Apparatus for holding and feeding product

• US 7,500,571 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terry Hawkinson
• Original Assignee: Terry Hawkinson
• Inventors: Hawkinson, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US11/196,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20070029270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.3, 211/184, 211/189, 211/74, 211/59.2, 211/126.1, 312/61, 312/71, 312/35
• US Class Current: 211/59.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

Apparatus for holding and feeding product includes a) a tray having a front end, b) a sidewall clip, carried by a first extremity of a sidewall, attached to the front end of the tray, c) a paddle clip attached to the front end of the tray, d) a third elongate abutment clip, carried by an abutment, attached to the first and paddle clips, e) a paddle mounted to the tray for reciprocal movement in opposition to the abutment, and f) a spring coupling the paddle clip to the paddle and biasing the paddle toward the abutment.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a tray having a front edge and opposing sides;

a sidewall clip, carried by a first extremity of a sidewall, attached to the front edge of the tray;

a paddle clip attached to the front edge of the tray;

an abutment clip, carried by an abutment, attached concurrently to the sidewall and paddle clips securing the abutment to the tray;

a paddle;

the tray having a plurality of reciprocal engagement points for the paddle between the sides of the tray;

the paddle mounted to the tray at one of the plurality of engagement points for reciprocal movement in opposition to the abutment; and

a spring coupling the paddle clip to the paddle and biasing the paddle toward the abutment.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the sidewall having a second extremity opposing the first extremity; and

another sidewall clip, carried by the second extremity of the sidewall, attached to a rear end of the tray.

3. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the tray having opposing sides and the front edge having a length extending from one of the sides of the tray to the other of the sides of the tray; and

the abutment extending along substantially the entire length of the front edge of the tray.

4. Apparatus of claim 1, the sidewall clip comprising a first body having a first inward engagement feature coupling a first outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray, and an opposing second inward engagement feature coupling a second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

5. Apparatus of claim 4, the paddle clip comprising a second body having a third inward engagement feature coupling the first outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray, and an opposing fourth inward engagement feature coupling the second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

6. Apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

the first body supporting an outward engagement feature;

the second body supporting an outward engagement feature; and

the abutment clip comprising a body supporting a fifth inward complemental engagement feature concurrently coupling the outward engagement features of the first and second bodies, respectively, and a sixth inward complemental engagement feature coupling the second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

7. Apparatus comprising:

a tray having a front edge and opposing sides;

a sidewall clip, carried by a sidewall, attached to the front edge of the tray;

an abutment clip, carried by an abutment, attached to the sidewall clip by clipping the abutment clip directly onto the sidewall clip securing the abutment to the tray;

a paddle;

the tray having a plurality of reciprocal engagement points for the paddle between the sides of the tray; and

the paddle mounted to the tray at one of the plurality of engagement points for reciprocal movement in opposition to the abutment, the paddle biased toward the abutment.

8. Apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a paddle clip attached to the front edge of the tray; and

a spring coupling the paddle clip to the paddle and biasing the paddle toward the abutment.

9. Apparatus of claim 8, the sidewall clip comprising a first body having a first inward engagement feature coupling a first outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray, and an opposing second inward engagement feature coupling a second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

10. Apparatus of claim 9, the paddle clip comprising a second body having a third inward engagement feature coupling the first outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray, and an opposing fourth inward engagement feature coupling the second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

11. Apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the first body supporting an outward engagement feature;

the second body supporting an outward engagement feature; and

the abutment clip comprising a body supporting a fifth inward complemental engagement feature concurrently coupling the outward engagement features of the first and second bodies, respectively, and a sixth inward complemental engagement feature coupling the second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

12. Apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the sidewall having a second extremity opposing the first extremity; and

another sidewall clip, carried by the second extremity of the sidewall, attached to a rear end of the tray.

13. Apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the tray having opposing sides and the front edge having a length extending from one of the sides of the tray to the other of the sides of the tray; and

the abutment extending along substantially the entire length of the front edge of the tray.

14. Apparatus comprising:

a tray having a front edge and opposing sides;

a paddle clip attached to the front edge of the tray;

an abutment clip, carried by an abutment, attached to the paddle clip by clipping the abutment clip directly onto the paddle clip securing the abutment to the tray;

a paddle;

the tray having a plurality of reciprocal engagement points for the paddle between the sides of the tray;

the paddle mounted to the tray at one of the plurality of engagement points for reciprocal movement in opposition to the abutment; and

a spring coupling the paddle cup to the paddle and biasing the paddle toward the abutment.

15. Apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a sidewall clip, carried by a first extremity of a sidewall, attached to the front edge of the tray; and

the abutment clip attached to the sidewall clip.

16. Apparatus of claim 15, the sidewall clip comprising a first body having a first inward engagement feature coupling a first outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray, and an opposing second inward engagement feature coupling a second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

17. Apparatus of claim 16, the paddle clip comprising a second body having a third inward engagement feature coupling the first outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray, and an opposing fourth inward engagement feature coupling the second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

18. Apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

the first body supporting an outward engagement feature;

the second body supporting an outward engagement feature; and

the abutment clip comprising a body supporting a fifth inward complemental engagement feature concurrently coupling the outward engagement features of the first and second bodies, respectively, and a sixth inward complemental engagement feature coupling the second outward complemental engagement feature carried by the tray.

19. Apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

the sidewall having a second extremity opposing the first extremity; and

another sidewall clip, carried by the second extremity of the sidewall, attached to a rear end of the tray.

20. Apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

the tray having opposing sides and the front edge having a length extending from one of the sides of the tray to the other of the sides of the tray; and

the abutment extending along substantially the entire length of the front edge of the tray.