Anti-jam dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580230-B2
Application number	US-201414504017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2014
Priority date	Oct 1, 2014
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure include earplug dispensers that may comprise a rotating cam assembly operable to dispense one or more earplug to a user when a knob is rotated by the user. In some embodiments, the cam assembly may comprise and upper cam layer and a lower cam layer attached via clips to the rotating knob. Upon rotation of the knob, the upper cam layer may cause the earplugs to fall through one or more cavities to the lower cam layer. The lower cam layer may comprise a pushing structure operable to move the earplugs, upon rotation of the knob, within the lower cam layer to fall down through an opening in the dispenser. In some embodiments, the earplugs may fall through an opening in the rotating knob.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An earplug dispenser comprising:
a dispenser bottle operable to hold a plurality of earplugs; and
a rotatable cam assembly attached to the dispenser bottle, operable to dispense the earplugs from the dispenser bottle, the rotatable cam assembly comprising:
an upper cam layer comprising one or more cavities, wherein each of the one or more cavities is configured to accept a single earplug from the dispenser bottle and pass the single earplug to a lower cam layer that is disposed below the upper cam layer;
the lower cam layer comprising a pushing structure; and
a rotatable knob at least partially defining an opening that is disposed below the upper cam layer and the lower cam layer, wherein the rotatable knob is attached to the lower cam layer and the lower cam layer is attached to the upper cam layer such that rotation of the rotatable knob causes each of the lower cam layer and the upper cam layer to rotate,
wherein the earplug dispenser is configured such that rotation of the rotatable knob over a first angular distance causes an earplug of the plurality of earplugs to fall through one of the one or more cavities of the upper cam layer to the lower cam layer, and
wherein the earplug dispenser is further configured such that rotation of the rotatable knob over a second angular distance causes the pushing structure to displace the earplug that fell from the upper cam layer to the lower cam layer radially inward toward the center of the lower cam layer and toward the opening through which the earplug can fall.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the upper cam layer, the lower cam layer, and the rotatable knob are configured to rotate with respect to the dispenser bottle.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a cover, wherein the cover is configured to retain at least a portion of the rotatable cam assembly with respect to the dispenser bottle.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 , wherein the cover comprises a lip located below the one or more cavities in the upper cam layer, wherein the lip is spaced sufficiently downward to allow one or more of the plurality of earplugs to fit within the lower cam layer, and wherein the lip is configured to hold the earplug within the lower cam layer until the pushing structure is caused to displace the earplug radially inward.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the upper cam layer is rigidly attached to the lower cam layer via clips.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the upper cam layer comprises a conical shape and a fin, wherein the fin is operable to move at least one of the plurality of earplugs within the dispenser bottle toward the at least one of the one or more cavities, and wherein the upper cam layer comprises a plurality of cavities around the perimeter of the conical shape.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the lower cam layer comprises a plurality of cavities operable to allow the earplug to fall into the lower cam layer, and wherein each of the cavities of the lower cam layer is aligned with one of the one or more cavities of the upper cam layer.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 , further comprising a cover comprising a lip located below the one or more cavities in the lower cam layer, wherein the lip is configured to operable to hold the earplug within the lower cam layer until the pushing structure is caused to displace the earplug radially inward.

9. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the pushing structure of the lower cam layer comprises at least one angled wall on the interior of the lower cam layer, wherein the angled wall is operable to displace the earplug radially inward so as to fall through the opening.

10. The dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the at least one angled wall comprises an angle of approximately 5 to 45 degrees with respect to an outer perimeter of the lower cam layer.

11. An earplug dispenser comprising:
a rotatable cam assembly having:
an upper cam layer comprising one or more cavities, wherein each of the one or more cavities is configured to accept one of the plurality of earplugs;
a lower cam layer comprising a pushing structure, wherein the pushing structure is configured to displace the earplug radially inward toward an opening; and
a rotatable knob at least partially defining the opening that is disposed below the upper cam layer and the lower cam layer, wherein the rotatable knob is attached to the lower cam layer and the lower cam layer is attached to the upper cam layer such that rotation of the rotatable knob causes each of the lower cam layer and the upper cam layer to rotate,
wherein the earplug dispenser is configured such that rotation of the rotatable knob over a first angular distance causes an earplug of the plurality of earplugs to fall through one of the one or more cavities of the upper cam layer to the lower cam layer, and
wherein the earplug dispenser is further configured such that rotation of the rotatable knob over a second angular distance causes the pushing structure to displace the earplug that fell from the upper cam layer to the lower cam layer radially inward toward the center of the lower cam layer and toward the opening through which the earplug can fall.

12. The earplug dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the pushing structure of the lower cam layer comprises at least one angled wall on the interior of the lower cam layer, wherein the angled wall is operable to displace the earplug radially inward so as to fall through the opening.

13. The earplug dispenser of claim 12 further comprising a lip operable to hold the earplug within the lower cam layer until the pushing structure is caused to displace the earplug radially inward.

14. The earplug dispenser of claim 11 further comprising a cover comprising a lip located below the one or more cavities in the upper cam layer, spaced sufficiently downward to allow one or more of the plurality of earplugs to fit within the lower cam layer, and wherein the lip is configured to hold the earplug within the lower cam layer until the pushing structure is caused to displace the earplug radially inward.

15. The earplug dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the upper cam layer is rigidly attached to the lower cam layer via clips.

16. An earplug dispenser comprising:
a dispenser bottle operable to hold a plurality of earplugs; and
a rotatable cam assembly attached to the dispenser bottle, operable to dispense the earplugs, the rotatable cam assembly comprising:
an upper cam layer comprising one or more cavities, wherein each of the one or more cavities is configured to accept an earplug, wherein the upper cam layer is configured such that an earplug is caused to fall through one of the one or more cavities of the upper layer to a lower cam layer upon rotation of the rotatable cam assembly over a first angular distance;
the lower cam layer comprising one or more cavities and a pushing structure, wherein each of the one or more cavities of the lower layer is aligned with one of the one or more cavities of the upper cam layer, and wherein, the pushing structure is configured to displace the earplug radially inward on a lip upon rotation of the rotatable cam assembly over a second angular distance;
the lip located below the one or more cavities in the upper cam layer, wherein the lip is spaced sufficiently downward to allow one or more of the plurality of earplugs to fit within the lower cam layer, wherein the lip is configured to hold the earplug within the lower cam layer until the pushing structure displaces the earplug radially inward toward the center of the lower cam layer and toward an opening that the earplug can fall through

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc
• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Dai Tony
• Hua Mark
• Zhang Jex
• Li Oliver

Classifications

• G07F11/44

  in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk · CPC title

• B65D83/0409 Primary

  the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation (B65D83/0445 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A45C2011/007

  Receptacles for personal medical or care products, e.g. drugs, condoms or patches; Small first-aid kits · CPC title

• A61F11/08

  internal, e.g. earplugs · CPC title

• B65D83/0083 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic