Dispensing device
First Claim
1. A dispensing device comprising:
- a housing, the housing comprising;
a loading chamber,a dispensing chamber located beneath the loading chamber and openable to dispense its contents, anda gate or shutter which forms the base of the loading chamber and the upper wall of the dispensing chamber;
the gate or shutter being manually movable between a first, open position in which it is withdrawn from the housing and allows the contents of the loading chamber to drop into the dispensing chamber and a second, closed position in which it is received in the housing and prevents the contents of the loading chamber from dropping into the dispensing chamber;
wherein whenever the gate or shutter is moved from the closed position to the open position, the whole contents of the loading chamber are displaced into the dispensing chamber,the dispensing device further comprising;
first indicating means which displays a first visible signal indicative that the gate or shutter has been moved from the closed position to the open position such that the loading chamber is empty, andsecond indicating means which can be actuated by a user to display a second visible signal to indicate that the first signal has been observed,wherein the second indicating means can be actuated only after the first visible signal has been displayed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dispensing device comprises a loading chamber (12), a dispensing chamber (14), located beneath the loading chamber, a gate or shutter (24) movable between a first open position and a second closed position to allow selective communication of the loading chamber and the dispensing chamber. The device further comprises a first indicating means in the form of a first indicator member (114) which is retainable in a first-retracted position when the gate or shutter (24) is in the closed position and which is displaceable to a second, extended position when the gate or shutter is moved from the closed position to the open position. The device further comprises second indicating means (116) which is actuable to display a second visible signal to indicate that the first signal has been observed.
20 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A dispensing device comprising:
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a housing, the housing comprising; a loading chamber, a dispensing chamber located beneath the loading chamber and openable to dispense its contents, and a gate or shutter which forms the base of the loading chamber and the upper wall of the dispensing chamber; the gate or shutter being manually movable between a first, open position in which it is withdrawn from the housing and allows the contents of the loading chamber to drop into the dispensing chamber and a second, closed position in which it is received in the housing and prevents the contents of the loading chamber from dropping into the dispensing chamber; wherein whenever the gate or shutter is moved from the closed position to the open position, the whole contents of the loading chamber are displaced into the dispensing chamber, the dispensing device further comprising; first indicating means which displays a first visible signal indicative that the gate or shutter has been moved from the closed position to the open position such that the loading chamber is empty, and second indicating means which can be actuated by a user to display a second visible signal to indicate that the first signal has been observed, wherein the second indicating means can be actuated only after the first visible signal has been displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A dispensing device comprising:
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a housing, the housing comprising; a loading chamber, a dispensing chamber located beneath the loading chamber and openable to dispense its contents, and a gate or shutter which forms the base of the loading chamber and the upper wall of the dispensing chamber; the gate or shutter being manually movable between a first, open position in which it is withdrawn from the housing and allows the contents of the loading chamber to drop into the dispensing chamber and a second, closed position in which it is received in the housing and prevents the contents of the loading chamber from dropping into the dispensing chamber; wherein whenever the gate or shutter is moved from the closed position to the open position, the whole contents of the loading chamber are displaced into the dispensing chamber, the dispensing device further comprising; first indicating means for displaying a first visible signal indicative that the loading chamber is empty, and second indicating means which is selectively actuable by a user to display a second visible signal to indicate that the first signal has been observed, wherein the first indicating means comprises a first indicator member which is retainable in a first, retracted position when the gate or shutter is in the closed position, and which is displaceable to a second, extended position when the gate or shutter is moved from the closed position to the open position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A dispensing device comprising:
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a housing, the housing comprising; a loading chamber, a dispensing chamber located beneath the loading chamber and openable to dispense its contents, and a gate or shutter which forms the base of the loading chamber and the upper wall of the dispensing chamber; the gate or shutter being movable manually between a first, open position in which it is withdrawn from the housing and allows the contents of the loading chamber to drop into the dispensing chamber and a second, closed position in which it is received in the housing and prevents the contents of the loading chamber from dropping into the dispensing chamber; wherein whenever the gate or shutter is moved from the closed position to the open position, the whole contents of the loading chamber are displaced into the dispensing chamber, the dispensing device further comprising; first visual indicating means comprising a first indicator member displaceable between a first, retracted position and a second, visible extended position and being retained in the first, retracted position when the gate or shutter is in the closed position and which is displaced to the second, visible extended position when the gate or shutter is moved from the closed position to the open position. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification