US3776419A

US3776419A - Container and rack for presenting articles

Info

Publication number: US3776419A
Application number: US00181614A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Zinkgraf; J Williams
Original assignee: KRAFTO CORP
Current assignee: KRAFTO CORP; KRAFTO CORP US
Priority date: 1971-09-17
Filing date: 1971-09-17
Publication date: 1973-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-04
Also published as: GB1376070A; AU4613972A; CA966813A; DE2245351A1

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing articles which includes a container and a rack to hold the container in an inverted position. The rack cooperates with the container to support the container in a predetermined manner so as to allow articles to move from the container through an opening in the container.

Description

[451 Dec. 4, 1973 United States Patent Zinkgraf et al.

G N I t m m R m P (MW R m 0 20 F M.-l K E C .k A Am R J D aw N hh .A me e m an N g M m TE 1 N T m on v CA m 4 5 U W Palatine, both of 111.

[73] Assignee:

[22] Filed:

France 206/56 AC 783,525 7/1935 513,791 9/1952 Belgium 221/197 Krafto Corporation, Glenview Sept. 17, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 181,614

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbe] [52] U s C] Attorney-William E. Anderson et a1.

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d n do m .1 an s wr tep mm a n mm 5 oe [Acv 1 m 1 umm n 2 5 29 2 2 9 2 33 M M 12 m4 6 .U H .,4 0 5/ w W 1 n NW W I 2 mmA H mn b c1 "M2 0 1 Q4 mm do Ld2 tainer to support the container in a predetermined manner so as to allow articles to move from the container through an opening in the container.

References Cited v UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,002,651 206/5 6 AC 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures Theipresent invention relates generally to apparatus.

for dispensing packaged articles, with a particular application being an apparatus for dispensing: portionpackaged condiments.

Portion' packaged condiments have become popular, but there remains a need for more efficient means for dispensing such items. At present, a common means for dispensing condiments is a rigid container into which thepackaged condiments are placedby'hand for subse-. quent removal by the user. If thecontainer'is not filled properly the packagesmay become bound against one.

another inside: thecontainer.

Therefore, the'primaryobject of the present inven tion. is to provide an articledispenser apparatus.

It is another object of thisinvention to provide dis-. penser apparatus which israesthetically pleasing .in. its appearance.

Still. another objectof this-invention: isto provide a showing a container and .rackin accordancerwiththe.

present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 containing packaged articles taken along line 2--2 in1 FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment, partially broken away, of the container shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a blank from which thecontainer of FIG. 1 may be constructed.

While the invention will be described in. connection with certain preferred embodiments, it will. be :understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to these particular embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. l &.2,1 thereis depicted a.dispensing apparatus embodying the present invention; The apparatusconsists of a rack 11 which serves as a holding means for container 12. The'container 12 is rectangularin shape and is constructed of any suitable material, such as paper, cardboard or metal foil. The container l2.has four. rectangular. body portions, a back portion 14, a front portion 16and two sideportionslS and 20 with suitable closure flaps 22 providedon one end and the other end beingprovidedwith a hinged'end flap 24attached to edge 25 of the back rectangular body portion and two hinged

side flaps

26 and 28 attached to side body portions 18 and .20. The container is filled by any suitable means which is capable of placing articles, such as condiment packages, in an array within the container; theflaps are then closed for shipment.

The rack is provided with

legs

30, 32, 30a and32a.

which are generally spaced in a rectangular configura+ tion and which extendvertically. The legs 32and "32a. provide a side restraint for container 12 by havingthev upperportion of legs 32 and l32a bearing'against the container side portions.

To the legs there .is attached. an inclinedcontainer support means 34. The lower terminusof support means 34 projects frontwardly from the plane defined.

2 by legs 32 and 32ato form a horizontal tray portion 36. Thetray portion 36- is provided with a front wall 38 and .end walls 40 so as to form anxenclosed area for receivbearing surface for a container side .edge 25.

An optional rear'cross member 48 may be affixed to legs 30 and 30a forming a horizontal member between the legs a predetermined distance above the. rear restraint 44. Therearcross member 48 aids in preventing the container from tipping backwards and provides additionalrigidity to the rack.

A horizontal cross member 50 is affixed to

legs

32 and 32a between the legs a predetermined distance above the lower terminus of inclined support means 34. Thecross member 50 restrains forward movement of the front portion 16 of a container l2..to prevent forward movement and downward rotation of container 12. The cross member 60 may be extendedangularly downwardly along both sides of the rack toward legs 30 and30a and may be 'affixed to legs 30 and 30a so as to form an angled side member 52 which provides further rigidity to the rack. The angled side member 52 may be further extended beyondlegs 30 and 30a to provide rearsupport legs 54 thereby increasing the stance of the rack-andproviding a more stable rack base.

When it is desired to dispense articles from within the container, the. container 12 is. inverted and placed within the rack so as to cause theedge 25 'of the back portion 14 to bear against portion 46 of the inclined support member 34. The container is then rotated slightly so as to bring the front portion 16 of the container in contact with horizontal .cross member 50. Thus supported, the container is in an equilibrium positionanddoes not fall forward or slide down the inclined support. With the container placed in its supported invertedposition within the rack, the end flap 24may beopened so as to come to rest on the inclined support means 34. The enclosed articles will then move downwardly under the force of gravity from within the-container 12 onto the tray 36 thereby causingtheendflaps 26 and.28 to be forced outward. The flaps are forced outward until they bear against a portion ofthe legx32a (or another container flap if a rack capableof supportingtwo ormorecontainers is being employed).

