Spender

Abstract

Dispenser (10, 50) for dispensing a multi-piece granular content, comprising a storage chamber (11) having a chamber floor (19) and a chamber ceiling (14) for storing the content and a dispensing channel (12) for dispensing a piece of the content, wherein a first opening (13) is arranged between the storage chamber (11) and the dispensing channel (12) adjacent to the chamber ceiling (14), characterized in that, for dispensing the multi-piece granular content in pieces, the opening (13) is adjustable by means of a regulating closure (16) in a range from fully closed to fully open, the regulating closure (16) has an opening window (17) which is at least partially overlapping with the first opening (13) and the opening window (17) has an asymmetrically contoured edge.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a dispenser according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Dispensers of this type are generally known from the prior art. However, a disadvantage of these is that they require a more or less complicated mechanism for dispensing the multi-part contents piece by piece. This mechanism is prone to malfunction and expensive. Furthermore, they are neither weatherproof nor completely sealable, nor can they be operated with one hand.

[0003] DE 10 2009 018 349 A1 describes a dosing container for dispensing a liquid, gel-like, granular, or powdery substance. The dosing container has a dosing chamber in which a specific volume to be dispensed is collected before being poured out of the container. The substance is dispensed through the dosing chamber. From the dosing chamber, the volume to be dispensed passes through the dispensing opening and then exits the container. The dispensing opening can be closed with a lid.

[0004] US Patent 5,971,216 A also mentions a dosing container with a dosing chamber and a reservoir. The dosing chamber and the reservoir are connected by an opening, allowing the material to be dispensed from the reservoir into the dosing chamber before exiting the dosing container through the dosing opening.

[0005] JP 2010-241 451 A discloses a food container which has a carabiner hook on its lid.

[0006] A dispensing container with a reservoir for storing the dispensed material, connected by two alternately opening and closing openings to a non-closable dispensing channel for distributing the dispensed material, is described in US Patent 3,148,804 A. The two openings are arranged one above the other, one of which is located in the area of ​​an upper end wall that forms the top boundary of the reservoir. A sliding mechanism, operated by a handle, opens and closes the two openings alternately.

[0007] US Patent 1,276,382 A discloses a metering container for dispensing a free-flowing substance that can be dispensed from a storage chamber through a metering channel in a specific quantity. The metering channel has a symmetrical opening near its base through which the substance passes from the storage chamber into the metering channel. The metering channel is rotatably mounted at one end in a housing bore and at the other end in a sleeve about its longitudinal axis.

[0008] The invention aims to provide a dispenser of the type mentioned above that is as simple as possible.

[0009] The invention solves the stated problem with a generic dispenser according to the characterizing part of claim 1. To dispense a single piece, the dispenser is tilted such that the dispensing channel is located below the storage chamber in the direction of gravity, and the single piece passes through the first opening from the storage chamber into the dispensing channel by gravity. The dispenser is then tilted back until the single piece, having entered the dispensing channel, falls out of the dispensing channel through a dispensing opening by gravity. Preferably, during the tilting back, a surface normal of the chamber floor can be aligned at least approximately parallel to the direction of gravity so that the single piece leaves the dispensing opening as quickly as possible.The described removal process of a single piece can conveniently be carried out in the palm of a person's hand, with the chamber base and dispensing opening conveniently oriented towards the palm. The single piece then falls automatically into the palm of the person's hand as it emerges from the dispensing opening. Consequently, the entire removal process can be performed with one hand. The person's other hand is therefore not needed for the removal process and can be used for other purposes during this time. Furthermore, a complex and expensive mechanism is not required.

[0010] The multi-piece, granular contents can contain pieces of varying sizes. However, the pieces can also be approximately the same size. To ensure that with each tilt of the dispenser, only one piece passes through the opening from the reservoir into the dispensing channel, rather than several, the regulating valve can be adjusted according to the respective piece size(s). The regulating valve can be implemented cost-effectively if it has a rotationally symmetrical shape. For example, the regulating valve can be cylindrical or ring-shaped.

[0011] To allow for precise adjustment of the regulating shutter, it can be mounted on a rotatable base within the output channel. The regulating shutter can be adjusted continuously or in small increments.

[0012] To allow the adjustable closure to accommodate different product sizes, it features an opening window that at least partially overlaps the first opening. The overlap between the first opening and the opening window can be adjusted by modifying the closure, particularly by rotating it.

[0013] To optimally adapt to different piece sizes, the opening window has an asymmetrically contoured edge. This asymmetrically contoured edge can, for example, have a trapezoidal, hyperbolic, or semi-parabolic shape.

[0014] The dispensing channel can have a diameter larger than the diameter or maximum thickness of the largest piece and smaller than twice the diameter or twice the minimum thickness of the smallest piece of the multi-piece granular content. This also ensures that only one piece, and no more than one piece, passes through the first opening from the storage chamber into the dispensing channel. The content pieces can be spherical, lenticular, heart-shaped, bone-shaped, or any other bizarre, granular form.

[0015] The dispenser may have a second opening that can be closed with a first cover, the first cover also forming the chamber lid. Furthermore, the first cover may also at least partially cover another opening of the dispensing channel opposite the dispensing opening. Consequently, the second opening can be used to fill the storage chamber. The other opening of the dispensing channel can be used, if necessary, for cleaning and unblocking the dispensing channel.

