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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dispenser incorporating a safety locking
feature to retard access into compartments therein.
2. Prior Art
Certainly segmented or compartmented containers involving closures for
maintaining pills, or the like, are not new. Some examples of such prior
art devices involving containers with tops arranged to be moved so as to
open a slot or a like passage into the container interior are shown in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 173,543; 525,937; 770,485; 928,561; 1,817,562; 2,554,298,
3,020,659 and 3,921,806. Additionally and somewhat similar to the present
invention, certain other prior art devices have utilized multiple plates
or disks arranged over a housing containing slotted compartments, or the
like. Some such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 687,358; 1,280,827;
1,994,063; 2,554,710, and 2,953,242.
Some of the above cited prior art United States Patents include features
common to the present invention as many of those patents, like the present
invention, involve containers having slots, segments, or dividers therein
to compartmentalize the container interior, and some involve either single
plates or disks or multiple plates or disks that are movable to expose a
passage or hole therethrough for allowing items to pass from the container
interior through said aligned openings. None of the discovered patents or
any like device within my knowledge, however, involve a safety locking
arrangement, like the present invention that requires manual manipulation
to unlock the arrangement that would not be apparent to a child. The
Leccese U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,554,710, does involve, as a lock, a protuberance
in one plate that fits within a seat, in another plate, which arrangement,
though it appears to be similar to one embodiment of the safety lock of
the present invention, does not involve locking of the plates together and
is merely for discouraging movement of a rotating plate with respect to a
stationary plate.
None of the cited patents, however, involve embodiments of safety locking
arrangements that are like those taught by the present invention for
restricting access, as by children, into the container interior without
performance of certain manual steps thereon. While certain features or
elements of the present invention may be shown in the above cited prior
art, none of the art discovered, nor any device within the knowledge of
the inventor, anticipates the particular type of dispenser of the present
invention involving a flat cylinder arranged with disks across a top
portion thereof, which disks are moved appropriately to expose a passage
therethrough above a particular compartment, and involves a safety lock
arrangement for holding the disks together where their respective openings
are not aligned. The dispenser is, thereby, maintained in a closed state
until certain manual steps are performed to unlock the disks allowing them
to be rotated so as to align their openings. The present invention is,
therefore, unlike any device within the knowledge of the inventor; and is,
therefore, believed to be both novel and unique.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser
arranged with compartments therein, each individual compartment for
maintaining pills, or the like, to be dispensed therefrom in correlation
to a specific day of the week, month, or the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser having a
closure associated therewith that can be aligned over a certain
compartment therein, and selectively opened and closed, which closure can
be releasably secured so as to prohibit entry.
Another object of the present invention is to provide, as a closure for a
compartmentalized dispenser, multiple plates or disks that can be moved
over one another to align openings in each to form a passage therethrough
above a select compartment, said disks moving independently of one another
but can be maintained together by a safety locking arrangement with the
openings not aligned to close the dispenser.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a safety
locking arrangement for a compartmentalized dispenser that involves
movable plates or disks, the disks arranged to turn independently,
aligning openings in each, to provide a passage therethrough, with the
safety locking arrangement prohibiting such independent rotation that
would align the openings through the disks, absent manual manipulation of
a part or parts thereof.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser and
safety locking arrangement therefor that can be fabricated from
inexpensive materials, such as a plastic, by molding or like methods, that
is inexpensive to manufacture and is durable.
Principle features of the present invention is a safety locking dispenser
include a housing, that is preferably formed as a flat cylinder and has
divider walls arranged therein to compartmentalize that flat cylinder. The
divider walls preferably radiate outwardly from a center pier, forming
pie-shaped compartments, each of which compartments is related to a day of
the week, or the like, marked opposite thereto on the outer surface of the
flat cylindrical housing. To provide a closure for the housing, a
plurality of plates or disks are arranged in tracks to rotate in the
housing, proximate to the top thereof, independently of one another to
align openings therethrough, the disks or plates being turned manually to
align those openings over a selected compartment to allow passage of
pills, or the like, therethrough. The lower disk preferably has a ridge or
bar formed thereon radiating outwardly from the center thereof and
extending upwardly from that lower disk at a normal angle. The bar is
adjacent to the opening formed through the lower disk, which opening is
approximately the same size as one of the compartments and is
approximately the same size as the opening in the upper disk for alignment
therewith to form a passage through both disks. The bar extends through
the opening in the upper disk and is moved manually across the opening in
the upper disk to align therethrough the lower disk opening, forming a
passage through which pills, or the like, can pass into or out of the
container.
