IES20100624A2 - Cigarette packet dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A cigarette packet dispensing apparatus (50), comprising a magazine (51) for holding a plurality of cigarette packets (17), a dispensing station (80), and a loading means (60) to move a remaining cigarette packet in an upward direction to the dispensing station (80) each time a packet is removed from the magazine. <Figure 12>

Description

TRUE COPY AS LODGED Cigarette Packet Dispensing Apparatus This present invention relates to a cigarette packet dispensing apparatus.

As the display of cigarettes continues to be reduced by legislation, a difficulty arises for shops in terms of storing cigarettes adjacent to the shop assistant, but out of sight. The counter area around the payment area where the shop assistant operates a cash register, is crowded and many products with high margins compete for the valuable high profile space, where customers spend time in paying for goods.

A difficulty for cigarette products is therefore the fact that they cannot be on display, but yet they need to be near the shop payment area.

According to the invention there is provided a cigarette packet dispensing apparatus, comprising a magazine for holding a plurality of cigarette packets, a dispensing station, and a loading means to move a remaining cigarette packet in an upward direction to the dispensing station each time a packet is removed from the magazine, wherein the magazine includes an indicator means to provide an indication as to the number of remaining packets in the magazine.

Preferably, the dispensing apparatus comprises a plurality of magazines, The magazines are preferably arranged in side by side relationship.

The loading means preferably comprises a spring urged riser plate, on which the cigarette packs are supported. The spring urged riser plate is preferably sufficiently biased by a spring to bias a pack on the riser plate into the dispensing station, from where the pack can be manually extracted. Each riser plate may support any desired number of cigarette packets in a vertical stack arrangement.

The dispensing station has a retaining means which retains the uppermost pack, and enables it to be manually extracted.

The dispensing apparatus may comprise a plurality of rows and columns of magazines.

IE 1 Ο Ο 6 2 4 Preferably, the retaining means comprises at least one spring urged retaining flange, movable from a retaining or closed position to a refill or open position. Preferably each magazine has a pair of spring urged retaining flanges.

The indicator means preferably comprises an indicator ribbon which moves with the riser plate and has indicia to indicate the remaining number of packs in a magazine.

In one embodiment, the cigarette packet dispensing apparatus is arranged as an elongate housing having at least one row of magazines for dispensing a variety of cigarette packs in a substantially upwardly vertical direction. In another embodiment there is preferably provided two rows of eighteen magazines.

The apparatus is preferably manufactured of a size and shape suitable to be disposed under a shop counter.

The apparatus is preferably arranged, so that the dispensing station is approximately at hand height of an average adult, so that a shop assistant does not need to bend to remove a cigarette pack from the apparatus.

Preferably a locking means is provided to prevent unauthorised removal of packets from the apparatus. Further preferably a securing means is provided to secure the apparatus to a floor or other structure.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a front perspective of a cigarette dispensing apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cigarette dispensing apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1; IE 10 0 6 2 4 Figure 5 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the indicator means in both a lowered and a raised position; and Figures 8a and 8b are diagrammatic front views of the retaining means in both a retaining or closed position and in a refill or open position.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 is a sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 9; Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the top portion of the apparatus of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a top perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 9 and Figure 13 is another partial cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 9.

Referring now to Figures 1-8 of the drawings there is shown therein a cigarette packet dispensing apparatus generally indicated at 10 according to the invention. The apparatus 10 comprises a housing 11 having front and rear panels 12, 13 respectively and left and right panels 14, 15 respectively. The housing 11 encloses a plurality of side by side magazines 16 for holding and dispensing cigarette packets 17. Each magazine 16 is defined by side walls 18, a rear wall 19 and a front flange wall 20, arranged in suitable dimensions to substantially correspond to the conventional size of cigarette packet21. It will be noted that for the magazines adjacent the sidewalls 14,15 of the housing, the side wails 14, 15 define a side wall for each end magazine.

