Glove Dispenser Soft Pack with Elastic Band Straps

Abstract

The crushable dispenser of the present disclosure includes a top, a bottom, and at least one side portion that define a closed space having a predetermined volume, and a dispenser body formed of a flexible material, and an opening provided in the top, the bottom, or at least one side portion of the dispenser body and communicating with the closed space. The dispenser of the present disclosure further includes an elastic strap coupled to the dispenser body. The dispenser of the present disclosure is configured to be crushed as the contents contained therein are dispensed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - reference to Related Applications) This application claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 390,996 filed on July 21, 2022, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 390,998 filed on July 21, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 433,036 filed on December 16, 2022. The disclosure content of the above - mentioned applications is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] (Technical Field) The subject matter of the present invention generally relates to a system for packaging and dispensing gloves.

Background Art

[0003] Elastic gloves made from natural latex polymers or synthetic polymers are used in a variety of applications. Such elastic gloves are used, for example, by medical personnel during examinations and surgeries. Also, elastic gloves are used during food preparation and in clean - room environments. Elastic gloves are also used to protect the hands of the wearer or prevent contamination. Further, elastic gloves may be desirable to wear in situations where contact with certain substances is undesirable, such as when using chemicals for cleaning or when changing diapers.

[0004] Elastic gloves can be made from a variety of materials. For example, as described above, in one embodiment, elastic gloves can be made from natural latex polymers. Synthetic polymers used in the production of elastic gloves include polyvinyl chloride, nitrile polymers, polychloroprene, polyisoprene, block copolymers (e.g., styrene - ethylene - butylene - styrene block copolymer), and the like.

[0005] Elastic gloves are generally packaged in multiples in a dispenser intended to dispense the gloves one at a time. Such dispensers are very useful especially in environments where new gloves are constantly needed. For example, doctors and nurses performing examinations and tests discard the old gloves they have been using and wear new gloves each time they examine a new patient.

[0006] Furthermore, dispenser packages for elastic gloves are generally inconvenient, especially for carrying and using. One type of common dispenser package is a rigid container made of either metal, plastic, or cardboard. Such rigid containers take up a large amount of space and are not flexible, making them difficult to carry. Also, such rigid containers often have sharp edges, making it not easy to put them in a handbag, diaper bag, medical kit, toolbox, glove box of a car, etc. and carry them. As the gloves are taken out of the rigid container, the gloves remaining in the rigid container will be located towards the bottom of the rigid container. Therefore, in order for the user to take out the gloves remaining in the rigid container, the user needs to reach down to the bottom of the rigid container. Therefore, each time the user reaches down to the bottom of the rigid container, the user's hand may touch multiple gloves, significantly increasing the risk of cross-contamination. In addition, as the number of gloves remaining in the rigid container decreases, it becomes impossible to predict which area of the glove the user touches or which area of the glove the user pulls, and the user may grab the palm area or finger area of the glove and pull out the glove. In that case, the finger area or palm area of the glove may be contaminated. Furthermore, when the user reaches down to the bottom of the rigid container to take out the glove, the user may accidentally take out multiple gloves at once. In that case, contamination may occur by returning the unnecessary gloves to the container, or waste may be generated by discarding the unnecessary gloves.

[0007] Another type of existing dispenser for elastic gloves is a flexible dispenser in the form of a plastic wrap stuffed with gloves. However, often the gloves are stuffed into such a flexible dispenser without being carefully organized or packaged. As a result, a large friction may occur between the adhesive outer surface of each glove and the plastic wrap. Consequently, often the gloves stick to each other or to the plastic wrap, making it difficult to avoid taking out multiple gloves at once or cross-contamination between the gloves. Furthermore, existing flexible plastic dispensers do not have an easily openable opening and cannot be resealed. As a result, once the dispenser is opened, the gloves may inadvertently pop out of the dispenser, or dust outside the dispenser may enter the inside of the dispenser through the unsealed opening and contaminate the remaining gloves inside the dispenser.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for an improved glove dispensing assembly that solves the above-described problems. In particular, a crushable glove dispenser that is easy to carry would be useful. Summary of the Invention Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] Aspects and advantages of the invention in accordance with the present disclosure are described in part in the following description, are apparent from the following description, or can be learned through practice of the technology.

[0010] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a crushable dispenser. The dispenser of the present disclosure includes a top, a bottom, and at least one side portion that define a closed space having a predetermined volume, and a dispenser body formed from a flexible material, and an opening provided in the top, the bottom, or at least one side portion of the dispenser body that communicates with the closed space. The dispenser of the present disclosure further includes an elastic strap coupled to the dispenser body. The dispenser of the present disclosure is configured to be crushed as the contents contained therein are dispensed.

