US3344958A

US3344958A - Dry product dispenser means

Info

Publication number: US3344958A
Application number: US525931A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kaanehe John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-02-08
Filing date: 1966-02-08
Publication date: 1967-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-03

Description

' 19 K'AANE'HE 3,3

DRY PRODUCT DISPENSER MEANS Filed Feb 8, 1 966 INVENTOR;

John Kacmehe BY M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,344,958 DRY PRQDUCT DISPENSER MEANS John Kaanehe, 1516 Kain. IV Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 Filed Feb. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 525,931 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-181) ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLOSURE A dispenser for powdered material from the original package with a walled holder for the package, a hopper below the package to direct the package contents by gravity to a valve for discharge of the powdered material into a receiving area without spillage of the powder laterally of the hopper.

My invention relates to dry product dispenser means, such as for detergent powders, soap flakes and the like, although in some instances the dispenser may be used to dispense granular products of any kind, such as coflee, sugar and the like.

More particularly my invention relates to dispenser means consisting of a combined holder and dispenser with a valved discharge end for an original cardboard pack-age filled with a dry product, one end of which may have been opened and inverted therein, said package holder and dispenser being mounted in a bracket secured to a vertical surface so the dispenser valve at the discharge end of the dispenser may be operated, and an adjacently mounted shelf for support of a measuring cup positioned thereon in a suitable position to receive a desired quantity of the detergent as it flows through the dispenser valve from the open end of the inverted package in the combined holder and dispenser.

One object of the invention is to provide convenient and useful dry storage of an original dry product container or carton.

A second object is to provide efiicient and easy dispensing of dry powdered products, such as detergent powders, soap flakes and the like from a conveniently positioned wall mounted unit near to washing apparatus, such as a dishwasher or other automatic washing machine.

A third object is to provide a substantially accurate predetermined valve controlled discharge of dry deterggent and the like to an integrally connected measuring area comprising a shelf with a measuring receptacle thereon for collecting a quantity apropos to a known wash cycle.

A fourth object is to provide a dispenser of high utility and attractive appearance and of extremely light weight and flexible material assembled in a desirable flexible and vi'brationless construction.

A fifth object is to provide, in combination, a detergent holder and dispenser which prevents spilling and precludes undesirable wetting and moisture contamination of the detergent prior to actual use thereof.

The above and other objects and advantages of my present invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken with the accompanying drawings wherein several novel features thereof are illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my invention including :a novel wall mounted bracket, a dispenser and valve unit combination mountable therein with a usual cardboard detergent package in the dispenser inverted and opened at its inverted end so its contents may be dispensed by gravity through the valve unit; and

FIGURE 2 is a partial view in side elevation of the novel detergent dispensing valve arrangement at the bottom portion of the dispenser.

Generally the present dispenser device includes a novel wall bracket A; a novel dispenser B adapted to receive an original cardboard package C filled with a dry product, such as a dry detergent and hold the same in an inverted dispensing position, to permit gravity flow of the dry package contents from the package through a novel valve assembly E at the lower part of the dispenser into a measuring cup supported below the valve on a shelf conn-ected with the wall bracket.

Wall bracket Now with particulamr reference to FIGURE 1, the wall bracket A comprises a sheet 10 of suitable resiliently flexible material, such as a flexible plastic, although any light weight thin sheet material, such as aluminum or tin plate may be used. This sheet 10 is fabricated into the preferably integral formation of the wall bracket A by forming it with substantially right angled longitudinal side walls 11 and 12, which are preferably yieldably flexible. These walls are transversely spaced to provide the boundaries along longitudinal edges of a rear wall or plate 13, which continues to extend downward for formation into a measuring cup support shelf to be hereinafter described in more detail. This backing plate 13 is formed adjacent each upper and lower corner thereof with a fastener opening, whereby the bracket A may be fastened, for example, by a screw S to a wall or other suitable vertical surf-ace.

Each yieldably movable side wall 11 and 12 of the bracket A is formed intermediate the width thereof with a slot 14. Each slot is open at the peripheral edge of each respective wall in the provision of an open portion or mouth 15. These mouth portions of each side wall are defined at their respective entry portions by spaced rounded lips 16 and 17, which smoothly blend into the elongated spaced

side edges

18 and 19 of the material vforming the respective side walls 11 and 12, see FIG- URE 1.

