Dispenser

Abstract

A canister and replaceable and disposable cartridge for use in a dispenser for dispensing a dry, pourable material and method of producing the replaceable and disposable cartridge is disclosed. The dispenser comprises a canister body, a replaceable and disposable cartridge having flexible membrane seal received within the canister body, a pouring spout cap attached to an open end of the canister body, the pouring spout cap movable between an open position and a closed position wherein the pouring spout cap seals the open end of the canister body, a pouring spout, and a pierce pin depending from a lower surface of the pouring spout cap providing communication between the replaceable and disposable cartridge and the pouring spout via a discharge chamber. The replaceable and disposable cartridge is prefilled with a predetermined quantity of the dry, pourable material and is fabricated and sealed with biodegradable materials.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A dispenser for dispensing a dry, pourable material, the dispenser comprising:
 a canister body having a closed end, an open end and a cavity of a predetermined volume and shape;   a replaceable and disposable cartridge prefilled with a predetermined quantity of the dry, pourable material received within the cavity, the replaceable and disposable cartridge having a predetermined volume and shape corresponding to that of the canister body, the replaceable and disposable cartridge including a dispensing end sealed with a flexible membrane, where the entire replaceable and disposable cartridge, including the flexible membrane, is fabricated from a biodegradable material;   a pouring spout cap attached proximate the open end of the canister body, the pouring spout cap movable between an open position and closed position, wherein the pouring spout cap sealingly engages the open end of the canister body and encloses the replaceable and disposable cartridge within the cavity when the pouring spout cap is in the closed position, the pouring spout cap further comprising an upper surface defining a first lower portion of a dispensing chamber and a spout;   a pierce pin forming a conduit in communication with the dispensing chamber and the replaceable and disposable cartridge depending from the lower surface of the pouring spout cap and disposed to pierce the flexible membrane of the replaceable and disposable cartridge when the pouring spout cap is in the closed position; and   a cap lid attached to the upper surface of the pouring spout cap, the cap lid defining a second upper portion of the dispensing chamber, wherein the first lower portion of the dispensing chamber and the second upper portion of the dispensing chamber define the dispensing chamber from which the dry, pourable material is dispensed from the replaceable and disposable cartridge, through the pierce pin and the dispensing chamber, and out of the dispensing chamber through the spout for dispensing the dry, pourable material from the dispenser.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible membrane is formed from a continuous membrane. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible membrane is fabricated from cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a spring loaded lock having a locked position and a released position for retaining the pouring spout cap in the closed position and releasing the pouring cap spout when the lock is in the released position. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 4 , further comprising a ridge on the pouring spout cap, the lock further having a notch engaging the ridge when the lock is in the locked position and the pouring cap spout is in the closed position to restrain the pouring cap spout in the closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 4 , further comprising a resilient spring mounted on an outer wall of the canister body proximate a first portion of the lock and the notch formed on a second portion of the lock, wherein the lock is pivotably mounted between the first portion and the second portion to the outer wall of the canister body proximate the open end of the canister body. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 6 , further comprising an opening in the outer wall of the canister body within which the resilient spring is mounted. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a ring topper mounted about the open end of the canister body, the ring topper having a first hinge member and the pouring spout cap having a second hinge member rotatably coupled with the first hinge member for rotating the pouring spout cap between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a door hingedly attached to an upper portion of the cap lid attached to the upper surface of the pouring spout cap proximate the spout, the door rotating between a closed position when the dispenser is upright and an open position when the dispenser is tilted relative a horizontal ground for dispensing the dry, pourable material from the dispenser. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap liner attached to and substantially covering the lower surface of the pouring spout cap, the cap liner having an opening through which the pierce pin depends and disposed to otherwise seal the cavity of the canister body when the pourable spout cap is in the closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the lower surface of the pouring spout cap further comprises a depending lip forming an opening within which the pierce pin is attached and through which the pierce pin depends. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the lower surface of the pouring spout cap further comprises a recess into which an anchor extending upwardly from the cap liner is received to attach the cap liner to the pouring spout cap. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the replaceable and disposable cartridge is a tube having a first and a second sealed end, and wherein at least the first sealed end comprises an open rim on the tube and the flexible membrane disposed over and around the open rim, the flexible membrane having an exposed surface and a surface adjacent to and in contact with the open rim. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible membrane is sealingly attached to the open rim of the tube by an adhesive disposed on the surface adjacent to and in contact with the open rim. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the open rim has a first diameter and the flexible membrane has a central portion having a second diameter, the second diameter exceeding the first diameter, and a plurality of radially extending legs extending outwardly from the central portion and along a longitudinal axis of the replaceable and disposable cartridge when disposed over and around the open rim. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein the flexible membrane has twelve radially extending legs. 
     
