US2742200A - Dispensing container - Google Patents

Description

F. A. MARX DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed June 25, 1953 April 17, 1956 2,142,200. msPENsINo commissie Frank A. ,Manxg Bridgetowng Ohiogassignon'by mesne assignments, to Morton- Salt.-Company,. Chicago, Ill.,

Mfy.. present inventionv relates'l generally to containers and morep'arrticularlyto containers'for dispensin'gtableted articles such as pills or thelikei f Pastv practice inithe-l handling` of tab'leted'articles has resorted to shipping' such' tablets! in' cartons from which they are later emptied into vending ordispensing machines. ,Such` a' systenientails expensive handling andtliel exposing of the tablets to contaminating influences. Another system' presently employed, and which is much to bepreferred over the former, is that of shipping' such tablets in a com'- binedA dispenser and container whereby" suchcontainer may serve directly thev combined function of shippingcarL ton and dispensing' machine. Such a class' of combined shipping carton andv dispensing' machines arek presently knowmbut myl invention seeks to improve` onl such de; vices bringing. forth a dispensing container having improved: features of'v construction` and: simplicity' of"V operation.

The primary object of my'i'nvention is to provide a new and improved dispensing container which `doubles as a shipping carton anda dispensing mechanismwhereby tableted units orA articles maybe shipped and dispensed with-a minimumofhandling. j f j Anotherobject of my' present invention i's to` provide a dispensing container which' has meansiintegrally associ# ated therewith for the dispensin'gof tabletedl articles car` ried Within its interior, one at atirne, according' to the convenience and dictatesof the user.

Still' another object'` of' my invention is toprovide anew and improved' dispensing-'container `which is advantageous over' such devices heretofore known; both `as to' its: construction and operational characteristics. K p

The above and further objects, features and: advantages of my improved dispensing containerwill be recognized by those familiar with the art' both from the following detailed description and; specifications thereof' and with reference to the accompanying" drawingswhe'ren a preferred form of its features is illustrated..

In the drawings:V l

Figure lisa plan view showing the-layout of acarto'n proved dispensing container; p

Figure'` 2 is a perspectiveview.' illustrating theA dispensing containerv formed' from the assembled blank of Figure l;

Figure' 3 is a longitudinal crosjssect'ion'al' view taken United SefsPafCnf T e ,ICC

with the front wallportion 12; At fold 21 innerside wall portion 19 is joined to a like sized inner back wall: portion 22 while at fold 23 side wall portion 20 is adjoined' to' a similar exterior back wall portion 24. The back wall portion 24 is further adjoined at fold 25 to an outside side wall portion 26, while the inner back wall 22 is similarly adjoined to a retaining ilap member 27 at fold 28.

Two similar upper tab members 30, 30 are adjoined one to the upper end of each the inner side wall 19 and the outer side wall 20 at folds 31,31. Such tab members each cover substantially one-half the size of top wall 13. At the opposite end of the inner and outer side wall portions 19 and 20, two lower tab members 32, 3'2are provided; one adjoining to each the inner and outer side walls at folds 33,33.

The inside back. wall portion 22 is adjoined at folds 34 and 35 respectively, to an inside top wall 36 and an inside p bottom wall 37.

` As will be appreciated from a further study of Figurel of the drawings the back wall portion 24 isconiigured with a substantially rectangular cut-out or opening 40 adjacent its lower edge, while eachof the tab members 32, 32 is cut-out at one corner in quadrant fashion as at 41. The inside bottom wall 37 is provided with asubstantially. semi-circular cut-out 42 along its lower edge. A dispenser operating aperture 43 formed at the junction of bottom wall15 and the front wall 12 comprises a substantially semi-circular portion intercommunicating with a. rectangular portion; the purpose of which opening will be understoodmore fullyv from descriptive matter whic appears later herein.

