US 5,014,878 A · Flexible cup dispensing apparatus

Abstract

A cup dispenser for accommodating conically shaped cups of different diameters includes a discharge unit having multiple diaphragms. An outer diaphragm has a series of inwardly extending circumferentially spaced flat fingers for gripping the outer surface of the cup. An inner diaphragm is similarly constructed. The circumferentially spaced flat fingers of the inner diaphragm differ in length one from the other, all of the inner diaphragm fingers being shorter than the outer diaphragm fingers. Preferably, the inner diaphragm is constructed to provide a series of fingers having a first length arranged alternately with a series of fingers having a second, shorter length. The outer diaphragm fingers resiliently grip the outermost cup to require positive pulling of the cup from the dispenser. The inner diaphragm fingers engage the larger end of the stacked cups as the outermost cup is pulled therefrom, to retain the stack within a tubular cup support.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A cup dispenser for accommodating of a wide variety of cups having different diameters, comprising a tubular support unit for containing a stack of nested cups and having a discharge opening, a diaphragmed discharge unit secured to said support unit overlying said discharge opening, said discharge unit including an outer diaphragm unit and inner diaphragm unit, said outer diaphragm unit including a plurality of flat diaphragm fingers circumferentially spaced and having a substantially constant radial length projecting inwardly from an outer annular support and defining a plurality of flexible fingers for engaging the outermost cup of the stack of cups for all the different diameter of cups, and said inner diaphragm unit including a plurality of flat diaphragm fingers circumferentially spaced and having a length substantially less than the fingers of said outer diaphragm unit and said fingers of said inner diaphragm unit being of a substantially different lengths to accommodate and engage cups of widely differing diameters and thereby support the stack of nested cups during withdrawing of the outer cups.

A cup dispenser, comprising a

housing receiving a stack of tester cups and having an opening for successive discharge of said cups, an inner diaphragm, an outer diaphragm abutting said inner diaphragm and secured to said housing overlying said opening, said outer diaphragm including a plurality of circumferentially spaced coplanar fingers of substantially the same length, said coplanar fingers projecting inwardly from the housing and being deflectable by said stack of cups to expose an outermost cup of said stack, said fingers defining a minimum opening to accommodate and continously engage different diameter cups, said inner diaphragm having a plurality of coplanar fingers projecting inwardly from said housing and being deflectable by said stack of cups, said fingers of said inner diaphragm being substantially shorter than said fingers of said outer diaphragm and being of substantially different lengths to provide engagement with different sized cups and thereby support the stack of nester cups during withdrawing of the outer cups.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Flexible cup dispensing apparatus

Life of this patent

Flexible cup dispensing apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11