The present invention relates in general to soda straw dispensers, and more particularly to soda straw dispensers that allow a straw to be dispensed without touching the dispenser or other straws during the dispensing operation.
Bacteria, viruses and other germs can be passed from one individual to another by direct contact between the individuals. Moreover, germs can be passed between individuals by contact with an intermediate object touched by both persons. A prime location for the transfer of germs is restaurants, food delivery shops, fast food franchises, etc., as many persons are in contact with the food items, utensils and the like from initial food preparation to the consumption of the food. This is exacerbated by persons frequenting restrooms in food preparation businesses, where both the employees and the customers can pick up germs and thereafter transfer the same to the food, food item dispensers, utensils, and the like.
An item that many individuals contact in food preparation businesses are soda straw dispensers. When using a straw dispenser, the straws are generally not covered with a protective and disposable sleeve, but rather are simply bulk straws as manufactured. In typical soda straw dispensers, plastic straws are stored in a metal container and dispensed one by one when the individual touches the mechanism that causes the straw to be dispensed. This may be a lever, a knob or other member which, when activated, causes a straw to be retrieved from the inventory of straws stored in the dispenser, and delivered to the user. Because every person who wants a straw must touch the dispensing mechanism, such mechanism becomes the object for transfer of germs from one individual to many others. Another way in which germs are transferred is when the straw dispenser is filled with straws. Since the employee touches the straws when refilling the dispenser, any germs that are carried by the employee can be transferred to the straws, and thus to all the persons dispensing the straws. What is needed is a soda straw dispenser that includes a straw container attachable to a straw dispenser so that when the straw container is out of straws, an entirely new container filled with straws can be attached to the reusable straw dispenser. With this arrangement, the employee does not have to touch any of the straws, but only the container having the straws therein as it comes from the manufacturer. Another way for a person to become contaminated would be when the employee places the individual straws in the dispenser container. If a container of straws is mounted to a reusable dispenser of the invention, the straws will need to come in a proper packaging to avoid contact with the employee.
The prior art includes numerous types of soda straw dispensers, and many of them have parts that must be manipulated by users, whereupon germs can be distributed amongst the users. Other dispensers allow the users to select the straws without touching the dispenser parts, but it is possible to touch more than one straw at a time, again allowing germs to be spread from one user to a subsequent user. Yet other dispensers allow more than one straw to be dispensed at a time, thus wasting straws. Examples of the prior art dispensers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,556,344; 3,841,531; 4,789,081; 5,381,925; D329,465 and D342,647.
From the foregoing, there is a need for a straw dispenser which can be manipulated by a user by just touching the straw to be dispensed, without touching any other mechanism of the straw dispenser. Another need exists for a straw dispenser that accurately dispenses only one straw at a time, and presents the straw to the user on a one-at-a time basis.
In accordance with the principles and concepts of the invention, disclosed is a soda straw dispenser that selects a straw from the inventory of straws, stages the straw for dispensing while another straw is presently available for dispensing by a user. Once the available straw is dispensed by a user, the staged straw moves through a transitory position and is then made available to be dispensed, and so on until the inventory of straws is exhausted. A subsequent straw cannot be dispensed until the available straw has been removed from the soda straw dispenser.
The straw made available to the user by the dispenser allows a portion of the straw to be grasped by the user and pulled, thereby pulling a movable part of the dispenser forwardly, which movement allows the staged straw to drop to the transitory position. When the movable part of the dispenser returns to a home position, the straw drops from the transitory position into the bottom of the dispenser where it is available to the same or a different user. The only part that is required to be touched by a user is the exposed portion of the straw made available by the dispenser. The dispenser of the invention thus reduces the instances of the spread of germs, and the like, as no part of the dispenser need be touched by the user thereof.
The straw dispenser of the invention is structured to select a first straw from the inventory and hold it in the staged position, temporarily hold a second straw in the transitory position, and hold a third straw at the bottom of the dispenser and be made available to the user. The bottom part of the straw dispenser includes a slanted landing so that when a straw is dropped from the transitory position, it falls onto the slanted landing and rolls forwardly. The only straw that the user can touch is the straw that is available on the slanted landing.
According to another feature of the invention, the straw dispenser can be utilized with a box of straws which forms the inventory of straws. The box of straws is structured so that a person loading the dispenser need not touch or otherwise manipulate any of the straws. Rather, the box of straws can be fastened to the dispenser without touching any of the straws, and then opened so that the straws can fall into the soda straw dispenser. As such, this combination of components facilitates the dispensing of a large number of straws from a number of boxes without any manipulation of the individual straws during restoration of the inventory of straws.
With regard to yet another feature of the invention, the straw dispenser can be equipped with an advertisement attachment to provide advertising media to potential users of the straw dispenser. Indeed, the advertisement media placed in the attachment is in direct view of a user of the straw dispenser, thereby effectively forcing the user to look at the advertisement.
