Method and apparatus for dispensing twist-ties
AssigneeTwist-Ease, Inc.
InventorsJames Ray Helseth, Brian Ye
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A twist-tie cluster is described that includes a plurality of twist ties, each having a wire retained within a strip of material, wherein a cut is made in each of said wires between said first end and said second end, and where an uncut portion of the material connects the twist ties. A connecting means connects first segments of the twist ties together. A twist-tie dispenser is also described including a back wall and a cam member rotatable between a first position and a second position, where the second position traps the twist ties between the back wall and the cam member. A method of dispensing twist-ties is described including trapping a group of twist-ties between a cam member and a back wall.
Claims15
A twist-tie dispenser, comprising:
- a back wall;
- and
- a cam member, the cam member comprising cam member ends defining a cam axis, the cam member under comprising an off-axis portion set off from the cam axis wherein the cam member rotates between a first position and a second position to trap a group of twist-ties between the back wall and the cam member in the second position.
A method of dispensing twist-ties comprising:
- inserting one end of a twist-tie cluster between a rotating cam member and a back wall of a twist-tie dispenser, wherein the rotating cam member includes a lever portion that protrudes from a wall of the dispenser and rotation of the lever portion moves a portion of the cam member closer to the back wall;
- and
- rotating the lever portion of the cam member to move the cam member closer to the back wall, thereby applying pressure to the twist-tie cluster and trapping the twist-tie cluster between the rotating cam member and the back wall of the twist-tie dispenser.
A twist-tie dispenser comprising:
- a support structure having a pair of opposing side walls, each wall defining an opening, and a back wall connecting the opposing side walls;
- a cam member having an off-axis portion and extending through the openings in the opposing side walls, the cam member rotatable between a first position and a second position;
- and
- wherein a first distance is defined between the cam member and the back wall when the cam member is in the first position and a second distance is defined between the cam member and the back wall when the cam member is in the second position, the second distance being smaller than the first distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.