The invention further involves different embodiments of safety locking
arrangements for maintaining the upper and lower disks together such that
the openings through each are not aligned. One such preferred safety
locking arrangement involves a tab secured, as during molding thereof, to
the upper disk extending from the side of the opening into that opening,
the tab having a tip formed thereon that is arranged to fit into an
appropriate opening formed in the lower disk, maintaining the disks
together, until the tab is manipulated to lift the tip out of the opening
releasing the disks. In another embodiment, the tip of a tab like that
described above is arranged to fit over a notch formed in the bar that
connects to and extends from the lower disk. In this arrangement the tab
tip when moved into engagement with the bar will first be cammed up over
the bar, a notch in the tab located behind the tip then lowering over a
portion of the bar, locking such that the disks will thereafter turn
together. Unlocking of this safety locking arrangement involves lifting
the tab notch out of its engagement with the bar, whereafter the disks can
be turned independent of one another. Such tab can be arranged normal to
the bar as described above or can be arranged parallel to said bar such
that the bar will travel under the tab, the tab lowering therebehind. Such
tab needs to be arranged to flex freely at its connection with the upper
disk returning to its relaxed attitude in the plane of the disk or plate,
after passage of the bar thereunder.
Unlocking of the above tab and bar safety locking arrangement can involve
an operator manually pressing the bar downwardly to disengage the tab
notch and thereafter rotating the one disk independently of the other, or
could involve elevating the tab tip and then so rotating the disks.
Another safety lock configuration that could be incorporated as a safety
locking arrangement of the present invention could involve having the bar
connected to the lower disk so as to be capable of sliding back and forth
along its junction with that lower disk such that, when moved into
alignment with a notch formed in the upper disk, it can be manually moved
into that notch, prohibiting thereafter independent rotation of said
disks. Release of this safety lock configuration preferably involves
moving the bar out of said notch, whereafter the two disks can be turned
independently of one another.
Another embodiment of a safety locking arrangement involves a node or
detent formed in the lower disk for alignment and entry into an
appropriate opening or hole formed in the upper disk such that, when the
node or detent is aligned with that opening it will travel therein locking
the disks together. This embodiment would, of course, also involve an
arrangement for moving the two disks away from one another, removing the
node or detent from the opening or hole, allowing the upper or lower disk
to turn independently of the other disk. One such arrangement for
providing this movement of the respective disks could involve a button or
collar arranged in the center of the lower disk to extend upperwardly
therefrom through an appropriate opening in the upper disk such that an
operator, by pushing downwardly on that button, can cause the two disks to
be moved apart. Obviously, this embodiment necessarily involves some
spring means or depends upon the natural resiliency of the disk material
whereby the one disk can be flexed away from the other without displacing
the edges thereof from the grooves or notches in the container sides
wherein said disk or disks ride.
Further objects and features of the present invention will become apparent
from the following detailed description taken together with the
accompanying drawings.
THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan perspective view of the safety locking dispenser of
the present invention showing upper and lower disks thereof arranged in a
closed attitude;
FIG. 2, a top plan view of the safety locking dispenser of FIG. 1, showing,
in broken lines, compartments formed therein with, Arrow A showing the
direction of rotation of the lower disk after unlocking from the upper
disk to open a passage therethrough above one of the dispenser
compartments;
FIG. 3, a top plan perspective view like that of FIG. 1, only showing the
upper and lower disks exploded away from the safety locking dispenser
body;
FIG. 4, a profile sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3,
showing a first embodiment of a safety lock, for the safety locking
dispenser of FIGS. 1 through 3;
FIG. 5, a profile sectional view of a second embodiment of a dispenser that
is like the dispenser of FIGS. 1 through 3, but employs a different
configuration of safety lock; and
FIG. 6(a) through (c), additional embodiments of safety locks for use with
the dispenser of FIGS. 1 through 3, or like dispenser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawing:
In FIG. 1 through 3 are shown a first embodiment of a safety locking
dispenser 10, hereinafter referred to as dispenser, that includes a flat
cylindrical housing 11 wherein are shown formed seven compartments 12.
