Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PRODUCT DISPENSING SYSTEM WITH TAPERED CATCH ELEMENT
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of United States
application serial
number 13/453,538 filed on April 23, 2012, which is a is a continuation-in-
part of U.S. Ser.
No. 12/985,658 filed on January 6, 2011 (pending), which is a continuation of
U.S. Ser. No.
12/777,444 (now U.S. Patent No. 7,922,437) filed on May 11, 2010, which is a
non-
provisional of U.S. Ser. No. 61/263,767 (expired) filed on November 23, 2009;
all of the
above applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their respective
entireties.
FIELD
[0002] This application relates to the dispensing of products from packaging
containers
and, more particularly, to product dispensers configured to cooperate with
packaging
containers to dispense products.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Products are typically shipped to retailers in bulk by enclosing
multiple individual
product units in a container, such as a carton or box. For example, canned
foods may be
shipped to a retailer in a box containing twenty-four individual cans. Then,
it is typically the
retailer's obligation to remove the individual product units from the
container and present
them to consumers.
[0004] Alternatives to the traditional package-ship-unpack-display model are
being
developed in an effort to improve operating efficiency. For example, U.S.
Patent No.
7,922,437 to Loftin et al. discloses a new system for dispensing and
displaying products
packaged in a container. Specifically, the system includes a frame having a
support structure,
a product display area and an opening tool. The frame may be positioned on a
retailer's shelf
and loaded with product simply by placing a container comprising multiple
units of product
onto the support structure of the frame. As the container is being placed onto
the support
structure, the opening tool of the frame opens the container in such a manner
that products
roll from the container and down to the product display area of the frame
under the force of
gravity.
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[0005] As another example, U.S. Patent App. Ser. No. 13/032,734 filed by
Gelardi et al.
discloses a product dispensing system that utilizes an opening tool having a
catch element
that engages and opens a container as the container is loaded onto the
dispenser, and then
guides the container to avoid interference between the dispensing products and
the open
container.
[0006] Despite advances already made in the field, those skilled in the art
continue with
research and development efforts directed to apparatus and systems for
dispensing products
from packaging containers.
SUMMARY
[0007] In one aspect, the disclosed product dispensing system may include a
dispenser
having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the dispenser
including a first
support deck extending at least partially between the front end and the rear
end, a catch
element connected proximate the first support deck, the catch element
including a rear end
and a forward-most end longitudinally opposed from the rear end of the catch
element,
wherein the rear end of the catch element has a first lateral width and the
forward-most end
has a second lateral width, the second lateral width being substantially less
than the first
lateral width, and a second support deck positioned below the first support
deck, the second
support defining a product display area.
[0008] In another aspect, the disclosed product dispensing system may include
a dispenser
having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the dispenser
including a first
support deck extending at least partially between the front end and the rear
end, a catch
element connected proximate the first support deck, the catch element
including a front edge,
wherein the front edge is tapered to a forward-most end, and a second support
deck
positioned below the first support deck, the second support defining a product
display area
[0009] In another aspect, the disclosed product dispensing system may include
a dispenser
frame having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the dispenser
frame
including a support deck extending at least partially between the front end
and the rear end,
the support deck having an upper surface and defining a channel below the
upper surface, the
channel having an entrance opening and an exit opening, a catch element
connected to the
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dispenser frame proximate the entrance opening, and a container positioned on
the support
deck, wherein a portion of the container is engaged with the catch element.
[0010] In another aspect, the disclosed product dispensing system may include
a dispenser
frame having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the dispenser
frame
including an upper support deck extending at least partially between the front
and rear ends
and having an upper surface and defining a channel below the upper surface,
the channel
having an entrance opening and an exit opening, wherein the exit opening opens
toward the
rear end of the dispenser frame, a lower support deck positioned below the
upper support
deck, wherein the dispenser frame defines an opening sized to allow product
passage from
the upper support deck down to the lower support deck, a catch element
connected to the
dispenser frame proximate the entrance opening of the channel, and a container
that defines a
weakening feature, the container being positioned on the upper support deck
such that the
catch element engages the weakening feature, wherein the catch element pierces
and
separates the weakening feature to define an opening into the container.
