NZ260315A - Dispenser for loose unpackaged protective gloves - Google Patents

Description

260 51 5 Priority Dats(s): Complete Specification Filed: Class: (6) .ftHr?B./.Pf . .§.$/. .[%!*?:.

Publication Date: P.O. Journal No: i'±!.7.

! N.2. PATEIWT OFF ICS 11 - ■ n ii i 1 14 APR 1994 ! ?r.fot5.v»t> PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Our Ref: DT202904 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION DISPENSERS FOR PROTECTIVE GLOVES I, VINCENT ANTHONY TASSOHI, an Australian citizen of 136-140 Roden Street, West Melbourne, Victoria 3003, Australia hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statements (followed by page la) PT0531306 -la- ^ 26031 DISPENSERS FOR PROTECTIVE GLOVES The present invention relates to a dispenser for medical or other protective gloves, and more particularly to the dispenser for dispensing gloves of different size, as well as a dispensing system incorporating the dispenser and a package 5 of gloves for use with the dispenser.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dispenser for dispensing loose, unpackaged protective gloves, including a container having at least one compartment with a filling opening at an jpper end thereof to permit filling of a bulk quantity of loose, unpackaged protective gloves 10 into the compartment, and a dispensing portion at a lower end of the container and having a dispensing opening into the compartment through which the gloves are dispensed, the dispensing portion being configured so as to present loose gloves within the compartment to the dispensing opening for dispensing therethrough, the dispensing opening being positioned laterally to one side of the 15 compartment so as to prevent gloves in the compartment from inadvertently passing through the opening but shaped and sized to permit the insertion of a user's fingers into the dispensing portion for gripping individual gloves and withdrawing them through the dispensing opening.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example 20 only with reference to the accompanying drawings, where the same reference numerals identify the same < KW C:\VWNWORO\KATE\SPECt\FF227QS or like components, and in which Fig 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a dispenser in accordance with the invention; Fig 2 is a cross-sectional view through Section II-II of the dispensre of Fig 1, and showing a package of gloves being emptied into a compartment of the dispenser; Fig 3 is a perspective view of a package of gloves for use with the dispenser of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another dispenser; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a wall bracket particularly suited to mounting the dispenser of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a further dispenser; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a dispenser in accordance with the invention.

Referring initially to Figs 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is generally shown a dispenser 1 for dispensing gloves G contained within the dispenser 1.

The dispenser 1 has a container 2 including a generally rectangular box-like outer carton 3. The carton 3 includes spaced apart front and rear walls 4,5, and opposed end walls 6 extending between those front and rear walls 4,5. The container 2 provides an interior space 7 which is accessible through a filling opening 8 defined by the walls 4,5,6 at open upper end 9 of the carton 3 in order to fill the interior space 7 with gloves G for dispensing. That filling opening 8 is closable by a flap 10 hingedly connected with the rear wall 5.

The container 2 has a dispensing portion 11 at a lower end 12 where gloves G are dispensed from the dispenser 1. In this embodiment, the dispensing portion 11 is relatively enlarged. That enlargement provides an extended base wall 13 enabling the dispenser 1 to act as a free standing unit which may be stationed on a desk or table top during use. The relative depth of the base wall 13 and height of the dispenser 1 will also influence the toppling characteristics, and those dimensions can be selected so as to minimise the risk of dispenser toppling. In addition, the enlarged dispensing portion 11 facilitates orderly dispensing of gloves G as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

KW 3 26 0 IT m J <4 jam : 5 The enlarged dispensing portion 11 is effected by-extending a lower part of the front wall 4 so as to project forwardly therefrom. As a result, the dispensing portion 11 has a top wall 14 spaced from the extended base wall 13, and an end wall 15 extending between the top and bottom walls 14,13. Those walls 13,14,15 are all planar, with the top wall being directed outwardly from the front wall 4 and angled downwardly therefrom so as to converge toward the bottom wall 13. The end wall 15 is directed downwardly from the top wall 14 but angled inwardly therefrom so as to present a protruding edge junction 16 formed between the top and end walls 14,15.