Compartments 12 are formed by walls 13 that extend upwardly from the
housing bottom 15 and radiate as spokes from a center hub 14. As shown
best in FIG. 3, center hub 14 is also cylindrical and extends upwardly
from the housing bottom 15. The center hub 14 is shown in FIG. 2 as being
open therethrough such that an operator, not shown, may have access, as
with his finger, pencil, or the like, to the undersurface of a disk or
plate arranged across the top of housing 11, the function of which disk or
plate will be explained later herein.
As shown in FIG. 1, lettering 11a is arranged around the outer wall of
housing 11 spelling out the days of the week in three-letter
abbreviations, which letters should be taken as being arranged immediately
opposite to an individual compartment 12. Each compartment 12, therefore,
is identifiable with a particular day of the week and is intended to
receive pills, or the like, therein for storage and later dispensing, as
will be explained later herein. Obviously, the dispenser 10 could be
arranged with a greater or lesser number of compartments 12, which
compartments could be identified differently than as representing days of
the week, without departing from the subject matter coming within the
scope of this disclosure.
Shown best in FIG. 3, are arranged a lower disk or plate 16 and an upper
disk or plate 17 sandwiched thereover hereinafter referred to as disks.
FIG. 3 shows upper disk 17 as having had a section removed therefrom to
expose a cross section of that disk, identifying it as being preferably
fabricated from a plastic. As with upper disk 17, the entire dispenser 10
is intended to be manufactured from a plastic, or like material, by
molding, or like methods, and, therefore, should be inexpensive to
manufacture.
Again, with reference to FIG. 3, lower disk 16 has an opening 18 formed
therethrough that should be taken as being essentially the size and shape
of one of the compartments 12. Along one edge of that opening is shown
arranged a bar 19 secured to that lower disk 16, along one side of opening
18 extending normal to lower disk 16. The bar 19, proximate to the outer
edge of the disk 16, is shown as having had a notch 19a removed therefrom.
Bar 19 extends upwardly from the lower disk for installation through an
opening 20 that is essentially like opening 18, and includes the area of
bar 19 and is formed in the upper disk 17. So installed, bar 19 can be
moved across opening 20, turning lower disk 16 appropriately by an
operator, not shown, as with his finger pushing against the sides of that
bar. So arranged, bar 19 will act against the sides 20a and 20b, of the
opening 20, to turn together the upper and lower disks 16 and 17, as shown
by arrow A in FIG. 2.
Upper disk 17, as shown in FIG. 3, is preferably formed having a flat top
surface 17a with the lower surface 17b thereof, preferably having a recess
21 formed therein for receiving the lower disk 16. Upper disk 17 also has
a ridge 22 formed around its outer circumference for installation in a
continuous groove 23 that is formed around the top of housing 11. Groove
23 provides a track wherein ridge 22 travels. When lower disk 16 is
installed in recess 21, the bottom thereof, at the center, is proximate to
the top 14a of center hub 14, and will support the lower disk 16 to rotate
freely therein. The limit of travel of lower disk 16 is the distance
across the opening 20, bar 19 contacting either of the sides 20a and 20b,
whereafter both upper and lower disks 16 and 17 are moved together. With
ridge 22 of the upper disk edge 17 riding in the groove 23 and the under
surface of lower disk 16, at the center thereof, riding on the top 14a of
the center hub 14, the disks enjoy a freedom of rotation of 360.degree.,
and by appropriately moving the disks, openings 20 and 18 will align to
form a passage therethrough. So arranged, selective access to compartments
15 is provided by the appropriate rotation of bar 19 to so move the upper
and lower disks 16 and 17. To assist in aligning the openings 18 and 20 to
a selected compartment 15, an arrow 24, shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2, is
arranged on the upper disk 17, central to the opening 20, for pointing to
a particular day of the week 11a arranged on the housing 11 outer surface.
