US 7,320,415 B2
Condiment dispensing container and carousel
Carter W. McGuyer, Muscle Shoals, Ala. (US)
Assigned to Robbins Industries, Inc., Florence, Ala. (US)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/829,174.
Application 10/829174 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/699234, filed on Oct. 31, 2003, granted, now 7,083,070.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/467815, filed on May 02, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0011912 A1, Jan. 20, 2005
Int. Cl. A47G 19/012 (2006.01); B67D 5/006 (2006.01); A45D 24/022 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 222—142.3  [222/179.5; 222/181.1; 222/197; 222/370] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A condiment dispenser for dispensing particulate materials, said dispenser comprising:
(a) an elongated tubular upper body portion with a central longitudinal axis, said body portion being substantially symmetrical about said axis and having an outer wall and a pair of opposed ends and a hollow interior for holding a supply of said materials;
(b) a top structure for closing said tubular body at one of said ends;
(c) a tubular bottom structure having a grippable outer wall and defining an outlet opening for selectively dispensing pre-measured quantities of said material through said outlet opening, and supporting said tubular body vertically on a support surface;
(d) said bottom structure including a rotor mounted to rotate about said longitudinal axis of said body and drivably coupled to said outer wall of said bottom structure;
(e) a holding structure having a plurality of material holding compartments of a shape matching the shape of said outlet opening;
(f) said rotor being drivable coupled to create rotation of said compartments relative to said outlet to successively discharge the contents of said compartments downwardly through said outlet;
(g) said outer wall of said bottom structure being aligned with said outer wall of said tubular body so that said outer walls together form the outer wall for said dispenser;
(h) said rotor has a substantially frustro-conical shape, with the largest diameter thereof at the bottom edge, said bottom edge defining a support plane for supporting said dispenser vertically on a support surface.