Dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets

• US 5,018,644 A
• Filed: 06/02/1989
• Issued: 05/28/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bramlage Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter Haftung
• Original Assignee: Bramlage Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter Haftung
• Inventors: Wilken, Josef, Hackmann, Ludger
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H.
• Application Number:
  US07/361,025
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 221/65, 221/151, 221/152, 221/263, 221/266, 222/361, 222/366, 222/362, 222/363, 222/336, 222/339, 222/444, 222/449, 222/451, 222/453, 222/510, 206/528, 206/536, 206/540
• US Class Current: 221/65
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2583/0481 One reciprocating action, e.g. to or from
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0409 the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation B65D83/0445 takes precedence

Abstract

A dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets has a housing (1), a slide (3) displaceable with limited stroke, a tablet storage chamber with adjoining delivery chute (7), and front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks being developed, in part, fixed on the housing and, in part, on the slide (3). A moveable flank forms a separation chamber (A) and in the flank fixed on the housing has a separation finger (F) associated with the separation chamber. To obtain a structurally simple dispenser with optimal functioning and gentle treatment of the tablets, the separation finger (F) is formed by a bottom vertex (22) of a first oblique surface (I) which commences on top opposite an upper closure (23) of the separation chamber (A). A second oblique surface (II) is developed on the moveable flank (d), which surface, commencing at the upper closure (23) of the separation chamber (A), extends in upward direction, continuously increasing the cross-section of the delivery chute.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing individual tablets, the dispenser comprising

a housing, and a displaceable slide operable with limited stroke in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber with adjoining delivery chute located in the housing, there being front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed, in part, fixed on the housing as a fixed flank and, in part, fixed on the slide as a movable flank,

a separation chamber developed in the moveable flank;

a separation finger operable with the separation chamber and formed extending from the fixed flank which is fixed on the housing;

wherein the separation finger comprises a vertex on the bottom side of a first oblique surface which commences on top opposite an upper closure of the separation chamber; and

a second oblique surface is developed on the moveable flank fixed to the slide, the second oblique surface commencing at the upper closure of the separation chamber and extending in upward direction and continuously increasing the cross-section of the delivery chute, said oblique surfaces arranging the tablets in a common plane with each tablet being supported by a lower tablet, and said second oblique surface has a nose-like corner which engages a next tablet to be dispensed below a horizontal diameter of said next tablet only when the second oblique surface has moved under said next tablet.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein

the separation chamber is formed with a run-off bevel;

and

the run-off bevel and the first oblique surface together form in cross section a closed funnel in the dispenser with the slide in a basic non-dispensing position, the latter being its position prior to a depressing movement of the slide in a direction of dispensing of the tablets.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein

said first oblique surface and the second oblique surface form respectively a first and a second acute angles with a central plane of a shaft of the dispenser, the second acute angle being smaller than the first acute angle.

4. A dispenser according to claim 3, wherein

the run-off bevel forms with a central plane of the shaft of the dispenser a third acute angle which is larger than said first acute angle.

5. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein

said second oblique surface and the first oblique surface form, in actuated condition of the dispenser, and in cross section, a funnel which is closed to an extent less than a diameter of a tablet.

6. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein

said delivery-chute has a limiting-surface fixed to the housing;

and

the chute limiting surface extends vertically, and adjoins the first oblique surface in upward direction and lies opposite the second oblique surface in non-actuated condition of the dispenser.

7. A dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising

a bottom of said slide located on the storage-chamber side and extending about two-thirds of the cross section of the storage chamber;

an actuating button formed as a cover of the dispenser;

a central actuating shaft connected to the button; and

wherein the slide is connected via the central actuating shaft to the actuating button; and

a side wall of the storage chamber is formed by the housing.

8. A dispenser according to claim 7, wherein

said actuating shaft has a cross-shaped cross section.

