Comestible dispensing package

Abstract

A package for product pieces includes a housing having a plurality of walls forming an interior adapter to hold a plurality of product pieces. The housing has a dispensing opening in communication with the interior. A resilient member is disposed in the housing interior and is adapted to urge the product pieces toward the dispensing opening. The housing has an aperture formed in one of the plurality of walls disposed adjacent the dispensing opening to permit the product piece to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensing opening.

1 . A package for dispensing product pieces comprising:
 a housing having a plurality of walls forming an interior adapter to hold a plurality of product pieces, the housing having a dispensing opening in communication with the interior;   a resilient member disposed in the housing interior and adapted to urge the product pieces toward the dispensing opening; and   the housing having an aperture disposed adjacent the dispensing opening to permit the product pieces to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensing opening.   
     
     
         2 . The package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the aperture has an elongate configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of housing walls includes a front wall and a back wall connected by opposed side walls, and the dispensing opening is disposed in one of the side walls. 
     
     
         4 . The package as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of housing walls includes a top wall, and said top wall defines a portion of the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         5 . The package as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the aperture is disposed in the top wall. 
     
     
         6 . The package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of housing walls includes a top wall including the aperture and an opposed bottom wall and the resilient member engages the bottom wall. 
     
     
         7 . The package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the resilient member includes one or more coil springs. 
     
     
         8 . The package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the resilient member includes a compressible foam member. 
     
     
         9 . The package as defined in  claim 1 , further including a cover disposed over the resilient member. 
     
     
         10 . The package as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the bottom wall is integrally formed with one of the side walls. 
     
     
         11 . The package as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the bottom wall is formed separately from the side walls. 
     
     
         12 . The package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the package housing is formed from one unitary piece of material. 
     
     
         13 . The package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the aperture includes an elongate slot extending in a direction of product movement upon being dispensed from the package housing. 
     
     
         14 . A package assembly comprising:
 a plurality of product pieces;   a housing having a plurality of walls forming an interior, the plurality of product pieces being disposed within the interior, the housing having a dispensing opening in communication with the interior;   a resilient member disposed in the housing interior and adapted to urge the product pieces toward the dispensing opening; and   the plurality of housing walls including a first wall having an aperture disposed therein adjacent the dispensing opening to permit one of the product pieces to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensing opening.   
     
     
         15 . The package as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the product pieces are stacked face-to-face. 
     
     
         16 . The package as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the product pieces are stacked side edge-to-side edge. 
     
     
         17 . The package as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the dispensing opening is bounded on all sides by the plurality of wall members forming the package housing. 
     
     
         18 . The package as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the aperture extends over the face of the product piece. 
     
     
         19 . The package as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the housing first wall having the aperture extends between at least two other walls of the plurality of walls. 
     
     
         20 . The package as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the housing is formed of a single integrally formed piece of material. 
     
     
         21 . The package as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the material is a paperboard material. 
     
     
         22 . The package as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the first wall extends over the plurality of product pieces and the resilient member. 
     
     
         23 . The package as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the first wall extends between a third and fourth wall of the plurality of walls, and the third and fourth walls extend over the plurality of product and the resilient member. 
     
     
         24 . A method of dispensing a plurality of comestible product pieces comprising:
 obtaining a housing including an interior adapted to hold a plurality of product pieces, the housing having a dispensing opening in communication with the interior;   a resilient member disposed in the housing interior and adapted to urge the product pieces toward the dispensing opening; and   the housing having an aperture disposed adjacent the dispensing opening to permit the product piece to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensing opening;   engaging one of the product pieces through the aperture;   moving the product piece through the dispensing opening; and   removing the product piece from the package housing.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the housing includes a front wall and a back wall connected by opposed side walls, and the dispensing opening is disposed in one of the side walls. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the aperture includes an elongate slot extending in a direction of product movement upon being dispensed from the package housing. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further including loading the product pieces into the housing through a loading opening, and inserting the resilient member into the loading opening and closing the loading opening. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein closing the loading opening includes securing a wall to the housing. 
     
     
         29 . A method of forming a package for dispensing product pieces comprising:
 forming a blank;   folding a blank to form a housing;   inserting a plurality of product pieces in the housing;   inserting a resilient member in the housing and securing the resilient member in the housing wherein the resilient member urges the plurality of product pieces toward a dispensing position.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the housing has a loading opening and the plurality of product pieces and resilient member are inserted into the housing through the loading opening. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the housing includes a flap and the loading opening is closed upon moving the flap and securing it to a portion of the housing. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further including obtaining a bottom wall which is separate from the blank and covering the loading opening with the bottom wall. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the product pieces are stacked face-to-face. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the product pieces are stacked side edge-to-side edge. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the housing includes a dispensing opening in communication with a housing interior, the housing further including an aperture disposed adjacent the dispensing opening to permit the product piece to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensing opening