Patent Application
20170240365
At point-of-sale (P.O.S.) or display units in retail outlets, it is convenient to present articles and products in an eye-catching and easily accessible manner. Furthermore, these point-of-sale or display units act as a storage area for articles and products. Thus, it is necessary to maximize the amount of storage space utilised, while at the same time enabling a customer to easily select and take products away for purchase. To achieve this, as articles are removed, it is desirable for the shelf to present the next stored article being forwardly filled for easy selection by a customer. Some dispensers have sprung-biased mechanisms that push articles forward. Some other known display devices use gravity feed mechanisms to cause articles to flow to the forward-most sale position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,997 discloses a dispensing device having upper and lower jar guides with a plurality of glass jar containers loaded on their sides through a container loading area. The dispenser racks successively feed one container at a time to the container dispensing area to thereby provide a self-feeding and self-facing storage, dispensing and display system. One drawback of such system is that loading of the dispensing device must be done manually and individually. A rotatable door panel is provided so that loading occurs through the openable upper jar guide. Accordingly, in such system the articles are fed one at a time into the upper jar guide. Loading in this manner can be slow. Additionally, the products being displayed in the dispensing device are usually transported to a retail outlet in a carton or box containing a number of such articles. If the dispensing device is not capable of holding all of the articles contained in the delivered carton or box, then any articles that could not be loaded into the dispensing device need to be stored elsewhere in the retail out-let in the part emptied carton or box until such time as the dispensing device can accommodate those articles.
It is therefore desirable to improve the manner in which the filling of the dispensing devices takes place. It is desirable that the filling is quick, enables full cartons of delivered goods to be accommodated in the dispensing device. Moreover, it is desirable that the requirement for storing any extra articles that cannot be displayed is avoided. Further, it is beneficial that such dispensing devices are made from a minimum amount of material. The dispensing devices should also be as eye-catching as possible to the customer and contain branding, advertising and/or marketing material for this purpose. Since the advertising and branding materials and graphics are frequently changed and altered in line with trends and promotions, it is desirable that the dispensing devices are adaptable to facilitate quick changeovers in the branding, advertising and marketing graphics displayed thereon.
A system for dispensing articles provided initially in a package is disclosed that comprises a frame configured to support the package of articles and a package-opening tool associated with the frame. The frame includes longitudinally opposed front and rear end sections, and an upper support deck extending at least partially between the front and rear end sections and below which a product display area is provided. The opening tool associated with the frame such that it opens the package when the package is moved longitudinally on the upper support deck and relative to the opening tool, thereby allowing the articles to be at least partially dispensed from the package into the product display area. The package may include a paperboard carton.
The disclosed dispensing system is suitable for use at a point-of-sale unit. Further, it may allow for an automatic feeding a first tier of the displayed articles towards the front of the system and an automatic replenishing a second tier of the displayed articles, such that the displayed articles may easily be accessed and picked by a consumer off the point-of-sale unit.
When desired, the frame may include a lower display deck. Additionally, the frame may further include at least one of: a rear wall which is configured to guide articles to the product display area, and a laterally opposed side walls. When appropriate, the laterally opposed side walls may be adapted and configured for guiding the package as it is moved longitudinally along the upper support deck. Furthermore, the frame may include article related indicia. The frame may further include a lane divider to create two display channels within the product display area.
The upper support deck may be inclined at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane. Moreover, the upper support deck may include two longitudinally extending rails.
The opening tool is arranged to open the package when the package is moved longitudinally along the upper support deck of the frame from the front end section toward the rear end section. The opening tool may be engaged with at least one of: the upper support deck, the first lateral side wall, the second lateral side wall, or a rear wall of the frame. In certain constructions, the opening tool may include a centrally positioned cutting panel.