9. A dispenser for dispensing individual tablets, the dispenser comprising

a housing, and a displaceable slide operable with limited stroke in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber with adjoining delivery chute located in the housing, there being front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed, in part, fixed on the housing as a fixed flank and, in part, fixed on the slide as a movable flank,

a separation chamber developed in the moveable flank;

a separation finger operable with the separation chamber and formed extending from the fixed flank which is fixed on the housing;

wherein the separation finger comprises a vertex on the bottom side of a first oblique surface which commences on top opposite an upper closure of the separation chamber; and

a second oblique surface is developed on the moveable flank fixed to the slide, the second oblique surface commencing at the upper closure of the separation chamber and extending in upward direction and continuously increasing the cross-section of the delivery chute;

a bottom of said slide located on the storage-chamber side and extending about two-thirds of the cross section of the storage chamber;

an actuating button formed as a cover of the dispenser;

a central actuating shaft connected to the button; and

wherein the slide is connected via the central actuating shaft to the actuating button; and

a side wall of the storage chamber is formed by the housing;

said actuating shaft has a cross-shaped cross section;

said slide bottom has a ledge which divides the slide bottom on the storage chamber side; and

two legs of the cross of the actuating shaft pass into said ledge.

10. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein

the slide bottom is formed as a trough;

and

the ledge extends in descending fashion on the bottom of the trough, namely in direction of the delivery chute, and is aligned coplanar with the latter.

11. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein

said slide has a vertical wall below the slide bottom and is aligned with the ledge, which wall is guided with its peripheral longitudinal edge on the corresponding inner surface of the housing.

12. A dispenser for dispensing individual tablets, the dispenser comprising

a housing, and a displaceable slide operable with limited stroke in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber with adjoining delivery chute located in the housing, there being front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed, in part, fixed on the housing as a fixed flank and, in part, fixed on the slide as a movable flank,

a separation chamber developed in the moveable flank;

a separation finger operable with the separation chamber and formed extending from the fixed flank which is fixed on the housing;

wherein the separation finger comprises a vertex on the bottom side of a first oblique surface which commences on top opposite an upper closure of the separation chamber; and

a second oblique surface is developed on the moveable flank fixed to the slide, the second oblique surface commencing at the upper closure of the separation chamber and extending in upward direction and continuously increasing the cross-section of the delivery chute;

a transverse wall, and a spring for restoring a position of the slide; and

wherein the housing is closed on its bottom, except for an opening for a head of the slide, by said transverse wall; and

the top side of the transversal wall forms a support for the restoring spring, the spring being formed on the slide and developed as a leaf spring.

13. A dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets, the dispenser comprising

a housing and a displaceable slide located in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber located in the housing and communicating with the slide, the tablet storage chamber communicating with an adjoining delivery chute;

front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed in part, fixed on the housing as a fixed flank and, in part, fixed on the slide as a movable flank to provide a separation chamber;

a second oblique surface is developed on the moveable flank, the second oblique surface commencing at the upper closure of the separation chamber and extending in upward direction and continuously increasing the cross-section of the delivery chute, said oblique surfaces arranging the tablets in a common plane with each tablet being supported by a lower tablet, and said second oblique surface has a nose-like corner which engages a next tablet to be dispensed below a horizontal diameter of said next tablet only when the second oblique surface has moved under said next tablet;

detent elements on an actuating button of the slide for engagement in safety recesses of the housing in non-dispensing condition of the dispenser; and

wherein the detents are disengageable from the safety recesses substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the slide against spring force.

14. A dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets, the dispenser comprising a housing and a displaceable slide located in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber located in the housing and communicating with the slide, the tablet storage chamber communicating with an adjoining delivery chute;

front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed in part, fixed on the housing and, in part, fixed on the slide to provide a separation chamber;

detent elements on an actuating button of the slide for engagement in safety recesses of the housing in non-dispensing condition of the dispenser; and

wherein the detents are disengageable from the safety recesses substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the slide against spring force;

said actuating button is for displacing the slide; and

wherein the detent elements are formed by lugs cut free from the actuating button, the button being cup-shaped.

15. A dispenser according to claim 14, wherein

there is a convex transition region from cup bottom to cup wall of said actuating button, the dispenser including concave actuating hollows formed on the lugs in said transition region of the button.

16. A dispenser according to claim 15, wherein

each actuating hollow ends in a protruding limiting bead on the cup-wall side of said actuating button, the bead extending into a region of a projection of the housing wall.

