Dispensing caddy

Abstract

A caddy for storing products such as canned goods. The caddy connects to a dispensing - - - of purchase display unit. The product dispenser opening is - - - by a set of perforated tear lines on one or more of a plurality of forms of the caddy. The caddy eliminates the jumbled appearance of a shelf of loose cans or jars while allowing customers to easily withdraw canned goods from the caddy.

1 . A caddy for storing products such as canned goods that converts into a gravity-operated dispensing point-of-purchase display unit, the caddy having an interconnected plurality of faces, including top, bottom, front, back, and first and second side faces, comprising 
 one or more vertical compartments within the caddy separated by dividers that maintain the products within each compartment in such an orientation that they do not become wedged within the caddy,    a product return opening defined by a first set of perforated tear lines on one or more of the plurality of faces located near the top of the caddy, the return opening extending across all the vertical compartments and sized to allow customers to return the products to their proper compartments within the caddy,    a product dispensing opening defined by a second set of perforated tear lines on one or more of the plurality of faces located near the bottom of the caddy, but not extending completely to the bottom face of the caddy, the dispensing opening extending across all the vertical compartments and sized such that the dispensing opening's height is at least equal to the diameter or height of the largest products within the caddy so that customers can remove regularly- or irregularly-shaped objects from the caddy,    a lip or ridge at the lower edge of the product dispensing opening that is sufficiently higher than the floor of the caddy to retain the products in the caddy until a product is withdrawn by a customer, and    a panel located between the product return opening and the product dispensing opening printed with graphics that market the products in the caddy or enhance the appearance of the store in which the caddy is located.    
   
   
       2 . The caddy of  claim 1  where in one of said face's is hinged to one or more of the remaining plurality of faces such that packing of the products within the caddy is facilitated.  
   
   
       3 . The caddy of  claim 1  where the product return opening is a quadrilateral.  
   
   
       4 . The caddy of  claim 3  where one side of the product return opening is at least partially perforated.  
   
   
       5 . A caddy for storing products such as canned goods that converts into a gravity-operated dispensing point-of-purchase display unit, the caddy having an interconnected plurality of faces, comprising 
 one or more vertical compartments within the caddy separated by dividers that maintain the products within each compartment in such an orientation that they do not become wedged within the caddy,    a product return opening defined by a first set of perforated tear lines on one or more of the plurality of faces located near the top of the caddy, the return opening extending across one or more of the vertical compartments and sized to allow customers to return the products to their proper compartments within the caddy,    a product dispensing opening defined by a second set of perforated tear lines on one or more of the plurality of faces located near the bottom of the caddy, but not extending completely to the bottom face of the caddy, the dispensing opening extending across substantially all the vertical compartments and sized so that customers can remove regularly- or irregularly-shaped objects from the caddy, and    a panel located proximate the product return opening and the product dispensing opening printed for displaying graphics that market the products in the caddy or enhance the appearance of the store in which the caddy is located, said panel having an area substantially the same or larger that the area of said product dispensing opening.    
   
   
       6 . A container that eases shipment of products such as canned goods and that reduces clutter in stores by converting into a gravity-fed dispenser of the products, the container having an interconnected plurality of faces, comprising 
 means for keeping the products arranged during dispensing, eliminating the need to manually stack products,    means for allowing customers to return products removed from the container without disassembling the container,    means for dispensing products separate from the means for allowing customers to return products,    means for keeping the products in the container until a customer removes a product, and means for displaying graphics on the exterior of the container that provide a larger display area than would be available on individual product labels.    
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 6 , further comprising means for packing products in the container by opening one of the plurality of faces of the container.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 6 , further comprising means for subdividing the container into a plurality of compartments.  
   
   
       9 . A method of selling products such as canned goods that encourages customers to help keep the products organized comprising 
 providing a container that dispenses the products through an aperture,    providing a product return opening on the container that allows customers to return products to the container, and    placing the container in a location that allows customers to remove products from the aperture and return undesired products to the container through the product return opening.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising providing a display panel on the container that identifies which goods belong in the container.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising providing a plurality of compartments within the container to provide additional organization of the products.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising sizing the dispensing aperture and the product return opening such that both the dispensing aperture and the product return opening are in communication with all of the plurality of compartments.  
   
   
       13 . A container comprising 
 a plurality of faces    one or more compartments within the container;    a first set of perforated tear lines on one or more of the plurality of faces defining an aperture or hinged panel adjoining or near the top face and extending across all of the compartments; and    a second set of perforated tear lines on one or more of the plurality of faces defining an aperture near the bottom face and extending across all of the compartments.    
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 13  where the lower edge of the second set of perforated tear lines forms a lip or ridge above a bottom face of the container.  
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 13  where a front face of the container contains printed graphics.  
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 13  where the first set of perforated tear lines defines a quadrilateral.  
   
   
       17 . The container of  claim 16  where one side of the quadrilateral defined by the first set of perforated tear lines is at least partially imperforated.  
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 13  where the height of the aperture defined by the second set of perforated tear lines is greater than the diameter of the goods stored in the container.  
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 13  where in a first side face is hinged to one or more of top, bottom, front, or back faces.  
   
   
       20 . The container of  claim 13  where dividers subdivide the interior of the container into two or more compartments.  
   
   
       21 . The subdivided container of  claim 20  where the container is loaded with canned goods, the cylindrical axes of which are perpendicular to the divider walls.  
   
   
       22 . The subdivided container of  claim 20  where the distances between the side faces and the dividers are slightly greater than the height of the goods within each compartment.  
   
   
       23 . The container of  claim 13 , further comprising an inclined plane incorporated into or placed on top of a bottom face, which tapers toward a front face.  
   
   
       24 . A container comprising 
 a plurality of faces;    one or more compartments within the container;    a set of perforated tear lines on one or more of the plurality of faces defining an aperture near a bottom face and extending across all of the compartments; and    an inclined plane incorporated into or placed on top of said bottom face, which tapers toward a front face.    
   
   
       25 . The container of  claim 24  where the lower edge of the set of perforated tear lines forms a lip or ridge above said bottom face of the container.  
   
   
       26 . The container of  claim 24  where a front face of the container contains printed graphics.  
   
   
       27 . The container of  claim 24  where a first side face of the container is hinged to one or more of top, bottom, front, or back faces of said container.  
   
   
       28 . The container of  claim 24  wherein dividers subdivide the interior of the container into two or more compartments.  
   
   
       29 . The subdivided container of  claim 28  wherein the container is adopted to be loaded with canned goods, the cylindrical axes of which are perpendicular to the divider walls.  
   
   
       30 . The subdivided container of  claim 28  where the distances between the side faces and the dividers are slightly greater than the height of the goods within each compartment.  
   
   
       31 . A bulk pack container for taking home a plurality of canned goods and neatly dispensing said goods at home, the container having an interconnected plurality of faces, comprising 
 means for keeping the canned goods arranged during dispensing, eliminating the need to manually stack products,    means for allowing the user to return cans removed from the container without disassembling the container, and    means for dispensing cans separate from the means for allowing the user to return products.