U.S. patent application number 14/270426 was filed with the patent office on 2015-11-12 for disposable cup dispenser.
This patent application is currently assigned to Helen of Troy Limited. The applicant listed for this patent is Helen of Troy Limited. Invention is credited to Cindy Godin, Charles Simon Paradise, Reid Andersen Schlegel, Lingxiu Micco Wu.
Application Number | 20150320236 14/270426 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54366720 |
Filed Date | 2015-11-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150320236 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Paradise; Charles Simon ; et
al. |
November 12, 2015 |
DISPOSABLE CUP DISPENSER
Abstract
A disposable cup dispenser includes a housing defining a cavity
for receiving a plurality of associated disposable cups and a
plurality of fingers extending from the housing into the cavity.
The plurality of fingers includes a first finger and a second
finger positioned above the first finger. The first finger is
disposed closer to a closed end of the cavity as compared to an
open end of the cavity.
Inventors: |
Paradise; Charles Simon;
(Brooklyn, NY) ; Wu; Lingxiu Micco; (New York,
NY) ; Godin; Cindy; (New York, NY) ; Schlegel;
Reid Andersen; (Brooklyn, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Helen of Troy Limited |
Belleville |
|
BB |
|
|
Assignee: |
; Helen of Troy Limited
Belleville
BB
|
Family ID: |
54366720 |
Appl. No.: |
14/270426 |
Filed: |
May 6, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
221/221 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 1/065 20130101;
A47K 1/09 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47F 1/06 20060101
A47F001/06 |
Claims
1. A disposable cup dispenser comprising: a housing defining a
cavity for receiving a plurality of associated disposable cups; and
a plurality of flexible fingers extending from the housing into the
cavity, the plurality of fingers including a first finger and a
second finger, the first finger being disposed closer to a closed
end of the cavity as compared to an open end of the cavity.
2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second finger is
positioned closer to the open end of the cavity as compared to the
first finger.
3. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the plurality of fingers
includes fingers interposed between the first finger and the second
finger.
4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fingers are
centered along a vertical line.
5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second finger is longer
than the first finger.
6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fingers each
extend from a base, and the plurality of fingers and the base are
an integrally formed cup gripping member.
7. The dispenser of claim 6, wherein the housing includes an inner
housing and an outer housing, wherein the base is sandwiched
between the inner housing and the outer housing and the inner
housing includes an elongate opening through which at least one of
a pedestal, which extends from the base, and the plurality of
fingers extend.
8. The dispenser of claim 6, wherein the cup gripping member is
formed from silicone.
9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fingers
includes a first plurality of fingers and a second plurality of
fingers circumferentially spaced from the first plurality of
fingers.
10. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein the first plurality of
fingers are circumferentially spaced about 180 degrees from the
second plurality of fingers.
11. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a first
slot and a second slot each extending from an open end edge of the
housing, wherein the first slot is circumferentially spaced about
180 degrees from the second slot.
12. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a slot
extending down from an open end edge of the housing, wherein the
slot is circumferentially disposed between the first plurality of
fingers and the second plurality of fingers.
13. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the fingers are generally
rectangular in plan view.
14. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the housing defines a
central axis and a distal end of each finger is spaced from the
central axis a horizontal distance, which is less than a radius of
a conventional 3 ounce bath cup measured at an upper lip of the
conventional 3 ounce bath cup.
15. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a cup support
positioned in the cavity.
16. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein the cup support is an upside
down cup-shaped support.
17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the upside down cup-shaped
support includes a cylindrical wall section and a conical wall
section.
18. The dispenser of claim 17, wherein the conical upper wall
section conforms substantially to a side wall of a conventional 3
ounce bath cup.
19. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein the housing includes a slot
extending from an open end edge of the housing, wherein a platform
of the cup support is positioned closer to the open end edge of the
housing as compared to a curved closed end of the slot.
