Apparatus for dispensing film-like thin strips of food- or refreshment-stuff

• US 20030106900A1
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Achim Storz
• Original Assignee: Achim Storz
• Inventors: Storz, Achim
• Application Number:
  US10/301,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20030106900A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/259
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/087 by means of an actuator

Abstract

Apparatus for the dispensing of film-like thin strips consisting of food- or refreshment-stuff from a packaging container, which is having a box-shaped bottom member containing a stack of the film-like thin refreshment-stuff-strips and further a cover closing the bottom member. The cover for opening and closing a dispensing slot or ?opening is reciprocably slidable with respect to the bottom member. At the cover there is provided an actuatable gripping means by the means of which a friction-type connection can be created between the cover and the top film-like strip. The friction-type connection is such that during the closing movement of the cover the top film-like strip of the stack is pushed forward through the dispensing slot from the bottom member.

Claims

1. Apparatus for the dispensing of film-like thin strips consisting of food- or refreshment-stuff from a packaging container, wherein the packaging container is having a box-shaped bottom member containing a stack of the film-like thin refreshment-stuff-strips and further a cover closing the bottom member, characterized in that the cover (10) for opening and closing a dispensing slot or opening (12) is reciprocably slidable with respect to the bottom member (8) and, in that at the cover (10) there is provided an actuatable gripping means (14) by the means of which a friction-type connection can be created between the cover (10) and the top film-like strip (6), such that during the closing movement of the cover (10) the top film-like strip (6) of the stack (4) is pushed forward through the dispensing slot (11) from the bottom member (8).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping means (14) is performed as a region (16) elastically displaceable by thumb-pressure downwardly from the level of the cover (10) into contact with the stack (4) in the bottom member (8).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front wall (18) of the bottom member (8) is extending in the direction of the dispensing opening (12) archedly and upwardly and is forming a guide for the strips (6).

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the dispensing opening (12) is performed between the front edge (20) of the cover (10) when displaced in the opening direction and the top edge (22) of the front wall (18) of the bottom member (8).

5. Apparatus according to any of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the elastically deflectable region (16) is positioned within a thumb-depression or section (24) within the material of the cover (10).

6. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the cover (10) is consisting of plastics.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the deflectable region (16) is consisting of a wave-shaped section (26) of the cover (10), which is projecting upwardly from the plane of the cover (10) and which resiliently can be depressed below said plane.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the wave-shaped section (26) is consisting of two wave sections (28, 30) projecting upwardly from the plane of the cover (10) which are having a decreased wall thickness compared with the wall thickness of the cover (10) and, in that between said two wave sections (28) at least a third wave section (32) running downwardly is provided, which is having an increased wall thickness steadily increasing to the lowest point (34) thereof.

9. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastically deflectable region (16) is consisting of the same material as the cover (10).

10. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the elastically deflectable region (16) is consisting of a material different from the material of the cover (10) as for example silicon rubber, rubber or the like.

11. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 6 and 10, characterized in that the deflectable region (16) is formed by a dome-shaped section (36) of the cover (10) which by the means of film-hinges (38) is connected with the cover (10) and which is projecting upwardly from the plane of the cover (10) and is depressable into said plane and, in that the dome-shaped section (38) is having a ledge (40) projecting downwardly in the direction of the stack (4) of strips (6) which during the depression is contacting the top strip (6) of the stack (4).

12. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom member (8) on the exterior thereof is having gripping ledges or studs (42) opposite to the deflectable region (16).