[0011] In another aspect, the dispenser of the present disclosure further includes a rigid lid, the rigid lid including a rigid outer peripheral portion coupled to the top, the bottom, or at least one side portion of the dispenser body, and a movable lid portion coupled to the rigid outer peripheral portion, the rigid outer peripheral portion including at least one retaining element configured to couple with and retain the elastic strap. Also, the at least one retaining element includes a tab extending from an edge of the rigid outer peripheral portion. Also, the at least one retaining element includes a pair of retaining elements provided on opposite first and second side portions of the rigid outer peripheral portion. Also, the at least one retaining element includes at least one recess formed in a surface of the rigid outer peripheral portion and configured to receive the elastic strap. Also, the at least one retaining element includes at least one slot formed through the rigid outer peripheral portion between an outer edge and an inner edge of the rigid outer peripheral portion and configured to receive an elastic band or an external strap or hook.

[0012] In a further aspect, the elastic strap includes an elongated body portion extending from a first end to a second end, and having strap coupling elements at each of the first end and the second end.

[0013] In yet another aspect, the elastic strap can assume an extended state and a relaxed state, and the elastic strap is coupled to the dispenser body in the extended state and is configured to change to the relaxed state as the contents of the dispenser are dispensed. As the contents of the dispenser are dispensed and the elastic strap changes to the relaxed state, the size of the dispenser body decreases and the volume of the closed space is configured to decrease.

[0014] In one or more aspects, the elastic strap includes an elastic ring configured to surround the dispenser body, and the elastic ring is configured to cover the opening. Further, the elastic ring includes a slit that is aligned with the opening of the dispenser body, and the contents of the dispenser are configured to be dispensed through the slit.

[0015] The present invention also relates to a glove dispensing assembly. The assembly of the present disclosure includes a crushable dispenser and a stack of folded gloves. The dispenser includes a top, a bottom, and at least one side defining a closed space having a predetermined volume, and a dispenser body formed of a flexible material, and a resealable opening provided in the top, the bottom, or at least one side of the dispenser body and communicating with the closed space. Each glove of the stack of gloves has a fingertip end and a cuff end, and the stack of gloves includes a leading glove and a plurality of subsequent gloves, and the stack of gloves is housed within the closed space of the dispenser body. The dispenser is configured to be crushed as the gloves of the stack of gloves housed within the closed space are dispensed, thereby reducing the volume of the closed space.

[0016] In one aspect of the assembly of the present disclosure, the dispenser further includes a lid that seals the opening. Further, the lid has an adhesive area on its inner surface. Further, the lid includes a single piece of rigid material, and the single piece of rigid material has an outer peripheral portion coupled to a flexible material and a movable portion configured to be displaceable between an open position that exposes the opening and a closed position that covers the opening, and the movable portion of the lid is a cut-out portion of the single piece of rigid material. Further, at least a portion of the flexible material is exposed within the outer peripheral portion of the lid when the movable portion is in the open position. Further, the movable portion has a cantilever snap, and the outer peripheral portion has a slot corresponding to the cantilever snap configured to lock the cantilever snap in place in the closed position.

[0017] In another aspect, the assembly of the present disclosure further includes an elastic strap coupled to the dispenser body, and the elastic strap is configured to compress the dispenser.

[0018] In a further aspect, the assembly of the present disclosure further includes a mounting element provided on the dispenser body, and the mounting element is configured to mount the dispenser to a surface. For example, the mounting element includes an adhesive area having an adhesive material configured to adhere to the surface. Further, the dispenser includes an elongated portion that includes the mounting element, and the mounting element has one or more insertion holes configured to allow a belt or other accessory to pass through.

[0019] The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following description and the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] A complete and enabling disclosure of the invention, including the best mode, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in this specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021]

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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention and one or more examples thereof will be described in detail. Each example is presented for the purpose of explaining the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used in combination with another embodiment to create still another embodiment. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace such modifications and variations as long as they are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0023] As used herein, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the position or importance of individual components. The singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Terms such as "coupled", "fixed", "attached", etc., include not only direct coupling, fixing, or attachment, but also indirect coupling, fixing, or attachment through one or more intermediate components, unless otherwise specified herein. As used herein, the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including" or "has", "having" and their conjugations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the listed components is not necessarily limited to only those components, but may include other components not explicitly described, or other components inherent to those process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless otherwise expressly stated, the term "or" means an inclusive "or" and not an exclusive "or". For example, the condition A "or" B is satisfied in any of the following cases: when A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist), when A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists), and when both A and B are true (or exist).