[0011] In yet another aspect, disclosed is a method for dispensing products
from a container
using a dispenser. The method may include the steps of (1) providing a
dispenser including a
frame having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the frame
including an
upper support deck having an upper surface and extending at least partially
between the front
end and the rear end, and a lower support deck positioned below the upper
support deck, the
lower support deck defining a product display area, wherein the frame defines
a first opening,
and a catch element connected to the frame; (2) providing a container that
defines a
weakening feature and initially houses a plurality of products; (3) urging the
container along
the upper support deck from the front end toward the rear end such that the
catch element
engages the weakening feature and separates an access panel from the container
to form a
second opening, the separated access panel being directed below the upper
surface and
toward the rear end; and (4) aligning the second opening with the first
opening such that at
least one product of the plurality of products moves from the container to the
product display
area, wherein the product interacts with the separated access panel as the
product moves to
the product display area.
[0012] Other aspects of the disclosed product dispensing system will become
apparent from
the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the appended
claims.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a front and side perspective view of one aspect of the
disclosed product
dispensing system.
[0014] FIG. 2A is a bottom and side perspective view of the container of the
product
dispensing system of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 2B is a bottom and side perspective view of the container of FIG.
2A, shown
with a force applied to pierce perforations.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a side and bottom perspective view of the container of FIG.
2B, shown in
an opened configuration.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a container blank that may be used to form
the container
of FIG. 2A.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, in section, of the dispenser of the
product
dispensing system of FIG. 1.
[0019] FIG. 6A is a top plan view of the catch element of the dispenser of
FIG. 5.
[0020] FIG. 6B is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the
disclosed catch
element.
[0021] FIG. 7A is a side elevational view, in section, of an alternative
embodiment of the
disclosed dispenser.
[0022] FIG. 7B is a detailed side elevational view, in section, of a portion
of the dispenser
shown in FIG. 7A.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view, in section, of the dispenser of FIG.
5, shown with a
container in a first, partially loaded configuration.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, in section, of the dispenser of FIG.
8, shown with
the container in a second, fully loaded configuration.
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[0025] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view, in section, of the dispenser of
FIG. 9, shown
dispensing products.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, one aspect of the disclosed product dispensing
system,
generally designated 10, may include a dispenser 12 and a container 14. The
container 14
may house multiple units of product 16. The container 14 may be loaded onto
the dispenser
12 by urging the container 14 generally horizontally along the dispenser 12.
As the container
14 is urged along the dispenser 12, the dispenser 12 may engage and open the
container 14,
thereby releasing the products 16 from the container 14 to the dispenser 12
without the
container 14 interfering with movement of the products 16 from the container
14 and through
the dispenser 12.
[0027] The container 14 may be any container capable of housing products 16
and
beneficially interacting with the disclosed dispenser 12. For example, the
container 14 may
be a paperboard carton or a corrugated box.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 2A, the container 14 may be a generally rectilinear
container
having six walls 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 that define an internal volume 30 for
receiving the
products 16 (FIGS. 9 and 10). Opposed walls 18 and 20 may define the front and
rear walls,
respectively, of the container 14. Opposed walls 22 and 24 may define the
first (e.g., left)
and second (e.g., right) side walls, respectively, of the container 14.
Opposed walls 26 and
28 may define the base and upper walls, respectively, of the container 14.
[0029] A first weakening feature 34 may generally horizontally extend from the
edge 52
between the base wall 26 and the left side wall 22 toward the edge 56 between
the base wall
26 and the right side wall 24 of the container 14. The first weakening feature
34 may be
formed in the base wall 26 proximate the edge 44 between the base wall 26 and
the rear wall
20.
[0030] The first weakening feature 34 may facilitate the separation of a
portion of the base
wall 26 from the rest of the container 14, as shown in FIG. 3. In a first
implementation, the
first weakening feature 34 may be formed as a row of perforations. For
example, the first
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weakening feature 34 may be formed as a row of standard perforations, as a row
of micro
perforations or as a row of zipper-like cuts. In a second implementation, the
first weakening
feature 34 may be formed by scoring the container 14. In a third
implementation, the first
weakening feature 34 may be formed by creasing the container 14. Other
techniques useful
for forming the second and third weakening features 50, 54 will become
apparent to those
skilled in the art.
[0031] A second weakening feature 50 may generally longitudinally extend from
the first
weakening feature 34 toward the front wall 18 of the container 14. The second
weakening
feature 50 may be formed in the base wall 26 proximate the edge 52 between the
base wall 26
and the left side wall 22.