When desired, the opening tool may include a first cutting element attached to the first lateral side wall of the frame and a second cutting element attached to the second lateral side wall of the frame. It is envisioned that the first and second cutting elements may be removably attached to the first and second lateral side walls of the frame, respectively. Additionally, the opening tool may include a centrally positioned cutting panel.
Further, the present disclosure relates to a method for dispensing articles provided initially in a package, the method comprising steps of:
(a) providing a frame configured to support the package of articles, the frame including:
(b) associating an opening tool with the frame;
(c) moving the package longitudinally in relative to the opening tool so as to open the package and allow the articles to be at least partially dispensed from the package into the product display area.
A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a system for dispensing articles, the system comprising:
In one embodiment of the first aspect, the package-opening tool comprises at least one cutting member operable to be inserted into the package of articles for cutting open that package of articles.
In one embodiment of the first aspect, the dispensing system further comprises:
In one embodiment, the forward feeding mechanism is provided by at least of one of the following: by the supporting element being arranged at an inclined angle relative to a lower plane of the lower track; by an inclined floor of the lower track and the dispensing system comprising a back being scoop-shaped; by the dispensing system comprising a back and the forward feeding mechanism including one or more ramps extending at an inclined angle from the back toward a lower plane of the lower track.
In one embodiment, the dispensing system is a gravity feed system comprising:
When desired, the vertical shaft area may be disposed adjacent the rear end of the dispensing system.
In one embodiment, at least one opening tool of the dispensing system may have an upper surface that is disposed at least in part above a part of the supporting element. The upper surface of the at least one opening tool may be disposed substantially parallel to a part of the supporting element. Additionally, the at least one opening tool may be vertically spaced apart from the supporting element.
In one embodiment, the dispersing system comprises a pair of opposed side walls each extending along the at least one track to define the at least one track, and a back wall interconnecting the side walls to define the rear end of the dispensing system, wherein the at least one opening tool being mounted, directly or indirectly, on at least one of the side and back walls.
In one embodiment, at least one opening tool may comprise a pair of side cutting fins mounted on the side walls respectively, the side cutting fins extending toward each other. When desired, the side cutting fins may be movably mounted to the side walls to be movable toward and away from the respective side walls, the side cutting fins being urged toward each other by resilient elements. Furthermore, the side cutting fins may be disposed above a part of the supporting element.
In one embodiment, the at least one opening tool further comprises an end cutting fin mounted on the back wall, the end cutting fin extending substantially into the shaft area.
In one embodiment, the at least one opening tool comprises a transverse cutting panel disposed above a part of the supporting element floor and extending transversely of the side walls. When desired, the transverse cutting panel may extend entirely between the side walls and is mounted on the side walls.
In one embodiment, the at least one opening tool further comprises a vertical cutting element extending downwardly from the transverse cutting panel to connect between the transverse cutting panel and the supporting element.
In one embodiment, the at least one opening tool further comprises a foot connected to a lower end of the vertical cutting element to connect between the vertical cutting element and the supporting element.
A second aspect of the present disclosure provides an dispersing system comprising:
(a) a rack device for supporting and displaying articles;
(b) a package-opening tool mounted on the rack device; and
(c) a package of articles placed on the rack device in engagement with the package-opening arrangement such that the package is opened.
In one embodiment of the second aspect, the opening tool comprises at least one cutting member. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the package comprises an opening access which is configured to be activated to allow the package to open, and wherein the at least one opening tool is disposed in cutting engagement with the package to activate the opening access.
In one embodiment of the second aspect, the rack device comprises a loading station where the package is placed in engagement with the at least one opening tool, the loading station including a tilted upper supporting floor so that the package is downwardly inclined to the opening tool. When desired, the opening tool is activated to define in the package an opening access through which the articles can exit the package and gravity feed onto the rack device.
In one embodiment, each of the articles is substantially cylindrical in shape and the rack device further comprises at least one track disposed below the loading station, the at least one track extending between front and rear opposed ends of the rack device to receive a row of the articles for rolling movement along the at least one track, the at least one track including a lower supporting floor inclined downward toward the front end of the rack device.
