WO2003011712A1

WO2003011712A1 - Portable device for containing and dispensing objects, particularly coins

Info

Publication number: WO2003011712A1
Application number: PCT/IT2002/000028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giovanni Racioppa
Original assignee: Abazia S.P.A.
Priority date: 2001-08-02
Filing date: 2002-01-18
Publication date: 2003-02-13
Also published as: ITTO20010131U1

Abstract

A portable device (1) is disclosed for containing and dispensing objects, like coins, comprising: a support base (3) with one central bearing projection (5); an object-containing member (7) equipped with a central connecting projection (9), containing two stop notches (11, 13) and a plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) for the objects; and a closing and dispensing member (7) and equipped with a central rotation projection (32) containing a closing stop (34) for the closing and dispensing member (30) which is further equipped with at least one dispensing opening (36) for the objects.

Description

PORTABLE DEVICE FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING OBJECTS, PARTICULARLY COINS

The present invention refers to a portable device for containing and dispensing objects, particularly coins.

Some devices of this type are known in the art: however they are of a complex arrangement, since they are equipped with ejection or retaining springs for the objects or the coins into the compartments that contain them. Other versions provide for the containment of a single object and therefore are scarcely adapted for practical purposes. Other devices are of an elongated type, allowing to handle, for example, a single stack of coins and their lateral ejection.

Object of the present invention is solving the above prior-art problems, by providing a portable device for containing and dispensing objects, particularly coins, that is of a simple and inexpensive configuration, employing only three component parts for making it. Moreover, the device of the present invention allows, through a simple rotation of one of its components, respectively obtaining a closing position for the transport, or a plurality of opening positions for dispensing the various types of objects that it is adapted to contain.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained by a device as claimed in Claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are claimed in the dependent Claims.

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the three parts composing a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 with the components shown in an opposite orientation with respect to Fig. 1;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the assembly of the three components of the device in Fig. 1;

- Figure 4 is a detailed view of the central part of the covering component; and

- Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the three components of another preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention.

With reference to the Figures, a preferred, but non-limiting, embodiment of the portable device 1 of the present invention is shown, for containing and dispensing objects (not shown) , particularly coins .

Such device 1 substantially comprises a support base 3, an object-containing member 7 and a closing and dispensing member 30 for the objects themselves .

The support base 3 is equipped with a perimetral edge 4, at least one central bearing projection 5 and at least one rotation stop 6. Object of such rotation stop 6 is preventing the rotation of the containing member 7 once inserted onto the support base 3: in fact, the rotation stop 6 is placed between two of the containers (that will be described below) with which the containing member 7 is equipped and prevents the member 7 itself from moving.

The object-containing member 7 instead is equipped with a central connecting projection 9 adapted to be inserted into the central bearing projection 5 of the support base 3 in order to realise a substantially fixed connection between the containing member 7 and the support base 3. The central connecting projection 9 is also equipped with at least two stop notches 11, 13, while the containing member 7 is equipped with a plurality of containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 for the objects .

The closing and dispensing member 30 is placed above the containing member 7 in order to enclose the containing member 7 between the support base 3 and the closing and dispensing member 30; the closing and dispensing member 30 is equipped with a central rotation projection 32 adapted to pass inside the central connecting projection 9 of the containing member 7 and to pass inside the central bearing projection 5 of the support base 3 to realise a rotating connection between the containing member 7 and the closing and dispensing member 30

The central rotation projection 32 is further equipped with at least one closing stop 34 adapted to stop in a closing position the rotation of the closing and dispensing member 30 when the closing stop 34 is inside the space between the two stop notches 11, 13 of the containing member 7. Finally, the closing and dispensing member 30 is further equipped with at least one dispensing opening 36 for the objects.

Preferably, the central rotation projection 32 of the closing and dispensing member 30 is further equipped with a plurality of longitudinal teeth 38, 39, 40, 41 adapted to reduce the friction and facilitate the rotation sliding between the central rotation projection 32 and the central connecting projection 9.

