Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BATTERY STRIP DISPENSER
BACKGROUND QF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to battery packaging and, more
particularly, to
an apparatus for dispensing packaged batteries to consumers.
Electrochemical cells, also commonly referred to as batteries, are widely
employed to
supply voltage for various types of electrically operated devices,
particularly for widespread use
in portable electrically operated devices. Batteries are commercially
available in industry-
recognized standard shapes and sizes, including D-, C-, AA-, and AAA-size
cylindrical, single-
cell alkaline batteries. Batteries of the same size are usually made available
to consumers for
to purchase in a package containing a predetermined number of batteries.
Currently, batteries are
displayed and sold in blister packs which contain two, four, or eight
batteries commonly
packaged in each blister pack. The blister pack generally contains a blister
of plastic into which
a predetermined number of batteries are disposed and the blister sealed to a
paper card.
Additionally, each blister pack typically has a loop so that the package can
be hung on a hook
on a plastic or wire display stand in a retail store for display and purchase
by a consumer.
According to known conventional packaging arrangements, the consumer is
typically
required to purchase a predetermined number of batteries as made available in
each package,
despite the consumer's desire to purchase a different number of batteries. For
example, a
consumer needing only three batteries is typically required to purchase four
batteries, since a
2o battery package of three batteries is usually not available. As a
consequence, the consumer has
to purchase an extra battery which may not be used for a long period of time,
and potentially
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may never be used, thereby resulting in wasted expenditure and energy. In
addition, the
conventional battery packages usually require a relatively large amount of
space to hang the
individual packages for display and purchase by consumers.
It is a primary concern to distribute batteries for display and purchase in a
package that
s protects the batteries from premature discharge and keeps out moisture which
could cause
corrosion and damage, and yet consuming a minimal amount of space.
Accordingly, it is
therefore desirable to provide for a battery packaging arrangement that makes
available to the
consumer the ability to purchase various combinations of batteries. It is
further desirable to
provide such a means for dispensing batteries for purchase by a consumer while
efficiently
io utilizing the available amount of space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides flexibility to the consumer so as to allow for
the purchase
of various user-selectable combinations of batteries, while e~ciently
utilizing space available
to distribute and display batteries made available for purchase. To achieve
this and other
15 advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention as
embodied and
described herein, the present invention provides a battery strip dispenser for
dispensing batteries
in user-selectable numbers. The battery strip dispenser includes a dispensing
mechanism and
a battery packaging strip containing a plurality of batteries preferably
packaged in flexible
packaging material. The battery packaging strip includes a plurality of
connected packages each
2o containing a battery and has perforations formed in the packaging material
between adjacent
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battery packages. The battery strip is provided in the dispensing mechanism
and is easily
dispensed from the dispensing mechanism by a consumer. The packaged batteries
can be
separated apart from other batteries in the strip in user-selected numbers by
tearing off the
desired number of batteries from the strip at the perforations.
5 These and other features, objects, and benefits of the invention will be
recognized by
those who practice the invention and by those skilled in the art, from reading
the following
specification and claims, together with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
to FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery strip dispensing apparatus for
dispensing
batteries in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one battery dispensing unit of the battery strip
dispensing
apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery dispensing unit taken through
lines just
15 inside the side wall;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial view of the battery packaging strip containing
individually
packaged batteries according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the battery packaging strip taken through
lines V-V
of FIG. 3;
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FIG. 6 is a side view of a battery packaging strip according to an alternate
embodiment
of the present invention; and
FIGS. 7a and 7b are cross-sectional views of a battery dispensing unit having
the battery
packaging strip housed in a folded, overlapping arrangement, according to an
alternate
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FiG. 1, a battery strip dispensing apparatus 10 is
illustrated, which is
particularly useful for display and easy dispensing of batteries in a retail
store. The battery strip
dispensing apparatus 10 as shown therein includes four individual battery
dispensing units 12,
io 14, 16, and 18, all housed within a common housing of apparatus 10. Battery
dispensing unit
12 preferably contains and dispenses one dedicated-type and size of battery,
such as the standard
cylindrical alkaline AAA-size battery, which is well-known throughout the
industry. Likewise,
battery dispensing units 14, 16, and 18 may contain and dispense other size
batteries, such as
the industry recognized standard cylindrical alkaline AA-, C-, and D-size
batteries, respectively.
is Although a four-unit battery dispensing apparatus 10 is shown and described
herein, in
accordance with dispensing AAA-, AA-, C-, and D-size alkaline batteries, it
should be
appreciated that the teachings of the present invention are not intended to be
limited to the
embodiments shown.
The battery strip dispensing apparatus 10 includes a generally rectangular
container
2o housing each of the individual battery dispensing units 12, 14, 16, and 18,
with dispensing units
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12, 14, 16, and 18 having corresponding covers 22, 24, 26, and 28,
respectively. Each of
covers 22, 24, 26, and 28 pivots at one end and is fastened via a fastener
means, such as a Latch
20, at the other end, as shown with respect to cover 22. Accordingly, each
cover, such as cover
22, may be opened to allow access to a roll dispenser 30 housed within the
corresponding
dispensing unit. Easy access via covers 22, 24, 26, and 28 enables a battery
supplier, such as
a battery manufacturer, distributor, or retail sales stock person, to easily
replenish the supply
of batteries to each of the battery dispensing units. It should also be
appreciated that the covers
22, 24, 26, and 28 may include a locking mechanism to limit access to the
inside of dispensing
apparatus 10 to authorized personnel only.
1o Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, one dispensing unit 12 and its corresponding
roll dispenser
30 are shown in greater detail having parallel sidewalls 36 and 38 provided on
opposite sides,
and an outer radial cover 37. The roll dispenser 30 has an inner cylindrical
roller 32 which has
a central cylindrical opening 34 for matingly engaging an axle (not shown)
such that roller 32
is rotatable about the axle. As particularly shown in FIG. 3, a battery
packaging strip 40 is
wound around roller 32 repeatedly to provide multiple overlapping layers of
batteries in a spiral-
wound arrangement. The roll dispenser 30 has an outlet passage provided in
outer radial cover
37 that allows an outer extending tongue portion of battery packaging strip 40
to extend
therefrom. The dispensing unit further includes a tear edge S6 extending out
from below the
outlet passage for aiding in tearing apart adjacent battery packages at the
dividing perforation.
2o In operation, a user, such as a consumer, may grab hold of the outer-
extending tongue portion
of battery packaging strip 40 and pull it so as to unroll the battery
packaging strip 40 from roller
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32 to thereby dispense batteries from the battery dispensing unit. The user
may then tear off
a selected number of batteries with the corresponding individual battery
packages 42 by
separating the battery packages 42 from the battery packaging strip 40,
preferably at the desired
dividing perforation 50.
With particular reference to FIG. 4, the battery packaging strip 40 is shown
in greater
detail to include a plurality of series connected individual battery packages
42A, 42B, 42C, etc.
Each of the individual battery packages, such as battery package 42A,
preferably includes one
individually packaged battery, such as battery 44A, packaged with a thin layer
of plastic on the
top and bottom sides which effectively seals the packaged battery from
moisture and prevents
to premature discharge caused by contact with conductive surfaces. A thin
paper layer is disposed
in the plastic layers and around the sides of the battery. The thin paper
layer may include
battery manufacture and use information relating to the battery, as should be
evident in the art.
In addition, a weakened package portion, such as notch 48A with perforations,
is provided in
each of the individual packages at a tear location so as to provide a weakened
point to allow a
1s user, such as a consumer, to easily open the individual package to remove
the battery 44A from
its packaging materials.
As shown more closely in FIG. 5, the battery packaging strip 40 has a first
layer of thin
plastic 54 provided on one side of the individual batteries 44B-44D. According
to one
embodiment, plastic layer 54 provides a substantially flat planar surface that
flexes as the battery
2o packaging strip 40 is rolled and unrolled. A second thin layer of plastic
52 is provided on the
opposite side of batteries 44A-44D, and wraps around a substantial portion of
the batteries. The
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thin paper layer 46B, 46C, and 46D is disposed between the thin plastic layers
54 and S2 and,
according to the embodiment shown, has an opening into which the battery is
disposed. It should
be appreciated that plastic layers S2 and 54, as well as paper layer 46, flex
as the battery
packaging strip 40 is rolled and unrolled.
According to a second embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the battery packaging strip
40' may
be provided with the batteries 44 disposed centrally between the thin plastic
layers 52 and 54.
According to this embodiment, plastic layer 52 provides a semi-cylindrical
covering over
approximately one-half of the batteries 44, while the other thin plastic layer
S4 likewise provides
a thin, semi-cylindrical cover over approximately the other one-half of the
batteries 44.
io According to this arrangement, the battery packaging strip 40' may be
wrapped in multiple,
overlapping layers, around roller 32, so that the batteries 44 compactly
conform to allow
maximum utilization of volume available within the battery roll dispenser 30.
