may be initially retained to the rest of the housing 2 by means of adhesive tape or an outer shrink-wrap packaging (not shown), but in any event is removable as shown in Figure 5 to reveal an opening 12 which extends between a central lower edge of -10-the front and rear faces 3, 4. In use, the opening serves as an elongate dispensing aperture 12 through which the pens 10 are dispensed one at a time Each pen 10 has a first end 14 and an opposite second end 15, with a nib 16 being provided at the first end 14 The pen 10 has a main body 17 formed from a plastic material which is sufficiently rigid over most of its length to be gripped and used when writing by hand, Towards the second end 15, however, the pen body 17 has a local line of weakness 18 which extends transverse to a long axis 19 of the pen 10. This line of weakness 18 is separated from the second end 15 by a tab 30 of similar plastic material. The line of weakness 18 is a flexure means and acts like a resilient hinge so that the tab 30 is bendable with respect to the rest of the pen body 17, but has a natural tendency to revert to or spring back to a neutral orientation parallel with the pen axis 19 Between the line of weakness 18 and a mid-point of the pen body 17, the pen 10 is optionally provided with an elongate recess 21 in one of the flattened sides 20.

The elongate recess 21 extends laterally either side of the pen axis 19, but not as far the opposite narrow sides 33, 34 of the pen body 17, and extends longitudinally from the mid-point of the pen body 17 towards the line weakness 18. The pen 10 has a pull tab 22 which, when the pens 10 are in the stacked arrangement inside the housing 2, lies between adjacent stacked pens. Optionally, the pull tab 22 lies within a space formed by the recess 21 and an adjacent flat side 23 of the adjacent pen 10 in the stack. Each recess 21 faces downwards with respect to the vertically oriented housing 2, so that when the cover 8 is removed, the pull tab 22 of the pen 10 next to the dispensing aperture 12 is free to drop down. To this end, each pull tab 22 is therefore formed from a flexible or a limp material so that it can droop naturally downwards under its own weight, when it is turn for that pen to be dispensed.

In this example, the pull tab 22 is a strip of plastic, but could equivalently be a length of string or thread, or any other feature which may be gripped by hand, and the term pull tab" as used herein therefore encompasses all such functional -11 -equivalents.

The line of weakness 18 is formed by a local thinning of the pen body 17, but may alternatively be provided by a different flexible material joining a separately formed pen body and tab, The pull tab 22 is permanently affixed to the pen body 17, by being joined at a fixing point 28 on the pen body immediately adjacent the line weakness 18, on the side towards the mid-point of the pen body. At this fixing point 28, the pull tab may be welded or glued to the pen body 17 Additionally or alternatively, the pull tab may pass through an aperture (not shown) at the fixing point 28 and be formed with one or more protrusions that prevent the pull tab from passing back through the aperture, One example of such a protrusion is a T-bar provided at the end of the pull tab passing through an open slot in the pen body. An advantage of the T-bar connection is that the T-bar can provide a pivoting connection between the pull tab and the pen body, in which case the pull tab can be formed from a relatively rigid material.

Pens 10 are dispensed from the housing 2 one at a time when a user grips the accessible pull tab 22 and then pulls this at an angle to the pen body 17. The pen is supported inside the housing at opposite ends 14, 15 by a pair of ledges 35, 36 bordering the ends of the elongate dispensing aperture 12. When the pen 10 extends straight along the pen axis 19, there is insufficient clearance between the ledges 35, 36 for the pen 10 to drop out of the dispenser 2 However, when the pull tab 22 is pulled, the hinge 18 then flexes downwards. This causes the distance in a straight line between the pen ends 14, 15 to reduce until there is sufficient clearance for the pen 10 to drop from the dispensing aperture 12 An advantage of this arrangement in a clinical environment is that users need only get hold of the pull tab 22 and will not tend to touch the housing 2 or any part of the pen about to be dispensed, until this is free of the dispenser. Thus, subsequent pens to be dispensed will not be contaminated by previous users of the dispenser -12 -In the first embodiment 1, the cover 8 includes on an inner lower surface 38 a protective strip 40 which seals the inside of the housing 2. The strip 38 is affixed to the cover, and automatically pulls away from the dispensing aperture 12 when the cover is removed.