To provide a safety locking arrangement for dispenser 10, as shown in FIGS.
1 through 3, a tab 25 is arranged with upper disk 17, that has an end
thereof secured so as to extend from the side 20a of opening 20 into that
opening in the plane of the disk. So arranged, an operator by moving, as
described, bar 19 of the lower plate 16 into engagement with opening side
20a, a tip 26 of tab 25, shown in FIG. 4, will be cammed up and over a
ridge or ledge 19b of bar 19, shown in FIG. 3, which ridge 19b is left as
remainder when notch 19a is removed from bar 19. In practice, shown in
FIG. 4, ridge 19b engages a slanted portion of tip 26 of the tab 25, the
ridge riding over the slanted portion, camming the tab upperwardly. Tab 25
is thereby bent at a reinforced section 27 thereof until ridge 19b, of
FIG. 3, aligns with a notch 28, of FIG. 4, formed in the tab 25 whereupon
that notch 28 lowers over the ridge 19b, locking the tab 25 and bar 19
together. With tab 25 locked to the ridge 19b of bar 19, openings 20 and
18, respectively, in the upper and lower disks 17 and 16, are not aligned
prohibiting entry into or exit from the dispenser 10.
To open the dispenser 10 an operator, not shown, while holding disk 17
stationary can, with his thumb, press downwardly and across opening 20 on
bar 19 thus forcing tab 25 to flex upwardly as bar 19 moves downwardly
allowing notch 28 of tab 25 to pass out of ridge 19b of bar 19. Once ridge
19b is thus freed from notch 28, bar 19 may be moved across opening 20 to
contact side 20b which action will serve to align opening 20 in upper disk
17 with opening 18 in lower disk 16 to allow for passage therethrough into
any selected compartment 15 in housing 11.
Another method for opening dispenser 10 could involve an operator, not
shown, using his fingernail, or the like, to lift that tab 25 a tip 26 so
as to elevate notch 28 out of engagement with bar ridge 19b, with bar 19
thereafter being moved as with another finger, from its engagement with
side 20a across opening 20 to contact side 20b, in which attitude, as
shown in FIG. 2, openings 20 and 18 are aligned to form a passage
therethrough.
Either before or after opening, as described above, an operator by manually
pushing against bar 19 can align arrow 24 to a desired day 11a, thereby
aligning the passage through disks 16 and 17 with the selected
compartment. Obviously, with tab 25 maintained to ridge 19b the plates 17
and 16 are held together and can be rotated freely, with this locking to
continue until an operator, as described above, manually releases the lock
of tab 25 to bar 19.
It is intended that tab 25 be formed as part of upper disk 17 and can be,
if desired, and as needed, reinforced at 27 as with providing added
plastic thereto. The hinge arrangement of tab 25 at 27 with upper disk 17
is thereby a living hinge that is capable of numerous flexures without the
material thereat breaking down and facturing. Tab 25 provides for a safety
locking of the upper and lower disks 17 and 16 prohibiting, or at least
making difficult, a child's unwanted access into the dispenser 10.