Y From a study of Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, it willV be recognized that thev forming `blank 10 illustrated, is

folded into the shape'of a rectanguloid or box-like container with the tab members 30, 30 and inside top wall 36 being folded. inside or beneath the top wall` 13. Similarly the tab members 32, 32 and inside bottom wall 37 are foldedinwardly or inside. of the bottom wall 15. In this regard it will be appreciated that when such lower tab p members 32, 32. are folded into. position the quadrant circular cut-out portions 41, 41 in one corner thereof mate to form a-semi-circular opening aligned in substantially blank which goes to comprise the wall'po'rtions of my`i'rnf155 Turning now to my features. of my improved dispensing y Y container, inspection will rst be made of'Figure 1 of the drawings wherein the lay-out blank 10 for forming" the carton portion of; my container-'1T' is illustrated'. As will concentric relation withA the semi-circular cut-out portion 42 of the-inside bottomwall 37 and the similarly shaped portion of the dispenser operating opening 43 thus forming an opening through the bottom of the carton. Further,

it will beunderstood thatthe outside side wall 26 is folded l ,retainingl ap 2'7 andthe. adjacent insideface. ofy the outside. side wall. 26.. Tabs 30, 30, inside topr wall. 36 and outside top wall 13 are-retained in their assembled relation by means of a suitable adhesive after the container has been. iilled with .a plurality of tableted units such as 4'5, 45, indicated in Figure 3. The bottomwall structure of the assembled carton is likewise, formulated by' gluing the inside bottom wall 37 to'underlying tabs '32,' 3'2 and then the outsidejbottorn wall: 15S4 to the' underlying wall 37.

Thus` it will be recngnizai that when the carton blank 10 is assembled along its various folds and the several elemental portions thereof related in the manner indicated hereinabove, the rearward wall of the container, indicated generally at 46 in Figure 3 comprises a double wall consisting of the inside back wall 22 and the outside back wall 24. Such two wall members are not cemented together, but vare left free with respect t one another so that a plate like bracket'element 47 may be slipped in between such two back walls and fastened at its lower end to a suitable supporting surface by screw members 48. In this regard the substantially reetangular shaped cut-out portion 40 at the lower edge of outside back wall 2d assists to clear the screw members 48 when the container of my invention is mounted on the mounting plate 47.

Also to be noted is the dispenser operating opening 43 which is formed intermediate the front and bottom Walls 12 and 15, respectively. In the finally assembled carton such opening communicates with the interior of the container adjacent the bottom end thereof and provides means for the passage of tablets from the box as dictated by the operation of the dispensing apparatus, as will now be set forth.

As will bc best recognized from an examination of Figure 4, a dispenser means indicated generally atit), comprises a substantially square shaped base member 51 of dimensions commensurate with the interior dimensions of Ythe assembled container or carton illustrated. One edge of base 51 is formed with a semicircular opening or indentation 52 for registration with opening 42 of inside bottom wall 37. The dispenser likewise includes a front wall portion 53 having a cutout suitable for clearing a protruding portion of a dispenser wheel 54. The front wall 53 adjoins to a trap ezoidal or substantially triangular shaped upper wall portion 55 (see Figure 4), composed of two layers of material folded together.

The dispensing wheel 54 comprises a circular disc having a plurality of suitably shaped and sized openings 56, 56 conforming to the shape and size of the pill or tablet members 45. Any suitable material, such as plastic or the like, is ideally suited for the manufacture of the dispensing wheel 11 although other materials may be utilized for this purpose as well. In the particular dispensing wheel illustrated, the same is'provided with six openings 56 for receiving tablets 45; such wheel being mounted on rivet 57 at its center and in between wall 55 and base 51 so that its periphery extends through the opening in front wall f As will be obvious from-an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 ofthe drawings, the dispensing unit 50 is arranged for insertion as a unit in the lower interior of the container formed from blank it) With the dispensing wheel 54 protruding through dispensing opening 43 and outwardly of front wall'12 for manual engagement. Additionally it will be appreciated that the semi-circular cut- outs 41, 4l, 42 and 43 formulated in the tabs 32, bottom wall 37 and a portion of the dispenser opening 43 respectively, provides an opening for the passage of tablets which is in registry with the path of openings 56 of the dispensing wheel; the latter being capable of carrying a tablet from Within the interior of the con? tainer to the exterior thereof by rotation of wheel 54 about rivet member 57 and in either direction of rotation as desired.

