Modular bottle dispenser

• US 5,462,198 A
• Filed: 03/23/1994
• Issued: 10/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Miles, Inc. (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Miles, Inc. (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Schwimmer, Alan F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Terrell, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REICHARD, DEAN ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/217,485
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 221/191, 221/193, 221/194, 221/195, 221/251, 221/255, 221/256, 221/257, 221/281, 221/289, 221/294, 221/6, 221/66, 221/92, 221/155, 221/123, 221/124, 221/130, 221/131, 312/45, 206/45.13, 206/45.17, 206/44.12
• US Class Current: 221/130
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/087 the container having approximately horizontal tracks of the serpentine type
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/34 in which the magazines are of zig-zag form

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a modular bottle dispenser apparatus used for dispensing bottles. Each dispenser includes a receiver opening, a dispenser opening, a continuous guide channel which restricts the side to side and up and down motion of a bottle as it moves from the receiver opening to the dispenser opening, a friction reducing member and a door that covers the receiver opening. Several dispensers can be interlocked to each other through interlocking members provided by the dispenser. The interlocking of several dispenser allows the display of various products in one contiguous setting.

Claims

1. A modular bottle dispenser apparatus for storing, displaying and dispensing bottles comprising:

a. a housing which includes a first opening for receiving bottles and a second opening for dispensing said bottles, said housing further including side walls, each said side wall including a friction reducing member, each said side wall further including members for interlocking adjacent modular bottle dispenser apparatuses; and

b. a continuous guide channel of two guide surfaces extending between said first opening and said second opening, said two guide surfaces defined by an upper inclined ramp and a lower inclined ramp, said upper inclined ramp being adjacent said first opening, a portion of said upper inclined ramp adjacent said first opening being horizontal, wherein the two guide surfaces are parallel over a substantial portion of the guide channel and the distance between the two guide surfaces is substantially constant over the length of the continuous guide channel, said continuous guide channel further defined as providing a path with an incline between about 9 degrees and about 11 degrees, in which said bottles travel from said first opening to said second opening.

2. The modular bottle dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interlocking members are further defined as including a male interlocking member and a female interlocking member.

3. The modular bottle dispenser apparatus of claim 2, wherein said male interlocking member of a modular bottle dispenser apparatus can be joined to said female interlocking member of an adjacent modular bottle dispenser apparatus.

4. The modular bottle dispenser apparatus of claim 3, wherein said male interlocking member or said female interlocking member is integrally formed with said side walls of said housing.

5. The modular bottle dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said friction reducing member is further defined as a raised ridge that is substantially parallel to said continuous guide channel.

6. The modular bottle dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispenser further includes a door hingedly attached to said housing that covers said first opening for receiving said bottles.

7. The modular bottle dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispenser further includes a door, hingedly attached to said housing that covers said first opening for receiving said bottles, said door further including a refill indicator, wherein said refill indicator is an open slot on said door.

8. The modular bottle dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second opening for dispensing said bottles further includes a retaining lip.