Blade dispenser

Abstract

A blade dispenser including a dispenser body including a cavity shaped to store a plurality of blades therein. The blade dispenser includes a pivotable plate located in or adjacent to the cavity such that the plate can receive at least one blade stored in the cavity thereon. The plate is pivotable such that a blade located thereon can be moved at least partially outside of the cavity when the plate is pivoted such that a user can access a blade located on the plate. The plate includes a magnet located thereon to magnetically interact with a blade located on the plate to maintain the blade on the plate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A blade dispenser comprising: 
 a dispenser body including a cavity shaped to store a plurality of blades therein; and    a pivotable plate located in or adjacent to said cavity such that said at least one blade stored in said cavity is receivable thereon, wherein said plate is pivotable such that a blade located thereon is movable at least partially outside of said cavity when said plate is pivoted such that a user can access a blade located on said plate, and wherein said plate includes a magnet located thereon to magnetically interact with a blade located on said plate to maintain said blade on said plate.    
     
     
         2 . The blade dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said dispenser body includes a biasing means for biasing said plurality of blades against said plate such that at least one of said blades is urged into contact with said plate.  
     
     
         3 . The blade dispenser of  claim 2  wherein said biasing means is a spring.  
     
     
         4 . The blade dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said plate includes a engagement surface shaped to engage at least one of said blades stored in said cavity when said plate is pivoted to separate said one of said blades from said a stack of blades stored in said cavity.  
     
     
         5 . The blade dispenser of  claim 4  wherein said cavity and plate are shaped to receive a plurality of generally trapezoidal blades, each blade having a short straight edge and a long straight edge generally parallel to said short straight edge, and wherein said engagement surface is located to engage said long straight edge of said one of said blades.  
     
     
         6 . The blade dispenser of  claim 1  further including a plurality of blades located in said cavity.  
     
     
         7 . The blade dispenser of  claim 6  wherein each blade includes at least one sharp edge, and wherein said plate includes a engagement surface that is shaped to engage said sharp edge of one of said blades when said plate is pivoted to separate said one of said blades from said plurality of blades.  
     
     
         8 . The blade dispenser of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said body or plate includes a stop surface to limit the pivoting motion of said plate.  
     
     
         9 . The blade dispenser of  claim 8  wherein said stop surface limits the pivoting motion of said plate such that at least part of said plate always remains located in or adjacent to said cavity.  
     
     
         10 . The blade dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said plate includes a generally downwardly-extending gripping tab to facilitate manual pivoting of said plate.  
     
     
         11 . The blade dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said plate is pivotable about a pivot axis which is located adjacent to an outer edge of said body.  
     
     
         12 . The blade dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said dispenser body includes backing surface and a cover removably coupled to said backing surface, said backing surface and said cover defining said cavity therebetween.  
     
     
         13 . The blade dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said cavity is generally trapezoidal in cross section.  
     
     
         14 . A blade dispenser comprising: 
 a dispenser body including a cavity that is generally trapezoidal in cross section and shaped to generally closely receive and store a plurality of generally trapezoidal blades therein, each blade having a short straight edge and a long straight edge generally parallel to said short edge; and    a pivotable plate located in or adjacent to said cavity such that said at least one blade of said plurality of blades stored in said cavity is receivable thereon, wherein said plate is pivotable such that said at least one blade located thereon is movable at least partially outside of said cavity when said plate is pivoted such that a user can access said at least one blade, wherein said plate includes a engagement surface shaped to engage said at least one blade when said plate is pivoted to separate said one of said blades from said plurality of blades, said engagement surface being located to engage said long straight edge of said one of said blades.    
     
     
         15 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  wherein said plate includes a generally flat seating surface shaped to receive a blade thereon, and wherein said engagement surface is oriented generally perpendicular to said seating surface.  
     
     
         16 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  wherein said plate includes a magnet located thereon to magnetically interact with a blade located on said plate to maintain said blade on said plate.  
     
     
         17 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  wherein said dispenser body includes a biasing means for biasing said plurality of blades against said plate such that at least one of said blades is urged into contact with said plate.  
     
     
         18 . The blade dispenser of  claim 16  wherein said biasing means is a spring.  
     
     
         19 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  further including a plurality of blades located in said cavity.  
     
     
         20 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  wherein at least one of said body or plate includes a stop surface to limit the pivoting motion of said plate.  
     
     
         21 . The blade dispenser of  claim 21  wherein said stop surface limits the pivoting motion of said plate such that at least part of said plate always remains located in or adjacent to said cavity.  
     
     
         22 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  wherein said plate includes a generally downwardly-extending gripping tab to facilitate manual pivoting of said plate.  
     
     
         23 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  wherein said plate is pivotable about a pivot axis which is located adjacent to an outer edge of said body.  
     
     
         24 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  wherein said dispenser body includes backing surface and a cover removably coupled to said backing surface, said backing surface and said cover defining said cavity therebetween.  
     
     
         25 . The blade dispenser of  claim 14  wherein said cavity is generally trapezoidal in cross section.  
     
     
         26 . A blade dispenser comprising: 
 a dispenser body including a cavity shaped to store a plurality of blades therein; and    a pivotable plate located in or adjacent to said cavity such that at least one blade of said plurality of blades stored in said cavity is receivable thereon, wherein said plate is pivotable such that a blade located thereon is movable at least partially outside of said cavity when said plate is pivoted such that a user can access said blade located on said plate, wherein at least one of said body or plate includes a stop surface to limit the pivoting motion of said plate.    
     
     
         27 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  wherein said plate includes a magnet located thereon to magnetically interact with a blade located on said plate to maintain said blade on said plate.  
     
     
         28 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  wherein said stop surface limits the pivoting motion of said plate such that at least part of said plate always remains located adjacent to said stack of blades to retain said blades in said cavity.  
     
     
         29 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  wherein said dispenser body includes a biasing means for biasing said plurality of blades against said plate such that at least one of said blades is urged into contact with said plate.  
     
     
         30 . The blade dispenser of  claim 29  wherein said biasing means is a spring.  
     
     
         31 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  wherein said plate includes a engagement surface shaped to engage at least one of said blades stored in said cavity when said plate is pivoted to separate said one of said blades from said a stack of blades stored in said cavity.  
     
     
         32 . The blade dispenser of  claim 31  wherein said cavity and plate are shaped to receive a plurality of generally trapezoidal blades, each blade having a short straight edge and a long straight edge generally parallel to said short straight edge, and wherein said engagement surface is located to engage said long straight edge of said one of said blades.  
     
     
         33 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  further including a plurality of blades located in said cavity.  
     
     
         34 . The blade dispenser of  claim 33  wherein each blade includes at least one sharp edge, and wherein said plate includes a engagement surface that is shaped to engage said sharp edge of one of said blades when said plate is pivoted to separate said one of said blades from said plurality of blades.  
     
     
         35 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  wherein said plate includes a generally downwardly-extending gripping tab to facilitate manual pivoting of said plate.  
     
     
         36 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  wherein said plate is pivotable about a pivot axis which is located adjacent to an outer edge of said body.  
     
     
         37 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  wherein said dispenser body includes backing surface and a cover removably coupled to said backing surface, said backing surface and said cover defining said cavity therebetween.  
     
     
         38 . The blade dispenser of  claim 26  wherein said cavity is generally trapezoidal in cross section.