20. The dispenser of claim 16, further comprising a weight
connected with the housing, the weight weighing more than a force
required to pull a conventional paper or plastic 3 ounce bath cup
past each of the fingers of the plurality of fingers.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Disposable cup dispensers can be found in bathrooms. Some
known disposable cup dispensers are configured to hold what are
known in the art as 3 ounce bath cups. These 3 ounce bath cups are
typically made from paper or plastic and hold 3 ounces (about 90
ml) of fluid.
[0002] Some known disposable cup dispensers include springs that
bias the cups upwardly towards a lid of the dispenser. Other
dispensers may not include a spring. A drawback of known disposable
cup dispensers is that it can be difficult for a user to remove
only one cup while allowing the remaining cups to remain within the
dispenser.
SUMMARY
[0003] In view of the foregoing, an example of a disposable cup
dispenser includes a housing defining a cavity for receiving a
plurality of associated disposable cups and a plurality of flexible
fingers extending from the housing into the cavity. The plurality
of fingers includes a first finger and a second finger. The first
finger is disposed closer to a closed end of the cavity as compared
to an open end of the cavity.
[0004] The second finger can be positioned closer to the open end
of the cavity as compared to the first finger. The second finger
can also be longer than the first finger. The plurality of fingers
can be centered along a vertical line. Each finger can be generally
rectangular in plan view. Each finger of the plurality of fingers
can extend from a base, and the plurality of fingers and the base
can be an integrally formed cup gripping member, which can be made
from silicone.
[0005] The housing can include an inner housing and an outer
housing, and the base can be sandwiched between the inner housing
and the outer housing. The inner housing can include an elongate
opening through which at least one of a pedestal, which extends
from the base, and the plurality of fingers extends.
[0006] The plurality of fingers can include a first plurality of
fingers and a second plurality of fingers circumferentially spaced
from the first plurality of fingers. The first plurality of fingers
can be circumferentially spaced about 180 degrees from the second
plurality of fingers. The housing can include a first slot and a
second slot each extending from an open end edge of the housing.
The first slot can be circumferentially spaced about 180 degrees
from the second slot. The housing can include a slot extending from
an open end edge of the housing and the slot can be
circumferentially disposed between the first plurality of fingers
and the second plurality of fingers.
[0007] The housing can define a central axis and a distal end of
each finger can be spaced from the central axis a distance d, which
is less than a radius of a conventional 3 ounce bath cup measured
at an upper lip of the conventional 3 ounce bath cup. The dispenser
can further include a cup support, which can be an upside down
cup-shaped support positioned in the cavity. The upside down
cup-shaped support can include a cylindrical wall section and a
conical wall section. The conical wall section can conform
substantially to a sidewall of a conventional 3 ounce bath cup. A
platform of the cup support can be positioned closer to the open
end edge of the housing as compared to a curved closed end of the
slot in the housing. The dispenser can further include a weight
connected with the housing. The weight weighs more than a force
required to pull a conventional paper or plastic 3 ounce bath cup
past each of the fingers of the plurality of fingers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disposable cup dispenser
and a plurality of conventional disposable 3 ounce bath cups that
can be dispensed using the disposable cup dispenser.
[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the disposable cup dispenser
depicted in FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the disposable cup
dispenser and with some 3 ounce bath cups loaded into the
dispenser.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the
disposable cup dispenser and the disposable cups loaded in the
disposable cup dispenser.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the disposable cup
dispenser similar to FIG. 3 with a slot in the housing shown in
phantom.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts a disposable cup dispenser 10 and disposable
cups C that can be dispensed using the dispenser. The illustrated
disposable cup dispenser 10 is sized and configured for dispensing
conventional 3 ounce bath cups. Nevertheless, the size of the
dispenser 10 and the components that make up the dispenser can be
modified so that the dispenser can be used to dispense disposable
cups of a different size than the conventional 3 ounce bath cup.
The dispenser 10 includes a housing 12 defining a cavity 14 for
receiving a plurality of disposable cups C. A plurality of flexible
fingers 16 and 18 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) extend from the housing 12
into the cavity 14. The fingers 16 cooperate with the cups C in a
manner described in more detail below.