A loading means in the form of a riser plate 22 is disposed within each magazine 16 and is mounted on a guide member 23 (Fig. 6). The guide member 23 has mounted on its underside a coil spring 24 which is fixed to a base 25 of the housing 11. The ends of guide member 23 are disposed within guide rails 26 mounted on the side walls 18 to guide the riser plate 22 as it moves upwards and downwards within the magazine 16.

IE 1 Ο Ο 6 2 4 An indicator means in the form of an elongate flexibie indicator ribbon 30 is attached to each riser plate 22, and carries indicia 31, some of which are visible depending on the number of cigarette packets held in a magazine 16. As shown, the ribbon 30, is folded over at the top of the housing 11 so that its free and projects downwardly into a slot 32 or recess behind each magazine 16. The ribbon 30 is guided into the slot or recess 32 by engaging in a guide member 33 having a cylindrical or part cylindrical guide rod 34, contained therein. The ribbon 30 therefore passes into the guide member 33, on a front side of the rod 34, then over the top of the rod and down over the rear side of the guide member into the recess at the rear of the housing 11. A dispensing station 40 (Fig. 3) is disposed at the top of each magazine 16. The dispensing station 40 comprises a pair of flanges 41 each of which is spring biased by a spring 42 upwardly into a horizontal position. The flanges 41 may be pushed downwardly against the bias of the spring 42 when it is desired to load cigarette packets into a magazine.

A suitable locking means is provided in the form of a cover or door (not shown) which may be locked to the housing 11 to securely lock the apparatus when not is use.

In use, a stack of cigarette packets 17 (Fig. 6) are engaged in each magazine 16 and force the riser plate 22 downwardly to compress the coil spring 24. The cigarette packets are engaged in each magazine simply by locating them on top of the flanges 41 of each magazine 16 and pushing downwardly so that the flanges 41 pivot downwardly to admit each packet 17. As more packets 17 are loaded into each magazine 16 the spring 24 is further compressed until it is fully compressed when the magazine is fully loaded. It is envisaged that each magazine 16 may hold fourteen standard packets of 20 cigarettes. It will be appreciated that the magazine may be of a depth to hold any desired number of packets. Similarly, the housing 11 may be arranged in any suitable size to accommodate any desired number of magazines. The depth of each packet of cigarettes 17 corresponds to each of the markings on the ribbon 30. Thus, in this example, when the magazine 16 is full with fourteen packets of cigarettes 17, the only marking visible is the number 14, since the numbers 0-13 are covered by the cigarette packets 17. When the first packet is taken from the magazine, then the number thirteen is visible, etc.

As each packet 17 is removed from the magazine 17, the coil spring 24 urges the remaining cigarette packets in an upward direction to the dispensing station 40, where they are retained to be manually dispensed.

IE 1 0 0 6 24 It will be clear that an extension spring, or other spring means may be used in substitution for the coil spring 24.

Referring now to Figures 9 to 13 there is shown therein another embodiment of cigarette package dispensing apparatus generally indicated at 50. The apparatus 50 comprises a magazine 51 for holding and dispensing cigarette packets 17. The magazine 51 has front and rear walls 52, 53 and left and right side walls 54, 55.

A loading means in the form of a riser piate 60 is disposed within the magazine 51 and has an integral guide member 58. The riser plate 60 has mounted on its underside an extension spring 56 one end of which is fixed adjacent the top of the magazine at 59. The guide member 58 is a flange and is disposed within a slot 62 at the rear of the magazine and enables the riser plate 60 to move upwards and downwards within the magazine 51. The extension spring 56 is mounted within a housing 57.

