Dispenser for the dispensing elements in strips

• US 6,508,380 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2001
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfred Von Schuckmann
• Original Assignee: Alfred Von Schuckmann
• Inventors: von Schuckmann, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US09/913,839
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 206/39.4, 221/4, 221/6, 221/155, 221/135, 221/232, 221/255, 221/247, 221/248, 221/249, 221/268, 221/272, 221/274, 271/42, 271/128
• US Class Current: 221/4
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0835 the articles being pulled out of the container
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack

Abstract

A dispenser (1) for dispensing strip elements (4), having a supply chamber (3) for accommodating a strip-element stack (St), and having a discharging pusher (14) with a nose (16) for interacting with a first strip element (4′) of the strip-element stack (St), via a discharging slot (15) which is adapted to the thickness (y) of a strip element (4). In order to achieve a more functionally advantageous solution, the discharging pusher (14) has a pusher nose (16) which is made of elastically compliant material and, in the uninfluenced state, projects by more than the thickness (y) of the strip element (4).

Claims

1. A dispenser (1) for dispensing strip elements (4), having a supply chamber (3) for accommodating a strip-element stack (St), and having a discharging pusher (14) with a nose (16) for interacting with a first strip element (4′

) of the strip-element stack (St), via a discharging slot (15) which is adapted to thickness (y) of a strip element (4), wherein the discharging pusher (14) has a pusher nose (16) which is made of elastically compliant material and, in the uninfluenced state, projects by more than the thickness (y) of the strip element (4).

2. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in an initial dispensing position, the pusher nose (16) projects such that it engages beneath the strip element (4′

), which is ready for dispensing.

3. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pusher nose is shaped such that it projects in form of a wedge in direction of the strip element (4′

).

4. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the discharging pusher is coupled by a coupling to a swing-action lid (26) for pushing the discharging pusher (14) inward and drawing it outward, wherein the coupling (K) between the discharging pusher (14) and the swing-action lid (26) is operationally releasable.

5. The dispenser as claimed in claim 4, wherein, the swing-action lid (26) forms a downwardly projecting coupling part (28), and wherein the discharging slot (15) is formed between the coupling part (28) and a hinge joint (27) of the swing-action lid (26).

6. The dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein, at its free end, the coupling part (28) forms a latching head (29) which engages in an elongate hole (30) of the discharging pusher (14), with a longitudinal axis of the elongate hole (30) extending in direction of the hinge joint (27).

7. The dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein, the discharging pusher (14) is part of the swing-action dispenser lid (26), of which the hinge-joint axis of rotation (27) runs parallel to displacement direction (arrow z) of a spring pusher (7), the latter loading the strip-element stack in a dispensing direction.

8. The dispenser as claimed in claim 4, wherein, the axis of rotation of the hinge joint (27) of the swing-action lid (26) and a pivot axis (54) of the strip element (4′

) which is to be dispensed run parallel to one another, but at a distance apart, wherein, with the swing-action lid (26) closed, the pivot axis (54) of the strip element (4′

) is offset in direction of the discharging pusher (14), and at a lower level, relative to the axis of rotation of the hinge joint (27) of the swing-action lid (26).

9. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the discharging slot (is) is formed by interaction of an end surface (a) of a separately latchable bar part (35) with a housing-mounted boundary part.

10. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring pusher (7) loading the strip-element stack (St) in direction of a dispensing location of the strip element.

11. The dispenser as claimed in claim 10, wherein the discharging pusher is coupled by a coupling to a swing-action lid (26) for pushing the discharging pusher (14) inward and drawing it outward, the dispenser further comprising a housing (6) of the dispenser (1) said housing is formed with a viewing opening (36) and, under circumstances with the swing-action lid (26) open, allowing a visual check of the spring-pusher position.

12. The dispenser as claimed in claim 11, wherein, the viewing opening (36) is formed in a bar part (35).

13. The dispenser as claimed in claim 11, wherein, a visual marker (7″

) is integrally formed on the spring pusher (7), and wherein as a supply of strip elements decreases, said marker is displaced into a field of view of the viewing opening (36).

14. The dispenser as claimed in claim 10, wherein, the discharging pusher is coupled by a coupling to a swing-action lid (26) for pushing the discharging pusher (14) inward and drawing it outward, and wherein, the supply chamber (3) is combined with the spring pusher (7), the discharging pusher (14), the discharging slot (15) assigned to the supply chamber (3), and a chamber (40) provided with a hygroscopic material, to form a magazine (M) which is insertable from beneath into a housing (6) of the dispenser (1), on which the swing-action lid (26) is integrally formed.

15. The dispenser as claimed in claim 10, wherein, the spring pusher (7) is subjected to action of a spring (10) which acts with variable spring force.

16. The dispenser as claimed in claim 15, wherein, the spring force is reduced when the strip element (4′

) is pivoted out.

17. The dispenser as claimed in claim 15, wherein the discharging pusher is coupled by a coupling to a swing-action lid (26) for pushing the discharging pusher (14) inward and drawing it outward, wherein, the spring force is varied by the swing-action lid (26), which acts on a precurved spring spine (59), in dependence on position of the swing-action lid (26).

18. The dispenser as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a push rod (60) which acts on the spring spine (59) is formed on an inside of the swing-action lid (26).

19. The dispenser as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a cover plate (58) covering the strip-element stack (St) and the spring (10), the cover plate (58) having an opening (63) assigned to the spring spine (59).

20. The dispenser as claimed in claim 19, the cover plate (58) has a viewing window (64) which releases part of the strip-element stack (St).

21. The dispenser as claimed in claim 15, wherein, a free end of the spring (10) interacts in manner of a ratchet with a toothed bar (62) of the spring pusher (7).

22. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for pivoting, a strip element (4) into a ready-for-removal position for dispensing.

23. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the pusher nose (16) only releases the first strip element (4′

), which is ready for dispensing, once a sub-section (51) of the strip element (4) has been pivoted fully out of a surface of projection of the strip-element stack (St).

24. The dispenser as claimed in claim 23, wherein, the first strip element (4′

), which is ready for dispensing, is exposed in said sub-section (51) which interacts with the discharging pusher (14).

25. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing (6), and wherein, a wall (5) of the housing (6) is of friction-enhanced form on a side directed toward the strip-element stack (St).

26. The dispenser as claimed in claim 25, wherein, said side of the wall (5) which is directed toward the strip-element stack (St) is rubber-coated.

27. The dispenser as claimed in claim 25, wherein, said wall (5) only extends over part of the length of the strip-element stack (St).