Having thus described the elements and their mode of combination required for the new and improved container of my invention, it will be understood that with carton forming blank folded as indicated hereinabove,

a cheap and light weighted container is provided which is readily adapted for the storage of a given number of unitary articles, such as salt tablets and the like. The disposition of the dispensing wheel 54 adjacent the lower bottom wall of the container obviates the need for any means other than gravity for feeding the tablets 45 to 4 the dispensing apparatus. In this regard it will be understood that the tablets within the containers interior fall into individual openings 56 of the dispensing wheel and are carried, one at a time, intermediate the wall portions 51 and 5S of the dispenser unit until the same register above the semi-circular cut-out formed in the bottom wall of the container, as described. When such occurs, the tablets fall downwardly by gravity to the hand of the user. Y

Of outstanding Aimprovement and importance in the container herein described is the formulation of the containers double back wall 46 which facilitates the rapid and convenient mounting of the container on the mounting plate 47. Additionally the protruding disposition of the dispensing Wheel 54 so-that the periphery thereof extends outwardly of the containers front wall 12 makes for added convenience and operational efficiency to the user. For example, as the user manipulates the dispenser with his thumb the palm ofthe associated hand will be normally or naturally positioned below the bottom wall V15 for receiving the tablets as they gravitationally discharge from the dispensing wheel openings 56 in which they are carried.

Therefore, while I have herein shown and described the features and improvements of my invention as associated with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated that numerous changes, modilications and substitutions of equivalents may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. As a consequence, I do not wish to be limited for the particular form of my invention herein illustrated and described, except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim: i

1. A combined dispenser-container of the class described, comprising, a folded carton enclosing a chamber for holding articles to Vbe dispensed, a removable dispensing means insertable as a unit within said carton in a position coextensively paralleling the bottom wall thereof,V said dispensing means comprising, a rotatable wheel having spaced article receiving openings formed therethrough, a pair of spaced wall members disposed over vopposite faces of said wheel and interjoined along one edge outwardly of said wheel and an axle member fixed transversely between said spaced wall members for rotatably supporting said wheel; said dispensing means being positioned within said carton so as to rest on the bottom wall of the latter and in a manner such that a portion of its said wheel member projects through an elongated opening formed in one side wall of said'carton thereby being manually accessible, the said article receiving openings in said wheel passing over a discharge opening formed in the bottom wall of said carton as said wheel is rotatably moved, thereby providing for the gravitational discharge of said articles lthrough said cartons bottom wall.

2. A combined dispenser-container of the class described, comprising, a folded paper carton, said carton enclosing a chamber for holding articles to be dispensed, a unitary dispensing unit mounted within said carton in adjacent parallelism with the bottom wall thereof, said dispensing unit comprising a rotatable wheel having arcuately spaced article receiving openings, a pair of spaced wall members disposed adjacent opposite faces of said wheel and interjoined by a third wall traversing said wheel substantiallyin chordal fashion therewith, and an axle member fixed transversely between said spaced wall members for rotatably supporting said wheel; said dispensing unit being so positioned and arranged within said carton as to have its wheel member extending transversely outward of one wall of said carton for manual engagement by the user with the path of movement of said article receiving openings in said wheel intersecting a discharge opening formed through the bottom wall of said carton whereby articles carried by said wheel are gravitationally discharged through said cartons bottom 6 Wall when the same are indexed over said opening in the 1,605,210 Bohmker Nov. 2, 1926 bottom wall of the latter. 2,371,216 Blons Mar. 13, 1945 2,390,448 Moeller Dec. 4, 1945 References Cited in thele of this patent 2,543,934 Poskey Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED VSTATES PATENTS 5 2,649,994 LeWiS et al. Aug. 25, 1953 439,773 Cole Nov. 4, 1890

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