[0024] Terms related to approximation such as "about", "generally", "substantially", "essentially", etc., include values within a range of plus or minus 10 percent of the recited value. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include a range of plus or minus 10 degrees of the recited angle or direction. For example, "substantially perpendicular" includes any direction within a range of plus or minus 10 degrees from perpendicular in either direction, e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0025] Advantages, other advantages, and problem solutions will be described below with respect to specific embodiments. However, benefits, advantages, problem solutions, and any features that may give rise to or enhance any benefit, advantage, or solution should not be construed as important, essential, or fundamental features of any or all of the claims of the claims.

[0026] Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a collapsible dispenser and a glove dispensing assembly including the collapsible dispenser. The dispenser of the present disclosure includes a dispenser body defining a closed space having a predetermined volume and a resealable opening communicating with the closed space. The dispenser further includes an elastic strap coupled to the dispenser body. The dispenser is configured to be crushed as the contents contained therein are dispensed. The present disclosure also provides a glove dispensing assembly including a collapsible dispenser for accommodating a stack of gloves. The inventors have found that the collapsible dispenser and the glove dispensing assembly of the present disclosure are such that when the dispenser body is compressed by the elastic strap, the crushability of the dispenser is improved, and as a result, the volume of the closed space of the dispenser is reduced, facilitating the transportation of the dispenser and the glove dispensing assembly.

[0027] Specific features of the glove dispensing assembly of the present invention will be better understood by referring to FIGS. 1 to 18C.

[0028] The gloves accommodated in the glove dispensing assembly of the present disclosure can be modified according to specific applications. The gloves can be made from any sheet-like material. The gloves can be made, for example, from woven fabric, knitted fabric, or non-woven fabric. Also, the gloves can be made from laminated fabric. In a particular embodiment, the gloves are made from an elastic material such as an elastic polymer. For example, the gloves can be made from natural rubber latex polymer or synthetic polymer. Examples of synthetic polymers used in the production of gloves include polyvinyl chloride and other vinyl plastisols, neoprene, nitrile rubber, etc. Also, the elastic gloves can be made from styrenic polymers and / or block copolymers. For example, the gloves can be made from styrene-butylene-styrene polymer, or styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene polymer. In yet another embodiment, the gloves can be made from styrene-isoprene-styrene polymer.

[0029] The gloves accommodated in the dispensing assembly can be folded gloves. For example, the folded gloves can have a configuration folded at least twice in an S-shape. Compared with an existing glove dispensing assembly having a configuration folded only once in a C-shape, by adding at least one fold, the gloves accommodated in the glove dispensing assembly of the present invention can be taken out in a lateral or vertical direction with respect to the folded portion of the gloves. Also, the configuration folded at least twice can prevent the gloves from being taken out of the stack unintentionally. In particular, the configuration folded at least twice can prevent the gloves from being taken out of the stack when the user is not pulling the cuff portion of the gloves to take out the gloves.

[0030] Next, referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the glove dispensing assembly 100 of the present invention is shown. The glove dispensing assembly 100 includes a dispenser body 102 that houses a stack of gloves 10. The stack of gloves 10 includes a leading glove and a plurality of subsequent gloves. The number of gloves accommodated in the assembly can vary depending on various factors. Generally, the stack of gloves 10 accommodated in the glove dispensing assembly 100 includes about 5 to 500 gloves, for example, about 50 to 100 gloves.

[0031] The dispenser 100 can be a resealable dispenser 100 formed from a soft flexible material. For example, the dispenser 100 can be formed from plastic, biodegradable material, elastomeric material, or any other suitable soft flexible material. In one aspect of the present invention, the dispenser 100, such as the dispenser body 102, can be formed from polyethylene. Note that the dispenser 100 may be formed from polypropylene, other polymers, or any combination thereof. The dispenser body 102 has at least an upper surface 104, a bottom surface 106, a front surface 108, and a back surface 110. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser body 102 further has a first edge 112 and a second edge 114 that extend from the front surface 108 to the back surface 110 to form an envelope-type or pouch-type dispenser. Side gussets 118 are formed between the first edge 112 and the front surface 108, between the second edge 114 and the front surface 108, between the first edge 112 and the back surface 110, and between the second edge 114 and the back surface 110, respectively. The upper surface 104, the bottom surface 106, the front surface 108, the back surface 110, the first edge 112, and the second edge 114 define a closed space having a predetermined volume. The dispenser body 102 includes an opening 116 that communicates with the closed space. The opening 116 can be formed through the upper surface 104 as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, instead of the upper surface 104, it may be formed in any of the front surface 108, the bottom surface 106, or the back surface 110.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a dispenser body 102 having an envelope-shaped or pouch-shaped dispenser configuration, although the dispenser body 102 may be formed in any other suitable configuration, such as a prism shape having a rectangular base and sides substantially perpendicular thereto.

[0033] For example, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, one or both of the first edge 112 and the second edge 114 have an elongated portion 180 formed along the front face 108 and the back face 110. An attachment element 182 is formed in the elongated portion 180. The attachment element 182 has one or more insertion openings 184 configured to allow, for example, a belt or other accessory 50 to pass therethrough. The insertion openings 184 form a belt loop or other coupler to facilitate carrying of the glove dispensing assembly 100 by a user.

[0034] Also, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18A - 18C, the glove dispensing assembly 100 can include an attachment element 190 provided on at least one surface of the dispenser body 102. For example, if an opening 116 is formed in the top face 104 or the front face 108 of the dispenser body 102, the attachment element 190 is provided on the bottom face 106 or the back face 110 of the dispenser body 102 to facilitate access to the opening 116 for dispensing, as shown in FIG. 17.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 17, the attachment element 190 can be formed from an adhesive area 192 provided on at least one surface of the dispenser body 102. The attachment element 190 further includes at least one protective cover sheet 194 attached onto the adhesive area 192. The protective cover sheet 194 is configured to protect the adhesive until the glove dispensing assembly 100 is ready to be attached to a certain surface. Then, by peeling the protective cover sheet 194 from the adhesive area 192 to expose an adhesive material such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, the dispenser body 102 can be adhered and attached to a certain surface by the adhesive material. The adhesive material can be any suitable adhesive configured such that the dispenser body 102 can be adhered and attached to a certain surface (predetermined position) while dispensing one or more gloves through the opening 116. Also, the adhesive material can detachably adhere and attach the dispenser body 102 to a certain surface so that, for example, the dispenser body 102 can be removed from a certain surface in order to discard the glove dispensing assembly 100.

[0036] FIG. 18A shows a state where the glove dispensing assembly 100 is attached to the vertical wall 200a. FIG. 18B shows a state where the glove dispensing assembly 100 is attached to a horizontal plane 200b such as the upper surface of a table or a work surface. FIG. 18C shows a state where the glove dispensing assembly 100 is attached to a horizontal plane 200b such as the lower surface of a table or a work surface. In each attachment configuration, the gloves are dispensed through the opening 116 of the dispenser body 102 and the lid opening 128 of the lid 120. Since the openings are provided along the edge of the dispenser body 102, the gloves are dispensed in a horizontal or vertical direction with respect to the surface to which the glove dispensing assembly 100 is attached. By enabling attachment and dispensing in both horizontal and vertical directions, and by providing a reaction force when the user removes the glove by attaching the glove dispensing assembly 100 to a predetermined position by an attachment element 190 such as the adhesive area 192, the inventors have found that glove dispensing is facilitated especially when only one hand is used.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1, the opening 116 leading to the closed space of the dispenser body 102 can optionally be sealed by a lid 120. For example, the lid 120 can be formed as a rigid lid. In other words, the dispenser body 102 can be formed from a flexible and / or soft material as described above, while the lid 120 can be formed from a rigid material with little or no flexibility. The rigid lid 120 can be coupled to the dispenser body 102 on the same surface as the surface on which the opening 116 leading to the closed space of the dispenser body 102 is formed. As shown in FIG. 1, the opening 116 can be formed in the upper surface 104 of the dispenser body 102, in which case the rigid lid 120 is coupled to the upper surface 104 so as to surround the opening 116. The rigid lid 120 can be coupled to the dispenser body 102 by an adhesive such as a permanent adhesive or any other suitable coupling means.

[0038] The rigid lid 120 has a rigid outer peripheral portion 122 and a movable lid portion 130 fixed to the outer peripheral portion 122 by at least one hinge 132. The rigid outer peripheral portion 122 has an outer edge portion 124, an inner edge portion 126, and a lid opening 128 defined by the inner edge portion 126. As shown in FIG. 1, when the movable lid portion 130 is open, access to the opening 116 leading to the closed space of the dispenser body 102 can be achieved through the lid opening 128 of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122.

