Patent Application
20130277385
This application relates to the dispensing of products from packaging containers and, more particularly, to product dispensers configured to cooperate with packaging containers to dispense products.
Products are typically shipped to retailers in bulk by enclosing multiple individual product units in a container, such as a carton or box. For example, canned foods may be shipped to a retailer in a box containing twenty-four individual cans. Then, it is typically the retailer's obligation to remove the individual product units from the container and present them to consumers.
Alternatives to the traditional package-ship-unpack-display model are being developed in an effort to improve operating efficiency. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,437 to Loftin et al. discloses a new system for dispensing and displaying products packaged in a container. Specifically, the system includes a frame having a support structure, a product display area and an opening tool. The frame may be positioned on a retailer's shelf and loaded with product simply by placing a container comprising multiple units of product onto the support structure of the frame. As the container is being placed onto the support structure, the opening tool of the frame opens the container in such a manner that products roll from the container and down to the product display area of the frame under the force of gravity.
As another example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/032,734 filed by Gelardi et al. discloses a product dispensing system that utilizes an opening tool having a catch element that engages and opens a container as the container is loaded onto the dispenser, and then guides the container to avoid interference between the dispensing products and the open container.
Despite advances already made in the field, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts directed to apparatus and systems for dispensing products from packaging containers.
In one aspect, the disclosed container comprises a plurality of walls that define an internal volume, the walls comprising a first side wall laterally opposed from a second side wall, a base wall laterally extending between the first and second side walls and a third wall laterally extending between the first and second side walls and vertically extending from the base wall, wherein the third wall comprises an upper portion connected to the first and second side walls and a lower portion being outwardly movable from the base wall and the first and second side walls to increase the internal volume.
In another aspect, the disclosed product dispensing system may include a dispenser frame having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the dispenser frame including an upper support deck extending at least partially between the front and rear ends, a lower support deck positioned below the upper support deck, the lower support deck defining a product display area, wherein the dispenser frame defines an opening sized to allow product passage from the upper support deck down to the lower support deck, a catch element connected to the dispenser frame proximate the entrance opening of the channel, and a container that comprises a plurality of walls that define an internal volume and further comprise laterally opposing first and second side walls, a base wall laterally extending between the first and second side walls, and a third wall laterally extending between the first and second side walls and vertically extending from the base wall, wherein the third wall comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being connected to the first and second side walls, the lower portion being outwardly movable from the base wall and the side walls to increase the internal volume, and wherein the base wall defines an initiation opening. When the container is positioned on the upper support deck, the catch element engages the initiation opening to form an access panel, and wherein the access panel is aligned with the opening defined by the dispenser frame, and wherein a portion of the container extends through the channel.
In yet another aspect, disclosed is a method for dispensing products from a container using a dispenser. The method may include the steps of (1) providing a dispenser including a frame having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the frame including an upper support deck having an upper surface and extending at least partially between the front end and the rear end, and a lower support deck positioned below the upper support deck, the lower support deck defining a product display area, wherein the frame defines a first opening, and a catch element connected to the frame; (2) providing a container that comprises a priming feature and initially houses a plurality of products; (3) removing the priming feature to form an initiation opening in the container; (4) urging the container along the upper support deck from the front end toward the rear end such that the catch element engages the initiation opening and separates an access panel from the container to form a second opening, the separated access panel being directed below the upper surface and toward the rear end; and (5) aligning the second opening with the first opening such that at least one product of the plurality of products moves from the container to the product display area, wherein the product interacts with the separated access panel as the product moves to the product display area.
Other aspects of the disclosed product dispensing system will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
Referring to
The container 14 may be any container capable of housing products 16 and beneficially interacting with the disclosed dispenser 12. For example, the container 14 may be a paperboard carton or a corrugated box.
Referring to
The base wall 26 may laterally extend between the left side wall 22 and the right side wall 24. Additionally, the base wall 26 may laterally extend between the front wall 18 and the rear wall 20. Likewise, the upper wall 28 may laterally extend between the left side wall 22 and the right side wall 24. Additionally, the upper wall 28 may laterally extend between the front wall 18 and the rear wall 20.
