Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
221154000 | WITH LOCK, LATCH, OR SEAL FOR CONTAINER AND/OR SUPPORT | 30 |
20080217352 | Apparatus and methods for distribution of media - The present invention relates to apparatus for the controlled distribution of media. The apparatus includes a plurality of compartments that releasably retain media. The distribution manager may issue a key to a patron. The patron may then take the key to one or more compartment containing media. The media are selectively releasable by the key from the compartments when the patron presents the key to a lock interface located generally proximate the compartments. The present inventions also include methods for the controlled distribution of media from a plurality of compartments. | 09-11-2008 |
20080272141 | APPARATUS FOR INSERTING A CART, SUCH AS A CART WITH ONE OR MORE FIXED WHEELS, INTO AN ENCLOSURE - A cart positioning assembly that is adapted for guiding a wheeled cart into a desired target cart position within an enclosure (e.g., a dispenser) by engaging a body portion of the cart and thereby guiding the movement of the body portion as the cart moves into the target cart position. In particular embodiments: (1) the cart includes at least one front fixed wheel and at least one swiveled rear wheel; (2) the front fixed wheel is in a target fixed-wheel position when the cart is in the target cart position; (3) the swiveled rear wheel is in a target swiveled-wheel position when the cart is in the target cart position; (4) the cart positioning assembly is adapted to facilitate a sliding movement of the fixed wheel into the target fixed-wheel position; and (5) the cart positioning assembly is adapted to facilitate a rolling movement of the swiveled wheel into the target swiveled-wheel position. | 11-06-2008 |
20080290109 | Selectably Lockable Case - A lockable container includes a lockable case and an insert. The insert can be stored in the lockable case. The lockable case and the insert can each have one or more engaging elements and receiving elements, with reciprocal elements for engaging or receiving being included in the case or insert. The engaging elements, the receiving elements, or both, can be made removable to provide selective removal of the locking feature of the lockable container. For example, the engaging elements can be a removable post that can be selectively removed from the lockable case. | 11-27-2008 |
20090045213 | Ice dispenser for a refrigerator - The invention relates to an ice dispenser ( | 02-19-2009 |
20090045214 | Medicine supply apparatus and tablet case - An object is to provide a medicine supply apparatus capable of reducing a time required for charging medicines without causing any trouble during counting of the medicines, the apparatus comprises: a discharge drum which discharges the medicines from a tablet case; a medicine detecting sensor which detects the medicines discharged from the tablet case, and a control device, and this control device controls a rotating motor for rotating the discharge drum to discharge the medicines from the tablet case, counts the discharged medicines based on a detecting operation of the medicine detecting sensor, and changes a discharge speed of the medicine by the discharge drum depending on a type of medicine in the tablet case. | 02-19-2009 |
20090120952 | Sheet Product Dispenser - A sheet product dispenser includes a housing comprising a dispenser opening for dispensing sheet product, and a water resistance means attached to a periphery of the dispenser opening, the water resistance means includes a means for housing the sheet product, a repositionable chute door movable between an open and a closed position, a chute seal between the housing means and the dispenser opening, and at least a door seal between the housing means and the chute door. | 05-14-2009 |
20090194556 | Medicine Container With Single Pill Dispenser - A pill dispensing cap that secures to a conventional pill container. The pill dispensing cap has a lower cap, a pill discharge port, and a spring loaded rotatable and slidable upper cap. Pills are dispensed one at a time, and the remaining pills are isolated from external contamination. A child resistant lock prevents small children and/or mentally handicapped individuals from easily accessing medicine inside the container. The child resistant lock uses a vertically slidable upper cap that is slidably and rotatably attached to the lower cap. A child safety lock uses a key in the upper cap that must be aligned with a slot in the lower cap to allow a pill to be dispensed. When the key and slot are aligned, the upper cap is vertically compressed against the lower cap. As the upper cap moves toward the base cap, a gravity fed pill discharge port is exposed which releases a single pill. | 08-06-2009 |
20090200332 | Child Resistant Dispenser - A device for dispensing a controlled quantity of a product comprising a housing having a dispensing member movable therein, a dispensing cavity being extendable exteriorly of the housing to permit dispensing of a single unit, a single locking device to lock the dispensing member within the housing, and a second locking arrangement to prevent the dispensing member from being pushed rewardly from the housing, the second locking arrangement comprising first and second locking members which extend outwardly form the dispensing member to engage the housing, the first and second locking members being arrangement such that pressure on one of the locking members to release the same result in a tighter engagement of the other of the locking members with housing. | 08-13-2009 |
