AU598968B2

AU598968B2 - Dispensing apparatus (lollypops machine)

Info

Publication number: AU598968B2
Application number: AU30822/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Muras; Steve Spring
Original assignee: Senhill Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Senhill Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1988-02-26
Filing date: 1989-02-27
Publication date: 1990-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 2009-02-27
Also published as: AU3082289A

Description

~ia;r -1 1- ;i--CI 598968

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: This document containl fl Lodged: armddmenta stde .Unde Section 49.

C qomplete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: is ourrect for pri ntPa Priority: I Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventors: Ad dress for Service: SENHILL PTY LIMITED 333 George Street, Sydney New South Wales 2001, Australia Steve Spring, Robert Muras ARTHUR S. CAVE CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level Barrack Street SYDNEY N.S.W. 2000

AUSTRALIA

Complete Specification for the invention entitled DISPENSING APPARATUS (LOLLYPOPS MACHINE).

The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:j 1 ASC 49 EPRI'fT OF FRECEI71 s- A C15 7 C' 27 /02 The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus and, in particular, a dispensing apparatus for granular or similar products whereby the products are removed remotely by the operator ensuring no contamination of products by the operator.

In certain product lines, because of strict health requirements in Australia, it is not permitted that purchasers should have direct access to the products in a self-serve arrangement. To overcome this problem the applicant has provided an apparatus whereby a purchaser can dispense his own purchases without any risk of contamination of the remaining products.

In one broad form the invention comprises: a dispensing container comprising a hopper chamber into which objects to be dispensed are placed; r £r c a second chamber in communication with the hopper cc c chamber to receive objects from the hopper chamber through a first opening; a chute means extending externally from said second

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~chamber; a second opening in said second chamber slit Q r communicating externally of the second chamber; and a dispensing means comprising an elongated handle, which in use extends externally through said second opening and which is movable axially and rotatably in said second opening, and a scoop means attached to said handle and which, in use, is located within the second chamber, whereby the dispensing means by appropriate movement of the elongated handle transports 2-

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1 CLLI. ~L-II -31 i I~ r t products from said second chamber to the chute means, to be collected externally of the container.

The present invention has uses for dispensing many products, however, at present it will be described with respect to one embodiment of the invention for use in disrensing sweets. Preferably the dispensing means comprises a ladle.

trtt c t 44 t 4r 1 OQ8p: /TB /4 Z p r -2a i\ j i I i i ;ul: however it could comprise extendable and closable finger grabbers or rakes or the like.

The present invention will now be described by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates the front view of one embodiment of the dispenser; Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of the embodiment to illustrating Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates an elevation view of the embodiment as shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the embodiment shown in figure 1; Figure 5 illustrates a view of another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 shows a detailed sectional view of one form of the dispensing means and its respective retention means; and figures 6a and 6b show various forms of ladles or scoops.

One embodiment of the present invention, particularly useful for dispensing of sweets, is shown in figures 1 to 4.

et This device is constructed of transparent material such as S perspex or the like which allows the contents i.e.

multi-coloured sweets to be displayed in the containers.

The dispensing apparatus 1 comprises a hopper section 2 into which articles to be dispensed can be inserted through an opening which is closed by a suitable lid 3 which can be locked into position by any suitable means.

A weir wall 4 separates the hopper from the dispensing compartment 5 except for the area 6 where the weir wall 4 stops -3- 1070E

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1 1* I li ill i ~r*iar 00 oil 0* 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 0*40 0 a 0000 0 0 000 0 0 0 0000 it O0 0 0 0o O short of the base 7 of the container, to allow material in the hopper 2 to flow into the dispensing compartment 5, so as to fill said dispensing compartment 5 to a level as determined by the weir wall 4. This weir wall 4 can be adjustable to decrease or increase the gap below it, so as to obtain the most efficient flow of sweets.

Situated in the dispensing compartment 5 is a discharge chute 8 which is separated from the materials to be dispensed by any suitable means such as a wall or the like. To dispense products, a ladle 9 is rotatably and pivotally connected into a joint 10 in the front wall 11.

A detailed view of this joint is shown in Figure 6 whereby the handle 12 of the ladle extends through a roller 13 which has a curved periphery 14 which is enclosed in an annular sleeve 15 which has a complementary inner surface to allow the roller 13 to rotate and pivot within the sleeve 15. The sleeve 15 is connected into a hole in the front wall 11 and is secured by any suitable means to the front wall. The ladle 9 is therefore located on a ball joint which allows a large degree of freedom of movement of the ladle scoop end.

In use, the user grasps the handle 12 from outside the dispensing compartment 5 and moves the ladle scoop 16 into the articles to be dispensed and lifting these articles onto the discharge chute 8 whereby they are collected external of the dispenser.

As shown in figure 5, a further embodiment comprises a hopper section 2 and a weir wall 4 as described previously.

However the handle of the rake 16 extends through an opening 17

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4 1070E in the front of the dispenser, and in use, the user by the operation of the handle 12, rakes the sweets up into the chute 18 after collection.

As shown in figures 6a and 6b the dispensing means can have any desired shaped collecting end, such as a rack shown in figure 6a a ladle as shown in figure 6 or a combination as shown in figure 6b. Therefore the products are dispensed remote from the dispenser satisfying the requirements of the Department of Health, that there can be no contamination of t materials which have not been dispensed. The ladle handle can t t t be provided with appropriate stops, to allow for limited longitudinal movement.

e The connection of the ladle handle to the container can be T C of any suitable means such as an elastomeric sleeve, or instead of the ladle or grabbers, an elastomeric glove could be used whereby the user inserts his or her hand into the glove and scoops the articles into the discharge chute.

Ic Thus in a preferred form of the invention, with the dispenser made of transparent material, the users can readily see the material on display, especially if the product is *e multi-coloured sweets and can choose and dispense his own products in a self-serve manner without any risk of back contamination of the products not dispensed.

1070E

Claims

2. A dispensing container according to claim 1 wherein a weir wall separates the hopper chamber from said second chamber and has its lower edge above the floor of the dispensing container forming the first opening therebetween. S3. A dispensing container according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said scoop means is spoon shaped.
4. A dispensing means according to claim 1 or 2 wherein zaid Sscoop means is shaped as a croupier's rake. A dispensing container according to claim 2 or claims 3 S0084p:MMB -6- 7i J ~r s~:t or 4 when appended to claim 2, wherein the first opening between the hopper chamber and the second chamber,has its height adjustable, by movement of the weir wall.
6. A dispensing container according to any one of the claims 2 to 5 wherein said chute has side walls which are raised above the first opening from the hopper chamber into the second chamber.
7. A dispensing container according to any one of the preceding claim 5, wherein said handle is slidably located in a roller having a curved periphery which is held in position in the opening in the second chamber by means of an annular sleeve L with a complimentary inner surface to that of the outer surface St of the roller, to allow the roller to rotate and pivot within the sleeve. Srt
8. A dispensing container according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said handle is held in said opening by an elastomeric sleeve. c 9. A dispensing container according to claim 4 wherein said S chute has its entrance from the second chamber located near the base of said second chamber, whereby objects to be dispensed are raked onto the chute. A dispensing container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 3rd day of April, 1990. SENHILL PTY LIMITED By Its Patent Attorneys ARTHUR S. CAVE CO. 0084p:MMB 7