In one embodiment, the rack device further comprises a vertical shaft area adjacent to the rear end of the rack device, the upper supporting floor terminating at the vertical shaft area so that the articles exiting the package are allowed to gravity feed onto the at least one track through the vertical shaft area.
In one embodiment, the articles contained in the package include a lowermost row of articles, and a base wall with which the articles of the lowermost row are in rolling contact, wherein the package is placed on the upper supporting floor with the base wall in contact with the upper supporting floor.
In one embodiment, the package-opening tool comprises at least one cutting member that is inserted at least partially into the package when the package is on the upper supporting floor such that the at least one cutting member is disposed between a base wall of the package and at least one of the articles in the package.
In one embodiment, the at least one opening tools is disposed at a distance from the rear end of the rack device, the distance being greater than the diameter of each of the articles.
In one embodiment, the at least one opening tool has an upper surface that is disposed at least in part above a part of the upper supporting floor.
In one embodiment, the at least one opening tool is vertically spaced apart from the upper supporting floor.
In one embodiment, the rack device further comprises a pair of opposed side walls each extending along the at least one track to define the at least one track, and a back wall interconnecting the side walls to define the rear end of the rack device, wherein the package is placed on the loading station with a rear wall of the package in abutment on the back wall of the rack device. When desired, the side walls of the rack device may be disposed alongside side walls of the package respectively.
In one embodiment, the package comprises an opening access that has been activated by the package-opening tool, wherein the opening access when activated defines an opening access in the package, and the opening access is disposed in alignment with the shaft area so that the articles exiting the package through the opening access are allowed to gravity feed through the shaft area.
A third aspect of the present disclosure provides kit of parts for forming a dispensing system, the kit comprising:
(a) at least one supporting element being configurable to support a package of articles; and
(b) a package-opening tool including fixing means for mounting the package-opening tool on the system such that the package-opening tool is disposable relative to the supporting element such that it is configured to engage and configured to open a package of articles when the package of articles is placed on the supporting means of the rack device.
In one embodiment of the third aspect, the supporting element is integrally formed as part of a side panel of the system, and the kit comprises at least two such side panels and a back panel, wherein each side panel comprises a fixing element for attaching the side panel to the back panel and wherein the package-opening tool comprises at least two cutting elements each having fixing means for mounting the cutting element to one of the side walls in a position vertically aligned and vertically spaced from the supporting element.
In one embodiment, a forward feeding element is affixed to at least one face of each of the side panels and wherein the forward feeding element is formed as an inclined ramp.
A fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides a carton comprising:
(a) first and second walls connected together along a first severance line;
(b) a severance initiation area formed at least in part in the first wall such that the severance line is interrupted by the severance initiation area; and
(c) a second severance line disposed substantially in the plane of the second wall, the second severance line extending generally perpendicularly to the first severance line.
In one embodiment of the fourth aspect, the package comprises: a substantially tubular structure; opposed top and bottom walls; and opposed side walls adjoining the top and bottom walls, wherein the bottom wall comprises two opening access either side of the second severance line, the opening access defined by the first severance line, the severance initiation area and the second severance line.
A fifth aspect of the present disclosure provides a blank for forming a package, the blank comprising a series of panels for forming the walls of the package including a bottom panel and adjoined by a weakened line to a bottom end flap, wherein a pair of access flaps is defined by a severance initiation area formed at least in part in weakened line adjoining the bottom panel and end flap: a first severance line disposed substantially parallel to and spaced from that weakened line, and a second severance line extending generally perpendicularly to the first severance line, intersecting the first severance line and terminating proximate the weakened line.
Detailed descriptions of specific embodiments of the dispensing device apparatus and cartons are disclosed herein. It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the way in which certain aspects of the disclosure can be implemented and do not represent an exhaustive list of all of the ways the disclosure may be embodied.
