Object dispenser apparatus

Abstract

An object dispenser apparatus for dispensing individual products for use without users touching products to be used by others. The object dispenser apparatus includes a housing including an elongated container having an open top and adapted to store lids therein and also having a tray in communication with the container for dispensing lids from the container; and an actuator assembly disposed in the housing for dispensing the lids one-at-a-time from the container to the tray.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An object dispenser apparatus comprising:
 a housing has a top wall and including an elongated container having an open top and adapted to store objects such as lids therein and also having a tray in communication with the container for dispensing the objects from the container; and   an actuator assembly disposed in the housing for dispensing the objects one-at-a-time from the container to the tray.   
     
     
         2 . The object dispenser apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the tray is attached to and extends outwardly from the container and is slanted downwardly from the open top of the container to facilitate sliding of the kids for access by a user. 
     
     
         3 . The object dispenser apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly includes a biased element disposed in the container for biasing the lids to the open top of the container and also includes an elongated object engagement member adapted to engage and move the lids to the tray. 
     
     
         4 . The object dispenser apparatus as described in  claim 3 , wherein the actuator assembly further includes an actuator disposed upon the housing for actuating the object engagement member to engage and move the lids to the tray. 
     
     
         5 . The object dispenser apparatus as described in  claim 4 , wherein the actuator is a motion sensor, wherein the actuator assembly also includes a controller in communication with the motion sensor and with the object engagement member for controlling the object engagement member. 
     
     
         6 . The object dispenser apparatus as described in  claim 5 , wherein the actuator assembly further includes a track member attached to and depending from the top wall in the housing and disposed perpendicular to the container, and also includes an object engagement motor in communication with the controller and connected to the object engagement member and having a rotatable shaft with a cogged wheel mounted to the rotatable shaft and movable upon the track member to linearly move the object engagement member, whereupon detection of motion by the motion sensor, a signal is sent to the controller which actuates the object engagement motor effecting engagement of the object engagement member with the lid at the open top of the container and moving the lid onto the tray. 
     
     
         7 . The object dispenser apparatus as described in  claim 5 , wherein the housing has a projecting member depending from the top wall inside the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The object dispenser apparatus as described in  claim 7 , wherein the elongated object engagement member has an enlarged portion disposed thereabout and intermediate thereof and being in contactable relationship with the projecting member to move the object engagement member downwardly into engagement with the lid at the open top of the container and to lift the lid out of the container. 
     
     
         9 . The object dispenser apparatus as described in  claim 3 , wherein the object engagement member has a proximate end which is rotatably connected to the object engagement motor and also has a distal end having a prong disposed perpendicular to the object engagement member and adapted to extend into the lid at the open top of the container and rotate the lid.