The above description of the tab 25, its living hinge 27 portion thereof,
and its operation with bar 19 constitutes a first preferred embodiment of
a safety lock for a dispenser 10. In FIG. 5 is shown a second embodiment
of a safety locking dispenser 30, which dispenser also involves a flat
cylindrical housing 31, which housing is essentially like the described
housing 11. In housing 31 are shown in FIG. 5, walls 33 that radiate
outwardly from a cylindrical center hub 34 that extends upwardly from a
housing bottom 32 forming thereby compartments 35. Compartments 35 like
the described compartments 12, preferably relate to days of the week. Like
the arrow 24 of dispenser 10, on an upper disk 36 of dispenser 30, can be
included an arrow or pointer. Unlike dispenser 10, dispenser 30 involves
upper and lower disks or plates 36 and 37, hereinafter referred to as
disks, that are independent of one another, the edges of each being fitted
into, respectively, upper and lower grooves 38 and 39 formed around the
inside, proximate to the top, of housing 31 or, of course, both edges
could be arranged in one groove. The disks are thereby independent of one
another. To provide for safety lock of dispenser 30, a button 40 that
extends upwardly is arranged in the center of lower disk 37, the button
passing through a center hole 41 formed through upper disk 36 to move
freely up and down therein. So arranged, a bar 42, that is essentially
like the described bar 19, excepting it does not have a notch 19a removed
therefrom, is arranged on lower disk 37 to extend through an opening in
upper plate to turn between and engage opposite sides thereof for turning
simultaneously both disks 36 and 37. Also, like lower disk 16 with opening
18 of dispenser 10, the lower disk 17 of this embodiment should be
understood to have an opening formed therethrough that is approximately
the same size and shape as one of the compartments 35. When the openings
in disks 36 and 37 are aligned, a passage is formed into the dispenser.
Essentially, the functioning of dispenser 30 is like that of the described
dispenser 10, as relating to movement of the upper and lower disks. Safety
locking of said disks is, however, different and involves button 40 that
extends, as stated above, through hole 41 parallel to a bar 42, as shown
in FIG. 5, and normal to lower disk 37. Further, lower disk 37 also has a
protuberance 43 formed thereto that extends outwardly therefrom in the
place of both the bar 42 and button 40, for fitting or passing into a
depression 44 formed in or through the undersurface of upper disk 36, to
lock the disks together. The locked together disks can be rotated by an
operator, not shown who pushes appropriately with his finger on bar 42.
With the disks 36 and 37 so locked together, the openings therethrough are
not aligned, denying entry into a compartment 35. To unlock the dispenser
30 the lower disk needs to be moved apart from the upper disk. An
operator, to so move the disks out of engagement, manually depresses
button 40 to flex the lower disk 37 downwardly, away from upper disk 36,
removing protuberance 43 out from opening 44, whereafter by manually
operating bar 42, the lower plate can be moved independent of the upper
disk so as to align the openings therethrough. It is intended that lower
disk 37 be fabricated from a material such as a plastic having sufficient
flexure characteristics to allow it to bend sufficiently to remove the
protuberance 43 out from the opening 44, without the lower disk 37 edge
passing out of a groove 39 formed around the top of housing 31. The top
34a of the hub 34 acts as a break or stop against a depression of disk 37
that would be sufficient to move lower disk 37 edge out of the groove 39.
Obviously, like dispenser 10, dispenser 30 is also preferably manufactured
by commonly known and available molding methods, or the like, from a
plastic or plastic-like material, such that it will be inexpensive to
manufacture.
Also, it should be obvious that, while the proturberance 43 is shown as
formed on the lower disk 37 and with the opening 44 formed in the upper
disk 44, the location of those items could be reversed without departing
from the present disclosure.
In FIG. 6(a) through (c) are shown alternative embodiments of safety
locking arrangements, preferably for use with a dispenser similar to
dispenser 10. These safety locks, like the tab 25 described with respect
to dispenser 10, are each intended to join upper and lower disks of a
dispenser to prohibit alignment of openings or holes through those disks
into the dispenser interior. Therefore, when describing these safety
locking embodiments, they should be taken as being preferably useful with
dispenser 10.
Like the described tab 25, the safety lock 50 of FIG. 6(a) involves a tab
51, that has a tip 51b end thereof that is arranged to pass over a notch
53 formed in a bar 52. Tab 51, however, unlike tab 25, lies in the plane
of a ridge 54 formed in bar 52. In practice, tab 51 will cam upwardly over
the ridge 54, the ridge passing thereunder, with tab 51 thereafter
lowering behind the bar 52, the bar being maintained in an opening 55 that
is formed between a side 51a of the tab and a side 56a of an opening 56
formed through an upper disk 57. Upper disk 57, it should be taken, is
essentially like the upper disk 17 of dispenser 10. Unlocking of safety
lock 50 is provided when tab 51 is moved away from ridge 54, allowing
ridge 54 to pass thereunder into opening 56.