The rear wall 20 may be comprised of an upper portion 21 and a lower portion 23. The lower portion 23 of the rear wall 20 may be generally defined by a series of weakening features 33, 37 such as cuts, perforations, creases and/or the like that are positioned along at least a portion of the edges between the rear wall 20 and the side walls 22, 24. The weakening features 33, 37 may allow the lower portion 23 of the rear wall 20 to separate from the side walls 22, 24, while at the same time, the upper portion 21 remains attached to the side walls 22, 24. Such a partial separation of the rear wall 20 may allow the lower portion 23 to be pressed outward temporarily to increase the internal volume 30 of the container 14, as described in more detail herein.
In a first construction, the base wall 26 of the container 14 may include a removable priming feature 32, as shown in
The weakening features 33, 37, along with additional weakening features 31, 35, may define an extension of the removable priming feature 32 that extends the priming feature 32 into the side walls 22, 24.
Referring to
Thus, prior to loading the container 14 onto the dispenser 12, a user may remove the removable priming feature 32 from the container 14, such as by tearing the removable priming feature 32 from the container 14 along the rows of perforations 31, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, thereby forming the initiation opening 34, as shown in
Referring to
The initiation opening 34 may optionally extend laterally along a height H of the left side wall 22, such as, but not limited to, at least 25% of the height H of the left side wall 22, at least 50% of the height H of the left side wall 22 or at least 75% of the height H of the left side wall 22.
The initiation opening 34 may also optionally laterally along the height H of the right side wall 24, such as, but not limited to, at least 25% of the height H of the right side wall 24, at least 50% of the height H of the right side wall 24 or at least 75% of the height H of the right side wall 24.
In embodiments where the initiation opening 34 extends a portion of the side walls 22, 24, the initiation opening 34 may sufficiently extend a portion of the height H of the side walls 22, 24 so as to allow the lower portion 23 of the rear wall 20 to temporarily move outwardly (e.g., towards the rear end 94 of the frame 80) under force from products 16 housed within the container 14 (
In a second construction, the initiation opening 34 may be pre-formed in the base wall 26 of the container 14. Optionally, a peelable label or the like (not shown) may be applied to the container 14 over the pre-formed initiation opening 34. Therefore, the initiation opening 34 may be revealed by peeling away the optional peelable label from the container 14.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the initiation opening 34 may be positioned at various alternative locations and may have various alternative configurations, provided that the initiation opening 34 is capable of being engaged by the dispenser 12 when the container 14 is being loaded onto the dispenser 12. As a first alternative implementation, the initiation opening 34 may be formed in the rear wall 20 of the container 14. As a second alternative implementation, the initiation opening 34 may be formed in the base wall 26, between the front 18 and rear 20 walls of the container 14. Other implementations are also contemplated.
A first weakening feature 50 may generally longitudinally extend from the initiation opening 34 toward the front wall 18 of the container 14. The first weakening feature 44 may be formed in the base wall 26 proximate the edge 52 between the base wall 26 and the left side wall 22.
A second weakening feature 54 may generally longitudinally extend from the initiation opening 34 toward the front wall 18 of the container 14, and may be laterally spaced from the first weakening feature 50. The second weakening feature 54 may be formed in the base wall 26 proximate the edge 56 between the base wall 26 and the right side wall 24.
The longitudinal length of the first weakening feature 50 may be substantially equal to the longitudinal length of the second weakening feature 54, may be longer or may be shorter. The longitudinal length of the first and second weakening features 50, 54 may be dictated by the size (e.g., the diameter) of the products 16 housed in the container 14. As one example, the first and second weakening features 50, 54 may extend along at least 5 percent of the length of the edge 52. As another example, the first and second weakening features 50, 54 may extend along at least 10 percent of the length of the edge 52. As another example, the first and second weakening features 50, 54 may extend along at least 20 percent of the length of the edge 52. As yet another example, the first and second weakening features 50, 54 may extend along at least 30 percent of the length of the edge 52.
