AU737175B3

AU737175B3 - A container for dispensing discrete materials

Info

Publication number: AU737175B3
Application number: AU72220/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Richard Leonard Chaffey; Ricki Stephen Lee; Bradley John Legg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-12-12
Filing date: 2000-12-12
Publication date: 2001-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2006-12-12
Also published as: AU737175C

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT Name of Applicants Actual Inventors: Address for Service: Invention Title: Ricki Stephen LEE Bradley John LEGG Richard Leonard CHAFFEY Ricki Stephen LEE Bradley John LEGG Richard Leonard CHAFFEY CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

A CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING DISCRETE MATERIALS The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us: TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to containers for dispensing materials and has particular relevance to containers for dispensing discrete materials.

BACKGROUND ART There are many examples of containers for dispensing liquid or discrete materials of a powdery or granular nature in measured quantities from a larger storage container or compartment, via a smaller dispensing compartment, which releases a measured quantity of material when the plane of the container is altered.

Nip dispensers for dispensing measured quantities of alcoholic drinks are one example.

US Patent No 3628703 is another form of a dispensing container particularly suitable for dispensing powdery granular and the like materials, whereby a predetermined amount of the content material may be dispensed at any one tilting operation of the container such container being provided on top of the body thereof with a chamber adapted to control the amount of the content material to be dispensed.

In both cases, the dispensers are characterised by providing a "free-flow" communication system between a larger storage container and a smaller dispensing container and are operated by a tilting action.

As an object of the present invention to provide a container for dispensing discrete materials in select quantities.

Rubbish containers or so-called "wheelie-bins" are in common usage in commercial and domestic situations.

Wheelie-bins are emptied on a casual or regular basis and in most cases, on a weekly basis.

Frangibles stored in the bins for a number of days, give off an unpleasant odour, especially when lids are lifted.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispensing container adapted to dispense deoderising materials into the interiors of a lidded bin on each occasion that the lid is opened.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description, which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a container for dispensing discrete materials, the container comprising a unitary body subdivided into a storage zone and a dispensing zone by an internal sloping wall, an aperture in the sloping wall which allows materials within the storage zone to be released into the dispensing zone when the container is in a first upright plane and the dispensing zone is lowermost and an outlet aperture in the body within the confines of the dispensing zone which allows materials to be released from the container when the container is tilted.

The dispensing zone may be funnel-shaped and taper towards the outlet aperture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Aspect of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a container in accordance with one possible embodiment of the present invention, and FIGURE 2 is an end view of the container of Figure 1, taken in the direction of arrow II:II and; FIGURE 3 is a side view of the container of Figure 1, taken in the direction of arrow III:III and; FIGURE 4 is a side view of the container of Figure 1, shown mounted to the underside of a lidded container such as a domestic wheelie bin.

With respect to the drawings, the present invention provides a dispensing container having a box-shaped body generally indicated by arrow 1, sub-divided into a storage zone 2 and a dispensing zone 3 by an internal sloping wall 4.

An aperture 5 allows materials within the storage zone 2 to be released into the dispensing zone 3 when the container is in a first (upright) plane and the dispensing zone is lowermost and an outlet aperture 6 in the body within the confines of the dispensing zone 3 allows materials to be released from the dispensing zone when the dispensing device is tilted.

The box-shaped body 1 has two large major surfaces and relatively shallow side walls joining the major surfaces.

The outlet aperture 6 is positioned in one of the major surfaces.

The interiors of the storage zone may be provided with sloping internal walls (not shown) which guide materials within the storage zone towards the inlet aperture when the container is in an upright plane.

The dispensing zone 3 is provided with walls 7 which converge towards the aperture 6 in two planes to thus provide a funnel affect which assists the release of materials from the zone.

The volume of the dispensing zone is relatively small, approximately one fiftieth of the volume of the storage container and the apertures 5 and 6 are small holes, two to three millimeters in diameter, thus ensuring that small quantities of deodoriser are dispensed each time the container is tilted.

The dispensing device of the present invention is primarily devised for dispensing deodorising powders or granules into the interiors of lidded rubbish bins such as the wheelie-bin 8 illustrated by Figure 4.

The container is fixed to the underside of the lid 9 of the bin 8 in a central position with the dispensing zone closest to the hinge 10 of the lid 9.

As is illustrated when the bin lid 9 is lifted, the dispensing zone 3 is charged with deodorizer from the storage zone 2 via aperture 6, which is adjacent to front wall 11 of the body 1.

As the lid is lowered, deodorising materials are released from the dispensing zone 3 into the interiors of the bin via the aperture 5 which is Sstepped back from the wall 11 and in the apex region of the funnel created by the walls 7.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it will be appreciated that modifications and additions thereto may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A container for dispensing discrete materials, the container comprising a unitary body subdivided into a storage zone and a dispensing zone by an internal singular sloping wall, a first aperture in the sloping wall which allows materials within the storage zone to be released into the dispensing zone when the container is in a first upright plane and the dispensing zone is lowermost and a second outlet aperture in the body within the confines of the dispensing zone which allows materials to be released directly from the dispensing zone when the container is tilted in a singular rotation through a ninety degree angle.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dispensing zone is funnel-shaped and tapers towards the outlet aperture.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 22 nd day of June 2001 RICKI STEPHEN LEE, BRADLEY JOHN LEGG, RICHARD LEONARD CHAFFEY By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO