Timed cigarette dispenser

A timed cigarette dispenser comprising:

• a housing having means defining a storage compartment for cigarettes therein;
• dispensing means in said housing for dispensing one cigarette at a time from the housing for access externally of the housing so that the cigarette may be grasped and withdrawn from the housing;
• timer means for timing the interval between cigarettes dispensed form the housing, said dispensing means being responsive to said timer means to dispense a cigarette at the end of predetermined time intervals set by the timer means;
• covering means covering and closing said storage compartment to prevent access to any cigarettes in said dispenser other than the single cigarette dispensed at the end of the predetermined time intervals;
• latch means engaged with said cover means to keep said cover means closed when cigarettes are present in said storage compartment, said latch means including a latch member on said cover means, and a latch solenoid with a latch solenoid plunger positioned to extend into an opening in said latch member to hold the latch member, and thus the cover, in a closed position over said storage compartment;
• means to release said latch means to permit said cover means to be opened to gain access to said storage compartment when the storage compartment is empty of cigarettes, whereby the storage compartment may be refilled with cigarettes;
• said dispensing means, timer means, and latch means being electronically controlled.

A timed cigarette dispenser comprising:

• a housing having means defining a storage compartment for cigarettes therein;
• dispensing means in said housing for dispensing one cigarette at a time from the housing for access externally of the housing so that the cigarette may be grasped and withdrawn from the housing, said dispensing means including a dispensing solenoid opertive to extend a plunger to engage a cigarette in said dispenser to extend at least a portion of said cigarette outside of said housing where it may be grasped and withdrawn;
• covering means covering and closing said storage compartment to prevent access to any cigarettes in said dispenser other than the single cigarette dispensed at the end of the predetermined time intervals;
• latch means engaged with said cover means to keep said cover means closed when cigarettes are present in said storage compartment, said latch means including a latch member on said cover means, and a latch solenoid with a latch solenoid plunger positioned to extend into an opening in said latch member to hold the latch member, and thus the cover, in a closed position over said storage compartment;
• means to release said latch means to permit said cover means to be opened to gain access to said storage compartment when the storage compartment is empty of cigarettes, whereby the storage compartment may be refilled with cigarettes, said means to release the latch means including a switch means responsive to emptying of cigarettes from said storage compartment, said switch means being operatively connected with said latch solenoid to energize said latch solenoid and retract said latch solenoid plunger from the latch member to permit the cover to be opened when the storage compartment is empty of cigarettes.