The first and second weakening features 50, 54 may facilitate the separation of a portion of the base wall 26 from the rest of the container 14, as shown in
Thus, a force F (
Optionally, one or more preformed fold lines 62 may laterally extend across the base wall 26 to encourage the access panel 58 to pivot relative to the base wall 26 of the container 14. Preformed fold lines 62 may reduce or eliminate the possibility that the access panel 58 will randomly fold or bunch-up as the access panel 58 is formed.
The container 14 may be formed from a paperboard container blank, such as the paperboard container blank 70 shown in
The container 14 may be assembled by folding the container blank 70 along the longitudinal fold lines 72, 74, 76, 78 and connecting the upper wall 28 to the sealing panel 71 to form the three-dimensional body of the container 14. Then, the front wall panels 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D may be assembled to form the front wall 18 of the container 14. Finally, the rear wall panels 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D may be assembled to form the rear wall 20 of the container 14.
The container blank 70 may be formed from a paperboard-based material, such as C1S paperboard, which may have a coating (e.g., clay) on a first major surface thereof, which may form the outer surface 74 (
While a specific paperboard container blank 70 is shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various techniques and materials may be used to form the container 14. Folded paperboard containers are only one specific and non-limiting example of the disclosed container 14.
Various products 16 having various shapes and configurations may be housed in the container 14 and dispensed by the disclosed product dispensing system 10. Suitable products 16 may include, for example, cans (e.g., canned soup or pet food), jars (e.g., jarred sauce) or bottles (e.g., bottled soft drinks).
Referring to
The frame 80 may include a first (e.g., right) side wall 84, a second (e.g., left) side wall 86, a first (e.g., upper) support deck 88 and a second (e.g., lower) support deck 90. The right side wall 84 may be laterally spaced from the left side wall 86, and may be generally parallel with the left side wall 86. The frame 80 may include a first (e.g., front) end 92 and a second (e.g., rear) end 94 longitudinally opposed from the first end 92.
The lower support deck 90 may laterally extend between the right 84 and left 86 side walls, and may include a front end 96 that longitudinally extends toward the front end 92 of the frame 80 and a rear end 98 that longitudinally extends toward the rear end 94 of the frame 80. Therefore, the lower support deck 90 and the side walls 84, 86 may define a lower level 100 of the frame 80.
The lower support deck 90 may be inclined from the front end 96 to the rear end 98 (i.e., the rear end 98 may be elevated relative to the front end 96) such that products 16 deposited proximate the rear end 98 of the lower support deck 90 roll or otherwise move down to the front end 96 of the lower support deck 90 under the force of gravity. The extent of the incline of the lower support deck 90 may be dictated by, among other things, the coefficient of friction of the material used to form the frame 80 and the shape of the products 16 to be dispensed by the dispenser 12.
An optional stop 102 may be positioned proximate the front end 96 of the lower support deck 90 to prevent products 16 from rolling beyond the front end 96 of the lower support deck 90. For example, the stop 102 may be connected to (e.g., integral with) the lower support deck 90, and may form an upward curve at the front end 96 of the lower support deck 90. Therefore, the stop 102 may collect products 16 at the front end 96 of the lower support deck 90, thereby defining a product display area 104 at the front end 96 of the lower support deck 90. Functional equivalents of the stop 102, such as a lip or an upward curvature of an external object such as a store shelf upon which the frame 80 rests are also anticipated without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
The upper support deck 88 may laterally extend between the right 84 and left 86 side walls, and may include a front end 106 that longitudinally extends toward the front end 92 of the frame 80 and a rear end 108 that longitudinally extends toward, but not to, the rear end 94 of the frame 80. Therefore, the upper support deck 88 and the side walls 84, 86 may define an upper level 110 of the frame 80.