[0016] Alternatively, the dispenser can have a third opening in the chamber lid that can be closed with a second lid. Consequently, to fill the storage chamber, the second lid can be removed from the third opening. After filling, the second lid can be replaced on the third opening to close the storage chamber.

[0017] The dispenser can be swivelled and attached to a person. For this purpose, it can be equipped with a hanging device, preferably mounted above the ceiling. The hanging device can preferably be an eyelet. A hook, for example a carabiner, can then be attached to the eyelet at one end. The other end of the hook can be attached to a belt loop of clothing, a shoulder bag, or the like. This allows the dispenser to be conveniently tilted with a swiveling motion to dispense a single item. Furthermore, it is always readily available to the person when needed.

[0018] Several exemplary designs are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Specifically, we show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of the dispenser; Fig. 2 a sectional view through a dispenser and a regulating closure made of Fig. 1 in open position; Fig. 3 a sectional view through the dispenser and the regulating closure in the closed position; Fig. 4 a perspective view from below of the regulating shutter; Fig. 5 a top view of a second embodiment of the dispenser.

[0020] The Fig. Figures 1 to 3 show a dispenser 10 with a storage chamber 11 for storing a multi-piece granular content and a dispensing channel 12 for dispensing a piece of the multi-piece granular content.

[0021] Between the storage chamber 11 and the dispensing channel 12 is an opening 13. The opening 13 is adjacent to a chamber ceiling 14. The chamber ceiling 14 forms the upper edge of the opening 13. The chamber ceiling 14 is formed by a detachably mounted cover 15.

[0022] The lid 15 can be removed to fill the storage chamber 11 and reattached after filling.

[0023] A regulating shutter 16 is installed in the output channel 12, which allows the opening 13 to be regulated within a range from fully closed to fully open. The regulating shutter is a rotationally symmetrical component with a cylindrical shape. It can therefore be rotated within the output channel 12, which has a cylindrical inner wall, for adjustment purposes.

[0024] The regulating closure 16 has an opening window 17. By rotating the regulating closure 16, the opening window 17 can be positioned over the opening 13, so that the opening window 17 and the opening 13 partially or completely overlap. The degree of overlap between the opening window 17 and the opening 13 depends on the size of the multi-piece granular contents, ensuring that no more than one piece can ever pass through the opening 13 from the storage chamber 11 to the dispensing channel 12.

[0025] The degree of overlap between the opening window 17 and the opening 13 can be adjusted continuously or in small increments. For easier and correct adjustment of the regulating closure 16, a dispenser 50 can be equipped with a scale 51 and 52 and an adjustment handle 53 designed as a pointer (see Fig. 5).

[0026] The dispenser 10 and 50 is equipped with an eyelet 18 into which a hook 54, in this case a carabiner hook, can be attached at one end. The other end of the hook 54 can be attached, for example, to a belt loop of a garment (not shown in detail here).

[0027] If a person wishes to remove a piece of the multi-piece granular contents from the dispenser 10 and 50 hanging from the belt loop, they can grasp the dispenser 10 and 50 with the palm of the hand with which they intend to pick up the piece, near the bottom of a chamber 19. They then tilt the dispenser 10 and 50 until the dispensing channel 12 is located below the storage chamber 11 in the direction of gravity. The single piece then passes through the opening 13 and the opening window 17 from the storage chamber 11 into the dispensing channel 12. The dispenser 10 and 50 is then tilted back until the single piece in the dispensing channel 12 falls by gravity through a dispensing opening 20 from the dispensing channel 12 into the palm of the person's hand. Consequently, the single piece can be removed from the dispenser 10 and 50 with one hand, without using a second hand. REFERENCE MARK LIST 10 donors 11 Pantry 12 output channels 13 Opening 14-chamber ceiling 15 lids 16 regulating closure 17 opening windows 18 eyelets 19 chamber floor 20 Opening 50 donors 51 scale 52 scale 53 Adjustment handle 54 hooks

Claims

[1] Dispenser (10, 50) for dispensing a multi-piece granular content with a storage chamber (11) having a chamber floor (19) and a chamber ceiling (14) for storing the content and a dispensing channel (12) for dispensing a piece of the content, wherein a first opening (13) adjacent to the chamber ceiling (14) is arranged between the storage chamber (11) and the dispensing channel (12). characterized by , that for the piecewise dispensing of the multi-piece granular content the opening (13) is adjustable with a regulating closure (16) in a range from fully closed to fully open, the regulating closure (16) has an opening window (17) which is at least partially overlappable with the first opening (13) and the opening window (17) has an asymmetrically contoured edge. [2] Donor (10, 50) according to the preceding claim, characterized by , that the regulating closure (16) has a rotationally symmetrical shape. [3] Dispenser (10, 50) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the regulating closure (16) is rotatably arranged in the output channel (12). [4] Dispenser (10, 50) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the output channel (12) has a diameter that is larger than the diameter or maximum thickness of the largest piece and smaller than twice the diameter or twice the minimum thickness of the smallest piece of the multi-piece granular content. [5] Dispenser (10, 50) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the dispenser (10, 50) has a second opening which can be closed with a first lid (15), the first lid (15) also forming the chamber lid (14). [6] Dispenser (10, 50) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the dispenser (10, 50) has a third opening in the chamber ceiling (14) which can be closed with a second lid. [7] Dispenser (10, 50) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that it can be swivelled and attached to a person. [8] Dispenser (10, 50) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that it has a suspension point (18).

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