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(11) | EP 0 744 145 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
MANUAL DISPENSER OF DISPOSABLE HEAT-SHAPED CUPS HANDBETÄTIGTE ABGABEVORRICHTUNG FÜR WARMGEFORMTE WEGWERFBECHER DISTRIBUTEUR MANUEL DE GODETS THERMOFORMES JETABLES |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] These Specifications deal with a manual dispenser for disposable heat-shaped cups which, thanks to its functional design, is able to supply individual cups automatically and continuously, by simple manual traction.
[0002] The proposed invention is conceived and designed for direct application in public establishments which dispense soft drinks, horchatas and citrus products such as orange and lemonades in their various categories.
[0003] It can also be used in official installations and offices in general where there are machines for dispensing a variety of drinks such as coffee, tea, etc. ... while its functionality also makes it ideal for installation alongside drinking water facilities to be used by employees and others working in such centres.
[0004] THE STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY.- There is at present a multiplicity of devices and elements for dispensing disposable one-use cups, all employing vertical stacks of a number of cups coupled together one within the other, and with a reinforced top.
[0005] Some supply the cups with pairs of cylinders with slots enabling the bottom cup to be removed in a quarter turn, while a turn in the opposite direction locates, couples and secures the next cup to be dispensed.
[0006] Others stack the cups inside a tubular recipient and hold them in place by a narrowing at the bottom of that housing so that the lowest cup can be removed manually in a process of tractive deformation.
[0007] There are also dispensers which hold the stack of cups in retaining ribs which are operated to allow the bottom cup to fall out.
[0008] By the US Patent A-1 940 067 it is known a dispenser for disposable glasses wherein the stacked glasses are held in their position by means of mobile jaws pushed by respective leaf springs, provided on their internal edges with notches intended to receive the rim of each of said glasses.
[0009] DE-B-1 295 148 is also referred to a dispenser for disposable glasses, in which means shaped as a yoke are used for retaining and dispensing individually the mentioned glasses.
[0010] The design and operation of the present invention is entirely different from the dispensers familiar today which function reasonably satisfactorily; however, some have drawbacks which deform the cup, with negative results, while the dynamic structure of others is expensive so that the components are difficult to pay off and thus become prohibitive, making operation costly in terms of their function. Finally, some are of a structure which makes it difficult to dispense the cups which, on occasions, even spill out more than one at a time.
[0011] Essentially, this invention, as claimed in independent claim 1, consists of an annular element fitted into two superimposed rings which can be dismantled and which are attached by screws and bolts or by any other securing system.
[0012] The housing consists basically of a casing which contains four retaining components inside the double ring assembly in an internal peripheral position and arranged opposite, in twos, on the imaginary comers of a symmetrical square shape.
[0013] The four project inwards thanks to the four notches in the annular element that contains these elements, while the other ring caps and secures the assembly in place.
[0014] As specified in dependent claim 2, the retaining and dispensing elements are yoke-shaped, with a transversal opening through them housing a horizontal shalt with a pair of retaining and rotary stop springs: its free ends are fitted and secured in the angular elements which hold the whole assembly on the base container ring, using standard securing elements.
[0015] The yoke elements overcome the opposing force of the springs and are able to rotate freely a functional one-quarter turn on their shafts, so that the cups can be supplied individually, one-by-one, when drawn manually.
[0016] For a better understanding of the foregoing, drawings are attached to show in diagrammatic form the invention which is described below in detail with reference to said drawings.
[0017] In the drawings:
Figure 1 shows an elevation view of the annular element.
Figure 2 shows a face view of the same element, from above.
Figures 3 and 4 show the annular element dismantled, with its two ring components and the dynamic retaining and dispensing elements, the shaft, the yoke and the spring.
Finally, figure 5 shows a possible installation of the dispenser on a tubular structure containing a stack of heat-shaped cups.
[0018] According to the figures, which show the invention by way of illustration and without limitation, it comprises an annular element consisting of two superimposed rings, 1 and 2, preferably screwed in place, 3 and 4, or using any other attachment procedure.
[0019] The ring, 1, has four notches, 5, 6, 7 and 8, in which the dynamic elements 9, 10 and 11 are positioned and which correspond respectively to the yoke component, the shaft it contains and the two opposing springs: this assembly is functionally attached by a pair of angle elements 12 and 13 which are in turn fixed to the base element 1, using standard securing devices.
[0020] The housing 1, 1' and 2 is fitted on a tubular structure, 15, containing the stack of cups to be dispensed, 14, using standard devices which are not the subject of claim.
[0021] OPERATION. A stack of heat-shaped cups is placed inside a tubular structure, 15, to that the lip of the bottom cup rests in the space taken by each yoke element corresponding to the yoke components attached to the annular base component, 1.
[0022] Manual traction in the direction of the arrow A overcomes the retaining forces on the yoke elements and the opposing springs, so allowing rotation through approximately a quarter turn on their shaft, enabling the bottom cup to be removed, while the top of the yoke elements holds back the following cup.