[0032] A third weakening feature 54 may generally longitudinally extend from
the first
weakening feature 34 toward the front wall 18 of the container 14, and may be
laterally
spaced from the second weakening feature 50. The third weakening feature 54
may be
formed in the base wall 26 proximate the edge 56 between the base wall 26 and
the right side
wall 24.
[0033] The longitudinal length of the second and third weakening features 50,
54 may be
dictated by the size (e.g., the diameter) of the products 16 housed in the
container 14. As one
example, the second and third weakening features 50, 54 may extend along at
least 5 percent
of the length of the edge 52. As another example, the second and third
weakening features
50, 54 may extend along at least 10 percent of the length of the edge 52. As
another example,
the second and third weakening features 50, 54 may extend along at least 20
percent of the
length of the edge 52. As yet another example, the second and third weakening
features 50,
54 may extend along at least 30 percent of the length of the edge 52.
[0034] The second and third weakening features 50, 54 may facilitate the
separation of a
portion of the base wall 26 from the rest of the container 14, as shown in
FIG. 3. In a first
implementation, the second and third weakening features 50, 54 may be formed
as rows of
perforations. For example, the second and third weakening features 50, 54 may
be formed as
rows of standard perforations, as rows of micro perforations or as rows of
zipper-like cuts. In
a second implementation, the second and third weakening features 50, 54 may be
formed by
scoring the container 14. In a third implementation, the second and third
weakening features
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50, 54 may be formed by creasing the container 14. Other techniques useful for
forming the
second and third weakening features 50, 54 will become apparent to those
skilled in the art.
[0035] Thus, a force F (FIG. 2B) applied to the base wall 26 at the first
weakening feature
34 may separate the base wall 26 along the length of the weakening feature,
and then partially
separate a portion of the base wall 26 from the container 14 along the second
and third
weakening features 50, 54 to form an access panel 58, as shown in FIG. 3. As
the first
weakening feature 34 facilitates the separation of the access panel 58 from
the remainder of
the container 14, the size of the access panel 58 may be significantly
increased, thereby
forming an access opening 60 in the container 14. The access opening 60 may
allow the
products 16 housed in the container 14 to be dispensed from the container 14
and, ultimately,
into the dispenser 12 when the container 14 is loaded on the dispenser 12.
[0036] Optionally, one or more preformed fold lines 62 (FIG. 3) may laterally
extend
across the base wall 26 to encourage the access panel 58 to pivot relative to
the base wall 26
of the container 14. Preformed fold lines 62 may reduce or eliminate the
possibility that the
access panel 58 will randomly fold or bunch-up as the access panel 58 is
formed.
[0037] The container 14 may be formed from a paperboard container blank, such
as the
paperboard container blank 70 shown in FIG. 4. The container blank 70 may
include a
plurality of pre-formed fold lines 72, 73, 75, 77, 78, 79 that define the
front wall 18
(comprised of front wall panels 18A, 18B, 18C and 18D), the rear wall 20
(comprised of rear
wall panels 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D), the left side wall 22, the right side wall
24, the base
wall 26, the upper wall 28 and sealing panel 71.
[0038] The container 14 may be assembled by folding the container blank 70
along the
longitudinal fold lines 72, 73, 75, 78 and connecting the upper wall 28 to the
sealing panel 71
to form the three-dimensional body of the container 14. Then, the front wall
panels 18A,
18B, 18C, 18D may be assembled to form the front wall 18 of the container 14.
Finally, the
rear wall panels 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D may be assembled to form the rear wall 20
of the
container 14.
[0039] The container blank 70 may be formed from a paperboard-based material,
such as
C1S paperboard, which may have a coating (e.g., clay) on a first major surface
thereof, which
may form the outer surface 74 (FIG. 1) of the container 14, and an uncoated
second major
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surface. As another example, the paperboard-based material may be C2S
paperboard, which
may have a coating (e.g., clay) on both major surfaces thereof. Optionally, at
least one major
surface of the container blank may be marked with various indicia 76 (FIG. 1),
such as
printed text and/or graphics.
[0040] While a specific paperboard container blank 70 is shown and described,
those
skilled in the art will appreciate that various techniques and materials may
be used to form
the container 14. Folded paperboard containers are only one specific and non-
limiting
example of the disclosed container 14.
[0041] Various products 16 having various shapes and configurations may be
housed in the
container 14 and dispensed by the disclosed product dispensing system 10.
Suitable products
16 include cans (e.g., canned soup or pet food), jars (e.g., jarred sauce) or
bottles (e.g., bottled
soft drinks).
