WO2009102764A2

WO2009102764A2 - Wafer dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2009102764A2
Application number: PCT/US2009/033758
Authority: WO
Inventors: Doug Henricksen; Dan Ewert; Jerry Klingner
Original assignee: Nu-Life Products, Inc.; Klingner, Wanda L.
Priority date: 2008-02-11
Filing date: 2009-02-11
Publication date: 2009-08-20
Also published as: WO2009102764A3

Abstract

A dispenser 10 having a housing 20, a support plate 30, a feed chute 60, and a lever 70. The housing 20 sidewalls 22 extend upward from a base 21 to define a retention chamber 23 with dispensing orifice 25 proximate the base 21 periphery. The support plate 30, within the retention chamber 23, has a dispensing orifice 31 and an annular ring 32. The plate 30 dispensing orifice 31 is radially aligned with the base 21 dispensing orifice 25. The annular ring 32 extends upward from the plate 30 and is discontinued at the dispensing orifice 31 creating a drop zone 50. The feed chute 60 supports a longitudinal stack of wafers 110 above a passage 61 through the chute 60. The chute 60 is rotatably supported atop the annular ring 32 and has a downwardly projecting shoulder 62 proximate the passage 61 for urging a wafer 110 within the drop zone 50 radially outwards towards the dispensing orifices 25, 31 as the feed chute 60 rotates. The lever 70 engages the feed chute 60 via a pawl and ratchet system for effecting rotation of the chute 60.

Description

WAFER DISPENSER

[0001] This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Application No. 60/027,567, filed February 11, 2008.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Taking communion is a common practice in many churches. Part of communion involves receiving a communion wafer or host. The common practice is for a church official to pick up the wafers from a plate and hand them to members of the congregation. As communion often occurs in the middle of a service there is not an opportunity for the church official to wash his or her hands prior to the handing out of the wafers. The wafers are also exposed to the air before, during, and after the offering of communion. This exposes the wafers to any contaminates that may be in the air. This can be of particular concern to members of the congregation during the cold and flu season.

[0003] The Host dispenser disclosed in United States Patent 6253669 ('669 Patent) attempts to solve the problem of wafer contamination during communion. The '669 Patent discloses a wafer dispenser that stores a plurality of communion wafers in a chamber. The plurality of wafers must be stacked and inserted into the dispenser prior to use. The dispenser has a dispensing mechanism which partially ejects one wafer at a time from the dispenser.

[0004] Requiring the wafers to be manually stacked and inserted into the dispenser still exposes the wafers to contamination. There is the potential for contamination by the individual handling the wafers to insert them into the dispenser. Another draw back of the '669 Patent dispenser is that since the wafers are directly put into the dispenser, if one is incorrectly inserted in to the dispenser it can become stuck within the dispenser causing a disruption in the service to allow the dispenser to be fixed, to again freely dispense the wafers. If more than the expected number of people come to communion the service can also be disrupted to allow for the refilling of the dispenser, which takes considerable time due to the need to insert the wafers individually into a stack in the dispenser. [0005] Therefore, a need exists for a wafer dispenser that eliminates the need to handle the wafers individually at any time to decrease the chance of contamination of the wafers and is easily filled and used during communion to decrease disruption of the service.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A dispenser having a housing, a support plate, a feed chute, and a lever. The housing has a base and sidewalls. The sidewalls extend longitudinally upward from the base to define a longitudinal axis and a retention chamber with dispensing orifice proximate the periphery of the base. The support plate is within the retention chamber and supported longitudinally above the base so as to define a gap between the support plate and the base. The support plate also has a dispensing orifice and a peripheral annular ring. The dispensing orifice is located at the periphery and radially aligned with the dispensing orifice in the base. The peripheral annular ring extends upward from the plate and is discontinued at the dispensing orifice so as to create a wafer drop zone within the gap. The feed chute is configured and arranged to support a longitudinal stack of wafers above a passage through the chute. The chute is rotatably supported atop the peripheral annular ring on the support plate and has a downwardly projecting shoulder proximate the passage for urging a wafer within the wafer drop zone radially outwards towards the dispensing orifices as the feed chute is rotated. The lever pivotally attaches to the housing and engages the feed chute via a pawl and ratchet system for effecting rotation of the chute in one direction upon reciprocal pivoting of the lever.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a side perspective view of the dispenser with a lid.