Indeed, it will be understood that the apparatus and cartons described herein may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimised to show details of particular components. Well-known components, materials or methods are not necessarily described in great detail in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure. Any specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the disclosure.
As shown in
The frame 12 includes:
When desired, the frame 12 may include the sides 18a and 18b which define upper and lower levels, guide the package 110 along the upper support deck 14, as well as serve to guide articles A along the lower level, once being released from the package 110, toward the front end section of the frame 12. Additionally, the sides 18a, 18b may be formed with grooves or railings 7a, 7b in which a lower rim and upper rim of each article A is guided.
The articles A are released from the package 110 via an opening access 132. The opening access 132 may be moved from a closed position, wherein the articles A are securely retained within the package 110, to an opened position, wherein the opening access 132 is moved out of the plane of the base of the carton 110 to create an opening through which articles A held within the package may fall free of the package 110 and onto the dispensing system 8, where they are guided, one-by-one, by the grooves 7a, 7b in the lower level sides 18a, 18b toward the front end section of the frame 12. When desired, the opening access 132 may be designed such that it does not moved into a fully open position until the package 110 is fully installed or nearly fully installed on the upper support deck 14 of the dispensing system 8.
The opening access 132 is moved into its open position by a packaging-opening tool associated with the frame 12. The opening tool is co-operable with the opening access of the package and engages perforations 158a, 156a (
The articles A may be successively released from the package 110 with the assistance of gravity. The upper support deck 14 may be angled or inclined relative to the plane of the lower level of the frame 12 to encourage the articles A in the package to gently roll toward the opening access in the package 110. When desired, the frame 12 may include a scoop shaped or arcuate back portion to prevent the articles from rolling out of the frame 12 and beneficially encourages the articles, by providing a path for them to follow, to roll around and down onto the lower level of the frame. The gravity feed mechanism causes the articles A to be supplied automatically to the front section end of the lower level of the frame 12. A stopping mechanism 20 formed as an upturned or radiused portion of grooves 7a, 7b (provided on each lower side 18a, 18b) prevents the front-most article A, contained in dispensing position 24, from rolling completely out of the frame 12. The stopping mechanism 20 acts to retain the articles A within the lower level of the frame 12.
In
When desired the frame 112 does not necessarily comprise a bottom portion, but rather the shelf 74 may provide a surface onto which the dispensed lower level articles A can rest. The frame 112 comprises a ramp to encourage the articles rolling out of the package 10 to roll toward the stopping mechanism or front lip 120. A back portion of the frame provides structural support to the frame 112 as well as a rear stopping device to prevent articles exiting the package from rolling free of the rear of the frame 112. The sides 118a, 118b are shaped to follow the path of the rolling articles in the lower level. The upper support deck 114 may be inclined downward and backward to encourage rolling of the articles toward the dispensing position 124 (the position of the front most article that will be picked out first by a customer).
The principle of operation of the dispensing system of
The package 110 may remains on the upper level even after it has been emptied, to serve as billboard panel. To this end the package 110 and its front end wall in particular may be printed with graphics including trademarks and/or any other advertising indicia. However, the package 110 may be replaced by a new one, as soon as it is emptied, to mitigate the chance that an article A will be taken from the lower level of the frame 12 before a fresh supply of articles is available to replenish the lower level and the front-most position 124. The need for any secondary storage of articles contained in the package but not displayed by the dispensing system is mitigated by the loading of only completely full packages onto the dispensing system.
In view of the fact that the principle of operation of the dispensing systems of later embodiments is the same or similar to that of the first dispensing systems described above, in the foregoing description of later embodiments only differences and additional technical features will be described in greater detail.