[0042] Referring to FIG. 5, the dispenser 12 may include a frame 80 and a
catch element
82. The frame 80 of the dispenser 12 may support the container 14 in a desired
configuration, such as a slightly declined, but generally horizontal
configuration, as shown in
FIGS. 1, 9 and 10. As the container 14 is generally horizontally urged along
the dispenser 12
to the configuration shown in FIGS. 1, 9 and 10, the catch element 82 may
engage the first
weakening feature 34 (FIG. 2B) in the container 14 to separate the access
panel 58 (FIG. 3)
from the container 14, as is described in greater detail herein.
[0043] The frame 80 may include a first (e.g., right) side wall 84, a second
(e.g., left) side
wall 86, a first (e.g., upper) support deck 88 and a second (e.g., lower)
support deck 90. The
right side wall 84 may be laterally spaced from the left side wall 86, and may
be generally
parallel with the left side wall 86. The frame 80 may include a first (e.g.,
front) end 92 and a
second (e.g., rear) end 94 longitudinally opposed from the first end 92.
[0044] The lower support deck 90 may laterally extend between the right 84 and
left 86
side walls, and may include a front end 96 that longitudinally extends toward
the front end 92
of the frame 80 and a rear end 98 that longitudinally extends toward the rear
end 94 of the
frame 80. Therefore, the lower support deck 90 and the side walls 84, 86 may
define a lower
level 100 of the frame 80.
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[0045] The lower support deck 90 may be inclined from the front end 96 to the
rear end 98
(i.e., the rear end 98 may be elevated relative to the front end 96) such that
products 16
deposited proximate the rear end 98 of the lower support deck 90 roll down to
the front end
96 of the lower support deck 90 under the force of gravity. The extent of the
incline of the
lower support deck 90 may be dictated by, among other things, the coefficient
of friction of
the material used to form the frame 80 and the shape of the products 16 to be
dispensed by
the dispenser 12.
[0046] A stop 102 may be positioned proximate the front end 96 of the lower
support deck
90 to prevent products 16 from rolling beyond the front end 96 of the lower
support deck 90.
For example, the stop 102 may be connected to (e.g., integral with) the lower
support deck
90, and may form an upward curve at the front end 96 of the lower support deck
90.
Therefore, the stop 102 may collect products 16 at the front end 96 of the
lower support deck
90, thereby defining a product display area 104 at the front end 96 of the
lower support deck
90.
[0047] The upper support deck 88 may laterally extend between the right 84 and
left 86
side walls, and may include a front end 106 that longitudinally extends toward
the front end
92 of the frame 80 and a rear end 108 that longitudinally extends toward, but
not to, the rear
end 94 of the frame 80. Therefore, the upper support deck 88 and the side
walls 84, 86 may
define an upper level 110 of the frame 80.
[0048] The spacing between the rear end 108 of the upper support deck 88 and
the rear end
94 of the frame 80 may define an opening 112, which may function as a chute to
allow
products 16 to move from the upper level 110 to the lower level 100 of the
frame 80. When
the container 14 is in the fully loaded configuration on the dispenser 12, as
shown in FIGS. 9
and 10, the access opening 60 (FIG. 3) in the container 14 may be aligned with
the opening
112 (FIG. 5) defined by the frame 80.
[0049] The upper support deck 88 may be declined from the front end 106 to the
rear end
108 (i.e., the front end 106 may be elevated relative to the rear end 108).
Therefore, products
16 supported on the upper support deck 88 may roll under the force of gravity
down to the
rear end 108 of the upper support deck 88, through the opening 112, to the
lower level 100 of
the frame 80 and, ultimately, to the product display area 104.
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[0050] An optional rear wall 114 may be positioned proximate the rear end 94
of the frame
80 between the right 84 and left 86 side walls. The rear wall 114 may serve as
a stop that
inhibits rearward horizontal movement of the container 14 (FIG. 1) along the
upper support
deck 88 beyond the rear wall 114.
[0051] An optional guide 116 may be connected to the rear wall 114 of the
frame 80, and
may extend through the opening 112 in the frame 80, from the upper level 110
to the lower
level 100. The guide 116 may be a ramp-like structure, and may be positioned
to receive
products 16 exiting the container 14 and passing through the opening 112 in
the frame 80,
and may guide the products 16 to the rear end 98 of the lower support deck 90.