17. A dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets, the dispenser comprising a housing and a displaceable slide located in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber located in the housing and communicating with the slide, the tablet storage chamber communicating with an adjoining delivery chute;

front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed in part, fixed on the housing and, in part, fixed on the slide to provide a separation chamber;

detent elements on an actuating button of the slide for engagement in safety recesses of the housing in non-dispensing condition of the dispenser; and

wherein the detents are disengageable from the safety recesses substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the slide against spring force;

said detent elements are formed at diametrically opposite places.

18. A dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets, the dispenser comprising a housing and a displaceable slide located in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber located in the housing and communicating with the slide, the tablet storage chamber communicating with an adjoining delivery chute;

front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed in part, fixed on the housing and, in part, fixed on the slide to provide a separation chamber;

detent elements on an actuating button of the slide for engagement in safety recesses of the housing in non-dispensing condition of the dispenser; and

wherein the detents are disengageable from the safety recesses substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the slide against spring force;

a restoring spring for restoring the slide to a basic non-dispensing position upon deactivation of the dispenser; and

the restoring spring is shaped closed on itself in the shape of a circle.

19. A dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets, the dispenser comprising a housing and a displaceable slide located in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber located in the housing and communicating with the slide, the tablet storage chamber communicating with an adjoining delivery chute;

front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed in part, fixed on the housing and, in part, fixed on the slide to provide a separation chamber;

detent elements on an actuating button of the slide for engagement in safety recesses of the housing in non-dispensing condition of the dispenser; and

wherein the detents are disengageable from the safety recesses substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the slide against spring force;

a restoring spring for restoring the slide to a basic non-dispensing position upon deactivation of the dispenser;

the dispenser includes a transverse wall partially closing a bottom of the dispenser; and

the restoring spring is developed as a closed rhombus, with vertex resting on the transverse wall.

20. A dispenser according to claim 19, further comprising

a bearing knife-edge bead on the transverse wall;

and

the vertex faces the transverse wall and is drawn in to form a bearing niche which seats on the bearing knife-edge bead of the transverse wall.

21. A dispenser according to claim 19, further comprising

an arm extending vertically from a bottom side of said slide to the spring;

and wherein

the spring has a vertex which faces away from the transverse wall and connects via the vertically extending arm to the bottom side of the slide.

22. A dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets, the dispenser comprising a housing and a displaceable slide located in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber located in the housing and communicating with the slide, the tablet storage chamber communicating with an adjoining delivery chute;

front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed in part, fixed on the housing and, in part, fixed on the slide to provide a separation chamber;

detent elements on an actuating button of the slide for engagement in safety recesses of the housing in non-dispensing condition of the dispenser; and

wherein the detents are disengageable from the safety recesses substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the slide against spring force;

the dispenser includes a transverse wall partially closing a bottom of the dispenser; and

said slide has a closure surface, and bears in a region of its closure surface, a stop ledge which cooperates in a slide-stroke-limiting manner with the transverse wall.

23. A dispenser according to claim 22, further comprising

additional ones of said stop ledge;

and wherein

said stop ledges are provided in pairs which stand perpendicular to the closure surface and are rooted in it, and at the same time are rooted in a corner-stiffening manner in a bottom of said slide which adjoins them on top.

24. A dispenser according to claim 23, wherein

the stop ledges lie in lateral end-regions of the closure surface.

25. A dispenser for the dispensing of individual tablets, the dispenser comprising a housing and a displaceable slide located in the housing;

a tablet storage chamber located in the housing and communicating with the slide, the tablet storage chamber communicating with an adjoining delivery chute;

front end closure surfaces and profiled flanks formed in part, fixed on the housing and, in part, fixed on the slide to provide a separation chamber;

detent elements on an actuating button of the slide for engagement in safety recesses of the housing in non-dispensing condition of the dispenser; and

wherein the detents are disengageable from the safety recesses substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the slide against spring force;

a shaft extending vertically to contact the slide for displacing the slide; and

wherein the shaft of said slide bears an axially extending, radially directed guide wing having a longitudinal end surface which rests against an inner wall of the housing.

26. A dispenser according to claim 25, wherein

the guide wing extends from that side of the shaft of said slide which faces the separation chamber.

27. A dispenser according to claim 25, wherein

the guide wing lies in an upper region of the shaft of said slide.

28. A dispenser according to claim 25, wherein

said guide wing has upper and lower edges which converge slightly outwards, the guide wing having a lower vertex which is beveled.