Tablet Dispenser

The present invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing articles. The invention is particularly useful for dispensing articles such as tablets of material, more particularly disc-shaped and of moderate size, a few centimetres in diameter, but is also suitable for other shapes and dimensions.

FR-A-268579 shows a dispenser in which disc shaped tablets are stacked flat, one on top of another. Diametrically opposed resilient support tongues support a lower, bottom most tablet and are withdrawn, to release the tablet from the dispenser, by pressing the dispenser in the transverse direction to deform the dispenser and move the tongues outward. As the dispenser is pressed, two holding tongues are pressed on to the next, upper, tablet, to grip it. When the dispenser is released, the support tongues move back and the holding tongues release the upper tablet to drop on to the support tongues.

This arrangement requires a substantial footprint for the dispenser as the tablets are stored flat, and also applies pressure to the upper tablet to hold it in place while dispensing the lower tablet.

In WO 00/68109, tablets enter the dispenser mechanism side on, but otherwise the device is similar in operation to that of FR-A-2686579. The support tongues support the lower tablet at the side, and the upper tablet is squeezed at its flat faces. EP-A- 393573 is similar, but is for spherical tablets.

US2006/0255058 describes a dispenser for spherical tablets. The dispenser has an oval cross-section outlet neck at the bottom of a chamber which is squeezed along its length to adopt a round shape which the tablet will drop through. Support nibs at an upper end of the chamber above the outlet are moved inward as the chamber is squeezed, to

prevent an upstream tablet dropping into the chamber while a tablet is dispensed through the outlet.

One aspect of our invention provides a dispenser comprising a container and a dispenser mechanism having a pivotable arm at an outlet of the dispenser. In a first position a lower end of the arm prevents an article passing through the dispenser outlet. When the arm is pivoted to a second position, the lower end of the arm moves to release the article from the dispenser. As the arm pivots to the second position, an upper end of the arm moves to prevent an upstream article passing to the dispenser outlet. Preferably the arm upper end prevents passage of the article immediately upstream of the released article. The articles may rest one on another while in the container, so that downward movement of an article being dispensed allows downward movement of the successive articles, subject to any prevention by the arm upper end.

In the second position of the arm, the upper end of the arm may project into the path of the upstream article to prevent its downward movement to the dispenser outlet. When the arm returns to the first position, the upper end releases the upstream article, for it to drop down to engage the lower end of the arm. Thus, the arm movement automatically ensures that the path to the container outlet is always blocked, ensuring that articles cannot be dispensed continuously. Preferably the arm movement allows only one article to be dispensed at a time.

The arm may be biased to the first position. Preferably the arm is biased by a hinge formed integrally with the arm and a frame which supports the arm.

Preferably the dispenser mechanism is integrally formed in a single moulding.

Two arms may be provided. The arms may be diametrically opposed across the dispenser outlet.

The frame may also carry a cap to close the dispenser outlet. The arm may extend adjacent a side wall of the container, the container being squeezed to cause the arm to

pivot from the first position to the second position. The sleeve may be slit in a region adjacent the arms, to facilitate flexing of the sleeve when the container is squeezed.

The articles to be dispensed may be disc shaped. The articles may be stacked edge on in the sleeve.

The articles may be blocks, pucks or tablets of material. In particular, the articles may be lavatory cleansing blocks, tablets for bath water, for swimming pools or hot tubs and other water treatment tablets.

By providing an arm which pivots to release an article while retaining another one upstream, the dispenser need flex only in one plane and a reduced force can be used to reduce the risk of crushing the article. Also, by stacking disc shaped articles edge on, the dispenser footprint can be reduced.

In one embodiment the arm may be formed on a side wall of the frame, the wall flexing to pivot the arm.

The arm may be mounted on an integral hinge extending from a frame side wall.

In one embodiment we provide a dispenser containing from two to six lavatory cleansing blocks. Four blocks, in particular, may be provided. Each block may have an expected in-use lifetime of about one week.

Other aspects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying claims.

The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser in accordance with the invention:

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a dispenser mechanism of the dispenser of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-section along the line IH-III of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a cross-section through the dispenser of Figure 1 along line FV-IV, showing a tablet being dispensed.

Referring to Figure 1, a dispenser 2 comprises a container 3 in the form of a cylindrical sleeve 4 having a generally rectangular cross-section and being formed of polyethylene or polypropylene material. Sleeve 4 may be of other material, such as cardboard, depending on the articles to be dispensed. In this embodiment, the articles 6 being dispensed are toilet cleansing blocks or tablets which are disc shaped, of circular plan view and typically between 3 and 5 cm. in diameter and 1 to 2 cm. thick. As well known in the art of toilet cleansing blocks, the blocks may be formulated of various active ingredients such as surfactants, bleach and colourant and wrapped in a water soluble covering. Other types and size of article may be dispensed. The dimensions of the container and dispenser mechanism are tailored to the article being dispensed, as will become apparent hereinafter. Sleeve 4 is closed at its upper end 4a by a flap 8 as well known in the art of packaging. A dispenser mechanism 10 which is integrally moulded as a single moulding of polypropylene or polyethylene material, for example, closes the bottom end 4b of the sleeve 4. Various polymers may be used as well as polypropylene and polyethylene, for example, polycarbonate, nylon, polyvinylchloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high density and low density polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE), or co-polymers thereof, which can be injection moulded and provide suitable flexibility at the pivot region as described hereinafter..