Tab 51 when arranged behind the bar 52 will prohibit a rotation of the bar
and the lower disk, to which disk the bar is connected, providing a locked
attitude where the upper and lower disks thereafter rotate together and
openings therethrough are not aligned. When the tab 51 is unlocked, as
described above, bar 52 can be moved across opening 56, to engage an
opposite opening wall 56b, in which attitude openings in the upper and
lower disks, not shown, are aligned to form a passage therethrough into
the dispenser interior.
Like the safety locks hereinbefore described, safety lock 60, shown in FIG.
6(b), also involves a bar 61 arranged on a lower disk that is moved to
rotate that disk, the bar traveling across an opening 63 formed through
upper disk 62 to contact a side 63b thereof, exposing a passage formed by
openings arranged through upper disk 62 and the lower disk. Where the
previous embodiments of safety locks have involved stationary bars, in
this embodiment the bar 61, along its side that engages the lower disk,
has a track or groove arranged therein, not shown, for coupling, in
sliding engagement with, an opposite groove or track formed in said lower
disk, such that, when the bar is slid appropriately as shown by arrow B,
it can be moved into a groove 64 that is arranged in the upper disk 62
adjacent and aligned with side 63a of opening 63. When so moved by an
operator, not shown, bar 61 is thereby locked within the groove 64
securing the upper and lower disks together until the bar is removed
therefrom. Unlocking of this safety lock 60 requires moving bar 61
opposite to the direction of arrow B until it clears groove 64, whereafter
the upper and lower disks are free to rotate independently of one another.
This embodiment of safety lock 60, it should be understood, performs the
same function as do the other safety locking arrangements already
described herein, in relation to the described upper and lower disks.
Another embodiment of a safety lock 65 is shown in FIG. 6(c). Safety lock
65 is also useful with dispensers having upper and lower rotating disks as
lids therefore, like the disks shown and described with respect to
dispenser 10, and, like that dispenser, also involves a tab identified in
FIG. 6(c) as tab 66. Tab 66, like tab 25, also involves a living hinge and
has a nodule 66a formed thereon that is intended to fit within an opening
or seat 67 formed in the lower disk 68, which lower disk also has a bar 69
extending upwardly therefrom. In this embodiment tab 66 is secured to
upper disk 70 so as to be capable of being lifted, as by an operator's
using his finger, not shown, to lift the nodule 66a portion thereof out
from seat 67 thereby releasing lower disk 68 such that it will rotate
independently of upper disk 70. To reinstall the lock, the lower disk is
moved appropriately until the nodule 66a end of tab 66 is aligned with and
is lowered by its living hinge into seat 67.
As stated earlier herein, it is preferred to manufacture the dispensers 10
or 30, with one of the safety locking arrangements disclosed herein, by
conventional molding methods, or the like, from a resilient material,
preferably a plastic, that is capable of being bent but will return to its
original attitude, particularly at a living hinge portion of a safety
lock, as described. Certainly, while plastic is the preferred material for
use in manufacturing the present invention, other materials could be so
used and manufacturing methods other than molding could also be used
without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Further, while seven
compartments, each representing a day of a week, have been shown as being
preferred compartment arrangements within the dispenser, it should be
obvious that other numbers of compartments, representing other periods
could be so incorporated, without departure from the scope of this
disclosure. Also, while a number of configurations of safety locking
arrangements have disclosed herein as preferred embodiments, it should be
apparent that other types of arrangements for releasably maintaining upper
and lower disks in a fixed attitude for closing of a dispenser, and
therefore, like or similar arrangements to those disclosed, that perform
the same function, would be within the scope of the present disclosure.
Also, while a bar has been shown herein to be a preferred configuration
for allowing an operator to move the described disks, obviously other
configurations or components, for attachment to either the upper or lower
disks, for moving those disks together, could be employed without
departing from the scope of present disclosure.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and
described herein, it should be understood that variations, changes,
adaptations, modifications and the like may be made without departing from
the subject matter coming within the spirit and scope of the present
disclosure, which subject matter is covered by the following claims, which
claims I regard as my invention.
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