[0023] As soon as this manual tractive action ceases, the springs return to their original position as do the yoke elements: as a result, the lip on the following cup enters and fits into the yokes until it is required.
[0024] Having thus sufficiently described the nature, operation and scope of this invention and a preferred embodiment of its design, it is hereby recorded that the materials, forms, dimensions and in general any ancillary and secondary details may vary, provided that this does not alter, change or modify the essence of the invention.
1. A manual dispenser for disposable heat-shaped cups wherein a stack of cups (14) with
a protruding lip fitted one within the other is placed inside a tubular container
housing (15), and being maintained in place by means of retaining elements, the dispenser
being made up of an annular casing comprising two superimposed ring elements (1, 2)
that can be dismantled and which are secured together by bolts and nuts, forming a
type of housing of four dynamic retaining and dispensing elements (9) inside the double
ring on the inside edge, placed opposite in twos as if on the imaginary corners of
a symmetrical square, which protrude inward thanks to four vertical notches incorporated
for the purposes in the base (1) containing them; the other ring element (2) covering
and securing the assembly.
2. A manual dispenser for disposable heat-shaped cups as set forth in the previous claim,
wherein said retaining and dispensing components (9) are yoke-shaped and have a transversal
opening through them for a horizontal shaft (10) accompanied by pairs of springs (11)
which act in opposition and as rotary stops; the free ends of the shap fit into two
angular elements (12) which hold the assembly together, attaching it to the annular
base with known standard securing devices.
1. Manueller Spender für warmverformte Wegwerfbecher, in dem sich ein Becherstapel (14)
innerhalb einem röhrenförmigen Aufnahmebehälter (15) befindet und dort über Haltemittel
festgehalten wird, wobei jeder der Becher mit einer vorstehenden Lippe versehen ist,
die innerhalb einer anderen zu liegen kommt, und wobei der Behälter aus einen röhrenförmigen
Gehäuse besteht, das zwei sich überdeckende Ringelemente (1, 2) aufweist, die ausgebaut
werden können und aneinander über Bolzen und Schrauben befestigt werden, und so eine
aus vier Elementen (9) bestehende Aufnahme bilden, zum Spenden und zur dynamischen
Halterung im Inneren des Doppelringes über dem inneren Rand, wobei jeweils zwei Elemente
gegenüberliegend angeordnet sind, als ob es sich um die imaginären Ecken eines symmetrischen
Quadrats handeln würde, und diese durch vier vertikal zu diesem Zweck in der sie enthaltenden
Auflage (1) angebrachten Nuten nach innen vorstehen, wobei das andere Element (2)
die Gesamtanordnung überdeckt und sichert.
2. Manueller Spender für warmverformte Wegwerfbecher nach dem vorhergehenden Anspruch,
in dem die genannten Bauteile (9) zur Halterung und zum Spenden in Form einer Gabel
geformt sind und über eine quer angeordnete Öffnung verfügen, die für eine waagerechte
Achse (10) vorgesehen ist, welche über Federpaare (11) verfügt, die in entgegengesetzte
Richtung wirken und drehbare Anschläge darstellen, so dass die Achsenden sich an die
beiden die Gesamtanordnung zusammenhaltenden Winkelelemente (12) anpassen, wobei die
Gesamtanordnung über herkömmliche Befestigungsmittel an der ringförmigen Auflage befestigt
ist.
1. Un distributeur manuel de godets thermoformés jetables, dans lequel un amoncellement
de godets (14), chacun desquels etant muni d'une lèvre qui dépasse qui se situe à
l'interieur de l'autre, se situe à l'intérieur d'un logement (15) pour contenir tubulaire,
et se maintient dans sa position grâce à des éléments pour retenir, etant l'élément
pour contenir construit à partir d'une carcasse tubulaire qui comprend deux éléments
(1, 2) en anneau superposés qui peuvent être démontés, y qui se fixent entre eux au
moyen de boulons et ecrous, formant un type de logement à quatre éléments (9), pour
dispenser et retenir dynamiquement à l'intérieur du double anneau sur le bord intérieur,
tous les deux situés en opposition comme si c'étaient des coins imaginaires d'un carré
symétrique, lesquels dépassent vers l'intérieur grâce a quatre entailles verticales
incorporées à ce but dans la base (1) qui les contient, en couvrant et en assurant
l'autre élément à l'ensemble.
2. Un distributeur manuel de godets thermoformés jetables selon la revendication antérieure,
dans lequel les composants cités (9) pour retenir et dispenser sont conformés comme
une fourche et ont un trou transversal, à travers les mêmes, prevu pour un axe (10)
horizontal pouvu de paires de ressorts (11) qui agissent en opposition et comme des
butées giratoires, de façon que les extrêmités de l'axe s'adaptent à deux éléments
(12) angulaires que maintiennent l'ensemble uni, le fixant à la base annulaire au
moyen de dispositifs de fixation conventionnels.