Container, Dispenser, and Method For Dispensing a Strip of Interconnected, Individually Packed Objects
AssigneeInnospense Capital B.V.
InventorsGuido Petrus Johannes van der Klaauw, Bartel Antonius Timmermans, Matheus Joseph van Nuenen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Container for dispensing by the piece a strip of interconnected pouch-shaped packs, in particular packs of medicines, vitamins and/or dietary supplements, which strip is accommodated in meandering fashion in the container, which container comprises a bottom with two longitudinal walls and two side walls, characterized in that the container has a width which substantially corresponds to the width of the packs and has a length of at least two interconnected packs.
Claims25
Container (1) for dispensing by the piece a strip (11) of interconnected pouch-shaped packs (12,13,14), in particular packs of medicines, vitamins and/or dietary supplements, which strip is accommodated in meandering fashion in the container, which container comprises a bottom (14) having two longitudinal walls (5,6) and two side walls (7,8), the container having a length of at least two interconnected packs, the strip (11) extending in a substantially horizontal length direction in the container, characterised in that the container has a dispensing edge at a top side of a side wall (7,8) the width of the container over substantially the height of the walls (5,6,7,8) substantially corresponding to the width (B′) of the packs, the packs (12,13,14) being freely guided along the longitudinal walls (5,6).
Dispenser (41,91) for accommodating a strip of interconnected pouch-shaped packs (12,13,14), the strip having a width (B′) and longitudinal edges (19,20), the dispenser comprising an elongated accommodation space (49,93) in which the strip can be accommodated in a meandering fashion in a substantially horizontal length direction of the strip, the accommodation space (49,93) being defined by two longitudinal sides (42,43) having a length corresponding to at least two interconnected packs, and two transverse sides (44,45) having a width corresponding to the width (B′) of the strip, a pulling element (48,53,53′) being situated near a top of a transverse side (45) for acting on the longitudinal edges (19,20) of the strip and for exerting a pulling force on the strip in a dispensing direction that is substantially in the direction of the longitudinal edges, a supporting surface being provided near the top of the transverse side (45) extending from a transverse wall (61) of the accommodation space (49,93), substantially in the dispensing direction for supporting a pack during dispensing, at least two upstanding guide elements extending transversely from the supporting surface, near the transverse wall (61) and having a mutual distance corresponding to the width (B′) for aligning the strip with the dispensing direction upon dispensing by contacting the longitudinal edges (19,20).
Method for dispensing individually packed objects, in particular medicines, vitamins and/or dietary supplements, comprising the steps of:
- packing the objects in a strip of interconnected pouch-shaped packs;
- placing the strip in a meandering fashion in a container having a bottom with two longitudinal walls and two side walls, which container has a width which substantially corresponds to the width of the packs and has a length of at least two interconnected packs,
- sealing an upper surface of the container,
- transporting the sealed container to a dispensing location,
- breaking the seal and dispensing the packs by pulling the strip over a dispensing edge at a top side of the side wall of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.