Thus the bracket A is formed to serve as a receiving ,chanuel bounded with flexible resiliently yieldable side walls 11 and 12 for receiving the novel detergent dispenser B, which is detachably and operatively associated therewith.

Detergent Dispenser The detergent dispenser B comprises a detergent package holding body with a funnel-shaped lower section 21 and with an upper rectangular section 22. The upper section has

side walls

23 and 24 and is open at the top with a rear wall extension 25.

The extension 25 provides a guide surface and facilitates the insertion of an inverted opened original detergent package C into the open top portion of the dispenser body section 22 and also the subsequent withdrawal of the empty package after its contents have been dispensed through the valve portion E of the dispenser. Also, in addition to being a guide the extension or flap 25 serves as a shield to protect the wall or support surface for the dispenser from being soiled by a users greasy fingers and the like after the dispenser B and detergent carton are mounted in the bracket A as hereinafter described and likewise keeps the wall from being rubbed and marred with repeated usage.

The

upper side walls

23 and 24 of the rectangular section 22 are each respectively formed with elongated dovetail longitudinal lug members 26. Thus the dovetail shap of each elongated lug has a specific coactive function with the side edges of its respective mating slot 14 in cooperation with the same action of the dovetailed lug and its mating slot on the opposite side wall of the dispenser B.

For example, when the respective dovetail lugs 26 are simultaneously inserted at the mouths into their respective slots 14, the inward slant of the

sides

27 and 28 of each lug, see FIGURE 1, serve to produce a camlike action to provide an inward pulling force of the fl xible and movable sides 11 and 12 of bracket A toward each other, inwardly toward the

side walls

23 and 24 of the detergent dispenser B. This results in a firm and sn supporting connection between the side walls of the bracket A and the open bottom dispenser body B, to thereby prevent any undesirable vibration rattles between the bracket A and the wall mounted dispenser unit B. Such vibrations usually develop from the noise and vibration of any adjacent washing apparatus or other mechanical causes of vibrations, such as may develop from automatic refrigerators and the like.

The dispenser body B in the lower extremity at its lower funnel-shaped section 21 is formed with a flow valve housing 30 open at the bottom. In this open bottom housing is mounted a novel valve plate 31 formed with an outlet flow opening 32, see FIGURE 2, in a suitably offset flat surface portion of the plate. The plate 31 is mounted in aligned transverse slots formed in the mid-section of the flow valve housing 30, so as to be suspended and guided for reciprocation under the open end of a gravity flow outlet chute 33, see FIGURE 2, whereby the outlet flow opening 32 in the valve plate 31 may be manually selectively positioned with its slot into and out of registry with the outlet chute 33.

The manual operation of the valve plate is facilitated by the upstanding handle 34 formed by the tab on one end of the valve plate and a pull outwardly on the handle is against the biasing action or resistive action of a coil spring 35 suitably secured at the forward end to the forward underside of the valve plate 31 and at the rearward end to an apertured L-shaped lug 30 secured to a side portion of the valve housing 30 fixed relative to the valve plate 31. This lug 30 is generally shown in FIG- -URE 2.

Also, as a guide and control of the valve plate to open position there is provided an upstanding stop 36. This stop may be formed from the material of the plate itself at the aft end of the valve plate slot, while at the fore end of the slot the valve plate 31 is similarly formed with an upstanding stop 37 adapted to engage the lower edge of the forward wall of the outlet chute 33, when the valve plate 31 is biased by the normal compression of the spring 35 into the closed non-flow position, see FIG- URE 2.

Thus the valve housing 30, the valve plate 31 and the upstanding stops 36 and 37 provide a gate valve arrangement for manual control of the flow of dry detergent from .the container ,C and from the flow chute 33 into a suitable measuring receptacle 38. For example, see FIGURE 2, which shows one example of a measuring cup 38 normally positioned on a shelf 39 preferably formed integrally with the lower part of bracket plate 13 in a position below the open bottom of the valve housing 30.

The shelf 39 is preferably of a similar matching material to the bracket A and integral therewith, but in some instances may be separate. Preferably the entire assembly is made of plastic with no metal parts except for the s curing fasteners or screws S and the gate valve spring 35. The shelf 39 is formed with an unobstructed leading edge 40 and with side

triangular walls

41 and 42 with their respective apices adjacent the edge 40, whereby the cup 38 is reasonably safe from lateral displacement and reduces the chances of the measuring cup falling from the shelf.