     
         17 . A dispenser for dispensing a dry, pourable material, the dispenser comprising:
 a canister body having a closed end, an open end and a cavity;   a replaceable and disposable cartridge prefilled with a predetermined quantity of the dry, pourable material received within the cavity, the replaceable and disposable cartridge fabricated from a biodegradable material and having a dispensing end sealed with a flexible membrane, the flexible membrane having a central portion sealing the dispensing end of the replaceable and disposable cartridge and plurality of radially extending legs extending outwardly from the central portion and along a longitudinal axis of the replaceable and disposable cartridge;   a pouring spout cap attached to the canister body, the pouring spout cap movable between an open position and closed position, wherein the pouring spout cap sealingly engages the open end of the canister body and encloses the replaceable and disposable cartridge within the cavity when the pouring spout cap is in the closed position, the pouring spout cap further comprising an upper surface defining a first lower portion of a dispensing chamber and a spout;   a pierce pin forming a conduit in communication with the dispensing chamber and the replaceable and disposable cartridge depending from a lower surface of the pouring spout cap and disposed to pierce the flexible membrane of the replaceable and disposable cartridge when the pouring spout cap is in the closed position; and   a cap lid attached to the upper surface of the pouring spout cap, the cap lid defining a second upper portion of the dispensing chamber, wherein the first lower portion of the dispensing chamber and the second upper portion of the dispensing chamber define the dispensing chamber from which the dry, pourable material is dispensed from the replaceable and disposable cartridge, through the pierce pin, into the dispensing chamber, and out of the dispensing chamber through the spout for dispensing the dry, pourable material from the dispenser.   
     
     
         18 . A replaceable and disposable cartridge for use in a dispenser for dispensing a dry, pourable material, the dispenser comprising a canister body, a pouring spout cap attached to an open end of the canister body, the pouring spout cap movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the pouring spout cap sealingly engages the open end of the canister body when the pouring spout cap is in the closed position, a pouring spout, and a pierce pin depending from a lower surface of the pouring spout cap in communication with the pouring spout, the replaceable and disposable cartridge comprising:
 a tube adapted for insertion within a cavity in the canister body having an interior and a first sealed end comprising an opening at a first end of the tube and a flexible membrane disposed over and around the opening to seal the opening, wherein the flexible membrane is pierced by the pierce pin when the pouring spout cap is moved to the closed position to provide communication between the interior of the tube and the pouring spout, wherein both the tube and the flexible membrane are fabricated from a biodegradable material; and   a predetermined quantity of the dry, pourable material prefilled into the tube for dispensing from the interior of the tube, through the piecing pin and out of the dispenser through the pouring spout.   
     
     
         19 . The replaceable and disposable cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible membrane is fabricated from cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         20 . The replaceable and disposable cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible membrane has an exposed surface and a surface adjacent to the opening, and wherein the flexible membrane is sealingly attached to the opening of the tube by an adhesive disposed on the surface adjacent to the opening. 
     
     
         21 . The replaceable and disposable cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the tube further comprises a second sealed end, the second sealed end comprising an opening at the second end of the tube and a flexible membrane disposed over and around the second opening to seal the second opening. 
     
     
         22 . The replaceable and disposable cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the canister body has a cavity of a predetermined volume and shape and the replaceable and disposable cartridge has a predetermined volume and shape corresponding to the volume and shape of the canister body and is received within the cavity. 
     
     
         23 . The replaceable and disposable cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the pouring spout cap encloses the replaceable and disposable cartridge within the cavity when the pouring spout cap is in the closed position. 
     
     
         24 . The replaceable and disposable cartridge of  claim 22 , wherein the pouring spout cap further comprises an upper surface defining a first lower portion of a dispensing chamber and a spout, a cap lid attached to the upper surface of the pouring spout cap defining a second upper portion of the dispensing chamber, wherein the first lower portion of the dispensing chamber and the second upper portion of the dispensing chamber define the dispensing chamber from which the dry, pourable material is dispensed from the replaceable and disposable cartridge, through the pierce pin into the dispensing chamber, and out of the dispensing chamber through the spout for dispensing the dry, pourable material from the dispenser.