Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/08—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession
  • B65D83/10—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession for dispensing razor-blades

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to a blade dispenser.
• the present disclosure has particular applicability to dispensers for standard safety razor blades.
• Blade dispensers are used to conveniently store and dispense a number of blades, such as standard, single-edge razor blades. These blades have one sharp blade edge at the bottom, and an opposed, safe top edge with a folded-over protective metal piece. They are typically used for scraping and cutting.
• Conventional blade dispensers require the user to catch a small protruding portion of the blade with the edge of a finger or fingernail, and push the blade slightly out through a slot in the front of the dispenser.
• the blade to be dispensed is slightly extended sideways from the dispenser, exposing both a portion of the safe top edge and the sharp blade edge. The blade is then grasped with the thumb and forefinger and removed from the dispenser.
• An advantage of the present disclosure is a blade dispenser that dispenses blades such that the user can only grasp the safe protective piece of the blade when removing the blade from the dispenser, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the user.
• a dispenser for dispensing a plurality of blades comprising a housing for accommodating the blades in a stacked fashion; and a push button slidably mounted at a first end of the housing such that the push button is movable from a released position to a depressed position and back to the released position.
• the push button has a blade catch for engaging a button-engaging portion of a first end blade of the blade stack when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, to move the first end blade to an extended position partially outside the housing.
• a first spring engages the housing and the push button to bias the push button in the released position
• a blade pusher engages a second end blade of the blade stack opposite the first end blade of the blade stack.
• a second spring is provided for engaging the housing and the blade pusher to bias the blade pusher and the blade stack towards the blade catch of the push button along a longitudinal axis of the housing, such that when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, the blade catch engages the button-engaging portion of the first end blade of the blade stack to move the first end blade to the extended position.
• a further advantage of the present disclosure is a dispenser for dispensing a plurality of blades, the dispenser comprising a housing for accommodating the blades in a stacked fashion, and a push button slidably mounted at a first end of the housing such that the push button is movable from a released position to a depressed position and back to the released position.
• the push button has a blade catch for engaging a button-engaging portion of a first end blade of the blade stack when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, to move the first end blade to an extended position partially outside the housing.
• a spring engages the housing and the push button to bias the push button in the released position, and a blade pusher engages a second end blade of the blade stack opposite the first end blade of the blade stack.
• a ratchet is provided proximal the first end of the housing operatively connected to the push button, to advance the ratchet when the push button moves from the released position to the depressed position.
• a belt is attached to the blade pusher and engageable with the ratchet to draw the blade pusher and the blade stack towards the blade catch of the push button along a longitudinal axis of the housing when the push button moves from the released position to the depressed position, such that when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, the blade catch engages the button-engaging portion of the first end blade of the blade stack to move the first end blade to the extended position.
• Figures la-d are perspective views of a blade dispenser according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
• Figure 2 is another perspective view of the blade dispenser of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is an exploded view of the blade dispenser of Figure 1.
• Figure 4 is a cutaway view of the blade dispenser of Figure 1;
• Figure 5 is another cutaway view showing the retracting mechanism of the blade dispenser of Figure 1;
• Figure 6 is a bottom view of the retracting mechanism of the blade dispenser of
• Figure 7 is an exploded view of a blade dispenser according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure.
• a blade dispenser addresses the disadvantages of conventional blade dispensers, which require the user to grasp the blade while a portion of the sharp blade edge is exposed.
• the present disclosure provides a dispenser having a sliding button that engages a piece of the blade and moves the protective metal top edge of the blade far enough outside the dispenser to be grabbed by the user with two fingers.
• the blades are kept in contact with the slide button by means of a pusher at the bottom of a stack of blades.
• a spring mechanism or a ratchet mechanism maintains pressure on the pusher to keep it in contact with the blade stack.
• the dispenser of the present disclosure is easy to use, and is safe for the user, unlike conventional dispensers, wherein the blades extend sideways from the dispenser during dispensing, exposing both a portion of the safe top edge and the sharp blade edge.
• the dispenser 10 is used to dispense a plurality of blades 20. It has a spring-loaded push button 12 at one end, and a blade pusher 40 at the other end which biases the blades 20 forward against the rear surface of the push button 12.
• the button 12 is pushed down, as shown in Fig. Ib. Since the button 12 is biased to its "up" position by a spring (not shown), the button 12 returns to the up position when it is released. As it returns to the up position, a finger on the rear surface of button 12 catches the edge of protective metal piece 21 of the blade 20 abutting it (see Fig. Ic).
• the present disclosure includes a dispenser 10 that can be used to dispense a plurality of blades 20, for example, 50 to 250 blades, depending on the length of the dispenser 10. It has a push button section 11 at one end of the housing 15, which includes a push button 12 which is biased in an "up" (i.e., released) position by a spring 13, such as a coil spring.
• the blades 20 are stacked in suspension in the housing 15; that is, the grooves on each side of the blade 20 ride on a small plastic track 17 on each side of the housing 15.
• the tracks 17 prevent the sharp cutting edge of the blades 20 from touching the bottom of the housing.
• a rear blade pusher 40 which rides on tracks 18 in housing 15, forces the blades 20 toward the button 12.
• Blade pusher 40 is biased against the blade stack, to push the blade stack towards a blade catch 12a of the push button 12 along a longitudinal axis of the housing 15.
• blade pusher 40 is biased towards the push button 12 by a torsion spring 30 mounted to a spring base 31 under push button 12 and coil spring 13, and connected to a retracting wheel 32 which is in turn connected to a string 33.
• the string 33 is also attached to the blade pusher 40.
• the torsion spring 30 and the retracting wheel 32 pull on the ends of string 33, urging it to wind around the retracting wheel 32 to keep a constant pressure on the blade pusher 40 (and hence the blades), pulling them forward.
• the button 12 When the button 12 is returning upwardly it catches the edge of the protective metal piece 21 wrapped around an edge of each safety blade 20 with blade catch 12a. It picks up the blade 20, presenting the safe end of the blade 20 to the user for removal. The blade 20 can then be gripped with two fingers and extracted.
• the blades 20 are protected within the housing 15 by a transparent cover 50 that may bear a logo 51 or other image.
• a dispenser 110 for dispensing a plurality of blades has a spring- loaded push button 112 at one end of a housing 115, the blades 120 are stacked in suspension in the housing 115, and the blades ride on a small plastic track 117 on each side of the housing 115.
• the button 112 When the button 112 is depressed, it advances a conventional ratcheting mechanism (not shown) which in turn engages a belt loop 116 traveling within the housing 115, taking any slack out of the belt loop 116 and moving it forward as apertures 116a in the belt 116 engage the ratcheting mechanism.
• the belt 116 is connected to a rear blade pusher 140, which rides on the tracks 117 and forces the blades 120 toward the button 112.
• the button 116 When the button 116 is returning upwardly it catches the edge of the protective metal piece 121 wrapped around each safety blade 120. It picks up the blade 120, presenting the safe end of the blade 120 to the user for removal.
• the present disclosure can be practiced by employing conventional materials, methodology and equipment.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Scissors And Nippers (AREA)
• Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=40913268

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (25)

Citations (8)

Family Cites Families (57)

• 2009
  • 2009-01-30 EP EP09705689A patent/EP2240388B1/en active Active
  • 2009-01-30 MX MX2010008445A patent/MX2010008445A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2009-01-30 US US12/362,752 patent/US20090194557A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-01-30 CA CA2713708A patent/CA2713708A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-01-30 WO PCT/US2009/032631 patent/WO2009097521A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-01-30 CN CN2009801038874A patent/CN101970312B/zh active Active

Patent Citations (8)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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