Sport Nutritional Supplement Dispenser

Abstract

A nutritional supplement dispenser for attachment to a bicycle frame or to a runner's belt has a hollow case with an openable top for placing tablets in the case and an inclined bottom tending to urge tablets forward under the influence of gravity. A dispenser located at a low point of the case dispenses a single tablet into an athlete's hand when manually depressed. VELCRO® brand fastener-equipped straps attach the case to the top tube and down tube of a bicycle or to a belt worn by a runner. Magnetically biased and spring biased dispensing mechanisms are described. A push-button dispensing mechanism is described. Bicycle-frame-conforming aerodynamic wings and a holster are described.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 101,943, filed Oct. 1, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to carrying and dispensing consumable items, more particularly in the context of sports such as bicycling and running, and especially to carrying and mechanically dispensing nutritional supplement tablets to a bicyclist or runner during competition.BACKGROUND[0003]During any endurance activity, particularly triathlons, cycling and running events, athletes are consuming nutritional supplements during competition to replace water, electrolytes and energy lost during competition. During a competition, it is very important to consume electrolytes which keep the body's neural connections going. Electrolytes are consumed before, during and after activity to replenish the electrolytes excreted by the body.[0004]Electrolytes come in many forms, such as tablets or powder...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]With safety, convenience, efficiency and the need to dispense tablets with as little distraction as possible, a nutritional supplement tablet dispenser in accordance with the present invention takes the form of a case, having an enclosing front, back and sides adapted to contain a plurality of approximately cylindrical tablets; a bottom inclined lowermost proximate the front, and a dispensing component located lowermost on the bottom, the dispensing component being manually operable to dispense the tablets serially, from within the case, the case being securable between a top tube, a front tube and a down tube of a bicycle frame with clearance below the dispenser and above the down tube. A window is optionally formed in the case and the window renders contents of the case visible from outside the case. A liner is optionally applied within the case to at least one of the sides, front, back and bottom, the liner having noise-limiting or motion-limiting properties. A flap is optionally so disposed within the case as to rest upon tablets contained therein, the flap tending to restrict movement of the tablets within the case.

Problems solved by technology

Some people carry them in a plastic baggy, which is both difficult to open while moving, the tablets tend to fall out when opened, or the baggy can blow away when riding.

When opened the tablets can bounce out and due to the dimensions it is hard to grab the desired amount, or a person must pour them into the palm possibly spilling them all out.

However, not all handlebars are compatible with this particular product and, in any event, its capacity is limited.

A twisting motion while moving forward is not ergonomically friendly.

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