The interior space 7 of the carton 3 is divided into compartments 17 arranged side-by-side across the dispenser 1. In this embodiment, 3 such compartments 17 are provided, although other compartment numbers may be provided depending on the intended application of the dispenser 1. Specifically, when a particular dispenser 1 is designed for a range of gloves G having other than 3 sizes or types to be dispensed, the dispenser 1 will have a separate compartment 17 for each size or type of glove G.

Each compartment 17 has a vertical filling shaft 18 extending downwardly from the filling opening 8 to the dispensing portion 11. The shaft 18 is of a square cross-section, and is of constant size along its length.

Each compartment 17 in this embodiment also has a dispensing shaft 19 which emerges from the filling shaft 18 and extends along the forwardly protruding dispensing portion 11 to the end wall 15. The dispensing shaft 19 is angled downwardly to the end wall 15 so that contained gloves G tend to move under the influence of gravity toward the end wall 15. That angling is facilitated by a sloping bottom wall 20 in the dispensing portion 11, extending from the rear wall 5 to the end wall 15.

The dispensing portion 11 has a separate dispensing opening 21 into each compartment 17 through which the gloves G are dispensed. In this embodiment, those dispensing openings 21 are elongate and located at the edge junction 16 so as to extend partially into each of the walls 14,15. The openings 21 do not extend down as far as the base wall 13, in this KW embodiment. With this positioning of the openings 21 the dispensing shaft 19 can be easily visually inspected through the openings 21 and the gloves G sighted for gripping. In addition, although individual gloves G can be readily gripped and withdrawn through the openings 21 those openings tend to prevent gloves from accidentally falling or otherwise inadvertantly passing therethrough.

The openings 21 are elongate to permit easy insertion of a pair of user's fingers into the dispensing portion 11 for gripping of individual gloves G. The openings 21 each have arched, curved or otherwise contoured upper and lower edges 22 so as to conform with a user's finger profile, and also remove angular edges or corners at which the gloves G could snag or tear as they are withdrawn.

The carton 3 is provided with window slots 23 in the front wall 4 to permit visual inspection of each compartment 17. In this way, the compartments 17 can be regularly inspected for glove contents which can then be replenished as required.

In this embodiment, the dispenser 1 also includes a glove restraining member 24 in the dispensing portion 11. The restraining member 24 is positioned immediately adjacent the dispensing openings 21 and acts to restrain ungripped gloves G against passage through the openings 21 when a gripped glove G is withdrawn. The nature of the gloves G, typically made of thin latex and supplied to the compartments 17 in a loose, unpackaged bulk quantity, can cause them to cling together. As a result, when one glove G is gripped and withdrawn, adjacent gloves G clinging thereto may have a tendancy to be withdrawn along with the selected glove G. The restraining member 24 acts to separate the selected glove G from those other gloves G so as to retain them within the dispensing portion 11 until selected for withdrawal.

In this embodiment, the restraining member 24 is provided by a restraining wall 25 spaced closely inwardly from the end wall 15. That restraining wall 25 upstands from the base wall 13, generally parallel to the end wall 15, and a distance beyond at least the arched lower edge 22 of the dispensing opening 21.

KW The restraining wall 25 provides a restraining edge 26 over which withdrawn gloves G are raked for separation from other gloves G clinging thereto. Each edge 26 at least substantially conforms to the lower edge 22 of the dispensing opening 21. Thus, each edge 26 is generally arcuate in shape. In this embodiment, the edges 26 have a slightly larger arcuate profile than the lower edges 22 so as to be set out therefrom. In this way, the edges 22 and 26 coact to rake and separate the gloves G which might be clinging together.