An indicator means in the form of an elongate flexible indicator ribbon 70 is attached to the guide member 58 and carries indicia 71, some of which are visible depending on the number of cigarette packets held in the magazine 51. As shown, the ribbon 70 is folded over at the top of the magazine 51 so that its free end projects downwardly into a slot 72 or recess at the rear of the magazine. The ribbon 70 is guided into the slot or recess 72 by engaging around a guide member 73 having a cyclindrical or part cylindrical guide rod 74 at the top of the magazine. The ribbon 70 therefore passes into the guide member 73 on a front side of the rod 74, then over the top of the rod and down over the rear side of the guide member 73 into the recess 72 at the rear of the housing 51.

A dispensing station 80 is disposed at the top of the magazine 51. The dispensing station 80 comprises a pair of flanges 81 each of which is spring biased by a spring (not shown) upwardly into a horizontal position. The flanges 81 may be pushed downwardly against the bias of the spring when it is desired to load cigarette packets into a magazine.

In use, a stack of cigarette packets 17 are engaged in the magazine 51 and force the riser plate 60 downwardly to extend the extension spring 56. The cigarette packets are engaged in the magazine simply by locating them on top of the flanges 81 of the magazine and pushing downwardly so that the flanges 81 pivot downwardly to admit each packet 17. As more packets are loaded into the IE 1 0 0 6 2 4 magazine the spring 57 is further extended until the magazine is fully loaded. It is envisaged that each magazine will hold fourteen standard packets of 20 cigarettes. It will however be appreciated that the magazine may be of a depth to hold any desired number of packets. The depth of each packet of cigarettes corresponds to each of the markings 71 on the ribbon 70. Thus, when the magazine 51 is full with fourteen packets of cigarettes 17, the only marking visible is the number 14, since the numbers 0-13 are covered by the cigarette packets 17. As each packet 17 is removed from the magazine 51, the extension spring urges the remaining cigarette packets in an upward direction to be dispensed in station 80, where they are retained to be manually dispensed.

It will be clear that any other suitable spring means may be used in substitution for the extension spring 56.

Further, it wili be clear that a number of magazines 51 may be arranged in a side by side relationship to provide a housing or a unit comprising a piurality of magazines 51. The magazine 51 may for example have engaging flanges or recesses on the side walls 54, 55 so that adjacent magazines may be secured together to form a unit comprised of a number of magazines. The dispensing apparatus of the invention may therefore comprise a housing having a plurality of magazines, wherein each magazine comprises a dispensing station and a loading means to move a remaining cigarette packet in an upwards direction to the dispensing station each time a packet is removed from the magazine.

Each magazine preferably includes an indicator means to provide an indication as to the number of remaining cigarette packets in the magazine.

The invention thus provides an upward dispensing system for cigarette packets in addition to a calibration mechanism to provide an indication of stock levels for each column of cigarette packets in each magazine.

The apparatus may be readily located behind a shop counter either free standing or fixed to the counter or floor and may be locked in situ or mounted on wheels for ease of movement.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments) described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 5 1. A cigarette packet dispensing apparatus (50), comprising a magazine (51) for holding a plurality of cigarette packets (17), a dispensing station (80), and a loading means (60) to move a remaining cigarette packet in an upward direction to the dispensing station (80) each time a packet is removed from the magazine, wherein the magazine includes an indicator means (70) to provide an indication as to the number of remaining packets in the magazine.
2. 2. A cigarette packet dispensing apparatus (50) as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the loading means comprises a spring urged riser plate (50), on which the cigarette packets are supported.
3. 3. A cigarette packet dispensing apparatus (50) as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the indicator 15 means comprises an indicator ribbon (70) which moves with the riser plate (60) and has indicia to indicate the remaining number of packets in a magazine.
4. 4. A cigarette packet dispensing apparatus (50) as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the spring urged riser piate (60) is sufficiently biased by a spring to bias a cigarette packet on the riser plate into the 20 dispensing station (80), from where the pack can be manually extracted.
5. 5. A cigarette packet dispensing apparatus (50) as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the dispensing station (80) has a retaining means (81) which retains the uppermost cigarette packet, and enables it to be manually extracted.