According to one embodiment of the invention, disclosed is a straw dispenser mechanism that includes a top staging part and a lower slideable dispensing part. The top staging part has an elongate slot therein, and has a lateral stop member spaced from and underlying the elongate slot. The lower slideable dispensing part also has an elongate slot therein, where one portion of the elongate slot of the lower slideable dispensing part defines a lateral separator member. A spring biases the lower slideable dispensing part to a home position in which the lateral separator member of the lower slideable dispensing part holds the straw in a transitory position and prevents the straw in the slot of the top staging part from falling downwardly. The lower slideable dispensing part has an opening in which at least a portion of a straw to be dispensed is made available to a user for grasping, and when the straw is grasped and pulled, the lower slideable dispensing part moves forwardly to allow the straw to be taken by the user, whereupon another straw is loaded from an inventory of straws into the straw dispenser mechanism.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, disclosed is a straw dispenser mechanism which includes a stationary part having an elongate slot and an elongate stop spaced from and underlying the slot. Also included is a movable part of the mechanism that is movable from a home position forwardly to a dispensing position. The movable part has an upper member that is movable between the elongate slot and the elongate stop of the stationary part, and the upper member of the movable part has an elongate slot and an elongate stop structured so that when the movable part is in the home position, the elongate slot of the stationary part and the elongate stop of the movable part are vertically aligned so that a straw is in a staged position in the elongate slot of the stationary part and rests on the elongate stop of the movable part.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, disclosed is a method of dispensing straws, which includes storing a supply of straws above a straw dispenser, and holding a straw in a temporary position as an individual straw. The method further includes dropping the straw onto a slanted member during dispensing of a straw, and exposing the portion of the available straw to the user so that the straw can be pulled and retrieved by the user. The pulling causes the available straw to move a slideable dispenser part and allow the straw to be removed by the user from the dispenser. When the straw is removed from the slideable dispenser part, the slideable dispenser part is retracted to a home position to allow a subsequent straw to drop down onto the slanted member and roll forward so that a portion thereof is exposed and available to another user. With this arrangement, the straws can be dispensed by allowing users to touch only portions of the straws that are dispensed.
a and 14b are side views showing the straw brakes.
a-16c are side and partial views of the straw dispenser showing the straw box attached to the dispenser, the straw box door and the straw brake.
a-17f are various views detailing the structural features of the straw box.
a is a side view of the straw dispenser mechanism showing engagement with the straw box, and
a and 19b are isometric and side views illustrating the details of the advertisement base.
a-20c illustrates the details of the wall bracket.
a is a side view and 22b is a top view which illustrate the details of the latch for latching the straw selector/dispenser in the base of the soda straw dispenser mechanism.
The straw dispenser mechanism 10 shown in
An enlarged end view of the dispenser 10 is shown in
When a person desires to dispense the available straw 22, the person grasps the midsection of the straw 22 which is exposed in the lateral opening 23 of the lower slideable dispenser part 20, as shown in
As noted above, once the straw 22 has been dispensed by pulling on the midsection thereof, which pulls the lower slideable dispenser part 20 forwardly, the person removes the available straw 22. In this state of the straw dispenser 10 shown in
The sequence of operations of the soda straw dispenser 10 is summarized below. a) When at rest, two straws are held in the dispenser 10, namely, one straw is held in the slot 16 of the upper stationary part 18, and another straw is held on the slanted landing 24. b) When it is desired to dispense a straw, the user grasps the straw available on the slanted landing 24 and pulls it forwardly, thereby moving the lower slideable part 20 forwardly also. c) During the forward movement of the lower slideable part 20, the straw that was in the slot 16 of the upper stationary part 18 falls into the slot 21 of the lower slideable part 20. d) As the straw falls down into the slot 21 of the lower slideable part 20, a third straw falls from the inventory or supply of straws into the now empty slot 16 of the upper stationary part 18. e) Once the available straw is removed from the slanted landing 24, the spring force returns the lower slideable part 20 to its home position. f) Lastly, during the backward movement of the lower slideable part 20, the straw temporarily held in the slot 21 of the lower slideable part 20 falls onto the slanted landing 24, thereby making the next straw available. The dispenser again is staged for another dispensing cycle, where a first straw is staged in the slot 16 of the upper stationary part 18, and a second straw is available for dispensing on the slanted landing 24. As will be described below, the dispenser 10 will not load a subsequent straw until the available straw has been removed from the dispenser 10 by the user.
With regard to
In order for the lower slideable part 20 to move past the straw breaks 29 during backward movement, the lower slideable part 20 is constructed with a pair of cutouts, one shown as numeral 31 (
The straw dispenser 10 is adapted for use with a box 12 of straws, and when depleted of straws, the box 12 is replaceable with a full box of straws. The preferred embodiment of the construction of a box 40 of straws is described below in connection with
From the foregoing, illustrated in
With the new straw dispenser 10 a person does not need to touch any part of the dispenser except the midsection of the straw itself. Because of the construction of the straw dispenser 10, the straws are loaded and dispensed in an orderly manner and thus sticking of the straws and malfunction of the dispenser is overcome.