Figures 7 and 8 are views a replaceable cartridge 101 for a limited-use pen dispensing system, according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, shown with a wall mounting bracket 50. The wall mounting bracket may also be used with the first embodiment of cartridge 1. The cartridge 101 of Figures 7 and 8 differs from the first embodiment 1 in having a slide-off cover strip 108, having a square U-shaped cross-sectional profile, which is not intended to be removed from the housing 2 until after the housing has been slotted into the wall mounting bracket 50. The bracket has a receptacle 52 with a rectangular outline for receiving and holding securely the housing 2. The receptacle 52 has an open base 54 with front and rear ledges (not shown) matching the shape and positioning of the housing ledges 35, 36, so that the dispensing aperture 12 of the housing is not obscured or blocked in any way. In this way, the housing and holder apertures 12, 54 form a dispensing passage through which the pens are dispensed.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate how the cover strip 108 may be removed after the housing 2 has been slotted into the wall mounting bracket 50. The bracket receptacle 52 has a forwards side 56 in the lower portion of which is an aperture 58, level with the bottom of the housing, and through which projects a pull tab extension 60 of the cover strip which a user can get hold of and pull to remove the cover strip 108 from the housing 2.

Figures 10 to 12 are perspective views of a lower portion of a wall mounted replaceable cartridge 201 for a limited-use pen dispensing system, according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, similar to that of Figure 7, but with an alternative design of the protective cover strip 208, which is a planar in form. The cover strip 208 is held along its periphery by perforations to the housing and is -13-removed by tearing downwards.

Figures 17 to 19 are views of a replaceable cartridge 301 for a packs 310 holding a flexible disposable thermometer (not shown), the cartridge comprising an external housing 302, according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, in which features similar to or analogous to those of the first embodiment are indicated by reference numerals incremented by 300.

The cartridge 301 has a rectangular box-like housing 302, which when oriented vertically has broad rectangular front and rear faces 303, 304 and narrow left and right faces 305, 306. The housing 302 has a closed top face 307, and opposite this face is joined to a removable lower protective cover 308.

The housing 302 is hollow and contains a plurality of single-use disposable thermometer packs 310. Each thermometer pack 310 includes a surrounding tear-open sterile disposable sleeve or wrapper 62 and contains a single external contact thermometer (not shown). Such thermometers are known, an example of which is sold under the registered trade mark "Tempa-DOT" by 3M Health Care.

The thermometer pack is substantially flat and very thin, and therefore defines a plane 319, and also has opposite flat sides 320, 323, with the packs 310 being stacked horizontally on their flat sides 320, 323 one on top of the other within a chamber 309 formed by the vertically oriented housing 302.

The removable cover 308 retains the thermometer packs 310 within the housing until such time as the packs are to be dispensed. The cover 308 is a rectangular lid, extending around the four sides 303-306 of the housing, and may be initially retained to the rest of the housing 302 by means of adhesive tape or an outer shrink-wrap packaging (not shown), but in any event is removable as shown in Figures 20 and 21 to reveal an opening 312 which extends between a central lower edge of the front and rear faces 303, 304. In use, the opening serves as an elongate dispensing aperture 312 through which the thermometer packs 310 are dispensed one at a time.

-14 -Each thermometer pack 310 has a first end 314 and an opposite second end 315.

The pack 310 is essentially uniformly flexible over its full length, but still has a natural tendency to revert to or spring back to a neutral orientation parallel with the pack plane 319. Consequently, the supporting ledges 325, 326 at opposite ends of the dispensing aperture 312 are proportionately bigger to maintain the packs within the housing chamber 309 until dispensed.

