Dispenser with a Spout

Abstract

A dispenser with a spout holds a plurality of objects, such as pharmaceutical dosage forms. The dispenser has a housing defining an interior space that holds the pharmaceutical products and an opening leading to the interior space. A movable spout is disposed in the opening and is able to pivot between a closed position wherein the opening is occluded, or sufficiently occluded, by the spout thereby preventing objects disposed within the interior space from exiting the housing through the opening and an open position wherein the opening is not occluded, or sufficiently unoccluded, by the spout thereby permitting objects disposed within the interior space to exit the housing through the opening. The dispenser also has an opener with a push button for moving the spout from the closed position to the open position about the pivot axis when pressure is applied to the opener wherein the opener engages one end of the spout below the pivot axis to push another end of the spout outward from the housing.

1 . A dispenser comprising:
 a housing defining an interior space and an opening providing access to said interior space, said housing comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a base; and 
 a plurality of walls that extend between and connect said top surface and said base and which enclose said interior space, wherein one of said plurality of walls has said opening formed therein; 
   a movable spout disposed in said opening;   a pivot axis located along a length of said movable spout between a first end and a second end of said movable spout, wherein said spout is able to pivot about said pivot axis within said opening between a closed position wherein said opening is at least partially occluded by said spout thereby preventing objects disposed within said interior space from exiting said housing through said opening, and an open position wherein said opening is sufficiently unoccluded by said spout so as to permit objects disposed within said interior space to exit said housing through said opening; and   an opener for moving said spout from said closed position to said open position about said pivot axis when pressure is applied to said opener, wherein said opener engages said second end of said spout below said pivot axis so as to push said first end of said spout outwardly from said housing into said open position.   
   
   
       2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a living hinge connecting said opener to said housing. 
   
   
       3 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said spout is sized to only allow single objects to exit one at a time therefrom. 
   
   
       4 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said object is a pharmaceutical product. 
   
   
       5 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said base is removable to permit access to said interior space for filling said interior space with objects. 
   
   
       6 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said base has a flat surface so said dispenser is able to stand upright on a surface. 
   
   
       7 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said opener comprises a push button. 
   
   
       8 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said movable spout comprises:
 a front panel; and   first and second side walls which are connected to said front panel on opposing sides.   
   
   
       9 . The dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein said front panel is flush with said housing when said movable spout is in said closed position and wherein said front panel is extended outward from said housing when said movable spout is in said open position. 
   
   
       10 . The dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein said first and second walls are located inside said interior of said housing when said movable spout is in said closed position and wherein said first and second side walls extend outward from said housing when said movable spout is in said open position. 
   
   
       11 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein dispenser further comprises:
 first and second shafts extending from said housing across opposite sides of said opening at a location corresponding to the pivot axis, wherein said movable spout is attached to said first and second shafts.   
   
   
       12 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said base is wider than said top surface. 
   
   
       13 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said top surface is slanted.