[0008] Figure 2 is a bottom view of the dispenser in Figure 1.

[0009] Figure 3 is a side perspective view of the dispenser in Figure 1 with the lid removed. [0010] Figure 4 is a side perspective view of a cross section of the dispenser in Figure 3 along line 4-4 with the entire lever, a first embodiment of the feed chute, and support plate displayed.

[0011] Figure 5 is a side perspective view of the dispenser in Figure 4 with the loader removed.

[0012] Figure 6 is a side perspective view of the dispenser in Figure 5 with the entire feed chute removed.

[0013] Figure 7 is bottom view of the lever, feed chute, and support plate in Figure 4.

[0014] Figure 8 is a top view of the rotator in Figure 5.

[0015] Figure 9 is a bottom view of the rotator in Figure 8.

[0016] Figure 10 is a top perspective view of the support plate in Figure 4.

[0017] Figure 11 is a bottom view of the support plate in Figure 10.

[0018] Figure 12 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of the lever in Figure 4.

[0019] Figure 13 is a side perspective view of a second embodiment of the lever.

[0020] Figure 14 is a side view of a second embodiment of the feed chute.

[0021] Figure 15 is a side perspective view of the feed chute in Figure 14.

[0022] Figure 16 is a top perspective view of a wafer package with wafers in the storage chamber.

[0023] Figure 17 is a side perspective view of the dispenser in Figure 1 with the lid removed and with the second embodiment of the feed chute in the retention chamber. [0024] Figure 18 is a side perspective view of a cross section of the dispenser in Figure 17 along line 18-18 with a second embodiment of the feed chute, support plate, and wafer packages displayed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Nomenclature

10 Dispenser

20 Housing

21 Housing base

22 Sidewalls

23 Retention chamber

24 Longitudinal axis

25 Dispensing orifice

30 Support plate

31 Dispensing orifice

32 Annular ring

40 Gap

50 Wafer drop zone

60 Feed chute

61 Passage

62 Shoulder

63 Ratchet

64 Loader

65 Locking finger

66 Rotator

70 Lever

71 Pawl

71a Proximal end

71b Distal end

72 Arm

72a Distal end

72b Proximal end 73 Lateral pivot axis

74 Biasing Means

80 Lid

100 Wafer package

101 Closed end

102 Open end

103 Sidewalls

104 Storage chamber

110 Wafer

Xi First longitudinal direction

X₂ Second longitudinal direction

Y Lateral direction

Z₁ First transverse direction

Z₂ Second transverse direction

Construction

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 - 4, one embodiment of the dispenser 10 comprises a housing 20, a support plate 30, a feed chute 60, and a lever 70. The housing 20 may have a base 21 and sidewalls 22. The sidewalls 22 extend in the first longitudinal direction X₁ from the base 21 to define a longitudinal axis 24 and a retention chamber 23.

[0026] The housing 20 may be open at the top (not numbered) to allow access into the retention chamber 23. Preferably the housing 20 has a lid 80 to cover the top of the housing 20 and enclose the retention chamber 23 between the housing base 21 and the lid 80. The lid 80 may be removably attached to the housing 20 or hingedly attached to the housing 20.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 20 also has a dispensing orifice 25 proximate the periphery (not numbered) of the housing base 21. The dispensing orifice 25 may be sized and shaped to allow a wafer 110 to exit the housing 20. The housing 20 may be made from any suitable material such as plastic, metal, wood, or glass. The most preferred material is plastic. [0028] As shown in Figures 4-7, the dispenser 10 has a support plate 30. The support plate 30 may be within the retention chamber 23 and supported in the first longitudinal direction Xi from the housing base 21 so as to define a gap 40 between the support plate 30 and the housing base 21. The support plate 30 has a dispensing orifice 31 at the periphery (not number) radially aligned with the dispensing orifice 25 in the housing 20. See Figures 6 and 7. As shown in Figure 10, the support plate 30 also may have a peripheral annular ring 32 extending in the first longitudinal direction Xi from the support plate 30. The annular ring 32 is discontinued at the dispensing orifice 31 of the support plate 30 so as to create a wafer drop zone 50 within the gap 40. See Figure 6.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the dispenser 10 has a feed chute 60. The feed chute

60 is configured and arranged to support a longitudinal stack of wafers 110 above a passage

61 through the feed chute 60. Preferably the feed chute 60 is configured and arranged to support a plurality of longitudinal stacks of wafers 110. Most preferably the feed chute 60 is configured and arranged to support four longitudinal stacks of wafers 110. In a first embodiment of the preferred feed chute 60 the longitudinal stack of wafers 110 is supported by a loader 64 and a rotator 66 as shown in Figure 4. The loader 64 may have a plurality of sidewalls (not numbered) forming channels (not numbered) extending in the second longitudinal direction X₂ from proximate the top of the housing 20 to the top (not numbered) of the rotator 66 and supported atop the rotator 66 such that the sidewalls channels for the loader 64 align with corresponding channels (not numbered) in the rotator 66. The channels in the rotator 66 extend from the top of the rotator 66 to the bottom (not numbered) of the rotator 66 to allow wafers 110 in the longitudinal stacks of wafers 110 to pass through the passages 61 in the feed chute 60. The loader 64 and rotator 66 may be configured and arranged to support the longitudinal stacks of wafers 110 by friction fit. The loader 64 may also have inwardly biased locking fingers 65 protruding into the channels to help retain the longitudinal stacks of wafer 110 in the dispenser 10.

[0030] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, a second embodiment of the feed chute 60 comprises at least a rotator 66 and locking fingers 65 protruding into the retention chamber 23. The rotator 66 may be configured and arranged to support the longitudinal stacks of wafers 110 by friction fit. The locking fingers 65 may be configured and arranged to retain the longitudinal stacks of wafers 110 within the chambers in the rotator 66. [0031] As shown in Figure 4, the feed chute 60 may be rotatably supported in the first longitudinal direction Xi atop the peripheral annular ring 32 on the support plate 30. The feed chute 60 may also have a downwardly projecting shoulder 62 proximate the passage 61 for urging a wafer 110 within the wafer drop zone 50 radially outward towards the dispensing orifices 25 and 31 as the feed chute 60 is rotated. As shown in Figures 9 and 14 the feed chute 60 may also have a ratchet 63 projecting in the second longitudinal direction X₂ from the bottom of the rotator 66.

[0032] As seen in Figures 4 and 5, the dispenser 10 has a lever 70. The arm 72 is attached to the housing 20 about a lateral Y pivot axis 73 for pivoting the lever 70 between a rest position and an ejection position. The lever 70 has an arm 72 and is configured and arranged to engage the feed chute 60 via a pawl 71 and ratchet 63 system for effecting rotation of the feed chute 60 in one direction upon reciprocal pivoting of the lever 70.

[0033] The arm 72 has at least a distal end 72a and a proximal end 72b. The proximal end 72b of the arm is attached to a pawl 71. Preferably the arm 72 also has a biasing means 74 for biasing the lever 70 toward the rest position. The biasing means 74 may be a compression spring, tension spring, coil spring, cantilever spring, rubber diaphragm, rubber band, or any other means known in the art for biasing. The most preferred biasing means 74 is a cantilever spring.

[0034] The pawl 71 has at least a proximal end 71a and a distal end 71b. The proximal end 72b of the arm 72 is attached proximate the proximal end 71a of the pawl 71. As shown in Figure 12, a first embodiment of the lever 70 has a pawl 71 with a box shaped distal end 71b with at least two fingers (not numbered) for engaging the ratchet 63. Preferably the box shaped distal end 71b is made from an elastic material to allow the distal end 71b to expand as the ratchet 63 rotates and then contract and return to its original position to maintain contact with the ratchet 63 once rotation stops. As shown in Figure 13, a second embodiment of the lever 70 has an open pawl 71 with one finger (not numbered) for engaging the ratchet 63. The open pawl 71 may also have a biasing means 74 proximate the distal end 71b of the pawl 71 for biasing the pawl 71 toward the ratchet 63. The biasing means 74 may be a compression spring, tension spring, coil spring, cantilever spring, rubber diaphragm, rubber band, or any other means known in the art for biasing. A fence (not shown) may also be provided against which the biasing means 74 may rest to provide the required biasing force. [0035] The lever 70 may be made from any suitable material such as metal, wood, or plastic. The preferred material is plastic. The lever 70 may also be integrally formed to reduce the risk of malfunction and minimize the motion and force needed to dispense a wafer 110.