A pull tab 322is provided towards one end 315 of the 310 pack, and is affixed to the disposable wrapper 62 which, when the packs 310 are in the stacked arrangement inside the housing 302, lies flat between adjacent flat sides 320, 323 of adjacent packs 310. As in the previous embodiments, the pull tab 322 is provided in a lower side 320 of the pack 310 away from the first and second ends 314, 315, and is positioned relative to the supporting ledges 325, 326 so that when the cover 308 is removed, the pull tab 322 of the next pack to be dispensed at the housing dispensing aperture 312 is free to drop down. To this end, each pull tab 322 is therefore formed from a flexible or a limp material so that it can naturally droop downwards under its own weight, when it is turn for that pack to be dispensed.

In this example, the pull tab 322 is a strip of plastic, but could equivalently be a length of string or thread, or any other feature which may be gripped by hand, and the term "pull tab" as used herein therefore encompasses all such functional equivalents.

The pull tab 322 is permanently affixed to the wrapper 62, by being glued at a fixing point 328 on the pack lower surface 320. Optionally, as shown in Figure 24, the disposable wrapper 62 may include a tear strip 66 for tearing open the wrapper, with the pull tab 322 being connected to the tear strip so that the wrapper 62 may after dispensing be torn open by pulling the pull tab.

Optionally, as shown in Figure 25, the pull tab 422 may wrap around to the upper -15-surface 323 of the pack.

Thermometer packs 310 are dispensed from the housing 302 one at a time when a user grips the accessible pull tab 322 and then pulls this at an angle to the plane 319 of the pack. The pack 310 is supported inside the housing at opposite ends 14, 15 by the pair of ledges 335, 336 bordering the ends of the elongate dispensing aperture 312. When the pack 310 extends straight along the plane 319, there is insufficient clearance between the ledges 335, 336 for the pack 310 to drop out of the dispenser 302. However, when the pull tab 322 is pulled, the pack then flexes downwards This causes the distance in a straight line between the pack ends 314, 315 to reduce until there is sufficient clearance for the pack 310 to drop from the dispensing aperture 312.

An advantage of this arrangement in a clinical environment is that users need only get hold of the pull tab 322 and will not tend to touch the housing 302 or any part of the pack about to be dispensed, until this is free of the dispenser. Thus, subsequent packs to be dispensed will not be contaminated by previous users of the dispenser.

Figures 26 and 27 are views a replaceable cartridge 401 for a single use disposable thermometer 310, 410 according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the invention, shown with a wall mounting bracket 350. The wall mounting bracket may also be used with the fourth embodiment of cartridge 301. The cartridge 401 of Figures 26 and 27 differs from the fourth embodiment 301 in having a tear-off cover strip 408, which is not intended to be removed from the housing 302 until after the housing has been slotted into the wall mounting bracket 350. The bracket has a receptacle 352 with a rectangular outline for receiving and holding securely the housing 302. The receptacle 352 has an open base 354 with front and rear ledges (not shown) matching the shape and positioning of the housing ledges 335, 336, so that the dispensing aperture 312 of thehousing is not obscured or blocked in any way. In this way, the housing and holder apertures 312, 354 form a dispensing passage through which the pens are dispensed. -16-

Figure 28 is a perspective view of a wall mounted dispensing system 550 having several holders 52, 352, each of which holds at replaceable cartridge, so that different types of hand-held article may be dispensed at the same station. The holder also has a storage bin 70 for holding a store of spare cartridges 101.

In all the embodiments described above, the article to be dispensed and the dispensing apparatus preferably incorporate silver ion additives which kill most known pathogens within one to two hours, thus helping to prevent the build up of lethal micro-organisms on exposed surfaces.