[0052] The catch element 82 may be positioned between the front end 106 and
the rear end
108 of the upper support deck 88. For example, the catch element 82 may be
positioned
proximate the rear end 108 of the upper support deck 88.
[0053] The catch element 82 may laterally extend between the side walls 84, 86
of the
frame 80, and may longitudinally protrude toward the front end 92 of the frame
80. The
specific size and shape of the catch element 82 may depend on, among other
things, the size
and shape of the first weakening feature 34 in the container 14.
[0054] Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the catch element 82 may include a rear
end 83 and a
forward-most end 85, and the forward-most end 85 may be longitudinally spaced
from the
rear end 83. The rear end 83 of the catch element 82 may have a lateral width
WR, which
may laterally extend between the side walls 84, 86 of the frame 80, and the
forward-most end
85 may have a lateral width WF (Fig. 6B), which may laterally extend between
the side walls
84, 86 of the frame 80. The lateral width WF of the forward-most end 85 may be
substantially less than the lateral width WR of the rear end 83.
[0055] In one expression, the lateral width WF of the forward-most end 85 may
be at most
50 percent of the lateral width WR of the rear end 83. In another expression,
the lateral width
WF of the forward-most end 85 may be at most 25 percent of the lateral width
WR of the rear
end 83. In another expression, the lateral width WF of the forward-most end 85
may be at
most 10 percent of the lateral width WR of the rear end 83. In another
expression, the lateral
width WF of the forward-most end 85 may be at most 5 percent of the lateral
width WR of the
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rear end 83. In yet another expression, the lateral width WF of the forward-
most end 85 may
be at most 1 percent of the lateral width WR of the rear end 83.
[0056] In one construction, shown in FIG. 6A, the catch element 82 may have a
generally
pentagonal (or, alternatively, a generally triangular) shape in plan view, and
may include the
rear end 83 and front edges 87, 89. The rear end 83 of the catch element 82
may be
positioned proximate the rear end 108 of the upper support deck 88, as shown
in FIG. 5. The
front edges 87, 89 of the catch element 82 may be tapered from the rear end
83, and may
terminate at a generally pointed forward-most end 85 that longitudinally
protrudes toward the
front end 92 of the frame 80 (FIG. 5).
[0057] The pointed forward-most end 85 may be generally sharp or sufficiently
pointed so
as to pierce and separate the first weakening feature 34 of the container 14
when it is
positioned according to FIGS. 1, 9 and 10, as described herein. Optionally,
the front edges
87, 89 may also be sharpened so as to facilitate separation of the first
weakening feature 34 of
the container 14 as it advances towards the rear end 94 of the frame 80, as
described in
greater detail herein.
[0058] In an alternative construction, the forward-most end 85' of the catch
element 82'
may be rounded, as shown in FIG. 6B.
[0059] While two specific catch elements 82, 82' (FIGs. 6A and 6B) are shown
and
described as being tapered, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
various techniques may
be used to provide the catch element 82 with a laterally narrower forward-most
end without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0060] Referring back to FIG. 5, in an effort to minimize interference between
the catch
element 82 and the container 14 during loading, the catch element 82 may be
substantially
co-planar with the upper surface 118 of the upper support deck 88. However,
those skilled in
the art will appreciate that slight displacement and/or a slight angle of the
catch element 82
relative to the upper surface 118 of the upper support deck 88 may encourage
engagement of
the first weakening feature 34 in the container 14 by the catch element 82
during loading of
the container 14 onto the dispenser 12.
[0061] The upper support deck 88 may define a channel 120 positioned to guide
the access
panel 58 below the upper surface 118 of the upper support deck 88 as the
access panel 58 is
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separated from the container 14 by the catch element 82. The channel 120 may
extend from
an entrance opening 122 proximate the catch element 82, down below the catch
element 82
and, ultimately, to an exit opening 124. The exit opening 124 may open toward
the rear end
94 of the frame 80. The channel 120 may laterally extend between the side
walls 84, 86 of
the frame 80, and may have a lateral width sufficient to allow the access
panel 58 (FIG. 3) to
pass therethrough.
[0062] Thus, the catch element 82, particularly the forward-most end 85 of the
catch
element 82, may pierce the first weakening feature 34 (FIG. 2B) in the
container 14 and may
separate the access panel 58 (FIG. 3) from the container 14 as the container
14 is moved
horizontally along the upper support deck 88 toward the rear end 94 of the
frame 80.
