Structure and method of making an article dispensing apparatus

• US 5,131,563 A
• Filed: 05/11/1990
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: POP Displays Incorporated (Pop Displays Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: POP Displays Incorporated (Pop Displays Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Yablans, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H.
• Application Number:
  US07/555,520
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 221/92, 221/123, 221/124, 221/131, 221/191, 221/193, 221/195, 221/279, 221/280, 221/311, 312/35, 312/42, 312/45, 312/71, 312/72, 312/73, 211/49.1, 211/59.2, 211/59.3
• US Class Current: 221/92
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/07 the upper article of a pile being always presented at the same predetermined level

Abstract

A structure and method of making a compartmented display dispenser comprising two molded halves directly joinable to form the case and having formed guideways to receive a moldable pusher in each compartment for dispensing merchandise stored and displayed in the compartments.

Claims

1. The method of making a multi-column cabinet comprising constructing a first portion as a panel having a plurality of parallel spaced upstanding dividers, constructing a second portion as a second panel having a plurality of parallel spaced upstanding dividers, spacing the dividers on each portion a distance corresponding to distances of the spacing on the other portion, shaping the remote edges of said dividers of one portion to engage the remote edges of the dividers of the other portion, bringing said portions together in juxtaposition so that said panels are remote from each other and said dividers are in edgewise contact, aligning said dividers the one to the other, and securing in contact said aligned dividers to form a single cabinet having a plurality of chambers defined by said dividers and said panels.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 further characterized by the step of mold casting at least one of said portions.

20. A display cabinet, a first panel having a plurality of integral parallel spaced upstanding dividers, a second panel having a plurality of integral spaced parallel dividers, dividers of said first named panel being spaced to correspond to the dividers of said second named panel, said panels being secured in a position juxtaposed to each other, the edges of the dividers distal from their respective panel engaging the distal edges of the corresponding dividers of the other said panels to form a multi-compartment cabinet, panels forming opposing outer walls of said cabinet, and said cabinet being constructed by the method of claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 5, 7, 2 or 9.

3. A method of making a dispensing device comprising constructing a first portion as a panel having a plurality of parallel spaced upstanding dividers, constructing a second portion as a second panel having parallel upstanding spaced dividers spaced a distance corresponding to the spacing of said first named dividers on said first names panel, forming a guideway on said second named panel parallel to and between each of said dividers, forming a plurality of pusher members to move slidably along said guideways, bringing said first named panel and its dividers and said second named panel and its dividers into juxtaposition, the one to the other, the panels being remotely positioned and said dividers in edge wise contact between said panels, securing said panels the one to the other so that said dividers form chambers, positioning said pusher members in said chambers and slidably along said guideways.

4. The method recited in claim 3 and further characterized by the step of securing to one of said panels at least one biasing device to contact and move at least one of said pushers in one direction through at least one of said chambers to yieldingly move goods through said chamber in a direction parallel at least one of said panels under the bias of said biasing device.

5. A method recited in claim 4 and further characterized by the step of forming on said second named panel securing means, adjacent an end of said guide, forming other securing means on at least one of said pushers and resiliently connecting said securing means on said panel and said securing means on said pusher by a yieldable biasing means.

6. The method recited in claim 3 and further characterized by the step of forming on one of said panels securing means, forming other securing means on at least one of said pushers and connecting said securing means on said panel and said securing means on said pusher by a yieldable biasing means.

7. The method recited in claim 3 and further characterized by the steps of forming securing means on one of said panels forming a further securing means on at least one of said pushers, at least one of said securing means formed as a housing capable of enclosing the coil of a coiled spring and having a slot for a portion of said spring to extend, the other of said securing means formed as a post to which said portion of said coil spring may be secured and inserting the coil of a coiled spring in said housing and the free portion of said spring through said slot and about said post.

8. The method as set forth in claim 3, 4 or 7 and further characterized by the steps of forming a lip on at least one of said panels extending toward the other of said panels to arrest movement of articles from said chambers by said pusher.

9. The method set forth in claim 3 further characterized by the step of mold casting at least one of said portions.

10. In a device for feeding one by one each column of a multiple procession of cylindrical objects having chamfered ends said device comprising a first panel, a second panel spaced substantially parallel to but spaced from said first panel, a plurality of spaced dividers connecting said panels the one to the other and defining chambers constructed and arranged to receive in each chamber a plurality of objects, each of said chambers having a delivery end, the first named panel being stepped in a direction away from said second named panel adjacent its delivery end, said second named panel having an oppositely positioned step toward said first named panel, said step having a terminal lip angled toward said first named panel, guide means formed in one of said panels, a pusher slidably mounted in said guide means to move in a chamber to and from said delivery end and biasing means urging said pusher toward said delivery end of said chamber, said pusher, said lip and said step constructed and arranged to move the foremost of said objects, urged by said pusher, toward said delivery end, away from said second named panel into the step of said first named panel and said lip on said second named panel retains said object in concert with said pusher urged by said biasing means.

11. The device as set forth in claim 10 and further characterized in that said biasing means is a coiled flat spring having a coiled end and a leading end, first securing means comprising a chamber to secure the coiled end of said spring and second securing means to secure the leading end, one of said securing means being attached to one of the group consisting of said panels and said dividers and the other of said securing means secured to said pusher.

12. The device set forth in claim 10 further characterized in that said guide means is a slot open at the end distal from said delivery end and means at said distal end to selectively release said pusher from said guide means.

13. Display cabinet, a first panel having a plurality of parallel spaced upstanding dividers secured integral with said panel, a second panel having a plurality of spaced parallel dividers integrally secured to said panel, dividers of the first named panel being spaced to correspond to dividers of said second named panel, said panel being secured in a position juxtaposed to each other, the edges of the dividers distal from their respective panel engaging the distal edges of the corresponding dividers of the other of said panels to form a multicompartmental cabinet, the panels forming opposing outer walls of said cabinet and at least one of said panels has an elongated opening formed intermediate adjacent dividers and a pusher positioned between said adjacent dividers and slidably supported in said opening.

14. Device as set forth in claim 13 and further characterized by biasing means moving said pusher in said opening to sweep a substantial distance parallel said adjacent dividers.

15. Device as set forth in claim 14 and further characterized in that said biasing means is a flat coil spring, a coil of said spring being retained in a housing and the free end of said spring extending outside said housing, said housing being secured to one of the group comprising said panel and one of said pushers, and said free end of said coil spring secured to the other of said group.

16. Device in accordance with claims 14 or 15 and further characterized by at least one of said panels having a lip along an edge adjacent an open delivery end of said cabinet, said lip extending inwardly toward the other of said panels to partially block the exit from the compartments defined by said dividers.

17. In a display cabinet, a first panel having a plurality of integral parallel spaced upstanding dividers, a second panel substantially parallel to said first panel and spaced therefrom, said second panel being secured to the edges of said dividers distal from said first panel, a guideway formed in at least one of said panels and between a pair of adjacent dividers and a pusher slidably mounted in said guideway and constructed and arranged to sweep between said adjacent pair of dividers.

18. A device substantially as set forth in claim 17 and further characterized by yieldable biasing means urging said pusher in one direction between said adjacent pair of dividers.

19. A device as set forth in claim 18 and further characterized in that said biasing means is a flat coiled spring.