US3701575A - Fluid dispensing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF A FLUID MATERIAL SUCH AS TOOTHPASTE, HAND CREAM, PERFUME OR THE LIKE IS DISPENSED IN THE FORM OF AN ELONGATED CAPSULE ADAPTED TO BE SQUEEZE TO DISCHARGE THE FLUID MATERIAL FOR USE. THE CAPSULES ARE INDIVIDUALLY REMOVED FROM A DEPENSING DEVICE IN WHICH THEY ARE FED BY GRAVITY TO THE LOWER END OF A CHAMBER HAVING A SLOT THEREIN THROUGH WHICH A PORTION OF THE CAPSULE IS EXPOSED SO THAT IT CAN BE ENGAGED BY THE FINGER FOR MOVEMENT LENGTHWISE THROUGH AN OPENING IN AN END WALL OF THE CHAMBER.

Description

Oct. 31, 1972 J. B. RINGKAMP 3,70 1,575-

FLUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Feb. 10, 1971 INVENTOR /0$EPH B, BIA/(:KAMP

s MM ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,701,575 FLUID DISPENSING DEVICE Joseph B. Ringkamp, 515 J elferson Ave, Morrisville, Pa. 19067 Filed Feb. 10, 1971, Ser. No. 114,322 Int. Cl. A47f 1/00 U.S. Cl. 312-45 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A predetermined amount of a fluid material such as toothpaste, hand cream, perfume or the like is dispensed in the form of an elongated capsule adapted to be squeezed to discharge the fluid material for use. The capsules are individually removed from a dispensing device in which they are fed by gravity to the lower end of a chamber having a slot therein through which a portion of the capsule is exposed so that it can be engaged by the finger for movement lengthwise through an opening in an end wall of the chamber.

FIELD OF INVENTION Many types of article dispensing devices are known but few if any are adapted for use in dispensing predetermined amounts of paste or liquid material in a form for convenient use. Thus devices for dispensing toothpaste, perfumes, hand cream and the like generally project the material in the form of a paste or liquid which tends to drip or smear up the equipment rendering it unsightly and unsanitary. Moreover, much of the material thus dispensed is spilled and wasted so that it cannot be used.

THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with the present invention materials in the form of paste, liquid or creams are enclosed within elongated, flexible containers or capsules formed of rupturable material such as gelatine, plastic or the like and each containing a predetermined amount of the material to be dispensed. The capsules are arranged within a dispenser so that they may move by gravity to the lower end of the dispenser where they are held in place adjacent an opening in the side wall of the dispenser while the lower portion of the capsule is positioned so that it will be exposed and may be engaged by a users finger for movement longitudinally through the opening in the dispenser wall for use as required.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating a typical form of dispenser and bracket embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the lower portion of the dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the bracket embodied in the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the chamber employed in the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustrating the manner in which a capsule may be dispensed from the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective showing a typical use of a capsule in accordance with the present invention, and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an alternative form of bracket in accordance with the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in FIGS. 1 to 6 of the drawings a quantity of the material to be dispensed, which is in fluid form and may be toothpaste, hand cream, lotion, perfume or the like, is filled into each of a plurality of cylindrical 3,701,575 Patented Oct. 31, 1972 elongated capsules formed of flexible and rupturable material such as gelatine, plastic composition or the like. Each individual capsule is fitted with a predetermined amount of the fluid material corresponding to the normally used quantity such as that amount of toothpaste employed for brushing ones teeth. After being filled each capsule is closed and sealed for use in a dispensing device. As shown in FIG. 6, for example, an elongated capsule 2 of generally cylindrical shape after having been dispensed for use may be squeezed at one end so as to rupture the casing 4 of the capsule to discharge a predetermined amount of tooth paste 6 onto a tooth brush 8 for use. The emptied capsule can then be discarded whereas the toothpaste itself is in a clean sanitary condition and none of it will be smeared about on other surfaces or be wasted.

The individual capsules are dispensed for use by means of a dispensing device as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The dispensing device comprises a bracket 10 having a 'base 12 adapted to be secured to a wall or other support by fastening means 14. Parallel holding members 16 project outwardly from the base 12 and are designed to receive a cartridge 18 in the form of a chamber 20 having parallel side walls 22 spaced apart a distance somewhat exceeding the diameter of the cylindrical or elongated capsules 2 to be dispensed. The capsules are positioned one above another within the chamber 20 of the cartridge whereby a filled cartridge containing a number of the capsules may be inserted between the holding members 16 for use. The holding members 16 and cartridge 18 have interconnecting means thereon fo'r removably holding the cartridge in place and in a vertical position on the bracket 10. Thus the holding members 16 may have inwardly projecting studs 24 engageable with recesses 26 on the outer surfaces of the side walls 22 of the chamber 20 of the cartridge 18.