[0014] FIG. 1 depicts the dispenser 10 oriented in a manner such
that the cups C are pulled in an upward direction to be removed
from the housing 12. The dispenser 10 will be described below in
this orientation, and relative references such as "upper" and
"lower" and the like will be used to describe this orientation.
These relative terms are used for ease of understanding the
drawings, and should not be used to limit the invention to any
particular orientation. The dispenser 10 could also be oriented so
that the cups are pulled in a downward direction to be removed from
the housing 12.
[0015] With reference to FIG. 2, the housing 12 includes an inner
housing 20 and an outer housing 22. The inner housing 20 is
received in the outer housing 22 when the dispenser 10 is
assembled. The inner housing 20 connects with the outer housing 22
using adhesive or another type of known attachment. The housing 10
is shown as generally cylindrical in configuration, and both the
inner housing 20 and the outer housing 22 are similarly generally
cylindrical in configuration. The housing generally conforms in
shape to the cups C received in the dispenser 10, although this is
not required. The housing 12 can take configurations other than
cylindrical. The housing 20 defines a central axis 24, and the
inner housing 20 and the outer housing 22 are centered with respect
to the central axis 24, which is generally vertically oriented.
[0016] With reference back to FIG. 1, the housing 12 includes an
open end edge 30 and a bottom surface 32 (per the orientation shown
in FIG. 1). The housing 12 is open to allow for the loading and
dispensing of the cups C. In the illustrated embodiment, the
housing 10 includes a first slot 34 and a second slot 36 each
extending down (per the orientation shown in FIG. 1) from the open
end edge 30 of the housing 12. The slots 34, 36 allow for a person
to insert her fingers or thumb into the slots 34, 36 to grasp one
of the cups C that is to be removed from the dispenser 10. The
first slot 34 is diametrically opposed from the second slot 36. In
other words, the first slot 34 is circumferentially spaced about
180 degrees from the second slot 36. Each of the slots 34, 36 is
generally U-shaped, and a respective curved closed end 38, 42 of
each of the slots 34, 36 is positioned about midway between the
open end edge 30 and the bottom surface 32 of the housing 12.
[0017] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the housing 12 includes
elongate openings 44, 46 through which the plurality of fingers 16,
18 extend. The elongate openings 44, 46 are elongated in the
vertical direction, which is parallel with the central axis 24. As
more clearly seen in FIG. 2, in the illustrated embodiment the
elongate openings 44, 46 are formed in the inner housing 20. The
first elongate opening 44 is diametrically opposed, i.e.,
circumferentially spaced about 180 degrees from, the second
elongate opening 46. The first plurality of fingers 16 extends
through the first elongate opening 44. The second plurality of
fingers 18 extends through the second elongate opening 46.
[0018] The first elongate opening 44 is circumferentially spaced
about 90 degrees from the first slot 34 and the second slot 36 in
the housing 12. Similarly, the second elongate opening 46 is also
circumferentially spaced about 90 degrees from the first slot 34
and the second slot 36 in the housing 12. As more clearly seen in
FIG. 4, the inner housing 20 includes a horizontal shoulder 48.
Each of the slots 44, 46 extends into the horizontal shoulder 48 of
the inner housing 20 as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0019] The outer housing 22 provides a decorative shell for the
dispenser 10. With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the outer housing 22
includes a circular lower (per the orientation shown in FIGS. 3 and
4) opening 52. The inner housing 20 includes a cylindrical
protrusion 54 extending downwardly (per the orientation shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4) from a base 58 of the inner housing 20. The
cylindrical protrusion 54 is received in the lower opening 52 of
the outer housing 22 to facilitate the connection between the inner
housing 20 and the outer housing 22. The inner housing 20 also
includes a boss 56 centered along the central axis 24. The boss 56
extends upwardly (per the orientation shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) from
the base 58 of the inner housing 20 and includes a fastener opening
62, which is also aligned with the central axis 24.