Theend flaps

26 and 28 then serve to prevent thearticles from spilling over the sides of the inclined support means 34.

Theend flaps 26 and 28sare generally triangular in shapewithan angle A, as shown in FIG. 2, which generally corresponds to the angular slope of the inclined support means34. This allows the flaps to have a side which conforms to and may bear against the surface of the inclined support means 34. Thus, when the flaps are in their opened position they serve to aid in the'support of container 12. Ingeneral, the-inclined support means and the pre-formed. angular side flaps are formed to providean angle Aas seen in FIG. 20f from about 10 to about 60. Preferably, the angle A is from about 20 to about 45.

The unique construction of the apparatus of the invention provides a. highly efficient article dispenser. The individual articles are delivered to the user in combe loaded in the container by automated operation.

They are neatly arranged within the container and flow smoothly into the tray portion of the rack.

The apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 is capable of holding two containers in a side-by-side relationship. Alternative apparatus in accordance with the invention can include one, two, three or more containers in side-byside relationship. Additionally, one or more racks and related containers can be placed in vertical relationship by suitable mounting means 56 located on the upper extremities of the rack legs 30 and 300 which cooperate with

legs

32 and 32a to support the vertically positioned rack. The apparatus can also be provided with port means thereby eliminating the need for the container side flaps.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a blank from which a container may be assembled in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the container portion of the invention. The blank consists of a rectangular body portion defined by

corners

60, 62, 64, and 66, divided into a back wall 14, two

side walls

18 and 20 and a front wall 16 by the fold lines 68, 70 and 72. By folding these walls inward a rectangular container, open at both ends, is formed. A tab 74 may be provided on wall 14 to facilitate affixing wall 14 to wall 18 by glue or other means. To close one end of the rectangular container there are provided closure flaps 22 attached to the sides of walls 14, l6, l8 and 20. These flaps are merely folded inward until they are perpendicular to their respective walls and secured by glue or the like in that position.

At the other end of rectangular container there is provided on the blank an end flap 24 having a tab 76 attached to the back wall 14 and two generally triangular shaped side flaps 26 and 28 attached to

side walls

18 and 20 respectively. To close the remaining open end of the container the side flaps 26 and 28 are folded inwardly until they are perpendicular to their respective walls. The end flap 24 is folded downwardly until it is directly over the side flaps 26 and 28. The tab 76 is then tucked into place.

As shown in FIG. 3, an alternative construction for the container 12 is provided for use with the rack of FIG. 1. This container has one end pre-formed to correspond with the angle of slope A of the inclined support menas 34 and cooperate with the rack to maintain the container in its proper alignment. A flap 92 is provided which may be removed by tearing along score lines or by other suitable means. When the flap 92 is removed an opening is provided through which the articles pass onto the tray 36. The articles are loaded into the container by means of an opening at the opposite end of the container.

The dispensing apparatus described provides a highly efficient means for dispensing articles. The unique construction of the apparatus is well suited for economical mass production. The container may be constructed of various materials and various decorations or display advertising may be printed on the container.

While various features of the invention are particularly set forth in the disclosure, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for dispensing essentially flat articles,

comprising a container and means holding said con-' tainer in an inverted vertical position and restraining same from lateral and rotational movement, said container having a hinge-connected end flap provided on the end of one side thereof, said holding means having means cooperating with the hinged side providing support in the vertical direction for said container, and an inclined support shelf disposed on said holding means at an angle with respect to the horizontal downwardly from the hinge-connection restraining said hinged end flap in a position so as to provide an opening in said container for the dispensing of the articles from within said container, said container being further provided with hinge-connected side flaps on either side of said end flap, each of said side flaps having one side which extends from the comer of said container between said end flap and said side flap at an angle downwardly from the hinged side of said flap and essentially parallel with said inclined support shelf, and said means holding said container further including a horizontally extending tray adjacent the lower terminous of said shelf to hold the dispensed articles in an accessible disposition.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIO N' Patent No. 3 776 419 Dated December 4 1973 lnventofls) Bernhard A. Zinkgraf et al.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown. below:

First page, the Assignee should be -Kraftco Coriporatieninstead of "Krafto Corporatibn'fi Column 2, line 23;: "crossmember 60" should be -cr o s s member 5( Colnmn 2, line 24, "downwardly" sheuld be -do'w nWerd-.

Column 4', line 7; "menas" should be --mea'ns.

Column 4, line 44 "said flap" should be -said side f lap-'-.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of September 197L|..

(SEAL) Attest: v I

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR.' c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050K10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 w u.s, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I96 o-s6issl.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing essentially flat articles, comprising a contAiner and means holding said container in an inverted vertical position and restraining same from lateral and rotational movement, said container having a hinge-connected end flap provided on the end of one side thereof, said holding means having means cooperating with the hinged side providing support in the vertical direction for said container, and an inclined support shelf disposed on said holding means at an angle with respect to the horizontal downwardly from the hinge-connection restraining said hinged end flap in a position so as to provide an opening in said container for the dispensing of the articles from within said container, said container being further provided with hinge-connected side flaps on either side of said end flap, each of said side flaps having one side which extends from the corner of said container between said end flap and said side flap at an angle downwardly from the hinged side of said flap and essentially parallel with said inclined support shelf, and said means holding said container further including a horizontally extending tray adjacent the lower terminous of said shelf to hold the dispensed articles in an accessible disposition.