[0039] In a particular embodiment, the rigid lid 120 is formed from a single piece of material, and the movable lid portion 130 is a cut-out portion of that single piece of material. The movable lid portion 130 is coupled to the rigid outer peripheral portion 122 via a hinge 132 having flexibility to allow for the opening and closing displacement of the movable lid portion 130. In another embodiment (not shown), the movable lid portion 130 is formed from a separate piece of material and is coupled to the outer peripheral portion 122 via a hinge joint 132 such as a barrel hinge, a spring hinge, a pivot hinge, or other types of hinges. Also, the rigid lid 120 may have a locking mechanism 134 for locking the movable lid portion in a predetermined position to seal the opening 116. For example, the locking mechanism is a snap, the movable lid portion 130 includes at least one cantilever snap having a locking surface 136, and the rigid outer peripheral portion 122 has at least one slot 138 corresponding to the locking surface 136 capable of locking the locking surface 136 in a predetermined position.

[0040] In addition or alternatively, the opening 116 can be sealed by a sticker or a peelable sheet adhered to the upper surface 104 with an adhesive disposed on the upper surface 104 of the dispenser body 102. The sticker can be peeled from the upper surface 104 to release the seal of the opening 116 for dispensing the contents of the dispenser, such as gloves, and then can be re - adhered to the upper surface 104 to reseal the opening 116. For example, a peelable sheet can be adhered by adhesion to the upper surface 104 of the dispenser body 102 inside the inner edge 126 of the rigid lid 120. The peelable sheet may be disposable or reusable. In other words, the peelable sheet may be configured as a disposable seal that is discarded after being peeled from the upper surface 104, or may be configured as a reusable seal that can be re - adhered to the upper surface 104 to reseal the opening 116.

[0041] Dispenser 100 is a crushable dispenser. For example, the crushable dispenser body 102 is formed from a flexible material such that the size of the dispenser shrinks as the contents of the dispenser (e.g., gloves) are dispensed and removed from the dispenser. For example, the dispenser body 102 can be formed from one or more elastomeric materials. In this embodiment, the elastomeric material forming the dispenser 100 can stretch to fit a plurality of contents (e.g., gloves) within the dispenser in a flexible manner. As gloves are removed from the dispenser 100, the elastomeric material shrinks until it is no longer under stress. This reduces the closed space of the dispenser and makes it possible to always minimize the space occupied by the dispenser 100. Since the elastomeric material has softness and flexibility, the dispenser can still maintain softness and flexibility even when the elastomeric material is no longer under stress. Thus, the dispenser 100 can be easily and conveniently carried in a handbag, diaper bag, medical kit, toolbox, etc. Also, the crushable dispenser 100 may be formed from a plastic or other material having softness and flexibility other than an elastomeric material. For example, a flexible plastic dispenser can shrink as the contents of the dispenser are removed, reducing the volume of air within the closed space of the dispenser. In one embodiment, the crushable dispenser may be formed from a shrink-wrapped material.

[0042] In addition or alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1 and described in further detail below, the crushable dispenser 100 includes one or more elastic straps 140 coupled to the dispenser body 102. The elastic straps 140 are configured to compress the dispenser body 102 to crush the dispenser as the contents of the dispenser are dispensed.

[0043] The elastic strap 140 includes a strap body 142 formed from an elastic material. For example, the elastic material includes natural rubber, synthetic rubber, isoprene, neoprene, or any combination thereof. The elastic strap 140 can be coupled to the dispenser body 102 and / or the rigid lid 120. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the elastic strap 140 can be coupled between the dispenser body 102 and the rigid lid 120 using, for example, an adhesive, a permanent joint, or any other suitable attachment means.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows one aspect of the elastic strap according to the present invention. The elastic strap 140 includes a strap body 142 and one or more strap coupling elements 144 coupled to the strap body 142. As shown in FIG. 2, the strap body 142 can have an elongated shape. And a first strap coupling element 144 and a second strap coupling element 144 are coupled to each end of the elongated strap body 142. The strap coupling element 144 has a coupling body portion 146 and one or more slots 148 formed in the coupling body portion 146. The one or more slots 148 are configured to be coupled to corresponding retaining elements 150. As shown in FIG. 2, the rigid lid 120 of the dispenser 100 has one or more retaining elements 150 configured to couple with the strap coupling element 144 for coupling the elastic strap 140 to the rigid lid 120 and hold the elastic strap 140. In another aspect of the present invention, the elastic strap 140 does not have an elongated shape, but can have a continuous loop shape or a circular shape as shown in FIGS. 13 - 14B and described in further detail below. When the elastic strap 140 has a continuous loop shape, the elastic strap 140 can optionally include one or more strap coupling elements 144.