In the various embodiments illustrated like reference numerals have, where possible been used to denote like features generally albeit with a different numerical pre-fix (‘100’, ‘200’ ‘1000’, etc.) to distinguish the different embodiments from one another. For example, the packages shown in
In
To open the opening access 32a, 32b, the severance line 64 is broken first. Then, the severance initiation area, defined by perforation 68, is presses inwardly of the package. This is assisted by the presence of the starting end 72 of longitudinal cut line 62. Once the severance initiation area 68 is broken, the remainder of the severance line 70 on the opposite sides of the area 68 and the severance line 66 are completely broken to allow the opening access 32a, 32b to fold downwardly from the bottom panel 36 about fold lines 54 and 56 respectively. The open position of the package 10 is shown in
Further views of the open carton 10 are shown in
Dispensing system 1212 may be formed for a variety of materials. These include, but are not limited to, lightweight yet suitably strong plastics, plastic-fiber composite material, metal, wood, ply wood, and combination thereof. The dispensing system 1212 comprises side walls 1218a, 1218b and a front stopping mechanism 1220 adjoined thereto and a back wall 1216 also adjoined to the side walls 1218a, 1218b in a sturdy frame like structure. Optionally, the dispensing system 1212 may not include a base component; once installed at a point of sale unit, the store shelf will provide the base onto which dispensed articles may be placed.
When desired, the dispensing system may comprise a ramp 1283 formed as an integral component of the dispensing system and a support deck 1214 onto which a package (such as package 10) can be disposed. The ramp 1283 extends from the back 1216 toward the plane of the lowest level of the side walls 1218a, 1218b, back 1216 and stopping mechanism 1220. The ramp 1283 may be formed as a single, solid unitary extension of the back 1216 and encourage rolling of dispensed articles A toward the front dispensing position. Front stopping mechanism 1220 (provided as a solid wall of material) prevents those articles from undesirably rolling free of the dispensing system 1212. The forward feeding mechanism or ramp 1283 and front stopping mechanism 1220 in other embodiments are provided as a track and/or framework rather than a solid wall of material.
In addition the dispensing system comprises a cutting means or cutting tool (also referred to as an opening mechanism or package-opening tool) 1280 formed of plastic or metal that is shaped in a “trowel” like manner having five-sides with a pointed front portion (see
From the side view of
The overall size of the opening tool 1280 is such that the opening tool 1280 provides, itself, a stop to prevent articles dropping through the bottom of the package, until the package has been further installed into the dispensing system 1212. As the opening created by the downwardly folded access 32a, 32b passes the opening tool 1280, the opening becomes clear of obstruction and available for the dispensing of articles. The position of the cutting tool 1280 relative to the bottom panel 36 and opening access 32a, 32b once the package 10 has been fully installed in the dispensing system 1212 is shown in
The package-opening tool or cutting element 1280 is shown in
In one embodiment, the package comprises a pair of severance initiation areas in the form of apertures 168a, 168b. The package-opening tools of suitably formed dispensing system can engage the package 110 formed from the blank 130 by first being inserted into the pair of opening apertures 168a, 168b.
In one embodiment, the package comprises a pair of severance initiation areas in the form of weakened corner portions.
The opening tools 380a, 380b are, in this illustrated example, triangular in shape. The tapered shape of the opening tools 380a, 380b enables the package 110 to be gradually pushed onto the opening tools 380a, 380b as the package 110 is installed or loaded into the dispensing system 312 by sliding the bottom 136 of the package along the deck elements 314a, 314b. The pointed narrowest portion of each opening tools 380a, 380b is inserted into the severance initiation opening 168a, 168b. As the package 110 is further installed into the system 312, wider portions of the tapered opening tools 380a, 380b are pushed into and through the opening apertures 168a, 168b progressively breaking the severance lines 158a, 158b. Once the severance lines 158a, 158b are completely broken, the opening access p132 can fold downwardly (encouraged by the weight of the articles disposed in the package above the opening access), thereby the opening tools have engaged the package 110 to create an opening in the package through which articles are dispensed into the lower tier or lower track of the dispensing system 312. It should be appreciated that the severance line 164 may be designed such that it can break automatically as due to the weight of the articles in the package as the severance lines 156a and 158a are broken. Otherwise, the severance line 164 may be manually pre-broken before the package 110 is place on the dispensing system 312.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art, having read the foregoing description of opening tools 380a, 380b, that other shapes of opening tools are suitable for achieving breaking of a weakened portion of a package and that many variations of packages and opening tools may be used in implementing the present disclosure. For example, the leading portion of the opening tools may be squared off, rounded, pointed, or angled. Furthermore, the taper angle of the opening tools may be many. The pair of opening tools 380a, 380b may not be symmetrical. The opening tools 380a, 380b may not be triangular.