According to another feature of the straw dispenser 10, the forward movement of the lower slideable part 20 during dispensing of an available straw 22, moves straws in the base compartment 58 toward the slot 16 in the upper stationary part 18. The lower movable part 20 is constructed with a pair of upwardly extending tabs, one shown as numeral 33. This is shown in
The base 32 of the straw dispenser 30 rests on the wall stand 34. As will be described below with
The advertisement display 36 is removably attached to the dispenser base 32 by tangs 64 that are inserted within slots formed in the base 32. The straw selector 10 is installed from a bottom frontal opening in the base 32, and pushed backwardly and upwardly until engaged by the bottom of the slanted floor 62. The dispenser/selector 10 is then held in place by a pair of latches 68 are located on each inside surface of the base 32 to latch the lower slideable part 20 into place. The latches 68 can be manually released by access through a large opening in the bottom of the base 32.
The details of the straw box 40 are shown in
a-18b illustrate the manner in which the straw box 40 is held in the base 32. The base 32 is constructed with a step or shoulder 72 under which the top edge of the band 54 engages and cannot be easily removed without deforming the box 40. There is a shoulder 72 on two opposite sides of the box receptacle 56 formed in the base 32. The box 40 is easily deformed and removed from the shouldered receptacle 56 when empty of straws.
a and 19b show the details of the optional advertisement display 36. As noted above, the tang 64 can be inserted into a slot of the base 32 and latched therein, and removed when desired. The window 38 is open to view a sheet advertisement that is inserted down into side slots formed on opposite back sides of the display 36. The entire advertisement display 36 can be constructed of an ABS type of plastic, or other suitable material. While the advertisement display 36 is curved, it could be constructed with many other shapes and sizes.
a-20c illustrate the details of one wall stand 34. Two or more wall stands 34 can be used to support the straw dispenser 30 on a wall. The wall stand 34 is a one-piece molded plastic component constructed with the notch 51 formed between the upright members 72 and 74. The back panel of the dispenser base 32 can be inserted into the notch 51. As noted above, the platform 50 provides a support on which the weight of the straw dispenser 30 can rest during use. Two holes are formed in the wall stand 34, one shown as numeral 52. The hole 52 in the frontal member 72 is of a first diameter, which extends partially into the back member 74. The remainder of the hole in the back member 74 is smaller in diameter to allow an anchor screw 76, or the like, to be fastened to the wall or a wall stud.
a and 22b illustrate the latch 68 that captures the selector/dispenser 10 within the base 32 of the soda straw dispensers 10 or 30. Formed during the molding process of the base 32 are latch members, one shown as numeral 68. The latch members 68 protrude inwardly into the path of the selector/dispenser 10 when inserted into the frontal opening of the base 32. While not shown, the selector/dispenser 10 includes shoulders on opposite sides thereof, which press the latch members 68 outwardly during insertion of the selector/dispenser 10 into the base 32. Once the shoulders on the opposite sides of the selector/dispenser 10 move past the latch members 68, the latch members spring back and block backward movement of the selector/dispenser 10. The selector/dispenser 10 is thus latched into the base 32 and cannot be removed until the latch members 68 are manually pressed outwardly and out of the path of the selector/dispenser 10 so that it can be moved out of the base 32. The bottom panel of the base 32 is formed with a large opening in the bottom thereof so that the latch members 68 are accessible for manual manipulation.
From the description set forth above, disclosed is a soda straw dispenser structured to control individual straws so as to be selected from the inventory of straws, staged for dispensing, and finally made available to the user. The dispensing of the straws involves the user pulling the straw which moves a dispenser part that allows the staged straw to move to a transitory position, and on return of the movable dispenser part the next straw falls from the transitory position into the lower part of the dispenser. Another straw cannot be dispensed until the user removes the available straw from the movable dispenser part. As such, the users of the straw dispenser need not touch any part of the dispenser, only the straw that they dispense for their personal use. In addition, the straw dispenser is structured so that a box of straws can be attached to the dispenser without any of the straws being touched by the person filling the straw dispenser.
While the preferred another embodiments of the invention have been disclosed with reference to a specific soda straw dispenser and method of operation and manufacture thereof, it is to be understood that many changes in detail may be made as a matter of engineering choices without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.
This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of pending provisional application Ser. No. 61/519,563, filed: May 25, 2011; and claims the benefit of pending provisional application Ser. No. 61/628,929, filed Nov. 9, 2011.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61519563 | May 2011 | US | |
61628929 | Nov 2011 | US |