[0063] The shape and position of the catch element 82 may be configured such
that a
portion of the catch element 82 extends through the first weakening feature 34
(FIG. 2B) in
the container 14. Therefore, as the container 14 moves relative to the catch
element 82, the
catch element 82 may urge the base wall 26 downward through the opening 122
and into the
channel 120, thereby causing separating of the access panel 58 (FIG. 3) from
the container 14
along the second and third weakening features 50, 54 (FIG. 2B) and,
ultimately, the
formation of the access opening 60 (FIG. 3) in the container 14.
[0064] FIGS. 7A and 7B depict an alternative embodiment of the catch element
82". As
shown in FIG. 7A, the catch element 82" may have a forward-most end 85" and
may define
an alternative opening 122' and channel 120'. The catch element may further be
attached to
an access panel guide element 143 that defines a guide channel 154, as
described in greater
detail herein.
[0065] As shown in FIG. 7B, the catch element 82" may protrude a distance D1
that is long
enough to ensure that the access panel 58 (FIG. 3) is capable of being
separated before it is
redirected by a redirection channel 154 as discussed in more detail herein.
The distance D1
may generally be less than or equal to 0.25 inches, less than or equal to 0.5
inches, less than
or equal to 0.75 inches, or less than or equal to 1.0 inch.
[0066] In an effort to minimize interference between the catch element 82" and
the
container 14 during loading, the extended distance D1 may allow for an
engagement of the
catch element 82" with the initiation opening 34 when the container 14 is
inserted into the
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frame 80 as described herein may result in engagement at a point that is
sooner than
engagement of the catch element 82 described in FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B. Those
skilled in the
art will appreciate that the extended distance D1 may prevent the access panel
58 from
becoming crumpled and/or caught in the catch element 82" as the container 14
is inserted
into the frame 80. This is due to the ability for the catch element 82" to
interact with the
container 14 in stages (i.e., as the container 14 generally longitudinally
moves along the
upper support deck 88, initial separation of the access panel 58 may occur
prior to the
redirection of the access panel 58 by the access panel guide element 143),
thereby providing
the access panel 58 ample room to move laterally through the opening 122'
before being
diverted and/or redirected by the channel 120', as described in greater detail
herein.
[0067] The upper support deck 88 may define a guide channel 154 positioned to
guide the
access panel 58 below the upper support deck 88 as the access panel 58 is
separated from the
container 14 by the catch element 82". The guide channel 154 may extend from
the channel
120' proximate the catch element 82", down below the catch element 82" and,
ultimately, to
an exit opening 124'. The channel 120' may extend along a passage axis P that
is generally
parallel with the longitudinal axis L of the upper support deck 88. The guide
channel 154
may be curved (e.g., generally C-shaped) from the channel 120' such that the
channel 120'
opens toward the front end 92 of the dispenser frame 80 above the upper
support deck 88 and
the exit opening 124' opens toward the front end 92 of the dispenser frame 80
below the
upper support deck 88. The guide channel 154 may laterally extend between the
side walls
84, 86 of the dispenser frame 80, and may have a lateral width sufficient to
allow the access
panel 58 (FIG. 3) to pass therethrough.
[0068] The access panel guide element 143 may laterally extend between the
right and left
side walls 84, 86, and may include a front end 145 that longitudinally extends
toward the
front end 92 of the dispenser frame 80. Therefore, the access panel guide
element 143 and
the side walls 84, 86 may define the exit opening 124'. The exit opening 124'
may laterally
extend between the side walls 84, 86 of the frame 80, and may have a lateral
width sufficient
to allow the access panel 58 (FIG. 3) to pass from the guide channel 154
therethrough.
[0069] The access panel guide element 143 may define the exit opening 124'
positioned to
further guide the access panel 58 below the upper support deck 88 as the
access panel 58 is
further separated from the container 14 by the catch element 82" and passes
through the
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guide channel 154. While the access panel guide element 143 shown and
described herein is
a generally curved (e.g., C shaped), laterally elongated and forwardly
extending protrusion,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that various alternative structures
may be used as the
disclosed access panel guide element 143 without departing from the scope of
the present
disclosure. For example, the access panel guide element 143 may extend in such
a way that it
does not come into contact with products 16 moving along the lower support
deck 90 as
described in more detail herein.