[0020] With reference back to FIG. 2, the dispenser 10 includes the
first plurality of fingers 16 and the second plurality of fingers
18. The first plurality of fingers 16 each extend from a base 70,
and the plurality of fingers 16 and the base 70 are integrally
formed so as to form an integrally formed first cup gripping member
72. A second cup gripping member 74 is also provided in the
dispenser 10 and the second plurality of fingers 18 are provided on
the second cup gripping member. The first cup gripping member 72 is
identical in configuration to the second cup gripping member 74,
and thus only the first cup gripping member will be described. The
base 70 of the first cup gripping member 72 is generally a thin
flat member that is elongate in the vertical direction. A pedestal
76 is centered along the base 70. Each of the fingers of the
plurality of fingers 16 extends from the pedestal 76 so as to
extend from the base 70. The first cup gripping member 72 also
includes a lower horizontally disposed base flange 78. A
horizontally disposed pedestal 82, which is continuous with the
pedestal 76, extends upwardly from the horizontal base flange 78.
The pedestal 76, 82 conforms in shape with the elongate opening 44
in the housing 12. When the dispenser is assembled, the base 70 is
sandwiched between the inner housing 20 and the outer housing 22.
The inner housing 20 includes the elongate opening 44 through which
at least one of the pedestal 76, 82 and the plurality of fingers 16
extends.
[0021] The cup gripping members 72, 74 are formed from silicone in
the illustrated embodiment. Each of the fingers of the plurality of
fingers 16, 18 is generally rectangular in plan view. The fingers
can take other configurations, however, such as cylindrical or
brush-like. The fingers can also be wider than what is shown in the
figures, and may even include a curved distal end that contacts the
cup C. The cup gripping members 72, 74 and the plurality of fingers
16, 18 can be formed from other flexible materials that can
interact with the disposable cups C in the manner described below.
In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of fingers 16, 18 are
each centered along a vertical line, which is parallel with the
central axis 24. The construction facilitates assembly of the
dispenser 10 and can reduce the number of components of the
dispenser, but the fingers can be arranged so as not to be centered
along a vertical line.
[0022] With reference to FIG. 3, the plurality of fingers 16, 18
includes a first finger, for example fingers 16a, 18a, and a second
finger, for example fingers 16b, 18b, which can be positioned above
the first finger. The first finger 16a, 18a is disposed closer to a
closed end 84 of the cavity 14 as compared to an open end 86 of the
cavity. Many additional fingers are interposed between the first
fingers 16a, 18a and the second fingers 16b, 18b. This allows the
plurality of fingers 16, 18 to interact with the disposable cups C
at a location deeper in the cavity 14 as compared to if only a
finger or a set of fingers was provided near the open end edge 30
of the housing 12. With continued reference to FIG. 3, since the
housing 12 slopes away from the central axis 24 when moving from
the closed end 84 of the cavity 16 toward the open end 86, the
second finger 16b, 18b is longer than the first finger 16a, 18a in
the illustrated embodiment. Distal ends 90 of each finger can be
aligned vertically, which can increase the likelihood that at least
one of the plurality of fingers 16, 18 engages an upper lip L of a
cup C as the cup is being removed from the dispenser 10. If
desired, the fingers can get longer from the closed end 84 of the
cavity 14 toward the open end 86 of the cavity, e.g., each
respective higher finger can extend further into the cavity 14 as
compared to the adjacent lower finger (per the orientation shown in
FIG. 3).
