DISPENSING DEVICE

• US 20100193538A1
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stephen William Clarke
• Original Assignee: Stephen William Clarke
• Inventors: Clarke, Stephen William
• Granted Patent: US 10,555,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/6
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/04 Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles , e.g. by means of gravity or springs

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.

Claims

1. A dispensing device comprising a loading chamber, a dispensing chamber located beneath the loading chamber, a gate or shutter movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position to allow selective communication of the loading chamber and the dispensing chamber, first indicating means for displaying a first signal indicative that the loading chamber is empty and second indicating means which is actuable to display a second visible signal to indicate that the first signal has been observed.

2. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first indicating means display the first signal when the gate or shutter is moved from the second, closed position to the first, open position.

3. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second indicating means is actuable to display the second visible signal only after the first signal has been displayed.

4. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for resetting the first and second indicating means so that the first and second signals respectively are not displayed.

5. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, 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.

6. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, comprising means for biasing the indicator member from the retracted position to the extended position.

7. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

8. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first movable indicating means is pivotally mounted and is pivotable between the first, retracted position and the second, extended position.

9. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first indicator member is elongate.

10. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elongate first indicator member is pivotally mounted at or towards one end.

11. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second indicating means comprises a second 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.

12. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein one of the first and second indicator members is movable relative to the other to adjust the extent to which the other member is visible.

13. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein one of the first and second indicator members is movable relative to the other indicator member from a first position in which the other indicator member is substantially completely obscured to a second position in which the other indicator member is partially revealed.

14. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first indicator member is movable from a first position in which the second indicator member is substantially obscured to a second position in which a portion of the second indicator member is revealed.

15. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the movable first indicator member is in the second position with respect to the other indicator member, the first and second indicator members are prevented from being displaced to the first, retracted position.

16. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, comprising retaining means movable with the gate or shutter which are engagable with the first indicator member to retain the first indicator member in the first, retracted position.

17. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the first indicator member is displaced to the second, extended position, it impedes access to the loading chamber.

18. A dispensing device comprising a loading chamber, a dispensing chamber located beneath the loading chamber, a gate or shutter movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position to allow selected communication of the loading chamber and the dispensing chamber and first indicating means comprising 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.

19. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 18, comprising means for biasing the indicating member from the retracted position to the extended position.

20. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

21. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first movable indicating means is pivotally mounted and is pivotable between the first, retracted position and the second, extended position.

22. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first indicator member is elongate.

23. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the elongate first indicator member is pivotally mounted at or towards one end.

24. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second indicating means comprises a second 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.

25. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 24, wherein one of the first and second indicator members is movable relative to the other to adjust the extent to which the other member is visible.

26. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 25, wherein one of the first and second indicator members is movable relative to the other indicator member from a first position in which the other indicator member is substantially completely obscured to a second position in which the other indicator member is partially revealed.

27. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the first indicator member is movable from a first position in which the second indicator member is substantially obscured to a second position in which a portion of the second indicator member is revealed.

28. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 26, wherein when the movable first indicator member is in the second position with respect to the other indicator member, the first and second indicator members are prevented from being displaced to the first, retracted position.

29. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 18, comprising retaining means movable with the gate or shutter which are engagable with the first indicator member to retain the first indicator member in the first, retracted position.

30. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein when the first indicator member is displaced to the second, extended position, it impedes access to the loading chamber.

31. A dispensing device substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.