In doing so,
batteries 44 on adjacent layers of battery packaging strip 40' are serially
offset from adjacent
batteries in adjacent portions of the strip, and thus conform in place such
that a battery on one
is layer is disposed between two batteries on an adjacent layer so as to
maximize volume
utilization.
Referring to FIGS. 7a and 7b, an alternate dispensing unit 60 is shown,
provided without
a roll dispensing mechanism, and instead having a rectangular volume within
which the battery
packaging strip 40 is folded back and forth in a folded, overlapping
arrangement. According
2o to this embodiment, the dispensing unit 60 includes a generally rectangular
housing 62 having
an openable cover 64 and a battery outlet passage 66. The battery packaging
strip 40 is
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generally housed within rectangular housing 62 and has one end extending
through outlet passage
66. A tear edge 68 is provided along the bottom edge of outlet passage 66 to
allow a consumer
to tear apart adjoining battery cell packages 42 along the selected
perforation 50. It should be
appreciated that dispensing unit 60 houses battery packaging strip 40 such
that battery strip 40
s overlaps in a folded manner, preferably with the flat sides of battery strip
40 adjacent and
abutting each other, and with the batteries 44 on the other side preferably
interposed between
adjacent batteries 44 on the abutting adjacent layer. Accordingly, the user
may easily pull the
outer extending tongue portion of battery packaging strip 40 extending out of
outlet passage 66
to remove a length of battery strip 40 and tear apart a desired number of
battery packages 42,
1o preferably along a perforation and with the use of tear edge 68.
Accordingly, the battery dispenser 10 of the present invention enables a
consumer to
easily dispense and purchase a user-selectable number of batteries 44 as are
so needed. In
addition, the batteries 44 are contained in a packaging strip 40 that is
housed in a compact, easy
to use dispensing mechanism. At the same time, the batteries remain sealed
individually to
1s prevent moisture from entering the package and preventing premature battery
discharge and
other damage to the batteries. Further, the individual roll dispensers 30 may
be easily changed
or refilled with a new supply of batteries to achieve rapid changeover for
retailers offering the
batteries for sale.
To further aid in the dispensing of batteries, the battery dispensing units
may further
2o include additional means for aiding in unrolling and dispensing the battery
strip 40. According
to one embodiment, a rotary handle could be attached to roller 32 so as to
allow a potential
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customer to actuate the handle to rotate the roller so as to aid in battery
strip dispensing.
According to another embodiment, the dispensing unit 30 could be equipped with
an electric
motor accompanied with a controller, such as a processor-based controller, and
user input
interface. With this embodiment, a potential customer can input the desired
number of batteries
s via the user input interface, while the processor or other control device
controls the motor such
that the motor rotates the roller 32 so as to dispense the programmed number
of batteries. With
this approach, a user-selectable number of batteries can be dispensed, and
thereafter a single
price tag or scanning code can be attached to the user-selected group of
dispensed batteries.
While the battery dispensing apparatus has been shown and described herein
with
to dispensing units for dispensing individually packaged batteries, it should
be appreciated that
various combinations of batteries could be packaged together within the
individual battery
packages. This would enable a consumer to select for dispensing a selectable
number of groups
of commonly packaged batteries. Additionally, each packaging unit or certain
packaging units
could include battery accessories, such as a battery tester commonly packaged
with a battery
1s within a battery package. Examples of battery testers are disclosed in
issued U.S. Patent
Nos. 4,702,563 and 4,723,6s6, both of which are hereby incorporated by
reference. Each
battery 44 could also contain a battery testing strip on the battery, such as
provided on the label.
One example of such a battery testing strip contained on the battery label is
disclosed in allowed
U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/634,071, filed April 1996, with which
the issue fee has
2o been paid. The aforementioned allowed application is also hereby
incorporated by reference.
The thin plastic layers s2 and s4 surrounding each battery may easily flex,
thereby allowing a
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potential customer to depress the battery tester strip button on the label to
check if that particular
battery is fresh. This is particularly useful to customers who are deciding
whether to purchase
that particular battery. Further, other accessories which may be packaged with
the batteries may
include a replacement anode as well as other accessories.
It will be understood by those who practice the invention and those skilled in
the art, that
various modifications and improvements may be made to the invention without
departing from
the spirit of the disclosed concept. The scope of protection afforded is to be
determined by the
claims and by the breadth of interpretation allowed by law.
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