The invention provides several advantages in a clinical environment which help to prevent cross infection Each patient or work area may have a dedicated article dispensing system, which is mounted on a wall, for example beside a bed, a desk or any other location where control of movement of writing instruments or disposable medical devices is desired. The designs described above will help to prevent the carrying of multiple use pens from patient to patient or from area to area by medical staff, and also deal with the problem of cross contamination from touching surfaces when disposable medical devices or other articles are dispensed The invention therefore provides a convenient dispensing method and system for dispensing pens, disposable medical devices and other such hand-held items to help in the control of infectious cross-contamination in a clinical environment, a food preparation environment or in other applications where the maintenance of hygiene is important -17-

Claims

Claims: 1. A dispensing system, comprising a dispensing apparatus and

at least one hand-held article for dispensing by said apparatus, the apparatus comprising a dispensing passage, and supporting means, the extent of said passage being defined at least in part by the supporting means, and the supporting means being arranged to support a hand-held article ready for subsequent dispensing through said passage, and said article comprising a body and a pull tab, and said pull tab extending from said body, wherein: -the pull tab of said article is accessible for a user to grip the pull tab in preparation of pulling said article out from the dispensing passage; -said body includes flexure means which permits the body to flex when pulled by the pull tab, -the supporting means provides insufficient clearance for the body of the article to pass through said passage until the body is caused to flex by pulling of the pull tab, whereupon the flexed body is dispensed through said passage.
2. A dispensing system as claimed in Claimi in which said body is an elongate body having opposite first and second ends, and the supporting means s arranged to supports said article at said first end and/or at said second end of said body
3. A dispensing system as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which said body is an elongate body having opposite first and second ends, and the pull tab is affixed to said body between said first and second ends.
4. A dispensing system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said body is flexible over its extent, and said flexure means is provided by the flexibility of said body over its extent.
5. A dispensing system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, in which said body has a locally flexible portion, and said flexure means is provided by the flexibility of -18-said locally flexible portion.
6. A dispensing system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the hand-held article is elongate, having opposite first and second ends.
7. A dispensing system as claimed in Claim 6, in which the hand-held article is a limited-use writing instrument.
8. A dispensing system as claimed in Claim 6, in which the hand-held article comprises a medical diagnostic aid.
9. A dispensing system as claimed in Claim 8, in which the diagnostic aid is a flexible thermometer.
10. A dispensing system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the pull tab is permanently affixed to said body.
11. A dispensing system as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, in which said article comprises a disposable wrapper around the medical diagnostic aid, the pull tab being affixed to the disposable wrapper.
12. A dispensing system as claimed in Claim 11, in which the disposable wrapper includes a tear strip for tearing open the wrapper, and the pull tab is connected to the tear strip so that the wrapper may after dispensing be torn open by pulling the pull tab.
13. A dispensing system as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 12, in which the dispensing passage has an elongate shape approximately corresponding with that of said article and having a first end and a second end, the supporting means being provided at one or both of said ends.
14. A dispensing system as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 12, in which the -19 -dispensing apparatus comprises a housing, the dispensing passage terminating at an aperture in said housing, said aperture having an elongate shape approximately corresponding with that of said article and having a first end and a second end, the supporting means being provided at one or both of said ends.
15. A dispensing system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the supporting means comprises at least one ledge on which a portion of said article rests prior to dispensing.
16 A dispensing system as claimed in Claim 15, when dependent from Claim 14, in which the or each ledge borders said dispensing aperture.
17. A dispensing system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the pull tab of said article ready for subsequent dispensing naturally projects out of the dispensing passage to facilitate a user getting hold of said pull tab.
18. A dispensing system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the dispensing apparatus comprises a housing, the housing having a chamber for holding a plurality of said articles in an orientation above the dispensing passage.
19. A dispensing system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the dispensing apparatus comprises a replaceable cartridge and a holder for receiving said cartridge, said cartridge containing a plurality of said articles.
20. A dispensing system as claimed in Claim 19, in which the supporting means is provided by said cartridge.