The opening tools described so far are optionally fixed in the position described and do not move. However, as a further variation, a retractable mechanism can be provided in conjunction with each opening tool to enable the cutting element to be biased into a stowed position within the structural framework of the system. For example, it may be at the side, back or supporting element. An exemplary retractable mechanism is illustrated in
A further display and dispensing system 612 suitable for receiving and automatically opening a package 210 is illustrated in
In one embodiment, the disclosed system 612 is a unitary formation formed as a one piece moulded plastic. Although the system 612 does not comprise a stopping mechanism, in other embodiments a stopping mechanism may be incorporated. In those embodiments where no stopping mechanism is incorporated, a front lip of an in-store shelf may be used to stop articles A from rolling straight out of the system. Likewise, the system 612 may not comprise a base portion, and the store shelf may instead provide a surface onto which articles A dispensed into the lower track are held.
A variation of the system 612 is shown in
A further embodiment of the disclosed dispensing system is shown in
Once the package 210 is fed further onto the opening tool 880 during operation, perforate lines 243, 258a and 258b are broken to release opening access flap (see
Though in the aforementioned embodiments of dispensing system, many of the systems have had a unitary structure or moulded form, it is also envisaged that such dispensing systems can be assembled from a kit of modular parts.
In
A further feature of a modular system is that the opening tools may be removable affixed to the side panels so that, if a package having a different access mechanism is to be stored in the dispensing system, a more appropriate opening tool 980 may be mounted on the dispensing system. In
In
The tool mounting of
In
Similar to the previously described embodiments, the disclosed disperse system 1608 includes a frame 1612 and an opening tool 1680.
The frame 1612 includes:
(a) laterally opposed side walls 1618a/1618b extending between the front end section 1615 of the frame and the rear end section 1617 of the frame; and
(b) an upper support deck 1619 extending at least partially between the front and rear ends 1615/1617 and below which a product display area is provided.
The upper support deck 1619 is formed in part by laterally opposed rails 1614a and 1614b of side walls 1618a/1618b. The laterally opposed side walls 1618a/1618b are adapted and configured for guiding a package as it is moved longitudinally along the upper support deck 1619.
A floor member 1613 extends between the rails 1614a/1614b and forms the remainder of the upper support deck 1619. As shown in
The underside of floor member 1613 also includes fulcrum member 1632 which includes a female engaging member into which a corresponding male feature 1676 formed on the topside of the flag element 1691 is inserted. As a result, the flag element 1691 is capable of pivoting about the fulcrum member 1632, the purpose of which will be described herein below.
Frame 1612 also includes a base panel or lower display deck 1683 and a rear wall 1616 which is configured to guide articles to the product display area. As best shown in
Mounting tab 1672 is adapted and configured to snap into a corresponding socket formed in the rear wall 1616 of frame 1612. As shown in
Opening tool 1780 is secured in a similar fashion as opening tool 1680 to frame 1612 using mounting tab 1772 and tongue member 1774. However, unlike opening tool 1680, the severing panel 1771 of opening tool 1780 includes laterally opposed guide ribs 1777 (near side shown) formed on each side of the panel. The guide ribs 1777 are adapted and configured to guide or urge the opening access 1878/1879 associated with package 1810 to open outwardly and not inwardly.
