Patent Application
20090166374
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage and dispensing device, especially to a device that allows articles to be stacked inside and then dispensed.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Articles including, but not limited to cups or plastic drinks lids are stacked and put in long plastic bags or scattered in a salver for the convenient storage and use. However, these conventional storage methods allows the stacked articles to be contaminated easily and may be harmful to user's health.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a storage and dispensing device for stacked articles to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the present invention is to provide a storage and dispensing device for stacked articles that has a sliding panel, a main frame mounted on the sliding panel, two holders respectively mounted on the main frame and two clip assemblies respectively mounted on the holders.
When the sliding panel slides toward one direction, the two holder slide toward each other and the two clip assemblies slide toward reverse directions. Therefore, one stacked articles falls on the holders.
Afterwards, when the sliding panel slides toward another direction, the two holders slide toward reverse directions and the two clip assemblies slide toward each other to hold the other stacked articles. Consequently, the stacked article that falls on the holders further falls on and dispenses users with the stacked article.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
The stacked articles include but are not limited to plastic drinks lids (50a, 50b).
The main frame (20) is securely mounted in the box (60) and has an upper surface, a lower surface, a through hole (21), an optional fencing tube (22) and two guide slots (25).
The through hole (21) is formed through the main frame (20).
The fencing tube (22) is formed around the through hole (21) of the main frame (20), protrudes from the upper surface of the main frame (20) and has two pairs of clipping holes (221) and two pairs of holding holes (222). The clipping holes (221) are respectively formed through the fencing tube (22). The pairs of the clipping holes (221) are opposite to each other. The holding holes (222) are respectively formed through the fencing tube (22). The pairs of the holding holes (222) are, opposite to each other. Each pair of the holding holes (222) are formed between the pairs of the clipping holes (221).
The guide slots (25) are respectively and oppositely formed through the main frame (20) and are parallel to each other. Each guide slot (25) has a closing end and an opening end.
The sliding panel (10) is slidably mounted on the lower surface of the main frame (20) and has an upper surface, a lower surface, a through hole (11), four sliding slots (12), two guide slots (13), four fasteners (14) and four optional washers (15).
The through hole (11) is formed through the sliding panel (10), corresponds to the through hole (21) of the main frame (20) and may be oval.
The sliding slots (12) are respectively formed through the sliding panel (10) around the through hole (11) of the sliding panel (10), are parallel to each other and are perpendicular to the guide slots (25) of the main frame (20).
The guide slots (13) are respectively and oppositely formed through the sliding panel (10) and are oblique to the sliding slots (12) of the sliding panel (10) and the guide slots (25) of the main frame (20). Each guide slot (13) corresponds to each guide slot (25) of the main frame (20) and has a closing end and an opening end.
The fasteners (14) are respectively mounted through the sliding slots (12) of the sliding panel (10) and are fastened on the lower surface of the main frame (20) to limit the sliding distance of the sliding panel (10) relative to the main frame (20). Each fastener (14) has an optional head.
The washers (15) are respectively mounted around the fasteners (14) and may be mounted respectively between the lower surface of the sliding panel (10) and the heads of the fasteners (14).
The holders (30) are respectively and slidably mounted on the upper surface of the main frame (20) around the through hole (21) and may be mounted around the fencing tube (22) of the main frame (20). Each holder (30) is substantially L-shaped and has an upper surface, a lower surface, a first arm, a second arm, two sliding slots (31a, 31b), a guide slot (32), two holding protrusions (33), a pin (34), a fasteners (35) and an optional washers (36).
The first arm has a distal end.
The second arm is formed on the first arm of the holder (30) and has a distal end and a proximal end.
The sliding slots (31a, 31b) are respectively formed through the arms of the holders (30) near the distal ends of the arms and are parallel with each other.
The guide slot (32) is arc, is formed through the first arm of the holder (30) near the sliding slot (31a) and has a releasing end and a clipping end.
With further reference to
The pin (34) is mounted through the corresponding guide slots (13, 25) of the sliding panel (10) and the main frame (20) and are fastened on the lower surface of the holder (30). Therefore, when the pin (34) is mounted in the closing ends of the guide slots (13, 25) with the sliding panel (10) sliding toward one direction, the holding protrusions (33) of the holder (30) are respectively mounted in the holding holes (222) of the fencing tube (22) of the main frame (20). Alternatively, when the pin (34) is mounted in the opening ends of the guide slots (13, 25) with the sliding panel (10) sliding toward another direction, the holding protrusions (33) of the holder (30) are moved away from the holding holes (222) of the fencing tube (22) of the main frame (20).
The fastener (35) is mounted through the corresponding sliding slot (31b) of the holder (30) in the second arm to limit the sliding distance of the holder (30) relative to the main frame (20) and has an optional head.
The washer (36) is respectively mounted around the fastener (35) and may be mounted between the upper surface of the holder (30) and the head of the fastener (35).
The clip assemblies (40) are respectively and securely fastened to the main frame (20), are respectively and slidably mounted on the upper surfaces of the holders (30). Each clip assembly (40) has a base (41), a first fastener (42a), a second fastener (42b), a clip (43) and a pin (44).
The base (41) is mounted on the first arm of the corresponding holder (30) and has an upper surface, two opposite edges, a mounting hole (411), two optional protrusions (412), a first fastening hole (413) and a second fastening hole (414). The mounting hole (411) is formed through the base (41) and corresponds to the guide slot (32) of the corresponding holder (30). The protrusions (412) are respectively formed on and protrude from the edges of the base (41). The fastening holes (413, 414) are formed through the base (41). The second fastening hole (414) corresponds to the sliding slot (31a) of the corresponding holder (30).
The first fastener (42a) is mounted through the first fastening hole (413) of the base (41) and is fastened on the upper surface of the main frame (20).
The second fasteners (42b) is mounted through the second fastening holes (414) of the base (41) and the sliding slot (31a) of the corresponding holder (30) and is fastened on the upper surface of the main frame (20).
With further reference to
The pin (44) is mounted through the guide slot (32) of the holder (30) and the mounting hole (411) of the base (41) and is fastened on the lower surface of the clip (43). Therefore, when the holding protrusions (33) of the holder (30) are respectively mounted in the holding holes (222) of the fencing tube (22) of the main frame (20), the pin (34) slides along and is mounted in the releasing end of the guide slot (32) of the holder (30). Alternatively, when the holding protrusions (33) of the holder (30) are moved away from the holding holes (222) of the fencing tube (22) of the main frame (20), the pin (34) slides along and is mounted in the clipping end of the guide slot (32) of the holder (30).
The storage and dispensing device for stacked articles as described has the following advantages. As long as the sliding panel (10) slides along the sliding slots (12) of the sliding panel (10) toward one direction, the two holder (30) slide along the sliding slots (31a, 31b) of the holder (30) toward each other. Accordingly, the two clip assemblies (40) slide along the guide slots (32) of the holders (30) toward reverse directions. Therefore, one of the stacked articles (50b) falls on the holding protrusions (33) of the holders (30). Afterwards, when the sliding panel (10) slides toward another direction, the two holders (30) slide toward reverse directions and the two clip assemblies (40) slide toward each other to hold the other stacked articles (50a). Consequently, the stacked article (50b) that falls on the holders (30) further falls on the slide (61) of the box (60) and dispenses users with the stacked article (50b).
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