Assembly, loading and operation The assembly of the present invention has been described hereinbefore in detail. However, prior to assembly or to the mounting of the loaded dispenser B in the wall bracket A, it is intended that a detergent carton C be end opened, and inserted with the opened end toward the funnel portion 21 of the dispenser B. With the detergent carton C thus positioned in the dispenser B, the same i turned so the carton C is inverted and mounted in the

side wall

12 and 13 of the wall bracket A as shown in FIGURE 1.

A brief summary of the preparation for the operation of the assembled unit is as follows:

First, the box top of a detergent carton A is removed entirely;

Second, the dispenser B is held over the open top of the container A with the valve assembly facing up;

Third, the dispenser B is then manually made to slide over the detergent carton A inclosing it completely;

Fourth, the thus assembled dispenser and carton are inverted with the valve assembly downward;

Fifth, the dispenser is placed in the bracket A attached to the wall;

Sixth, the measuring cup is placed on the shelf under the valve assembly;

Seventh, the valve handle is pulled outward of the valve assembly and dry detergent, soap or the like flows into the measuring cup;

Eighth, the lever or valve handle is released and the spring returns the valve plate to cut off the detergent flow into the measuring cup when the required amount has entered the cup.

Without further description it is believed that the advantages of the present invention over the prior art is apparent and while only one embodiment of the same is illustrated, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto as various changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of the parts illustrated, as will now likely appear to others and those skilled in the art. For a definition of the scope or limits of the invention, reference should be had to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination holder anddispenser for dry product means from their original package comprising a wall bracket formed with a rear wall and spaced side walls, said side walls being flexible and formed with vertical slots, and a dispenser unit comprising a rectangular package receiving portion and a lower funnel portion, said package receiving portion having means engageable in said slots, a gate valve assembly at the mouth of the funnel portion, and a shelf below said valve assembly for a receiver cup when said dispenser is mounted in said bracket.

2. A combination holder and dispenser as described in claim 1, wherein said shelf is formed as an integral part of said rear wall of said bracket, said wall being relatively longer than said dispenser whereby said shelf is spaced below said valve assembly.

3. A combination holder and dispenser as described in claim 1, wherein said shelf comprises an unobstructed leading edge and lateral side triangular walls with their respective apices adjacent said edge.

4. A vertically supported dry product dispenser for derergent packages and the like comprising a package holder portion and a lower funnel portion, a discharge valve in said funnel portion, a bracket for mounting said walled package holder portion of the dispenser vertically with the funnel portion and the said discharge valve downward, and a spring connected to said valve to bias and return said valve from an open position to a closed position, said package holder portion including side walls and wherein said bracket includes movable side walls, each side wall of said package holder portion and of said bracket having respective connection means adapted to mate with each 5 8 other to thereby eifectively mount said dispenser vertically References Cited in said bracket in package dispensing position, the said UNITED STATES PATENTS mating means of the respective dispenser and the Wall bracket being dovetail lugs and having elongated receiv- 9983-89 7/ 1911 Pemck et 3 ing slots and wherein said side Walls of said bracket are 5 2,072,938 3/1937 Berg 222-181 A moveabie by the shape of said lugs of the side Walls of the 3,217,939 11/1965 Murray X dispenser as they engage in the said slots of the side Walls ROBERT R ES Primmy Examiner, f the bracket HADD S. LANE, Examiner.

Claims

1. A COMBINATION HOLDER AND DISPENSER FOR DRY PRODUCT MEANS FROM THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGE COMPRISING A WALL BRACKET FORMED WITH A REAR WALL AND SPACED SIDE WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING FLEXIBLE AND FORMED WITH VERTICAL SLOTS, AND A DISPENSER UNIT COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR PACKAGE RECEIVING PORTION AND A LOWER FUNNEL PORTION, SAID PACKAGE RECEIVING PORTION HAVING MEANS ENGAGEABLE IN SAID SLOTS, A GATE VALVE ASSEMBLY AT THE MOUTH OF THE FUNNEL PORTION, AND A SHELF BELOW SAID VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR A RECEIVER CUP WHEN SAID DISPENSER IS MOUNTED IN SAID BRACKET.