Moreover, the central rotation projection 32 of the closing and dispensing member 30 is further equipped with a snap sealing edge 42 adapted to engage the central bearing projection 5 and to retain the central connecting projection 9.

In the second preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the containing member 7 is further equipped with at least two assembling stops 44, 46 adapted to receive therein the rotation stop 6 of the support base 3 to realise an always preset and defined assembling of the device 1. This is useful in particular when it is necessary to assemble the device 1 by coupling corresponding information contained on each one of its component members, such as for example when the support base 3 is equipped, next to the plurality of containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 of the containing member 7, with corresponding projections representing the coding in Braille characters of the objects contained in the plurality of containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 in order to allow using the device 1 by blind people.

The device 1 of the present invention can be made in several shapes and configurations, such as for example those obtained by making the plurality of containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 all with the same shape, the same depth and the same sizes (width and length or diameter, in case of circular containers) in order to contain identical objects. Alternatively, the plurality of containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 can all be made with the same shape and depth, but with mutually different sizes (width and length or diameter) in order to contain objects of the same type but with different sizes. Still further, the plurality of containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 can all be made of the same depth, buth with mutually different shape and sizes (width and length or diameter) in order to contain different objects as regards type and sizes.

As regards its composing materials, which are not a peculiar characteristic of the device 1, but that can make its operativity simpler, more efficient or more attractive, no limits are provided for their choice, while the currently most preferred materials are the thermoplastic materials in general (that guarantee an easy portability and operation, in addition to providing a wide choice of colours and configurations), or silver or other metallic and precious materials for particularly prestigious embodiments. In a particularly preferred way, the closing and dispensing member 30 is made of a transparent material (plastics, glass, etc.) to allow a user to see the objects contained in the device 1.

Since one of the foreseen uses for the device 1 of the present invention is its use as advertising gadget, offered for example by companies to their own customers, the support base 3 . can contain various types of information (advertising, commercial, etc.) unmovably secured thereon, for example through screen printing, molding of plastic material, glueing, welding, etc. To further provide more information or an improved appearance to the device 1, the bottom of each one of the plurality of containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 can contain information related to the type of objects contained therein, whereby such information are for example punched, drawn or glued onto such bottom.

In the embodiment shown that is currently deemed as the most efficient, the device 1 of the present invention is made of a circular shape, that is, its support base 3, its containing member 7, its closing and dispensing member 30, its containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, its projections 5, 9, 32 and its dispensing opening 36 are all of a circular shape. Obviously, several other external shapes (quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.) are possible, in which the above- listed component parts are made, or different shapes for each one of the parts: this provided that the rotation of the closing and dispensing member 30 is kept with respect to the other members, in order to realise the various dispensing positions next to the different containers, together with the closing position "astride" two of such containers (as can be better seen in Fig. 3) . In case of the circular shape shown, the dispensing opening 36 is of a diameter that is^' equal to or greater than the maximum diameter among those of all containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, obviously to guarantee the ejection of the objects also from the container with maximum sizes (in this case container 28).

In the embodiment shown, the device 1 is adapted for containing and dispensing coins, particularly coins in Euro currency, thereby being an interesting arrangement for those bodies, such as banks, commercial premises, companies, that are interested in promoting the knowledge of such new currency, in addition obviously to introduce themselves to the users. For such purpose, the device 1 is equipped with eight circular containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 with different diameter, adapted to respectively contain Euro coins with values equal to 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 Euro and 2 Euros. In this case, the closing position realised through the closing stop 34 and the stop notches 11, 13 is established between the container 24 for 50 cents and the container 26 for 1 Euro. Still in this particular case, each one of the containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 has punched on its bottom a value in Euro of the coints that it is adapted to contain.

Some preferred embodiments of the device of the present invention have been disclosed: obviously, they must be deemed as a mere example of the invention itself, being readily apparent that numerous equivalent construction variations and modifications can be made, that all fall within the scope of the present invention, as pointed out by the following Claims. For example, the device 1 has been shown as adapted to contain and dispense coins, but obviously it could also be employed with several other types of objects, such as, for example, cosmetics, drugs, sweets, etc.