The side walls 22 of the chamber 20 present smooth inwardly facing vertical surfaces which are parallel throughout the upper portion of the surfaces but are provided with inwardly inclined or projecting lower edge portions 28 which are spaced apart a distance somewhat less than the predetermined diameter of the capsules to be dispensed. The lower edge portions thus define a slot 30 which extends parallel to the side walls of the chamber 20 and has capsule supporting means at opposite sides of the slot. The slot 30 is of such width that the lowermost capsule is partially exposed and may partially project through the slot into a position whereby it may be engaged by ones finger as shown in FIG. 5 for longitudinal movement through an opening 32 formed in the end wall 34 of the chamber 20 and of a size or shape exceeding the predetermined diameter of the capsules 2 to be dispensed.

In using the construction shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings a number of capsules 2, each containing a predetermined amount of the toothpaste or other material to be dispensed, are inserted into the open upper end 36 of the cartridge 18 so as to be arranged one above the other parallel to the slot 30. The lowermost capsule in the cartridge will be held in place by the inwardly projecting capsule holding means 28 so as to support the other capsules in parallel horizontal positions between the side walls 22 of the chamber 20. At the same time the lower portion of the lowermost capsule will be exposed through the slot 30 and located adjacent the opening 32 in the end wall 34 of the chamber. The loaded capsule is then inserted into the space between the holding members 16 of bracket 10 and held in place by engagement of the studs 24 on the holding members with the recesses 26 in the side walls 22 of the chamber of cartridge 18.

Thereafter the capsules may be removed one at a time from the chamber by moving the lowermost capsule 32 longitudinally through the opening 32 in the end wall 34 of the cartridge. As each capsule is removed from the dispensing device the others will move downward within the chamber 20 and into place to be removed for use. When all of the capsules in the cartridge 18 have been thus removed the empty cartridge can be removed from the bracket and a new cartridge filled with capsules can be inserted into place as a refill.

In some instances it may be desired to provide a number of cartridges or adjacent dispensing devices for the dispensing of capsules filled with the same or different fluid materials. Thus as shown in FIG. 7 a bracket 40 may be provided with a suitable number of parallel holding members 42 projecting therefrom to receive and hold several cartridges of capsules in side by side relation.

It will accordingly be apparent that the particular embodiments of the invention which have been shown in the drawings and described above are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for dispensing toothpaste or other material contained in generally cylindrical capsules of a pre-determined diameter, said device comprising a chamber having smooth opposite side walls spaced apart at their lower edges by a slot which extends parallel to said side walls and is of less Width than said pre-determined diameter of the capsules in said chamber that will be exposed through said slot; said slot being sized to support a capsule with a lower most portion of the capsule extending below the slot; said chamber having an end wall with an opening formed therein of greater size than said pre-determined diameter of a capsule, said opening being located adjacent to one end of said slot so that a capsule exposed through said slot may be moved, by finger pressure on a lower surface of the capsule, axially out of said chamber through the opening in the end wall thereof.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the lower edges of the side walls of the chamber project inwardly toward each other to present capsule supporting means at opposite sides of said slot along which a capsule may be moved through said opening in the end Wall of the chamber.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said opposite side walls of the chamber are substantially parallel and spaced apart a distance only slightly greater than said predetermined diameter.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said capsules are formed of flexible rupturable material.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 including a bracket by which said chamber is held in a vertical position.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said chamber is removably supported 'by said bracket.

7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said chamber and bracket have interengaging elements for releasably holding said chamber in a predetermined position in said bracket.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said bracket has spaced parallel walls positioned on opposite sides of the opposite side walls of the chamber and said side walls of the bracket and side walls of the chamber have interengaging means thereon releasably holding said chamber in a vertical position in said bracket.

9. In combination with a chamber having a slot in a lower portion thereof, and an opening formed adjacent an end of the slot, a plurality of elongated capsules arranged in superposed relation within said chamber and movable successively under the action of gravity into a position wherein a portion of the lower most capsule is exposed through said slot, While being supported therein, and is located adjacent said opening, said capsules being individually removable longitudinally through said opening in response to finger pressure being asserted on a lower surface of said lower most capsule in the direction of said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,627,870 5/1927 Seidemann 312-45 1,869,944 8/1932 Raney 312-45 1,922,996 8/1933 Wester 206-412 R 2,299,027 10/ 1942 Novak 312-45 X 3,601,252 8/1971 Sager 206-56 AA FOREIGN PATENTS 967,105 3/1950 France 312-45 1,065,790 1/1954 France 312-45 1,356,956 2/1964 France 206-56 AC JAMES C. MITCHELL, Primary Examiner

Images