[0070] Thus, the catch element 82" may pierce the first weakening feature 34
(FIG. 2B) in
the container 14 and may separate the access panel 58 (FIG. 3) from the
container 14 as the
container 14 is moved horizontally along the upper support deck 88 toward the
rear end 94 of
the dispenser frame 80. The shape and position of the catch element 82" may be
configured
such that a portion of the catch element 82" extends through the initiation
opening 34 (FIG.
2B) in the container 14, and extends further into a portion of the container.
[0071] Therefore, as the container 14 moves relative to the catch element 82",
the product
16 may urge the first weakening feature 34 downward so that the first
weakening feature 34
is properly caught by the catch element 82", which then may urge the base wall
26 of the
container 14 through the opening 122' thereby causing separation of the first
weakening
feature 34 (FIG. 3) from the container 14, and further along the second and
third weakening
features 50, 54 (FIG. 2B) and, ultimately, the formation of the access opening
60 (FIG. 3) in
the container 14. As the container 14 is urged further, the access panel 58
may continue to
longitudinally extend through the opening 122' and the channel 120' until it
reaches the
curved portion of the guide channel 154. The curved shape of the guide channel
154 may
direct the separated access panel 58 backwards (i.e., a U-turn) into the exit
opening 124'
defined by the access panel guide element 143 such that the separated access
panel 58 does
not interact with products 16 moving along the lower support deck 90.
[0072] FIGS. 8-10 illustrate the container 14 being loaded onto the dispenser
12 such that
the catch element 82 of the dispenser 12 engages and opens the container 14,
thereby
releasing the products 16 initially housed in the container 14 to the
dispenser 12.
Specifically, FIGS. 8-10 illustrate the container 14 being urged generally
horizontally along
the upper support deck 88 (i.e., along the longitudinal axis A of the upper
support deck 88)
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toward the rear end 94 of the dispenser frame 80, thereby automatically
opening the container
14 and dispensing the products 16 from the container 14 to the dispenser 12.
[0073] As shown in FIG. 8, as the first weakening feature 34 in the container
14
approximates the catch element 82 of the dispenser 12, the catch element 82
may pierce,
separate and pass through the first weakening feature 34. With the catch
element 82
extending through the first weakening feature 34, the rear edge 66 of the base
wall 26 of the
container 14 may be directed downward through the entrance opening 122 of the
channel
120.
[0074] As shown in FIG. 9, as the container 14 continues to longitudinally
move along the
upper support deck 88 toward the rear end 94 of the dispenser 12, the base
wall 26 of the
container 14 may pass through the channel 120, thereby separating the access
panel 58 from
the base wall 26. Since the exit opening 124 of the channel 120 opens toward
the rear end 94
of the dispenser 12, the separated access panel 58 may be directed toward the
rear end 94 of
the dispenser 12, thereby partially covering the access opening 60 that has
been formed in the
container 14.
[0075] As shown in FIG. 10, with the container 14 fully loaded onto the
dispenser 12, the
access opening 60 formed in the container 14 may be aligned with the opening
112 between
upper 110 and lower 100 levels of the frame 80. Therefore, the force of
gravity may urge the
products 16 initially housed in the container 14 through the access opening 60
in the
container 14, through the opening 112 in the frame 80, down to the lower
support deck 90
and, ultimately, to the product display area 104. The weight of the products
16 passing
through the openings 60, 112 may urge the access panel 58 from the
configuration shown in
FIG. 9 to the configuration shown in FIG. 10.
[0076] As the products 16 exiting the container 14 interact with the access
panel 58, the
access panel 58 may become "hooked" onto the upper support deck 88 of the
dispenser 12.
Specifically, as the products 16 exiting the container 14 interact with the
access panel 58, a
first portion of the access panel 58 (i.e., the portion of the access panel 58
within the channel
120) may extend toward the rear end 94 of the dispenser frame 80 while a
second portion of
the access panel 58 (i.e., the portion of the access panel 58 that includes
the rear edge 66)
may extend toward the front end 92 of the dispenser frame 80, thereby
inhibiting separation
of the container 14 from the dispenser 12.
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[0077] Accordingly, the engagement between the products 16 and the access
panel 58 that
facilitates "hooking" of the access panel 58 onto the dispenser 12 may
function as a theft
deterrent by inhibiting the quick and easy separation of a loaded container 14
from the
dispenser 12.
[0078] Although various aspects of the disclosed product dispensing system
have been
shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon
reading the
specification. The present application includes such modifications and is
limited only by the
scope of the claims.
[0079] What is claimed is:
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