[0036] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the dispenser 10 may use a wafer package 100 to hold a plurality of wafers 110. The wafer package 100 may have an open end 102, a closed end 101, and sidewalls 103. The sidewalls 103 extend in the second longitudinal direction X₂ from the closed end 101. The wafer package 100 is configured and arranged to fit completely within the retention chamber 23 of the housing 20. The open end 102 of the wafer package 100 is configured and arranged to fit within the feed chute and be in alignment with and proximate the passage 61 through the feed chute 60 and be supported by the feed chute 60 when the wafer package 100 is completely inserted into the retention chamber 23.

[0037] The wafer package 100 is also configured and arranged to define a storage chamber 104. As shown in Figure 16, the storage chamber 104 is configured and arranged to hold the plurality of wafers 110 in a longitudinally stacked fashion. The wafer package 100 may also have a cap (not numbered) configured and arranged to seal the open end 102 of the wafer package 100 to prevent the wafers 110 from exiting the storage chamber 104 when the wafer package 100 is not inserted into the retention chamber 23.

[0038] The wafer package 100 may be made from any suitable material such as metal, glass, or plastic. The preferred material is transparent plastic. Most preferably the wafer package 100 is made from a clear transparent plastic. Utilizing clear, transparent plastic may allow the user to see if the wafers 110 are properly aligned in the wafer package 100 prior to insertion into the dispenser 10.

Use

[0039] The dispenser 10 may be used to dispense any type of wafer shaped food such as cookies, crackers, or communion hosts. To use the dispenser 10 a wafer package 100 containing the particular type of food wafer 110 to be dispensed is obtained. If the wafer package 100 has a cap covering the open end 102 of the wafer package 100 it may be removed. Preferably the dispenser 10 is then inverted so that the base 21 is above the opening in the top of the housing 20 to allow access to the retention chamber 23. The open end 102 of the wafer package 100 is then inserted into the retention chamber 23 until the open end 102 of the wafer package 100 is in alignment with and proximate a passage 61 in the feed chute 60.

[0040] If the first embodiment of the feed chute 60 is used the wafer package 100 is inserted into a channel of the loader 64 and the corresponding channel in the rotator 66 until the open end 102 of the wafer package 100 engages a passage 61 through the feed chute 60 to rest proximate a passage 61 in the feed chute 60. The wafer package 100 is then maintained in the feed chute by friction or a locking finger 65. If the second embodiment of the feed chute 60 is used the wafer package 100 is inserted into the retention chamber 23 and a channel of the rotator until the open end 102 of the wafer package 100 engages a passage 61 through the feed chute 60 to rest proximate a passage 61 in the feed chute 60 and the closed end 101 is engaged by the locking finger 26 to prevent the wafer package 100 from exiting the retention chamber 23.

[0041] Additional wafer packages 100 may be inserted into the retention chamber 23 until each passage 61 through the feed chute 60 is engaged with the open end 102 of a wafer package 100.

[0042] The dispenser 10 may then be turned upright again. If a lid 80 is being used with the dispenser 10 it may be put over the top of the dispenser 10 to close the retention chamber 23. The dispenser 10 is then ready for use.

[0043] When the first wafer 110 is needed to be dispensed a force in the second transverse direction Z₂ is applied to the distal end 72a of the arm 72 of the lever 70. Moving the distal end 72a of the arm 72 in the second transverse direction Z₂ causes the lever 70 to pivot about the Y pivot axis 73 and in turn move the pawl 71 in the first transverse direction Zi until a finger of the pawl engages the ratchet 63 on the feed chute 60. Engagement of the ratchet 63 will rotate the feed chute 60 until a passage 61 through the feed chute 60 aligns with the dispensing orifice 31 in the support plate 30 then rotation will stop. A wafer 110 may then exit from the open end 102 of the wafer package 100 into the gap 40 and the wafer drop zone 50. Upon removal of force to the distal end 72a of the arm 72 of the lever 70 the biasing means 74 pivots the lever 70 from the ejection position back into the rest position.