The gloves G dispensed from the dispenser 1 are supplied in a bulk package 27 as shown in Fig 3 of the drawings. The package 27 includes a soft, flexible packaging bag 28 in which the gloves G are contained. The bag 28 has a folded and closed end 29. The end 29 is stitch, seal or otherwise closed, and can be opened for emptying the gloves G into the compartments 17. The gloves G are loosely layered one on top of another in a stack-like formation along the bag 28 so as to minimise intermingling between adjacent gloves G. The gloves G are not folded together. This arrangement facilitates glove separation during dispensing. The individual gloves G are not wrapped or otherwise separately packaged.

The packaging bag 28 is shaped and sized relative to the compartments 17 so that, in filling the compartments 17, an opened bag 28 can be upended and fed neatly into a filling shaft 18 of a compartment as shown in Fig 2. With this arrangement the bag 28 can be gently shook to cause the gloves G to fall progressively from the packaging bag 27 into the filling shaft 18 in a manner which generally retains their loose stacked formation within the compartment 17. During emptying the bag 28 can be progressively withdrawn from the filling shaft 18 as the shaft 18 fills with gloves. The withdrawn and empty bag 28 can then be discarded.

When the gloves G have been tipped into a compartment 17, portions of the lowermost gloves G will feed along the dispensing shaft 19 and tend to project toward and possibly through the dispensing openings 21. In this way, those gloves G are presented for ready grasping and removal as required for use. Moreover, the loose stacked arrangement of the gloves G will enable orderly individual dispensing through the openings v./ v_. 21, particularly where the dispenser 1 incorporates restraining member 24.

The dispenser 1 may be fabricated in cardboard or plastic sheet material by folding one or more material blanks, or may be injection moulded in suitable plastic material.

In this embodiment of the dispenser 1, the carton 3 is fabricated from a single blank of sheet material. That blank is folded into a box shape to form the various carton walls including walls 4,5,6,13,14 and 15, as well as flap 10. The restraining wall 25 is also formed integrally with the carton blank sheet.

In this embodiment, the individual compartments 17 are each provided by separate blanks of sheet material folded into a generally tubular shape to form compartment walls including sloping bottom wall 20 and compartment dividing walls 30.

Referring now to Fig 4 of the drawings, an alternative dispenser 1 is shown. That dispenser 1 is similar to the dispenser of Fig 1. However, the dispensing portion 11 of this dispenser 1 has not been enlarged so that the end wall 15 forms a coplanar extension of the front wall 4, and the filling shaft 18 and dispensing shaft 19 are co-axial. In addition, the restraining wall 25 may be omitted in selected applications.

This dispenser may be fabricated in from the same materials and in a similar manner as the dispenser of Fig 1.

The dispenser of Fig 4 may be wall mounted by means of wall bracket 31 shown in Fig 5. The bracket 31 can be mounted on fasteners (not shown) projecting from a supporting wall and extending through key hole shaped openings 32. The bracket 31 provides a holding chamber 33 with an open top 34 through which a dispenser 1 can be slid into the chamber 33. The bracket 31 has a partially opened front wall 35 for accessing the dispensing openings 21 and enabling inspection through the window slots 23.

Another dispenser 1 is shown in Fig 6. This dispenser 1 is similar to the Fig 4 dispenser but fabricated from a group of plastic pipes secured in side-by-side relation so as to define the respective compartments 17.

Fig 7 shows a modified dispenser incorporating • - 7 - 26 G i r ■ V-' constructional aspects of the dispensers of Figs 1 and 6.

Various modifications may be made to the dispenser or package without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

KW

Claims (25)

260315 -8-Claims:

1. A dispenser for dispensing loose, unpackaged protective gloves, including a container having at least one compartment with a filling opening at an upper end thereof to permit filling of a bulk quantity of loose, unpackaged protective 5 gloves into the compartment, and a dispensing portion at a lower end of the container and having a dispensing opening into the compartment through which the gloves are dispensed, the dispensing portion being configured so as to present loose gloves within the compartment to the dispensing opening for dispensing therethrough, the dispensing opening being positioned laterally to one 10 side of the compartment so as to prevent gloves in the compartment from inadvertently passing through the opening but shaped and sized to permit the insertion of a user's fingers into the dispensing portion for gripping individual gloves and withdrawing them through the dispensing opening.

2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, and further including a restraining 15 member positioned within the dispensing portion adjacent the dispenser opening and operable to restrain ungripped gloves against passage through the dispensing opening along with a gripped glove.

3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the restraining member has a restraining edge spaced closely inwardly of the dispensing opening and over 20 which a gripped glove rakes to separate from ungripped gloves during withdrawal through the dispensing opening.

4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein the dispensing opening has an arcuate edge region, and the restraining edge is arcuate and extends at least substantially parallel to the edge region of the dispensing opening. 25 5. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the compartment has a filling shaft for the gloves extending downwardly from the filling opening to the dispensing portion, the dispensing portion protruding forwardly from one side of the filling shaft so that the dispensing opening is spaced forwardly from one side thereof. 30 6. A dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein the filling shaft extends vertically from the filling opening to the dispensing portion.

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7. A dispenser as claimed in claim 6/ wherein the filling shaft is of constant cross sectional shape and size throughout its length, the axis of the filling shaft being rectilinear.

8. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the filling shaft leads into a dispensing shaft being downwardly inclined from the filling shaft, the dispensing opening being at a lower end of the inclined dispensing shaft.

9. A dispenser as claimed in claim 8, wherein the dispensing portion has a bottom wall providing a bottom to the dispensing shaft which slopes downwardly and forwardly from the filling shaft toward the dispensing opening.

10. A dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein a part of the dispensing opening is formed in a wall of the compartment facing the sloping bottom.

11. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the dispensing portion has a planar top wall providing a top to the dispensing shaft which slopes downwardly and forwardly from the filling shaft toward the dispensing opening.

12. A dispenser as claimed in claim 11 when appended to claim 9, wherein the dispensing portion has an end wall extending between the top and bottom walls, and the dispensing opening extends within part of each of the end and top walls.

13. A dispenser as claimed in claim 12 when appended to claim 3 or 4, wherein the restraining member includes a restraining wall spaced from the end wall, and the restraining edge conforms to the profile of a lower edge region of the dispensing opening extending in the end wall.

14. A dispenser as claimed in claim 12, wherein the top, bottom and end walls are planar.

15. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing opening has arched upper and lower edges.

16. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, and further including at least one window in a wall of the compartment to permit visual inspection of the glove contents within the compartment.

17. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the dispenser is formed from folded sheet material.

18. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container includes an outer carton formed from folded * - 10 - 260315 sheet material, and! at least one inner tube formed from folded sheet material and housed within the outer carton to provide the or a respective compartment.

19. A dispenser as claimed in claim 14 when appended to claim 6, wherein the inner tube has at its lower end an inclined wall providing the sloping bottom.

20. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim/ wherein three said compartments are provided, the respective compartments intended to contain a different size of glove.

21. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A dispensing system for protective gloves, including a dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim and at least one 15 package containing a bulk quantity of protective gloves for dispensing from the dispenser, the package being openable for supplying loose, unpackaged gloves to the or a respective compartment for subsequent removal therefrom through the dispensing opening. 20

23. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the gloves are arranged within the bulk package for tipping from an opened package through the filling opening into the or a respective compartment.

24. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 22 or 23/ 25 wherein the gloves are arranged within the bulk package so that, when supplied to a compartment, portions of the lower most gloves will be presented toward the dispensing opening of the compartment for removal.

25. A dispensing system as claimed in any one of claims 22 3 0 to 24 when appended to claim 20, wherein bulk packages containing gloves of different sizes are provided for supplying gloves of different sizes to respective comtiartments. n y o'Ticei END OF CLAIMS ie M>R VINCENT ANTHOi 0613E By his BALDWI] CAREY KW