20090266837 | Dispensing Container - A container for dispensing a product is provided, the container including an outer casing body having a cavity; a dispensing tray adapted for sliding movement within the cavity of the outer casing body between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, the dispensing tray having an internal storage compartment for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, a dispensing window, and a stop for engaging the outer casing body to prevent removal of the dispensing tray from the cavity; and a locking mechanism for releasably locking the dispensing tray in the cavity, the locking mechanism including protrusions projecting from the outer casing body into the cavity and positioned adjacent to a moveable flap formed in the outer casing body, and recesses carried by the dispensing tray and positioned to engage the protrusions when the dispensing tray is in the closed and locked position. | 10-29-2009 |
20090272756 | Gravity fed dispensing container - A gravity fed dispensing and display box has separate partition inserts therein dividing the interior into a plurality of compartments for stacking articles to be dispensed. A dispensing opening at the bottom of each compartment has a width less than the width of the compartment and of articles to be dispensed to prevent unintentional movement of an article through the opening. A yieldable retaining panel overlies the articles in each compartment to prevent loss of articles through the top during shipping, but flexes downwardly to enable an article to be placed in the compartment through the top. A lid is convertible from a shipping closure to a display panel for display at a point of sale. The box and the inserts are each held assembled by interlocking tabs and slots, avoiding the need for adhesive. | 11-05-2009 |
20090277923 | DISPENSER FOR FLATTENED ARTICLES - A substantially moisture-proof, airtight dispenser for both storing and dispensing several flattened articles such as diagnostic test strips. The inventive dispenser includes a novel pivotable housing that a user need merely grab and squeeze to eject a test strip. Independent movement of the user's fingers to push a button or turn a knob is unnecessary to dispense a strip, which makes the present invention well suited for diabetics suffering from nerve damage in their extremities and other complications resulting from the disease. The invention includes a novel flexible arm member and pusher head that engage and push an article from the dispenser as the two parts of the housing are pivoted together. The articles are dispensed through an exit that is configured with a novel flexible seal that maintains the dispenser substantially airtight. Several inventive seal embodiments and methods of making the same are disclosed. | 11-12-2009 |
20100078445 | TABLET CASSETTE OF AUTOMATIC TABLET PACKING APPARATUS - The tablet cassette includes a division block installed to be rotated by a drive motor to discharge tablets introduced from above through transfer passages indented in an outer circumferential surface thereof. Each of the transfer passage includes a separation recess for downward transfer of the tablets, a lower end of which is blocked by a prop, and a supply recess along which the tablets having passed through the separation recess are moved on the outer circumferential surface of the division block to thereby be discharged downward via rotation of the division block. The tablet cassette further includes a bottom ring provided around a lower end of the division block to transfer the tablets located in the separation recess into the supply recess via rotation of the division block. | 04-01-2010 |
20110266301 | STORAGE CABINET FOR STORING FLAT BATCHES OF MALE HYGIENIC WIPES - Storage cabinet for the storage of flat batches of male hygienic wipes, consisting of a potentially wall-mounted stationary component with a vertical rear plate and a rotating front panel and an accessible storage space between the two, with a central bottom aperture for dispensing the wipes one at a time, wherein the stationary component ( | 11-03-2011 |
20120097698 | Business Card Case - In order to provide a card case in which cards can be automatically and promptly discharged one by one, the case has a case body capable of accommodating more than one cards inside, a card discharging plate mounted so as to proceed from and retreat into the case body via a card discharging opening provided on a side portion of the case body, with a card being placed on its upper surface, and an elastic piece for movably urging the card discharging plate in one direction. | 04-26-2012 |
20120273517 | VENDING MACHINE USER INTERFACE GUIDE; ELECTRONIC COIN RETURN; AND HINGED DELIVERY BIN - A system and method for directing a consumer through a vending machine transaction. The system and method include a UI guide comprising visual cues to direct a consumer to insert a minimum amount of money, make a production selection and confirm the product selection. The system and method provide for the consumer to cancel the transaction and request that return of inserted coins. | 11-01-2012 |
20130026176 | PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION DEVICE - A product distribution device for accommodating at least one row of products with products which can be arranged in succession on a support surface of a product guide element in a receiving space with the following features: at least one door for stocking the receiving space with the products, guide means which are guided along the support surface in one conveyance direction F for advancing the products in the conveyance direction F, a catch element which can be switched between one catch position of the conveyance means and one conveyance position of the conveyance means. | 01-31-2013 |
20130026177 | STACKABLE PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION DEVICE - Stackable product distribution device for accommodating at least one row of products with products which can be arranged in succession on a support surface in a receiving space which is bordered by two opposite side walls, one bottom, and a cover as well as at least one closable door, for sequential distribution of the product of the product row which is located nearest the door there being a removal opening between the closed door and one front edge of the cover. | 01-31-2013 |
20130146610 | DISPENSING CONTAINER - A container adapted for dispensing a product is provided. The container includes an outer casing body for receiving a dispensing tray. The dispensing tray has an internal storage compartment for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and includes a cover plate defining at least one dispensing aperture through which a stored unit of product is accessible when the outer casing body is in a dispensing position. The container includes a locking mechanism that releasably locks the outer casing body in the closed and locked position. | 06-13-2013 |
20130200095 | Coin and Bill Dispensing Safe - A readily reconfigureable cash dispensing system for providing change, such as coins of different values and bills or currency of different denominations needed by a retail store, grocery store, busy convenience store, or the like. A tray or trays for storing and delivering multiple rolls of coins or bills of a first value, as well as, a tray or trays for storing and delivering stacks of bills are described herein. A bill acceptor may be employed to accept bills used to purchase rolls of coins and stacks of bills, and a system controller can sense restocking and dispensing events to maintain an accurate inventory of cash in the bill acceptor, as well as, the total cash stored in the form of coin rolls or rolls bills, as well as, bill stacks. | 08-08-2013 |
20130320032 | MULTIFUNCTION LATCH ASSEMBLY - A latch assembly is disclosed that has a latch, a locking lever having locked and unlocked positions, and a detent lever having engaged and disengaged positions. The locking lever is configured to secure the latch in the closed position when the locking lever is in the locked position and the detent lever is configured to provide a detent function when the detent lever is in the engaged position. In certain aspects, the latch assembly includes a single motor and cam assembly having three configurations, wherein the locking lever and detent lever are respectively in the unlocked and disengaged positions while in the first configuration, in the unlocked and engaged positions while in the second configuration, and in the locked and engaged positions while in the third configuration. | 12-05-2013 |
20140027465 | CONTACT LENS DISPENSING APPARATUS - A contact lens dispensing apparatus may include a container with a lid that removably seals the container, a cradle that cradles a contact lens, and a lifting mechanism connected to the cradle and the lid. The container and lid may collectively form a blister pack with the contact lens sealed therein. The lid may protect the contact lens from foreign matter including bacteria while the contact lens is stored in the container. The lifting mechanism may lift the cradle from a storage position within the container to a dispensing position above the container in response to opening the lid of the container. The cradle may cradle a contact lens placed thereon and enable a user to slide the contact lens off of the cradle. The lifting mechanism and the cradle may be a laminar emergent mechanism that is integrally formed from a planar sheet of material. | 01-30-2014 |
20140097197 | LOCKING CANISTER FOR DISPENSING MEDICATIONS - In certain embodiments, a lockable canister for retaining and selectively dispensing medications is disclosed. To prevent drug diversion, a plurality of doses of medication may be loaded into the locking canister at a central pharmacy and then the canister may be locked to prevent unauthorized removal of medication in transit to a remote automated dispensing unit that may be located in a remote pharmacy. The lockable canister may include a canister housing and a canister cover that may be locked to the canister housing to enclose the plurality of doses of medication. The canister cover may include tamper evident or tamper resistant features. The canister may include one or more locking mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to the medication in the canister in transit or before it is specifically authorized for dispensing. | 04-10-2014 |
20140144925 | SELF-ALIGNING TERMINATION FOR MEMORY ALLOY WIRE - A self-aligning memory alloy wire actuator has a memory alloy wire having first and second ends with at least one terminal coupled to one end of the memory alloy wire. The terminal includes two wings and an extended piece connected in the shape of a T. The two wings are disposed on opposite sides of the extended piece and perpendicular to the extended piece. Each wing comprises top and bottom surfaces, a front surface, and an outside end. The top surfaces of the two wings lie on a common top plane and the front surfaces of the two wings lie on a common front plane. The memory alloy wire is coupled to the extended piece of the terminal. | 05-29-2014 |
20140175113 | VENDING MACHINE WITH LOCKING ASSEMBLY - A dispensing device for a vending machine includes an installation member, a goods channel module, and a locking assembly. The goods channel module is slidably secured to the installation member. The locking assembly is secured to the goods channel module and includes a sliding member. The sliding member is slidable into the installation member to lock the installation member to the goods channel module. The sliding member is further slidable out of the installation member, allowing the installation member to be removed from the goods channel module. | 06-26-2014 |
20140346187 | TICKET DISPENSER - A ticket dispenser comprising a housing body, a lockable housing door configured to close an opening in the housing body, a ticket dispensing aperture, a lockable security cover configured to prevent the removal of tickets through the aperture, and a lock assembly, wherein the lock assembly is configured to lock the housing door and security cover when in a first orientation, wherein the lock assembly is configured to lock the housing door and not to lock the security cover when in a second orientation, and wherein the lock assembly is configured not to lock the housing door or the security cover when in a third orientation. | 11-27-2014 |
20150014347 | MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR WAREHOUSE OF VENDING MACHINE - Mounting apparatus for holding goods containers in a vending machine includes a rack with a cover. At least two containers (warehouses) comprise a center warehouse with a first blocking portion and a left warehouse with a second blocking portion. A sliding member includes a flange. The sliding member can be in a a first position or in a second position. In the first position, the flange abuts the second blocking portion and is disengaged from the first blocking portion, allowing the center warehouse to be moved out of the rack but so preventing the left warehouse from also moving out of the rack. In the second position, the flange abuts the first blocking portion and is disengaged from the second blocking portion, allowing the left warehouse to be moved out of the rack but so preventing the right warehouse from also moving out of the rack. | 01-15-2015 |
20150041486 | VENDING MACHINE - A vending machine includes a rack, a number of storage containers, a controlling chip, and a number of locking modules. The number of storage containers is accommodated in the rack. Each of the locking modules is secured to one corresponding storage container and electrically connected to the controlling chip. In an initial state of the locking modules, the storage containers are secured to the rack. The controlling chip is configured to unlock one of the locking modules to allow the corresponding storage container to be pulled out of the rack. | 02-12-2015 |
20150083744 | MODULAR MANUAL LIFT DISPENSER SECURITY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSEMBLING, MANUFACTURING AND/OR UTILIZING SAID SECURITY SYSTEMS - Modular manual lift dispenser security systems and methods store and dispense at least one retail product. The systems and methods have a dispenser body having a floor and walls extending above the floor, wherein the walls of the dispenser body define an interior of the dispenser body that is sized to receive one or more retail products. Further, the systems and methods have a locking lid assembly slidably connected to a top edge of each side wall of the dispenser body via at least one fastener and a pusher paddle located within the interior of the dispenser body, wherein the pusher paddle is spring-loaded and configured to move one or more retail products towards the front wall of the dispenser body. Still further, the systems and methods have a first opening between a lip of the front wall of the dispenser body and a front edge of the locking lid assembly that is located adjacent to the front wall of the dispenser body, wherein the first opening is sized such that a leading retail product is passable through the opening between the lip of the front wall and the front edge of the locking lid assembly. Moreover, the systems and methods have a recess formed in the floor of the dispenser body and a lift slot formed in the front wall of the dispenser body, wherein the recess and lift slot are at least one of sized and shaped such that a leading retail product is accessible through the recess and lift slot. | 03-26-2015 |
20160002951 | Key Safe - A key safe ( | 01-07-2016 |
20160046431 | Cargo Strap Storing and Dispensing Device - A cargo strap storing and dispensing device for containing and organizing cargo straps in a central location. The cargo strap storing and dispensing device includes a cylindrical container having a base, a sidewall, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume, wherein the upper end is able to receive one or more rolled cargo straps therein. A spring-loaded plunger is disposed within the container and includes a plate that is movable between the upper end and the base of the container. The plate is able to receive the cargo straps thereon and the spring expands and compresses in order to dispense or store the straps. The device further includes a lever having a first end adjustably secured to the plate and a second end disposed through a zig zag cutout in the container, wherein a user can manipulate the lever in order to move the plunger within the container. | 02-18-2016 |