Apparatus for dispensing film-like thin strips of food- or refreshment-stuff

Abstract

Apparatus for the dispensing of film-like thin strips consisting of food- or refreshment-stuff from a packaging container, which is having a box-shaped bottom member containing a stack of the film-like thin refreshment-stuff-strips and further a cover closing the bottom member. The cover for opening and closing a dispensing slot or ?opening is reciprocably slidable with respect to the bottom member. At the cover there is provided an actuatable gripping means by the means of which a friction-type connection can be created between the cover and the top film-like strip. The friction-type connection is such that during the closing movement of the cover the top film-like strip of the stack is pushed forward through the dispensing slot from the bottom member.

1 . Apparatus for the dispensing of film-like thin strips consisting of food- or refreshment-stuff from a packaging container, wherein the packaging container is having a box-shaped bottom member containing a stack of the film-like thin refreshment-stuff-strips and further a cover closing the bottom member, characterized in that the cover ( 10 ) for opening and closing a dispensing slot or opening ( 12 ) is reciprocably slidable with respect to the bottom member ( 8 ) and, in that at the cover ( 10 ) there is provided an actuatable gripping means ( 14 ) by the means of which a friction-type connection can be created between the cover ( 10 ) and the top film-like strip ( 6 ), such that during the closing movement of the cover ( 10 ) the top film-like strip ( 6 ) of the stack ( 4 ) is pushed forward through the dispensing slot ( 11 ) from the bottom member ( 8 ).  
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the gripping means ( 14 ) is performed as a region ( 16 ) elastically displaceable by thumb-pressure downwardly from the level of the cover ( 10 ) into contact with the stack ( 4 ) in the bottom member ( 8 ).  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the front wall ( 18 ) of the bottom member ( 8 ) is extending in the direction of the dispensing opening ( 12 ) archedly and upwardly and is forming a guide for the strips ( 6 ).  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the dispensing opening ( 12 ) is performed between the front edge ( 20 ) of the cover ( 10 ) when displaced in the opening direction and the top edge ( 22 ) of the front wall ( 18 ) of the bottom member ( 8 ).  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to any of the  claims 2  to  4 , characterized in that the elastically deflectable region ( 16 ) is positioned within a thumb-depression or section ( 24 ) within the material of the cover ( 10 ).  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the cover ( 10 ) is consisting of plastics.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the deflectable region ( 16 ) is consisting of a wave-shaped section ( 26 ) of the cover ( 10 ), which is projecting upwardly from the plane of the cover ( 10 ) and which resiliently can be depressed below said plane.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the wave-shaped section ( 26 ) is consisting of two wave sections ( 28 ,  30 ) projecting upwardly from the plane of the cover ( 10 ) which are having a decreased wall thickness compared with the wall thickness of the cover ( 10 ) and, in that between said two wave sections ( 28 ) at least a third wave section ( 32 ) running downwardly is provided, which is having an increased wall thickness steadily increasing to the lowest point ( 34 ) thereof.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastically deflectable region ( 16 ) is consisting of the same material as the cover ( 10 ).  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to any of the  claims 1  to  8 , characterized in that the elastically deflectable region ( 16 ) is consisting of a material different from the material of the cover ( 10 ) as for example silicon rubber, rubber or the like.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to any of the  claims 1  to  6  and  10 , characterized in that the deflectable region ( 16 ) is formed by a dome-shaped section ( 36 ) of the cover ( 10 ) which by the means of film-hinges ( 38 ) is connected with the cover ( 10 ) and which is projecting upwardly from the plane of the cover ( 10 ) and is depressable into said plane and, in that the dome-shaped section ( 38 ) is having a ledge ( 40 ) projecting downwardly in the direction of the stack ( 4 ) of strips ( 6 ) which during the depression is contacting the top strip ( 6 ) of the stack ( 4 ).  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom member ( 8 ) on the exterior thereof is having gripping ledges or studs ( 42 ) opposite to the deflectable region ( 16 ).