MXPA00002054A - Disposable package and dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a consumable product dispenser that is easy to fill with product and also serves as a package for shipment of the product to an intended vending site, is easy to transport, allows vending of most or all of the contained product, remains clean and intact during its intended period of use, and shows potential consumers the contained product in an aesthetically pleasing fashion. A disposable candy dispenser, made of inexpensive and light weight materials is disclosed, the dispenser including an internal storage region (20), a front dispensing area (34), and a front window (54) that contains candy in a position where it can be viewed by potential consumers. A visible product window is also disclosed which displays the contained product and which includes a means for opening the window such that the contents of the window may be moved to another like dispenser, and then dispensed. A removable divider (30) is also disclosed which temporarily separates a storage region from a front open region into which the contents of the window of a like dispenser may be emptied, and which may then be removed subsequent to such filling of the receiving region. The dispenser may be shipped to a vending site with the storage region and window filled with candy, with the removable divider in place, and the receiving region unfilled.

Description

DISPOSAL AND DISPOSABLE PACKAGING FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of dispensers for consumable products and, more particularly, to disposable dispensers that will have the functions of containing and displaying the products, for example sweets, for sale to consumers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The candy dispensers that are currently used allow consumers, for example clients of the cinemas, gas stations, supermarkets, etc., to self-dispatch the desired quantity of sweets, taking it from the dispenser and, subsequently , taking the candy to the cashier so that it weighs them and the purchase is made. A ladle is usually provided with which the consumer can take the sweets and place them in a bag, box or the like. The sweets are then bought in a bag, box or similar and consumed directly from it. Several of the dispensers are typically arranged in a set, so that different types of candies may be offered for sale. Dispatchers may include a window in which the sweets contained in a particular dispenser are displayed, so that the consumer can more efficiently observe the particular candy, before deciding whether or not to take those sweets for purchase. Other somewhat similar dispensers are also used to dispatch other consumable products, such as nuts, energy foods, buttons, dog biscuits, soaps, cloves and many other items. However, prior art dispensers present certain problems. For example, in the case of dispatchers containing sweets, it is inevitable that some pieces or particles of the sweets will separate from them and accumulate in the bottom, sides, lid and window of the dispenser. As a consequence, store owners need to take their time and resources to clean these dispatchers. In addition, when the dispatchers are empty they must be refilled, typically from bags of candy obtained by the shop owner. Also, the product that is contained in the aforementioned windows can be difficult to take or impossible to take for purchase. In addition, conventional dispensers, usually made of a transparent plastic such as plexiglass, present the problem of the tendency to rupture, burst or fracture during filling and its repair tends to be relatively expensive.

Accordingly, there is a great need for a disposable dispenser that meets one or more of the following objectives: that it is easy to fill with product at the factory and has the function of also serving as packaging for transporting the product to a site of default sale; that is easy to transport; that allows to sell the majority of the content product or all the content product, that remains clean and intact during its period of intended use and that shows potential consumers the product contained in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The dispenser according to the present invention can be made of low cost materials, such as cardboard and light transparent plastic or any other economical material, so that all the dispenser can serve as a container for the transport of the product packed in the dispenser to be delivered to the seller. Therefore, the dispenser can be transported with the product already included, for example sweets; the dispenser is discarded when the contained product runs out and is replaced by a new dispenser with new product for later sale. As a result, labor and maintenance costs can be reduced and, therefore, there is no need for the vendor to require a service by the supplying company, other than just the delivery of new loaded dispatchers. The dispenser of the present invention can include a window having an internal space within which the product resides in a position where it can be observed by potential consumers. This window may include perforations, allowing a seller to easily break the window to open it and spill its contents to introduce it to another dispatcher and for subsequent sale. The dispenser may also include a removable separator which, when in place, creates an empty receiver region in the dispenser, which is separated from the primary storage region of the dispenser, where the bulk of the dispenser product resides. The receiving region can receive the emptied product from the window of a prior dispenser and the separator can then be removed so that all the contained product can be recovered. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a disposable dispenser that meets one or more of the following objectives: that it is easy to fill with product in the factory and that it has several functions: as packaging for transporting the product towards a site of sale destined, that is of easy transportation, that allows to sell the majority of the content product or all the contained product, that is kept clean and intact during its period of intended use and that shows the potential content of the product contained in a form aesthetically pleasing Another objective is to provide a dispatcher that is well suited for transportation, display and dispatch of relatively small and numerous products, such as sweets, nuts, energy foods, buttons, dog biscuits, soap, nails and some other items. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings and the description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser according to the present invention, showing the removable separator placed in its place and the dispensing lid placed. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a dispenser showing the removable separator removed and the dispensing lid lifted. Figure 3 is a sectional side view of a dispenser showing the primary storage area and the window, each filled with consumable product, such as candy, with the separator in place. Figure 4 is a sectional side view of a dispenser, showing the retractor removed. Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of a dispenser, showing a perforated side wall that is peeling to allow the contents of the window to be removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED MODE Figures 1 to 5 show one embodiment of a disposable dispenser according to the present invention. It should be noted that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the context of dispensing sweets, other products other than sweets are provided in a large quantity and are of relatively small size, for example nuts, energy foods, buttons, cookies for dog, soaps, nails and many other items can be transported, displayed and dispensed from a disposable dispenser according to the present invention. Consequently, when reference is made to "sweet", this term may be substituted appropriately by any other particular product for the consumer, which may be transported, exhibited and dispatched in the dispenser described herein. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the dispenser with the separator 30 in its place, in the form in which it will be transported to a vendor (however, the contained confections are not shown in Figure 1). The spacer 30 includes extensions 32 whose leading edges abut the front fixed wall of the dispenser and prevent the spacer 30 from moving or falling forward towards the receiving region 40. The extensions 32 have tabs 37 in the lower region of their edges. At the front, the tabs are inserted into opposite slots (not shown) that are on the front face of the dispenser. The opposing slots are sufficiently deep to allow the tabs 37 to be fully inserted, so that the remaining portion of the leading edge of each extension 32 can be fully abutted against the front face of the dispenser. On the other side of the separator 30 is a primary storage region 20 in which the sweets are stored. The dispenser can be sent to a vendor with this storage region 20 filled with candy (as well as the internal space 50 of the window, as mentioned before), so that the dispenser also has a packaging function for transporting the candy To the seller. The receiving region 40 which is separated from the storage region 20, is sent empty. When the storage region 20 is filled, the pressure coming from the contents thereof pushes the extensions 32 forward, preventing the tongues 37 from coming out of their respective opposed slots (assuming the tongues 37 were properly aligned with each other to inserted in the opposite grooves, just before filling the storage region 20 with the product). This, in turn, prevents the separator 30 from coming out of its place (also, as can be seen more clearly in Figure 3, the upper rear face of the separator 30 extends rearward, beyond the rear most part of the dispensing area 34 and, in this way, is physically disturbed by the inside of the dispenser so that it does not move too swiftly upwards as to allow spillage of the contents). The separator 30 also includes a fold line '33 which runs transversely therethrough, allowing it to fold substantially in half so that it can be easily removed from the dispenser. The spacer 30 also includes a finger hole 31 which allows the spacer to be easily attached to be removed. To remove the separator 30, the vendor simply inserts a finger into the finger hole 31, and presses back on the vertically oriented face with his or her opposite finger. This forces the tabs 37 to slide out of their respective opposed slots, whereby the separator 30 can be pulled backward by the finger hole 31, folded as necessary in the fold line 33 and then completely removed from the dispenser. . The dispenser of this modality also includes a visible window containing the sweets that are to be observed. Therefore, the consumer can see, in advance, very clearly, the type of candy he plans to buy. The visible window includes a translucent window sheet 54 and a window space 50, internal and closed, where the candy is contained and stored for observation. The volume of the internal window space 50 can be approximately the same as that of the receiving region 40, so that when the primary storage region 20 of the dispenser is depleted of sweets, access can still be made to the sweets left in the space 50 and can be transferred to the receiving region 40 of another similar dispenser that the vendor has just received and is stocked with candy. Access may be had to the confections contained in space 50 by opening the side panel 53 of the window, which has perforations 52 running along said panel. The confections can then be removed from the internal window space 50 and received in the receiving region 40 of a new dispenser having its primary storage region 20 already filled with sweets. The old dispatcher, now totally empty, is discarded. The separator 30 of the new dispenser is removed and discarded and the original candy content in the space 50 of the previous dispenser is added to the candy content of the primary storage region 20 of the new dispenser. The content of the new dispatcher is then ready for dispatch. As shown in Figure 2, the candies can be dispensed in the dispatch area 34, by opening the clear plastic lid 35 of the dispenser, which is pivoted about a joint 36. A ladle can be provided, which is not shown, for removing the sweets from the area 34. The dispenser may also include a top lid 23 that can be opened to store candy in the primary storage area 20, before transporting the dispenser to a candy vendor. Figures 3 to 5 further illustrate how the current embodiment of the invention works. Figures 3 and 4 also show an inclined bottom wall 21 of the dispenser serving to push down the confection content 100, which are within the primary storage area 20, so that the sweets 100 generally move towards the dispatch area 34 due to the force of gravity. Figure 3 shows the dispenser in the form in which it is to be transported to a vendor, where the sweets 100 fill the primary storage region 20 as well as the internal window space 50, and the separator 30 is in place and is separating the primary storage region 20 from the empty region 40. In Figure 4, the dispenser is shown after the separator 30 has been removed. Figure 4 represents the dispatcher as seen when received and if the previous dispatcher had no content in the window that was to be placed in the receiving region 40, before removing the separator 30. This would happen, for example, when the vendor I got the first dispatcher to have a specific kind of candy. However, if there was a previous dispatcher from which the contents of the window could be emptied into the receiving region 40, then the dispenser of Figure 4 would appear differently, since the sweets 100 would extend completely to the top cover 23. Finally, Figure 5 shows an amplified view of the side panel 53 of the visible window, where it is shown how the panel 53 is detached from its perforations 52 to open it and allow the sweets 100 to be spilled into the internal window space 50. The perforations 52 in the upper part are not shown in the detached and open state, however these can also be detach to open the window and / or facilitate the fastening and opening of the panel 53. It should be noted that a dispenser of the configuration shown in Figures 1 to 5 can be transported so that a pair of dispatchers are "coupled" with respect to each other. their front faces, which will be oriented towards each other and each one will be oriented in an inverted way with respect to the other, in order to save space and facilitate and make transportation less expensive. Although the present invention has been described in detail in relation to a preferred embodiment thereof, other variations and dimensional and configuration modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be considered limited to the particular features of the foregoing description.

Claims (15)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A disposable dispenser comprising: an internal space defined by a plurality of fixed walls and an open dispatch area, the dispatch area being located to the front of the dispenser being located; a removable separator placed within the internal space and temporally locked therein so as to define a closed primary storage region and a receiving region, which are separated from each other; the primary storage region is filled with the product to be dispensed and is enclosed and separated from the open dispatch area by a separator; the receptor region is empty and without the product; and a window to let see the product that includes: a closed and internal window space, filled with product; a translucent window panel located in a visible position of the dispenser and defining one side of the internal window space; and a means to open the internal window space in order to allow the removal of the product contained therein.
2. 2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser comprises low cost material, so that the dispenser can be disposed of economically after the product contained therein has been exhausted.
3. 3. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the internal space includes a means for pushing the product contained therein in the direction of the open dispatch area.
4. The dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the means for pushing comprises a fixed wall at the bottom and which is higher at the rear of the dispenser with respect to the front of the dispenser, so that the contained product tends to move forward of the dispatcher area due to the force imposed by gravity.
5. 5. The dispatcher according to the claim 1, wherein the volume of the internal window space, which is sealed, is approximately equal to the volume of the receiving region.
6. 6. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein one of the fixed walls defining the internal space is a lid on the top of the dispenser, the lid can be opened to allow filling of the dispenser in a factory or some similar place.
7. 7. The dispatcher according to the claim 1, which also comprises a bucket that easily adapts to the dispatcher area.
8. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the removable separator includes a means for facilitating its removal from the dispenser.
9. The dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the means for facilitating removal includes a finger hole in the separator, the finger hole is located in or near the open dispensing area.
10. The dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the means for facilitating the extraction includes at least one fold line running transversely through the separator.
11. 11. The dispatcher according to the claim I, wherein the means for opening the window comprises perforations running along one side of the internal window space.
12. 12. The dispatcher according to the claim II, further comprising a finger tongue adjacent to the perforations.
13. 13. The dispatcher according to the claim 1, wherein the separator further comprises extensions that extend forward to bump against a fixed wall of the dispenser, holding the separator in place.
14. 14. The dispatcher according to the claim 13, wherein the dispenser includes a front face having grooves and the extensions each further comprising a leading edge that includes a tongue projecting forward and inserting into one of the grooves. The dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the spacer further comprises a rear face extending beyond the rearmost part of the open dispensing area, so that the rear face can not pass through the open dispensing area unless that the tabs are removed from the slots.