Serpentine Dispenser With Cartridges

摘要

A serpentine dispenser for dispensing stacks of nested cans from a cartridge allows cans to be dispensed without slip sheets between individual cans, or internal dispenser walls separating can facings. Jam-free dispenser feeding is achieved by constructing a cartridge holding area wider than the dispenser down chute, such that the cartridge may be easily inserted and removed from the dispenser, but cans exiting the cartridge are maintained in a nested stack by the narrower width of the down chute. A lower feed channel that is narrower than the cartridge holding area maintains cans in a nested stack as they are delivered to a product selection area. The product selection area is wider than the lower feed channel so that individual cans may un-nest and be individually selected. In some embodiments, the product selection area is extended to allow two stacks of nested cans to separate, forming a self-facing dispenser.

主权项

1. A serpentine product dispenser with a top, bottom, front, and rear for dispensing cans from a cartridge containing a plurality of stacks of nested cans; each can having a diameter; each stack of nested cans forming at least two product facings; and the cartridge having an exit port, comprising:
a) an upper channel with a first width allowing a cartridge containing a plurality of can stacks to be inserted, located at the top of the dispenser, forming a cartridge holding area for receiving and holding the cartridge; b) an upper channel exit port, located at a bottom of the upper channel and to the rear of the dispenser, through which stacks of nested cans pass when exiting the exit port of a cartridge received and held on the upper channel; c) a down chute located at the rear of the dispenser below the upper channel exit port, with a first end, a second end, and a second width narrower than the upper channel first width, such that a stack of nested cans exiting the upper channel through the upper channel exit port are maintained in a nested stack when moving from the upper channel into and through the down chute; the first end of the down chute communicating in a transition with the upper channel exit port such that a stack of nested cans may move from the upper channel into the down chute; d) a lower feed channel located at the bottom of the dispenser with a first end, a second end, and a third width narrower than the upper channel first width, such that a stack of nested cans is maintained in a nested stack as the stack of nested cans transits through the lower feed channel; the first end of the lower feed channel communicating in a transition with the second end of the down chute, such that a stack of nested cans may move from the down chute through the lower feed channel; and e) a product selection area at the bottom and front of the dispenser having a first end, a second end accessible to a consumer, a fourth width wider than the lower feed channel third width, and a length; the first end of the product selection area communicating in a transition with the second end of the lower feed channel such that a stack of nested cans may move from the lower feed channel into the product selection area, where the forth width allows the stack of nested cans to be un-nested and separated for individual selection by a consumer.