Bottom panel 1836 of the blank 1830 has a first longitudinally extending severance line 1862 positioned about its centerline which extends from a severance initiation notch 1868a to a second laterally extending severance line 1873. Moreover, fold lines 1874 and 1875 are provided on the lateral edges of the bottom panel 1836. Two triangular cutouts and a rectangular cutout 1876 have been provided in bottom panel 1836. End closure flap 1842a includes a severance notch 1868b and center panel 1850 includes a notch 1877, the purpose of these features will be discussed herein below.
Blank 1830 is foldable along lateral fold lines 1860a-b and longitudinal fold lines 1852, 1853, 1854, 1856, 1858, and 1859 into a package 1810 that has two longitudinally extending compartments separated by center panel 1850. As described with respect to previous embodiments, the end closure flaps 848a-b, 1842a-b, 1844, 1846a-b and 1872 may be secured in overlapping, face contacting relationship using adhesive or other suitable securing techniques.
In use, package 1810, which is filled with two rows of articles “P”, is placed onto the front end of the upper support deck 1619 of frame 1612. Then the package 1810 is slid longitudinally towards the rear end 1617 of the frame 1612 until the forward edge 1673 of cutting panel 1671 is received within severance notches 1868a-b of the package 1810. Further, longitudinal sliding of the package causes the opening tool 1680 to sever initially the first longitudinal severance line 1862 and then the second lateral severance line 1873.
Referring now to
It can be appreciated that various changes may be made within the scope of the present disclosure, for example, the size and shape of the panels and apertures may be adjusted to accommodate articles of differing sizes or shapes. Where as many embodiments of the disclosure have been illustrated using cartons containing twelve articles disposed in a 4×3 array, it is envisaged that in other embodiments of the disclosure the packages or cartons contain a greater or lesser number of articles than twelve and the articles are arranged in any suitable configuration such as a 2×6 array.
Furthermore, though the disclosure has been described in the contact of a paperboard carton and plastic dispensing device, in other embodiments of the disclosure it is envisaged that other suitable foldable sheet material may be used for forming the package (such as cardboard, plastics material and the like) or that the carton or magazine for articles may formed as a reusable dispenser with a reusable opening mechanism. Additionally, the dispensing device may be formed from other materials or combinations of materials for example: metal, wood, fibre glass, glass-reinforced plastic.
The carton 10, 110, 210 may take various forms. In the above disclosure, detailed description and illustration of three different and exemplary cartons 10, 110, 210 are provided (see
Though the articles illustrated are either bottles (
It is also envisaged that the packages in other embodiments are provided with a means for detecting when the package is empty of articles without having to lift or too closely inspect the carton. Such means for detecting when the carton is empty of articles may take the form of a window, i.e. an aperture or shaped cut-out in the carton. Such a window may be disposed close to the bottom of the package so that the presence or absence of articles in the lowermost tier of the carton can be detected by observation. In some embodiments, the window could be provided by piece, strip or section of clear, transparent or translucent material, such as plastic sheet to enable the interior of the carton to be viewed, yet maintaining the structural integrity and barrier to dust etc of the carton. Alternatively, an inspection hole or aperture may be provided into which a pen or other instrument could be inserted in order to feel for the presence of articles in the lowermost row.