[0023] The first plurality of fingers 16 is circumferentially
spaced from the second plurality of fingers 18. In the illustrated
embodiment, the first plurality of fingers 16 is diametrically
opposed, i.e., circumferentially spaced 180 degrees from the second
plurality of fingers 18. As mentioned above, the housing 12
includes slots 34, 36 extending from the open end edge 30 of the
housing 12. The slots 34, 36 are circumferentially disposed between
the first plurality of fingers 16 and a second plurality of fingers
18. In the illustrated embodiment, each finger of the plurality of
fingers 16, 18 is vertically separated from an adjacent finger a
vertical distance d1. The vertical distance d1 is greater than a
thickness of the lip L of a respective disposable cup C measured in
a vertical direction. The distal end 90 of the first finger 16a is
spaced from the central axis 24 a horizontal distance d2, which is
less than the radius of a conventional 3 ounce bath cup measured at
the upper lip L of the conventional 3 ounce bath cup. A distal end
92 of the first finger 18a is similarly spaced from the central
axis a horizontal distance d2. This allows the deeper fingers 16a,
18a to engage the lip L of a lower most cup C.sub.L loaded into the
dispenser 10. In the illustrated embodiment, each distal end is
spaced no greater than the horizontal distance d2 from the central
axis so that when a cup is pulled in the vertical direction while
being removed from the dispenser 10, the cup contacts respective
distal ends of each finger. As such, if more than one cup is
initially grasped by a person, there is a greater likelihood that
only the uppermost cup will be removed from the dispenser and the
lower cup or cups will be pushed vertically downward by the fingers
and separate from the uppermost cup.
[0024] The dispenser 10 further includes a cup support 100, which
is an upside down cup-shaped support 100 positioned in the cavity
14 of the housing 12, in the illustrated embodiment. The cup
support 100 provides support for the deepest cup C.sub.L in the
dispenser to inhibit crushing of the cup when the cup is gripped by
a person to be removed from the dispenser. The upside down
cup-shaped support 100 includes a cylindrical wall section 102 and
a conical wall section 104. The conical wall section 104 conforms
substantially to a sidewall of a conventional 3 ounce bath cup as
can be seen in FIG. 3. The cylindrical wall section 102 is smaller
in diameter than the diameter measured at the lip L of a
conventional 3 ounce bath cup. The upside down cup-shaped support
100 further includes a flange 106, which is horizontally disposed
and extends outwardly from the cylindrical wall section 102. The
flange 106 is circular and defines the closed end 84 of the cavity
14 in the housing 12. The flange 106 contacts the horizontal
shoulder 48 of the inner housing 20 when the dispenser 10 is
finally assembled. The upside down cup-shaped support 100 also
includes a platform 108, which is generally horizontally oriented
in the illustrated embodiment. The upside side down cup-shaped
support 100 is hollow in the illustrated embodiment as seen in FIG.
4. With reference to FIG. 5, the platform 108 of the upside down
cup-shaped support 100 is positioned vertically above the curved
closed end 38, 42 of each slot 34, 36. Also, platform 108 of the
cup support 100 is positioned closer to the open end edge 30 of the
housing 12 as compared to a curved closed end 38, 42 of each slot
34, 36. The cup support can take other shapes such as a
cross-shaped extrusion.
[0025] The dispenser 10 also includes a weight 120 connected with
the housing 12, which is disposed beneath the upside down
cup-shaped support 100 in the illustrated embodiment. The weight
120 weighs more than a force required to pull a conventional paper
or plastic 3 ounce bath cup past each of the fingers of the
plurality of fingers. The weight 120 is helpful to keep the
dispenser 10 from lifting off a countertop during use. The weight
120 in the illustrated embodiment includes an opening 122 that
receives the boss 56. Washers 124 and 126 cooperate with a fastener
128 that is threaded into the boss 56 to retain the weight 120
within the housing 12. Other types of weights that inhibit the
dispenser from being lifted off the support surface as a cup is
being removed from the dispenser 10 can also be used.
[0026] A dispenser 10 for dispensing disposable cups C has been
described above with particularity. Modifications and alterations
will occur to those upon reading and understanding the preceding
detailed description. For example, the vertical spacing between
adjacent fingers and the horizontal spacing between opposite
fingers can be modified so that the dispenser can be configured to
dispense cups of a different size than the 3 ounce bath cup
described above. Moreover, other modifications can be made which
would occur to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and
understanding the preceding detailed description. The invention is
not limited only to the embodiments described above. Instead, the
invention is broadly defined by the appended claims and the
equivalents thereof.
[0027] It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed
and other features and functions, or alternatives or varieties
thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different
applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or
unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or
improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in
the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following
claims.
* * * * *