[0045] Each of FIGS. 3A-10A and FIGS. 3B-10B shows an exemplary configuration of a rigid lid 120 having one or more retaining elements 150 configured to engage with and hold an elastic strap 140. As shown, FIGS. 3A-10A each show the movable lid portion 130 of the rigid lid 120 in an open state in various aspects, and FIGS. 3B-10B each show the movable lid portion 130 of the rigid lid 120 in a closed state in various aspects.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the retaining element 150 can include one or more outer tabs 152 extending from the outer edge 124 of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122. Also, as shown, the rigid outer peripheral portion 122 can have one or more outer recesses 154 extending in a direction from the outer edge 124 toward the inner edge 126. The outer tabs 152 extend from inside the outer recesses 154 or between the outer recesses 154. The slot 148 of the strap coupling element 144 can receive the outer tabs 152 inserted into the slot 148, thereby holding the strap coupling element 144 in a predetermined position relative to the lid 120. In another aspect, an elastic strap 140 having a loop shape can be inserted into the outer recess 154 and engaged with the outer tabs 152 to hold the loop-shaped elastic strap 140 (elastic band) in a predetermined position. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the rigid outer peripheral portion 122 can have two outer tabs 152 extending from opposite sides of the outer peripheral portion 122, for example, the left side and the right side of the outer peripheral portion 122.

[0047] Next, referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the retaining element 150 can include one or more inner tabs 156 extending from the inner edge 126 of the rigid outer periphery 122. Also, the upper surface of the rigid outer periphery 122 can have a recess 158 extending from the outer edge 124 to the inner edge 126. The recess 158 is configured to receive the strap coupling element 144 of the strap body 142 of the elastic strap 140 or to allow the strap coupling element 144 to be inserted to the inner edge 126. Thus, the strap coupling element 144 can be inserted through the recess 158 to the inner edge 126 and coupled to the inner tab 156. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the rigid outer periphery 122 can have two inner tabs 156 extending from opposite sides of the outer periphery 122, for example, the left side and the right side of the outer periphery 122.

[0048] Next, referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, FIGS. 7A and 7B, FIGS. 8A and 8B, FIGS. 9A and 9B, and FIGS. 10A and 10B, the retaining element 150 can include one or more slots 160 extending between the outer edge 124 and the inner edge 126 of the outer periphery 122. The slots 160 are configured to receive and hold the strap body 142 and / or the strap coupling element 144 of the elastic strap 140. In addition or alternatively, the slots 160 are configured to receive and hold an external coupling element, for example, a strap, a hook, a carabiner, a belt, or any other suitable coupling element configured to couple and hold to the dispenser 100.

[0049] For example, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the slot 160 can be formed as a generally elongated, for example, rectangular slot 160. The elongated slot 160 is configured to receive and hold the strap body 142 of the elastic strap 140.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the slot 160, which is the holding element 150, can be formed in a circular shape. Further, in the configuration shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the slot 160 is disposed along the same side of the outer peripheral portion 122, for example, at adjacent corners of the outer peripheral portion 122.

[0051] FIGS. 8A and 8B, FIGS. 9A and 9B, and FIGS. 10A and 10B show that the slot 160, which is the holding element 150, can be formed in a substantially elliptical shape. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B and FIGS. 9A and 9B, the rigid outer peripheral portion 122 can have two slots 160 on opposite sides of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122, for example, the left side and the right side of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122 as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, or the upper side and the lower side of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122 as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. The inventors have found that the elliptical slot 160 provides a versatile holding / attachment element suitable for holding / both attachment to the coupling body portion 146 of the elastic strap 140 and an external coupling element, such as a strap, hook, carabiner, belt, or any other suitable coupling element configured to couple and hold to the dispenser 100.

[0052] In some aspects of the present disclosure, as best shown in FIGS. 6A and FIGS. 10A and 10B, the holding element 150 can include a plurality of pairs of holding elements 150. Each pair of holding elements 150 can optionally be provided on opposite sides of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122. In such a configuration, the dispenser 100 can be optionally coupled and / or attached in a lateral or longitudinal direction via the rigid lid 120. For example, FIG. 6A shows a configuration in which a first pair of inner tabs 156 are provided on the left side and the right side of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122, and a second pair of inner tabs 156 are provided on the upper side and the lower side of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122. FIGS. 10A and 10B also show a similar configuration with slots 160, in which a first pair of slots 160 are provided on the left side and the right side of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122, and a second pair of slots are provided on the upper side and the lower side of the rigid outer peripheral portion 122.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 1, the crushable dispenser 100 is configured to be able to accommodate a stack of gloves 10. The stack of gloves 10 can have an S-shaped folding configuration folded twice per glove. In addition or alternatively, the stack of gloves 10 can have a folding configuration that is folded only once per glove (e.g., folded in a C shape). Or, the stack of gloves 10 can have a configuration where each glove is not folded, or a configuration where each glove is folded in any way. Alternatively, the crushable dispenser 100 can have any other configuration for accommodating a plurality of contents. For example, the crushable dispenser 100 can be configured to accommodate two gloves that are folded together only once to form a set and to dispense a set of gloves (i.e., two gloves) simultaneously.