Dispenser mechanism 10 comprises a generally rectangular frame 12 which defines a dispenser outlet 15 and is closed at its lower edge 17 (i.e. distal of the sleeve 4) by a lid or cap 14 which is pivotally attached along a rear edge of the frame 12 by an integral hinge. Cap 14 is held closed in the frame by nibs, not shown, as well known in the art. A lip 16 allows a user to open the cap 14.

The sleeve 4 is mounted on the upper edge 18 of the frame 12. A peripheral wall 20 extends up from the edge 18 and sleeve 4 fits closely around the wall 20 and is held in

place by nibs 22 which extend out from the wall 20 and through apertures 24 in the sleeve 4. Apertures 23 in the wall 20, below the nibs 22, are provided to facilitate moulding.

Referring in particular to Figures 2 and 3, peripheral wall 20 extends upwardly at its narrow ends 26, 28 to form vertical tongues 30. Tongues 30 can flex inwardly, as will be described herein after, and provide a resilient biasing force to bias arms 32 into a first position as shown in Figure 3. The arms 32 are mounted at the upper ends 30a of the tongues 30, and form a particular feature of this invention. Arms 32 each extend vertically, extending generally in the axial direction of the dispenser and container 3, and comprise leafs 38 and a cantilever 40 which attaches a leaf 38 at its mid region to the upper end 30a of a respective tongue 30. The cantilever 40 and the tongue 30 form a pivot for the arm 32. A fillet or rib 42 extends between an upper leaf part 38a of the arm 32 and the cantilever 40. A stiffening rib 44 is provided on an underside of the lower leaf part 38b.

Referring to Figure 3, when an inward force is applied by a user to the fillets 42, in the direction of arrow A, the arms 32 will pivot as the tongues 30 are forced to flex inwards and there is some flexing also at the junction of the cantilever 40 and the upper end 30a of the tongue, as shown in Figure 4.

Referring back to Figure 1 , the sleeve 4 has slits 50 in side walls 4c near its edges 4d at the region of the fillets 42. A user squeezes the container sidewalls 4c together at the region of the slits 50 to press the sleeve sidewalls 4c inwards and so press on the fillets 42 to pivot the arms 32.

Figures 1 to 3 show the dispenser mechanism with the arms 32 in their first position. A bottom tablet 6a rests on the lower leaf portions 38b of the arms 32, just clear of the cap 14 and the next, upper tablet 6b rests on the bottom tablet 6a. Figure 4, shows the operation of the dispensing mechanism when the arms 32 have been pivoted to their second position. A user squeezes together the side wall portions 4e which are between pairs of slits 50. In turn, this bears on the fillets 42 to urge the upper leg portions 38a inwards, causing the tongues 30 to bend and so the legs 32 pivot or tilt inwards, the

lower leg portions 38b moved outwards and allow the lower block 6a to drop through the outlet 15, cap 14 being open. The upper block 6b, which was supported on the lower block 6a is prevented from falling through to the outlet 15 by the upper ends 38c of the legs 38.

When the user releases the pressure on the fillets 42, the arms 38 spring back to the first position under the resilience or biasing force of the tongues 30 and the second tablet 6b drops between the upper arm edges 38c to rest on the lower arm leafs 38b, as with tablet 6a in Figure 3.

The lower arm portions 38b support the lower tablet 6a at a region below its diameter. The upper ends 38a of the arms 38 extend above the tablet diameter and in the first position are wider apart than the tablet diameter. As the arms 38 move between the first and second positions, Figures 3 and 4, the lower tablet 6a is not released until the distance between the upper ends 38c of the arms is less than the diameter of the succeeding tablet 6b. The second tablet 6b thus rests on the upper ends 38c of the arms 38. Hence, only one tablet can be dispensed at a time past the lower arm portions 38b. When the arms are released, the upper ends 38c spring apart to allow a tablet 6b to drop down on to the lower arm portions 38b..

After dispensing a tablet, the user closes cap 14 and can store the dispenser for later use.

The dispenser is particularly suited to use with blocks or tablets for water treatment which are to be dispensed at regular intervals by a user, for example lavatory cleansing blocks which are deposited in the toilet cistern.

A user will dose the water with a new block at regular intervals, or when a block is used up. Typically, the end of life of an in-cistern block can be determined by a lack of colorant or foam in the toilet bowl after it is flushed. However, we have found that many users prefer to dose the cistern as part of their regular household cleaning routine, and so we provide a dispenser which can be used to drop a toilet block into the cistern at weekly intervals. Although the blocks are typically covered with a water soluble

wrapper, by using the dispenser of this invention, a user does not have to handle the blocks at all.