[0044] To start dispensing the wafers 110 a force is again applied in the second transverse direction Z₂ to the distal end 72a of the arm 72 of the lever 70. The pawl 71 and ratchet 63 system works to again rotate the feed chute 60. As the feed chute 60 rotates the wafer 110 in the wafer drop zone 50 comes into contact with the shoulder 62 on the bottom of the feed chute 60. The shoulder 62 pushes the wafer 110 in the wafer drop zone 50 in the first transverse direction Zi out the dispensing orifice 25 of the housing 20. Rotation of the feed chute 60 also aligns another passage 61 through the feed chute 60 with the dispensing orifice 31 in the support plate 30 allowing another wafer 110 to exit from the next wafer package 100 into the gap 40 and the wafer drop zone 50. A new wafer 110 is then ready for ejection from the dispenser 10. Wafers 110 may continue to be dispensed until the storage chambers 104 of all wafer packages 100 are empty.

[0045] Once the wafer packages 100 are empty, the closed end 101 of each wafer package 100 may be gripped and pulled out of the retention chamber 23 of the housing 20. The dispenser 10 may then be inverted once again and new wafer packages 100 inserted as before.

[0046] If the wafer packages 100 are not empty upon removal, the dispenser 10 may be inverted before removing the wafer packages 100 to keep the wafers 110 from exiting the open end 102 of the wafer packages 100 during removal. Once the wafer packages 100 are removed the caps may be reinserted to keep the wafers 110 fresh and contaminate free until the next use. This same procedure may be used to remove a single wafer package 100 during communion if a wafer 110 becomes stuck in the dispenser 10. This allows the stuck wafer 110 to be removed without requiring contamination of the remaining wafers 110 in the wafer package 100. Once the stuck wafer 110 is removed from the dispenser 10, the wafer package 100 may be reinserted into the dispenser 10 and the communion continued.

Claims

We claim:

1. A dispenser, comprising:

(a) a housing with a base and sidewalls extending longitudinally upward from the base to define a longitudinal axis and a retention chamber with a dispensing orifice proximate a periphery of the base;

(b) a support plate within the retention chamber supported longitudinally above the base so as to define a gap between the plate and the base, with a dispensing orifice at a periphery radially aligned with the dispensing orifice in the base, and a peripheral annular ring extending upward from the plate, discontinued at the dispensing orifice so as to create a wafer drop zone within the gap;

(c) a feed chute configured and arranged to support a longitudinal stack of wafers above a passage through the chute, the chute rotatably supported atop the peripheral annular ring on the support plate, with a downwardly projecting shoulder proximate the passage for urging a wafer within the wafer drop zone radially outwards towards the dispensing orifices as the feed chute is rotated; and

(d) a lever pivotally attached to the housing and engaging the feed chute via a pawl and ratchet system for effecting rotation of the chute in one direction upon reciprocal pivoting of the lever.

2. The dispenser, as recited in claim 1, wherein the feed chute is configured and arranged to support four longitudinal stacks of wafers.

3. The dispenser, as recited in claim 1, wherein the feed chute has at least a loader and a rotator.

4. The dispenser, as recited in claim 3, wherein the loader has a plurality of sidewalls forming channels extending longitudinally from proximate a top of the housing to a top of the rotator and supported atop the rotator such that the sidewall channels of the loader align with corresponding channels in the rotator.

5. The dispenser, as recited in claim 4, wherein the loader has an inwardly biased locking finger protruding into each channel proximate the top of the housing.

6. The dispenser, as recited in claim 1, wherein the pawl and ratchet system has a pawl with a box shaped distal end with at least two fingers configured and arranged to engage a ratchet.

7. The dispenser, as recited in claim 6, wherein the pawl is made from an elastic material.