TECHNICAL FIELD

These claimed embodiments relate to a device and method for dispensing small objects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus for holding a dispensing small object is disclosed.

Devices have been made for storing objects to prevent particles and dust from collecting on the objects. These devices can then dispense the objects by use of a slide panel or mechanism that revolves horizontally around a center axis to dispense the small object.

These devices typically have a chamber to store the objects before being dispensed. Further these dispensers are typically constructed from glass and metal. These materials are formed by placing hot parts into a mold, or by placing smaller parts into many molds and then connecting the parts together. The process to make these devices can be both time consuming and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device and method for dispensing objects.

One general aspect includes a method for making an apparatus to dispense objects. The method also includes providing a frame having a left-side wall, a right-side wall, a front wall and a back wall, the frame enclosing an upper chamber and a lower chamber, and forming opposing apertures on the front wall and the back wall between the upper chamber and the lower chamber. The method also includes forming a trough by folding a rectangular sheet of material with a short side and a long side, the rectangular sheet having long edges formed along the long sides and short edges formed along the short sides, the rectangular sheet integrated with a plurality of front tabs extending outward from the rectangular sheet along one of the long edges and with a plurality of rear tabs extending outward from the rectangular sheet along another of the long edges. The method also includes providing a first and a second circular disk having an outside surface and an inside surface, the first circular disk having a plurality of slots that receive the front tabs on the first circular disk inside surface, and the second circular disk having a plurality of slots that receive the rear tabs on the second circular disk inside surface, the first and second circular disk forming with the trough a rotatable barrel with a barrel chamber and an opening. The method also includes connecting a handle to at least one of the circular disks outside surface to rotate the rotatable barrel. The method also includes disposing the rotatable barrel in the aperture with the first circular disk disposed outside of the front wall and the second circular disk disposed outside of the back wall, where the rotatable barrel is rotatable with the handle to a first orientation in which the opening faces upward to receive objects from the upper chamber into the barrel chamber, and where the rotatable barrel is rotatable with the handle to a second orientation in which the opening of the barrel chamber faces downward to deposit received objects from the barrel chamber to the lower chamber.

Another general aspect includes an apparatus for dispensing objects. The apparatus also includes a frame having a plurality of walls to enclose an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the frame forming an aperture between the upper chamber and the lower chamber. The apparatus also includes a trough that may be formed by continuously folding an elongated sheet of material integrated with a plurality of front tabs extending outward from one edge of the elongated sheet and integrated with a plurality of rear tabs extending outward from an opposing edge of the elongated sheet. The apparatus also includes a first disk having a plurality of slots that receive the front tabs, and a second disk having a plurality of slots that receive the rear tabs, the first and second disk forming with the trough a rotatable barrel with a barrel chamber and an opening. The apparatus also includes a handle connected to the first disk to enable manual rotation of the barrel. The apparatus also includes the barrel disposed in the aperture with the first disk disposed outside of the one of the walls and the second disk disposed outside another of the walls, where the rotatable barrel is operative to orient with the opening facing upward to receive objects from the upper chamber into the barrel chamber such that when the handle is rotated the rotatable barrel turns to orient the opening downward and deposit objects in the barrel chamber into the lower chamber.

One general aspect includes a method for dispensing objects. The method also includes forming with a plurality of walls of a frame an upper chamber and a lower chamber, and an aperture between the upper chamber and the lower chamber. The method may also include creating a folded sheet by continuously folding an elongated sheet of material integrated with a plurality of front tabs extending outward from one edge of the elongated sheet and integrated with a plurality of rear tabs extending outward from an opposing edge of the elongated sheet. The method also includes forming a rotatable barrel with a barrel chamber and an opening by receiving the front tabs of the folded sheet with a plurality of slots of the first disk and receiving the rear tabs of the folded sheet with a plurality of slots of a second disk. The method also includes connecting a handle to the first disk to enable manual rotation of the rotatable barrel. The method also includes disposing the rotatable barrel in the aperture. The method also includes depositing objects into the upper chamber. The method also includes rotating the connected handle to orient the opening of the rotatable barrel upward to receive objects from the upper chamber into the barrel chamber. The method also includes rotating the connected handle to orient opening of the rotatable barrel downward to deposit objects in the barrel chamber into the lower chamber.