[0054] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the dispenser 100 further includes an adhesive area 170 configured to assist in the dispensing of the glove 10. The adhesive area 170 is formed on the inner surface 172 of the movable lid portion 130 facing the opening 116 leading to the closed space of the dispenser body 102. Thus, when the movable lid portion 130 is in the closed state, the adhesive area 170 can contact the topmost glove 10 of the stacked gloves. And, as shown in FIG. 12, when the movable lid portion 130 is displaced from the open position (closed state) to the closed position (open state), the adhesive force of the adhesive area 170 that has contacted the topmost glove 10 can help pull the glove 10 out of the closed space. The adhesive area 170 can be formed from any suitable adhesive material that can be permanently adhered to the inner surface 172 of the rigid lid 120 and detachably adhered to the glove 10, whereby the glove 10 can be detached from the adhesive area 170 without compromising its integrity.

[0055] The present invention further includes a method of loading a dispenser with contents to form a dispensing assembly. For example, gloves can be loaded into the dispenser 100 to form a glove dispensing assembly. The method includes providing a pre-formed dispenser body 102, which optionally has a rigid lid 120 coupled thereto and has one open end (e.g., at the first edge 112 or the second edge 114). For example, the dispenser body 102 may be the dispenser body 102 shown in FIG. 1 described above. The pre-formed dispenser 100 has an opening 116 for dispensing the contents, and this opening 116 can be covered by the lid 120. When the dispenser body 102 is pre-formed, the opening 116 can be sealed or unsealed. Subsequently, the contents of the dispenser 100 are loaded into the dispenser 100 through the open end of the dispenser body 102. For example, a stack of folded gloves 10 can be loaded into the dispenser 100 through the open end of the first edge 112. In another embodiment, the gloves may be loaded into the dispenser without a specific folding configuration or may be loaded into the dispenser without being folded at all. Alternatively, separate folded gloves may be loaded into the dispenser without folding the gloves together. Next, after loading the contents (e.g., a stack of folded gloves) into the dispenser, the open end of the dispenser 100 is sealed and closed along the first edge 112. Also, if the opening 116 of the dispenser 100 has not yet been sealed, it is sealed with the lid 120 or another peelable and resealable seal.

[0056] In a method of loading a dispenser of a handbag dispensing assembly with contents, the elastic strap 140 can be coupled to the dispenser body 102 either before or after the contents, such as a handbag, are loaded into the closed space of the dispenser body 102. For example, in some aspects of the method, the elastic strap can be irreversibly coupled to the dispenser body 102 before loading the handbag into the dispenser body 102. In such a configuration, the elastic strap 140 can be in an extended state during loading of the handbag into the dispenser body 102. In other aspects of the method, the elastic strap 140 can be coupled to the dispenser 100, for example, by coupling the strap coupling element 144 of the elastic strap 140 to the retaining element 150 of the rigid lid 120, after loading the handbag into the dispenser.

[0057] When the elastic strap 140 is coupled to the dispenser 100 using the strap coupling element 144, the elastic strap 140 can be removed from the dispenser 100 and then reused later, if desired. The inventors have found that by using a reusable elastic strap 140 (elastic band), the crushability of the dispenser 100 can be improved to reduce the volume of the dispenser in order to improve the portability of the dispenser 100, thereby providing a cost-effective, versatile solution.

[0058] Figures 13 to 14B show an elastic strap 140 having a circular or continuous shape configured to surround the dispenser body 102. For example, as shown in Figure 13, the elastic strap 140 is configured to surround the dispenser body 102. Also, as shown in Figure 14A, the dispenser body 102 may be inserted into the opening 140a of the elastic strap 140 having a continuous shape. That is, as shown in Figure 13, the elastic strap 140 may be continuously wound around the dispenser body 102. Thus, in one embodiment, as shown in Figure 14B, the elastic strap 140 is configured to surround the dispenser body 102 and compress the dispenser body 102 as an article (such as a glove) is dispensed from the opening 116. Also, as shown in Figures 13 and 14A, openings such as slits 140b may be formed in the elastic strap 140. In such an embodiment, the slit 140b is configured to be aligned with the opening 116 of the dispenser body 102. In this configuration, the contents (such as gloves) of the dispenser 100 are dispensed through the opening 116 and the slit 140b. Thus, in one embodiment, the elastic strap 140 maintains the dispenser 100 tight and compact even while the contents are being dispensed from the opening 116. Additionally, in one embodiment, the elastic strap 140 can replace a conventional plastic and / or rigid lid.

[0059] This specification discloses the content of the present invention including the best mode using examples, and enables those skilled in the art to practice the present invention (including the fabrication and use of any device or system and the practice of any method incorporated in the described content). The patented technical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims in the claims, and other embodiments conceivable by those skilled in the art may also be included therein. Such other embodiments shall be within the technical scope specified by those claims if they include components that are not different from the language of each claim, or if they include equivalent components that are not substantially different from the language of each claim.

Claims

1. A crushable dispenser, comprising: a dispenser body formed of a flexible material, including a top, a bottom, and at least one side defining a closed space having a predetermined volume; an opening provided in the top, the bottom, or the at least one side of the dispenser body, communicating with the closed space; an elastic strap coupled to the dispenser body; wherein the dispenser is configured to be crushed as the contents contained therein are dispensed.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising: a rigid lid, wherein the rigid lid includes a rigid outer periphery coupled to the top, the bottom, or the at least one side of the dispenser body, and a movable lid portion coupled to the rigid outer periphery; wherein the rigid outer periphery includes at least one retaining element configured to engage with the elastic strap to hold the elastic strap.

3. The dispenser according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one retaining element includes a tab extending from an edge of the rigid outer periphery.

4. The dispenser according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one retaining element includes a pair of retaining elements provided on first and second opposite sides of the rigid outer periphery.

5. The dispenser according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one retaining element includes at least one recess formed on a surface of the rigid outer periphery and configured to allow the elastic strap to pass therethrough.

6. The dispenser according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one retaining element includes at least one slot formed through the rigid outer periphery between an outer edge and an inner edge of the rigid outer periphery and configured to receive and hold an elastic band or an external strap or hook.

7. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: the elastic strap includes an elongated body portion extending from a first end to a second end; and strap coupling elements are provided at each of the first end and the second end.

8. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic strap can assume an extended state and a relaxed state, the elastic strap is coupled to the dispenser body in the extended state and is configured to change to the relaxed state as the contents of the dispenser are dispensed, a dispenser configured such that as the contents of the dispenser are dispensed and the elastic strap changes to the relaxed state, the size of the dispenser body decreases and the volume of the closed space decreases.

9. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the elastic strap includes an elastic ring configured to surround the dispenser body, the elastic ring being configured to cover the opening, a dispenser.

10. The dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the elastic ring includes a slit aligned with the opening of the dispenser body and is configured such that the contents of the dispenser are dispensed through the slit, a dispenser.

11. A glove dispensing assembly, a crushable dispenser, including a top, a bottom, and at least one side defining a closed space having a predetermined volume and formed of a flexible material, a dispenser body, and a resealable opening provided in the top, the bottom, or the at least one side of the dispenser body and communicating with the closed space, the dispenser; a stack of folded gloves, each glove having a fingertip end and a cuff end, the stack of gloves including a leading glove and a plurality of subsequent gloves, the stack of gloves; wherein the stack of gloves is housed within the closed space of the dispenser body, the dispenser being configured to be crushed as the gloves in the stack of gloves housed within the closed space are dispensed, thereby reducing the volume of the closed space, an assembly.

12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the dispenser further includes a lid for sealing the opening, an assembly.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the lid has an adhesive region on its inner surface, an assembly.

14. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the lid includes a single piece of rigid material, The single piece of rigid material has an outer peripheral portion coupled to the flexible material and a movable portion configured to be displaceable between an open position exposing the opening and a closed position covering the opening. The movable portion of the lid is a cut-out portion of the single piece of rigid material, the assembly.

15. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the flexible material is exposed within the outer peripheral portion of the lid when the movable portion is in the open position, the assembly.

16. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein the movable portion has a cantilever snap, and the outer peripheral portion has a slot corresponding to the cantilever snap configured to lock the cantilever snap in a predetermined position in the closed position, the assembly.

17. The assembly according to claim 11, further comprising an elastic strap coupled to the dispenser body, wherein the elastic strap is configured to compress the dispenser, the assembly.

18. The assembly according to claim 11, further comprising an attachment element provided on the dispenser body, wherein the attachment element is configured to attach the dispenser to a surface, the assembly.

19. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the attachment element includes an adhesive region having an adhesive material configured to adhere to the surface, the assembly.

20. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the dispenser includes an elongated portion including the attachment element, and the attachment element has one or more insertion holes configured to be held through a belt or other accessory, the assembly.

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