The spacing between the rear end 108 of the upper support deck 88 and the rear end 94 of the frame 80 may define an opening 112, which may function as a chute to allow products 16 to move from the upper level 110 to the lower level 100 of the frame 80. When the container 14 is in the fully loaded configuration on the dispenser 12, as shown in
The upper support deck 88 may be declined from the front end 106 to the rear end 108 (i.e., the front end 106 may be elevated relative to the rear end 108). Therefore, products 16 supported on the upper support deck 88 may roll under the force of gravity down to the rear end 108 of the upper support deck 88, through the opening 112, to the lower level 100 of the frame 80 and, ultimately, to the product display area 104.
At times, multiple products 16 may become lodged or stuck over the opening 112 in instances where two or more products 16 attempt to pass through the opening 112 at the same time, a phenomenon known as “bridging.” Thus, to avoid bridging, the size and position of the initiation opening 34 (
An optional rear wall 114 may be positioned proximate the rear end 94 of the frame 80 between the right 84 and left 86 side walls. The rear wall 114 may serve as a stop that partially inhibits rearward horizontal movement of the container 14 (
An optional guide 116 may be connected to the rear wall 114 of the frame 80, and may extend through the opening 112 in the frame 80, from the upper level 110 to the lower level 100. The guide 116 may be a ramp-like structure, and may be positioned to receive products 16 exiting the container 14 and passing through the opening 112 in the frame 80, and may guide the products 16 to the rear end 98 of the lower support deck 90.
The catch element 82 may be positioned between the front end 106 and the rear end 108 of the upper support deck 88. For example, the catch element 82 may be positioned proximate the rear end 108 of the upper support deck 88.
The catch element 82 may laterally extend between the side walls 84, 86 of the frame 80, and may longitudinally protrude toward the front end 82 of the frame 80. The specific size and shape of the catch element 82 may depend on the size and shape of the initiation opening 34 in the container 14.
In an effort to minimize interference between the catch element 82 and the container 14 during loading, the catch element 82 may be substantially co-planar with the upper surface 118 of the upper support deck 88. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that slight displacement and/or a slight angle of the catch element 82 relative to the upper surface 118 of the upper support deck 88 may encourage engagement of the initiation opening 34 in the container 14 by the catch element 82 during loading of the container 14 onto the dispenser 12.
While the catch element 82 is shown and described as a generally flat, laterally elongated and forwardly extending protrusion, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various alternative structures may be used as the disclosed catch element 82 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, suitable catch elements may include various hooks, protrusions, flanges, detents and the like sufficient to engage the initiation opening 34 in the container 14 and separate the access panel 58 from the base wall 26 of the container 14.
The upper support deck 88 may define a channel 120 positioned to guide the access panel 58 below the upper surface 118 of the upper support deck 88 as the access panel 58 is separated from the container 14 by the catch element 82. The channel 120 may extend from an entrance opening 122 proximate the catch element 82, down below the catch element 82 and, ultimately, to an exit opening 124. The exit opening 124 may open toward the rear end 94 of the frame 80. The channel 120 may laterally extend between the side walls 84, 86 of the frame 80, and may have a lateral width sufficient to allow the access panel 58 (
Thus, the catch element 82 may engage the initiation opening 34 (
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As the products 16 exiting the container 14 interact with the access panel 58, the access panel 58 may become “hooked” onto the upper support deck 88 of the dispenser 12. Specifically, as the products 16 exiting the container 14 interact with the access panel 58, a first portion of the access panel 58 (i.e., the portion of the access panel 58 within the channel 120) may extend toward the rear end 94 of the dispenser frame 80 while a second portion of the access panel 58 (i.e., the portion of the access panel 58 that includes the rear edge 66) may extend toward the front end 92 of the dispenser frame 80, thereby inhibiting separation of the container 14 from the dispenser 12.
Accordingly, the engagement between the products 16 and the access panel 58 that facilitates “hooking” of the access panel 58 onto the dispenser 12 may function as a theft deterrent by inhibiting the quick and easy separation of a loaded container 14 from the dispenser 12.
Although various aspects of the disclosed product dispensing system have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The present application includes such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.