21. A replaceable cartridge for a dispensing system, the cartridge comprising a housing, a plurality of hand-held articles within the housing, a dispensing aperture in the housing, said articles being arranged within the housing such that the next article to be dispensed from the cartridge is positioned proximate said aperture, at least one dimension of said aperture being less than the corresponding dimension 20 -of said article proximate said aperture such that said article is retained within the housing, wherein: -said article comprises a pull tab, said pull tab being accessible at said aperture for manually pulling said article when being dispensed from the cartridge; -said article includes flexure means which in use permits the article to flex when pulled by the pull tab until the article has flexed sufficiently to permit the article to pass through said aperture.
22. A limited-use writing instrument for dispensing from a dispenser, the writing instrument having an elongate body, said body having a first end and a second end, a nib at the first end of said body, a pull tab extending from said body, and flexure means whereby said body may flex in a direction transverse to the length of the body, wherein said body when supported at said first and second ends and pulled by the pull tag in said transverse direction flexes in said direction transverse to the length of the body, thereby reducing the distance in a straight line between said first and second ends.
23. A limited-use writing instrument as claimed in Claim 22, in which the flexure means is a localised weakness in the body proximate said second end.
24. A limited-use writing instrument as claimed in Claim 23, in which the body is formed from a plastic material, said localised weakness being a local thinning of said plastic material.
25. A limited-use writing instrument as claimed in any of Claims 23 to 24, in which said body has a flattened cross-section along its length
26. A limited-use writing instrument as claimed in any of Claims 22 to 25, in which said flexure means is provided by a flexing hinge in said body.
27. A limited-use writing instrument as claimed in any of Claims 23 to 26, in which said pull tab is affixed to said body proximate said flexure means.
28. A limited-use writing instrument as claimed in any of Claims 23 to 27, in which the pull tab is permanently affixed to said body
29. A hand-held medical device for dispensing from a dispenser, the device having a body, said body having a substantially planar form with a peripheral region and a central region, a pull tab extending from said body, and flexure means whereby said body may flex in a direction transverse to the plane of the body, wherein said body when supported in said peripheral region and pulled by the pull tag in said transverse direction flexes in said direction transverse to the plane of the body, thereby reducing the extent of the body in a plane extending between said supported peripheral regions.
30. A hand-held medical device as claimed in Claim 29, in which the body is substantially flexible along its extent in a direction transverse to the plane of said body, the flexure means being provided by said flexibility of said body.
31. A hand-held medical device as claimed in Claim 29 or Claim 30, in which
32. A hand-held medical device as claimed in any of Claims 29 to 31, comprising a flexible thermometer.
33. A hand-held medical device as claimed in any of Claims 28 to 32, in which said body comprises a disposable wrapper around a medical diagnostic aid, the pull tab being affixed to the disposable wrapper.
34. A hand-held medical device as claimed in Claim 33, in which the disposable wrapper includes a tear strip for tearing open the wrapper, and the pull tab is connected to the tear strip so that the wrapper may after dispensing be torn open by pulling the pull tab.
35. A method of dispensing at least one hand-held article from a dispensing -22 -apparatus, said article comprising a pull tab and flexure means, and the apparatus comprising a dispensing passage, said passage being defined by surfaces and said surfaces being separated by a distance which is less than a corresponding dimension of said article, the method comprising the steps of -positioning said article ready for dispensing through said passage, such that said pull tab is manually accessible, and such that the movement of a portion of said article through said passage is inhibited by the lack of clearance between said article and said passage; -gripping said pull tab and pulling said article in a direction towards the passage, and thereby causing said article to flex and move into said passage where said movement is not inhibited by said lack of clearance; -continuing to pull said article until said article has flexed sufficiently to provide clearance for said article to be dispensed from said passage
36. A dispensing system, comprising a dispensing apparatus and at least one hand-held article for dispensing by said apparatus, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings
37. A replaceable cartridge for a dispensing system, the cartridge comprising a housing, and a plurality of hand-held articles within the housing, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
38. A limited-use writing instrument for dispensing from a dispenser, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
39. A hand-held medical diagnostic device for dispensing from a dispenser, the device having a body, and a pull tab extending from said body, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
40. A method of dispensing at least one hand-held article from a dispensing apparatus, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.