As a further example, the dispensing opening 36 could be realised shaped as a slit in order to eject only one object at a time: for this purpose, it should be placed laterally with respect to the device 1 (on the perimetral edge 4 of the support base 3) and the corresponding openings of the containers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 should be provided laterally.

Claims

1. Portable device (1) for containing and dispensing objects, particularly coins, characterised in that it comprises:

- a support base (3) equipped with a perimetral edge (4) , at least one central bearing projection (5) and at least one rotation stop

(6);

- an object-containing member (7), said containing member (7) being equipped with a central connecting projection (9) adapted to be inserted into said central bearing projection (5) of said support base (3) in order to realise a substantially fixed connection between said containing member (7) and said support base (3), said central connecting projection (9) being equipped with at least two stop notches (11, 13), said containing member (7) being further equipped with a plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) for said objects; and

- a closing and dispensing member (30) placed above said containing member (7) in order to enclose said containing member (7) between said support base (3) and said closing and dispensing member (30) , said closing and dispensing member (30) being equipped with a central rotation projection (32) adapted to pass inside said central connecting projection (9) of said containing member (7) and to pass inside said central bearing projection (5) of said support base (3) to realise a rotating connection between said containing member (7) and said closing and dispensing member (30) , said central rotation projection (32) being equipped with at least one closing stop (34) adapted to stop in a closing position a rotation of said closing and dispensing member (30) when said closing stop (34) is inside a space between said two stop notches (11, 13) of said containing member (7), said closing and dispensing member (30) being further equipped with at least one dispensing opening (36) for said objects.

2. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said central rotation projection (32) of said closing and dispensing member (30) is further equipped with a plurality of longitudinal teeth (38, 39, 40, 41) adapted to reduce a friction and facilitate a rotation sliding between said central rotation projection (32) and said central connecting projection (9) .

3. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said central rotation projection (32) of said closing and dispensing member (30) is further equipped with a snap sealing edge (42) adapted to engage said central bearing projection (5) and to retain said central connecting projection (9) .

4. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said containing member (7) is further equipped with at least two assembling stops (44, 46) adapted to receive therein said rotation stop (6) of said support base (3) to realise an always preset and defined assembling of said device (1) .

5. Device (1) according to Claim 4, characterised in that said support base (3) is equipped, next to said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) of said containing member (7), with corresponding projections representing a coding in Braille characters of the objects contained in said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) in^' order to allow using said device (1) by blind people.

6. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) are all made with a same shape, a same depth and same sizes (width and length or diameter) in order to contain identical objects.

7. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) are all made with a same shape and depth, but with mutually different sizes (width and length or diameter) in order to contain objects of a same type but with different sizes.

8. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) are all made of a same depth, buth with mutually different shape and sizes (width and length or diameter) in order to contain different objects as regards type and sizes.

9. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said closing and dispensing member (30) is made of a transparent material to allow a^' user to see the objects contained in said device (1) .

10. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said support base (3) contains various types of information (advertising, commercial, etc.) unmovably secured thereon.

11. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that a bottom of each one of said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) contains information related to a type of objects contained therein.

12. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that it is of a circular shape, that is, said support base (3) , said containing member (7), said closing and dispensing member (30), said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28), said projections (5, 9, 32) and said dispensing opening (36) are all of a circular shape.

13. Device (1) according to Claim 12, characterised in that said dispensing opening (36) is of a diameter that is equal to or greater than a maximum diameter among those of said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) .

14. Device (1) according to Claim 12, characterised^' in that it is adapted for containing and dispensing coins, particularly coins in Euro currency, said device (1) being equipped with eight circular containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) with a different diameter, adapted to respectively contain Euro coins with values equal to 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 Euro and 2 Euros.

15. Device (1) according to Claim 14, characterised in that a closing position realised through said closing stop (34) and said stop notches (11, 13) is established between the container (24) for 50 cents and the container (26) for 1 Euro.

16. Device (1) according to Claim 14, characterised in that each one of said plurality of containers (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) has punched on its bottom a value in Euro of the coints that it is adapted to contain.