Whereas cutting elements shown in the illustrated examples may have been shown in a fixed position, these fixed cutting elements alternatively could be provided with means for enabling the cutting elements to be retracted, such as the retractable means shown in
Whereas reference has been made to inclined ramps 283, inclined grooves 7a, 7b, and the support element 14a, 14b being inclined, it will be understood that these features act individually or in combination to provide a forward feeding mechanism that encourages articles that have been dispensed from the carton or package to roll out of the package, onto the lower tier or lower track and then toward the front-end of the lower track. Such a forward feeding mechanism takes the form of an inclined surface or groove where the forward feeding mechanism utilizes the force of gravity and hence the articles suitable for being dispensed in this manner have a rounded portion (i.e. jars, bottles, cans, rounded yoghurt pots, conical articles, and lipsticks as examples). It will be understood that in taking advantage of a gravity feed mechanism that the forward feed mechanism may be provided in a number of ways using ramps, grooves and even features integral to the package itself (for example an internal ramp disposed within the package to encourage the front lower most article to roll toward the access opening would alleviate the need for the supporting element itself to be inclined). The following described examples of the forward feeding mechanism being provided by the supporting element being arranged at an inclined angle relative to a lower plane of the lower track, and/or by an inclined floor of the lower track and/or by the back being scoop-shaped or suitably shaped to encourage forward rolling of articles and/or by one or more ramps extending at an inclined angle from the back toward a lower plane of the lower track are mere examples. In other applications, the articles may not be rounded and the force of gravity may need to be supplemented with an additional or alternative mechanism to encourage articles to be fed-forward to the front-most dispensing position. Such additional or alternative mechanism could be provided by a biasing member; a piston or plunger as examples.
Reference has been made to cutting element, opening tool and package opening device to cover the element of the dispensing system that engages with a package installed in the system to break weakened areas of that package for causing an opening to be created. As such cutting element may not actually have a sharpened blade capable of slicing through material, but rather may be an abutment or projection that is positioned to co-operate with the pre-formed weakened area of a package to cause the breaking of perforations when the package is pushed against the cutting element. In some embodiments, a bladed element or sharpened blade may be provided. In other embodiments, cutting element is taken to mean any projection or obstacle that interacts or engages with the package as that package is installed to break open that package. The opening tool/cutting elements may take a variety of shapes, sizes, positions, numbers and be formed from a variety of materials in other envisaged implementations of the disclosure and therefore the opening tool should not be taken to be limited to only those illustrated and described herein.
Whereas in the illustrated embodiments, the opening tool co-operates with the opening tool by causing part of the opening tool to be broken, as the opening tool is pushed or slidably installed into the dispensing system, it is envisaged that in other embodiments the opening tool provided will co-operate with the opening tool to cause an opening to be created by causing the package to be maintained stationary or substantially motionless. For example, in another envisaged embodiment, the package comprises an outer sleeve and an inner packaging component (e.g., an inner tray, drawer or tubular structure) having an open bottom that is sealed by the presence of the outer sleeve. One or more opening tools provided on the system are insertable into the inner packaging component and thereby hold that inner carton component substantially stationary. The outer sleeve is then moved relative to the inner packaging component, by pulling, or pushing for example, to cause sliding movement of the outer sleeve relative to the inner packaging component and thereby exposing at least part of the bottom opening of the inner component so that articles can be dispensed therefrom. In this manner, the opening tool does not necessarily directly cause a cutting or breaking of the package in order for an access opening to be created for the package. The opening tool does interact with the package to cause opening of the package whilst the package is installed in the dispensing system. In one embodiment, it is envisaged that the opening device is formed as a pair of hooked pins, each insertable into an aperture or weakened tab of the inner packaging component to engage that component. The outer sleeve has a pair of apertures or slots aligned with the aperture or weakened tab of the inner packaging component to allow for easy insertion of the opening tool into the inner packaging component. The outer sleeve may be affixed or adjoined in some manner (such as by adhesive or by a panel) that is broken by the relative movement between the inner packaging component and outer sleeve to allow the opening in the bottom of the inner packaging component to be exposed for dispensing articles.
It will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “end”, “side”, “inner”, “outer”, “upper” and “lower” do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only; indeed it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more of the following, a short slit, a frangible line or a fold line without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US10/56465 | 11/12/2010 | WO | 00 | 5/7/2012 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20120228247 A1 | Sep 2012 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61263767 | Nov 2009 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12777444 | May 2010 | US |
| Child | 13508380 | US |
