Dispenser for liquid applicator

• US 6,202,891 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Young Microbrush, LLC (Young Innovations Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microbrush, Inc.
• Inventors: Mark, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US09/177,507
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 221/203, 221/195, 221/196, 221/266, 221/287, 221/197
• US Class Current: 221/196
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/12 Toothpick holders

Abstract

A dispenser for elongated rod-like articles. The dispenser has a housing which has a trap chamber rotatable cylinder wherein the trap gravitationally captures from the bottom of a pile, one at a time, one of the rod-like articles and arcuately moves it by means of the cylinder to a downwardly facing position from whence the rod-like article falls onto a chute. The housing is loaded from a cartridge which contains the rod-like articles and is inserted on top of the housing when in use. The cylinder is constructed of a plurality of spaced apart discs each of which has a radially extending notch in alignment with one another to thereby define an elongated trap for the rod-like articles to be dispensed.

Claims

1. A dispenser for elongated slim rod-like articles comprising

a separable reservoir cartridge for containing a plurality of elongated slim-rod-like articles;

said reservoir cartridge having a downwardly facing opening through which said rod-like articles gravitate;

said dispenser having an upwardly open facing housing;

said upwardly open facing housing having an edge portion having, means for slidably mating means on said downwardly facing opening of said cartridge to matingly retain said cartridge and said housing;

said housing having spaced end walls;

said housing having an elongated funnel means between said end walls;

said funnel means having elongated two walls sloping towards each other terminating in a slot;

a dispensing trap chamber containing cylinder means rotatable mounded in said slot between said end walls;

said cylinder means being constructed of a plurality of spaced apart discs axially aligned an axle;

said dispensing trap chamber being defined by aligned cut out portions of said discs;

at least two of said discs having outwardly radially extending portions;

said sloping walls having oppositely facing slots adapted and constructed to accept therein said extending portions as said cylinder means is rotated;

said housing having a receiving chute mounted below said cylinder means whereby said rod-like article may be gravitationally received from said dispensing trap chamber when said cylinder means is rotated.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the receiving chute has a cut out portion whereby said rod-lie articles may be manually removed.

3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein the receiving chute terminates in an abutment means against which the rod-like articles may lodge.

4. The dispenser of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the upwardly facing housing edge portion is rectangularly shaped, the said edge portion has slots running around three of the edges, said cartridge has a outwardly extending flange about its downwardly facing opening, said slots and said flange adapted and constructed to mate to thereby retain said cartridge together with said housing.