Dispenser for bandages

• US 5,065,894 A
• Filed: 03/19/1990
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patricia A. Garland
• Original Assignee: Patricia A. Garland
• Inventors: Garland, Patricia A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H.
• Application Number:
  US07/495,598
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 221/25, 221/69-73, 221/89, 221/191, 221/194, 221/195, 221/197, 226/127, 226/134, 226/148, 226/152, 226/156, 226/157, 242/55.2
• US Class Current: 221/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 15/002 dispensers for web or tape like bandages
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/41912 between two belt like members
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/28 Feeding articles stored in rolled or folded bands
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/68 in which the articles are torn or severed from strips or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/18 for washing or drying persons

Abstract

A dispenser for delivering an uncovered first aid bandage into a readily accessible outlet chute from a strip of bandage packages where each bandage is covered by a layer of paper on each side thereof prior to being dispensed. The dispenser has a spool for holding a supply roll of bandage packages, and two opposed press rollers receive and advance the strip therebetween. Two stripping rollers remove a cover strip of paper from each side of the package and deliver the strips to waste disposal and free the bandage. A ratchet on one of the press rollers is driven by a manually operated lever to rotate that roller, and a motion transmitting driving connection causes both press rollers to be turned equally in opposite directions.

Claims

1. A dispenser for individual adhesive tape bandages from an elongated strip package of said adhesive tape bandages including two outside strips of paper sandwiching therebetween a plurality of spaced adhesive tape bandages;

said dispenser including a supply spool to hold a roll of said bandages in an elongated strip package, two press rollers aligned and spaced apart so as to receive said strip therebetween, two paper stripping rollers biased respectively against said press rollers and each adapted to receive separate ones of said outside strips of paper and direct them to waste disposal;

a manually operated ratchet means attached to one of said press rollers to cause it to rotate and advance said strip passing between said rolls;

means to transfer the rotation of said one press roller into an equal and opposite rotation of the other said press roller; and

an outlet located beneath said press rollers for receiving a freely falling said adhesive tape bandage released from said outside strips of paper upon manual operation of said ratchet means.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said spring biased stripping rollers are urged toward one another against opposite sides of said two press rollers to cause them to be pressed together.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said strip package includes a plurality of elongated adhesive tape bandage units spaced apart from each other and oriented so as to be positioned with their long axes perpendicular to the long axis of said strip.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said means to transfer the rotation of said one press roll to an equal and opposite rotation of the other roll includes a pulley on each said press roller and continuous belt drivingly connected said pulleys.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said means to transfer the rotation of said one press roll to an equal and opposite rotation of the other roll includes a gear train connecting said two press rollers.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 which additionally comprises spring means urging said stripping rollers against said press rollers.

7. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein each said stripping roller is mounted on a pivotable lever to which is attached said spring means.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said ratchet means includes a manually movable lever containing a pivotable pawl adapted to engage a ratchet wheel mounted on one said press roller.

9. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein each said press roller and each said stripping roller is covered with a resilient layer of rubber.

10. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said ratchet means includes a ratchet wheel mounted on one said press roller and a manual lever and pawl engaged with said ratchet wheel to move said press rollers sufficiently to cause release of one said bandage from between said press rollers.

11. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said driving means includes a manually movable lever carrying a pivotable pawl, a ratchet wheel mounted on one said press roller engaged with said pawl and adapted to be driven by said pawl upon movement of said lever.

12. The dispenser of claim 11 wherein said lever is movable a predetermined distance, said distance corresponding to rotative movement of said press rollers sufficiently to expose and release one said bandage from said strip, said bandages being elongated and positioned with their longitudinal axis parallel to rotative axes of said press rollers, said rotative movement being substantially equal to a width of said bandage and a spacing between adjacent bandages.

13. The dispense of claim 1 wherein each said press roller and each said stripping roller is covered with a resilient layer of friction enhancing material.

14. A dispenser for individual adhesive tape bandages from an elongated strip package of said adhesive tape bandages including two outside strips of material sandwiching therebetween a plurality of spaced adhesive tape bandages;

said dispenser including a supply spool to receive a roll of said bandages in said elongated strip package, two roller for receiving and feeding therebetween a portion of said strip package, two paper stripping rollers biased respectively said outside strips of material and direct same to a waste disposal;

driving means attached to one of said press rollers to cause it to rotate and advance said strip portion passing between said press rollers sufficiently to cause the release of one said bandage therefrom;

an elongated outlet chute having an upper end portion located beneath said press rollers for receiving said one bandage and conveying same to a lower end portion of said chute disposed in an accessible position for ready removal of said one bandage; and

means to transfer the rotation of said one press roller into an equal and opposite rotation of the other said press roller.

15. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein each said bandage is elongated and spaced apart from the next and oriented so as to be positioned with its longitudinal axis parallel to rotative axis of said press rollers.

16. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein said means to transfer the rotation includes a pulley on each said press roller and a continuous belt drivingly connecting said pulleys.

17. The dispense of claim 14 wherein said means to transfer the rotation includes a gear train connecting said two press rollers.

18. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein said spring biased stripping rollers are urged toward one another against opposite sides of said two press rollers to cause them to be pressed together and to rotate oppositely to respective said press rollers.

19. The dispenser of claim 18 which additionally comprises spring means urging said stripping rollers against said press rollers.

20. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein each said stripping roller is mounted on a pivotable lever to which is attached said spring means.